The Beasts and Brave - Chapter 2
#18 of Eben Black Series - The Beasts and Brave
© All characters and storylines surrounding these characters belong to me, Eben Black..
I woke up to the sound of Snow's deep breathing. He was fast asleep. I crawled from his arms and spilled out of bed, watching him roll onto his stomach and purr as he eased back into a deep sleep. His whiskers twitched while he snuggled down, the thin bed sheets spilled around his waist, his tail thick and gentle, resting beside him. I smiled at his sleeping form and realised how cute he looked sometimes. I headed for the bathroom. I brushed my teeth as usual and turned on the hot shower. I stepped under and let the water wash over me. The shower cubicle stretched over one wall, there was one shower but the showerhead was a huge, circular, metallic device that rained down a shower of water that could easily fit two furs underneath. Snow and Donovan had each shared the shower with me a number of times. I looked up and pushed back my head fur. I closed my eyes and stood, the hot water poured and washed away some of the mess that Snow and I had caused last night.
I lathered my head fur with lavender smelling shampoo and trailed the suds down my chest and stomach fur. I worked the froth into the fur and washed it down with warm water. I let the hot water spill the shampoo suds down an oversized drain. The drain was designed for wereanimal fur, regular drains tended to block, this one did not. All the penthouse showers were equipped like this one. I smiled at the warmth that was spreading through me from that showerhead. I turned the water off and stepped out, wrapping a big, black towel around my waist as I went. I cleaned up and padded barefoot into the bedroom. Snow was snuggled up on one side, a dark red pillow surrounded by his muscular arms. He purred deep in his sleep as he curled up there before me. I smiled again and went to the wardrobe. I dressed in a pair of blue denim jeans, the ends rolled up passed my ankles. I donned a no-nonsense tee done in palest white. I wore the silver piercings and a black wristband around one wrist. I caught my relfection in the mirror and saw behind me, the beautiful adonis was watching me. Lying on one side, his muscled form looked a treat as he braced himself on one elbow, his palm propping up his head as he trailed fingers over the silken pillow in front of him. The bed sheets spilled over his hip and covered him as modestly as they could manage.
"Something wrong?" I asked with a grin.
"You look beautiful." He had a look of passion in those eyes again. It wasn't lust, but it leaned more toward love.
"Your one to talk. You look like a fur's wet dream right now."
"I do my best," he grinned as he rolled onto his back and stretched for the ceiling. He yawned and then sat upright. "Nervous?" he asked.
"About what?" I asked.
"About the cheetah clan meeting today?"
"Oh yeah. There is that, I suppose." I frowned and looked down. "In all honesty, I'm more concerned with Kane at the moment. But one problem at a time." I smiled as I looked up.
Snow had decided to take a shower. He wasn't covered in as much mess as I had been, but he still liked to wash and keep clean. I could understand that need, so I left him to it. He'd suggested a shared shower, but I felt like with both of us in there, no one would get clean anytime soon. Don't get me wrong, I'd have loved to have spent the morning in the shower with him, but right now my mind was elsewhere. I headed for the lounge and hoped to find Donovan there. Instead I found Bishop and a young human man. I stepped into the lounge and earned a nervous glance from the man, while Bishop greeted me with an aged grin. Bishop was one of our oldest werewolves, almost at his fiftieth, the greying dark fur, stranded with white from his age, looked as tired as he did. There were rumours that the beast council in Europe had some of the oldest wereanimals on their board, but their age had brought an amazing new strength and it seemed the capabilities to remain youthful. Then again, these wereanimals had been alive for hundreds of years in some cases. From what I'd been told by Donovan there were seven on the board. I'd fought one and now the number had dropped to six. We still had no idea what was happening where the vacant seat on the board was concerned. For now it did not matter.
Bishop was old, regardless, and unlike the council members he seemed to be slowing. Perhaps it was the individual were's abilities that mattered, not a generalised condition. He was old, but he was also wise and strong. He was a security wolf here at the penthouse, and headed up the small squadron of wolves that looked out for all the others who lived here. The penthouse had housed around twenty-five wolves before, including me, Donovan, Kane and Bishop. But two things had effected those numbers, one, there were some who believed Snow was a dangerous animal considering how we'd found him. And two, the council member who'd attacked us had bespelled all those in the penthouse. They'd all been tormented by nightmares by the illusionist while he was playing with the rest of us who were awake. Now it seemed the only ones who lived here were me, Snow, Donovan, Kane, Bishop and those who worked under him. Fiona, our medical wolf also lived here with us but spent most of her time with her partner at her home. Maximillian had also borrowed us three werelions who could bolster our defenses.
Regardless of the wolves we'd let go, we'd also gained more housemates. Not that I complained. I liked a full house.
