The Lycans Series

"Don't do that." "What?" "Mock him." "I'll speak as I wish." "Well," Sanda started and took a deep breath. "I think I'll wait in the bedroom." She didn’t want to aggravate the woman again. Cami had already proven herself dangerous. Sanda turned to walk swiftly into the room so she could close the door on Cami with a satisfying thud. "You're his prize," Cami drawled at her back. "What?" Her anger on Beryx's behalf drained away, and the tight bands of panic returned. Sanda inhaled sharply through her mouth. "For being such a good puppy, you're his prize from the Alpha."

Jurisa hustled through the pine forest surrounding her community on light paws. Underneath her four feet, the high mountainous landscape had already cooled and hardened for winter. It, combined with the soft bed of pine needles, made the running easier. Behind her, practically nipping at her heels, Beryx kept up chase. He put his all into the effort of trying to catch her as any potential mate would. She pushed herself to move faster. She'd been practicing for weeks, memorizing the route she would take during the hunt. She would not let a little things like the burning of her lungs as she dragged in air hold her back. Jurisa had to be at top form for the hunt. Sandy-colored Beryx in fully wolfen form put forth an extra burst of energy and nearly overtook Jurisa. She feinted left, then right, heading straight for the pit traps her people dug earlier and managed to slow him down as he evaded the obstacles. He was getting good. On previous runs, Beryx kept falling into the traps. He appeared to have finally memorized their placement. Too bad, she thought, admiring his persistence in dogging her. Too bad he's a beta. Jurisa turned into a new section of the run, one that her second hadn't been over lately.

Beryx slipped out of their shared bed. He was all lean planes and broad lines with golden kissed skin, a consequence of his work as second-in-command for the Cold Mountains pack. Sanda reached up to caress the curve of a naked buttock before he got too far away from her to touch. Beryx swatted her playfully with his shirt. "Enough woman," he said. Sanda responded with a pout. Beryx laughed. He grabbed her hand and pressed a kiss against it. "You'll drain me dry if I let you," he said, letting go of her to pull on his clothes. He had to meet Jurisa and her new mate, Dragos, for an early meeting. Sanda didn't want him to go. She hadn't wanted him to leave her sight since their first night together a few weeks ago. Her desire for him had only grown worse with time. She could see it starting to hurt physically when they were apart. Beryx assured her that wouldn't happen. Her cravings for him, the increased desire for closeness was only part of the change. In a short time, the full moon would trigger her first change. After that, she'd be fully lycan and her cravings would stabilize. Sanda wasn't quite sure she believed him about that. She pushed back the heavy furs and crawled down the bed to latch onto Beryx from behind.

