Chapter Six
Selene held Merrick’s hand has the walked back to her father’s house. They walked together without saying a word, every so often Merrick would pause to help Selene over a fallen log or a slippery slope that he had judged too difficult for her to manage herself. Selene was amazed at how much ground she had covered during her run. Merrick seemed un fazed by the distance. Selene realized that Merrick was a man of few words. He seemed most at ease in silence, but he spoke instead with his body, with his hands. He knew this would probably be their last chance to be together for a while if not ever, and yet he didn’t plague the time with discussion of the future. Merrick spoke to Selene with the gentleness of his hand holding hers, with the strength in his arms and back as he lifted her over a log, and with his eyes that never failed to search hers out in the darkness every few steps.
She could tell he was afraid, but at the same time he assured her that he was not deserting her and that he would remain close. And as precious and wonderful those last hours had been as they walked through the forest, they eventually reached Selene’s home. Merrick stopped in the courtyard of the house and turned to Selene. He took up both her hands and brought up to his bare chest, to the flesh just above his heart, “My heart beats for you.”
Selene took his large calloused hand in her and brought it to her own breast above her heart, “Merrick, my heart beats for you—only you.”
Merrick’s head dropped forward so his forehead rested on the top of hers. He breathed in the scent of her hair, of her. Selene brought her hands up to his cheeks as if to hold him to her. His hands came up and held her wrists. Merrick pressed a chaste kiss on her forehead and then gently pulled her hands from his face and let them drop to her sides. He then turned without another word and left her alone as he walked back into the forest, melting into the darkness, taking her heart with him.
“Selene,” her father called to her from the French doors that led inside the house. Selene turned and slowly walked towards her father, “Where are your shoes?” He asked impatiently.
Selene looked down at her dirty feet and shrugged, “I lost them.”
Patrick closed the doors behind her, “How did you lose them?”
Selene’s emotions were so confused she could barely stand up right, but she answered her father, “I lost them while running.”
“Why were you running, I can’t believe that Merrick—“ Patrick stopped as the mere mention of Merrick’s name caused Selene’s head to fall to her chest and her hands to come up and hold her heart. Janet came down the stairs and saw the byplay between the two, and motioned for Patrick that that was enough parenting for the night.
“Selene come with me. I’ll get you something to wear to bed. Tomorrow we’ll find you some clothes of your own.” Janet took Selene by shoulders and led the, clearly broken and distraught younger women up the stairs to her room.
Patrick stood in the silence of the hallway for several long minutes before he realized what had just happened, he had broken his daughter heart.
* * *
If Selene could have stopped the sun from rising she would have. It was late in the day when she finally got out of bed, which was unusual because she would have been at works for hours already. The moment Selene’s feet touched the floor of her room, a light knock came at her door and Janet entered carrying a tray and with several garments draped over her right arm.
“Good morning, my dear. Did you sleep well?” Janet came into the room and set the tray on a small table that sat by the windows. She then draped the garments over the back of one of the chairs and moved to open the drapes and let in the light of the morning.
“I slept very well, thank you. I apologize for getting up so late.”
Janet turned back to her, still smiling, “Nonsense, this is early for most of our kind. We tend to like the night, so our days start a little later than they do on the Outside.”
Selene knew that her father planned to introduce her to the Pack that morning and she was curious about what would be expected of her so she asked Janet.
“Well first of all the Pack will gather near here, and then your father will merely announce that you are his daughter.”
It seemed a little too easy to Selene, “That’s it? I just have to stand there?”
Janet paused in her movements of pouring the both of them a cup of tea and set the hot pot down and moved to sit next to Selene on the bed, “You have to remember that Werewolves are not only wolves, but people too. The members of the Pack have secular families, friends, jobs, hobbies, and fears. The fear has been for a long time what will be done if Patrick dies without an heir.”
“Is he ill?” Selene asked worriedly, chewing her bottom lip.
“No, no of course not.” Janet took Selene’s hands in her own, “But Patrick should be training his successor now, so that when he becomes too old or when he chooses to retire the Pack doesn’t have to fear the transition…So what that means is, that because now Patrick does have a successor; your mate Selene will lead this Pack, they will be responsible for keeping these people safe, and dealing with disputes in the Pack…Do you think that Merrick could do that?”
Janet knew her question was slightly unfair seeing that she was had only known Merrick for a couple turbulent days.
“Merrick…” Selene tried to think about Merrick objectively, but found it very hard, “He is very strong, and I know that when I am with him I feel safe—you said that Patrick would train the next leader of the Pack?”
“Yes, it would take possibly years, Patrick was trained by his father since birth.”
“Merrick could learn to lead the Pack. Patrick could teach him how to be a good leader, how to be accepted by the Pack couldn’t he?” Selene asked hopefully.
