Brotherhood

Chapter 29

The stars winked into existence as Geric and the pack of wolves ran toward the place deep in his heart he had known he would end up someday. It was the place where the first wolf had been given the gift, or curse, of shape shifting by the witches that had once inhabited a palace of stone. All that remained of it were a few upright stones and in the center, the mark of the witches.

"Geric, step forward," one of the eldest wolves, who lived to see nearly five centuries, called to him from the center of the stones. Geric obeyed, treading carefully on the stone emblem. There was magic here, he could feel it in his bones. Magic deeper and more ancient than any living memory.

He bowed low to the ground before regaining his human form. The elder wrapped him in a pelt so dark it was almost black, rumored to be the pelt of the ancient first wolf that was only brought out for this ceremony.

Another elder, this time a woman, came forward with a bowl of dark red liquid that Geric recognized as blood—Favian's blood. For this ritual, the blood of the vanquished challenger was mixed with herbs so that it would permanently stain the skin, marking any who wore it as the Alpha. She lifted Favian's dead paw and dipped it carefully in the mixture before placing the bloody paw mark over his heart, the symbol of his victory.

"Allow me to present our new Alpha," the eldest wolf called to the assembled crowd of wolves. "Let all who see that he bears this mark know that he is our leader and our king."

The wolves lifted their noses to the sky and howled their approval at the moon before one by one bowing low to the ground in respect. Geric smiled, looking down at the mark on his chest. This could be exactly what they needed to unite the wolves and the humans in Colmar once again. He was ready to lead them now.

"My fellow wolves," he said, his voice ringing clearly in the chill night time air. "I am honored to be your leader. And now I must ask you to follow me to battle against Minnings. They are threatening our country, a country that is as much your home as it is mine. I know that there is still much distrust between us and the humans, but change starts here. We must fight to defend our lands, we must fight for our home. United we cannot fail."

The wolves lifted their noses again, howling their agreement to the moon. Geric shifted quietly back into his wolf form and led the pack away from the stones again. Back the way they had come, toward the borderlands where the army waited.

. . . . . . .

Geric pushed open the flap of Amy's tent to find her still asleep. It was nearing dawn and most of the camp was already preparing for battle. He smiled, she looked so beautiful in sleep, one fist tucked tightly up to her chin, the blankets twisted around her ankles.

Shaking her shoulder gently, Geric planted a kiss on her forehead, breathing in the scent of her. She was intoxicating, he wished he could freeze time right here and keep her like this forever.

"Amy," he whispered her name, kissing the side of her neck just below her ear. She rolled over, her eyes opening sleepily to stare into his.

"You're back," she whispered, smiling sleepily up at him and leaning in for a kiss. "Where did you go last night?"

Geric smiled, sitting down next to her so she could rest her head in his lap. "The ruins."

When she looked confused, he said, "Those stones that stand up straight in the middle of the forest. According to legend, they used to be an ancient palace for witches. Now it's where the ceremony takes place to designate the next Alpha."

"So you're Alpha of the wolves now?" Amy asked, sitting up in bed, her hair matted to one side of her head. Geric nodded, pulling aside the neck of his tunic so she could see the dark red paw print on his chest, just over his heart. She reached out and touched it, looking wonderingly up at him when her fingers came away clean.

"How is it done?"

Wrapping his arm around her, Geric pulled the neck of his tunic back into place before explaining. "The elders use the paw of the dead challenger and dip it in his own blood. It's mixed with something else that stains the skin so that the mark is permanent."

Amy shuddered, drawing closer to him nervously. "That sounds horrible."

"I thought so too at first," Geric said, remembering the first time he had witnessed the ceremony himself. "But there's ancient magic there that I don't think even the eldest wolf fully understands. It's a magic that binds us all together as wolves. I can't explain it, but something awakens inside you when you turn, something that was always there but deep and dormant."

Geric smiled at the wonder in Amy's eyes as she listened to him speak. "I may not have wanted this life, but there is a brotherhood amongst the wolves unlike anything I've ever seen."

"You know," Amy said slyly. "The king of wolves and the princess of humans. That might be an alliance my father can't turn down."

"I hope not," Geric chuckled. "Because even if he did, I plan on marrying you anyway. I love you, Princess."

Amy's smile widened as she stretched and got out of bed, dropping her nightgown and reaching for a plain brown dress that hung over the end of the bed. Geric couldn't help but stare, admiring the supple curves of her figure as she changed into her day gown. She moved with such unconscious grace, it made him desire her all the more. Lacing up the front of her gown, she leaned in close to his ear and whispered, "I love you too, Wolf King."

As they kissed, Gericheard a low thumping sound. It was faint at first but grew ever louder as eachdrummer began to beat their drum and the horns began to blow. They broke apartand looked at each other, worry and fear etched in both their faces. The battlewas about to begin.