I heard the whispers again that night.
I had spent the rest of the day training with Billy before Evangeline took me with her to start taking a look at all the guest rooms and open cabins we had for the guests coming and what we needed to do with them.
I couldn't shake it. This new itch that was eating away at me.
I told Evangeline what happened and she was more than troubled. She was even more troubled when I told her that I thought Thomas was starting to doubt me, Thomas and Ethan.
Doubt.
He reassured me over and over that he believed me the rest of the day, but I could see it in his eyes. I understood though. I mean the whole thing was a insane freak of nature. It was insane, but that didn't make his doubts any better, or any less wrong.
That night though they called to me. They called and called and called relentlessly.
I didn't sleep a wink.
All night I heard them calling my name along with 'Come and see.' I gave me chills and only stirred up the itch more. My wolf whined all night, she didn't like any of this and I didn't blame her. We couldn't understand it, we didn't know how to fight it, and for that, it made us more anxious.
I decided to run it off the next morning; I figured that clearing my brain with mountain air would help settle my feelings.
I decided to run down the trail that Evangeline and I started to run on in the evenings by the pack house. I hadn't been down it in the morning and I was curious to see how it looked in the morning. Things always looked different in the morning.
It was crisp this morning. I ran by the pack house and waved the Evan who was playing football with some kids in the back yard. He looked happy, like he was in his element, but then again Evan also was like a big kid.
There were new wild flowers growing along the trail. Bright colors of blue, purple, yellow, and orange waving gently in the breeze and filling the trail with their sweet scent. I made a mental note to pick some on my way back for Derek. He loves flowers of any type and was already trying to plant some around the cabin.
I just jumped over a few rocks when I came up to a babbling brook. My beast was thirsty and we were in no rush this morning, we were making good time and would be back in time for breakfast before Billy properly kicked out ass. Although recently we have been giving him a pretty good run for his money.
The water was sweet on my tongue, fresh. It ran down my throat and cooled off my body that was warm from the work we just did. I loved it though, I loved the feeling. The feeling of pushing yourself. It reminded me that I could always push myself harder, grow stronger, and get better.
"Charlotte," something whispered.
I snapped my head up and looked around but there was nothing. I carefully continued to lap at the water, this time with my eyes eye as my wolf became a little more alert.
"Charlotte," it whispered again.
I snapped my head up again and backed away from the water. My beast looked around, she was ready to pounce on a moments notice, but there was nothing. Just a bunch of Black-Eyed Susans swaying gently in the breeze by the water.
"Charlotte," it whispered, "Come and see."
I stilled. It was them, the whispers.
I felt the hair raise on my back. I wasn't sure what to do. I wanted to call Ethan, I knew I should call Ethan, but after feeling his doubt yesterday I decided not to.
"Charlotte, come," it whispered again. I felt pulled to it. The itch started to pick up and press me towards it; I couldn't understand it, or really control my urge to follow it.
So I did. I followed it.
I had my guard up but I followed the sound and let the itch guide me forward. I mean, the first time it led me to Ethan, so maybe it would be another good thing? Right?
My wolf grumbled, she was trying to concentrate and didn't need my nervousness to cloud her judgement. I snapped at her a little, but agreed. We had to focus and keep our guard up. Not all things like this were good, or safe.
"Come and see," it whispered.
My wolf picked up her pace and started to trot towards the sound. The itch was growing stronger as adrenaline started to course through my veins and power me forward.
"Come," it called again. It sounded louder, I had to be getting closer.
I ran a bit faster now as it kept calling to me, kept pulling me. I couldn't help but think that I was meant to do this, that I was meant to follow this. It was like the itch was my own need to fulfill something I was meant to do.
"Charlotte you need to see," it called again. This time, it was louder. It was almost like it was right next to me.
I felt like I should be afraid, or feel some kind of fear, but I didn't. I was purely driven by an itch and this pull that I had no room for other emotions of that sort to enter my brain.
I crawled up some rocks where the scents of other wolves grew older and older and older. It was almost ancient. My wolf shivered a bit, something was off.
She crept up the rocks and peaked over carefully. When we did I thought I was going to lose my breath. My heart stop and pure and utter shock stilled my body.
I shook it off and pushed my wolf forward towards it, towards the tree.