It seemed we'd be getting a new housemate though. Bishop was a sponsor-wolf, a werewolf who looked after newborns during their initial transformation and the first few full moons that followed them. Bishop had helped women and men alike, he'd helped dozens over time, and had even helped one or two children in the past. Werewolves may have Walker's Law to shield them from outright discrimination on the streets, but talking from experience, that hatred can be found closer to home than you'd think. When Donovan had found me I'd been kicked out from home when I was diagnosed with Lycanthropy, the strand of DNA that makes us what we are. Donovan took me in, he helped me during my first full moon and together he and Kane helped me as Bishop had helped others. The full moons did not always mean sex, that was just the ideal method of satisfying its power. Emotions would run high and hidden thoughts and opinions and even rages. Sponsor-wolves were there to take the hatred and the abuse that would otherwise be turned on loved ones. I suppose I was lucky that I'd found two men I loved who I could take to bed and funnel out the full moon's desires into. Lucky, and somewhat blessed.
"Eben? Eben!"
I looked down and found Bishop looking up at me. "Sorry, lost in my thoughts again," I said with a gentle smile, "Did you say something?"
"I was just introducing you. Eben Black, this is Noah Williams."
"Pleased to meet you," I said as I held my hand out and shook hands with the human.
"Noah will be moving in with us."
I looked at the oh-so human Noah and asked, "I'm confused. You must have contracted Lycanthropy last night, otherwise you'd have changed already."
"I was diagnosed three months ago following a werewolf attack." His voice held the matter-of-fact tone that so many of his age lacked.
I looked a question at Bishop who explained, "Noah contracted Lycanthropy, we had him checked again and again. But he has Lycanthropy of the wolf species, and Donovan even acknowledged him as a wolf. In time we think his transformation will take place, but we don't want him walking the streets when it happens. He'll be house bound for now until we can arrange a sponsor to keep a constant eye on him. He has unique blood, and we believe that has mutated the transformation to hold off for a while." He smiled and said, "He's a good natured kid. Look out for him, alright?"
"No problem. I know all about being the odd one out." I grinned as I spoke.
"What do you mean?" Noah asked.
"Long story, put it this way, I'm an impossibility where the werewolf regulations are concerned."
"Donovan explained what a Lupine was, right?" Bishop asked the younger man. Noah nodded. "Eben is the first male Lupine of all time."
"I see, well from one rarity to another, pleased to meet ya," Noah grinned as he spoke.
"So does the lack of transformation effect you during the moon?" I asked feeling curious now.
Noah shook his head. "My eyes change colour, and I have the same problems every other wolf has, just no transformation."
"I see. Has Donovan or Bishop explained what will happen when you transform?" I asked.
"You mean the fact its a permanent transformation and not a case of jumping from form to form?"
I nodded.
He smiled, almost sadly and said, "I know it'll be permanent. And I don't mind. Not like I have anyone to stay human for."
Noah stood at around six foot one, he was among the shortest besides myself who I'd seen in and around the other wolves. His transformation would change that, but not by much. He was slender, but muscular, he worked out. I'd seen forms like his when I was in college. He had short spiked blonde hair and dark green eyes. He wore a black tee and black slacks, a pair of black running shoes and a silver cross around his neck. I didn't know many people who held onto their religions once they found out they had Lycanthropy. I knew Bishop had been a man of faith before he'd transformed, now he believed in himself and his own power. And the wolves around him too.
"Your in good company, considering where you are," a rich voice said from across the lounge. I looked and found the other alpha I was bound to.
Donovan stood at six foot three, he was slender and toned, as a form of excercise, Donovan preferred to swim. He stood there, cream fur stranded with copper-oranges and golden-browns. Those pale green eyes glanced over the werewolves before him. He was dressed in a thin hooded tee with the long sleeves rolled back passed his elbows. He wore camouflage three-quarter-lengths and identical brown wristbands. A silver loop graced his left eyebrow as he padded further into the room. He walked to me and touched fingertips to mine as he looked down at me. His lips brushed mine before he looked up, almost embarressed as he looked across the lounge at Bishop and Noah. In the last few months we'd become like a teenage couple, wanting one another but also being self-conscious of people, we had awkward moments but all in all we were like high school kids in heat. Being with Snow seemed more easy in public, there was no conscience about Snow, when he wanted to hold me, he'd hold me, regardless of who was around. Donovan was a little more self-aware. He'd never stop himself from touching me, but there was that sweet, almost adorable blush about him whenever we were in public.
"Have you showed Noah where he will be staying whilst he is here, Bishop? I need to speak with Eben." Donovan smiled as he spoke.
Bishop nodded. "Come on, boy. I'll show you the wonders of this place." He smirked at the younger man as he lead him out of the lounge and toward the bedrooms.
When the two had disappeared down the corridor, Donovan turned to me.
"He's a unique one." He walked passed me and leaned his backside against the back of the leather couch in the middle of the room. The couch was a long one that stretched and formed a "U" shape, it curled around a small circular coffee table, and faced the one end of the lounge. A huge fireplace sat at that end, a plasma television suspended on the wall over it. At the other end was a small arch that led to the kitchen area. One wall of the lounge was lined with floor-to-ceiling windows, they looked over LA. The skies looked clouded. I'd never seen it rain in LA for a while, I'd somehow missed it. I preferred a downpour to a heat wave, put it that way.
