Chapter 9 - Scent *Updated*

2nd October 2084

For the first three days of marriage leading up the full moon, I found Grant’s behavior surprising. He was still extremely nice and polite as he even acted over-protective sometimes. Grant threw himself into our marriage with gusto while I myself dawdled.

When we began to set up the greenhouse, Grant insisted on carrying anything that looked remotely heavy, even though we both knew my Werewolf strength almost matched his physical prowess. He quickly found out what music I liked, which was similar to the music he liked. He would set up his iPod with mini-speakers in the greenhouse for us to listen to as we worked.

For the first two nights Grant insisted on cooking for us, which was basically warming up left-overs from our Housewarming in the microwave. He had this strange idea that I had never cooked before? I had to explain to him that it was thanks to all the cooking lessons I had with my Great Grandma, whenever she looked after me over the years.

Grant also started out by doing ALL of the housework, also under the misinformation that I didn’t know how to do this either. But I showed him I certainly knew how to vacuum a house or mop the kitchen and bathroom floors. I even corrected him when he was doing the washing on when to put in the laundry softener.

“Oh.” Grant looked on impressed that I stopped the machine in time to tip the softener in.

“See?” I pointed out on the controls. “It’s the last rinse cycle.”

“Right!” he bashfully laughed. “I knew that!”

However what particularly surprised me about Grant, was how he acted like he couldn’t get enough of the physical side of our marriage. I have to admit, it started to cause me some concern. Consummating the marriage bed could go for hours and don’t get me wrong, it was pleasurable. But Grant started to expect more and more.

What I mean is for the first three nights, we’d have dinner and afterwards we’d read or watch a DVD. Then we’d brush our teeth and lastly go to bed. But it got to the stage where I no longer bothered to put on my pajamas anymore, because I knew that they weren’t going to stay on.

On the third night, as Grant washed the dishes and I dried and put them away; half way through the washing up he stopped to start to kiss my neck.

“Mmm…you smell better than Hannah’s choc chip cookies that she bakes.” Grant groaned hungrily.

“Er, Grant? What about the washing up?” I laughed uneasily.

“Who cares about the washing up? I want to wash you up!” he growled playfully, tossing aside my tea towel.

“Grant!” I objected when I saw the tea towel land in the hot, soapy water.

“Oh B…!” he dropped to the kitchen floor as he pulled me down with him.

I remember lying on the hard wooden floor, staring up at the fluorescent kitchen light, feeling ravaged. I also felt a mass of conflicting emotions that were raging inside…

Half of me was on the side of the ‘Pro Grant’ party. This voice reminded me in an authoritative manner, ‘Grant is your mate as you married Grant for your tribe. You have a responsibility to fulfill. Grant is a nice guy and you could be in a worse situation than this.’

The other half kicked and screamed and swore, ‘kick him off you! Leave this guy! Run out of the house and never come back! Run away with Declan! Screw Derik! Derik already lost you to Grant so what if you run away with his brother instead?’

However the good side won as it usually did, by Grant managing to stir my Werewolf desires. Slowly but eventually, I could finally lose myself in the moment as relief washed over me whilst I started to connect with my husband.

There, you said it - your husband. You’re frickin’ married Bianca, now get used to it!

Afterwards, I lay on top of Grant with the both of us half undressed, still on the kitchen floor.

My husband surprised me again when out of the blue he blurted out, “sometimes it feels like there’s a war being raged inside of you.”

Inwardly I cringed but I managed to swallow before I forced out, “what do you mean?”

Grant was quiet for a moment before he sighed, “it feels like you’re holding back because you’re not completely letting me in.”

With Grant saying this, I realized that I was an idiot for underestimating him and for telling myself that he wouldn’t notice.

Now I felt wretched with guilt and I said quietly, “I guess that makes me a bad person, doesn’t it?”

“B…”

I rolled off before I quickly got up and went upstairs for a shower.

My guilt turned into anger as I stood under the scalding hot water. I tried to scrub off my past transgressions as I washed off the day’s grime. Grant’s words made me angrier and angrier which made me scrub harder and harder at my skin with the loofa.

I mean, what does he expect? We’re an arranged marriage! Does he expect me to turn all goo-goo over him overnight? He knew there was somebody in my past…albeit it wasn’t the person he was thinking of but still.

When I eventually came out of the bathroom, I heard that Grant was in the bedroom, waiting for me in bed with his bedside lamp still on. I didn’t feel like going to bed and lying down beside him. I knew he would instantly put his arms about me and right then, I didn’t want him to touch me anymore.

Instead, I went downstairs and opened the front door. I walked out into the cold air, as I stood on the small veranda and looked out into the night. It was almost the full moon, I observed.

However I also noticed that the moonlight made my blood boil as I had to suppress the urge to throw off my robe, jump of the veranda and run into the woods! I wanted to hunt and make a kill. The very thought made my stomach rumble. My eyes fluttered closed as I sniffed the night air.

Predominantly I could smell vegetation, but there was the scent of something warm blooded…something that I could hunt…something that I could chase…something that I could kill…something that I could feed on…I could smell the dangerously tempting scent of human again.

This human was a townsperson from Alma which was 7 km’s away from Lokoti land. As I sniffed the air again I pictured this human, who smelled Caucasian. Instead of being safely ensconced indoors, this human strolled down the street of the township. I could smell the delicious hormones indicating he was male and he could possibly be large, which meant he would be strong.

Good - large quarry. I wanted large quarry! The greater the challenge, the greater the satisfaction would be over the kill. I licked my lips as I closed my eyes whilst enjoying the sensation of my teeth turning sharp as they grew elongated. My heart raced as my nails hardened into claws. I could feel my body change in excitement!

When I opened my eyes again, the night was lit up as clear as day thanks to my Werewolf sight. With my glowing turquoise eyes, I saw into the dark corners and crevices of the woods as clearly as if it were bright and sunny.

“B.”

Grant’s voice startled me, as I whipped my head around to see him standing in the front doorway. He was watching my changes warily. I forced my claws and teeth to retract, as my glowing turquoise eyes dulled to their human dark blue.

“Come inside please.” Grant said firmly, stepping aside.

But I remained where I was, as my predator instincts made me eye him up and down, judging the chances of taking him on. Grant’s eyes narrowed as he sensed this.

“B, come inside.” Grant’s voice dropped warningly.

My rational human brain knew that Grant wasn’t some ‘wife beater’ as I knew he wasn’t about to grab me by the hair to drag me inside. However my Lokoti Werewolf instincts also knew that Grant stood tense and ready, waiting to see if he would have to chase me down if I made a run for Alma.

I knew that it was for the safety of the tribe that Grant would have to stop me, just as it was for the safety of the tribe that Declan stopped me on the boarder. It was for the safety of the tribe that Dad locked me in the bathroom afterwards. It was for the safety of the tribe for the next two nights after it, I was drugged with Dystar as well as locked up. If Alma was attacked by a Lokoti Werewolf, the pack as well as the whole of the Lokoti Tribe would suffer for it. It was why I was married off to another Lokoti Werewolf, to prevent this from happening.

