Shifters Pen

11

She was mad at me. But not for the reason I thought she was going to be. She called killing Mikey an accident. She said I wasn’t in control of that. And she was right. I would not have killed Mike McCain. However, I had planned to kill Thomas McCain, and that was what upset her. He had killed my father on accident, whereas I planned to kill Thomas McCain.
  It had been 14 years, and I had relived that night, that time of my life over and over. I had never seen it the way Lucy did. I saw red for a long time. I saw my revenge. I saw myself killing Mikey over and over. I never cared one whit for what I did to Thomas, until my mate did. Now I was thinking about it. How could I have handled it differently? How could Mikey, Thomas, and Grant have survived that night? How could I have been able to be there for Ella? How could I have met my intended mate in a better place? What could I have done differently?
  I couldn’t have revealed that I was a werewolf, for starters. I couldn’t have tied Thomas to the tree on the full moon. I should have let my anger die down before reacting. But I was young, and stupid. But I hadn’t been young and stupid for a while now. Why hadn’t I regretted it?
  My eyes found Lucy. She was asleep on the mattress that was on the floor. What had happened when I left that cell today? Three vampires. Three vampires were either severely hurt or destroyed. She had caused some damage. I was sure Kevin had too. He had come to really like Lucy after seeing her heal a time or two.
  Kevin. He had followed me everywhere my entire life. Even here. And I was trying to leave. Would he be able to leave? I didn’t want to leave him here. He was my beta, but would the werewolves follow him as alpha if I left? There would be a fight between him and Robert, probably. Maybe Jordan would join in for the bid to be alpha too. The Texan was smart, and strong. He just lacked experience leading.
  Second level testing I didn’t even know if Lucy made it to the second level. She was the one who needed to get out of here the most. I was going crazy trying to figure out what to do. If we left at the same time I could take her home, introduce her to the pack. If they would take me back.
  If she got out first where would she go? She wouldn’t have a home to go to. She didn’t have a dime on her when she came here. My mate would be homeless, and pregnant with our child. Would she have to stay in a women’s shelter? The thought was revolting.
  Almost as bad as if I got out of here first. If I left first she would be in danger, constantly. I wouldn’t know when she would get out, or how she or the baby were doing. She wouldn’t leave here without the baby. I didn’t have to ask her that. The only good thing about if I left first would be that I could prepare a home for us. It was the only good thing.
  But to leave at all I had to figure my shit out, and pass the other tests.
 
  He was very uncertain today. After yesterday he had a lot more questions on his mind than answers. A council had been called. Even I could tell that men had died yesterday. We just didn’t know who. A roster had been posted of the 3 men who had left Shifters Pen yesterday. One was Joe Branson. I was very happy for him, even though I was going to miss him. He was free.
  We arrived in the laundryroom for the council meeting. Kevin came, and I quickly healed his bruises. I admit to being dissapointed when Robert arrived. I wouldn’t have minded if he hadn’t made it to a cell in time. The Texan, who Luke greeted as Jordan, appeared. He was limping. He had a nearly broken leg. I healed it. And that was it. The hispanic guy didn’t show up, and niether did the quiet guy. ⅓ of the council was dead.
  Luke was angry. “I wish they’d give us a little more warning. And to do that when we were all in the cafeteria. There was no way everyone would make it to a cell.”
  I said, “They said they were going to return on April 20th when I was in the room with them.”
  Brows went up. Jordan said, “Well that’s helpful.”
  Luke said, “Tallies. How many dead?”
  Of the 400 werewolves there had been we were now missing nearly 100. We went silent at that. I felt awful for asking, but had to know. “Does anyone know the numbers for the vampires?”
  Robert nodded. “I overheard someone say 86 vampires bit the dust.”
  That was a lot of people dead, just because they didn’t make it to their cell on time. That was messed up.
  Luke said, “We will remember them properly in the courtyard tomorrow.” The men nodded. I had no idea how they remembered someone properly. There was no body to bury. I wondered what happened to them. Did Hades just suck them down to the underworld?
  Kevin said, “There are 2 other dead vampires. Luna and I had a scuffle with three vampires yesterday.”
  I felt a swell of pride from Luke. “She turned into a mountain lion.”
  Robert blinked once, suddenly having no interest in my body. Jordan grinned, “Our Luna kicks ass, and takes no prisoners.”
  I pointed a thumb to Luke, “Not true. I take one.”
  Kevin chuckled as Luke blushed a bit. “So, any news on who is moving up in testing?”
  I spoke, “Luke and I are going to the second test.”
  Kevin wasn’t too surprised at that, but both Robert and Jordan were.
  Luke spoke up before they could say anything. “If I make it to the third test we will discuss pack alpha. Until then just calm down. Anyone else move that you know of?”
  I smiled. “Harold.”
  “No shit?” Robert was shocked. “That retard made it to the second test? How?”
  I did not like Robert, “Hey, he finally has been able to answer the test with help from myself, and Luke, and a couple other guys who read him the questions. Don’t call him names.” At breakfast Harold had been bubbling over with excitement that he was going on to the second test.
  Jordan nodded, “Well, we can get official tallies later. There’s a test every week.” His gaze turned to me. “So, everyone knows now. I was kinda surprised when the skinwalkers said they’d keep an eye out for you.”
  “I was too. Well, I kinda figured that Che was keeping an eye on me. But the others, that’s new.”
  Luke tilted his head. “What do you mean that Che has been keeping an eye on you? Why didn’t you say anything?”
  I shrugged, “Oh, it’s just little things. Like when we are training in the yard and he’s trying to show me how to be a sheep, but a wendigo walks into the area. He immediately says I will soon be able to turn from animal to animal, and then he goes from a sheep to a buffalo, to a bear, to a scorpion. The wendigo leaves, and he turns back into a sheep.”
  Luke was happily surprised at this.
  Robert asked, “How is your training coming anyway?”
  I shrugged, “Well I don’t have to learn a lot of stuff that your average skinwalker does. I can heal people without herbs or shamanistic training. And since I don’t want to learn how to curse someone I don’t need to learn all the herbs and stuff. I am struggling with a couple of things though.”
  “Not smelling like something huntable?” Jordan asked.
  “Only sometimes. I am I getting a better hold on what I want to turn into. Except when I want to be human. That is really, really hard. Che says it has been the exact opposite with himself and everyone else he has trained. They really struggle with becoming animals, but slide back into their human self with ease. But I have a very hard time becoming human again. Sometimes I’m not even really myself again until I have slept a few hours. The other thing that I am struggling with is the weather control thing. I decided it could come in handy to have some control over the weather. However, to do that I have to have control over my emotions.”
  “But you are pregnant,” pointed out Jordan.
  I nodded. “Not easy. And I can’t exactly see the sky to say if I am doing anything or just getting frustrated.”
  The men all nodded at that. There were no windows in Shifters Pen. There was no sky. It was all contained in a giant cavern.
  “But I am able to shift into 3 animals a day now, and the smallest one has been a goat.”
  Luke was confused, “How is it good that you can shift into smaller animals?”
  I nodded, “The smaller ones are harder. Take more focus. I have to push more into something smaller. Che is amazed that I can turn into things like a raven or rabbit in my sleep, because I do it without trying.”
  Luke nodded, “That does make a certain amount of sense that it would be harder.”
  Kevin said, “Well, it’s a good thing that she can turn into large animals, if you ask me. There is no quicker turnoff than facing an angry mountain lion or bear. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were a few more attempts to attack her, but I don’t think there will be many more than that.”
  More attempts? I felt sick at the idea.
  Luke wrapped an arm around my waist, trying to be reassuring. But I wasn’t entirely ready to be reassured by him. I wasn’t sure he understood why he was in Shifters Pen. I pulled away.
  This didn’t escape the notice of Jordan, “Trouble in paradise?”
  Luke said, “No. I just need to apologize for something is all.”
  Kevin glared at him, “You and me gonna talk later bro.”
  Apologize. He killed a man and didn't feel an ounce of remorse. He needed to figure out what he had done wrong first.
  He was stymied. I was upset with him. And not for what he was upset with himself about.