"Do you know why his beast hasn't forced the transformation?" I asked.
Donovan shook his head and said, "But he was attacked three months, during one of the first massacres. Its possible that has had some effect on his inner beast. But there's so much we don't know."
I could understand that reasoning. "So what are you going to do? Keep him around until he transforms?" I asked.
Donovan nodded and said, "Its all we can do right now. I'm worried that the initial transformation is violent and rough enough without it being held off for three months. It could be worse."
"So you'd rather have him here, instead of out at a club one night?"
"It's for the best." Donovan crossed his arms and then frowned, "But we have bigger problems right now. The council has been in touch." He looked grim as he spoke.
"And?" I asked as I walked and joined Donovan on the back of the couch.
"We'll be recieving a visit either today or tomorrow, depending on his flight."
"His flight? You know who's coming then?"
"From what I've been told he's the oldest of them and their leader. But apart from that I have no idea who or what he is, I mean look at Sawyer, he was powerful but nowhere near the oldest."
"Are you worried we'll have a repeat performance of last time?" I asked.
Donovan nodded and touched a hand to mine. "Those anxieties have come back too. I'm worried that he'll take an interest in you as Sawyer did."
I smiled back at the wolf and said, "I'll do all I can to prevent that from happening. I'll be as boring as possible."
Donovan smirked and then laughed, a joyful sound.
"Jokes aside, I won't go without a fight."
"You won't go full stop!" a voice growled from across the lounge. Donovan and I looked up and found Takeshi Kane standing before us, dressed in no-nonsense black, a katana sheathed on either hip. He was an important fixture of Donovan's pack, and three months ago had declared himself Guardian. Among the wolves, that title meant that whoever wished to challenge Donovan for role of pack leader, they would have to face Kane who was something of a skilled swordsman. He flourished when he was on the battlefield and was an ideal candidate for the job. But he was also a bit conflicted too. He was bound to me, but the binding had not been finished. It was a bad situation to be in. He'd lose his mind sooner or later from the need to be around me, but his determination had pushed that madness back for the last three months. Donovan wasn't confident Kane would last much longer. I would have bound him to me, had he wanted it, but Kane didn't want to be bound to anyone, even me.
"You'll make sure I won't go?" I asked.
Kane nodded and stepped deeper into the room. "Donovan's never been happier. Being a Guardian means more than defending the pack leader's body."
Donovan smiled, a sad look in those eyes. "How are you feeling Kane? Be honest."
Kane frowned and then looked down as he said, "I could feel...Eben in this room...I wanted to come...see him."
I looked at Donovan, the anxieties there.
"The reaction is getting worse, Kane. Can you hold out much longer?" Donovan asked.
"Probably not. But there's not much I can do about that, is there?" he growled.
"You need to finalise the binding, Kane. You'll lose your mind otherwise."
I looked at Kane, showing the sorrow that was there in my blue-blue eyes. "I cannot apologise enough, Kane. I've tried speaking to her about you."
"You mean your Lupine?"
I nodded. "She is looking for strong alphas, Kane. You ticked the box. She even named you our knight."
"Knight?" Donovan repeated.
"Back when I was confronting Sawyer on the rooftop, the Lupine awoke and told me that our dominant alpha, our King, and our Knight were in trouble. Snow is the alpha, Donovan is the King, and your a Knight."
"I need some assurances before we do this though," he growled as he looked at me, defiance burned in those pale brown eyes.
"What kind of assurances?" I asked.
"We become bound, these wants and needs leave, and we remain bound. But its just sex. Understand? Nothing more."
I considered it and then nodded, "I think I can manage that. Just like before?"
Kane nodded. "Just like before."
"It won't be that simple, Kane. The bonding brings you both closer, emotionally too." Donovan frowned as he spoke, "Pretend all you want, but it won't be that simple."
Kane frowned for a moment, and then looked down, he shuddered as his ears lay flat against his head. "I know."
I went to him, I walked across the hardwood floor and stood in front of him. "Kane?"
He never looked up.
"Kane, look at me?"
"I'm sorry, Eben, I really am sorry." He shuddered against, and a single crystalline tear cascaded down his cheek. I touched his hand and he jumped. When had Kane become so fragile?
"Kane, I know your scared, I know your frightened something's going to happen, but please know this, if I can help it I'll never leave you alone again," I said with a gentle smile.
He looked up like I'd struck him. "You m-mean that don't y-you?" he asked.
I nodded and smiled again, letting the warmth and assurance show in my eyes. I reached up with my other hand and touched his face, rubbed my palm there across his cheek. He closed his eyes and rubbed his face against me. He growled deep in his chest. I looked behind me and found Donovan standing there, smiling. He was happy now that his oldest friend within the pack was being taken care of. He nodded and left without a word as I turned back and found Kane looking down at me. Those pale brown eyes held such warmth now. He'd been avoiding me for the last three months, but now it seemed he was sorry and wanted to be with me. I'd make sure he was no longer sorry, no longer sad. I wanted to make those eyes burn with the confidence that he'd once had as a swordsman. I wanted to bring back the old Kane.