Night Shine

Misunderstood

Nikki's POV

We're up early. Megan's body has been taken to a mortuary ran by a pack member. Her funeral will be held tomorrow morning. Now we sit with Lance and Victor both Elders and members of the Council. Courtney has taken the cubs outside to play. It's just Nicole, Jason, and I inside the house.

"Im sorry you lost the girl last night." Victor says softly. "I know how much it bothers you to loose a patient especially one so young."

"Do you know if someone is looking for her?" Lance asks.

"No one is looking as far as we can tell. Damon picked his target well." Nicole answers.

"It's sad but it will make it easier for us." Lance sighs.

"She thought we were monsters." Nicole moans softly.

"How could she not with Damon her first example of our kind she came across." Victor says and gently touches Nicole's cheek.

She'll be cremated. Her ashes scattered in the mountains as a member of the Teton Range pack. Her sons will be told she was a brave girl who died protecting them." Lance states ending that subject.
"Nicole I need to know from your point of view what happened when the LA pack attacked." He questions respectfully.

I take Nicole's hand. She has her head resting against Jason's shoulder.

We were just starting our way down when I scented them. I couldn't run Courtney couldn't keep up. I pushed her behind me. There were so many. I think thirty. I caught their thoughts. They wanted to kidnap us. But Courtney was ovulating. It drove them into breeding lust Damon included. I took the chance that they would find a female wolf more appealing then a human female. I knew the damage they could inflict on her so I told her to run. I bit the first one I could reach. They were so gone. They attacked me instead biting and clawing. She stops closing her eyes tightly. "Damon mounted forcing me. I'm sure if the pack hadn't been so close. They would have killed me."

"I'm sure your right Nicole." Lance touches her gently.

"I shouldn't have gone out alone with Courtney. I could have gotten us killed." She moans with remorse.

"Hush none of that. It was neither of your faults. Only ones to blame are Damon and his pack." Lance corrects gently. "And they will pay for all their crimes against the pack women and the human women. We've worked to hard to prove we are not monsters. Only to have Damon and his kind expose our existence and reinforce that image."

"How are we going to bring them in?" Jason asks.

"We're hoping to have them come to us." He says without explanation. They say their goodbyes and leave quickly.

Nicole has decided to go on a family run to release some stress. Which makes me laugh her family looks like a whole pack. Everyone is excited except Courtney she feels left out. Though she's trying to hide it.

"Hey do I have any big wolves willing to pull the sled." Nicole smirks. "We can't leave one of our family behind." She smiles at Courtney. Nate and Sean come up to the house pulling a training sled with wheels used when there's no snow. And Guess who got volunteered. Jason, Noah, Nathan and I got hooked to the sled. I'm not complaining Courtney's and the little ones laughter as we pulled them along was worth it. We keep to the lower trails as we run. Ciel and Adan chose to come with us to help watch out for trouble. Nicole keeps pace and stays at Courtney's side. The rest follow according to rank. Suddenly Nicole breaks rank. She's behind my children who have started to lag behind. She growls and nips at their heals pushing them to go faster. Urging them to keep pace with their age mates. She won't let up. I'm starting to get pissed at her. Then I hear it it's getting louder. It's the combined mental voice of Nicole's family. Shift they chant as they run. The repetition quickens till one by one my children shift with a pain filled howl. Nicole howls in sympathy but she keeps them moving. I hear her thoughts.

"Keep moving it will ease the pain faster, trust me."

After awhile we slow to a ground eating trot and the pack begins to sing a comical song about being wolves. By the time we make it home everyone's mood has lifted and the baby's are ready for a nap.

Carol comes rushing up to us to release us from the traces. We rub against her and thank her. She smiles and hurries away. She is being kept so busy. I stretch and shake. Nicole comes up and rubs against my side.

"I sensed your anger and I'm sorry. But they weren't listening. I had to make them listen to the pack, to our lead wolf, to the woods around us. It's important during a hunt or a run. The woods are no more safer for us than they are for our wild brothers and sisters. People shoot wolves." I hear her words in my mind.

"I understand. I should have known you had your reasons." I nuzzle her shoulder.

She sighs in response and leaves me to join her young laying under a tree. She rests her head on her paws contentedly. The cubs cuddle around and dose off.

I head to the house to get some clothes so I can join Courtney around the fire. I want to hold her.

As I come near Courtney giggles.
"Ah you've shifted back. I kinda like your soft fur."

"But I have to be a human to to do this." I lean down and give her a soft kiss on the lips.

"Mmm that is nice." She whispers.

Later Nicole and Jason join us. She sits close to him. He puts his arm around her and gives her a kiss. It must have been so hard on them. They have waited a long time to be able to show their love for one another.