“B?”

“I know!” I spat out in frustration. “Hunting human is bad and hunting animal is good! I’m just standing here -”

“Bianca Elm!” Grant growled out in his rumbling Werewolf voice.

When I turned my head in his direction once more, I saw his Lokoti Werewolf glowing silver eyes, glint dangerously. His partial change both excited me as well as frightened me.

I could feel it in my blood with what Grant was trying to do. He was trying to exert his influence as my mate, over my body and my mind; by using our biological and mental bond as my leash. I could feel the pull of his will on my mind and on the blood in my veins, which again divided me into two. One half wanted to obey as the other half wanted to rebel and kill something!

Then I realized something else about Grant that he was far more cunning than I gave him credit for. While I had been tossing and turning this over, he had sidled up and now he was firmly holding onto my wrist to prevent my getaway. I may be faster than him, but he was stronger than me and his grip on my arm was ironclad.

“Let go of me!” I roared back in my Werewolf voice.

“Not likely!” Grant growled back.

Whilst one hand was wrapped around my wrist, his other arm wrapped about my waist. He picked me up and didn’t put me down again until I was inside the house with the front door closed behind.

“I was just standing outside!” I raged whilst trying to pull away but he wouldn’t let go.

“You could smell the human male walking the streets of Alma over 7 km’s away!” Grant snarled.

My eyes widened in surprise, “you smelled him?”

“Of course I smelled him!” Grant hissed. “I can control my bloodlust so I may smell him but I’m no longer tempted by him!”

“If you can smell him and I can smell him, then why don’t we both just have him?” I tried to loosen his grip. “We could carry him out of the town so fast that nobody would see us! Nobody would know!”

“Because that man could be somebody’s mate!” Grant refused to relinquish his hold. “Because that man could be somebody’s brother! That man could be somebody’s father! I lost my father when I was 10 years old and I would not put that on another child’s head!”

That worked…his words hit home. I stopped trying to wriggle out as my face fell and my guilt overrode the bloodlust.

Grant pulled me close as he growled softly in my ear, “it will become easier, B. It will, I promise you.”

I trembled with the excess energy of the bloodlust that just wouldn’t go away. I felt like it was pushing me closer and closer to the edge of insanity. I cried out as I tried one last time to pull myself free!

Then to the both of our surprise, I momentarily glowed! It wasn’t just my eyes glowing turquoise, but my skin lit up with a whitish light. I even looked a little blurry as well as bright, as I started to realize that this is how Mum and Gran looked when they went into phase. When a Circulator phased through time or moved in light speed, their biological bodies were for all essential purposes, turned into light.

I almost phased out of his grasp, but Grant’s will overrode my concentration. His mind made my mind cloud over, so I couldn’t continue to put myself into phase. Grant was holding onto my wrists more firmly than if they were in handcuffs. His physical strength wasn’t just the only thing holding onto me nor was his will, but his scent suddenly became overpowering too.

“Listen to the sound of my voice B and concentrate on my scent. Don’t listen to the bloodlust but listen to me. It’s why you’re angry just as it’s why you’re restless and hungry, even on a full stomach. Stop fighting me and as soon as you stop fighting, it will start to become easier.” Grant spoke in his deep, growly Werewolf voice which rumbled out like thunder.

I turned my face opposite from his earthy herb garden smell, as I tried to edge away from him.

“Listen to the sound of my voice. You can hear the sound of the Lokoti Wolf in my voice. Listen to what the Lokoti Wolf is saying to you. It’s telling you to be mindful of your people, of your tribe, of your family. By hunting human when it’s not in battle, you are putting your people at risk. The Lokoti Wolf created Aru the first Lokoti Werewolf to help his tribe - your tribe B.” Grant’s voice rumbled through my body.

“No!” I growled angrily, leaning as far back as I could.

“Listen to me B, listen to my voice, it’s the voice of your mate. My blood is inside of you. You have my scent so concentrate on it. All you have to do is stop fighting me. Stop pulling away, B. All you have to do is stop resisting and the rest will come easily. The rest will come so easily to you. Rest B, rest now.”

Grant’s deep Werewolf voice rumbled through my head, making my mind spin, along with his hypnotizing scent.

“No! No!” I started to feel my bloodlust die down, as my physical and mental resistance began to lower.

“You see? Do you feel it, B? Do you see how easy it is? All you have to do is stop fighting me, B. Stop fighting me and you will be rewarded.” Grant went on. “Listen to my voice, inhale my scent and I know you can feel my blood inside you. It’s what’s telling you to trust me.”

“No…!” my arms flopped downwards against my control.

Grant pulled me to him as he let out a deep sigh of relief whilst he held a more pliable wife in his arms. The tension completely slipped away from my back and my shoulders as my hardened Werewolf muscle bulk slipped away. Whilst I morphed back into my human softness, Grant growled tenderly as he ran his hands up and down my back.

I felt him revert back into his smaller human shape, as he began to gently kiss my neck again. I closed my eyes as I inhaled his strong scent whilst I let go of the last of my misgivings.

“Shhh…shhh…rest B…rest now.” he whispered in my ear.

Grant began to lead me away from the door towards the staircase. The fog that had drifted over my mind now began to blur my eyesight as I felt myself half-carried up the stairs.

“No Grant, no!” I whimpered, as I futilely tried to shake off his will over my mind, just as I tried to shake off his physical hold.

“It’s time to sleep now, B. It’s time for you to rest.” Grant guided me into our bedroom.

I had never seen my bed look so welcoming before with its snuggly quilt. I slid in between the clean sheets, stretching out into the invitingly warm space before I tucked my face into the pillow. Grant instantly hopped in behind as he ran his warm hand up and down my back.

“Sleep now, B. You’re tired and you need your rest.” He spoke softly whilst smoothing back the hair from my face.

From Grant’s influence which functioned like a light switch inside my mind; I ‘clicked’ from a state of consciousness into one of unconsciousness…

…

… and when I opened my eyes again? For a first in the past three days, I woke up alone. Grant wasn’t in bed, nor was he in the room.

I raised my head to look about, thinking that things looked a little brighter than usual. Hang on, what time is it? I turned my head towards the digital clock on Grant’s nightstand which read 10.33 AM.

10.33?! I’ve certainly slept in! Usually my body clock woke me up at eight as did Grant’s so no wonder he’s no longer in bed.

When I sat upright to get up and start my day, I paused. My keen Werewolf hearing picked up somebody talking downstairs and I recognized it was Grant.

“Last night was almost a full moon and B changed to go gunning into town again.” I heard my husband say unhappily.

“And how has she been besides last night?” I heard Grandfather ask, indicating he was downstairs too.

“Fine,” Grant answered, “she had been adjusting to the transition just fine, until last night.”

“Tell us what happened.” Next I heard Dad request, showing he was here as well.

