Destiny's Path (17 page)

She distantly heard Flynn trying to talk. “You all…know what to…do before she fully…transforms.” He swallowed audibly, holding her hand and riding the pain with her as she cried out in agony. “She’ll need the…smell of the Pack to…help her find her way back…to us.”

“She’ll come back to us, Flynn. You’ll make sure of that,” Dillon stated.

At least she thought it was Dillon. She was in so much agony she wasn’t sure. She just wanted the pain to stop. She could actually feel her bones bending and her skin stretching. Feel hair sprouting all over her body. That was when she started to freak out a little.

“Sasha, calm…calm down!” Flynn exclaimed, touching her face and shoulders. “Focus on me…my scent. Concentrate on me.”

Sasha breathed him in, trying to focus, but it was so hard when she could feel her spine contort and her face elongate.

“Flynn!” She screamed, dimly noting that her voice had changed, and the more she screamed, the more it sounded like she was howling.

Sasha rolled onto her side, crying in agony as her body shed one form for another. Screaming and writhing in pain as her bones bent even more and her face turned into a muzzle filled with teeth. Canine teeth. Her mind registered everything that was happening to her body, from the smallest to the largest change. It was almost like she was watching the process and feeling it at the same time. But then, she noted she was getting weaker, that her heart was stammering with the strain of the transformation.

“No! Don’t do this, Sasha! Fight, damn you! Fight!” Flynn cried, holding her hand in a death grip.

She could feel herself starting to slip away, feel their bond begin to weaken. She was tired, so tired. All she wanted to do was sleep and never wake up. Let go and never feel this pain again.

“Please don’t…leave me.”

As Sasha felt herself slipping away, she also felt Flynn following her. Felt both their hearts stutter. She felt his love and knew she couldn’t let him die with her. So her only choice? Fight for them both. As she made that decision, the pain intensified. When she thought she could stand no more, a warm rush of power flooded through her, blinding her with its brilliance and filling her with new strength. When next she opened her eyes, everything around her looked brighter, clearer, even though she saw it was full dark. She could smell everything. Trees, grass, dirt, animals, and something strangely familiar. Something she knew but she couldn’t place.

“Sasha?” A gravelly voice called.

She swung her head around to see a reddish-brown wolf with Flynn’s eyes. “How do you feel?”

That’s right; the Lupus can talk in wolf form.
She didn’t have a clue how, though.

“I’m not sure. I…” She stopped, not recognizing her own voice. It was lower pitched, rougher sounding. Almost like she was growling and talking at the same time. Really weird.

She blinked, clearly confused, and then tried to stand. Her legs, all four of them she realized, didn’t seem to want to work.

Flynn looked at her, tail wagging with joy. “Give it a minute, love. You’re still feeling the aftereffects of the transformation.”

Sasha looked back at Flynn, not believing her eyes. “It worked? We made it?” Finally making it to all fours. All fours! She had four legs!

Flynn licked her muzzle, rubbing his head against her neck. “Yes, love. We made it. Though it was a near thing.”

A great howling surrounded them as everyone celebrated her First Transformation and came to greet her wolf-style. A lot of rubbing and nuzzling, tail wagging and wolfish laughter.

Sasha looked at everyone in their wolf forms, bringing their scents into her nose and lungs. This was her Pack; it was also that familiar scent she smelled earlier. But one scent wasn’t like the others. She looked around to find its source, then spotted Dillon standing to the side. He was still in human form, not yet old enough for the First Transformation, a wide smile on his handsome little face. She walked over to him, sensing that something was unfinished, something important.

They were almost eye level, she noticed as she sat in front of him.

“You have returned, my Alpha,” he said, bowing low.

The minute he spoke those words, the memories of Tala fell into place in Sasha’s mind. It was like a part of her had been missing and was now returned. She also recognized an old friend in the boy in front of her. “As have you, Diona.” She bowed her head as well.

“The circle is complete. The prophecy fulfilled. But danger still hovers to threaten our Pack’s future.”

“I won’t fail, Diona. Not this time,” she promised, knowing what had to be done, yet feeling strange at the same time about what she was saying. It was almost like another person was talking through her mouth, yet it was still her. Acclimating herself to Tala’s memories was going to take getting used to.

He reached out and hugged her neck. “Of course you won’t. You will soon carry the future and the continuation of the Pack. You will be triumphant.” He pulled back, touching her head tenderly.

“Dillon?” Charlie came to their side, clearly confused. Huh, she was confused!

“Yeah, Mom?” Dillon responded, acting like there was nothing wrong.

“What the hell was that all about?” She was clearly nervous. Sasha could also smell a trace of fear. Though not for herself.

He looked at her in confusion. “Oh, sorry. I just now knew why I was supposed to be here.”

