A New Beginning. Joycee Clark
paperwork that needed his signature from the rescue the day before. Neither of them knew how Mariah would react to them digging into her past. Dean was going to have to know. Mariah would soon be a real part of his pack and Dean needed to be aware of what was happening on his pack lands. So today Garret would go over the information Lucca had found, then he would have a heart to heart talk with their Alpha. A sweet forehead kiss and they all left the cabin, locked up tight, they headed out for the day, whatever it might bring.
Chapter Sixteen
As Mariah and Lucca moved toward the drop sight, they noticed clouds coming in and they decided this was the big storm they had been warned about. Although Mariah was excited to meet her new wolves, she couldn’t help but think maybe they should have waited for better weather. It would give the wolves more time to find a cave and find food and water. Having a blizzard hit right on their tails in a new area, would make it more difficult for them. She and Lucca discussed the pros and cons of them being dropped today but Lucca reassured her the big wolves would step in and bring them fresh meat and leave it close for them to find. They wouldn’t starve and the pack wanted the new wolves to do well too.
So curious Mariah opened up the questions to Lucca. “Okay, so Garret seemed to think I knew more about your beginnings than you guys. So what do you know, Lucca?” “Well,” Lucca began,” When we first came to be, we could only shift during the full moon, now we can shift any time. We had heard about the Witch that was trying to save not only mankind, but also her friends, the wolves, for she feared if the men were too sick to work long hours in their field, thus would hunt more often to survive. Not only hunting wolves, but all forest animals. A real upset in the balance of nature. We were told, she also did this technique on Bear and fox. Over the years the Bear and Wolves multiplied and moved to other areas but the fox died out, not willing to mate with humans. We also have stories that have passed from generation to generation, how wolves split up and started new packs in other areas. How they set their boundaries, set up a council that would rule and make laws for all shifters to live by. Guide lines on how to treat each other, how to handle and punish wolves that refused to abide by the laws set down for us. We didn’t know she switched men to wolves.”
Mariah was amazed. “This is extremely interesting. Do the women have babies or pups?” Mariah wanted to know everything. Lucca smiled as he answered her. “Babies, usually. They can mate as wolves, but usually mate as humans. The babies usually start being able to turn around age 3, usually taught by their fathers how to complete the change. They are always taught early that its a secret to be guarded, so they are usually trained remotely in the forest or mountains. Just gives us the ability to keep our heritage private. Some high up men in the government know, and usually some in the towns we are close to are aware of us, but we protect those people and they keep our secret.”
“We have almost reached the spot, oh look, there’s the helicopter.” Mariah said barely containing her excitement. Mariah covered her face with her scarf because of the high winds created when the helicopter landed. Mariah signed for the five cages of wolves while Lucca helped unload them. The pilot was in a hurry to get back as the storm was looking worse the closer it got.
“Let’s line them up, I’ll take a good look at each one, then we’ll let them go.” Mariah said at the top of her voice. “There are caves not too far from here, I hope that’s where they will go.” The wind was getting worse and the temperatures were dropping. Mariah looked at each cage, made notes, wrote descriptions of each, three males and two females. The Alpha female seemed to be pregnant. The wolves all took off across the clear area, and the wolf in front stopped and turned around, eyeing Mariah and Lucca. He raised his head and howled, then took his pack to find shelter. Since Mariah had used her soft reassuring voice, she hoped they would remember her when she came back to check on them. Let the knowledge flow. She wanted the very best for this pack, if they were a success then there could be more of these locations, and thus taking the wild wolves off the endangered species list. Her published papers might even make it easier for animal activists in other countries to do the same and have success. Mariah could only hope.
Chapter Seventeen
Garret got things as ready as he could for the storm. They were all on call as there were always lots of emergencies in a storm like this. He was in a hurry to get to Mariah and Lucca. “Ah Mariah” Garret thought to himself, she took his breath away. Her beauty, intelligence, and her devotion to the wild wolves and her project. He’d never met a woman even remotely like her and he knew Lucca felt the same way. Garret thought of the way she was starting to relax around them, especially their wolves. She was smiling more and even making a few jokes now and then. She was still nervous to make eye contact with them, but not with their wolves. She talked to their wolves the way most women would talk to their best friend. Since she started that, they had learned a lot about Mariah’s past, her sisters, and even about Mariah herself. There hadn’t been any sign of her stalker for a couple weeks now. Maybe because of the extra security they had around the cabin. Not only their friends in wolf form, but cameras. Maybe they had him spooked and that would be the end of that trauma for Mariah. Garret sincerely hoped so. Nearly to the cabin, he could hear Mariah and Lucca talking and laughing, the drop must have gone well. The snow was really starting to come down fast. He would get the fire stoked up and start something to eat so the three of them could have a meal together before Lucca had to take off to get his duties done. Always more equipment to clean and repair and prepare for any emergency that will arise.
“Hey Garret,” Mariah hollered as she saw him when they came around the cabin. “Lovely to have you join us. You missed the fun. The wolves are absolutely amazing. I’m excited to tell you all about them. Lucca helped unload them so he got a good look as he can help keep an eye out for them. He even offered for you two to catch them food in this blizzard until they get use to their new hunting grounds.” Nice guy, Huh!
They all headed into the cabin so they could get warmed up, not that the cold bothered Garret and Lucca much, but they played the game for Mariah. Fire stoked, food ready, they all sat down at the table to eat and catch up for the day. Mariah went first telling Garret all about the wolves. Their colors, their eyes, she could even pick ot the Alpha and his mate, which Mariah had determined may be carrying pups, which excited her even more.
Lucca explained the location of the drop sight and Garret gave Lucca the run down on the equipment so Lucca would know what still needed to be done when he got to the fire station, where Search & Rescue kept their gear and the helicopter.
When it was time for Lucca to take off, as he put on his coat, Mariah approached him. She started pulling on his coat to tighten it up. Not looking into Lucca’s eyes but only his chest, Mariah commented, “Lucca, stay safe, stay warm, and call if you need Garret. I’ll lock myself in good and tight. I have a full tummy and a full wood box. There’s been no sight of the dimwit asshole stalker, so all is well. I’m a big girl, you two shouldn’t have to babysit me.” Lucca lifted her chin with one finger and looked into Mariah’s eyes and smiled, “Thanks Baby for caring about me.” A slight kiss and Lucca was out the door.
Mariah turned to look at Garret and he was smiling. “Do I have to leave again to get one of those?” Garret teased, referring to the Kiss. “Of course not.” Mariah replied and walked over and gave him a soft kiss too. “But these don’t come free. Kisses are near and dear to me and I don’t give them to just anyone at any time.” Mariah smiled and walked into the living room and sat on the couch. “Come talk to me Garret, Please” Mariah said. Garret sat at the other end of the couch not wanting to crowd her, and it wasn’t a big couch anyway. As he faced Mariah, their knees nearly touching.
“What do you want to know? We have been through color, music, and movies.” Garret reminded her. Mariah sighed, looked intently at Garret. “History”, Mariah answered. “You and Lucca. How did you meet, how long have you been real friends, how long have you worked together, family, you know, your history.”
“Well, where to start. I’ve known Lucca pretty much my entire life. We grew up together in the same pack. We basically learned everything together from changing to our wolves to schooling. We were home schooled until High School. We grew