Dawn's Innocence

"Morning brothers-o-mine." Marianne sing songed as she bounced on Tristen's bed.

"Shut up, Mouse," Daniel grumbled as he stomped down the hallway.

"What's wrong with him?"

"I just ruined the joy of chocolate chip cookies for him forever." Tristen chuckled at Mouse's confused expression. "Never mind."

"Twenty dollars was the agreement, I believe." Marianne daintily held out her palm for her big payment. A smile curled her lips as she origami folded the twenty into a ring. "So you asked her to marry you again?"

"Yup."

"And this time she said yes?"

"Yup."

"I knew you had it in you." Marianne beamed at her brother. Something about him was different. The restlessness deep in his spirit was finally at peace. "According to Dr. Joyce Broth..." A finger pressed against her lips.

"I'll take it from here," Tristen said.

"Ok, well, if you need me, my door is always open." Marianne hopped off the bed and slid the twenty onto her thumb. "Free of charge. And Tristen, I'm proud of you."

"Thanks." He shook his head as his sister's black ponytail swung between her shoulder blades. Little girl? Little busy body was more like it. He stretched and yawned, rolling off the bed to wander into the shower. Today, he'd be escorting Kacie down the aisle. If he played his cards just right, someday, he'd be waiting at the altar for her to come to him.

Chapter 77

"Stop it! I can't get dirty," Fallon scolded. A frown spread across her face as she bent down to whisper into the dog's soft fuzzy ear. "I have to go to a stupid wedding today. Mom is in the shower. She doesn't even know I'm out here. If I get my dress dirty, she'll kill me." She giggled as the dog tipped his head and furrowed his brow. "Don't worry, she's not really going to kill me."

The wolf raked his tongue across her cheek, tasting the sweet salty essence of little girl. The late morning breeze held the promise of a warm sunny spring day. The woods behind him blossomed with new life and echoed the deafening chatter of birds and tiny woodland beings. Hunting would be good and plentiful today.

"Eew." Fallon pretended to be upset as she wiped the doggie kiss off her cheek. She wasn't. If she hadn't been dressed in her best, pale pink dress and shiny white patent leather sandals she would have given him a big hug in return. She could not mess up one hair on her head. She didn't want to, especially since it had taken her mother over an hour to tame it into a hair clip and soft curls cascading down to her shoulders. "I wish I could stay here with you instead."

The wolf woofed in agreement. He pushed a ball through the thick bristly meadow grass with his nose, wagging his tail and stopping at the little girl's feet.

"Just one more time. Then I've gotta go before my mom comes looking for me." Fallon picked up the ball in her fingers. Careful of her dress and her hair, she threw the ball with all her might and watched it sail through the air in a flash of brilliant yellow-green. She giggled and clapped as the dog chased after the ball with fluid grace and caught it before it hit the ground in his powerful jaws.

"Fallon!" Erica gasped. Trembling in fear. In a low frightened voice she whispered, "Honey, don't move." Her heart pounded in her ears in absolute terror. A wolf, big as a house, bounded across the meadow toward them. Slowly, she grabbed the hem of her daughter's sleeve and pulled her closer.

"Mom, don't worry. He won't hurt us. He's my friend."

The wolf skidded to a stop about ten yards from the terrified woman and the confused little girl. The ball fell out of his mouth and landed on the ground with a solid thump. He sat with the ball cradled between his big paws and dropped onto his belly in the grass. Instinct screamed within him as he dipped into the submissive position. Watching the woman clutch the little girl in her trembling fingers.

"See," Fallon said defiantly. Her mom was scared to death of the big dog. Fallon bit her bottom lip worried that she might get in trouble for befriending the dog. "He's just a dog, mom."

"Honey, that's no dog. It's a wolf." The word hung in the air with the lit of her tremulous voice. Slowly, she inched Fallon back, taking step after painfully slow step toward the house and safety. Her uncle owned guns. She hated to order the death such a majestic creature. But, the wolf obviously had been coming around here for sometime and wasn't afraid of her or her daughter. In fact, it watched them with almost human eyes. If Fallon had been feeding the thing, it would never leave on its own accord. Uncle Alexander would have to hunt it down. The wolf was wild, untamed, and a threat to her and her daughter. Just because it looked harmless, didn't mean it was. It could snap and attack at any second. Kill her and her daughter. Slaughter Jack and her aunt and uncle. Such a threat could not be allowed this close to home.

