SWNOVELS Chapter 40 ~ Born To Be a Wolf
Maddox’s POV ~
Everyone was in the conference room on the second floor.. by nine the next morning.. Venom told them “Selene told me that someone is coming for Max.. That they think he is here.. but will likely hit both places.”
I looked at Tom “Who’s coming, Tom.. Can you estimate how many?” He shook his head “They already know they can’t go covert.. that security will have stepped up.. As for the who.. it is most likely the NSA and CIA.. since the project is supposed to be top secret… And since it seems Max is a key player in all this, my guess would be they will go for shock and awe. Probably no less than two hundred troops.”
Delilah sighs “Well shit! Time for some booby traps.. Whoever thought of that, anyway? Booby traps? I mean I get it.. the best booby trap is a bra.. Hardy har har.. I mean.. who would call something a booby trap?”
When we had all finished laughing… Delaney told her “They were actually traps.. in the seventeenth century to catch a type of seabird known as a booby. The traps would kill them.. the phrase was again used in world war two.. when American troops would set deadly traps to catch the enemy and kill them.. Some were pretty gruesome.”
I looked around the room accusingly “Who found the fucking key? What fool unlocked the useless knowledge box in her brain?” Making the girls laugh.
Venom said “Time for serious, folks! We are facing an imminent attack. I am not about to doubt the word of a Goddess.” Delaney giggled “That was so weird! I was a fucking fangirling fool.. It will start to feel normal after a few months.. am I right? …. Am I right?…. What?… OH! Right! Serious! My bad! Go ahead.”
Delilah was the first to break.. Then the laugh went all around the table until everyone was gasping for air.
Tom said “Before we start again.. I really do have a serious question.. How long would it take for me to turn.. The Goddess told me something last night that made my mind up for me. She said that one of her favorite wolves requested me as his vessel..”
Delilah squealed “Ohh I am so happy for you.. I haven’t ever turned anyone.. But if Venom can walk me through it.. You could turn in less than twenty four hours.. I know it is supposed to take three bites.. but I read a bite from a Dubois only takes once.”
Venom suggested we get through the meeting and get our strategy planned.. then we would get Tom to the infirmary. Delilah would bite him.. and Delaney would monitor him.. I would be on hand to submit his wolf.
We decided half our men would sit outside our borders.. some of them.. up to twenty miles out.. hidden in the treeline.. waiting and watching which direction they would be coming.
Golden Lake is easier to defend and Snake and Axe have already started getting their people in place. Geek was amping the power up on the fences.. we were rolling out concertina wire all the way around the outer perimeter.
Brock asked “They wouldn’t be so stupid as to use heavy artillery would they?” Venom was already shaking his head “Nope.. They are trying to stay under the radar.. They may be able to get away with hand grenades.. but no major explosions.”
By the time we met the girls at the infirmary.. Tom was resting comfortably.. He had opted for a femoral bite.. knowing Delilah’s venom directly into a main artery would speed up his shift.. He grinned when he saw me “Hey Alpha! Take a look! My bite’s almost healed..”
My eyebrow shot into my hairline as I look at my sister… She grinned and shrugged.. mouthing ‘Morphine’ and I smiled.. nodding back at her.
Delilah came in with ice cream “Okay, Tom.. I got Rocky Road.. Salted Caramel Chocolate Drizzle.. and Strawberry Supreme.” Tom squealed like a thirteen year old girl and said he wanted some of all three.
This is going to be a long night.. Hopefully he will stay upbeat throughout.. but some people panic when the first bone breaks.. making the shift take longer.
Tom’s wife came in with Eliza and Alaina.. and why I can’t remember his wife’s name eludes me.. She rubs me the wrong way.. and I’m not sure why. I mind link Delaney to ask her what she thinks. I know humans are hard for her to read.. but maybe she will get something I can work with..
I hear her snarl “How can you be so stupid!? You used to hunt these filthy creatures.. now you’re going to be one? I knew I should have taken the girls to my dad’s in Georgia!” He laughed.. Outright laughed and said “By all means you crazy old bat.. Go. Fly away on your broom! But my girls stay with me.. You don’t want what I know to get out.. do you?”
She told him “You don’t know anything! You just think you do.” Tom laughed again “No. I know I know… Hey Alpha! Better watch that one.. She’s batshit crazy.. She’s a traitor.. Betrayed the fuck out of me! All three tours! I hope my wolf decides you’re not his mate! Hah! That’ll learn ya, durn ya!”
I was chewing the insides of my cheeks.. trying not to laugh.. the girls had no such difficulty.. They were laughing so hard they had to prop each other up.. and when the girls asked Delilah when they could be turned.. that woman lost her shit.. Hurrying her girls out of there.. I mind linked Hunter to keep somebody on her at all times.
Then, I asked “Has that happened before? Has a wolf ever decided their spouse wasn’t their mate?” Delaney said “Who you asking? You’re the only turned I know.. I think.. Hell! Now I have to ask Venom if we have any other turned. Shit! Why do you always do that to me?”
Delilah said “It’s entirely possible that a wolf would decide to not want the spouse of the vessel.. Especially if the human is less than enamored of said spouse to begin with.. and let’s face it.. They have got some issues!”
Well.. Fuck! His wife can’t leave.. not as long as his family is being hunted.. but I can’t force Tom to stay with her, either. This is one of those crossing that bridge situations.
Two hours later.. Tom’s temperature spiked and Delaney got him into an ice bath right away. Tom was thrashing.. and struggling.. I looked up at Delaney and she smiled “I know.. but your bites were stretched out over time.. your body grew accustomed to the venom.. so your turn was more of a natural shift.. Tom has a mega dose of super strong venom in his system.. twisting his blood.. organs.. bones and muscles in directions they have never known in forty six years. It’s going to hurt like a bitch!”
Makes sense.. and I am definitely grateful Venom turned me the way he did.. Watching Tom is painful for me.. I don’t want to imagine what it’s like for him.
It took a few hours before it was time to take Tom to the backyard.. Already his wolf was fusing with him… his weight had increased by quite a bit.. Steele pushed forward to pick up his scent.. growling ‘Strong warrior’ in my head..
It actually took just under two hours… a reddish brown good sized wolf lay panting on the ground.. and I shifted into Steele… Tom’s wolf was Samuel.. and one of the Goddess’s strongest warrior wolves. Steele puts his jaws around Samuel’s throat and he rolled belly up.. in submission.
They ran and played a couple hours and when Tom shifted back.. he was the happiest I had ever seen him. He said “I was born to be a wolf!”