Reluctantly Lycan (Dakota Wolves Book 1)(20)

"Come on, Mom. It's summer vacation." He covered his head with a pillow from the sofa.

"Now."

He grumbled, barely audible from underneath the throw pillow. "Just  because you're used to working all the time doesn't mean I want to get  up early." Despite his arguments, he sat up slowly. "Can I get breakfast  first?"

Marala smiled, obviously giving him a hard time for fun. It was true  that she wasn't accustomed to not having to go to work every day. "Sure.  I'm hungry, too." She headed into the kitchen with her son close  behind. "I can't believe how much of a slob your father is. How hard is  it to hit the hamper?"

"Yeah, I noticed that. Good thing I'm not messy."

"You know better." She told him as she took down a few bowls from the  cabinet and filled them with a generic brand of cereal labeled Fruity  Circles. After adding the milk, she slid him a bowl.

"I guess, but if I lived by myself the place wouldn't be this bad.  Definitely less bottles of booze sitting around." He dipped his spoon  into the cereal and took a bite.

"Well, like you said, it will give me something to do while we're on house arrest."

Jak frowned. "House arrest?"

"Kaden doesn't want us out of this house when he's not around until they  find out who took Mason and Taylor." She sat down on a bar stool beside  him, eating her breakfast.

"Makes sense."

Marala laughed. "No protesting or pouting? I shouldn't be surprised."

"Nope. I found the record player in a closet. I'll lose myself in the  music." He seemed like he wanted to say something else by the way he  grew quiet and chased a red loop around in his bowl with a spoon.                       
       
           



       

"What is it?"

"Nothing."

"Jak, spill it."

"You ever get bad vibes off people?" he asked.

"Only almost everyone I meet." She gave a half smile.

Jak rolled his eyes. "We are an anti-social duo."

"Why do you ask?"

"That Levi guy. Something seems off with him. He's nice …  almost too nice. And he makes my skin crawl."

She thought for a moment then shook her head. "He's a good guy. He and his wife were a big part of my life."

"Okay."

"What do you think about Nashoba?"

Jak grinned. "He is a badass. I'd like to meet the rest of the wolves."

"You will when things settle down. Kaden has a lot on his plate right now. He wants to keep you safe."

"Okay," he said again. "You know I'll always be thankful for you, Mom. I  know things are changing with the move, Dad being in our lives, and the  fact that I will be a wolf soon. Just wanted to throw that out there.  Don't get all mushy on me."

It was too late for that. Marala dotted the corners of her eyes and  nodded. "Right back at you." She focused on her breakfast, trying her  damnedest not to cry.

~*~

The house had been cleaned top to bottom and there was still no sign of  Kaden. Marala was alone with her thoughts again. Jak had wandered off to  his room to read a book about lycans he'd found when they were  cleaning.

An idea came to her she couldn't push away. She wanted to go speak to  Mason's parents. They were in a bad spot, one she didn't want to  imagine, and she was going to be the alpha female soon. It was her place  to be there for the pack.

Of course, Kaden would be none too happy about her leaving the house,  but it was daylight and she wasn't going far. Convincing herself all  would be well, she ran her fingers through her hair and headed outside.

A man was climbing a nearby tree. She couldn't see who it was since he  was so high up, but he appeared to be adjusting some solar panels. Life  out in the sticks had definitely become more advanced in the years since  she'd run away.

Marala doubled-checked the door and headed toward the house Mason's  parents had lived in when she was a teenager. She knocked on the door a  couple of times and stuck her hands in her pockets as she waited.

Josie Yunger opened the door. Her swollen eyes widened and she reached  out, hugging Marala without warning. Stiffly, Marala removed her hands  from her pockets and patted the woman on the back. They'd met a few  times, but they were barely acquaintances. Josie had been a few months  pregnant when she and her husband had joined the pack. Only a little  farther along than she had been.

"Hey. It'll be okay," Marala said, knowing full well it probably wouldn't be.

The woman let her go and bowed her head respectfully. "It is good to  have you home, She-Wolf Dakota. We females need a strong woman to lead  us. It's been far too long. I was so happy to hear you were bonding with  the leader."

Gossip travels fast. Marala frowned, but quickly decided her own  problems meant little when the woman before her was missing a child.  "I'm here for you and the others. Anytime you need anything. Speaking of  which, how can I help you through this tragedy?"

Josie invited Marala inside. The house was tidy, but outdated in style  like most of the homes. She had a frail frame, more so than most females  in the pack. Marala figured the woman probably hadn't eaten much since  her son had disappeared. That certainly wouldn't help the situation.  Josie poured her a cup of coffee which was accepted with a gracious  smile and a thank you.

"Marala, the moon will return my son to me. This is a test of faith. A test of the pack's strength."

Marala doubted the kidnapping had anything to do with the moon or any other spirits, real or imagined. "They'll find him."

Josie nodded, moving to the kitchen window and looking outside into the  dense forest. "Martell searches from dawn until late into the night. His  paws are blistered and he's fatigued when he returns home. The other  wolves hunt, too, but if they've not found him yet … ." She cleared her  throat. "All we have left is faith."

A debate about whether the moon was some sort of Goddess or a chunk of  rock orbiting the Earth would be a bad idea. The only thing any of the  wolves knew for sure was that their life cycles were tied to the lunar  body. Marala decided to veer away from the topic. The last thing she  wanted to do was crush the woman's last bit of hope that her son would  be returned.

"I don't know what to say to make this better. There is nothing." She  sipped her coffee. It was shockingly sweet like candy. "Just know I'm  here for you if you want to talk or go for a ride. Whatever you want."  She'd said something similar when she entered the house, but it was the  only thing she could think of and it was the truth.                       
       
           



       

"There's something I need to give you."

"Give me?"

Josie left the room and walked down a short hallway. When she returned,  she carried a dress by a hanger. Plastic was draped over the white  material. "This dress had been chosen by your mother soon after you were  promised to Kaden. His mother kept it safe after your parents were …  you  know …  anyway, before the alpha female passed she left it with me."

"She must have respected you." Marala stood and accepted the item from Josie as she spoke.

"I think it was because I'm the least threatening or aggressive female  in the pack." She managed a short laugh before immediately frowning as  if any sort of joy was unacceptable now.

Marala lifted the plastic slowly, examining the dress. It was a simple  gown. Silky with a sheer covering and a few flowers for embellishment.  Life had made Marala a tough woman, but tears came to her eyes at seeing  the gift. It was like receiving a present from the grave. A blessing.  Hope.

"Thank you, Josie. You've honored me and the pack by keeping this safe."

The petite woman bowed her head in service. "The honor was mine."

After a quick, hopefully inconspicuously clearing of her throat, Marala  covered the dress with the plastic once more. "Well, you know where to  find me. I will visit again."

"My door is always open to you." She extended her arm, palm open.

Taken aback at first by the gesture of respect common among the females,  Marala froze. Then she remembered her manners and placed her palm  against the woman's briefly. Palm to paw, heart to heart.

~*~

Now that daylight had arrived, Taylor could observe his surroundings  clearly. Or lack thereof. He was in a hole. He'd known that much.  Unfortunately, the pit was far deeper than he'd expected and the walls  offered no means to climb out. The boy rested curled up in the corner  with only dirty jeans on. No shirt. He was thin.

"Hey, kid," Taylor said. "I mean, Mason. What do you do when you need to …  go?"