Defiance: The Hybrid's Tale

Nathan Underhill.

My feet dragged along the dirt track as I swung back and forth on the swing. The rope groaned under the strain. I watched as the pack members rushed from and to the pack house, getting ready for the impending attack. The Supreme and her coven had joined our fight. They were busy erecting magical barriers to protect the inner sanctum of the pack.

Goddess, I hoped it would be enough.

My grandfather had destroyed a lot of packs over the years, so much so that the Spirit of the Forest deemed it necessary to intervene. After all the years of fantasying about how I’d eventually confront my grandfather in battle and end his miserable life, it finally arrived. However, the reality of our impeding showdown scared me to death: I was man enough to admit it. Last night, while in Adam’s arms, I couldn’t get my mind to switch off. Dozens of horrid images jumbled around my head.

A loud yawn escaped my lips while rubbing my tired eyes. It was going to be an incredibly long day. With a yelp, I nearly fell off the swing when a pair of muscular arms coiled around my chest. This earned a chuckle from Adam as he dipped his nose into the nape of my neck.

I huffed and said, “You ass! You nearly scared the fur off me.” I swatted him on his forearm.

He continued to chuckle while placing butterfly kisses along my neck. “What’s gotten you so twisted into a knot?”

I wanted to growl at him for being an oblivious idiot, but all that escaped my mouth was a loud yawn. Jason chuckled once more before saying. “Tired, aren’t we?”

“You would be if you couldn’t sleep.” I replied, yawning uncontrollably. “I’m not like you who slept as if the reaper snatched your soul out of your body.”

I rested my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes.

“It still bothers you, doesn’t it? That’s why you haven’t been sleeping for more than three hours a night.” Adam grumbled and said, “You can’t let this get to you... you have to face your grandfather, eventually. He’ll haunt you for the rest of your life—”

“I know!” I snapped, pulling away from Adam’s embrace and storming off toward the pack house.

Adam has constantly tried to soothe my guilty conscience about dragging the pack into my mess over the last week. My deranged grandfather wanted my life, not theirs. It was selfish of me to endanger the lives of innocent people, only to stay out of the lunatic’s grasp. I felt like Damocles with a sword hanging over my head. At any moment, it would come falling down on my head.

A firm, calloused hand snapped around my arm as I stepped into the living room. Adam pulled me to him and I plowed into his chiseled chest. I growled, fighting to get out of his grip. I didn’t have the strength for his ‘everything will be OK’ crap. People were going to die, and it was going to be my fault.

“Enough, Nathan,” Adam scolded me in a harsh tone that choked the anger out of me. “This destructive state of mind you’re in is exactly what I don’t want. It’s not your fault that your grandfather’s fucked in the head.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but Adam clamped his thumb over my lips. His smoldering brown eyes bore into my soul, causing my knees to buckle.

“This isn’t just your fight, Nathan. Why do you think the spirit gave you the warning?”

To warn us, obviously.

Adam stroked my bottom lip while licking his. Clearing my throat pulled him out of his lustful stupor. Horny ass...

“The spirit warned you because your grandfather doesn’t just threaten your life, but every werewolf in this pack. From the information your aunt forwarded after they fled, it seems that your grandfather has attacked dozens of packs and wiped them out.” Adam rubbed circles on my back, lulling me further into his warm embrace. “You see, Nathan... Your grandfather is a threat to every werewolf on this planet. The sooner he dies, the better.”

Even though every word spilling from Adam’s mouth made sense, it gutted me that my grandfather turned into an egotistical lunatic. He was never the same as he was before my shift. I remember my grandfather as a loving family man, but it seemed as if it was an illusion all along. Psychopaths were brilliant manipulators, putting up a friendly façade as long as they remained in control. You only saw the mask fall when you dared to upset their idyllic life.

***

“Nathan, wake up,” a soothing voice called out to me, tickling my ear. I groaned while shoveling my nose deeper into the crease of Adam’s neck.

Adam’s chuckle vibrated through his chest. “Come on, sweet lips. We have company.”

I groaned, not wanting to wake up from the cozy little niche I burrowed into the couch between the couch’s backrest and Adam’s body. “I don’t care,” I said as I closed my eyes again, wanting to sleep until death claimed me.

I yelped as Adam poked my side. “No can’t do. We have to be there when they arrive,” Adam said.

“Who are they?” Really? I didn’t care who they were. I was still tired and wanted to catch up on all the sleep I had missed out on. Magic Mike here I com—

“It’s your aunt. They’re arriving in a few minutes.”

My eyes snapped open and my body shot up from the couch and bolted for the front door before my mind could even comprehend what was happening. I ran out onto the front lawn toward the crowd of onlookers that flooded the parking lot. I stopped next to my mom.

“You’re awake, I see,” said my mom, ruffling my unruly mop of hair.

I yawned and said, “Not that I want to be, but I can’t miss the opportunity to see my aunt again.” I bent down and pulled Lilly into my arms. “Hi, bumblebee. Missed me?”

Lilly nuzzled into the crook of my neck and giggled, “Yes.”

I was happy that my little sister had completely integrated into pack life. She even made a couple of friends that kept her busy most of the time. Mind you, my little sister never allowed me to skip reading her stories before mom tucked her in for the night. Adam joined seconds later, kissing me on the cheek. Lilly’s eyes widened in shock before she began squirming in my arms.

“Let me down!” I complied with her wish and let her down. She straightened her yellow dress before bolting off screaming, “Cooties! Yuck!” She joined her small group of friends and they ran off to play.

