Sapphire: A Werewolf Love Story (17 page)

Hania sits back down across from me and closes her
eyes.  Her eyes open wide and she stares at Parker for a second longer than
normal. 

“My spirit guide is Alo; she’s a deceased descendent
from the eighteenth century.  This is my second lifetime with Alo by my side. 
The first time, we actually were sisters, much like you and your sister.  Ruby
loves you very much, and as the family suffers growing pains, you need to
remember your love.  Sapphire, Alo tells me we can regain your memories.”  She
reaches across the table for my hand. “I want to assure everyone, the person who
abducted you did not harm you.  He did not rape you or cause you harm.”  Parker
clears his throat.  “Parker, you’re right to distrust him.  He brought you
together again, and ultimately he realigned the stars for the both of you.”

“Oh gag me, you’re saying that whoever kidnapped my
sister did it to bring this a-hole in our life?”

“Ruby, one more word and you’re out.  Do I make
myself clear?”  Mom says.

“Crystal,” Ruby replies haughtily.

“An old Arapaho saying is,
When we show our
respect for other living things, they respond with respect for us.
  I want
you to remember those words for the rest of your days.  Sapphire, I want you to
know that your new status in life does not overpower your link to the Arapaho
tribe.  I’d like for you to close your eyes.  We’re going to play a word
association game.  When I say a word, I want you to say the first thing that
comes to mind.”

“Okay.”  I’m not sure how a spirit guide comes up
with word association.  I don’t remember being Indian, so who am I to question
her tactics.

“The first word is, summer.”

“Hot.”

“Very good.  Rooster.”

“Hen.”  I remember my farm animals,
I’m a farm
animal.

“Oklahoma.”

“Home.”

“Diamonds.”

“Ruby.”

“Very good, that was one step closer.  Chocolate.”

“Hives.”

“Does Sapphire have a chocolate allergy?”

“No, but Storm does,” Ruby announces.

“You’re doing great. Rock.”

“Stone.”

“Sugar cookie,” Hania asks.  Her voice is soothing
as she talks; it makes me want to sleep.

“Favorite.”
I have a favorite cookie!

“Love.”

“Beta,” I realize what I say the minute it comes out
of my mouth.  Thankfully, only one other person knows what it means.  Sadly,
he’s sitting next to me.

“Weather.”

“Storm.”  There it is…a tidal wave of memories hit
me straight on in the chest.  I double-over smacking my forehead on the table
as I clutch my stomach.  Anger mixed with jubilation cloud my head of rational
thoughts.  I remember the boy in first grade who called me a bug-eyed-creep. 
The time I walked in on Stone with his girlfriend and I ran out screaming. 
Parker, my beautiful wolf-man.   I prayed he left me for a good reason.  As
much anger Ruby has towards him, I’m not angry.  My heart is screaming with
happiness at the memories of Parker.  The earth moving sex, and waking up with
him on the back patio.  Every memory is phenomenal, and I look up to see Parker
staring at me.  His sacrifice makes sense now that I’m a wolf too.  The human I
was would never have understood being a werewolf.  She’s right, Pedro brought
us together.  He didn’t go the right way, but unbeknownst to him, I’m glad to
know our secrets.  I own a store…and a motorcycle.  “Where’s my bike?”  She
didn’t say I can open my eyes, but I remember everything, so we don’t need a
spirit guide.

“It’s in the garage, Stone and I picked it up.  Your
nitwit employees had no idea where you were and they didn’t bother calling
anyone about you not showing up to work.  It was Ruby who discovered your bike
at the shop and she couldn’t find you. I wanted to fire them, but mom wouldn’t
let me.”

“They probably thought I left the bike overnight. 
It doesn’t matter, I’m home and my memory is back.  Thank you for helping me.” 

“We’re not finished.  This is for the best, it will
be easier for them to understand with me here.”

Like a little kid, I’m scared to tell them what’s
going on.  She’s right, there’s no time like right now.