“We had dinner and then we did the dishes. We had a slight…well, I wouldn’t call it an argument but she got annoyed. She went for her evening shower then after the shower instead of coming to bed, she went downstairs to stand on the veranda. I sensed her bloodlust begin to boil, so I came out. B could smell a townsperson in Alma and when I asked her to come inside? She became confrontational. I had to use my will on her to muddle her mind which bought me time to bring her inside. Then she begged me to let her go or even go with her after the townsperson. I had to use every bit of will power I had, to calm her down enough to put her to bed.” Grant told the older men.

Dad sighed out, “that’s the Circulator in her. Whenever Jess gets angry, she gets itchy feet. The Circulator way of tackling a problem is to temporarily run away from it. It’s why B went outside.”

“B probably went out on the veranda to look at the stars.” Grandfather added on. “Arabella likes to do that. I think it’s because they’re Light People who come from the place of light, just as they’re destined to return to that place.”

“Jess enjoys that too…stargazing. Circulators belong to the space time continuum however it sounds like the Werewolf part of B kicked in, when she smelled the townsperson.” Dad said seriously.

“Bianca isn’t ready to go hunting tonight.” Grant proclaimed.

“But this will be her second change!” Dad objected. “She has to start learning to hunt animal instead of human.”

“Last night when B changed, I nearly lost control of her and it wasn’t yet a full moon. With tonight being the first night of the full moon, I don’t think my will alone can hold her. I don’t think I can steer her towards animal flesh yet.” Grant sighed disappointedly.

There was a minute’s silence…before Grandfather said concerned, “I’ll get Arabella to bring back more DYSTAR from Circulate HQ on Mars.”

“Does your bathroom lock on the outside as well as the inside?” Dad asked Grant.

“No, but that fact will change today.” My husband promised. “Can a wooden door hold her even if it’s locked?”

“With my back against it, it will.” Dad said determinedly.

“No Hunter,” Grant interrupted, “I’ll stay with her tonight.”

“I think we’ll ALL stay with her tonight and tomorrow night and the night after it.” Grandfather declared. “When the full moon is over, I’ll teach her how to control her changing as I start teaching her to hunt animal.”

“To prepare her for the next full moon?” Dad realized Grandfather’s plan.

“It’s how my Grandfather taught me and how I taught Julian.” Grandfather told the younger men. “By teaching B how to control herself without the full moon making her bloodlust peak? She’ll be able to concentrate better. When Julian first changed, he wasn’t as fast as B, so I was able to take him on his first hunt immediately. With the will of the pack, we were all able to convert his bloodlust from hungering for human to animal. But I think because B is a Circulator and their bio-electromagnetic fields are different, it can disrupt our will so it loses its potency. That’s how B escaped the pack the first night she changed, as well as her running away at light speed.”

“My Dad taught me that way too.” My father agreed with Grandfather. “He taught me how to control my change in between full moons by taking me hunting when the bloodlust wasn’t at its peak.”

“And that’s how you and Ian also taught me when I first changed.” Grant spoke to Dad.

“Grant.” Dad spoke in a serious tone of voice. “What Em just said about a Circulator’s bio-electromagnetic field disrupting a Werewolf’s will is true as well. Jess is pretty good at deflecting my will over her from time to time. It’s how she managed to live away from me during those three months when she was pregnant. Jess became aware of what I was doing and it hardened her resolve. It’s why she purposefully avoided me by living and training in England. Jess started to become aware that when she was around me, my will could pervade her mind. B isn’t consciously aware of the Lokoti Werewolf will yet, so you have that going for you. But the more you’re around her, it will help increase your biological and mental meld with each other.”

“I won’t let her out of my sight.” Grant said firmly.

There was another moment of silence as I heard Grandfather and Dad walk towards the front door.

“We’ll be back at sunset.” Grandfather said as his farewell.

I listened to them leave the house, with Grant shutting the front door behind. Next, I overheard their car doors open as they climbed in to start up their engines. I heard both Dad’s and Grandfather’s four-wheel-drive vehicles roar to life, before they reversed out of the driveway. Lastly, I listened to the sound of their engines disappear down the hill.

My stomach sunk as my mouth fell open with dismay…

I’m still a liability, even after this whole arranged marriage debacle. I’m still a shame on my family because I’m still a killer. Mating me to Grant Elm wasn’t working - he said so himself! But what was more disturbing, was my own father and even my grandfather, were encouraging him to use some sort of mind trick on me!

Dad was even giving Grant frickin’ pointers on his technique, by using his own experience on my mother! This was so wrong, it was disgusting! It even sounded like Grandfather wasn’t above using it on Gran now and then! Well they can all go to HELL!

I leapt out of bed to quickly begin to change into my everyday clothes. However just as I sat on the side of the bed, to pull on my socks and shoes? The bedroom door opened with Grant carrying in a cup of coffee.

“Good morning.” He smiled cheerfully. “I thought I heard you were up, how did you sleep?”

I remained quiet as I glared back whilst I finished fastening my boots.

“Oh.” Grant’s face fell. “Not well, huh? Um, I made you a coffee…” he walked over to put it on my bedside table. He watched what I was doing. “Er B, it looks like you’re going somewhere?”

“I’m going for a walk!” I stood up to march out of the bedroom.

“A walk?” Grant quickly followed after. “OK hang on a sec, I’ll just grab my keys. We could walk down to the General Store if you feel up to it? I was going to go there anyways.”

“Why, to buy a lock to put on the outside of the bathroom door?” I flashed him a hurt look, before I stormed down the stairs towards the front door.

I marched off the veranda and down the driveway towards the road. I was stomping, full-steam ahead with a worried husband trailing after. Grant just managed to grab his keys, lock the front door behind us and then he followed me down the hill.

“Oh, you heard that, huh? Listen B, I can explain -” Grant tried to offer but I cut him off.

“I’m not listening to you!” I put my hands over my ears.

“Don’t be foolish!” Grant laughed as he easily fell into step beside my angry form. “You’ve got it all wrong -”

“Don’t follow me!” I whirled around to put up my hands to stop him. “Don’t talk to me and don’t be around me! Do you know what I want to do right now Grant Elm?”

“Er what?”

“March over to my grandmother’s as well as my mother’s house and tell them what I heard my own father and my very own grandfather tell you!” I shouted at him. “Mind tricks?! Mind control?! What are we, frickin’ sheep?!”

“B, you’ve got it all wrong and if you’d just let me explain -”

“And let you use more of your ‘Jedi’ mind games on me? No way in hell!!” I yelled in his face.

“B please -”

“These are not the droids you’re looking for!” I quoted ‘Star Wars’ sarcastically. “Yeah right! How about I go running and tell every single woman who’s unlucky enough to be married to you sneaky Werewolf bastards what’s really happening in this tribe?!”

“Come on, it’s not like that! If you would just let me explain to you -”

I put my hands over my ears again and started singing loudly, ‘Lust For Life’ by Iggy Pop to drown out his voice. “Here comes Johnny yeah, with the liquor and the drugs…”

“Come on, B!” Grant laughed again. “Not that you don’t look cute doing that? But I think you should calm down and just hear me out.”