The wolf snorted and stood. This close, the beast was huge. His head was the size of a dinner plate and his teeth absolutely massive. Erica watched as it turned and bounded into the woods on powerful legs. Scrambling clumsily, she grabbed Fallon in her arms and ran for the safety and shelter of the house and her uncle's many guns. She dropped Fallon unceremoniously on her feet in the kitchen, checking her over from head to toe, "Honey, are you ok?"

"I didn't get my dress dirty," Fallon said defensively, brushing away her mom's fluttering fingers.

"I'm not worried about your dress. Did that thing hurt you?"

"No. I told you he's my friend."

"Wolves are wild animals. That thing could kill you."

"He wouldn't, mom."

"If it got hungry enough, it could." Erica squelched the tremble in her voice. Scaring the bejesus out of her little girl wouldn't do either of them any good. Fallon was safe inside and the wolf was somewhere out in the woods. Where there was one, there was likely to be two, three, a hundred. Hell, she didn't know. The only wolf she'd ever seen in real life had been safely tucked away in a cage at the zoo. "Don't you ever go outside alone again. I mean it. You are not to go near that wolf."

"Mom!" Fallon cried in protest. It wasn't fair. Her mom didn't understand. The wolf was her only friend. She knew by the determined set of her mom's jaw that arguing would get her nowhere. It never did. "Ok. I won't go out by myself."

"Good."

Fallon blew out a breath, for the moment her mother was satisfied. There were all kinds of clauses and if's, and's, and but's to her statement, but her mom didn't need to know about them. Uncle Alexander spent most of the day outside, puttering in the barn. She wouldn't technically be outside alone. And she hadn't promised to stay away from her friend. She wouldn't abandon him. Ever.

"I'm going to finish getting ready." Erica smoothed out her rumpled skirt and stood. Her hose were ruined. She'd have to see if her aunt had another pair. They were stained from the grass and she felt the beginnings of a run in the calf of the stockings.

She'd accepted her aunt's invitation to accompany them to the wedding in hopes that she'd meet some new people. Fallon was so lonely without anybody her age around to play with. Maybe, she'd make some friends. Obviously, her daughter needed some friends, human friends, kids her own age, and not a filthy, feral, rabid wolf to play with.

She'd talk to Uncle Alexander about the wolf later on today. Maybe, he'd call animal control and they could cart the thing off somewhere and release it back into the wild. She couldn't kill it. She just couldn't. It'd seemed so human. Intelligence glimmered in its dark eyes. There was something so familiar in those eyes. A trick of light? Understanding? Something, she couldn't quite place. To have it shot, to extinguish the life behind those eyes would be a waste. It didn't deserve to die just because it'd wandered in too close to the ranch. But, it didn't belong here either. If it came down to her daughter's safety and the wolf's life, she'd pull the trigger herself.

Chapter 78

"Grandpa you're pacing," Tristen snickered. He'd never seen the calm, cool, almost frostbite in his frigid wit pack master so anxious. His grandpa had dragged the whole damn wedding party over to the bluffs to 'prepare' two hours before the ceremony was scheduled to begin. Now, they were standing at the flowery altar, looking over rows and rows of empty chairs, waiting. The leathers fit snugly against Tristen's thighs, thin and papery, chafing and itching. The sun overhead was hot. And he was beginning to sweat in the merciless second skin of fringed, beaded buckskin. He wiped away a damp trail of sweat beading on his forehead. Maybe, he didn't want to get married so badly after all.

Nash inspected the Honor Guard. Damn tough, dangerous, looking men. Even though he'd bounced some of these black leather clad warriors on his knee when they were children, the sight of them made him bow in deep respect. Weaponry glimmered in the brilliant sunlight and cast silvery, glittering shadows in the grass. The vampires, damned dangerous as well in their leather and weapons. Their facial expressions gave no hint to their discomfort at standing in the full light of the noonday sun. Their eyes were unreadable from behind the dark, protective lenses. He knew the flash of weaponry was just for show. His pack and the vampires were equally maybe more lethal and deadly without the aid of a blade.

Daniel tugged at the tight collar of his starched dress shirt and silently prayed for rain. Ok, maybe not rain, but some heavy cloud cover to drown out the stifling wave of heat that radiated down on his black suit coat. He walked through the line of warriors. BAD ASS. The sons of bitches were totally bad ass and as soon as he shifted, he was going to be one of them.

