Would Be Hunter - Completed

Wolves, Vampires and Witches. Oh My!! (Chapter 13, part 2)

"Veirae, I'm going to kill you." Trying to back up her threat, Marie blindly tossed a pillow in the woman's general direction. "I've done everything you've asked of me for the past week. Please, I beg you, just one day to sleep in. Just one? My body and brain just cannot function properly." She was ready to spew some more excuses when the world tipped beneath her.

A startled scream tore from her throat as she tumbled down across the mattress before crashing to the floor. The spot instantly became a psychotic mess of legs, arms and blankets. So many freakin' blankets! Maybe if they had decent electricity she wouldn't freeze to death during the nights! The thrashing continued until she was able to find a hole to peek her head through, glaring daggers at Veirae. "If looks could kill...."

"..then you'd manage to kill a mouse" Veirae finished for her. The woman leaned down to pinch Marie's cheeks then gave them a gentle pat. "Your face is too cute to hurt anything more. You really should give up on the glares. They do nothing."

The two's combined efforts helped to free Marie from the suffocating pile. The brunette huffed at the woman and stomped by her with the intention of locking herself in the bathroom. "I mean it Veirae. I'm exhausted. I'm done. Just give me this one day to recoup."

Since Veirae had found out that Marie was innocent of everything, she had done her best to make it up to her for the way she was treated. The two instantly bonded and became fast friends. For two weeks she sat with Marie at the Alpha's home, telling her stories about the pack, introducing her to the others, learning each other's history and quirks.

When they thought she was well enough, she taught Marie all of the women's chores. The list was stunning really: basket weaving, quilt making, constructing and washing the clothes for the entire pack, skinning the animals the men brought in. It was endless and it was exhausting. They were living in the middle of nowhere. This era was full of technology that would bring them so many more comforts. Yet here they were, doing everything themselves.

She was surprised that their homes were immaculate and so sound for having been built entirely by the pack. There were comforts that they could not have possibly made themselves. When she questioned Greyson on it, he had informed her that they trade with other packs. They bring them items from the modern world; more often furniture and dishes, in exchange for hand crafted quilts, clothing and wood carvings. It most certainly was the perfect set up.

But it still left them with a ridiculous amount of work during the span of the day. Sure, they had their breaks for a few hours here and there but there wasn't much to do during that time. They had no TV, no video games, cell phone apps...nothing. The only form of entertainment she had past Veirae was Greyson. And like her friend, he tried hard to make up for what was done to her. Every day he made her see just how good he was. He loved his pack, cared for them and protected them. His judgment was impeccable...beyond the little slip up with her. Though he could not be completely to blame, she was with a group of hunters.

There was one morning in particular that she felt the beginning of something she fought. He had taken her out to the fields, surprising she found that there were few crops which still grew during the winter months. Workers were walking the rows, clearing the snow away to check on the seedlings and mini-plants. The process was slower during the cold months but they still grew according to Greyson.

"We cannot afford to let the fields go during the winters months. Surviving on meat alone is not realistic. Several animals hibernate during the winters, leaving us less to hunt." While he spoke, they walked past several of the workers, each he greeted and asked on the welfare of their family. His interest in their response was real, not faked like social etiquette required. His pack loved him as much as he loved them.