I spun around to storm on ahead with my hands over my ears and singing loudly as I went.

STOP!

Huh? I stopped in surprise to look around in bewilderment.

TURN AROUND.

What was that? I turned around as I continued to look about. Where the hell did that come from? Is the bloodlust causing me to hallucinate now?!

LISTEN TO ME.

My hands lowered from my ears as I madly looked about, almost a little fearfully. Don’t tell me I’m going insane and I’m starting to hear voices inside my head? Thanks to my hesitation, Grant caught up once more.

“Did you hear that, or did you feel that?” Grant took hold of my shoulders to make me look his way.

“Did you hear that just then?” I looked on in shock.

“B, did you hear the words, or did you feel those words just then?” he repeated.

I blanched as I took a frightened step backwards from Grant…did HE just do that?!

“You felt my words, didn’t you?” Grant asked knowingly. “You felt them here...” He placed his hand over my heart.

Grant was right, it was as if the words originated from my chest and ended up in my head.

“How did you do THAT?” I demanded.

“I feel the words all the time.” Grant shrugged. “I feel them from the pack, when we receive an order from our First or Second. I felt the words from Ian or Hunter, when they were training me. I feel the words when one of us is on patrol and they need back-up.”

“You mean we’re telepathic?!” I asked in amazement.

“Yes and no.” Grant emitted a small smile. “We’re more empathic. I’ve heard from your Uncle Julian being married to a telepath that he and his mate can have complete mental conversations with each other. I’ve heard that your Aunt Danika can also see images in other people’s heads. When Lokoti Werewolves send mental messages to other members of the pack, we primarily sense the emotion behind them. It takes a lot out of us so we can only send short bursts of orders or commands.”

“Is it what you use on your wives?!” I glowered with distrust.

“If you weren’t another Lokoti Werewolf, you wouldn’t have heard the words but you would have felt the will behind them. Usually we can’t hear words from our human mates but we feel it when you’re hungry or we feel it when you’re tired or ill. I feel it when you’re worried about something and I also feel when you’re scared…like right now.”

“No.” I shook my head in disbelief. “I heard those words in my head! I heard the words ‘stop’ and then ‘turn around’ and then ‘listen to me’!”

Grant’s eyes widened, as he looked on impressed. “Usually it can take weeks or months for a new Lokoti Werewolf’s mind to fall into line with the rest of the pack. I didn’t hear the words, as I only felt the will for the first couple of months of my change.”

As I pondered on his words, I realized that Grant was right. I remembered the times Dad would suddenly leave the house without word where he was going. He would depart in the middle of the night when it wasn’t for a hunt nor was it his turn to patrol. Once Dad abruptly left the dinner table in the middle of a meal and Mum guessed the pack had called on him during a fight on the border.

This also reminded me of something else, of the night I first changed. The first night I turned and I ran through the woods towards town, the pack just suddenly appeared, sensing where I was and where I was going. I had always wondered how the other Werewolves managed to appear out of nowhere. Did they telepathically or empathically hear my actions?

“Yes.” Grant answered, as if he even felt my thoughts. “It was how we sensed your change that first night. It was how we knew which direction you were heading in and why.”

“What did you hear or feel?”

“FEAST! FEED! RED MEAT! FRESH MEAT! HUMAN MEAT.” Grant recited.

My eyes almost popped out of my skull by his accuracy!

“I – I – I had stomach cramps! I felt like I had to eat human to make the pain go away.” I said weakly.

“I know just as the pack knows this, B. We’ve all been there.” Grant said patiently.

My eyes watered as I looked away and I took a deep breath to pull myself together.

Grant continued, “I felt what you were feeling when I was 10 years old. I thought I was losing my mind when I first went through the change! While other boys my age were experiencing growing pains, I had stomach cramps for not feeding on human. While the other boys my age grew tall naturally, my height and strength tripled and quadrupled supernaturally. If it wasn’t for Ian, your Dad, your Grandfather and the rest of the pack’s help? I would have gone insane and let the bloodlust win. I learned that by the will of the pack, the pack could guide me away from craving human to animal. The Lokoti Werewolf will isn’t just used on our mates, but we use it on each other.”

“But why would you want to use it on your mates?” I looked on, betrayed.

“Do you see us using it on your mother and your grandmother to make them do all the cooking and the cleaning for us? No. Have you ever see your father try to force your mother into doing something she didn’t want to do? No. B, we feel it when you’re cold or you’re ill, as we sense it in another member of the pack. Just as we would run to the aid of our pack in battle, we want to run to the aid of our mate. The Lokoti Werewolf is exceptionally protective over their mates and their young because of this. When your mother was pregnant with you, when she left for England to train; your father could still sense while he was in Alaska, if she was cold or angry or scared. It frustrated him that he wasn’t there to help in some way. He tried to use his will to keep her warm and safe on Lokoti land, where he could do something.” Grant explained.

I still didn’t like the sound of that, as I looked away down the dirt road that headed towards the community centre of our tribal lands.

Grant changed tact, “OK, here’s another way to look at how the Lokoti Werewolf might use his will over his mate; during childbirth.”

“Huh?” I gave him a funny look.

“When our mate gives birth, we’re always there right beside her. We’ve been doing this for centuries, even before White Man’s medicine started to encourage the husband or the partner to be at the birth. Do you know why?” Grant arched his eyebrows and I shook my head. “The biological chora is a manifestation of our will, which results between Werewolf and mate. A Lokoti Werewolf can control his mate’s heart beat, her blood pressure, her stress level and even share with her our physical strength. Just say you went through a difficult birth and a complication arose; I can guarantee you that our Tribe’s Medicine Man isn’t about to ask the Werewolf to leave his mate. Instead your Grandpa uses us to regulate our mate’s heart beat and breathing should he have to perform a procedure.”

This made me curious about something else, “is this also somehow related to why Gran and Mum only gave birth once?”

“Exactly!” Grant beamed at my question. “It’s not just our will over the woman, but the woman has her say over us too. If our bodies sensed that it would put our mate in danger if she conceived again? It shuts down our sperm production.”

“What?!” I cracked up laughing.

“It’s true.” He shrugged as he kicked a small stone away with his foot.

“So after Gran had Mum and Uncle Julian; Grandfather’s body just stopped? And after Mum had me my Dad’s body just stopped?”

“And after Mom had me, my Dad’s body stopped.” Grant said simply.

“Yeah but you’re the youngest of four children! Your Dad’s body didn’t have to stop after one birth. His sperm factory got to keep its job a lot longer then the men in my family.” I snickered.

Grant chuckled at the analogy before giving me a sheepish grin.

“So does that mean that you just stop having sex -” I began to ask when Grant interrupted.

“No!” he looked horrified by the very notion. “Hell no! We’re ready and we’re willing and we certainly are operational! We still come but it’s what comes out of us that’s changed.”

“Oh.” I looked down at the ground again. I started to draw lines in the dirt with the tip of my shoe as I felt a little shy talking about all of this.