Janet looked down on her niece’s hands that she held in her own, “Yes, I suppose Patrick could teach Merrick to be a leader of the Pack, but Selene are you sure that Merrick would want that responsibility? The Pack hasn’t really treated Merrick very well in the past; I don’t know any man who would choose to lead his enemies.”
Selene tried to find an answer to the questions Janet was posing. She knew that Merrick loved her, but he value his freedom more. She simply didn’t know enough about Merrick to make those judgments. She needed to know more about Merrick. “Janet tell me about Merrick’s brothers.”
Janet eyes widened in surprise, “Merrick told you he had brothers?”
“I met them last night. But Merrick didn’t really say very much other then that they were his brothers.” Selene had wanted to press Merrick on the issue of his family but had decided not to spoil there moment alone together with an issue that was so obviously one of deep contention.
“Merrick was not raised in the Pack. His mother, Ellen, left the Pack when she became pregnant with Merrick, she didn’t tell anyone that she was pregnant. So when she came back a year later, many decided to just let the issue of her disappearance go. Merrick has three brothers. The eldest is Marcus, then there is Trevor. The youngest brother came after Ellen returned to the Pack.” Janet paused to swallow the shame she felt towards the situation, Ellen had not been her friend but it was hard to believe that a mother would abandon her cub let alone her infant son. And to worsen the whole thing, Ellen had hidden the birth of her third son and then had the gall to return to the Pack and her mate and give birth to a fourth son, “The fourth son, Madison was born when Ellen returned. The problem arises because Marcus, Trevor and Madison all have the same father, but Merrick does not. Because no knew of Merrick’s existence, we never searched. So Merrick was raised in the foster system in the Outside. He eventually ran away and lived on the streets for a time, but after he Changed he sought us out.”
“So Merrick was alone for all those years.” Selene sadly commented.
“Yes, and when he came to the Pack, Ellen refused to acknowledge him. But Merrick was determined to stay. He tried his best to make friends, but too many people fear a lone wolf. Ellen became sick several months after Merrick showed up. On her deathbed she revealed to her eldest son that Merrick was her son. Marcus told his father, who wanted to keep the truth secret, but Marcus defied his father brought the truth to Patrick.”
“So why does the Pack not accept Merrick if the truth is he belongs here along?”
“The fact that Merrick’s mother is Ellen secures Merrick a place in the Pack, but because we do not know who Merrick’s father is, it makes it difficult for people to trust him.”
Selene brow wrinkled in confusion, “But why can’t people judge Merrick by himself, it shouldn’t matter who his father is, or who his mother is.”
“Werewolves are different than humans in many ways, one of them is the fact the we inherit not only physical characteristics of our parents but also certain personality traits are passed from parent to child, as well as defects. Patrick for example is a constant worrier, just like his father, it is only through years of practice that Patrick is able to appear calm to those around him. But there are other traits such as mental deficiencies, like insanity and brutality that can be passed down.”
“But if no one knows who Merrick’s father is, why do they assume the worst?”
“Because Merrick’s birth was not all Ellen told Marcus on her deathbed, she told him that Merrick’s father had…had attacked her and raped her. Rape, Selene, is worse than murder in the eyes of the Pack, especially the rape of a mated women.”
“Merrick would never hurt anyone…not like that.” Selene asserted.
“I know, I know Selene. I could never even imagine Merrick would hurt a woman that way. But I am just trying to prepare you for what people will think and say. Would you trust a leader who you thought might one day turn on you, on your daughter?”
Selene put her face in her hands, “It all seems so hopeless.”
Janet reached out and pulled Selene’s hands from her face and brushed away her tears, “Difficult, yes. Hopeless, no. If you want Merrick, then you will have to fight for him. Your father and I are here to help you. You can come to us with any question you have. I know, and your father knows, that all of this is very new, and scary but we both have faith that you are capable of facing the challenge.”
Selene mustered up a smile for her aunt, “I Suppose I should get dressed, when will the Pack gather?”
“Oh, the Pack has already gathered.”
“You mean that they’re waiting on me?”
“Selene don’t worry, the Pack will understand.”
“Quick help me get ready. I can’t keep them waiting.”
Janet helped Selene get dressed all the while coaxing a cup of tea down her throat and several slices of bacon and cut fruit. When they were finished Selene was clothed in another skit, but this one was brown with braided belt. She also wore a brown and cream colored sweater. Selene insisted on pulling her hair back, so Janet retrieved a clip to hold her mass of curls away from her face.
A knock came at the door of her bedroom just as they finished. It was Patrick, wearing a light grey sweater and charcoal grey slacks. He looked so young to Selene, it was hard to believe that he was her father. “Selene are you ready?”
“Yes, I guess I’m ready as I’ll ever be.”
Selene threaded her arm in his and Patrick patted her arm, “Don’t worry everything will be fine.”