Realm of the Wolf Book I: Wolf Dance (34 page)

be destined to be Justin's bastard child ... never truly

belonging?

She vowed this would never happen to her baby ... no

matter how far or how long she had to run.

It was time to form an escape plan, but first she must find

a way of getting through the dreadful night ahead.

Anna fought to bring some form of style to Laura's long,

unruly hair. Finally stepping back, the woman looked at her

with disapproving eyes.

"He will be very angry with you, Miss Laura." Anna shook

her head as if she could not quite figure out why Laura would

be willing to risk Justin's wrath.

"Don't worry, Anna, I will make sure he knows it has

nothing to do with you, and that you did your best to

convince me to wear the other gown." Laura attempted to

reassure the older woman with a sweet smile.

Anna would have none of it. She continued to shake her

head as she left the room.

Soon after Anna departed, there was a knock on the door.

Laura opened it to find her grandfather waiting for her in the

hall.

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Busby looked upon Laura with obvious pride.

"No maiden will match your beauty tonight." He smiled

tenderly.

Laura hugged her grandfather, but she could not believe in

his words. It was a fact that there would be someone else

there tonight that would surpass Laura in Justin's eyes. The

woman he had chosen to take to the altar instead of just to

his bed.

She had no idea how she would make it through dinner let

alone the dancing afterward. The array of food smelled

delicious, but Laura felt her stomach turn whenever her eyes

fell on Justin and Tasha.

Justin sat at the head of the long—dark mahogany table

with Tasha to his right and the Mayor to his left. Being forced

to endure Justin's adoring eyes on Tasha as she chattered

endlessly was nearly more than Laura could tolerate. Only

once had Justin gave her the slightest notice. With a

withering look, he let her know that her defiance had been

noted and would be dealt with.

Laura managed to swallow a few bites of food by pure

force of will.

Petite and feminine, with perfect features and a mass of

black curls, Tasha was the image of loveliness. Adorned in

folds of shimmering white silk, she practically sang out her

innocence. But there was something about Tasha's eyes that

forced Laura to look closer. They seemed to betray darkness.

Maybe the
Sungmanitu
could never truly be innocent.

Tasha's eyes rested on Laura, as if the other woman could

sense that she had been peeling away her facade of

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innocence. If anyone could see through a woman's mask, it

was another woman, at least if they looked closely enough. It

was obvious that Tasha knew that Laura had seen though her

pretense and she wasn't happy about it.

Laura felt nausea knot up in her stomach and she pulled

her eyes away from Tasha. Something told her that if Tasha

discovered that Laura carried Justin's child, neither of them

would ever be safe here.

This was all the more reason to leave, let Tasha be Justin's

problem, not hers. At last the endless meal came to an end

and it was time for the party of guests to move to the

ballroom. Laura knew no one but Kenny and her grandfather.

Justin hadn't bothered to introduce her to any of his guests.

She could tell that the other people that were present were

curious about her, but she was thankful that so far ... no one

had been so impolite as to ask questions.

The second half of the evening had apparently been

opened up to many more people. New guests were arriving by

the moment. The lavish ballroom was becoming crowded.

A smile lightly touched upon Laura's lips. This would make

it much easier to slip away.

As the first of the music began, Kenny was at her side. "A

smile from you tonight seems out of place." Kenny motioned

to Justin and Tasha. They were whirling to the music in

perfect union as if they had been made for each other.

Laura swallowed hard to remove the lump that had formed

in her throat. She was determined not to let them get to her.

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She shrugged her shoulders, trying to convince herself as

much as Kenny that it didn't matter. "He will be announcing

his engagement to her tonight."

A hard glint entered Kenny's eyes. "Like hell he will!"

Kenny started in the direction where the couple was

dancing. It was only Laura's hand on his arm that stopped

him.

"Let him. I will not be here much longer anyway."

"What happened between you two?" Kenny asked.

Laura shrugged her shoulders. "I think this has been

arranged for a long time. I guess we were just not meant to

be."

Kenny didn't miss the note of sadness in her last

statement, but understanding seemed to slowly seep into his

eyes.

"He thinks you and Dark Claw were lovers," Kenny

informed her.

Laura looked startled. All of a sudden Justin's behavior

made sense. "Why would he think that?"

"He saw you with Dark Claw before you escaped."

The memory of Dark Claw forcing himself on her in the

garden jumped to the front of her mind, bringing with it

revulsion.

Laura realized that Justin might never believe the child she

carried was his. With resignation, she knew that leaving was

her only choice, for the sake of her son. If Justin thought that

she had been a willing party to Dark Claw's embraces, how

could he ever believe her about the child?

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"So, let him think what he will." Her eyes sparked

defiance.

"You can't leave, Laura," Kenny told her. "It's too

dangerous."

"Don't worry, I have a plan, but you must never tell him

about the baby." Laura really didn't have a plan, but she

didn't want Kenny to worry.

She could tell that Kenny wasn't falling for it. "No matter

what ... you are still safer here for right now ... we all are."

"I know what I'm doing, and no matter what ... tell

Grandpa that I love him."

Laura noticed that Kenny's attention had wavered and she

followed his gaze across the room to where his eyes rested on

a pretty blond girl who was motioning to him.

