Leads and Stories.
(Fraction>>
my desk
“Start talking.” I say to Darryl as I sit down in my office chair, is littered in empty and part empty whiskey bottles. I’d feel a little ashamed of the state of my office if it wasn’t for all the other sh it on my shoulders at the moment. Cas and Darryl are leaning against the wall and Anna is sitting in the chair opposite looking anywhere but at me. I’ ve dropped the ball where she is concerned, I know she has needed me but the grief of losing my only remaining parent has cri ppled me more than I can put into words.
“How much do you know about The Shalamaynes?” Darryl asks me
and Anna.
“You mean like that ghost story Eliza told at Halloween?” Anna asks, looking over her shoulder at Darryl.
“Yes and no. it’s been diluted over the years to become a ghost story but there was an Alpha who fell in love with a human but then found his fated mate who turned out to be an Omega.” Darryl comes and sits. on the chair next to Anna.
“So it’s true? He killed his pregnant human mate?” Cas shakes his head with a smile on his face as Anna asks the question I was thinking.
“No, she had already had the baby. The village she belonged to witnessed the killing and they secluded themselves away from everyone else raising their children to believe shifters, especially Omegas are dangerous and need to be contained.” Cas explains to us in a voice that tells me he’s heard this story many times, “my mother used. to tell me that if a shifter stepped out of line The Shalamayne would
step in and contain the shifter.”
“Surely we would know if a cult was picking off shifters?” I ask. confused as to how this is the first of these I’ve heard of
“Of course we would but they are stealthy and they move every few years so the Elders have never been able to pin them down. I spoke to Elder Thomas who said they have hunted them for a long time, a long time ago they were the reason Omegas were hunted and killed.” Darryl tells us.
“So what? They have just decided Swiftmane is on their list?” I lean back in my chair as Cas nods his head at me.
“You are an affront to everything they stand for, you have an Omega mate and Luna, your Pack is growing and you have more than one pup. They see you as someone who is trying to grow a Pack large enough to. overpower the humans.” Cas explains and that just confuses me more.
“I have no desire to overtake the humans, I just want to run my Pack and look after my pups and mate.” Anna nods her head in agreement with me. “That also doesn’t explain James, why take him and Bellamy?”
“Trust me when I say that religious nuts have a serious hatred for ga y people, I wouldn’t be surprised if they took them just because of their S**uality.” I know Ca s’s parents have a serious hatred for g ay people. and anyone who doesn’t fit their religious beliefs, if anyone should know how these kind of people feel it would be him.
“So what now? This cult has come out of the woodwork for a major hard on for me and my family, what’s our next move?” I ask Darryl, I honestly don’t know what to do with something like this.
Darryl leans across my desk and unfolds a map, it’s a map of the world except there are red crosses that shouldn’t be there.
21.15%
|||
“I spoke to the Elders and these are all the known locations where The Shalamaynes have been over the last fifty or so years. Whenever a Pack gets close they pack up and move on.” Looking at the map closer I see they have been all over the world, not just America. “Rick thinks he might have found their current camp, if he’s right then we might have found them before they move on.”
“Which gives us a chance to get Aurora, James and Bellamy back.” Darryl nods at me sitting back in his chair. “I need more information on these guys, how are they able to contain a fully grown shifter? James is no warrior but neither him nor Zeus are a pushover. He should have been able to take some humans.”
“I agree, we’re missing something. Elder Thomas and Iris should be here in two days, hopefully they can fill in some of the blank spots.” I nod my head trying to make a me ntal plan.
“Alright, I think the best play is to keep an eye on these guys. The last thing we want is them packing up and moving on before we plan to make our move.” Darryl nods at me with a smile and I see Cas pull out a notepad.
“Shoot.” Cas says ready to write down my instructions.
“I want groups of ten to be sent out, have them in human form though. If these guys are looking for shifters the last thing we want is for them. to see a wolf around their camp.” Anna sits forward in a chair as Cas starts writing.
“I want to go.” I close my eyes knowing that Anna would want to go.
“You can’t Anna.” I’m thankful Darryl is able to say it because I’m not sure I could say no to her right now.
“Why not?” Anna asks, getting angry.
1 made and Stor
200 Mouchers
“If you see Aurora could you stop yourself from attacking to get her back?” Anna shakes her head as Darryl points out the obvious to her, “we will get all of them back but having you there and seeing Aurora will not be helpful. At most we can have our guys snap some pictures if they see her. At least then you will know if she’s ok.”
I’m about to get out of my chair when a loud firm knock sounds on the office door. I know it’s going to be Rick and I stamp down the anger I’ m feeling towards him. He has something I need, I can kick his as s
later.
“Come in.” I shout out making Anna jump, when the door doesn’t open I nod at Cas who walks over and opens it. I watch as Ca s’s shoulders square and his back seems to get straighter, the room is suddenly filled with a tension I can’t explain.
“Cas?” I ask just as he steps to the side showing not only Rick but Zoe as well. I’m standing just as Anna jumps out of her chair and runs for the young woman. Darryl is quick and grabs Anna around the waist as Cas moves back in front of the two as if to try and protect them.
“What is she doing here?” I roar so loudly that Zoe covers her ears, “did you know about this?” I ask Darryl who quickly shakes his head
no.
“Alpha, let me explain please.” Rick’s voice sounds small like he’s trying to show submission through his voice.
“You have two minutes before I let Anna rip her apart.” I nod at Cast who looks over his shoulder before stepping to the side to let Rick and Zoe walk into the office. Rick has his hand on Zoe’s shoulder as if to keep her from bolting, I can see her visibly shaking, she’s wearing a tattered beige dress and her feet are bare.
“Tell him.” Zoe looks up at Rick before nodding her head, she looks at
her feet as she speaks.
“I can help you get Aurora. James and Bellamy back.” I sit down in my chair and hold my hands out for Anna, Darryl lets her go and she quickly runs around to me throwing herself on my chest.
“Why should we trust you, you stole her anyway.” Zoe flinches as Anna so bs harder into my chest.
“You can’t trust me but I want to help. I wish I hadn’t done it. I never knew shifters could be like this until you took me in. I just want a chance to put it right.” I look to all the males and then down at Anna before nodding at Zoe, she seems to release a breath as Rick pushes her into a chair and Cas closes the office door.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: The Stained Omega by Elle T Jefferson