"Are you ready for this shit?" Evan asked, swimming goggles pulled above his head.
"Evan are those swimming goggles?" I asked.
Lyanna rolled her eyes. "She said it would work fine."
Ethan just groaned while we watched Ryder and Bernard finish securing dynamite around the tree. Jake trotted to us with a grin, swimming goggles pushing his black hair back. "Ready?"
"Are you sure this will work?" Ethan asked.
Evan scoffed. "Bro, do you see how much dynamite is lined up? There is no way in hell that this isn't working."
"I'm more concerned about the excessive amount of dynamite Ev," Ethan said, eyeing me before he looked at Bernard who walked to us, a welding mask pushed above his face. "Well?"
Bernard held up a fuse then nudged his chin to a box. "It's almost read. We should take cover, this will cause quite the bang."
Ethan grumbled then pulled me over to a set of boulders in the distance. After we had visited Cora, we spent the next few days getting ready for our regional council meeting while Evan and Ryder had wet dreams over today–the day we would blow the tree up. Yesterday the dynamite came in and you would have thought that it was Christmas morning. I think Evan actually squealed.
We would be going to Tikanni this afternoon; Levi was overly pissed that he had to host. Apparently, he and Jaxon flipped a coin and he lost. He also said that the match was rigged somehow. Idiot.
Ethan pulled me behind a boulder, the tree far off in the distance that I couldn't even see it through the thick forest. Evan trotted around and pulled his goggles down, while Ethan and I both raised our brows curiously at him. "What?! You're going to wish you had some here in a minute."
"Ok!" Bernard called out while he walked carefully with the box over towards us. He sat down behind his own boulder while Ryder sat behind another boulder, both of them pulling their vision protection gear down. "Here we go! In three, two, one–"
The boom had me slapping my palms to my ears while the ground shook. Immediately the chatter on the pack link surged; Ethan groaned and dipped into it, quickly letting everyone know that there was nothing to worry about–we were just blowing some trees up.
Totally nothing to worry about.
Ethan looked over at me with wide eyes while a cloud of dust and smoke rushed towards us. Evan's eyes were as big as saucers, like a kid who just stole all the cookies. "Holy shitballs that was amazing," Evan breathed out while he scrambled up.
Ethan stood up then help me up with him while Evan sprinted around the boulder. We followed him; the smoke and dust growing thicker as we approached. Ethan was waving the smoke out of the way when we got to where the tree was. Where the tree still was. Where the dust was settling and the tree was still standing.
"Well, fuck!" Evan said while throwing his hands up. "Bernard! We need more!"
"No!" Ethan quickly said. "It's obviously not going to work."
"What? Maybe we didn't line it up right. I think if we could–"
"Ev, no," Ethan pushed back more firmly. "You're going to blow the whole pack up at this rate."
"Come on Ethan," Evan whined.
Ethan shook his head. "No, and that's final. We need to get to Levi's anyways."
"Please?" Evan asked, his voice a tiny whine.
Ethan growled lowly. "No Ev. Now let's go, otherwise, you can explain to uncle Levi why you're late."
Evan huffed and threw his hands up while Lyanna walked by, shaking her head with her swimming goggles sitting on top of it. "Idiot."
Ethan and I ran back home and made some lunch before we started throwing together an overnight bag. The regional alphas were coming to Levi's, much to Levi's pleasure, and we hopefully were going to be able to solidify the region's support, as well as sniff out whose pack could be harboring Aurelia.
I couldn't help but feel nervous. My eyes kept finding their way to the veins on my arms; the bluish-purple under the pale skin that made my brows furrow. My blood seemed to be both the biggest blessing and the biggest curse.
Ethan walked over with a toiletries bag and tossed it on the bed before I could feel his eyes on me. "Sunshine?" I let out a long breath while he crossed the room to me. "Baby, it's going to be fine."
Turning, my eyes found his. My eyes that wanted to believe his hopeful ones, but considering my family name that I recently inherited, I was more than afraid of how some of the other packs would take it. I didn't want a war. I didn't want anyone else to die.
Ethan pulled me to him and kissed my forehead. "We need the region, you know we have to. If we don't have them, then we fail regardless of what she does."
"I know, I know," I sighed out. "What if they don't Ethan? What if they–" I sucked in a breath and shrugged. "What if they turn?"
"Well, we don't know that. We already have three packs with us, which is a solid number. We can't afford to lose here Charlotte, if she succeeds then we fail; but worse, if she loses and we defeat her, without the regions support we will still fail because Alex is apparently hell bent on wiping the King's out."