It want just a tree. It was a large aspen tree. It was a large aspen tree with strong branches that formed a proud dome as it stretched out into the sky. It was a tree that stood alone, there were no other trees or plants around it for at least fifty feet, give or take a little.
It was a tree with blood.
There were bloody handprints smeared all up and down the tree. It's ashy-white trunk was red with the dried blood that smelled old, almost ancient. The marks went high too, some even went up onto the limbs; handprints of all different sizes and blood in different shade of crimson.
It hummed to me.
We stepped up off the rocks and onto the ground floor of soft green grass with a few leaves that surrounded the tree. Its leaves were green and even with so much blood it looked more alive than anything else I had seen in that forest.
"Charlotte," the whisper called.
I felt my wolf shake slightly. There was something about this place. The wind blew gently around the tree and to me, carrying the scent of blood that held so much power, even though it was old and dry.
I stepped forward and it was like the grass moved. The humming grew louder and pull became stronger. I looked back at the tree and I felt like it was watching me; like it had eyes of its own that were waiting for me to see everything it had seen.
"Come," the whisper called again.
It called again and I looked up and felt like it was coming from the damn tree. I cocked my head a bit as I took another cautious step forward. This place had power, I could feel it coming off the tree and off the ground below me. It was like a blanket that was gently wrapping itself around me, touching my essence with its own and pulling me towards the tree.
"Come and see," it said again.
I sighed and shifted back to my skin. My skin that felt tingles as I stood up straight. I looked around but saw nothing, no one, not even an animal nearby.
"See," it said again.
I let out a nervous breath. My wolf wasn't sure, but we had to see what this was. We had to see why it had been calling us.
I felt her surge with power, she was with me. She wouldn't let anything harm us. We also both agreed that if it wanted to kill me that it had multiple opportunities to probably do it already; it didn't want to kill me, it wanted to show me something.
I walked forwards and with every step I took, I felt the hum, the pull from the tree, grow stronger and stronger and stronger. It felt like I was being hypnotized. I felt like arms had reached out to me and were pulling me into its embrace.
"Charlotte," it said again.
The red blood hummed with power. It seemed to buzz with life as I got closer to it. The feeling in itself as almost unnerving, but I was too close now to find out.
"See, please see," it whispered.
I was so close to it now. I lifted my hand with my palm facing it. I wasn't even sure what I was doing, but it felt right. It felt like I was supposed to do this, like this was what it wanted me to do.
There was an electric pull running along my fingers. It felt like someone was trying to reach out to me and pull me closer; like fingers were grazing mine. They were so close, just not close enough to reach me.
I started to move my hand closer and I felt my breath still. The blood seemed to almost be shaking but I stood firm. I felt my blood surge, it was like the shot of courage I needed to touch it.
"Don't!" a hand smacked mine away and startled me backward.
I looked over as my breath seemed to return to me to see Thomas looking at me. His eyes were filled with worry as he looked at the tree and then to me. He held out a hand to me and let out a hot breath. "Come away from there Charlotte."
I felt the pull to the tree pull me harder. "What is this place?" I whispered. I whispered because I felt like something was listening, or more like someone.
He looked back at the tree then to me as his face grew anxious. "I'll tell you, but you need to come with me. Please, Charlotte."
I nodded and stepped away from the pull. I took his hand and let him pull me away from the tree and the green grass that surrounded it. We walked a good ways away from it before he went to a tree with a hole in it. He reached in and pulled out a t-shirt for me, tossing it to me without looking, and shorts for himself.
He pulled up the shorts and let out a long relieved breath before he looked back at me. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. How did you even find that tree?"
I played with the ends of the shirt and shrugged. "I was just running and it caught my eye. I mean, it kind of sticks out. What the hell is it anyways?"
"Why don't we sit?" He gestured to some rocks and I nodded.
I walked over to them and looked back, I could still see the tree from here. It felt like it was watching me. I still felt the pull, I still felt the hum, but I wanted to hear what Thomas had to say.
I sat on a rock across from him and letup another long breath. He looked up at me a bit tiredly with a half smile. "Did Levi ever show you the tree with all the initials on it back home?"
I nodded. "Ya, we swam out there almost every day."
"And he explained what it was?"
