Running With Wolves

When Conan and I finally made it home the place was absolutely silent. Now, normally this would have meant nothing…aside from the fact that I left Mia here nearly three hours ago and there wasn’t a trace of her now.

“Mia?” I called into the darkness the moment we’d stepped through the door.

Conan felt along the wall for the light switch and with a flick suddenly we could see. The place was exactly the way we left it…aside from the fact that I left Mia here nearly three hours ago and now she was gone.

“You sure you can trust this girl?” Conan wondered as he moved deeper into the house, checking the kitchen and living room for her.

“I wouldn’t have brought her if I didn’t.” I went to check the dining room when I heard a creak over my head from the second floor. I paused for a moment wondering if Conan would react to it but apparently he hadn’t heard it. I moved toward the stairs and made my way to the second floor where the unoccupied master bedroom and my siblings’ bedroom’s were. I moved passed their bedrooms without a second glance, I knew what room was directly above the hallway.

I moved down the long hallway of bedrooms to my right until I came up to the only room on the left side of the second floor. I gripped the chipped gold doorknob and the smell of old books instantly filled my nose.

“Mia?” There was a startled clatter and as I moved around the bookcase there was my olive skinned friend, book overturned on the floor, and her eyes wide with surprise.

“Sage!” She exclaimed glancing from the book to me. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry. I was just…well I was bored, and like I said I didn’t mean to pry but I was just curious, I didn’t mean to snoop.”

“It’s alright Mia,” I smiled softly at her. “Me casa su casa.” I picked up the old leather bound book on the floor and recognized it instantly. I’d studied the book half a dozen times through my childhood and by the time I’d turned fourteen I’d avoided the book like the plague.

It was an in-depth unabridged book about my family and all the Were families in Blackwood; family trees, old wives tales, myths. if someone so much as mumbled the name Wolfe it was documented in the stupid thing.

“My family history,” I glanced at the old thing before I handed it back to her. “Of all the books in this library you choose that one?”

Mia shrugged, chagrin. “I wasn’t looking for it.” She mumbled. “But it had your last name on the binding so I just…looked.”

“Find anything interesting?” I asked offhandedly as my gaze drifted around the room.

This room was the only presence of my mother I had left in this house. She loved to read and my father built her this library for her comfort zone. I spent a good deal of time here growing up. From the time I was three to five my mother would read to me here in her quiet little world, then I hid here until I was twelve immersing myself in other less complicated worlds between the pages; of course there were those days in between where Lukas and I learned to play doctor when we were young, then got to second base when we were older…

“I never knew you had another sister beside Cheyenne.” She murmured quietly. I turned my attention back to Mia where the book was open to the current generation’s family tree.

“Yeah, Seneca.” I nodded quietly reading the space that read ‘Seneca Claudia Florina Wolfe' with her birth and death written beneath it. “She died a few years ago.”

“I’m sor-“

“Don’t be,” I shook my head. “There wasn’t anything anyone could have done.” And I believed that. The war was bound to happen and Seneca wouldn’t have had a second thought about fighting. I accepted Seneca’s death long ago, what I couldn’t accept was the circumstances of her death and the outcome it brought with it.

I pointed to where my mother’s name had a line through it, “She left about a year after Seneca was killed, no one has heard from her since.”

My eyes automatically drew to the name beside hers, Corneliu Romulus Fane Wolfe, a pang hit my heart. There was a scribbled halfhearted death date beside it from three weeks ago.

I glanced to my brother’s name, Conan Sebastian Cosmin Wolfe. His name was connected to our mother’s name but not our father’s—the books couldn’t lie or sugar coat the truth.

My eyes drew to my name then Chey’s; Cheyenne Corina Livia Wolfe. Her birth was beside it but ’unknown’ had been scrawled beside that…I would find her, I would. If it was the last thing I did and even if it killed me I’d find my baby sister and I’d bring her back—dead or alive.

Mia was quiet, she didn’t know what to say but she knew I didn’t want to hear her apologize for my family tragedies.

“Why is his name attached to yours?” she questioned pointing the name nearest mine, Sage Cornelia Aurora Wolfe, but held no family connection.

I pursed my lips, “It’s complicated.”

