Brother Wolf

Ch 3 The Queen's Call

"I'll do it," said Thomas, the brother who was once feral and chained. "I'll be his warden. I need time away from... I can do it for you. I don't want what happened to me to be experienced by anyone else. Yeah, I'd be happy to do it if you'll let me, my king. My alpha," he added softly.

Releasing Simeon, I faced Thomas, grateful he was willing to help. "Time, for as long as you need it, is yours." I smiled over at Simeon, who still looked like he wanted to fight. "Wait and hear the stories. You'll see."

"What did you mean," Thomas asked, "about him helping others find their lives?"

I moved to look about, swinging my arm to take in the size of the spread around us. "This is a good place for bitten werewolves to discover the wolf within them. There's enough space to run and explore what it means to live on four legs, a chance to put nose to the ground. It can become a place for others to meet, even just for a weekend. It's secluded enough to be a safe place for the bitten to come to terms with the damage done to them."

"Like a camp?" Barry asked, moving up to stand next to his brother. "I'll help," he added, giving a sideways glance at his brother. Thomas took an angry step away.

I saw the pain in Barry, the shame for what he'd done under the tutelage of the werewolf that bit him and his brother. Such wounds wouldn't heal in a day. I went over to Thomas, putting my hands on his shoulders.

"He's trying," I murmured as I moved my forehead against Thomas's. "I ask you, not as your king, but as your brother, to give him a chance. Your brother spoke up during the gathering on the mountain, trying to find a way to save you. I don't know what all happened to you before, but your pain and distrust of your brother are obvious. Your previous alpha taught him wrong. Now he knows better."

Thomas swallowed hard, struggling with his instinct to push his brother away. Pulling away from Thomas, I turned to Barry.

"Barry, as much as you want to make things up to your brother, you cannot push yourself on him. You must give him the space and the time he needs. Thomas, do you want Barry here? It's okay if you don't."

I could tell Thomas wanted to say no. I felt that in time, Thomas would come to forgive his brother for siding with the dominating werewolf who had bitten them, his brother believing he had no choice. I didn't push Thomas to answer, not wanting him to feel pressured.

"He can stay," Thomas finally said, still not looking at his brother, who sighed in relief.

"So that's it," asked Simeon, "that's all that happens to that bastard for killing my wife?"

"It was the bite that killed her," I answered, "and while he instigated all of the events leading to her death, it was not her death he desired. Besides his death in exchange for hers, what other punishment do you think he deserves? I'll accommodate you if I think it's reasonable."

"I'd have him scream as she did. I could hear her above me, calling my name, and I couldn't do anything. She screamed in agony, again and again, for days. And I couldn't..."

Simeon choked up, shaking with his rage.

I felt for him, but I had no desire to resort to torture. I had no answer to his grief. He needed time, and time itself might not be enough to heal him.

"You can make sure it doesn't happen again," Mac chimed in. "Join my crew, work with us to stop bastards like that."

"It won't bring her back," Ed added, "but believe me, it is an outlet. It makes a difference, making the world a better place by dealing with what killed her."

"What killed her?" Simeon scoffed. "It was werewolves that killed her, and you're asking me to work with them?"

"To work with the right ones, the good ones," said Ed, "to stop the bad ones."