Several bouts of laughter broke out in the group at Lilly’s reaction to Adam’s kiss. I scoffed and shook my head. Hopefully, her outlook would last until she reached eighteen years of age. Otherwise, I’ll have my hands full keeping all of her boyfriends or girlfriends at bay.

A flash of silver caught my eyes. My heart skipped a beat when an SUV drove up to the parking lot. Next to me, my mom clapped her hands together while a giant smile bled across her face. I’ve never seen my mom act so childlike, but I guess reuniting with your siblings after nearly a decade would leave anyone giddy to the core. I had to admit, even I fidgeted on the spot in anticipation of reuniting with the rest of my family. Would they recognize me after all this time? It has been so long since I’ve seen or talked to them.

The SUV came to a halt in front of us. Through the tinted windows, I could make out that there were five people in the car. The passenger’s car door flung open and a blond woman shot out of the car. She jumped into the arms of my mom, hugging and crying. After tilting my head to get a better glance at the female, I recognized her as my aunt, Aveny. My head snapped to the blond young man who stood at the car with his shoulders wrapped around a silver-eyed girl.

Alex...

Before long, I wrapped Alex into a tight embrace while he choked out. “Hi, Nathan. Long time no see... If it’s not much of a hassle, can you give me a bit of breathing space—you’re crushing me.”

“Oh! Sorry,” I replied with a chuckle as I let go of my cousin. He was still as lanky as fuck. One poke in the ribs and he might tumble over. “How’s it been?” I know it was cringe-worthy. It must have been a shitty experience for them running around for months in the effort to shake off my grandfather’s minions. And no. Not the yellow adorable ones, but the cut-your-throat-and-dumb-your-body-in-a-shallow grave ones.

Alex combed his spindly finger through his locks and chuckled, “Not bad... We’ve been able to lose the shadows that’s been chasing us and my mother’s finally free from our demented grandfather. Other than that, we’re okay.”

“And who’s this?” I turned to the blushing girl in his arms.

Alex’s eyes narrowed on me and then flicked to Adam when the Alpha-to-be wrapped his arms around my waist in a possessive grip, pulling me in his chest while growling.

I huffed and said, “Down, Fido.” I slapped Adam on the shoulder. “Stop being jealous about nothing.”

Adam’s eyes softened and he said, “This is Celeste, my girlfriend.”

I reached out and shook her hands. “Nice to meet you.” I smirked and said, “Don’t worry, Alex. She’s not my type. Wrong gender.”

Alex burst out laughing and said, “Don’t blame me for being cautious and staking my claim. When we were young, all the girls were fixated on you.”

Another growl ripped through Adam’s chest. I shook my head. “Adam, meet Alex. Alex, Adam.”

They shook hands, but before we could complete the introduction, a commotion off to the side interrupted us.

“Get your hands off him. He did nothing wrong!” shouted Joshua, glaring at the culprit. Lawrence, Adam’s father.

Should have guessed. As much as I loved Adam, I still couldn’t believe the Alpha was his father. They were polar opposites. Where Adam was kind-hearted and open, his father was grumpy and closed off to most people. The only time I saw him smile was when he was with the Supreme. Before I could rescue Joshua from the clutches of the Alpha, four arms enveloped me in a hug. My two aunts giggled and kissed my cheeks as they greeted me.

“Oh, my goddess! Look how grown up you have become,” cried my aunt Cassy. “You’re nearly a carbon copy of Nathaniel.”

I chuckled and said, “Don’t let Riley hear you say that... We’ve gotten to where he doesn’t flash his fangs at me.”

“I heard that, you ass!” Riley shouted from across the parking lot. I turned to him, flipping him off.

“I’m happy you’re finally here,” I said to my aunts. For a long time, I feared my grandfather would discover their treachery, and they’d end up dead.

My aunts hugged me again and replied, “The same here... For a moment, I believed I had failed.” Aunt Cassy glanced over at my other aunt with a grin on her face. “But I foolishly overlooked your aunt Aveny’s resourcefulness and tenacity. It was she that saved us.”

I really wanted to know what she meant by that, but Joshua’s shrilled voice shattered the joyous reunion.

“I said let him go or I’ll burn your dicks off,” Joshua threatened the two guards that held a young man trapped between them.

The prisoner shivered worse than a rabbit during hunting season. His brown eyes flicked between the bickering duo while his lower lips quivered. The Alpha stepped in between Joshua and his prey. His fingers twitched, itching to throw off a spell.

The Alpha growled and said, “Stand down, boy. This is a pack matter.”

Joshua scoffed while placing his hands on his hips, striking a bitchy pose. “Since when? Just because you’re fucking my mother doesn’t give you the right to treat other spell casters as your bitches.”

I choked on my spit as I started coughing. Damn! Adam padded me on my back while he laughed but quieted down when his father shot him a nasty glare.

“He poses no threat to you or your pack.” Joshua pointed to the young man. “So stop trying to accuse other people of hidden conspiracies only because they’re not a werewolf like you.”

The Alpha strutted up to Joshua. Bless my friend’s soul. He stood his ground and didn’t lose his shit when Adam’s father gave him the death stare, which would have sent many of the wolves running for the safety of their dens.

“For your information, pup," he said, flashing his fangs. “I’m only planning on detaining the young man until I’m certain that he’s not a spy.”

Joshua shook his head. “That’s utter bullshit. Why would Nathan’s aunts bring Denis here in the first place if they didn’t trust him?”

Well, he had a point. My aunts weren’t stupid. They were extraordinarily gifted witches and would have interrogated their fellow traveler to make sure he wasn’t working for my grandfather.

“Well, I don’t care. This is my pack and my word is law. If he has nothing to hide, he’ll cooperate.”

Oh, brother... Does the drama never end?