"Yes, he said it where the new alphas would carve their name in. It's tradition."
"Right," he nodded. "Every pack has their own traditions when a new alpha takes over. Some, like Tikanni, have a tree and do a ceremony. I know a couple other that burn their name into a tree, or there's even one where they carve their name into the side of a cliff."
"So is that tree–"
"It's our tradition," he finished my sentence for me. He smiled and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. "So when a new alpha takes over here, they make a blood oath to the protect and serve the pack. That tree is the blood oath of all the alpha's that have ever reigned over this pack."
"Hold up, what?" I asked a little shocked. "Why? I mean, how did that even come about?"
"Ok, let me start at the beginning?" I nodded as he continued. "So in the beginning when were's were still forming boundaries and establishing packs, they needed a way to mark what land was theirs. It's said that the moon goddess steered every original alpha back then to a piece of land that was meant for them. So when they found that land, they found something that would be like a big marker, or a sign if you will, that said 'this is my place.'
"They also used that thing, whatever it was for them, to swear a blood oath to the moon that they would protect the land and protect and serve that pack that they would build on it. Every pack alpha has to swear a blood oath, but like I said, everyone has their own tradition. The guys with the cliff swear a blood oath then pour the blood into the river that carves through their land before they carve their name in the cliff. In their tradition they say that the river feeds all things on the land, sustains it, so sharing your blood with the river was a promise to take care of the land."
"So why that tree?" I said as I quickly glanced back at it.
"Well, in our tradition it is said that the first alpha here found this tree and knew that the land around it was where the moon goddess was pulling him. So he immediately cut his hand across the palm and smeared his blood on the tree. He swore to the moon goddess to protect and serve the land and the pack that he would build on it. It was his way of saying that this land, Mangata, was his."
"Wow, I had no idea," I murmured to myself.
"It's a sacred place for us. Not only is this where we do alpha successions, but the ashes of all the alphas and lunas that have served this pack are spread around that tree."
I felt my eyes widen a bit. "What?" I almost gasped out.
Thomas smiled again. "Don't worry, you didn't disturb any ghosts," he chuckled out. I smiled but I couldn't help but feel like I was still being watched. "Every pack has their own tradition with burials. Usually, the upper ranks have something different than normal pack wolves. Here we say that when a wolf is sworn in as an alpha, that he's reborn as a leader of the pack, he starts a new life as the father with his mate as the luna, or mother of the pack.
"When they die we bring them back to the place they were 'born,' " he said with fake air quotations, "and let their remains rest together with the other alphas and lunas that have served the pack."
"I didn't know," I breathed out. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize what it was."
"It's alright Thorne. I am sure it sent you for a trip. What were you doing trying to touch it anyways?"
I shook my head and shrugged. "I don't know. I felt this energy pull me, I guess I just couldn't help myself."
He nodded again then looked over my shoulder back at the tree before he looked at me. "Well, I would advise you to stay away. We've had plenty of wolves, usually dumb adolescent males, who have tried to touch that tree and were sent flying back with a burned hand about thirty feet."
I felt my wolf stir a little. "What?"
He shrugged. "Only alphas, and lunas too, are supposed to touch that tree. It holds power, Charlotte. That much blood is not meant for just anyone to touch. It can hurt you if you're not strong enough for it."
I felt my wolf eye him curiously. While his words sounded kind, we couldn't help but think that it was a backhanded compliment. I sighed though and nodded. I didn't want to start trouble, not now anyways. It wasn't worth it. "Noted then."
"Good, now let's get you back. I heard you gotta date with Billy?"
I groaned which made Thomas chuckle. "He does enough sparring with me. I think a little too much."
Thomas laughed a bit louder and nodded. "So I've heard."
We started to walk away and I couldn't help but to look back at it one more time. The grass was stirring and the leaves seemed to be swaying from a wind that didn't exist. It made my wolf stir as a shiver went up my spine.
But still...
What the hell did that tree want to tell us?
I couldn't understand it or shake it. All day I thought about it and all day it plagued me. Billy had me on my ass hard today because I couldn't get my mind off that damn tree.
Later that afternoon, after Billy and Andrea were done tearing into my hide, I went home and soaked in the tub; but no matter how long I soaked I couldn't shake any of it. There were so many questions running through my mind that wouldn't settle. My wolf wouldn't settle.