"It won't come to that," I breathed out hopefully.
"Doesn't matter," Ethan said. "Either we are killing him or we are getting our shit and getting the hell out because I won't lose you."
"Ethan we have the pack, we can't just leave them."
"If we don't have regional support and he comes, they would be safer that way baby," Ethan said quietly.
I felt my blood crackle. "I will not run. We start we never stop. I won't force us into that."
Ethan put his hands on my waist and dipped his head to look at me. "I know, that's why we don't just have to do this–we need this to go well. I know you're nervous, I already have a short list of people I may very well kill this weekend, but we can't let it eat at us. We can't doubt ourselves right now.
"I don't want to run either, I won't have that for us, but even if we did a lifetime of running with you is far better than a lot of alternatives I can think of."
A smile tugged at my lips. Ethan pulled me into his chest and kissed my temple. "I'm just ready for this to be over."
"I know," he sighed out. "Me too."
Ethan and I put our things in a saddlebag then ran to Evan and Lyanna's, where Evan was still pissed about his explosion. He kept whining to Ethan to let him buy more dynamite, to which Ethan repetitively refused.
We met up with Jaxon and Andrea half way; they were running to David's, where they were staying the night. Apparently, Penelope was thrilled to have Andrea over. Andrea had promised to build a fort in the living room so the two of them could have a sleepover.
The run to Levi's was like breathing fresh air again; I hadn't been home since I had left.
I saw some wolves that I used to know when I was living back at Levi's. They would yip at us, wagging their tails while we made the haul over to Levi's cabin tucked the quite woods.
Evan and Lyanna left us to head to Lander and Claire's. Lyanna had told me on the run that her mother was doing much better; she had gone hunting with her father and actually was eating full meals again. I told Ethan that we would stop by on the way back, my wolf and I so badly wanted to see Claire again and be there for her.
Lucas was outside chopping wood when we arrived. I bit back a laugh when Derek zipped out on the front porch, nostalgia creeping up in my belly. He trotted down with some clothes in hand; letting me quickly slip into a large sweatshirt that came down to my knees while Ethan pulled up some sweatpants. I pulled up some cotton shorts while Lucas trotted to us.
"Ew Lucas!" I squealed while he picked me up in a sweaty hug. "Get off of me you brute!" I exclaimed while he shook the sweat out of his hair onto me.
Lucas just laughed then let me go. He walked towards Ethan who eyed him, shaking his head while Derek flickered his eyes to me. I tried to wipe off the sweat with my sweatshirt before a huff tumbled out of my lips. "That was not necessary at all."
"Totally worth it sis," Lucas said while we started to follow him towards the house.
Levi walked out with Elliot, who was drinking some water out of camelback water bottle. "Lucas you finish up?"
"Yup," Lucas replied, popping the 'p.' "Pure joy."
Levi growled lowly at him then hugged me after I trotted up the stairs to him. He nuzzled my hair then looked over at Ethan, who was carrying our saddlebags. "You're in Char's old room, Lucas, you're on the couch."
"What?!"
"Lucas," Levi eyed him while Elliot bit bad a laugh.
Lucas sighed then grumbled while he walked up the stairs. I just rolled my eyes then walked into Elliot's hug. Elliot kissed my hair before I trotted after Ethan into the house.
The house that looked pretty much the same since I had left. Lucas was drinking a large glass of orange juice while Derek walked back into the kitchen. "Char, we're having pesto chicken tonight."
"Pesto chicken? That's new," I said with a smile.
Derek nodded. "We're being adventurous."
"With chicken?" I laughed out.
"Charlie girl, you wanna go swimming?"
I looked at Lucas who just chuckled under his breath. "I feel like this isn't a request."
"It isn't."
"Alright," I sighed out. "Let me change!"
I ran past Ethan as he walked into the kitchen and looked over at Lucas who was a smug grin on his face. "What did I miss?"
"Come on girl we don't have all day!" Levi called out while I tore open our saddlebag and threw on a sports bra and some shorts. Quickly, I ran back through the living room where Ethan was eying me like I grew a extra head.
"It's nothing, I'm going swimming. Just save some wine for me," I grumbled out before I trotted out the door.
Elliot walked with us down to the little creek that made my heart swell a bit. He nudged me playfully while Levi started to push the boat out. "Elliot, go get my damn cooler."
I rolled my eyes and grabbed the rope attached to the boat. "I feel like you've been dreaming about this since I left."
"Come on Charlie girl, it's just a little swim," Levi said with a slight smile as he jumped into the boat.