“You aren’t…married are you?” She wondered hesitantly.

“No, Lukas and I aren’t married.” I responded carefully. I didn’t know how to explain it to her without saying Lukas was it for me. If I was ever to marry anyone it would be Lukas. If I ever had kids they would be Lukas’. It was almost as though I didn’t have a choice; my heart would never let me love anyone the way it loved him. “We dated, my family just jumped the gun on that notion.”

Mia nodded silently before she unfolded the page that revealed Lukas’ family tree.

“Ah the Canis family tree,” I mumbled gazing at it. “Viktor Canis, he’s the alp-mayor of Eastern Blackwood, his brother Erik is what you might call his co-captain.” I explained. A bitter taste filled my mouth just glancing at the Alpha’s name—there wasn’t ever a doubt in my mind as to who killed Seneca. I swallowed and moved on, moving down the level to Viktor’s children. “Viktor’s eldest son Kerrick, well frankly he’s a bit of an ass, then there’s Lukas, and lastly there’s Knoll.”

I paused as I gazed at the youngest Canis’ name. There had always been something about Knoll that separated him from his brothers, he wasn’t like Kerrick or Lukas. Knoll was quiet, he observed the world but he didn’t much partake in it. Kerrick was brute force, Lukas was headstrong and deadly, but Knoll? Knoll was quiet, he didn’t Run, he didn’t involve himself in family politics, and as far as I could tell he untangled himself from his family as much as possible—he was also the one who told me Cheyenne was missing.

“Is there a reason all of them have ‘K’s and you have ‘C’s?”

“What?” I blinked torn from my thoughts.

Mia pointed to the Canis’ name’s all with the letter ‘K’ in them and then to the Wolfe’s each with the letter ‘C’ somewhere in their names.

“Is there a reason why they have ‘K’s in their names and you all have ‘C’s?”

“Yeah it’s an old Romanian Wer-id tradition…” I trailed off. “The Wolfe’s and Canis’ are the oldest Romanian families in Blackwood. We’re both direct descendants of the first two Romanian families that settled into Minnesota; My ancestor Christof Wolfe and his best friend Razvan Canis Korzha--Say that ten times fast..” She glanced at me looking somewhat impressed. I shrugged offhandedly, “This town likes to keep track of its history,” I explained. “The name thing is just an old family tradition.”

Mia nodded to herself as she flipped through the pages, more curious in the family tree pages than the old legends.
Her flipping paused for a moment as her eyes landed on one page in particular and she made a sound in the back of her throat.

“What?”

“Poor girl,” Sympathy laced Mia’s words and I peered over her shoulder, an entire family tree crossed out, dead—all except one.

Raluca Runestone Varden.

My heart dropped a little at her name, pain for her coursing through my blood. I worried about her constantly and I’ll admit my feeling sorry for her came a close second.

“That poor girl, she has no one.” Mia commented her voice sad and filled with compassion for the stranger on the page. “They’re all…gone.”

“She isn’t alone,” I couldn’t keep the sting out of my voice. Imagining Rune alone was something I fought with silently, but to have it voiced hit a nerve. “She has people who care for, who love her.”

Mia lifted her gaze from the book, surprise suddenly flashing across her face. “You know her?”

“I know everyone,” I grumbled looking away and moving from the door. I’d decided Mia could look at whatever damn book she wanted, draw whatever damn conclusion she did from the books, but I wasn’t going to stand in this room with these thoughts, with these memories, any longer. “It’s Blackwood.”

_____________________________________________________________________________

“Luke!”

The blue-eyed man closed his eyes in irritation; the unwelcomed visitor was sorely mistaken if he thought Lukas was in the mood to deal with his brother’s bullshit today.

“Where the hell have you been?” He demanded, arms crossed over his chest, his eyes the same shade of blue as his brother’s, were hard with annoyance and dominance—typical Kerrick pose.

“Back off, Kerrick.” Lukas warned, his eyes never meeting his brother as he turned the silver ratchet in his hand in quick secession. Lukas wasn’t in the mood to be fixing another broken something on his precious classic 1969 Chevy Impala and he sure as hell wasn’t in the mood to listen to Kerrick practice being an Alpha asshole.