I got out of the tub and threw on a big t-shirt and some shorts before throwing myself on my bed covered with my skin. My fingers played with the ends of the fur while my mind chewed on what to do.
I reached over to my nightstand and dialed a number I now knew by heart. The line rang a few times before it finally picked up, which in a way made me feel a little better about the whole situation.
"Hello?"
"Levi?"
"Charlie girl, what are you up to?"
"Not much, just laying around. Andrea and Billy got into my ass pretty good today, what about you?"
"Well, I am waiting on Liam and Lyanna to get here. Lynna's getting stronger, so today I thought I would let her have a go at me."
I shuddered for her, my little lightening bug. "I do not envy her."
He chuckled a bit darkly. "You're probably do for one soon."
"Probably," I mused.
"Now tell me what's wrong, girl?"
I shook my head. He always knew. "Well, there's two things."
"Ok, well start at the beginning girl."
I sighed and pulled a pillow under my head. "What do you know about the tree over here? The one with the bloody handprints?"
"That it's one spooky ass tree. Used to even give me weird vibes. How do you know about it?"
I bit my bottom lip. I didn't want to worry him, but my wolf pushed me. "I've been hearing things, whispers."
He stilled a bit and I felt my heart rate pick up. "Go on girl."
"They started when I crossed the pack line. They would just say my name or 'Come and see.' I heard them again with Evangeline, and she heard them too. Then another night with Ethan. Woke us both up right out of our sleep–"
"What do you mean it woke Ethan and you up?"
I felt my stomach turn and my breath catch. "After the fight, I kinda fell asleep by accident over there," I rushed out.
I heard a growl and started to mentally curse myself. He was going to have Ethan's ass. "And how's your neck?"
I shrugged. "Still bare."
He sighed a little. "Girl, I don't have to tell you what happens when you deny or go without your mate for too long. It's not healthy girl. I'm surprised the two of you have gone this long."
I let out a huff. "I'm hearing shit at night and you're really concerned about this."
"Course girl, gotta know so I can start planning the ass beating I am going to give that mate of yours." I groaned and Levi chuckled a little. "I would say I'm kidding but I am definitely not. Now tell me about these damn whispers."
"Well, I was running this morning and heard them. I followed them–"
"By yourself?"
"Yes," I said in a small voice. I knew it was stupid, I should have called someone, but in the moment I just had to do what I thought was right.
"Charlie girl," he breathed out. "You need to take someone with you next time. You don't know what's out there and you can't go running after things alone. Did you tell Ethan?"
"No."
"And why not?"
"I'll get to that, can I finish my damn story?" I grumbled.
"Alright go on Charlie girl."
"So I followed these whispers and they led me to that tree. It was weird Levi, it was like the whispers were coming from the tree. There was like this weird hum and a pull towards it. I've never felt anything like it.
"I felt like I was being watched but I don't know. It just kept pulling me towards it until the last thing I knew I had my hand out about to touch it when Thomas stopped me."
"Then?"
"That's it. Thomas told me about it then ran back with me."
"Hmm," he mused for a bit. "Who else have you told."
"No one, just you."
"That tree has a lot of power. Even that old dried blood isn't really all that dead."
I bit my lip a little. "He said something like that, but I guess I don't understand still."
"Well remember when I told you about the power in your veins? About your blood girl? Our blood?"
I nodded. "Yes," I breathed out.
"Blood has power Charlie girl. So think about it, every alpha that ever reigned over Mangata has their blood on that tree. Powerful ass blood all in one place. That's not to mention they spread their ashes there. That's a whole lot of power confined in one place."
"So what? You think it's a magic tree because of all that blood on it?" I felt my wolf start to pace. She wanted to go back to it, as did I. We needed to find out more.
"All I know is when I watched Chris touch that tree when he became alpha, that it changed him. He never would tell me what it was, but you could see this, essence, if you will, encompass him. It was some trippy shit."
"Does that happen for you guys?"
"Nope. We go out to that cliff that overlooks the pack house and land. We swear the oath there and when the alpha and luna die, we spread their ashes there so the wind can carry them over the pack, so even in death the alpha and luna can always look over the land."
"That's very cool," I mused. "So what do you think though?"
