Yes, it's Chapter 16 again, but I was unhappy with the fight scene (having typed the original late at night) and I wanted to revise it a bit. Chapter 17 will be up shortly. Enjoy!
Chapter 16 The Long Night (part 3)
Vivian had quickly organized the pack members who had shown up at the church in answer to her distress signal. She had decided they would drive most of the way so that they would not be too worn out for battle when they arrived at the lodge. She had a very large turn out of pack members and was pleased to see so many unified under this cause.
Most surprising of all was the appearance of Tyler Creed and Buddy Hooks. On her way into Matt's truck she paused at the passing Tyler.
"This is a surprise. I'd have thought you'd like to see Lucas harmed."
Tyler grinned at her and said, "I would never pass up this opportunity for a good fight Viv. Besides, I'm part of this pack and I don't relish the idea of a whole generation of us being wiped out in one night."
Vivian lifted a questioning eyebrow then turned to settle herself next to Matt. "Let's go!" All the vehicles left in a hurry, following each other west as fast as they could safely go.
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Lucas's gray wolf stepped out onto the porch, took a look at the full moon which was clearly visible and let out a long howl. It was a howl of an Alpha and the Silver Lake wolves sitting in the tree line shifted there feet nervously. There was something about Lucas that set him apart from Nathan, something that made them unsure of tonight's outcome.
Nathan's black wolf stood it's ground ten feet away from the bottom of the porch stairs. He showed no fear outwardly, but inwardly a flicker of uncertainty struck him when he saw the aura of strength in which Lucas held himself. What had Lucas done with those last ten minutes? What magic was this?
Randy walked out in human form behind Lucas and took a position on the porch with his gun at the ready. "Anyone other than Nathan or Lucas, who comes into this yard, will be shot," Randy announced loudly. "There will be no interfering with this match."
The sofa had been pulled away from the front window and the teens had gathered to watch the fight. The gray wolf looked towards the window and locked eyes with Sophia. Nathan saw this and knew instantly that this female was important to Lucas
Very pretty, Lucas. Once you are dead, I will take her for my mate.
Nathan taunted Lucas, hoping to goad him into making rash decisions. Lucas said nothing but turned to look at Nathan, his confidence and power pulsating in the night air. Then he leapt off the top of the porch, over the stairs and landed a few feet from Nathan who had jumped back and started growling and snapping at Lucas. Lucas circled around him while Nathan turned his wolf body around, making sure to always be facing Lucas.
Suddenly Lucas jumped at Nathan and the wolves met on their hind legs, using their fore legs to scratch and smack as their jaws tried to clamp down on anything they could get of each other. Nathan was truly worried now as he felt just how strong Lucas really was. He had never found a wolf in his own pack that could beat him in a fight and now here was this seventeen year old throwing off his weight and making him lose his edge.
He pushed away from Lucas and trotted a little away to circle back again as he thought of his next move. This was not going to be as easy as he had thought it would be and he felt his confidence starting to fail. Already Lucas had hooked a tooth on his side and he felt the pain of that injury acutely.
You have some strength, Lucas. But I have never been beaten before.
Nathan taunted Lucas as he circled around Lucas this time, looking for a perfect place to strike. Lucas followed him with his eyes and body, ready for Nathan's move. The black wolf lunged and snapped at his front paw, but Lucas was able to pull it away before he tightened his jaw. Nathan did manage to scrape his teeth along his foreleg a bit and Lucas felt his blood starting to tickle. He did not focus on any pain he was feeling because he was completely focused on his target.
Again both wolves lunged at each other and Lucas ducked his head as he charged, putting it under Nathan's chest and then lifting the black wolf slightly off his feet, he flung Nathan onto his side. Nathan felt a sharp jab of pain on the side of his ribs as he landed on a large, sharp stone. He quickly rolled away as he noticed Lucas coming for him again. The moment he got to his feet his instinct was to run for his life and he started to move. Lucas pounced down on his lower back and grabbed at his sides with his claws, ripping the fur and flesh of the black wolf. Nathan howled in pain and shock.
Nathan managed to get away from Lucas's grip and stood bleeding and panting as he looked around at the faces of his watching pack. He knew he couldn't give up, he couldn't run away from this. He must take this to it's final outcome, whatever that may be.
Lucas gave Nathan no time to rest or to think. He bounded towards him and leapt on top, knocking Nathan over and sending them both rolling with fangs grabbing at each other. Lucas came out on top and sunk his teeth deep into Nathan's throat. Nathan tried to struggle out of Lucas's grip, but the younger wolf was just too strong and he felt his own strength seeping out of the wound in his neck. Lucas did not release the black wolf's neck until he could no longer hear the beat of Nathan's heart.
