Convalesce (Book 2 in the Wolfen Brethren Series)

Claws and Metal

                   

The crowd of men moved forwards like a wave rocking against the ocean bed as more people trailed out of the bushes, this time women and children. What had first seemed like a deserted area was becoming full with loud and boisterous people who pulled Simeon and his men in but left her out. Their mumbles of Alpha crashed over her, drowned out her senses until all that she could do was watch. Watch as Simeon enveloped his people around him and left her in the cold.

She stood by, the outsider watching as these wolves celebrated in what she could only imagine was a long awaited homecoming. Was this home? She stood in the middle of a brightly lit forest, walls of natures green and brown surrounded her but there were no buildings, no huts, no tall brick or steel walls, nothing. Nothing but nature and a few of mans creations. The odd wire or pipe intertwined with the trees but there was no home. Surely this was not where they lived, where someone expected her to live.

Stepping away for the car, glowing eyes met her as they glowered in her direction, watching, waiting. The back of the crowd followed her every move, they took in how her chest raised as her heart rapidly thumped in anxiousness. When she stepped further away from the car they made their displeasure known, hackles rising as they postured towards her. The children pushed further into the crowd as males and females snarled in her direction. Their growls causing the hair on her arms to stand as she looked for Simeon.

The male was in the middle of the crowd making his way through the forest, hands stroking against cheeks and shoulders as he greeted the many faces. His mate forgotten as he reacquainted himself with his wolves. The Alpha had returned.

Pushing further away from the car, she took the plunge. Shoulders straight she headed through the feral crowd. The whinny high pitch of warning growls were heard before she felt the first slice, her arm cut open as her liquid trickled through. They circled around her. There was no escape from the back, only forwards. They had warned her and now she had to learn, she was not one of them and they would greet her in the same way they greeted unfamiliar faces.

Every step she made closer was met by a snarl of some wolf, teeth bared, fangs descended as drool trickled from their mouths. These wolves were different, even in human form they were feral. She could see it in their eyes, the way they scented her out, sized her up as if she were a meal but Jana was no turn coat.

Growling back, she shoved her way through the moving crowd, nails ripping as she scored at the wolves who tried to pick at her. Their nails slicing across her skin, claws plunging deep as females pulled at her hair and children stuck their feet out. A large shoulder shoving her forcefully.

Her hands came forwards as she braced herself for the impact of her body meeting the dirt but a hand fisted her hair and yanked her up, stopping her fall and then she was shoved further into the crowd. Her warm liquid essence slid down her cool body and seeped into her clothes, the smell was subtle, shrouded by the pungent smell of wolf and mud.

Hands got rougher as people became more vicious, spitting and kicking her as she continued pushing through in hopes of finding Simeon.

Words accompanying actions as they dragged her about like a ragdoll, bitch, whore, sewage scum, filth. They pelted their words at her along with their fists and feet, beating their hatred into her ears and body.

A large black male stood before her, his body blocking her from getting closer to the Alpha as his canines descended and a crazed look entered his eyes, hatred ebbing from his body.  At the sight of him a flicker switched in Jana's mind, she was no prey, no victim to these wolves. If they wanted blood she would give it to them.

Straightening her shoulders, she stared the male down as she forced the crowd to shift around her and when hands reached for her she met them with the hard of her fist. There was no holding back now. Forcing her body closer to the male she met his claws with the chill of her own pair.