Bloodline and Kin (Gifted Werewolf Series: Book 2)

Prologue

Ten years ago...

The creature has been alone now for years. It has lost the ability to understand the importance of pack and family. It only know the ability to survive, to hunt, to kill.

It sits on a hill overlooking a valley of wild grasses, wild flowers, small things, and many holes. It could see a prairie dog lounging in the sun, taking advantage of the warmth before winter reigned this part of the world. In the distance, it could see mountains, peaks, already white, high in the sky. Just beyond those mountains, lay the forest the creature was born, vast and plentiful. It's family was there, not that it had any inclination to see said family.

But something was pulling the creature home, back to where life had been hard but full of memories: memories it tried to escape. Memories of running from larger creatures, of always on the move, of always being afraid and alert. Memories of fights, laughter, cries, and death. Memories!

Huffing out a breath of irritation, the creature stood and made its way into the valley, scaring the prairie dog back into its hole, scaring the birds into the air and away, scaring even the big cats that prowled this area.

It ignored them all, wanting to be alone.

Before, when it first ran away, the creature searched for its missing half. It searched for the part of its life that could fill the void in its heart and sou. It searched for someone or something that would accept it for what it was, who it was.

Nothing.

Years searching, and it gave up, realizing that the life it wanted was not meant to be. Sad, but the creature was not going to sulk about it. Instead, it did something else...

It took the creature three moons to get to the forest it used to call home, three moons of gnawing on what was generating this need to come back, three moons of frustrated climbing mountains and pushing itself through the blizzards that near blinded it. The creature won out over all the hardships throughout its life so far, it wouldn't give up just because the Earth decided to take its anger out on it. No, it would be the master over Earth and it's many gifts. It would prevail no matter what.

Once the creature entered the forest, it took in the many familiar scents and the many new scents around it. It recognized which trees were missing, which bush had been trampled to turn to dirt. It knew this forest like no other creature. It both loved and hated this forest: loved the resources it provided if it knew where to look and hated the memories it brought to the forefront of the creature's mind. Memories it tried to forget.

The farther the creature went, the less the need became, as if just being close was enough. The creature trusted its instincts more than anything, so when the fur on its neck rose, a warning, the creature didn't hesitate.

Before it could attack though, the wolf was a male the creature recognized. This male acted like a father: strict yet encouraging to learn and see everything. The male had black hair, which was now dusted with grey, deep green eyes that held more knowledge than the creature could ever imagine, a golden face that use to be handsome, but that now sagged with age.

"I apologize for scaring you, Lorna, however there is a matter we must discuss."

The creature understood the words, but couldn't comprehend the reason behind them. What discussion is to be had? We had parted years ago, and this is the first thing he wants to talk about?

The creature shifted into its human form as well, feeling bones crack and a stiffness that meant it hadn't been in this form in a very long time. It looked the male directly in the face, not caring how ugly it was. "I am not here for words, so be gone and leave me be."

The male put out his hands as if to calm the creature. "Lorna-"

"That is not my name." The creature loped about, eyes now as blond as a kitten. "Do not call me that."

The was confused, but nodded slowly. "Please listen to me. It is important."

The creature narrowed its eyes on the male, but said nothing, knowing he usually did not bother others unless it was crucial.

Taking the silence as an opening, the male took his chance. "I am not your real father. And Petla isn't your mother."

To the creature's surprise, this caught its attention. "What are you talking about?"

The male sighed and told the story of how he and Petla were roaming around when they heard a baby's cry. They went to investigate and saw the creature in a female's arms, being cradled. They didn't show themselves, but watched as the female cried, lying the creature aside and stumbling away, leaving the creature there to die. He told of how Petla always wanted a pup, but could never have one, so they took the creature as their own, named it, then raised it. He also said how he went to see where the mother had gone, possibly understand the reasoning behind her abandonment of the child she just birthed, but could find no sign of her except that she was part of a pack.

When the creature asked of the females looks, he described her as a blonde with blue-green eyes and a beauty no beast could forget. The creature sat against a tree, processing the story and everything it meant. It was abandoned. It was left alone to die. It was nothing in the female's eyes except dirt.

The creature felt its eyes turn a silvery color, not exactly solid, but a swirling depth in its eyes. It felt an emotion it didn't recognize rise in its throat, threatening o take over, consume it.

The sound of a twig being broken, the gasp of breath, and a growl broke what little hold the creature had over itself...

Hours later, the creature stood over the two bodies of the mother and father it had known all its life; no regret or sadness on its face.

Only a burning cold fury...