“You maybe only starting to notice this about yourself, B? But Werewolves don’t just like to eat but we’re animals all around. We like the satisfaction that comes from hunting just as we like the act of procreation, even if there isn’t any procreating going on.” Grant gave a goofy grin.

I think I blushed again as I ducked my head whilst I tried to concentrate on drawing a pattern in the dirt. Actually, I had noticed this about Grant and others like him. Then I tried to banish from my thoughts the recollection of a particular rainy afternoon in the woods, with Declan. I vividly recalled the desperation in his face with his own loss of control…

Grant leaned in to growl playfully in my ear, “and considering the fact that there are two Werewolves in this marriage? I think that’s why we haven’t had any visitors. Everybody assumes that for the next month or so, we’ll be a little preoccupied.”

“Yeah, busy sewing up sheets!” I cracked up laughing as I nudged him away.

Grant laughed as well before he threw his arm about my shoulders and began to walk us down the road towards the community centre.

“Come on, let’s get that lock from the General Store. The sooner we get it, the sooner we can get in some alone time after I fix the bathroom door.” He messed up my already messy hair.

“Hey!” I elbowed him off, “not the hair!” Feeling in a better mood, I ran off ahead down the steep, dirt road.

For a couple of moments Grant was happy to just stand back and watch me run with my long, black hair streaming out from behind. He smiled softly to himself before he ran after, quickly catching up.

*****

Around 4 PM in the afternoon Grandfather, Gran, Mum, Dad and even Uncle Julian came over. I knew it wasn’t a social event by their solemn expressions let alone the absence of any light conversation.

“B.” Uncle Julian said gravely.

“Hey Uncle Jules.” I tried to swallow but for the lump appearing in my throat.

“B, I came here via Circulate HQ. I got some more DYSTAR off Vincent.” Gran held up the futuristic looking medical kit.

I knew well what the medical kit enclosed; futuristic syringes and more drugs. My heart skipped a beat as my stomach sank. I wasn’t aware that Grant was standing near until he put a supportive hand on my back, as if he could sense my apprehension.

“Alright,” I growled out, “let’s just get this over and done with.”

I turned and started to make my way upstairs when Mum queried; “where are you going?”

“To bed, so you can drug me!” I said sullenly.

Whilst I climbed the stairs, I caught with my Werewolf ears; “I thought you said this marriage business was going to cure her all of this!” Mum hissed at Dad.

Grant who overheard this, turned his head sharply Mum’s way.

“Jess, not now!” Dad hissed back.

“How much longer is this going to go on for?” Mum glared at her husband.

“As long as it needs to.” Grandfather said calmly.

“Considering the fact that B is a Circulator and not just a Werewolf, it doesn’t exactly fill me with hope. Circulators can live up to 1,000 years in biological form!” Mum said grouchily.

“Then I’ll do my best to keep up with her, Jess.” Grant said simply before he turned to follow me up to our bedroom.

“Mum,” my mother turned to look on her mother, “surely we can think of something else besides drugging B every time that there’s a full moon?”

Gran stepped up closely to look on with a serious expression. “Yes we can, Jess. After this wretched full moon business is over, I’ll train B as a new Circulator.” Mum’s eyes widened in hope by this piece of news. Gran said firmly, “as B learns to control her ability as a Circulator, maybe it will also teach her self-control over the Werewolf part of her.”

“I’ll help.” Mum volunteered. “We’ll take her to Circulate HQ and together we’ll train her.”

“Er, Mum?” Uncle Julian spoke up. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? To train the new Circulator how to circulate, before we train the new Werewolf how to control the bloodlust? The Werewolf – slash – Circulator could then circulate right out of our grasp and go on a feeding frenzy.”

Mum turned to throw her twin a dirty look, “are you saying my daughter is a serial killer?”

“No, I’m saying that my niece is a new Lokoti Werewolf whom needs to be trained.” Uncle Julian returned.

“After this full moon is over then that is what we’ll do.” Grandfather came to stand beside his mate to lend his support. “The Circulate will train B as a new Circulator and the pack will train B as a new Werewolf.” Grandfather proclaimed.

As Grandfather stood beside Gran; Dad went to Mum’s side.

“As Jess teaches B how to phase, we can train B how to adjust to the moons’ phases.” Dad said as he put his arm about Mum’s shoulders.

Grandfather and Gran exchanged a long look, before they looked on their daughter and son-in-law.

Uncle Julian rolled his eyes in disbelief, but he still came to stand with the four. “Yeah well, count me in. You’re still annoying,” he looked Mum’s way, “but you’re still my sister.”

“Yeah and you’re an idiot.” Mum smirked.

“I love you too Jess.” Uncle Jules said wryly before he let out a loud laugh when Mum whacked him on the arm with her light speed reflexes.

*****

Instead of Vincent and Grandpa as two men of medicine presiding the medical procedure the first time I was drugged with DYSTAR; it was Gran and Mum as the residing Circulators.

“You know the drill.” Gran spoke crisply in her English accent. “We need to give you a sedative first to put you under before we apply the DYSTAR.”

I lay on the bed and watched with wide eyes as Gran prepared two syringes. Grant sat upright on the bed beside, also watching her closely as he held my hand. Grandfather, Mum, Dad and Uncle Jules stood close by, I’m not sure as guards or witnesses?

“Why isn’t Vincent doing this?” I gulped. Mum also looked to Gran for the answer. Gran continued by picking up the syringe with the sedative. “Gran?” I tensed up as she moved the syringe closer. “Where’s Vincent?”

My grandmother gave a pained look, “Vincent doesn’t exactly agree to all of this.”

“What?” I raised my head. “You mean he doesn’t think I have to be drugged?”

“No B.” Gran faltered as she shared a momentary glance with Grandfather, “Vincent doesn’t understand what’s happening here.”

“What do you mean, ‘he doesn’t understand what’s happening’?” I demanded, sitting upright.

Grant exchanged a long look with both Grandfather and Dad as I think the Werewolf part of me sensed their silent communication. Then my new husband frowned whilst he looked away and I watched his shoulders tense up. My Werewolf hearing picked up the low, dissatisfied growl that he emitted.

“B, let’s not talk about this now.” Grandfather requested. “Let’s just do the procedure and concentrate on getting you through this full moon cycle.”

“No.” I raised my hands to stop this. “Tell me Gran, where’s Vincent?”

“Um…” Mum caught up to what Gran was trying not to say. Both women cast an uncomfortable look towards the men in the room as they tried to put it diplomatically, “your Calculator doesn’t understand Lokoti Werewolves.”

“Huh?” I looked on in surprise.

“Vincent doesn’t like Werewolves! Alright, there I’ve said it!” Mum bit out guiltily. “I don’t know why but he just doesn’t.”

Nobody needed supernatural hearing to pick up the unhappy growls that came from Grandfather, Dad, Uncle Jules and Grant this time.

“Could it be because Vincent saw a Lokoti Werewolf claim the Circulator he was interested in?” Dad unhappily put his hands on his hips.