I tied the rope around my waist then waded into the cool water while Elliot ran down quickly with a small cooler in hand. In about two strides, that vampire zipped quickly over the water and into the boat, almost knocking Levi out while the boat rocked.
"To the tree and back?"
"Yap!" Levi called out while he and Elliot popped open beers.
I sighed then sank into the water, letting my muscle memory kick in as I glided through the water. The water that felt almost like a therapy. It was like it was washing away all the nervous energy as I pulled the boat up the stream.
"So girl," Levi said, his voice easily carrying over the soft current of the water. "You ready for all the fun and games tomorrow."
"I didn't realize you were hosting the Olympics!" I called back cheekily.
I heard Elliot laugh while Levi growled lowly at me. I just kept on swimming; ignoring his cranky ass while my thoughts soaked my brain like the water was soaking my hair.
"There's going to be a lot of curious wolves tomorrow girly," Levi said. "It's not their fault, you're practically a damn unicorn."
"Awesome," I grumbled while the weight of the boat started to restrain me. My wolf dug a little deeper, letting something naturally flow out of my veins that have my limbs a little extra juice.
Levi chuckled. "Well girl, no one's really smelled King blood before, they're in for a trip."
I sighed. "Lucky me."
"Yes, Lucky you," Levi called back. "You've got the blood of the first of us in you, do you know how lucky you are?"
"Considering everything, I wouldn't really call it 'lucky,'"I called back. "Maybe cursed?"
"Well girl, you keep thinking that way you probably will be cursed," Levi replied. "You can't be afraid of those veins Charlie girl. You're not going to do yourself any favors tomorrow by being afraid of yourself."
"How can I not be?" I asked while my feet finally found the bottom of the creek bed. "It's not like my family doesn't exist more in scary stories than it does in the real world."
"Hagan may have been a monster, but you know as well as I that it was more complicated than that. Regardless, you're not him Charlie girl. You've got nothing to be afraid of; you start getting scared of yourself, you're going to give the other wolves a reason to start believing any suspicion about you.
"You're better than that girly, you and I both know that–"
"Me too!" Elliot called out.
I shook my head then walked backward so I could look at them. "So what do I do if they don't care?"
"You make them care," Levi answered simply before he took a sip of his beer. "They have no more reason to be afraid of you than they do this pack or any other pack. What they do need to fear is crossing you or your pack; but that could be said for anyone running a pack girl, not just you."
"Better to be feared than loved?"
Levi mused for a bit, and eyed his beer can. "In some cases yes. Fear can be a bad thing but it can also be a very good thing. Keeps us from doing stupid shit because we understand the consequences of something. Love can't save everything in this world unfortunately, it's not how it works.
"You don't need to be afraid to be who you are girly, but you do need to make sure that you and Ethan not only secure some allies but that you let the others in the room know what happens when they cross you. You can't afford to be a pack who is going to lay down and let people walk all over you just because you're afraid what the world will think. Screw the rest of the world, that's your pack."
I sighed and nodded to him, hating that he was right per usual. "How did the ones you called sound over the phone?"
"Good, curious mostly," Levi answered before he looked over his shoulder. "Probably time to turn around."
I looked over my shoulder and saw the bank that we used to stop at. Smiling to myself, I turned back and started to pull the small boat back towards the house; the words Levi had spoken sinking in my brain the more I swam.
"Have fun?" Lucas asked while I wrung my hair out on the banks as Elliot started to pull the boat in.
"No as much fun as you were having early," I replied cheekily.
Lucas rolled his eyes. "Come on Char, you know you loved chopping wood."
I shrugged. "I didn't mind it so much after a while, although I think that hobby suits you more." Lucas shot me a mock scowl while I finished wringing my hair out. "What? I mean, no one is going to care. You like wood? So what?"
Lucas' brows raised while I chuckled to myself as I made my way towards the grass. "Charlotte..."
"What Lucas? Just admit it, no one here is going to care," I teased as I turned back towards him.
Lucas eyed me before his lips turned up into a smirk. "You first sis," he said before he charged at me.
I shrieked then took off back towards the house. Ethan was out on the porch with Derek, watching us with an amused smirk on his face. "Ethan he's going to kill me!" I yelled out, well, mostly laughed out.
"You'll be fine, babe!" he chuckled out before he turned towards Derek who was saying something to him.
I turned a hard left and headed back into the woods; I could hear Lucas skidding across the grass before his legs caught some traction. Looking over my shoulder, I could see him catching up to me–his wolf close while I weaved in and out of trees.
"You can only run so far Char!"
I picked up my pace until I realized he was right, as did my wolf. Inwardly, she nudged me on; she was pacing back and forth, yipping at me to do what we both wanted to do.