His grandpa paced around, wearing a path flat in the grass beneath his bare feet. Tristen was totally pussy whipped. Sure, chicks were nice. Sure, chicks were fucking great, easy on the eyes, soft, with dangerous curves and pouty lips. Damn, he couldn't wait till he was old enough to take one for a test spin. But, there was no way he was going to let one rope him in for good and control him. Neuter him and put him on a chain. NO WAY, not him, when his time came, he wasn't signing up for life.

For now, he was just an honorary member of the honor guard, little more than an usher. Smile congenially, greet people and show them to their seats. Hell, he was so weak, most of the humans slowly beginning to filter in and fill the empty chairs could kick his ass, but one day, one day...he'd be kicking serious ass.

The tent was stifling hot, choking with the scent of hairsprays, perfumes, and makeup. Kacie coughed and sputtered, a bit dramatically to make her dislike of all the primping and hovering Janine and her drafetees put her through. "I'm done. No matter what you do, I'm not going to look any better than I do, so just give it up."

"Oh, pooh. Just a few little finishing touches." Janine slicked the makeup brush through a tannish colored foundation and brushed it across Kacie's nose. She was doing her best with the raw material Kacie had given her to work with. And all Kacie had managed as a thanks was to bitch, bitch, bitch. "I suppose that'll have to do." She stood back to admire her handiwork. Kacie looked stunning. The green dress really brought out the color of her eyes. Her hair hung in loose black curls carefully styled to frame her pixie like features.

"Look girls!" Janine shouted on a gasp. "Kacie, that's a very nice ring you're sporting on your left hand. Am I to expect a call soon? You know I always give my expert advice free of charge."

"IF I decide to get married. I'm eloping."

"Well..." Janine spun on her heel and gave Kacie the cold shoulder. Mildly offended but she shook it off. Today wasn't about Kacie anyway. Today was all about the blushing bride. Eloise certainly looked contented and more than happy to receive Janine's careful expert attention to the slightest of details.

Eloise lounged in a chair. Watching the vampires make over her daughter. She was receiving the royal treatment today. One redheaded vampire fussed with her nails while a blonde twisted her black hair into a series of braids and intricate curls. Unlike her daughter, she was having a hell of a good time being primped.

"Are you ready to see your dress?" Janine carefully opened the thick cardboard box and laid back layers of fragile tissue paper to reveal the dress. With reverent fingers, she gently slid the leather out of the box.

Eloise gently ran her fingers along the intricate beadwork on the fringe of the dress. The dainty silver and gold beads brushed against one another making a light musical sound. The soft white feathers on the ends of the fringes moved against one another in a whisper. The dress was sleeveless and stopped at the knees, supple white leather, soft as a child's cheek slicked along the ends of her fingertips. The dress was very old and very valued by the vampires. "It's beautiful. Who did it belong to?"

"Kokumthena herself made this dress. Each seam and stitch has her magic running through it. This dress has been handed down from bride to bride since the very beginning. I even wore it at my wedding."

Eloise eyed Janine's petite, slight frame. Janine was shorter and had a much more delicate bone structure than she did. "Are you sure this will fit me? I wouldn't want to take a risk of damaging it."

"It will fit. It always does."

Chapter 79

Jan had a good view of the world through her computer screen. Who knew the vampires had so many surveillance cameras so well hidden stretched for miles through the woods and pointed at the sloping rocky lands of the bluffs. Nobody or nothing would ever be able to get through without them knowing about it.

Thomas had promised that if everything looked as good tomorrow as it did today, she and little Barbara could go home. She felt fine. The baby, tightly wrapped in a pink cloud of the softest blankets she'd ever felt, slept peacefully in her arms. Her cherubic face looked like a little china doll's. They had both come through the delivery unharmed. They were going to be fine.

Her husband, poor Thomas, had finally gave in and crashed in the recliner at her bedside. He hadn't left her side all night. She tried to coax him into showering and shaving, into taking a break and going to the wedding, but he wouldn't leave her.

The vampires were very attentive to her and Thomas's every need. Plates loaded with food had been brought in. The room was filled to the ceiling with gifts, flowers, and pink balloons. She had even seen a few of those silly pink bubble gum cigars that boasted 'it's a girl' floating around somewhere. She knew vampires couldn't eat, but bubble gum? Who knew?