“I don’t know, he’s just always had a hard time with the idea of Werewolves.” Mum tried to say innocently. “When I first told him that I was married to a Werewolf, he offered drugs that could treat delusional behavior. When he found out what I said was true, he freaked out and had a panic attack. Next, he accused my Werewolf husband of primitive behavior because you tried to stop me from training my ability as a Circulator.”

“You were pregnant when he taught you self-defense!” Dad raised his voice in frustration.

“Don’t maul the messenger!” Mum rolled her eyes. “I’m just saying that Vincent’s always had a hard time dealing with the idea of Werewolves. He pictures you guys as rampaging monsters, thanks to your strength and your bloodlust. In his opinion, you’re a thin line away from joining the character Pat Bateman in ‘American Psycho’!”

“European Werewolves may be like that but not Lokoti Werewolves.” Dad shook his head.

Oh…Dad just put down Declan. My father just put down Declan because he was a European Werewolf. His words caused a small twinge of pain in my heart, but I tried to cover it when Grant who must have sensed this, looked my way closely.

“Moving right along now,” Gran cleared her throat, “Vincent and his prejudice’s aside, we have to focus on B right now.”

My eyes became glued to the syringe she was holding as I nervously licked my lips. “You know what? We don’t HAVE to right now, Gran. We can talk about Vincent a little longer if you’d like?”

My husband gently lowered me back down onto the bed. “I’ll be right by your side.” Grant promised, before he squeezed my hand tightly.

Gran placed the futuristic syringe against my neck and I heard the tell-tale HIIIISSSS as the drug was pushed through my skin in a compressed spray.

Again, thanks to the powerful effects of the drugs, within ten seconds my vision became blurred as my muscles loosened.

“…it’s time to get things started on the Muppet Show tonight…” I uttered out.

Or I think I uttered out? It sounded like my voice but I couldn’t feel my mouth move as I couldn’t feel anything at all…

*****

I swear I was sitting in the audience of the ‘Muppet Show’, watching the familiar stage. I saw Fozzy Bear get pelted with fruit and vegetables during his routine. I saw Gonzo get blown up. I saw Animal go nuts on the drums and eat his drum sticks.

Before my very eyes, I watched Animal turn into a pale tanned, hardened skinned, bulked-up, muscled body of a European Werewolf. I saw his eyes turn glowing green. His plastic eyes glowed like they were green lights, with the thin, black slits for pupils.

The muppet version of Declan in European Werewolf form then sat on a fake log howling out of tune to the song, “why are there so many, songs about rainbows and what’s on the other side…” As he howled, I saw the Lokoti Werewolf pack also as muppets, come out onto the stage as his back-up singers. Their smaller muscles were made of foam, their different glowing eyes were like multi-coloured light globes like the kind you see on a Christmas Tree.

As if the stage lights were turned off, abruptly all of this turned to quiet darkness…

Nothing, I couldn’t see or hear anything at first but then I started to make out a pale light. I realized that the pale light wasn’t stage lighting but it was moonlight. When I blinked to refocus my eyes, I realized I was no longer sitting in a theatre but I was lying down on the bathroom floor of my new house.

The light of the full moon was pouring in through the bathroom window. Then it suddenly looked brighter as my Werewolf eyes took over. I watched the nails on my hands grow longer as I felt the same happen to the nails on my feet. I felt my clothes become constricted as my body inflated with extra muscle-bulk.

Oh no, I knew what was going to come next! No sooner had I finished this train of thought, was I right.

“NNNOOOOOOOOO!!!” I rolled onto my back to howl in agony!

The pain! The pain! It felt worse than last time! I writhed on the floor, in complete torture. My stomach felt like it was on fire as I had painful spasms all across my abdomen! Even my blood felt like it was boiling inside my veins as sweat poured out of my skin…!

“GRANT!” I roared out in my thunderous Werewolf voice. “MUM! DAD! GRAN! GRANDFATHER!”

Come and help me! Please! Stop this pain!

“THE PAIN! MUM! THE PAIN IS WORSE THAN LAST TIME! MUM, HELP ME PLEASE!”

But no help came as I laid alone on the bathroom floor, convulsing in hideous physical anguish.

Where is everyone? Where did they all go? I smelled that they were close as I could smell the supernatural pheromones in my Lokoti Werewolf kin just as I could smell the familiar human scent of my mother and grandmother. But why won’t they help me?

Surely if they knew how bad the pain was, they would help me! If only they knew of the agonizing torture I was in, which made the words, ‘hunger pains’ look like a tranquil walk in the park! If they knew, they would unlock the bathroom door and let me go gunning for Alma! Hell, they’d even help me catch a townsperson to eat!

“MUM! DAD! GRANT! THE PAIN! THE PAIN!” I sobbed in my thunderous voice.

I lay there waiting but no help came. Can’t they hear me? Don’t they know what’s happening to me? I rolled back onto my stomach as I pulled myself across the tiled floor towards the bathroom door.

“MUM! DAD! GRANT!” I banged with my fist. “HELP ME!”

Still nothing…

Futilely I hit the door as hard as I could, but the door didn’t budge. The door didn’t even move from my pounding. The door didn’t move? Hang on, the door should have moved! In the very least, it should have rattled. Then that means that it’s not just the wood preventing my escape.

I sniffed at the air coming in from the gap between the door and the floor when I smelled three male Lokoti Werewolves standing on the other side, with their backs against it. They’re not helping me, they’re hindering me! It’s their fault I’m in so much pain!

“MUM! MUUUUUUM!” I tearfully cried out. “I CAN SMELL YOU! I KNOW YOU’RE HERE! HELP ME! HELP ME MUM, PLEASE!”

Downstairs where I couldn’t see what was happening but I was later told; Mum and Gran anxiously paced around my new living room with Uncle Julian sitting with them.

“I have to go to her!” Mum started towards the staircase.

“No Jess!” Uncle Jules was quick to catch her. “You can’t!”

“Stop it Julian!” Mum pushed him off. “My daughter needs me!”

“Jess, right now that’s not B!” Uncle Jules warned. “It’s the bloodlust making her act that way.”

“Of course it’s her and she’s calling for her mother!” Mum refuted.

“Jess listen to me, please.” Uncle Julian held up his hands to stop her. “As soon as you open the bathroom door, B would knock you over and run towards Alma!”

“B wouldn’t hurt me!” Mum said indignantly.

“She wouldn’t feed on you Jess, but she would feed on others.” Uncle Julian warned. “You have to stay here. Please sis, we know what we’re doing.”

Gran put her arms about Mum, “come and sit down, Jess.” She next pulled her daughter over to sit on one of the sofas. “All three of us will wait it out until morning.”

Mum dissolved into tears as she allowed her mother to seat her. Gran sat beside as Uncle Julian knelt on the floor before them. He took hold of his sister’s hands as he tried to give her a brave smile.

