On the island, no one could actually explain why the connection happened, but it wasn’t uncommon between the Royals either with no reason or rhyme as to why it happened between two of us or any of the others for that matter. I’d been told that in a magical world, some things couldn’t be explained, some had to just be accepted with a leap of faith. A strong belief in one’s self, in one’s abilities helped in getting to that point of acceptance. A scientist type could never handle my powers, as most of it was with no answer as to the why or the how of it.
Josh had volunteered to go as part of one of the bait teams, as they’d been referring to them. He’d gone in the group that would distract the men left around Daniel. At some point I concentrated so hard on my connection to him that it was as if I’d fallen into a trance. I’d done so before, well had be led to, in trying to connect to Lex in the last battle, to use our connection to locate him. This time the trance hadn’t taken special crystals or candles or coaching. I’d managed it all on my own. Of course, what had been on that island to block up my chakras? Here, now, I remained clear still, making it easier to use my abilities.
Flashes came to me of images Josh saw. All had shifted at this point. He must have given how clear the images were of trees zooming by, a rodent scurrying off to get out of his way. At some point I could smell Daniel, so, that meant Daniel could also smell Josh. The clash would come soon, and I had to be ready.
My nerves grew, making my wolf heart pound in my chest even as it prepared for battle, the beats so loud they thumped in my ears, making it harder to hear what I really needed to. My paws scuffed at the dry, brittle and brown grass underneath me with New York having a dry summer this year. I clawed at the earth, felt the dirt crumble like powder between the pads of my claws. Lex nuzzled against me, his snout rubbing my neck attempting to gain my attention. His concern came through loud and clear. Looking up at him, I noticed Nira standing over him also giving me a tight look of concern.
I didn’t know how any of them got used to putting themselves, but more importantly our loved ones, at risk in these sorts of situations. Nira had said before life was viewed different by the vampires, as it was a second chance to live again, and their mission to help the prime reason for that. It made them basically fearless.
For the wolves, though we lived longer, very different, more intense lives I was finding out, still, they clung to those they loved, as blood relations and as pack. They had to have some fear, yet, there was also something primal in them I’d noticed that gave them all that alpha quality of being unbeatable. Basically, they believed in themselves, their abilities as wolves, and that went a long way to seeing them through these situations. I supposed once me and my wolf meshed more it would come to me too. That didn’t help me right now though, in this very tense minute just before I had to spring into action.
Finally, I got a glimpse of the cabin. Daniel, no longer in a black suit as I’d always seen him before, stood there in worn-out, torn up jeans and a band t-shirt. His darker good looks came through more this way, made him more of the bad boy type most girls went for, thought rotten to the core, diseased even, was not a turn on. Still human though, like before, he stood there surrounded by his true werewolves already turned having heard the others coming. About a dozen of them poised, necks out flat, ears back, ready to pounce with their four paws on mounds of trash they’d created out of someone’s property. Tornadoes had nothing on these hooligans. There were even holes in the walls of the cabin, and not a single window or door had made it through the storm.
Daniel had a cocky grin on his face as Josh and his bait team approached. He had a glass bottle of some sort of amber liquid like whiskey in his hand. Even as he watched Josh and the others approach, the cocky son of a bitch took a swig before he threw the bottle down to shatter over his shoes. To be seeing so much of this so clear perplexed me, but I attempted to go with it, just be grateful for the added advantage. Being in a trance and aware of that fact unsettled me, but it all blended in with the rest of my nerves until my body seemed to buzz, my fur standing on end like someone had rubbed a giant balloon over me.
Even as a wolf I held my breath, waited for the next flash to come so I knew what was going on, and could eventually inform the others, who though I couldn’t see I still was very aware of their ever faithful presence beside me. While the plan had been for us to wait for a distress call from the Royal wolves, I liked better getting to see firsthand, to have some control over when I would rush through the woods. The first glimpse I’d gotten at Daniel along with the snarling wolves around him, and all four of my legs had tensed to take off at full speed ahead.