“Mom, this is Parker.  He’s a kind and generous
man.  Yes, he left me and yes, I balled up and cried for days.  I know that was
hard to watch, trust me, it was hard to live through.   If you’ll set your
thoughts to the side, we have something to tell you, please hear us out.”  I
take a deep breath, exhaling slowly, my thoughts become clear and undamaged. 
“This conversation is for your ears only, I have to have your word you won’t go
to the tabloids or anything.”

“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, whatever you have to tell
us isn’t tabloid worthy.  Get on with the show,” Ruby slaps her hands on the
table.

When memories are stripped away, and returned, the
good is so much better than the bad.  Ruby and I were tight before Storm came
along.  She started resenting me when I couldn’t go out any time I wanted.  She
was mad because I didn’t sue Parker for child support.  Now, she’s a short-tempered
grouchy woman.

Hania stood up and clapped her hands together to get
our attention.

“Ladies, as much as I love what I do, you’re sucking
the fun out of this experience.  Ruby, I’m sure you love your sister, and you
miss having fun with her.  As people, we evolve every seven years.   If there’s
another outburst, I will leave.  Please give Sapphire and Parker you attention,
no comments,
listen
.”

I sit nervous, my hands on the table, fingers laced
together to hide the fact I’m shaking.  My stomach is flipping, afraid I’ll say
something wrong, I stammer as I find my words.

“Well, I’m not sure how things like this are exposed
to family members; I’ll try to say it as eloquently as possible.  It’s true;
Parker and I were only together for a short amount of time, a few days.  In
everyone’s book, that’s not enough time to know each other.  Some people call
it insta-love.  There isn’t anything instant about love.   I’ve read books
about people falling in love at first sight. I’ve read reviews on those books
that complain about it being too fast.  How long should love take?  Parker and
I were together spiritually and physically.  If this were my fairy tale written
out for the world to see, would they say it was unbelievable?  Would my story
pull the hopeless romantic in to feel the touch of a man?  When you read my
story, should it be a tragedy or triumphant?  I’ll always remember good over
evil at all costs.  What do you consider evil?  Would I be less spiritual if I
develop animal instincts to hunt?”  I stand up and walk around the table;
everyone has a puzzled look on their face as I use metaphors to talk about my
existence.  “If you believe in Native American lore, surely you’ll believe in
lore passed down from Ireland.  There are stories of men who could shift into
another animal.  Native Americans don’t call it a werewolf, they talk about
their wolf though.  I have a wolf, she has been released, no longer hidden in
my soul.  She is a living breathing wolf.  She’s pretty bad-ass too.”  Ruby is
sitting, staring at me but not looking at me.  She’s thinking it through, she’s
processing the words.

Parker stands up and pulls me to his side.  “I’m
going to do show-and-tell for you to understand what she’s talking about.” 
Parker pulls his olive green shirt over his head, and unties his shoes to slip
them off.

“What the hell is this all about?”  Mom asks.  “This
isn’t a bridal shower; a stripper isn’t going to help matters.  Why is he
taking off his pants?”

“Cute huh?” I tease in reply.  “It’s getting’ hot in
here!”

“Sapphire, this is inappropriate,” mom fidgets
around in her seat.

“Good God Almighty, hell, I’ll do him if you don’t
want him,” Ruby says but never averts her eyes from his perfectly tanned body. 
He’s hairy in the right places.  I blush remembering our nights together.

Hania speaks next.  “Keep your mind open and your
mouths closed.  This is the most beautiful spiritual event I’ve ever
witnessed.”  Ruby raises her eyebrows at Hania, I can see she’s starting to
question Hania’s mental state.

“Phire, will you hand me that rose on the table?” 
Parker takes the rose and says he’s going into the hallway for a second and to
remember how he’s holding the rose with his teeth.

Within the minute his wolf walks into the room.  I
gasp as I see his lean body transformed into a wolf.  My heart is hammering so
loud, I’m certain Storm is going to hear us and wake up.  I can’t help to touch
Parker.  His fur is softer than I expected.  The rose is still between his
teeth, he drops it at my feet.

“Simply beautiful.  Praise the heavens, we aren’t
the only earth dwellers.  As sure as I am of my own abilities, I’m pleased to
know the others still exist.”  Hania walks over to Parker, she moves slow with
fear and curiosity across her face.