When finally he looked up, he let out another powerful howl and the teens in the lodge cheered, hugging each other with joy. Sophia stood at the window, gripping the edge, pride filling every part of her as she looked at Lucas in his triumph. He flipped back to human form, breathing heavily, Nathan's blood covering his mouth and neck, and looked up at her.
Just then a Silver Lake wolf came shuffling forward from the trees, it's head bowed in submission. Randy lifted the gun but Lucas held out his arm to signal Randy not to shoot. The Silver Lake wolf flipped and knelt before Lucas. "You are truly meant to be Alpha. Nathan had told us not to honor the deal, that we should attack even if he falls. We will not do so. Nathan has made many bad decisions and we are glad that he will no longer become our Alpha when his father dies. We will return your female to you and then we will leave." He flipped back into wolf form as he trotted away into the trees.
Lucas stood in place, waiting to make sure that the Silver Lake wolves were really moving off. The teens in the house wanted to run outside and congratulate him, but they heard him say, "Wait!" as they were piling out the front door. They stopped and waited until the sounds of the Silver Lake wolves began to fade more and more.
Lucas then turned to them, a grin on his face. "Time to party!"
They cheered and howled as they ran over to him, wanting to touch him, their fearless leader. Lucas reached through the crowd and found Sophia's hand. He pulled her through the bodies crowded around him and pressed her possessively against his side, wrapping an arm around her. Sophia felt star struck as she looked at his smiling face. He smiled at her and said, "It was all for you, baby." He kissed her deeply, drawing cheers from the others.
Sarah came trotting through the trees, flipping when she saw the teens. "Sarah!" yelled Sophia. She broke away from Lucas and the crowd and ran to hug her friend. "You o.k.?"
"Yeah, how's Sean?" Sarah asked.
Sophia took her hand, "Come on." She led Sarah into the house and to Sean who was resting on the fur rug in front of the fire. Sarah knelt down and gently put her hands on his arm.
Sean opened one eye and peered at her. "Hey" , he managed to rasp out.
Sarah laughed with joy and bent down to give him a kiss on his cheek.
Sophia stood up straight as she felt the teens outside become alert and wary. She went back out to the porch and heard the sound of wolves running towards them from the west, a large number of them. Fear returned and she quickly looked at Lucas who stood staring in the direction of the noise. Then she noticed a smile forming on his face and he said, "It's our own. Wolf Lake to the rescue," he laughed.
"A little slow getting here aren't they?" Stephen commented. The adults became visible as they bounded into the front yard. They paced around the teens, looking for signs of trouble, sniffing the dead wolves, before flipping into their human forms.
Matt's wolf had bounded up the porch steps and flipped right next to Sophia.
"Dad?" Sophia said, "What's up?" She pretended that nothing was wrong, that she didn't just have her life in danger.
Matt grabbed onto her arms, "Sophia? Are you alright?" He looked her over for any injuries
"I'm fine Dad. Sean is the only one hurt." Matt looked inside the door where Sophia had just pointed. He walked in to take a look at Sean and noticed the guns laying around and the general chaos of the house.
Meanwhile in the front yard, Vivian had walked up before Lucas.
"Luke? What happened here? Is Silver Lake gone?"
Lucas smiled at her. "We handled it Mom." Vivian could sense that plenty had happened and she knew she would get the details out of Lucas soon enough. The important thing was that everyone in her pack was alive and counted for.
They looked over at Tyler who was pushing at Nathan's dead carcass with his foot. It was obvious that Lucas made this kill by the blood evidence on Lucas's face. "Good job Cates," Tyler said. "Nathan, eh? Not a bad kill for a pup." Tyler could see the admiration for Lucas on the faces of the others. It didn't please him at all.
"Well, shall we finish them before they get too far?" asked Buddy anxiously. He eyes glowed with the thought of slaughter.
"No," said Lucas. "They kept their bargain."
Tyler looked at Vivian with a look that said he would not take orders from a boy. Everyone waited to hear what Vivian would say.
Vivian looked at Lucas, who stood not as a boy tonight, but as a man. "It will be as Lucas says," she replied. She looked over at Lucas and Lucas gazed back at his mother. This was the first time she had given him some authority before the pack. He shifted his gaze to Tyler, giving him a slight smirk. Tyler just looked away, shaking his head in disbelief. He had also looked away for another reason and he didn't want Lucas to see what was in his mind. If Lucas could kill Nathan, then he probably could kill him as well. Buddy walked up to Tyler, trying to study his face for what to do. Tyler turned away from Buddy as well. "Let's just get out of here!" Tyler snapped at his friend.