“Father has been looking for you—you were suppose to be at that meeting Luke, it was an emergency meeting.”

“There was no reason for me to be there.” He returned evenly.

“How is a potential threat not a reason for you?” Kerrick questioned hotly.

Lukas paused, gritting his teeth, and decided he no longer gave a fuck if he fixed the muscle car today or not. He turned curtly to his brother, ratchet in hand.

“I’m not an Alpha, I’m not a Beta, and I’m not even third on the fucking rank. I’m not on the Committee or a part the Borderline Patrol.” He took a step toward Kerrick, his eyes suddenly as cold and stony as his older sibling’s. “We both know the ‘potential threat’ isn’t a goddamn threat to anyone—it’s fucking ridiculous to say so and a waste of everyone’s time to force us all together and talk about it.”

“The town’s safety—“

“-Is not in danger by a twenty-three year old woman who came home to grieve her father’s death or missing sister!” Lukas barked pointing the ratchet at Kerrick threateningly. “So help me God Kerrick if you feed into this town’s insane idea that Sage is a threat, you will have me to answer to.”

“Come off it Luke we both know you won’t, and can’t, do shit. Father will have your ass for choosing her over your family and I’m sure no one would appreciate you trying and failing to fight the next in li—“

“C’mon guys,” The youngest Canis’ piped up from where he sat inconspicuously slouched down in the driver’s seat of the Impala.

“No one cares that you’ll be Alpha one day.” Lukas scuffed turning away.

It was only because he didn’t want Knoll involved that Lukas backed down. Knoll wanted to be involved with the town and its politics as much as Lukas did but Knoll wanted even less to cause a rift amongst their already rocky family.

Irritation and agitation had etched itself into Lukas’ bones with Sage’s return. A defensiveness had settled into his chest like a weight. He wouldn’t let the town make Sage out to be the bad guy and if they so much as dared to bother her, whether he was with her or not, they’d have to get through Luke first. Everything Lukas felt at the moment was directly related to the strawberry blonde but if he happened to snap and beat his brother into the ground, well, Lukas would proudly take full responsibility.

He turned back to the car, ducking his head under the hood and prayed his power trip asshole brother would just go away.

Kerrick scuffed in disgust then, “I wonder what Father would say if he knew you still loved her, a Wolfe?”

Lukas gritted his teeth and turned his head toward his brother glaring at him. “He’d probably wonder how fucking stupid our ‘Alpha to be’ is to think that those affected by the SMP could stop loving the other person.” He shook his head and returned to his work. “Try it now Knoll,” He grunted.

The car roared to life and Lukas found it a small triumph but an even greater relief when Kerrick turned and walked away.

Knoll shut the car down and got out, looking particularly hesitant and quiet.

“Say it,” Lukas sighed, after he took one look at his brother and saw the emotions written across his face. He’d never tell Knoll but his younger brother was an open book—at least to him.

“Forget it,” He shook his head and glanced at the car, patting the hood like a favored pet. “I’m glad you finally got her running again.”

“Knoll,”

He hesitated for a moment before he glanced at Lukas. “Fighting with Kerrick is pointless,” His brother looked away. It was easier said then done—Kerrick got under Lukas’ skin worst than anyone. It was damn near impossible to back down from Kerrick, mostly because Kerrick found it a triumph in that alone.

“I meant what I said, Knoll.” He stated sharply.

Knoll nodded in understanding, “Yeah, I know. You love her,” he shrugged. “it’d be stupid for anyone to ever question otherwise. It doesn’t matter that she’s a Wolfe or that she took off—no one should expect you to choose this pack or anyone else over her.”

Lukas gazed at Knoll reproachfully then. He couldn’t put his finger on it but Knoll spoke as though he understood more than an educated guess as to Lukas’ loyalty to Sage.

“Ho-“

“Hey tall, dark, and brooding!” A feminine voice yelled.

Knoll glanced over his brother’s shoulder and smirked at their visitor. Lukas turned on his heels to come face to face with arguably the most beautiful woman in the Western pack. She had perfect dark olive skin as smooth as a porcelain doll, hazel almond shaped eyes, and a killer body.