My feet turned to fast that I thought I was going to fall over; I quickly caught my balance then headed straight for Lucas, whose eyes widened before a wicked grin tugged on his face. He ran hard towards me, his beast almost about to break out of his skin when I hung a hard right–throwing him off so I could turn and lunge at him.
We rolled to the ground and eventually I landed on top. Snickering I looked down at him and said, "Lucas, just say, 'I like wood.'"
Lucas growled lowly at me. "Oh, you're so on sis," he said lowly before he tried to grab me.
I jumped up, evading his grasp. He was so like Levi–so quick and calculated; he managed to grab my waist and chunk me across the grass before I knew what was happening. Quickly I stood up, dusting the grass off me while Lucas just laughed. "Christ Char, really?"
My beast snapped out. We may be horsing around but we hated losing. I let out a hot breath then walked towards him, eying the moves I could make while Lucas just smirked at me. "Come on sis, I'm getting hungry."
"Asshole," I grumbled before I turned around. A smile on my face while I 'walked back to the house,' because I knew that Lucas wouldn't be able to handle that–not a male with alpha blood like his.
A loud rumble vibrated through the forest before I could feel him coming; I ducked right as he lunged at me then sent a kick right to his ass. It knocked him off balance, allowing me to kick out one of his legs so he would fall hard into the ground. Laughing, I stepped back and shook my head. "Death has made you slow Lucas."
Lucas' eyed widened before a more viscous growl poured out of him; my chest rumbled in return as he jumped up and walked over towards me. "Alright sis, have it your way then."
I caught his fist then sent a flat palm straight to his torso, knocking the air out him. I went to elbow his ribs, but he caught my elbow and nailed me in the gut.
Hunching over, I quickly blocked a block then sent a fist to his kneecap before I nailed a rib that made him let out a painful grunt.
We were going blow for blow; each nailing the other while our veins seemed to boil–my veins seemed to boil. My beast was pacing, dying to be let out. Eventually, we both stumbled back; bruises, blood, and beasts itching to be let out while we both growled more furiously at each other.
"Shift?" I bit out.
He nodded, his silver eyes glowing a little more. "Shift sis."
I ran and let her come forward as Lucas lunged into the air; knocking each other down, biting into fur and skin while blood ran into our mouths.
My beast jumped back and snapped at him; her teeth sharp and ready to take another bite. Lucas was so much like Levi though; sleek black fur and reeking like a strong alpha male. Evan was right, it was like a waterfall coming off of him–the hum of his veins.
He snarled at us, but my beast wasn't having it. She snarled back; he may be our brother but he would know his place. I felt my veins sizzle more, crackle more, like the were pleading to be let out.
It wasn't time for that yet. Lucas lunged at me and I dodged him; I turned quickly and jumped on his back, taking a bite right next to his shoulders. My teeth finding mostly muscle until they scraped at the bone, it was then that my beast was satisfied and decided to jump off.
But when she did Lucas was on us. He was taking a bite out of my leg while the claws on my paw found his face; scratching hard and creating a gash down the side of his cheek.
He snarled again, but we snarled back, letting our veins hum a little louder. I kicked him off of me then lunged and bit right into his front pack, shaking my head around like a maniac while he took a bite at my hip.
My blood was boiling a little more, a little more fire in each crackle. I growled louder to him; warning him with a flash of teeth.
But Lucas didn't care, he charged at me and knocked me over; my beast quickly used his momentum to roll him below us where she took a bite at the soft skin where his arm and torso connected. He was clawing at my sides, biting hard at my shoulder, but my beast cared not.
She jumped off of him and growled a little louder while her blood boiled more. It felt like a bolt of lighting zipping through me, causing my own fur to raise on my back. Lucas eyed me curiously before he slowly walked towards me; teeth snapping while my blood dripped off of them.
My beast just licked her lips and walked slowly towards him; eying him like he was the damn bear that she took down. Lucas moved to jump on us, but my beast dodged him then rammed him hard until his back was on the ground. He was clawing our sides, but our teeth quickly found his neck while my blood crackled some more.
I felt like I was humming; it was humming so much that it felt like every inch of my body was tingling. I didn't even realize what was happening until I heard Lucas whimper below me; a whimper that shook me out of it.
I let his neck go quickly then licked at it apologetically; there were my teeth had broken too much skin. "Sorry! I didn't mean to get your neck so bad," I rushed out. Lucas turned and looked at his leg that was bleeding, his eyes catching something, before he looked back at me, his eyes slightly widening. "What is it?"
