ROMANCE: PARANORMAL ROMANCE: Coveted by the Werewolves (Paranormal MMF Bisexual Menage Romance) (New Adult Shifter Romance Short Stories) (13 page)

              When the light broke, they finally realized the gravity of what was going to happen. They were going to go against the most respected warring werewolf pack in all of the Americas, but they were not at all deterred.

              They had received a message from the Alpha of the Khiones inviting them to meet at the park when the time of the truce expires.

Dominguez and Storm,

It is a surprise for us to hear these two names together. You, Storm, should know better than to betray the memory of your family who were slayed by these treacherous leeches. But you have made your decision, and that is to die in battle with the ones that killed your own family. I hope your kin’s spirit will reject you as you rise to whatever realm your soul is meant to be in.

To you, foul Dominguez, for whatever reason you have not taken the sacrifice yourself, I do not care, but as tradition states, if another pack discovers the sacrifice alive with another owner, there is fair game.

So you best be prepared. For winter is indeed rolling over your city. Central Park, after the tradition of the truce dies out.

-
        
Khione

*****

              There was nothing to do but fight, they knew this too well. As the tides of the moon shifted and turned, yet again its brightness lured its people into the darkness of the night.

              Hailey was just any other girl with a broken past and a future she was desperate to make into something better. It was beyond her to be what she was, but the fates had decided her ending, right when she had just barely begun.

              Her face – her sad and broken face, was painted with a look of forced courage. As they drove to the park and followed by a dozen or so black vans and hummers carrying the Dominguez most vicious and skilled warriors, she felt the pain of regret and of curse guilt. This was going to be bloody and even if this was all out of free will, she knew it was all due to the fact that their alpha was in love with her.

              Through this whole situation she had played such a passive role, letting the two boys call the shots and make all the decisions. This time, she decided she would take things into her own hands. This was the end of it. She was going to end it all. They got there just an hour before the truce was to expire. Hailey decided she needed to go to the bathroom because nature was calling.

              “Are you sure Hails?” Caleb said.

              “Yes. I need to pee. You don’t have to come with me. It’s still an hour. They still can’t touch me isn’t that correct?” Hailey said in a matter of fact tone.

              “Okay.” Caleb replied. “Take your phone though.”

              “Okay.” Hailey promised.

              Caleb turned to Anton to review the plan.

              “We need you at the back. The Khiones can control fog and mists too. We need you to be our eyes.” Anton said. Caleb nodded. This was exactly why the Storms were so powerful, there was no camouflage or cloak or even natural cover that could hide anything from a Storm’s sight.

              “Eye of the Storm.” Caleb merely shrugged.

              “Exactly.” Anton smiled at the pun.

              “It’s time. I can hear them marching.” Caleb said.

              “Alright. Let’s all form our flanks.” Anton yelled in an almost howl like state.

              Group by group, the men transformed into wolves of different sizes and shapes. Caleb and Anton looked to each other before they shifted themselves.

              It’s time.” Caleb said.

              “It is.” Anton said.

              “Caleb. If I die…” Anton said.

              “I know. If I die?” Caleb asked.

              “Of course.” Anton interjected.

              With a howl from the lone Alpha, Caleb and the howl of the Pack Alpha, they transformed into the great wolves they truly were.

              The bell sounded.

              “Ding…!!!”

              The silver wolf looked to the wolf which was Anton. “Let’s go.”

              And so the two wolves parted ways as the Storm wolf began to circle to the safest flank. He needed to be kept secure; he was their eyes, while Anton was their strength. They knew that although Anton was going to be on the frontlines, the Khiones would concentrate their attack on Caleb, because with him around, they could not take advantage of the powers they had.

              They could hear the war drums of the Khiones forming in the distance as they both marched with much intent in each step.

              All of a sudden, they stopped. The marching, the drums, they all stopped. A flash of bright light erupted just a few meters away from the frontlines of the Khiones.

              It was not light at all. As the dust settled, it became clearer.

              “Electricity!” Caleb howled.

              Anton knew what that meant. It was Hailey.

              The whole Dominguez army raced to the source of the lightning and found Hailey hovering a few inches from the ground, her face glowing from so much energy.

              “Kitsune!” The Khiones screamed as they tried to approach the pure one.

              “She is now ready for sacrifice, the alpha said with blood lust in his voice.

              The light died out as the electricity became nothing more than just sparks. Hailey descended, her feet touching the ground.

              “Take me and let this war end.” Hailey said as she opened up her arms wide in an act of surrender. Anton and Caleb ran to her as fast as they could, but it was to no avail at all.

              The Khiones got to her first.

              “Great harvest moon, take our sacrifice. Let your stolen magic return to you and so you shall be at peace with us. See favor in us!” The Khiones chanted as the Alpha raised his paw, his claws sharp as they shimmered in the light of the harvest moon.

              “See…” The alpha howled as he mustered every jolt of strength he had been saving.

              “Favor…” The Alpha’s eyes burned with so much evil.

              “In us!” As Caleb was just a few feet away, he saw his paws descend upon Hailey, whose face was carved with tears.

              Caleb howled in pain.