I turn to face my mom and tears are streaming down
her face.  I look over at Ruby and no wonder she’s quiet, she fainted. 

Parker goes back to the room and shifts back.

Mom, Ruby and I spend the rest of the evening
answering questions.  Everything goes well, up until I tell them I’m moving
out.  Parker explains it will be in my best interest to move to the farm.  We
all lived here to help mom pay the mortgage, but last year I paid the balance
off.  She’s mortgage free and Ruby can stay and everything will work out.  Ruby
decides to sleep at mom’s tonight after she finds out Parker and I are staying
the night. 

“No howling either!”  Ruby says as she leaves
through the patio door to go to mom’s.

PARKER

As soon as Sapphire and her family drive off, I
called an emergency pack meeting.  We meet everyone in the front lawn.

Dolly, Abel and I had a private meeting before
stepping out on the porch.  The atmosphere is charged with energy as we walk
outside.  Abel stands on one side of Dolly and I on the other. 

I look out at the sea of werewolves and know they
are ready to bring justice on behalf of Sapphire.  Dolly clears her voice and
everyone stops and gives her their attention.  “Thank you for dropping whatever
you were doing and joining us for this quick meeting.  As you know, we’ve had a
young were with us over the last few weeks.  Today, we learned her name is
Sapphire, and she’s Parker’s friend.  We will respect Sapphire as a member of
this pack, I will not accept anything less than respect for her.  Is that
understood?”  She looks out over the crowd and everyone nods their head in
agreement.  “I’m turning this over to Parker.  Tatiana, when the meeting is
over, I want to meet with you in my office.”

No one as much as blinked as Tatiana stands
red-faced looking anywhere but at me.  “I’m not going to draw this out.  I want
a rogue wolf brought in, the sooner, and the better.  I am offering a
twenty-five thousand dollar bounty from my account for him to be brought to me
alive.  The pack is kicking in a ten thousand dollar incentive to combine with
my twenty-five to bring in any rogues he’s associated with.  Add it up
everyone; thirty-five thousand dollars.  His name is Pedro, and I have some
material with his scent,   I have the fabric in the house for those that want
to go out hunting.  This is a business, don’t forget your obligations here at
the farm.  No one is to go off alone, and under no circumstances are you to
kill him.  He’ll pray for his death when I’m finished, but no, he’s going to
live.  Abel and Oakley are your go-to guys.  Leave me and Sapphire alone.  Any
questions?”

“Is that the dude you castrated two years ago?”
Bryon asks.

I shake my head up and down.  “Yes.” 

Michael steps forward, he holds his head cocked with
a sarcastic look on his face.  “Is Sapphire your girlfriend?  It’s odd to me
she appears at the farm and you didn’t know who she was.  Now, she’s
miraculously your friend.”  Michael is challenging me with his venom laced
words.

“My personal life is of no concern to you.”

“Let’s get this straight, you’re not
my alpha
. 
I don’t get why you can stake claim into every woman who shows up at the
farm.”  Michael isn’t given a chance to finish his rant.  Abel has lifted his
hand and waves of energy flow from his hand to Michael.  The next moment,
Michael is grabbing his head and dropping to his knees. 

“Michael, you and I will have a meeting about your
punishment for speaking to your beta that way.  I want everyone to be clear, I’m
not the alpha…yet. Dolly holds that position with Parker as her beta.  Even
though I’m not the alpha of this pack, I am the Great Wolf, and I’ve called
rank.  Your punishment will be at my discretion.  If anyone else has anything
to say regarding Pedro, speak now.”  Not a soul says anything.  Abel is new to
the werewolf life, but he’s a natural.  “Michael, meet me in Dolly’s office
after Tatiana is released.”

“What the fuck ever,” he mutters.

“Come again?” I ask, knowing full well what he said.

“I said, yes sir.”

I put my hands in my front jeans pockets.  “If you
bring Pedro in within forty-eight hours, I’ll add another five thousand.  Be
sure to fill out your calendar with your intentions and comings and goings. 
Hunt well!”  I tilt my head back and howl.  The pack howled with me, continuing
the battle cry of the wolf, a tradition wolves do before they go to battle.