  She was about to shift into her wolf under the moon for the second time. Kevin had explained to me what a total ass I was to upset my pregnant mate, who was Luna, and who deserved my best behavior. Especially now. Especially when half the prison was going to be trying to rape her, and that was no easy thing.
  I already knew that I wasn’t good enough for her. But my cousin did point out that I could try harder. I cleared my throat. “I'm sorry.”
  She sighed. “But not for the right thing.”
  I just couldn't win. “What do you want me to be sorry for? I'm not sure I understand.”
  She started to turn before she could answer, and so did I. The moon pulled my humanity away and set it aside as my wolf awoke. He stood proudly beside his pregnant mate, sniffing her lovely form over. The Luna rubbed tenderly against me, marking me as hers.
  The doors opened and I led her to the rest of the pack. The yard filled with our pack. But many were missing.  Many had lost the battle with the one who smelled of deaths door. We stopped and saw who was missing. Good strong wolves had gone. I set up a mournful howl, and was joined by the rest of the pack. We remembered each and every single wolf. Every member of the pack that was gone. Then we went to check on everyone else.
  Noses immediately detected that my mate was with a pup. I warned any who got too close to her away. Tails wagged though. Finally, some joy in this awful time. She bore herself with grace and pride. For three days she and I ruled over the pack before returning to our den. There we felt the wolf go to sleep. and the human take control.
  I was so proud of her. She was so beautiful. Such an amazing Luna. And me? “I don’t deserve you.”
  She held me close, face inches from mine. “Why don’t you deserve me?”
  It wasn’t the things I did as a wolf. “I planned to kill a man, and then used my wolf to do it.”
  She smiled, pulling me closer to her body, kissing my lips softly. “You are learning my mate.” Her hands traveled lower. I knew what she wanted. I let her push me down to the mattress. She took me in her hand, rubbing precum over my tip. Oh, moon above! She kissed my lips, and whispered, “I want you inside of me.”
  I nodded, and lay back, watching as she straddled me, and lowered herself onto me. She was so tight! I always had to take it slow in order not to just come right away. She sensed this and took it slow, groaning in delight as I filled her. Her sweet juices slid down my cock. I thrust into her and her breath hitched as pleasure ran through her.
  She rode me until I thought I would nearly die from trying to hold back. Then she stilled for a moment, and kissed me. I pushed my tongue into her mouth, and sucked on her tongue. She panted for more. I flipped her over. She smiled a bit. This was what she wanted. Me to take her. I taunted her a bit. I kissed her. I licked her all the way to her belly button.
  “Oh, fuck me Luke,” she begged.
  I would get there, but not until she was about to burst. I played with her clit until she was panting and shuddering. Then I pushed into her, and captured her screams of pleasure in a kiss. I thrust over and over, her legs wrapped around me as she met me thrust for thrust. This was not just fucking, and we both knew it.
  Her eyes met mine, “Luke Tillerman, I love you.”
  I had never imagined I would hear that from a woman. Or want to. But this was the best moment in my life. “I love you too.”
  She smiled and kissed me, squeezing my cock at the same time. I sucked in a breath, and pushed into her. She was so close to coming, and so was I. We stroked each other, never looking away from each others gaze. I hardened more and her body started trembling around me, squeezing me. I came inside her and it was a moment I never wanted to forget. I held her close. She was my treasure. My mate.