“Did I hear you say Diona?” Flynn and the others came over to them.

“Yes. Me and her are one. Just like Sasha and Tala are one,” Dillon replied.

“Say that again?” Angel demanded.

“You know, you just told all of us their story. Though Nikos is kind of one with Flynn and Roan.” He scrunched his brow in thought.

“Wait, wait.” Flynn’s ears were laid back in agitation. “What the hell is going on?” he growled, his posture saying he’d had enough mysteries for one night.

“I think he means reincarnation, right?” Robert asked, looking at Dillon.

“Uh, huh. Me and Diona, Sasha and Tala, and Nikos, Roan, and Flynn.”

“Nikos, Roan, and Flynn?” Angel had her head cocked to the side with the question.

“Yeah. Nikos’ soul got split ‘cause they’re twins. Roan was supposed to only get the Alpha part while Flynn got the True Mate part, but Roan has a True Mate, too. Only he hasn’t met her yet.” He shrugged. “So you see, Flynn and Sasha were meant to be together. Always.”

“Which also means that Neena…” Flynn began to say.

“Yes, she and Jenna are one.” Dillon frowned. “She has long been a shadow of hate trying to take your happiness. And sometimes even your lives.” He sounded much older than his twelve years. Though with an ancient seer’s soul, he was bound to mature faster than the average child.

“That’s great news.” Gabe gave a canine snort.

“I’m afraid you’ll have to kill her this time, Sasha. It’s the only way,” Dillon informed her sadly. “If she finds out you are soon to be with child, her rage will know no bounds. She must die so we can live on.”

“A child?” Roan and Flynn asked in unison, both looking at Sasha.

She was already stunned from first time she heard that, and hearing it a second time was no less shocking. Though being told she had to kill Jenna was equally shocking. All these revelations had her feeling rather light-headed. So it was a good thing she was already sitting down, blinking and shaking her head to clear it.

“Are you sure, Dillon?” Flynn came to her side and nuzzled her face in comfort.

“Of course. It’s not clear when she will conceive, but Sasha will soon be pregnant. And the child will be a girl.” He smiled, going to stand in front of Gabe. “And your True Mate.”

“What?” Gabe gasped, all the hair on his body standing on end.

“Did you think that meeting Sasha and saving her was mere coincidence? That Grandfather’s delusions weren’t real?” Dillon laughed. “No, we all have a purpose. But there is also danger.” He frowned again, looking at everyone. “This child has to be born. If she isn’t, then our species will slowly die out, and our souls won’t be reborn Lupus, running free with the Pack. They will be confined to a human shell.”

“A worse fate if ever there was one,” Robert said, shuddering with distaste.

“A True Mate.” Gabe’s voice was filled with awe. “I never even dreamed I would be lucky enough to find a Mate, much less a True Mate.”

Flynn gave Sasha one last lick, then padded over to Gabe.

“I’m honored to have your daughter as my True Mate, Flynn. She’ll want for nothing, I swear.” He stood tall and proud.

“I know you’ll take care of her. And truth to tell, I don’t think I would trust anyone else with her welfare. Or her heart,” Flynn replied, tail wagging.

“Thank you, my friend.” Gabe bowed his head in respect.

“Don’t you mean
my father
?” Roan asked, padding over to the two. “Gabe will be your son after the child comes of age.”

“Now that’s a trip. Flynn, my father by Mate.” Gabe laughed, tail wagging with joy.

“A baby.” Sasha was still waiting for the shock to wear off. It hadn’t.

Flynn came to her side again, his worry for her palpable. “You alright, sweetheart?”

“Not sure. I mean, here I am, a wolf. A talking wolf who just found out that I’m the reincarnation of the Lupus’ greatest female Alpha, I have to kill Jenna, and to top it all off, I’m soon to be pregnant with a daughter. Who, it just so happens, is Gabe’s True Mate.” She shook her head, feeling her ears sway with the movement. “I don’t know if I should just lose it now and run howling into the woods or wait till I change back so I can scream my head off. What do you think?” she asked him calmly. A little too calmly by the look in his ice-blue eyes.

And she actually felt calm. So calm that it was scary. Because she knew in a while, the shock would wear off, and she had no idea how she would react to all this.

“Well, I think a run would do you some good,” he told her, his voice sounding concerned.

She cocked her head to the side and looked at him. “You sure?”

“Absolutely. It’ll clear your head, and you can burn up some nervous energy. You’ll feel much better after a Pack run.”

Sasha felt strange standing on four feet. She felt like herself, but not. She felt more agile, powerful. All her senses were more accurate. She just felt free.

“Follow at your own pace. Don’t think about anything. Let your mind and spirit enjoy the moment. Enjoy being with the Pack,” Flynn instructed as they joined the others and started to run through the woods.