"Well Charlie girl, that wasn't too bad. She's right son, I think death made you a little fat," Levi said with a grin.
I met Lucas' wide gaze then turned around slowly to see Levi, Ethan, Derek, and Elliot looking at us. Levi cocked his head while Derek and Elliot stared at me with wide eyes. "Well, you two are going to look real nice tomorrow, better go get cleaned up."
Elliot let out the breath he seemed to be holding. "That was something," he said while scratching his head as Ethan walked over to me, his gaze slightly heated as he held mine.
I cocked my head as Ethan ran his fingers through my fur and looked me over. "I think you almost suffocated Elliot and I think Derek may have peed a little."
"What?" I gasped out.
Ethan shook his head. "You're blood is something baby," his voice huskier than normal, almost breathless. It made my skin shiver.
Lucas huffed as he eyed us then trotted towards the house. I sighed while Ethan looked me over some more before he stood up. "Come on, we should put some gauze on those before dinner."
My beast licked his hand then trotted towards the house where Levi was flipping the chicken sizzling on the grill. Ethan just chuckled and followed me up the stairs and into the small bathroom. I quickly shifted and let out a long breath, hissing slightly when I looked at some of the bite marks.
Hands turned me around rapidly and pinned me against the wall where lips smashed into me, taking the breath in my lungs away. My hands found his hair while I let him devour me; hands roaming over me, his blood like a warm fire rolling over me.
"Ethan," I gasped out while his chest rumbled.
"You shouldn't say my name like that sunshine," he breathed against my neck.
"We can't!" I rushed out. "Levi and Lucas and–"
"Baby," Ethan injected, his hand covering my mouth to stop me from talking. "What you should be saying is we can't now, but we can later," he said with a devious grin tugging at his lips. "Go shower, I'll look for the first aid."
He quickly kissed my lips then stepped out of the bathroom, leaving me still gasping for air while my skin felt hot and flushed. Asshole.
The water stung a little while it washed over my wounds and it didn't help that all I could think about was Ethan's lips. I grabbed some towels from the cabinet below the sink and wrapped my hair in one before I wrapped myself up in another. There was still a little blood trickling down my skin, but it was less than before–good enough for me to walk across the floor to my old room.
Ethan was laying out some first aid things on the nightstand when I walked into my room, my feet sinking slightly in the soft carpet. He laid a few towels on the bed then walked to shut the door behind me. "Better get on the bed babe before you bleed all over the carpet."
"Lucas would love that," I chuckled out while I hopped onto my old bed.
I took my hair out of the towel, then tossed the towel onto the arm of a chair next to my bed. Ethan pushed some of my hair aside and eyes a bite mark on my shoulder. "He got you pretty good sunshine."
"I still won," I said with a satisfied smile.
Ethan dipped down to kiss me. "True," he breathed against my lips. "I think I like this King blood of yours," he murmured against my collarbone before he licked at the bite.
"I don't understand, did I feel different or something? Do I smell different?"
Ethan pushed me back against the bed; he was chewing on his cheek while he laid next to me and eyed the bite on my arm. "You smell the same, but it's like this pureness to you," he thought out loud while he licked at my arm. He paused, his brows furrowing a bit before he looked back at me. "It's the same with how you feel. It's more raw– I guess that's a good word for it."
"Huh," I breathed out while he licked some more at my arm, at the bite above my elbow.
"It was so interesting," he said while he put my arm down. He reached over to the nightstand to grab some gauze and tape, then started to carefully put the gauze over my arm. "It's like a chill almost that takes your breath away; I think it was just funny for Levi to watch you tear into Lucas, Derek and Elliot were more or less surprised," he said while wrapping some tape around where he had placed the gauze.
"And you?" I asked while he lifted up the edge of the towel so he could see the bite on my lower hip.
Ethan dipped down, licking slowly at it while my breath hitched in the back of my throat as his tongue trailed slowly over my leg. "That's how I felt sunshine. It's almost like a siren calling to me," he breathed out before he licked at my hip again.
I bit my bottom lip while he crawled slowly up to me, hungry eyes that matched the hungry lips that covered mine. A soft moan escaped my lips as he kissed me; his hands pulling the towel away while I became almost dizzy in lust.
"Hey!" Lucas called out while he banged on the door. "No sex on my bed!"
I groaned while Ethan growled lowly. "What do you think we're going to be doing all night Lucas?!" he called back, a shit-eating grin on his face.
Lucas was quiet for a minute, causing both Ethan and I to raise our brows in curiosity. "Dad!" Lucas called out. "We need to burn my mattress!"