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It was almost dawn and Vivian had asked the teens to stay and clean up the lodge the best they could. She would have to order new windows and mattresses as well as a new sofa, she sighed. Well, at least they had this place to protect them, she thought, it could have ended up much worse if they hadn't.
Sean's parents had taken him back to town and were going to stop by Sherman's cabin to have him checked out completely. It did seem that his wounds were no longer bleeding and beginning to heal, but he was still very weak.
Matt had insisted that Sophia come back to town with him so she could get some rest. When Lucas noticed that she was leaving, he strode over to her and swept her into his arms. Matt stood there watching, not sure what to do. He was witnessing their very passionate kiss right in front of him. One side of him felt like pulling Sophia away from Lucas, but the other side of him could see that those two felt a lot for each other. Matt looked away and caught Vivian's gaze from across the yard. Vivian gave him a slight smile.
There is one Donner who isn't afraid to love.
Matt heard Vivian's words and broke eye contact with her. He cleared his throat and said, "Sophia, honey, we need to get going." Sophia pulled her head slightly away from Lucas and said, "I'll see you at church." Lucas gave her one more quick kiss and said, "Yeah." He watched her walk off with her Dad, smiling whenever she turned around to look back at him.
When Sophia was out of sight, Vivian walked up to Lucas's side. "Is she your choice then?" It was plain to her that Lucas's feelings for Sophia ran deep. Anyone who saw those two together could sense that strongly.
Lucas turned his head to his mom's gaze. "Choice? Some things are meant to be. This is one of them."
Vivian studied Lucas's face. He was so sure of himself already at this young age. She felt a thrill inside to see the strength of her son blossoming so strongly. Perhaps she wouldn't have to be Alpha for as long as she thought she would. Perhaps Lucas would be ready sooner than she thought, she pondered. She never wanted this job in the first place but had only accepted to save Lucas and to insure that he would someday succeed his father as Alpha. When she was free of this responsibility, she could pursue her own happiness again. Her thoughts turned to Mathew Donner.
Inside the lodge the teens were busy sweeping and putting things back in order. With Mrs. Cates just outside they made sure to get things done as quickly as possible.
Presley was moving a pile of folded blankets over to one side when an old leather satchel fell out of the folds. She set down the blankets and picked it up, curious as to what was inside the old bag. She pulled out an old metal disk that had many ancient runes stamped on it surrounding a green stone in the middle. She turned it over, this way and that, wondering what it could be.
Randy was sweeping up glass when he glanced over at Presley, holding the disk. "What's that?" he asked as he set the broom down and walked over to her. He raised his hand to take it from her and check it out. As soon as he grasped it, the green stone began to glow brightly. "Whoa!" he exclaimed as he took it. As soon as Presley released it, the glowing stopped. He shook it a couple of times but it wouldn't light up for him.
Lucas came walking in the door at that moment and stopped in his tracks when he saw what Randy was holding. He had forgotten all about that disk. "Hey, where did you find that?" he asked.
"It fell out of these blankets," Presley told him. "It looks really old, but the green stone glows."
Lucas opened his eyes wide, "It glowed? Show me."
"I've been trying to make it glow again, but I can't!" Randy explained as he shook it again.
Lucas walked closer to them. "I've an idea. Why don't you both hold it at the same time?"
Presley shrugged and grasped on to the side of the disk, again the green stone glowed brightly.
"I guess it takes two people to make it glow!" smiled Randy. "How did you know that Lucas?"
Lucas looked from one to the other and smiled widely. This was just too rich! Randy and Presley! But then a thought hit him. What if this thing would work for anyone and was just some big prank of Sherman's.
"Hold up," said Lucas. "Let go Randy and let me try to hold it with Presley." Randy let go and he grabbed on. The stone would not light. Relief struck him.
Randy smiled at him. "Guess you don't have the magic touch dude!" He grasped on to the disk again with Presley and watched it glow.
"Guess not," he smiled at them both. He was fighting with himself as to whether he should tell them what it meant. He felt bursting with this secret. When he looked over at Presley, he felt her disappointment with his choice of Sophia and she was still upset about it. He looked away and decided that this would not be the right day to tell her that Randy was her mate. "It belongs to Sherman. Here, I'll take it back to him." He picked up the leather bag and opened it for them to return it. Then he drew the drawstrings tight as he gave Randy a knowing look.
"What?" ask Randy.
Lucas shook his head and smirked, "Some other time man."