“It’ll be alright Jess, you’ll see. Once we start B’s training as a new Werewolf? We’ll teach her control so this doesn’t have to happen anymore.” Uncle Jules promised.

“How come Dad didn’t lock you up in the bathroom when you first changed?” Mum sulked.

“I wasn’t part Circulator.” Uncle Jules spoke frankly. “My Mum and my sister are Circulators but I’m a Lokoti Werewolf, like my father and his father before him.”

Whilst Gran had one arm about Mum, she reached out for Uncle Jules. “Oh Julian, oh my son…!” The deceptively youthful Caucasian woman stroked her son’s long, black Lokoti hair. To an outsider it would have looked a little odd considering they appeared to be the same age. “I wish I could have been here to help you when you went through your change.” Gran said guiltily.

“It’s OK Mum.” Uncle Jules caught her hand and held it. “I guess I’m luckier than B because when I first changed, Dad took me on my first hunt immediately. He didn’t have to worry about me running away in the speed of light so he could start my training to hunt animal to placate the bloodlust.”

Mum groaned as she rose to her feet to begin to pace up and down. “Great, my daughter is a female Lokoti Werewolf. Wonderful, it would have to be MY daughter who’s a Circulator too!” Mum muttered as she paced faster. “She’s a Circulator like her mother, her grandmother, her great grandmother and her great great grandmother. Now she’s a Werewolf, like her father, her grandfather, her great grandfather and her great great grandfather!”

“Just as it is with the eldest males in the Riverclaw and Wisetail families.” Uncle Jules sung.

“So much for tradition!” Mum rolled her eyes. “I wish we could break family tradition by rearranging our genetics!”

“I don’t know if it is genetics behind this.” Gran frowned.

“Mum?” Uncle Jules queried.

“Vincent says that he can’t calculate for B because her energy in the timeline keeps fluctuating. It keeps disappearing at odd intervals and he can’t see why…” Gran speculated from her seat.

“He said there was something blocking his sight.” Mum recalled whilst she paced.

“Genetically speaking, just because her father, her Uncle and her two grandfathers are Lokoti Werewolves? Her Werewolf DNA shouldn’t have been activated. I mean, Lokoti women are carriers so they can pass the gene on to their sons. But it’s the sons that are activated when a member of the pack dies.” Gran recanted.

“Yeah this sounds familiar.” Uncle Jules smiled patiently. “Do you have a point, Mum?”

“The ability to Circulate or to Calculate isn’t genetic. There is nothing in human DNA that can be passed down to dictate that a person will be able to see through time or to travel through time. But somehow our foremother, Elisha Worthall passed down her ability to Circulate through her progeny to Jarrod Worthall. She also somehow passed on the ability to Calculate through her progeny to Vincent Moher.” Gran thought out loud as she stood up.

Uncle Jules looked on in amusement as he now saw his mother start to pace beside his sister, as the two women brainstormed.

“So you’re saying that B is a genetic freak?” Mum raised her eyebrows. “By being a Circulator when it’s not meant to be passed down and by being a Lokoti Werewolf when women aren’t meant to be activated?”

“Not a genetic freak, but an anomaly.” Gran frowned deeper still. “She truly is in temporal flux, an amalgamation of the past and present all colliding into one. It’s probably why her future is so cloudy. Think about temporal causalities, Jess. A leads to B and the effect is C. By outward appearances, it would seem that Bianca becoming the first female Lokoti Werewolf as well as a Circulator by having Werewolf and Circulator ancestors is C – the effect. But it’s not.”

“Because A didn’t lead to B so why the hell did we end up with C?” Mum caught on. “Circulating is not a genetic ability and females are only carriers of the Lokoti Werewolf gene. So Vincent can’t calculate B’s future because C was never meant to happen! She was never meant to be both Lokoti Werewolf and Circulator!”

“Exactly!” Gran clapped her hands excitedly.

Both women stopped pacing and looked on each other like they were about to crack a major conspiracy. Uncle Jules remained quiet as he watched the two Circulators expectantly. Then he saw their faces fall and their shoulders slump as confusion returned to their faces.

“So then why is B the way she is?” My mother asked her mother.

“It beats me.” Gran shook her head. “But I think the space time continuum has something big planned for her, even if we don’t know it yet.”

Then Uncle Jules saw his twin and mother return to their pacing, as they tried to comprehend life and all of its little eccentricities.

*****

Meanwhile, in the upper part of the house Grant, Dad and Grandfather all stood outside the bathroom door. Dad was gripping onto the doorknob so hard his knuckles had turned white; Grandfather leaned with his back on the door to use himself as an extra support and Grant stood helplessly by, as his new wife screamed in pain.

Dad and Grandfather flinched but remained steady as they both heard and felt me bang on the door once more.

“GRANT! DAD! MUM!” they heard me holler. “HELP ME!”

“She’s strong.” Grandfather remarked.

“She’s almost as strong as a male Lokoti Werewolf.” Dad agreed.

Then all three flinched in sympathy pain, as they heard a bloodcurdling scream come through the wood that the agonizing bloodlust inflicted.

“If the DYSTAR stops Circulators from phasing through time, shouldn’t it stop B from also running in light speed?” Grant asked Dad and Grandfather.

“Theoretically it should.” Grandfather answered.

“Then can’t we take her hunting if she can’t escape from us using her Circulator ability?” Grant continued.

“No! I won’t risk B to that.” Dad said fiercely. “I won’t risk B harming anyone. She’s my daughter and I won’t risk her escaping us. I won’t risk the people of Alma complaining to the Government, if B eats one of them. I won’t risk the Government sending Marines or whatever soldiers they have available with machine guns, to destroy B.”

“But if she’s dosed on DYSTAR -” Grant began.

“Werewolves aren’t the only supernatural species with a regenerative capability.” Grandfather interrupted. “Circulators can self-heal, including from DYSTAR. B could suddenly get her ability back while we were taking her on a hunt. Then it would be like the first night she changed all over again, she’ll run towards Alma while we’re not fast enough to catch her.”

Grant’s eyes widened at the older Werewolves worry. His heart hurt as his stomach tightened at the idea of putting his young wife in any kind of danger. His protective Lokoti Werewolf instincts were in direct agreement to Dad’s and Grandfather’s plan.

“But we may not have to worry about the Government coming to destroy her.” Dad continued. “The morning after her first change, you should have seen her eyes, Grant. When she realized what she nearly did, B told me to get my hunting rifle and shoot her in the head.”

Grant’s eyes bulged at this news! His face became a mask of shock, which then turned into one of sadness. He looked from Dad to the door I was on the other side of.

“We’re not just saving the humans in Alma from B’s bloodlust, but we’re saving B as well.” Grandfather said sadly.

My new husband looked down at the floor and after a moment, Grant gave a nod to show that he understood.

Just then Dad and Grandfather were nearly thrown forwards, as I gave the door an almighty thump! They heard the sound of the wood crack and this time even Grant jumped forwards. He was quick to put his hand over where the wood was weakening to stop it from splitting.

“She’s getting stronger!” Dad said with gritted teeth, almost turning as he recaptured the rattling door knob.