“Calla-Lilly Jade,” Luke remarked, knowing fully well she hated her full name.

“Punk,” She smacked him upside the head playfully.

“Hey CJ,” Knoll smiled when she glanced in his direction but the moment she turned away the innocent smile turned into a knowing smirk as he momentarily locked eyes with his brother.

It was the worst kept secret that Calla liked Lukas; she’d liked him since they were children.

Knoll could only shake his head as he turned away, Pour girl never stood a chance—hating Sage isn’t going win you any brownie points either.

There were many people who didn’t believe in the Soulmate Principle, in fact the majority dismissed it as a myth made up by hopeless romantics—Calla-Lily was one of them. She always hated Sage growing up, her jealousy getting the best of her, and her hopes of getting a chance with the man skyrocketed the moment the strawberry blonde had left. Lukas was flattered, really he was, he’d be stupid to not find her insanely attractive. But that was it, she had a nice body but he still thought of her something close to a cousin if anything—hell he’d known Calla longer than he’d even had Knoll as a brother. Knoll himself had gotten over tripping over himself in her presence a few years ago, now he just laughed to himself because it seemed while all the guys tripped over themselves to talk to Calla, Calla was tripping over herself for the one guy that wasn’t interested; Knoll found the irony laughable.

“What are you doing Saturday?” She wondered curiously, flashing Lukas a million dollar smile.

Knoll shook his head trying and failing to fight the smile off his lips he ducked his head under the car to check the oil.

Lukas opened his mouth to respond, his thoughts instantly going to Sage. He closed his mouth again mentally kicking himself, he hadn’t said two words to Sage yet but every ounce of Were in him could only think of her; he had nothing to do Saturday.

“Nothing.” He shrugged offhandedly. He wouldn’t try to feed into Calla’s fantasy but he also wanted to get out of Blackwood.

Knoll subtly turned to look at his brother questioningly. He wouldn’t get involved, he wouldn’t try to lecture Lukas about right from wrong, he wouldn’t say that when a girl liked a guy it was impossibly easy to lead them on.

Knoll just wanted to ask him, ’What the hell are you playing at?’

But he didn’t say that either.

Calla’s coco eyes sparkled at his answer and she grinned, bouncing on her heels in excitement. “Go Running with me?” She questioned hopefully.

Knoll shook his head, unnoticed by the two, ’Go Running with me?’ Knoll mouthed to himself mockingly. It was common knowledge, more so than Calla’s love for his brother, that Lukas followed his own rules. He did what he wanted, Alpha Decree said that no wolf was to Run on his own but always and only with his pack. Lukas scuffed at his father’s idiot law, it was rules like that that made for restless and anxious Were’s. It wasn’t that Lukas ran often but that he could do so whenever he chose if for no other reason than to stick it to his father.

Lukas glanced to his brother and sensing eyes on him Knoll met his gaze. He said nothing to his older brother but his lips pressed into a thin line and the unamused look in his eye told Lukas exactly what Knoll was thinking.

“I can’t do that Calla,”

“You can do whatever you want,” She disagreed tapping his chest and smiling at him seductively.

“No,” He said grabbing her hand gently and returning it to her side. Calla just pouted unphased and Knoll rolled his eyes. If it was anyone, absolutely anyone, else the girl would have been turned down flat. But it was Calla and the Canis brothers had known her since practically birth, none of them had it in them to hurt Calla’s feelings—even if she did come onto Lukas every chance she got.

“Another time then?”

Lukas smirked at her he had to admire her persistence. “Sure, Cal, some other time.”

She smiled at him, a glint still evident in her eye. “See yeah around Luke.” She glanced over at Knoll and waved. “Bye Knoll.”

The younger brother just waved back silently as the two watched her saunter away. When she was out of hearing range Knoll turned to Lukas, unleashing the full extent of his incredulity and disapproval look.

“What?”

"You probably don't see it," Knoll began. "But you totally just got Calla's hopes up of hanging out."

"I can't help that Calla likes me," Lukas sighed. "but I'm not going to push her away because of it. I love her, granted not the way she'd like, but I do and I don't want to hurt her. Not to mention I promised her parents I'd look out for her."

"Yeah," Knoll sighed. "right."