He was right. Running with her Pack was the most freeing and exhilarating feeling she had ever experienced. Well, next to making love with Flynn, of course.

All her primal instincts came to the fore. She could rationalize and negotiate her environment. She knew there were rabbit and deer, opossum and raccoon nearby, scurrying to avoid their detection. A myriad of green smells and damp earth, rotting leaves, and clean air filled her lungs as they ran deeper into the forest. And overall was the smell of her Pack mates around her as they ran and jumped, bumped, and nudged each other playfully. She was home, and this was her family. Her Pack. She couldn’t bear it if something were to destroy this or them. And that was when it finally sank in, the precariousness of the situation and the solution to it all.

Her.

Chapter Nine

Like Roan, she was Alpha whether she chose to be or not. And as such, she had a responsibility to the Pack, a duty, a destiny to ensure their future, one free of jeopardy. That their children had a future.

She knew what she had to do. She had to stop Jenna, stop the cycle of hate and jealously that had been following her and Flynn through lifetime after lifetime. Stop the bitterness and jealousy before it destroyed the Lupus. That meant Jenna had to die. Sasha’s unborn daughter deserved the chance to live and love, and Sasha was going to give her that chance. Killing Jenna would be a small sacrifice. One bad life for the good of all the others. She could sleep well at night with that.

But how in the world was she going to accomplish it? Knowing what had to be done and doing it were two different things. . But she had plenty of teachers and two weeks to prepare. The bad news was she was going to be fighting to the death. And she was soon to be pregnant. Could be tomorrow. A tricky deal to be sure. A plan would be good. One in her favor.

They stopped in a clearing to rest after covering several miles. She had just run probably three or four miles, and she wasn’t even winded. In fact, she felt great. Better than she had ever felt in her entire life. She was alive, so alive!

“Did the run help?” Flynn asked after they had rested a bit. He hadn’t left her side. She was more than happy to have him with her.

“Yeah, it let me get my thoughts in order.” She licked his muzzle with affection. Hmm, she wondered how Lupus did it in wolf form. Maybe later when there wasn’t such a crowd.

“Keep that up, and we’ll be going behind a tree.” He growled, returning the lick and picking up on her needs.

“All right. But I get to have my way with you later when there isn’t an audience.”

“Guaranteed, sweetheart.” Flynn gave her a wolfish grin.

They lay there for a while, content with their surroundings and each other. When it was time to go, Roan led the way back by a different route, but they still came back to the clearing, only on the opposite side. Unfortunately, they all smelled trouble before breaking through the trees. And it was the scent of blood.

Two good-looking men were talking with Dillon. One was tall with shoulder-length blond hair, and the other was a couple of inches shorter with close-cropped black hair. Both wore the same expression. Pissed off. Hmm, Sasha sensed bad news.

“Mikeal, Steven, what’s happened?” Roan asked with authority as he approached the two men.

The blond spoke first. Or rather, he growled first.

“Jenna’s escaped,” he spat out.

“How?”

“She had help,” the dark one answered with disgust.

“How?” Roan asked again, eyes beginning to glow with ice fire.

The blond explained, knowing he wouldn’t be asked again. “She called her mother, Rhonda, saying she needed a few things and could she bring them by. We didn’t object,” he began, his voice getting angrier by the second. “When Rhonda got there, me and Steven went out to give a hand. She didn’t need it.”

“That crazy bitch shot me and then started shooting at Steven. Jenna got in her mother’s car during all the gunfire.” Mikeal growled. “They took off heading who knows where. That was less than an hour ago.”

“Are you hurt badly?” Flynn quickly changed back to man form as he approached Mikeal.

Sasha watched, deciding the movies and books got it all wrong. There was nothing gross or awful about the changing process. No twisting limbs or stretching skin. It was all colorful light and vapor. Quite beautiful, actually. Of course, a nude Flynn was heart-stopping. And all hers.

“No, it was a clean shot through my right shoulder, and it’s halfway healed. Hurt like hell, though,” he remarked as Flynn examined his wound.

“Well, is he all right?” Roan was still in wolf form.

“Yeah, the muscles and ligaments are fine, and the hole is almost closed. It’ll be sore for a few days, though.” Flynn gave Mikeal final instructions. “You’ll need to eat a lot of red meat to help replace any blood loss. And don’t change until the soreness is gone. You need time to heal in this form before changing into the other. Doctor’s orders.”

“Yes, sir.”

“You got any holes in you, Steven?” Flynn asked as he came to Steven’s side.

“Nah. Can’t say the same for my Mustang, though. That crazy bitch put four holes in it and busted the front window.”

“Better the car than you.” Flynn patted his shoulder.