              Anton lunged at the Khiones and with one swift blow – a blow empowered by anger and sorrow – he sent the Alpha tumbling through his horde of wolves. But they did nothing. They did not retaliate because they knew what was to come. A few seconds from that moment, the gift of the moon would descend upon them.

              “Hailey!” Caleb yelled which made Anton jump around to look at what was happening. He had not noticed at all that the girl who lay bloodied at the hands of the Khiones was not Hailey, as they all thought.

              “Why?!” Hailey screamed as the golden blood of the girl who shielded her from the attack of the Khiones laid there in her arms trying to gasp for her last breath.

              The Khiones backed off still waiting for the gift. They had not yet realized, not even their Alpha, that they had killed the wrong girl.

              “This is your salvation, my Hailey.” And with that, the body of her keeper shimmered into a thousand beautiful butterflies as blue as deep waters.

              And as River’s life force fluttered away, Hailey’s body began to glow.

              “It’s happening!” One of the Khiones yelled, still oblivious as the Dominguez wolves encircled the threesome.

              “Hailey, are you okay?” Anton gritted.

              “I feel okay.” Hailey said.

              “I understand.” Hailey said.

              Her light, all her lightning began to rise from her and glided effortlessly into the moon. And as the stream ended, the Harvest moon slowly disappeared behind the clouds of the night sky.

              The Khione Alpha howled with intense anger. “What have you done you Dominguez scum?!”

              Hailey walked towards the disappointed man with the whole Dominguez army behind her and the two Alphas at each of her sides.

              “Alyssa told me an old saying last night.” Hailey said.

              “What can stain white cloth, but not blood?”

              “I understand it now. To taint what is most pure, is to taint it with the blood of another who is willing.” She continued.

              “I’m no longer a sacrifice.” Hailey said.

              “I am tainted.”

*****

              The Khiones retreated not wanting to risk their lives for nothing. And as the days went by, the realization of their victory had finally set in.

              The question of who Hailey should choose between Caleb an Anton never came up. They did not need for it to come up. It was a question that they left to the fates to decide.

              Caleb returned to his hospice, where he was most happy, while Hailey went back to school. She wanted to know more of the world, now that it was not so much a mystery after all her secrets were finally revealed.

              Anton ruled as Alpha – one that was respected and loved. He showed much resilience and loyalty in the battle that never came to be, earning him the admiration and more importantly the allegiance of his pack.

Every year since the affair at the park happened, they would come back and lay flowers at exactly where Gustav and River had passed away. They gave their lives to set Hailey free from the bondage of destiny.

              Caleb, Anton and Hailey, finally were able to live in true freedom.

THE END

B

Backstage Pass

Sarah loved the band Just New. She had all of their tour posters hung up on her apartment walls. She was a sophomore in college, but didn't think of herself as such since she went to a community college where the students didn't really think too much of what they were doing. Most people were just trying to get their two year out of the way as quickly as possible on their way to transferring to a state university and trying to go further with their education. Sarah just thought of it as a step between high school and actually college. She'd never really liked going to the small town college she went to, but for the first time ever she was excited about something happening where she lived: Just New was coming to play.

              Just New wasn't a boy band, or anything like rock and roll. It was an older English guy in his early thirties named Chad Jackson and his drummer. Recently, though, the drummer had been on again off again with Just New because of stuff going on in his family life. Sarah didn't really know and didn't really care, because like most alternative female types she was absolutely in love with Chad Jackson.

              But she couldn't just say that, to anyone, especially not herself. Part of Just New's thing was being all about standing up for womens' rights. They weren't exactly feminists, since the band didn't want to be political at all, but at the same time they were certainly pro female. They sang about how women had a responsibility to get educated and become strong community leaders. That was what had really sold Sarah in the beginning, before it became a romantic obsession.

              When she'd heard that Just New was coming to her small town she immediately got on the internet and shot him a message on his social media. Sarah figured she could get a response form him since, unlike a lot of the really big indie acts, Just New wasn't flourishing quite as quickly as most fans thought they would. It was turning out to be a blessing for long time fans who appreciated being able to hit the band up with questions and comments. Chad answered almost immediately.

             
Why yes, my darling, we will be in the your area soon. I hope you know that my drummer won't be able to make it this time. He's got his plate fill with real life drama that has to be attended to, so it's not like there are hard feelings, or even a schism of any sort. The timing just wasn't right so I'll be doing a solo act like I have so many times of recent. Tell me, Sarah, how did you come to become such a fan of Just New?

              Sarah couldn't believe how nervous she was to reply now that the moment had come. She'd thought that it wouldn't be that big of a deal but now that she was there, at the brink of having a conversation with a man she had a hard time believing was even real sometimes, she knew that it was going to be one of those things she just had to just plunge into before her courage faltered.

             
Chad! I'm so excited to be talking with you. I became a huge fan of Just New when you guys put out your first album six or so years ago. Ever since then I've been listening to everything you do. I've never dared to be hopeful enough to think you might actually be coming out to my small town, out here in the middle of nowhere Iowa. Ames isn't that big, but since it's home to Iowa State University there are around thirty-six thousand students living in and around campus town, the small borough that clusters around the south entrance to the ISU campus.