Silver-White (The Great North Woods Pack #1) (6 page)

“Yeah,” Evie strained, and slowly she returned
to her bar stool. Her heart fluttered nervously; her eyes remained glued to her
grandfather.

“Don’t worry,” he smiled, his eyes
dimming. “That little glimpse was the most I can presently offer. My beloved
prefers animals to remain out-of-doors.”

“Where they belong,” Evelyn added. “Now
stop your clowning and talk to the girl seriously.”

“Breathe, honey,” Janie said, leaning over
close to her daughter. “You’re a little pale. Are you okay?”

“Fine,” Evie exhaled, “if heart attacks
are
okay
with y’all.”

“Ask your questions,” Joseph Ludlow said
when it seemed Evie had settled from the shock.

There were so many questions swirling in
her head, it was like picking just one ice cream flavor from a long list. “When
can I change?” she settled on.

“Tonight.”

“But
when
?”

“After we’ve had a chance to rest a bit,
you and I will go out for a run.”

Evie liked the idea of a run, but
certainly not the idea of waiting. It showed on her face.

“The time will come soon enough,” her grandfather
assured her. “What else would you like to know?”

“How fast are we?”

“
Very
fast.”

“Like horses?”

“And then some,” he smiled. “The clock’s
ticking. What else?”

“What does the white hair mean? Am I
stuck with it?”

“You’re stuck with it. It means quite simply
that you are the rarest of the rare.” He smiled large. “A white wolf … just
like your old Papa.”

“Is that good?”

“
I
think so. But of course I’m biased.”

Evie paused only for a second to smile. “Okay,
what’s with the eyes? Of the four of us, I noticed yours and mine look the most
alike.”

“Simple. It’s a matter of genes. In you
and me, a certain genetic trait is very prominent.”

“They look different,” her mother
clarified, “partly because your vision has changed. You can pick up on
subtleties a little easier now, like an animal; all of your senses should
improve a little. Plus, wolves have piercing eyes.”

Evie remained focused on her grandfather
as she listened to her mother. There really was something mesmerizing about him.
Something dangerous and magical. She had been right as a little girl: he was
special. And now that she knew the extent of that truth, as with the wolf of
her dream, she found it difficult to look away from him.

“Your grandfather has been pack leader
for a long time,” Janie continued. “He’s a very strong wolf. He changes almost
every day, and it shows in his human form. Your grandmother doesn’t change as
often. I obviously don’t change at all. Not anymore.”

Evie turned to her mother now. She
couldn’t believe her ears. “Um,
why?
”

“I haven’t since before you were born.”

“You’re telling me you can become a wolf
if you want to, and you
don’t?
”

Janie shook her head subtly. For a brief
moment she appeared almost sad.

“It’s a choice,” Papa Joe said, drawing
Evie’s full attention once more. “It’s her choice, and it’s something the two
of you can discuss later. Right now we’re running out of time. The family is very
excited to see you. I’ve held them off as long as I could, during the fever,
but now that they’ve heard you’re on your feet again, they’ll begin arriving
shortly. There is a slim chance you could change, stirred by all the excitement.
Before that happens, there are some ground rules to go over; a last minute
crash course, if you will.”

Evie glanced from one relative to the
next, waiting for whatever was to follow.

“You should handle it, Daddy,” Janie said.
“You’re the best at this.”

On the porch it was cool. The weak September
sun was sinking behind the ridge of Percy Peak, and Evie stood with her arms
crossed looking out to the nearest pasture and the closest of the barns.
Several of the horses were grazing the upper fence line.

“Please tell me wolves don’t eat horses,”
she sighed.

“Never,” her grandfather said. “Our
rules regarding food are among the strictest the pack has.”

“I feel bottomless inside; smelling that
chicken was
killing
me.”

“I understand. The urge to run and the
urge to refuel go hand in hand. You’ll grow accustomed to it all, and you’ll
learn the difference between urges and necessities. Now—”

“Okay,” Evie said, “I promise I’ll
listen to all the rules as soon as I know
why
.
Why are we wolves? How did this happen?”

Joseph Ludlow smiled down at his
granddaughter. “Now you’re talking my language. Origins have fascinated me all of
my life. Our history is very rich. I’ve studied it in depth, and I’ll be more
than happy to share it with you in due time. The best I can offer right now is
the condensed version.”

Evie shrugged. “I’ll take it.”

“I have no exact years to offer, but in
ancient times our kind was given the power of the wolf, the speed, the valor.
Not for pleasure but for service. Makeshift Keepers was our believed original
purpose, in place of the failed original Keepers. But we shifters have played
many roles since then.
Guardians, Watchers, Punishers, Messengers,
sometimes slaves.
Always we have been feared, and understandably so with
our intelligence and strength. But our greatest power is the secrecy in which
we thrive. So for many years, all of my lifetime, we’ve been the protectors and
keepers of great secrets.”

“What’s a Keeper?” Evie asked.

“A Steward. It simply means caretaker.
Commonly they’re known as men and women … the intended caretakers of the earth.”

“So—”

“Not now; dinner is ready and you’ve not
yet heard my rules.”

Evie pressed her lips together.

“Changing … becoming the wolf is
something you learn to do on your own. Others can coax, even push, but it’s
you
who ultimately makes it happen—an
active decision you make and cause to become a reality. When this first happens,
you’re quite likely to feel overwhelmed, almost drunk with power. Bluntly,
you’ll be
wild
.”

Evie raised her eyebrows but said
nothing.
Wild
sounded sort of
fun
.