"Well, called to you for a reason didn't it?"
I nodded a little. "Well, ya."
"Then get Ethan or someone and go out there and touch it."
I felt my mouth drop. "Well don't you think it's dangerous? I mean Thomas told me it burned people before."
Levi scoffed. "That almost insults me that he thinks it would do that to you. That tree isn't calling to you to hurt you. I mean why would it? It sounds like it wants to show you something. It may burn the hell out of you, but at least you'll see what it wants first."
I groaned. "Awesome."
Levi chuckled. "Girly, what did I tell you about that blood in your veins?"
I sighed and tugged at the fur of my bear skin. "That we have 'strong ass Thorne blood.'"
"That's right Charlie girl. Remember that when you go try to touch that damn tree."
"Ok," I sighed out.
"Now what was the other issue? Mate problems? Should I call Lander?"
I rolled my eyes while he laughed a little over the phone. "No, well, yes. No to Lander but yes to mate issues."
"Damn I should have poured a drink for this," he grumbled.
I rolled my eyes again. "You have to promise you will not freak out, ok?"
"Ok girl, go on."
"I saw rogues, twice Levi."
"What?!" I heard his growl over the phone and knew he was two seconds away from leaving his front door and marching his way over here.
"Calm down, let me tell you about it ok?"
"Fine," he clipped out.
"Remember when we were attacked after the hunt, how we couldn't find anything? How the scent disappeared?"
"Yes," he replied a little tersely. "We're still poking around. Drives me up the wall that we can't find anything."
"Well, that happened here."
"What?!" he growled out again. "What the hell is Thomas doing then? He hasn't called me about it."
"That's because he's not doing anything."
The phone was quiet and I felt my heart rate pick up a little. I could hear heavy breathing and knew that Levi was probably trying to push his beast back. "Alright, tell me everything. I want to know right now."
I told Levi about the rogues I had seen with Evangeline and the ones this morning. He listened carefully and only paused me to clarify something, or ask another question about a detail. I knew he was probably fuming. The whole thing pissed me the hell off. It pissed Levi off too. When I was done, he just sat there quietly over the phone; probably planning the multiple beatings that he wanted to dish out.
"Do you know if Ryder found anything?"
I shook my head. "Not yet, I haven't heard. I was going to go to Andrea's and ask, but I have a good feeling he won't. I also have good feeling that Thomas won't do anything and neither will Ethan."
"Why's that?"
"Like I said, Thomas looked like he wasn't fully convinced and Ethan, well I don't know I could see doubt, Levi. I mean I understand because I know how it looks, but Levi I know what I saw. I know that something is going on."
"Girl, I don't doubt you. Did either of them say anything else?"
I shook my head as my wolf grumbled a bit. She was still irritated with our mate over it. "Ethan told me that we could look into it if Ryder didn't find anything but I don't know Levi. He kept going on about how he doesn't want to get the pack worked up for nothing and I mean he said he would, but I have a feeling he just said it to make me feel better."
Levi sighed a little. "That is not how Chris raised those kids."
"Ya well, maybe you need to remind him of that," I muttered.
"I don't think that's a bad idea," he replied a little darkly. My wolf yipped, she wouldn't mind if our father took Ethan to a ring and went a few rounds with him.
"What should I do?"
"Well," he sighed. "First I would go touch that damn tree. I want to know what it says, understand?"
"Got it," I replied quickly.
"I also want you to keep your eyes out. If you see any more rogues you need to tell me, first off. Secondly, see if you can't try and find something useful for Thomas and Ethan to use. I understand the frustration from their end, especially since there is literally nothing, but that doesn't mean that you just quit."
"That's exactly my point!" I huffed out as I threw one of my hands up. I sighed a little and played with an end of my hair. I couldn't help but feel like there was something I just had not found yet, something that was waiting for me. "What about Ethan?"
Levi sighed a little. "I understand where he's coming from but that doesn't make it right. Boy needs to grow a damn pair. Chris raised those kids better, he raised Ethan better.
"You're good for him Charlie girl, just be patient with him. I may need to have a long talk with him in when I come down there for that damn council meeting."
I chuckled a little. "I think that may be a good idea."
"Alright girl, just keep your head up, ok?"
"Alright," I sighed.