"Who is that?" Laura smiled.

"Her name is Yvette. I made her acquaintance a few days

ago while riding," he spoke to Laura but his eyes never left

Yvette.

"She sure doesn't look
Sungmanitu
," Laura stated.

"She isn't." Kenny looked back to Laura. "You could say

her people are of the same nature, but they originate in

Europe."

Laura remembered Ben telling her that all sorts of people

resided in
Coyopa
'.

"I should go talk with her." Kenny's smile was apologetic.

"Of course." Laura reached out and touched Kenny's arm

reassuringly.

Kenny started away, but stopped and looked back at

Laura. "Don't do anything ... yet."

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Laura smiled but said nothing. She could give him no such

promise.

"You don't appear to be enjoying yourself."

Laura stiffened at the dark amusement in his voice.

"Of course I am." Laura smiled "It's not every day that a

girl gets to be surrounded by werewolves."

Justin's eyes held a dangerous glint. "You are treading on

dangerous ground, Laura."

His fingers dug into her arm painfully as he led her out on

the dance floor.

"I don't want to dance." Laura tried to pull her arm free

but only succeeded in causing herself more pain.

"Don't make a scene," he hissed.

Laura stiffened as his arms encircled her and they began

to move to the music. Before Laura realized what he was

doing, he had led her through the large double doors, and

into the gardens.

When they were out of sight of the other guests, he pulled

her closer—holding her so tightly she almost couldn't breathe.

"You ignored my orders," his voice was harsh.

"Did you seriously think I wouldn't?"

"You will be punished severely for disobeying me. The first

thing you must learn is, here ... my word is law."

Justin's fingers entwined in Laura's hair, pulling her head

back and he buried his face in her neck. Laura gasped at the

sharp sting of his teeth on her flesh—her heart filling with

terror.

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Justin released her suddenly, backing away. He gazed at

her with his yellow wolf's eyes. Laura was trembling with a

mixture of fear and rage.

"If I let your open defiance go unpunished, I will lose the

respect of my people, and that will threaten my position. You

are confined to your rooms until you learn to obey me. After

this ... you will see no one but Anna," he finished with a growl

and strode away, leaving her alone with the night.

Laura's anger evaporated and was replaced once again

with sadness. She had truly traded one captor for another.

There was no longer any doubt in her mind. If she were going

to escape, it would have to be tonight.

"Laura," a soft voice called to her from out of the

darkness.

A little unnerved, Laura strained to see what lay beyond

the reach of the lights. She could hear a shuffle of feet and

she sensed movement ... but still she could see nothing.

"Don't fear me child, I have come to warn you."

The vaguely familiar voice drew Laura closer.

Cloaked in darkness, Laura could barely make out Two-

Bears' form. Gripped with her people's natural fear of the

dead, Laura began to back away, but tripping, she was sent

sprawling to the hard stone floor.

She looked up to find Two-Bears looming above her. "At

this moment, he is coming for you—many will die. The

woman, Tasha is a traitor, she has led them here to destroy

you. She knows about your baby."

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Choking back a sob, Laura closed her eyes—reminding

herself that it wasn't real. He was only a phantom ... like

Rosa and her grandmother.

When she opened her eyes Two-Bears was gone.

Laura was flooded with fear. Her stomach felt as if it was

in knots. Dark Claw was coming—there would be a war. She

would have to warn Justin.

Laura found him in conversation with Tasha. She could

hear them speaking in hushed tones, and she didn't even

want to think about the things he was saying to the evil

creature.

Justin turned his cold eyes on her when she tapped him on

the shoulder.

"I must speak with you."

"Later," he told her.

"Now ... it's urgent." Laura was determined not to let him

stall her.

"Will you excuse me?" He smiled tenderly at Tasha. Laura

had to wonder how much of those feelings for Tasha were

real, and how much of it was show in order to hurt her.

"Don't be too long, Justin. I will be completely lost without

you," Tasha told him in a honey sweet voice, while her eyes

flashed warnings at Laura.

Justin took Laura by the arm and led her out of the

ballroom. They walked quietly until reaching what Laura

assumed was a study. The furnishings were Tudor and the

books lining the shelves looked to be just as old.

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Laura had no time to wonder at the contrast between the

Justin of her world, and the Justin of this world, or which one

was the real man.

"You are trying my patience, Laura." Justin was seething.

Unable to contain her hurt any longer, Laura's emotions

burst forward. "I don't even know who you are," Laura cried.

"You are not the same man who walked with me under the

moonlight, and you are certainly not the same man that took

me for a ride on his bike, and made love to me in the grass."

Laura began to shake, no longer able to keep the tears

from her eyes. "You are not the man I fell in love with."

Justin looked away, but his voice softened. "In some ways

you are right. I cannot be that person here."

"If
Coyopa
' turns men to monsters ... why not just let the

Baalam
have it?"

Justin shot her a look of distrust. "Do you say that on

behalf of your lover?"

Laura shook her head and turned away. "He was never my

lover Justin, he only wanted to be."

Justin took a deep breath before he spoke. "How can you

expect me to believe that when I saw you in his arms?"

"You mistook what you saw, but none of that matters now,

you are no longer the man I loved. He is gone now."