“But here’s the kicker,” her grandfather
continued. “You will always be
you
… the
person you were born as and have become.
All your wits and personality will remain present within the wolf. It’s no game
of opposing halves; the wolf, rightfully used, is an addition to what is
already present. Therefore it is your responsibility to act in accordance with
all laws, of wolves and men. Wolves who flout the laws are subject to the punishment
of wolves, even death. No excuses. Do you understand?”

She only nodded. Her earlier inclination
toward sarcasm had completely vanished. As her grandfather progressed, his eyes
seemed to flair again, and his strong voice further deepened. The wolf she had
seen flashes of seemed on the verge of breaking free of the calm man’s control.

“You will not show yourself to humans,”
he continued. “You will not openly discuss your gift outside of the family. You
will not make the shift during daylight until you are mature; the night is yours.
You will not kill prey and get the taste for blood until you have matured. You
will not go to certain places as the wolf.
Ever
.
I will show you the places forbidden for your own safety when time permits. Am
I clear?”

“Yes,” Evie said, almost shyly. The
Alpha nature had completely overshadowed her kind Papa Joe. The thinly veiled beast
standing before her demanded her utmost respect, arguably favorite
granddaughter or not.

“The last rules for now are simple,” he
said gentler, the storm in his eyes subsiding. “You may roam freely on my land
and
only
my land. This won’t be a
burden; I own thousands of acres in two states. But young wolves are not
permitted to roam far without company in their early days. If you seek
solitude, seek it near to this house, the trails and places already familiar to
you. Otherwise you will be with a pack member at all times. You’ve got a very large
family, many of which will be eager to run with you. With them you may go. Am I
clear?”

“Yes.”

Joseph Ludlow’s demeanor had by now settled
to normal. “Good,” he said in his common tone. “Dinner is on the table. Aunts,
uncles, and cousins will be here within minutes.” He smiled down at his
granddaughter’s anxious face. “Don’t worry, my dear, being a wolf isn’t all
serious business; it’s foremost a gift.”

“Okay,” she muttered.

“No, Red.” He leaned closer. “This is a
lot, I know, but understand me clearly. This is a wonderful day, a wonderful
time, the springtime of a great new life; be glad in it. You’ve come through
the hardest part brilliantly; you have only the best left ahead of you now—to
make the first full shift, which is a literal explosion of vitality nothing
short of rebirth.
This
night
you will experience wonders you
will hardly believe. You will feel things truer, deeper than you ever thought
possible. And you will run like you have never run before; the north wind
itself will envy your speed.”

Evie smiled nervously. The same cool
tingle she’d felt from seeing the wolf on the mantel rippled through her once again.
“Okay,” she breathed.

“That’s better,” he said, motioning her
toward the house. “Come now, our magic goes only so far; we must eat to have
strength for the night.”

-4-

Dinner was not over when the first wave
of family arrived. There had been time to discuss very little after the
conversation on the porch.

When Uncle Earl and Aunt Ruth entered
with Matthew and Erica, Evie jumped from her chair at the table to meet them. Of
all her cousins, Erica and Matthew she’d always been closest with. Erica was
only eight months older, and for a long time now the two had considered
themselves as best friends rather than relatives. Matthew was several years
older, and even though he was a
boy
he had always paid Evie much attention. He was big and rough and loud, but he
loved his family, and had a sense of humor that never failed to keep Evie, or
most who knew him, entertained.

After being hugged warmly by her uncle,
Aunt Ruth commenced to fussing over Evie’s height and hair—as if she hadn’t
seen her niece in five years. She ended the greeting with warm, almost giddy congratulations.

“Thanks,” Evie forced herself to say. She
had no sooner escaped the awkward fuss when she was crushed by Matthew’s heavy
arms. He was bigger than ever now.

“It’s good to see you, Bama brat.”

“Ugh,” Evie complained with a laugh. “Easy
on me, you mountain man! Are you on roids or what?”

Matthew laughed loudly as he released
her. “Yeah, that’s it, I’m on the juice. You crack me up, Red.”

“Maybe we shouldn’t call her Red anymore,”
Erica said from her brother’s side. She stepped forward, hugged Evie
mechanically, and stepped back. “Who did your hair?”

Evie had been smiling while she hugged
Erica. But as she stepped back and saw her cousin’s expression, after the
lackluster hug, she realized the sharp edge of her comment—a cut she hadn’t expected.
Just days before the two had been talking and joking as usual via text. “What?”

“Don’t mind her,” Matthew said. He
leaned forward as if he was about to whisper a secret, and then spoke loudly
anyway. “She’s got her undies all bunched up because the attention’s on you now.
Just ignore it.”

Erica glared at her brother, her already
dark eyes darkening further with anger. “No I am not jealous.” Then she looked
at Evie. “I was surprised to see your hair, that’s all. I am glad to see you.”

Matthew whistled loudly in regard to
Evie’s hair; then said, “Yeah, yeah, it’s time to lighten the mood. Let’s hear
the magic words, Red. It’s been too long.”

Evie’s mood shot straight from perplexed
to embarrassed, and she felt her cheeks warming as a memory returned to her.
The magic words were an old family joke. “No, I will not say
that
.”

“Come on, Evie,” Uncle Earl said from
across the room. “It wouldn’t be a proper visit without the magic words.”

Evie sighed. The chatter had all ceased.
All eyes were on her now. “Fine,” she mumbled under her breath, remembering the
day a large bug had struck her eye while riding a four-wheeler. Papa Joe had
suggested she stay off the quads for a while, and Evie had protested bitterly that
she was okay to continue. To her northern relatives, her accented cries sounded
closer to
Mah ahh is faahn
.

“My eye is fine,” she said now, with as
much control as she could manage. The room erupted into laughter before she
even got to
fine
. Evie covered her
face with her hands, laughing along with them. And dropping her hands again,
she added, “At least I don’t say
wicked
good
all the time!”