Tamer Of Wolves

~Black Birds Tell No Truth~

Making my way towards Ian's office, I can feel the stares of the other pack members. But I pay no attention. I'm on a mission. I'm the Wolf Tamer; I have no idea what the hell that means, but I want to find out.

I open the two doors to Ian's office. The room is darkly colored, with the curtains closed. Raven, Ian, our Beta Steven, and Forrest are all here and they all turn their heads to look at me as I enter the room. Raven is standing behind the desk with Ian, while he sits in a huge leather swivel chair. Steven is standing a few feet from the desk, while Forrest is the only one sitting down on the big leather lounge chair in the corner of the room.

My heat scent hits them all like a pile of bricks. Steven inhales deeply and his eyes grow black. Raven smiles and shivers. Forrest tries to ignore it for my sake but I know he can't. Something about me just drives every male crazy. And it isn't just me being in heat. Ian just looks at me like I'm a pest that just got into the room and needs to be squashed. Quickly.

"Marina! To what do we owe the pleasure?" Raven asks in his sly, low voice.

"Raven, I want answers," I tell him straightforward. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Forrest lower and shake his head. Raven scowls, as if confused.

"Answers about what, my child?" He asks me.

"Answers about me. Myself. What I am," I say. I hear Forrest sigh softly from his chair and I know that I'm in some deep shit.

"Oh really? What would you like to know?" Raven asks. He honestly thinks I don't know anything, I think, astounded.

"What is the Wolf Tamer?" At my question the four males all look at me in shock. Well, all but Forrest who looks at me as if I've lost my mind. I probably have.

Raven is in front of me in a couple of strides. He gets right in my face and he growls low and deep. "Where did you hear this term 'Wolf Tamer?'"

There's no way I'm going to rat Tabitha and Forrest out. Searching for words, I blurt something out. "I heard it going around the pack. And when I asked them what it was all about, they all merely snickered at me and walked away."

Raven aggressively exhales, trying to contain his anger.  He takes a deep breath, then envelopes me in a sudden hug. Not knowing exactly what to do, I don't exactly hug him back but instead I just stand there waiting for the awkward moment to end.

When it does, Raven puts his hands on my shoulders and looks at me as if he's trying to explain to small child that there are no monsters underneath the bed. His eyes are filled with pity and humor.

"My child. This 'Wolf Tamer' business is none of your concern. Why don't you go back up to your room and let us handle the rumors?" As if that's the end of it, Raven turns away from me and slowly strolls back to the desk. So many times before, I'd let him win arguments over and over again. Well not this time, Raven, I think, determined.

I take a confident step forward. "That's what you'd really like for me to do, huh Raven? Just have me sit up in my room and never come out. I could die up there and no one would know, let alone care!" I yell. I've lost all restraint and there's no recovering it. There's no going back.

Ian clears his throat. "Excuse me, but I would care." He says it so matter-of-factly and Steven fist bumps him.

"Well of course you'd care. You're the only one allowed to fuck me, so of course you'd care. Wouldn't want to lose the bush before you can pick the flowers, huh?" I retort, loud enough for them all to hear me. Steven and Raven look impressed, and chuckle. Ian is red with embarrassment while Forrest is sitting in his chair trying to hold back his laughs.

After calming down from his bout of chuckling, Raven speaks. "Listen child. I don't know who you think you are, but your Alpha is still higher in rank than you," he says seriously, pointing to Ian. "You will show respect to your Alpha and his father and appreciate our final say in the matter." He's giving me a look of warning, as if to say "Stop now before it's too late."

For me, it already is. Might as well go deeper.

"No Raven. Just give me some answers. Please. All my life you've kept me hidden from all other packs. All my life I've been stolen back and forth between packs all over North America. All my life I've been special and I don't even know why. The only clue I've got is this name I've been given called the 'Wolf 'Tamer.' And I'm sick of being kept in the dark. I'm this pack's Luna, dammit, and I deserve some answers." I finish strong. Well, strong in my own mind.

I look around at the faces of the four males, each unreadable of expression. Finally Raven walks over to me. His face is as cold and still as stone. I can't read his emotions or tell what he's thinking and it's scaring me. Lost in my own thoughts, I don't see his right hand  come up to my face. He slaps me so hard I fall to the floor. With a grunt, I land on the cold, hard tiles face down. I turn over slowly, propping myself up on my elbows.

That's when Raven kneels down to me. "For the last time, Marina. Respect your Alphas," he growls low and menacingly. He gets up and walks back to the desk, and back to his smiling son and Beta.

I struggle to stand, my face burning from where he'd hit me. Forrest takes no pleasure in watching me in pain, and walks quickly to my side and helps me up. That doesn't please Raven in the slightest.

"The hell are you doing, Gamma?" Raven asks authoritatively. He stresses the word 'gamma' with authority rolling off his tongue.

Forrest looks up at Raven. He grabs me by the arms and helps me to stand. Once standing, he puts on arm around my shoulder. "Excuse me sir, if I'm not amused by the suffering of others," Forrest replies.

Steven steps forward threateningly. "Watch it Forrest. You're third in command, but not Alpha or Beta. Remember your place and who you're talking to." The words slide off his tongue like slime, and his voice is like a snake that's hissing a dangerous warning to a predator.

Forrest nods nonchalantly. A little too nonchalantly. Then in the blink of an eye, he runs forward and grabs Steven by the right arm. Forrest flips the Beta around to where his arm is behind his back. Forrest pulls ever to the left, stretching Steven arm almost to the point where it breaks. Then Forrest leans to Steven's ear.

"Remember I'm older than you, pup. Next time, remember who you're talking to," he whispers. With that, Forrest lets go and pushes Steven onto the floor in the process. With one last look at Raven and Ian, Forrest leads me out of the room.

Once out of the room, making sure no one is listening, Forrest leans down and whispers,

"Do you want me to help you escape?"