Despite all the affection showered over her and her new arrival. She was more than ready to go home. Begin her life with her baby and her husband. Be the mother she'd always dreamed of. Her childhood had been filled with pack dogma. Duty pounded into her head. Perhaps, that's why when the time came for her to assume that duty, she'd shirked it so vehemently. Her daughter would never know those burdens. When the time came, she'd know what she was. The who she became, was totally up to her.

"Can you see me?" Her mother asked as her face appeared on the monitor.

Jan waved into the web cam mounted on her over bed table. "Hi mom. You look wonderful." And she did. Her mom had one of those figures and the elegance to make a trash bag look like a designer gown. Today, dressed in fine white leather, she looked absolutely ravishing. The dress made her tan skin, green eyes, and dark hair really stand out.

"Thank you, dear. We're about ready to start. Are you sure you don't want this to wait until you're better?"

"No, mom. I can see everything from my laptop. I feel like I'm standing right beside you."

"I'm so nervous."

"Don't be, you look great. The decorations look absolutely perfect. I even got a peek at the cake. Anna stopped to show me on her way out this morning. Everything is going to be fine."

"I'll save you a piece of the cake."

"You do that, mom. Now go on and get married for crying in a bucket. Half of the town is waiting for you to make your way down the aisle."

"Love you, honey."

"Love you too, mom."

Jan panned out the camera and caught a glimpse of her little sister sulking in the corner. Kacie looked amazing, kudos to Janine for coaxing her younger sibling into cooperating and for getting her in that amazing dress. Jan punched the buttons that operated the various cameras and selected an outside view. The bluffs popped onto the monitor. Kudos again to Janine, the place really was the perfect setting for a spring wedding. Not a cloud on the horizon. Jan watched the people mulling about and taking their seats as they prepared for the ceremony to start. She wasn't kidding when she said that half the town, maybe the whole damn town, had turned out for the big event.

Marianne ushered a couple to a pair of empty seats and returned to greet the next batch of people waiting to be seated. She had no idea how closely interlinked the Sons, The pack, and the humans actually were. Or that so many humans were in on the big secret. Some of the humans she recognized, like Hanna from the dress shop in town, and Mack, the local sheriff, and some she did not. Nobody would get in that wasn't supposed to be here though. Brothers and wolves were out on patrol, hidden amongst the thick outcroppings of woods and steep slippery gray rocky slopes of the bluffs, nothing would get past them.

"Hello," she said politely. Brushing her braid behind her back as she stared up into the kindly eyes of a man with faded red hair and a permanent summer tan. He held hands with a very pretty older lady with streaks of gray running through a tight blonde chignon. Beside them stood a younger woman with strawberry blonde hair, hastily pulled back with a barrette, maybe their daughter? And hiding slightly behind her mother, a little girl, with a tangle of unruly auburn hair, the girl was almost her age. "I'm Marianne, the groom is my grandpa."

"Alexander," the man said. He went on with the introductions by saying, "And this is my wife, Leigh, my niece Erica, and her daughter Fallon. We're Alex's parents."

"Alex?" She followed his gaze to a redhead seated near the front. Vampire. "Oh, ok." Marianne felt a peculiar tingling on her skin and covertly sniffed the air. The couple and the mom were human, but the little girl, was not. Not completely anyway, she had the scent of wolf on her skin. Curious. "It looks like she saved you a seat. Go on up."

"Thanks." Alexander stared down at the brown-eyed little girl. The brown eyes had a look of shrewd intelligence that was years beyond the girl's actual age. There wasn't much, if anything that went beyond the girl's notice.

Marianne stared after the group. Evaluating them with curious interest. She wondered if the little girl knew what she was, or if her aunt and uncle, even her mom had the slightest clue themselves. After the ceremony, she was going to make friends with the little girl, drop a few hints, and find out.

"Now quit fidgeting," Shayla scolded as she adjusted the black silk tie. "You look amazing." And he did. Carter's unruly blond waves had been tamed and gathered into a sleek tight ponytail secured by a tiny golden clasp at the nape of his neck. All dressed up in a suit and tie, Carter could just as easily have been getting ready to go to a power meeting with the heads of Wall Street instead of the intimate gathering assembled for Eloise's wedding.

"I don't see the significance my presence can make to this event in the least. Everyone still thinks I'm... unbalanced." Carter protested and slid a finger into the snug collar. To him, the dress shirt and tie felt more like a noose than a fashion statement. He could sense the presence lingering in the back of his mind. Nothing had changed in that regards. And although Shayla's constant attention held the worst of his reactions at bay, the sing song voice still grated his last nerve.