The One Who Walks With Wolves

Chapter 15. Deception

For an entire month, Kane and Kendrick spent most of their time teaching Tara how to control her new powers that had awakened along with her wolf. Kane taught her how to hunt, something Tara's human side hated; however, the wolf in her wanted to learn. He taught her how to hunt rabbits, deer and any other creature that could be safely eaten. Kendrick taught her how to maneuver through the woods in lightning speed and to depend on her senses, mostly her acute smell for her safety.

Both wolves had quit working at the law firm which caused Tara to panic until Kendrick showed her their bank account. Her wolves were apparently very wealthy and really didn't have to work at all. Kendrick told her he'd invested his money in several major stocks and had watched them grow over the years. Kane had contributed by working odd jobs, mostly blue collar jobs like construction and dangerous miscellaneous jobs that Kendrick refused to tell what they were. When Kendrick said something about investing in the start of Microsoft, Tara began to wonder about the true age of her wolves. They were twenty-eight, so they told her but still, something was off.

Despite the mystery of their past, the weeks she spent with them was heaven. She felt as if only the three of them existed in the world and she was happy, although the constant attention she received from them would have driven a normal person crazy. They rarely ever let her out of their sight, she always found herself walking between them no matter where she went. She told them a girl needed her personal space which they tried to give her, but they were always in her head monitoring every move she made, the sneaky wolves.

"Why are you guys pushing me so hard?" Tara whined and fell over on the soft grass, exhausted. They were in the woods. "I feel like I'm training for a war rather than learning to be a wolf at my own pace." Somewhere between last week and the present her wolves had suddenly started becoming serious about her learning as much as she could about her new abilities. The fun was over. The question was why. They seemed agitated lately and she knew it wasn't her. There was something they weren't telling her.

Kane and Kendrick stared at each other as they stood on each side of her. She rolled over on her back and looked up at the towering figures standing over her like two intimidating guards.

"Again, Tara," Kane ordered.

"No, I can't do it. Why is it so important that I change into a wolf? Maybe I can't since I'm only half wolf, you ever thought about that?"

"As a wolf, you are stronger, faster, more aggressive, a fighter...try again Tara," Kane demanded.

Tara slowly stood. "What is up with you two lately? There's something going on, I know it. Why won't you tell me what it is?"

Because they didn't want her to worry, they wanted her to be happy, to feel safe and secure, even if she wasn't, at least not now. Soon the other wolves would attack; it was only a matter of time. For now they watched them, silently lurking in the shadows of the trees, watching their every move. They would figure out what Tara was, where she came from, who she belonged to and when that happened Kane and Kendrick would be ready, but they needed Tara to be ready too.

Tara stumbled. Kendrick caught her. "Let her rest, Kane. She tried the best she could today. Maybe she's right, maybe she can't change to her wolf form. This is new to all of us."

"She is a part of us, she will change, the wolf blood runs strong in her veins," Kane said. He ran his fingers through her sweat soaked hair as Kendrick picked her up cradling her in his arms. "Rest tonight, we will start again tomorrow."

"Come on baby," Kendrick spoke to her in a soothing voice. "I'll fix you a nice hot bath to soak those aching muscles. I'm sorry we worked you so hard today. We're just curious to see what your strengths and weaknesses are. As your providers and protectors, we have to know these things."