Sanda nudged a piece of hot coal with her foot. It glowed with dark orange light in the cracks from where it popped out of the fireplace, hiding dangerous, but useful heat within. Jurisa paced back and forth in front of her as she lectured Sanda about her reckless decision to go after Beryx without telling anyone in the Cold Mountains community first. Dragos stood by her with arms crossed, frowning at his nearly frantic mate. His brother was also present, but seemed to be paying more attention to the quiet Mouse seated next to Garrett and Cami in the lounger, unobtrusively waiting her turn for a lecture. Sanda stepped on the coal beside her booted foot, crushing it into black powder and effectively putting out any potential fire. At least she wasn't being immediately run out of the pack. Sanda had been afraid of what sort of reaction their little group would receive on returning to the village several days ago. It wasn't nearly as bad as she feared. Jurisa’s first concern was for any immediate political ramifications of their journey down the mountain. She made certain they hadn’t broken any major tenets of the contract between Lycans and humans. Jurisa was obviously relieved that the humans in the village agreed not to speak of the incident, but Sanda could still see the concern in her eyes when Beryx described Sanda's first change and the havoc it brought. The Alpha didn't say anything on the subject, but Sanda knew then that she could expect further inquiries. Jurisa granted everyone in their group some time to recover from their journey. They needed it, especially Beryx and Garrett who were both shot. Mouse used her considerable medical skill to ease everyone's pain and encourage fast healing. Sanda spent those first few days ensconced in bed next to Beryx, curled around him like a protective blanket. They couldn't remain locked away in his cottage forever. Sure enough, everyone had been summoned to the leaders’ home for a grilling and who knew what else. Sanda wasn't well-versed in Lycan law yet. Beryx had been in little mood to discuss the subject during his recovery. Jurisa stopped in her tracks and turned with a pointed finger at Garrett. “I know you're the one who implemented this plan.” “I owed a debt to Sanda and the community,” Garrett spoke up. They all knew what he was referring to, his decision to let the human villager go without telling anyone. At the time, Jurisa and the other Alphas were furious. Sanda was in shock over his decision and responded with deep, deep anger. She felt that villager was the only chance she had to get her mate back safely. Looking back on it now, Sanda was ashamed over her treatment of Garrett. She still harbored some anger towards Mouse for keeping it all quiet, but could understand the woman's loyalty towards her friend. “It wasn't up to you to decide how to pay that debt,” Jurisa said. She shook her head and threw up her hands in disgust over their misadventures. “No, it wasn't. We did get him back alive,” Garrett said, referring to Beryx. Jurisa had banned Sanda’s mate from the meeting despite his forceful arguments. She hadn't wanted him influencing her decisions. “He's right,” Dragos said, “they did manage to bring Beryx back and no one is the wiser.” Jurisa side-eyed her mate. It was obvious what she thought of that statement. Dragos’ brother on the other hand, snorted.

Sanda trembled inside, her willful body refusing to remain stoic in the face of death. If only she were a braver woman, or perhaps a little more ignorant of what was coming for her. Presently, she knelt in the grass clearing of the sacrificial place where she had been sent by her people. She had been trembling forever it seemed, almost since the decision had been made, the decision for her to be the Lycan’s sacrifice this year. Sanda knew it was an honor to be chosen. Her death would stave off attack from the Lycans for another year. The circumstances, the result of cool bargain struck between humans and the Lycans hundreds of years ago. The Lycans have their high, cold mountains to the East and humans had the fertile valleys and temperate plains to the West. In exchange for annual sacrifices, the Lycan's blood thirsty temper remained in check. She knew it was an honor. She felt happy to do it. Her family would receive congratulations, respect for their sacrifices. Even before she left, Sanda had noticed the change in way people treated them. Sanda serving as the sacrificed this year raised her family's standing in the eyes of the community. It would make things easier for her younger siblings when they sought work and families of their own. At the moment, the thought didn’t make her feel much better though. She'd seen the same eyes extending unspoken sympathy along with congratulatory handshakes and gifts for her and them. The dark cloak she wore now was a gift from the town council. It served as a death shroud given to every sacrifice. Death at the hands of the Lycans was not pleasant. She'd heard stories ever since her earliest years around the hearth fires about how bloodthirsty Lycans ripped, shredded and disemboweled their victims. Sanda wished she had accepted the potion offered by the town leader that would make her senses dulled. At the time, she was filled with bravado and turned him down. Now it made her queasy to think of it, and the trembling increased tenfold. She could not stop shaking. She could not sit still in the misty rain while she waited for death. If only Sanda could get a hold of herself. It would make it easier to believe she was at peace and ready for this fate. Her body had other things in mind, betraying her fear with its incessant movement. If only they would hurry up and get here and end this torture. Sanda’s eyes flitted towards every sound in the darkness. She did not want to see it coming. She thought about pressing their hands to her ears to hide the sounds of growling and snarling she imagined the Lycans made on approach to their prey. The fear made her twitch at every sound, made her strain to hear it. She could not cut herself off completely from awareness by blocking her ears. She would sit there, and listen for it. That at least could be something brave she could do. "Are you going to sit there all night?" A voice asked next to her ear. Sanda screamed, toppling to her side and kicking out instinctively she encountered solid calves attached to long, muscular legs.