Howling Fury (Book 1) (Being Edited)

Chapter 21

Lucas's POV

I can't believe that I have a mate. Even though I have actually only known him for a few days, I love him with all my heart, and more. "It's good too see that you are well Yale," Skylar says, happiness filling her voice as she gives Yale a hug. I am relieved that Yale has been accepted by my friends. My family. They don't even care that Yale is a vampire and have already welcomed him with open arms. Even Ester, whose hatred towards vampires often causes her too loose control and attack them. I mean, she only tolerates Demetri because in short, he saved not only Esters life, but the lives of many members of the pack. She went insane and almost killed several members of the pack and somehow Demetri managed to calm her down with the help of Mark. Of course, this was before my time. I'm only twenty after all.

"Thank you very much Sklar. I am happy to be Lucas's mate and I am happy too know all of you," Yale mumbles quietly. He was still very nervous, I could feel it. I had tried many times to tell him that the pack would accept him as he was now my mate, but that didn't stop him from worrying. Wrapping my arms around his waist, I squeeze reassuringly. I knew my friends would accept him and hoped Ester would protect him from the people who would "dissagree" with our arrangement. Don't get me wrong, I will fight to protect him but Ester is far more powerful than I am and it would make me feel better if my mate had her protection.

"Hey guys. What do you want to do?" Ester asks, walking up beside us. She gives Yale a warm smile and nods at the rest of us, which we all return. Beside me, I feel Yale relax and I send him a message through our mate bond. "So you feel safer around Ester than you do me?" He looks at me, shock filling his face.

I am joking of course. It is well known that Ester has saved Yales life a couple of times in the past few days, so it is no real surprise that he feels safe around her. I give him a massive smale and he relaxes again, giving me a quick "your cruel" over the link.

We stare at each other for a few moments before our eyes return to our friends. "How about we go too the wall and just talk?" I ask. Everyone nods and we are about to head towards the wall when a small group of werewolves walk around the corner. Instantly, we all freeze. These wolves were not of this pack and as we watch, the one at the front stops and raises his nose to the air.

After a few moments, he looks at us and glares directly at Yale. Instinctively I step in front of him. "It seems you have a pest problem. Would you like us to take care of it," he snarles to no-one in particular, his eyes still drilling into Yale. I wrap my arm around my mate and growl a warning.

The young man's head snapps around to glare a me and he eyes my arm around Yale, his face distorting into a mask of disgust. "You have mated with a filthy leech. You are disgusting," he states before he strides forward. He almost reaches us and, before I can blink, he is gone. I hear him crash to the ground a few feet away and the other werewolves gasps of shock.

Ester is now crouched in a defensive stance were the young male stood only a moment before. The young werewolf slowly rises; his eyes shooting daggers and his lips peeling from his teeth. A ferocious growl rips through his chest as he slowly creeps towards Ester.

The rest of us stay well back. This is a fight between alphas and you only get involved unless the other party does. Though I doubt the young male is actually an alpha at this moment, he definetaly has the alpha gene. Ester, of course, is a very powerful shifter and is also the future mate of our own alpha (though she does not seem too be able to register her feelings towards Mark yet).

 "You would dare attack me? The future alpha of our pack? You filthy little mutt! I will teach you some obedience!" he growls. Ester only snarls in reply and she slowly stalks forward. In the blink of an eye, Ester's beautiful black wolf stands before us, he lips peeled back from her teeth and her ears plastered into her head.

The young male takes a step back, startled. I don't blame him. Ester's wolf is larger than that of even an alpha. If I were in his shoes, I would be pretty terrified right about now.

A growl ripples through her chest as she steps forward again, challenging the young alpha. He looks as though he were about to shift and fight to accept her challenge, when a voice rings out. "Stand down, son. We do not wish to start a war, especially one which we have no hope of winning."

The young male glares at Ester but doesn't attack. He doesn't back down either though. He just stands there, glaring at her. A split second later, Mark and Demetri crash through the froint doors, a look of worry on both of their faces.

Mark looks at Ester's wolf, then to the young man still glaring at her, then to the oldish looking man I guess must be the young males father. "Alistar. It is good too see you. I hope you do not take offence. Ester is very protective of her friends."

Ester growls but flicks her ear at Mark, showing him that she agrees. Alistar nods his head, shooting a glare at his son. "No. It is I who should appologise. My son, Marcus must learn some respect. He cannot go around threatening to attack other pack members. Especially those who have friends who could easily crush him like a bug."

A snort of amusement comes from Ester and I see her lips peel up in a wolfish grin. "More like a coackroach," I hear her say through the pack link and I can't help but laugh. Yale heard her too and also laughs, which causes Marcus's head to snap towards him.

"How dare you laugh, you filthy little leach," he growls. I instinctively tighten my arms around Yale to protect him and he wraps his own arm around my waist. A look of pure disgust rests on Marcus's face and he growls "disgusting."

Ester growls again and takes a few steps forward, her teeth bared in hatred. Her ears flick in Marks direction again and I hear a growl of frustration from him. Clearly he was trying to make her stand down, but she wasn't listening.

"Are you challenging me, little mutt? I'm not sure if you are strong enough too fight me." Ester growls again and Marcus only laughs. "You think you can fight. Hah. You couldn't even protect your parents from Lord Garbaroths assissin."

Instantly, Ester stops growling and her whole body stiffens. She is trying to hide her pain from us, but we can feel it anyway. How dare this stupid child bring up the past? How dare he talk about that giant lizard as some kind of God?

My anger builds to a point where I can't hold it in and a growl ripples from my chest. I here my friends behind me growl as well and then another growl joins us. Mark's growl forces us all too flinch but it seems to have no effect on Marcus. He only smirks at him.

"Son. You will not speak of Garbaroth as some kind of saviour. He is nothng but a menece who should be gone from these lands," Alistar growls. Marcus turns and sneers at his father. Clearly, he did not think of him as his alpha. "You are nothing but a fool, old man. Your power pales in comparison to Lord Garbaroth's. I have allied myself with him and he will spare my life. He may even give me ultimate power and I am currently working along side his greatest assissin." He turns to Ester. "I believe you know him. His name is Valentine."

Ester doesn't even react. She just stares as if she were somewhere else. I try to reach her through the pack bond but am unable to. It's as if she were talking to someone else and blocked everyone else out. Looking over at Mark, who has a look of frustrarion on his face, I am able to tell he is having the same problem.

Marcus continues, clearly not happy about Ester lack of reaction. "Of course, you know nothing about yourself, do you? You are more connected to Garbaroth than you know. If your idiotic parents didn't run away, they may have lived." What? Ester's parents knew Garbaroth. "He had every right to order their deaths and I will enjoy watching as he breaks you and moulds you into the weopon you where created to be."

Wait. What? A weopon? What the hell does that even mean? "And do you know how he will break you? He will allow me too kill everyone close to your heart, starting with him and there is nothing you can do about it." He laught, pointing his finger at Mark.

Almost as soon as he finished speaking, a deep rumble fills the area around us. A shiver courses through me at the mere sound of it. That is the sound of a seriously angry and very powerful creature. It is unlike anything I have ever heard before. A large shadow erupts, seemingly from nowhere and there are gasps of pure shock and fear as a giant grizzle bear, larger than any Lycan I have ever seen, rears up and attacks.

Again this chapter has only been edited one so I apologise for any errors. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and tune in for the next instalement. :D