“Her bloodlust is making her strength peak.” Grandfather agreed, pushing his back up against the wood once more.

All three of them stood ready incase the bathroom door completely broke. They knew they would have to restrain a vicious animal; a predator. They waited and then they waited some more…but nothing happened.

The door didn’t shake anymore, nor were there any further banging sounds. It turned eerily quiet, like inside the eye of hurricane. Grandfather and Dad exchanged an optimistic look as they wondered if the worst was now over? But their hopeful glances were interrupted when Grant doubled-over, with his face a mask of pain.

“Grant?” Grandfather put his arm out to steady him. “What is it, what’s wrong?”

“B’s pain...” Grant groaned, “…the bloodlust is tearing her insides apart and she’s in complete agony!”

“My baby B?” Dad asked fearfully.

“I have to go in.” Grant moaned. “I have to be with her, to help her!”

“Grant, I don’t know if that’s a good idea -” Dad frowned.

“She needs me, Hunter.” Grant interrupted. “I’m going in!”

Dad looked conflicted on the younger Werewolf, before he looked questioningly at Grandfather. He watched his Second of the pack give a nod, although Grandfather looked a little wary himself.

“Alright then Grant.” Dad sighed in resignation. “I’ll unlock the door and open it for one second. Em, stand ready incase she tries to bolt.”

Grant nodded to show he understood, as did Grandfather. After one more moment as the three exchanged a rueful look, they put their plan into play.

At first Dad leaned in close to the door to listen in, trying to hear if I was right on the other side of it. Then he took a deep breath before his hands moved to the lock to turn it quietly. Grandfather stood ready just as Dad quickly opened the door and he barked out; “now!” Grant leapt through the crack and Dad immediately slammed the door shut behind!

However Grant soon found out that Dad needn’t have worried about me making a mad dash as I felt so weak and wretched, I could no longer move. I was curled up in a ball on the cold and hard, tiled floor. I was panting hard in pain as the agonizing cramps ripped across my entire abdomen! I couldn’t even look up as Grant crouched down beside.

“B…?” Grant’s eyes watered. “B, come on.” He pulled me into an upright position where I was leaning against the bath tub and I growled at him warningly. “I know B, I know.” He smoothed the hair off my wet face.

I even snapped at his hands! Not to injure, but to warn him to keep away. However Grant sat down beside as he tried to pull me into his arms. Instead I pushed them away, as I turned my head in the opposite direction.

The pain was so bad, Grant’s scent became as intoxicating as a glass of vintage wine to an alcoholic wine connoisseur. I could hear his heart beat drumming in my ears as I could smell the blood in his veins whilst I could feel the heat emanate from his warm body. I was even tempted to feast on him!

I wanted him - I wanted him bad - but not as a wife should want her husband.

“Grant!” I snarled. “Get out of here!”

“No.” he growled back in his deep, thunderous Werewolf voice.

I looked back and saw that he had changed and he was looking back with his glowing silver eyes. His enlarged Lokoti Werewolf muscles bulged underneath his long-sleeved t-shirt which was almost ripping at the seams.

“GRANT GET OUT OF HERE!” I roared, leaning away.

Then I thought that he did the stupidest as well as the cruelest thing I had ever seen a person do; he used the claws of his right hand to place a cut on his left wrist and then he held the injury up to my mouth.

My eyes widened as my nostrils flared at the seductive smell! My already elongated teeth grew sharper, as I stared at the blood hypnotized… Yet some tiny amount of will power enabled me to turn my head away from the temptation.

“What the HELL are you doing! Get it away from me!” I roared in fury.

How can he be torturing me like this?! What was he, a sadist?! Just my luck to be mated to the Maquis de Sade.

“Drink!” Grant ordered.

Grant used his uninjured hand to take hold of head then he thrust his injury against my mouth! But I refused to part my lips…

*NO B, HE’S YOUR MATE!*

My willpower refused to let his red sweetness in, as I locked my mouth shut. As strong as the bloodlust was to feed? So too were the protective instincts which kept my jaw shut.

“You won’t injure me.” Grant growled out. “Now drink!”

I tried roll away from him and the delicious aroma of his cut, but Grant pulled me back using his greater strength. Whilst keeping his uninjured right arm about my body, he used his strong claws to force apart my jaw. Then he shoved his injured wrist into my mouth…

Frickin’ hell’s delight! I had never tasted anything so good before in my entire life! Imagine the most perfect plum or the sweetest peach or even the rarest steak that you have ever enjoyed and times that pleasure by a hundred!

DRINK! – Grant mentally commanded.

As the mouthwatering sweetness like nectar from the ripest fruit filled my mouth, I couldn’t help it…my sharp teeth came down!

Grant’s eyes squeezed shut from the pain, but he didn’t stop me. The blood flowed freely out of his double wound as I gripped onto his arm. I drank down his life force like I was both ravenously hungry and dying of thirst.

The agonizing stabbing pains immediately began to ease as my heart raced in excitement! My skin warmed all over as I felt renewed energy course through my veins. I drank in his warmth, I drank in his vitality, I drank down his essence. Until this night, I had never quite understood the term ‘life force’ when applied to blood before now. But drinking Grant’s blood? It was like I was truly drinking HIM. He was his blood, the blood was his life force and that night it also became mine.

I started to lose track of how much I was drinking as I reveled in these new sensations…that was until I felt his heart beat slow and his blood pressure begin to fall.

*NO!* my protective instinct roared. *HE IS YOUR MATE!*

I sharply drew back my head and gasped, pushing away his wrist. Grant leaned heavily against the bath tub, pale and panting hard. I turned and looked on him fearfully… oh no, what have I done?!

“I’m OK…!” He heaved whilst still keeping his uninjured arm about his wife. “If I remain in my Werewolf form, I will be fully regenerated by morning.” I turned around in his arms to cup his face as I sniffed him worriedly. “I’m OK, B.” Grant managed out one more time, before he closed his eyes to rest.

I looked down and saw that his wrist was still bleeding and it wasn’t healing quickly as it was meant to. I picked it up and placed it in my mouth once more, not to drink but to heal. Grant partially opened his glowing silver eyes as he watched. I ran my tongue over the broken skin repetitively, to start his healing process. I could feel it begin to work as the bleeding slowed to a stop. By the time I removed it from my mouth again, it was well on its way to healing over.

“Sleep now B, sleep.” Grant held his wife closely.

I complied by wrapping my arms around his torso as I closed my eyes. I listened to his heart beat and as mine beat strongly, I concentrated on bringing his heart beat into sync with mine. After a minute, I felt his heart beat fall into the same rhythm. Next, I focused on his breathing as Grant was still panting hard. I had to concentrate on slowing it down to make him breath more deeply. After another couple of minutes, his breathing began to even out too.

I nuzzled my nose against his neck, inhaling his herb garden scent as my eyes remained closed. Within ten minutes of listening to his steady breathing, I was sleeping soundly in the arms of my mate.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~