Wolf's Den - A BBW Shifter Romance Novel (32 page)

“We are special. We are shifters or the mates and children of shifters. But we’re just people too. We have hopes, dreams and aspirations. Violet,” I began as I looked down at her dead body, still in wolf form, and then back at the crowd, “sought to bend your will to her own uses. She sought to tell you and me what form our dreams should take. You’re free now. You can do whatever you want but I for one hope we all recognize that we need one another,” I told them.

“I will go home. You don’t need me to tell you what to do. But we are a community now. We should never forget that. We will always be apart from the world at large. Most people aren’t ready for us,” I told them as I gestured at my nude body. That brought some laughs. “But we shouldn’t avoid the world at large. We’re part of the fabric of life, were just like the rest of humanity. Some of them are bad but most aren’t. Same with us. We are all struggling to get by,” I continued.

“I hope someone steps up and takes this ranch and uses it for good. But that won’t be me. I’m sure some of you will drift off back to the lives you left too. But I hope we can all come together, share our unique qualities and support one another. I hope we can be a real community, one that respects individuals and their differences. Sorry, I’m rambling,” I said. The man who had approached me held out his hand. I took it and he shook my hand as a sign of respect.

“No you’re not. Those are good words,” he told me. Yeager slipped his arm around me carefully.

“Good job, fur ball,” he said. Amp looked at his mate, the one he’d only met this morning, Ginnie, and she smiled back at him. I could almost see the silent communication between two people, two shifters. Amp turned to me.

“I’ll stay on here. Ginnie and I will stay on and build a home here. We’ll do right by you and all these others,” Amp said. Ginnie went to him and slipped into his arms. I could tell she had the same thought as her newfound mate.

“Well, then I’m staying too,” Sprocket added.

“I as well and my family,” the man who approached me said.

“I’m glad. We’re a pack, you know, all of us. We’re a community, a family,” I told them. But then I swooned, my head feeling light and fuzzy.

“You’re done giving speeches, fur ball. Let’s get her inside,” Yeager told me. He and Amp helped me to the house and then to an empty room where I laid down on the bed. Amp looked me over and then cleaned and dressed my wounds, stitching the gash on my chest and on my thigh. After that, I slept. I didn’t awake until that evening. I found Yeager, Edie and Agnes sitting in chairs they’d moved into the room.

“Evening, sleepyhead,” Edie greeted me.

“Hey,” I said rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

“How do you feel?” Yeager asked as he got up and came to sit on the bed.

“Not bad, actually. These hurt,” I said indicating the stitches, “and my ribs are sore,” I complained.

“Agnes showed us where they kept the medicine. We’ve got pain meds,” Yeager offered.

“No, I’m fine. I don’t want to take those,” I said and looked down. Yeager understood why I didn’t want pain medication.

“Oh yeah, right. Everything’s OK isn’t it?” he asked me.

“I’m pretty sure,” I replied.

“What are you guys talking about?” Edie asked. I forgot she didn’t know I was pregnant.

“I’m pregnant,” I told her. Edie looked at Agnes confused.

“Did you know about that?” Edie asked and Agnes’ expression left no doubt. “How come no one told me?” Edie asked, a bit of pain in her voice.

“I’ve been kind of busy. I’m sorry,” I told her. Edie looked at me blankly but then smiled.

“I’m going to be an aunt or something,” she said.

“Yep,” I told her. Edie came over and hugged me.

“You’re not off the hook for not telling me though,” she admonished me. I giggled but stopped when my ribs sent shooting pain up my side.

“I want to get up,” I said. Yeager handed me some clothes, Edie grabbed Agnes and they left so I could dress, human customs that really didn’t matter to anyone except Edie but I think she was used to seeing me naked by now. Still it was the polite thing to do.

“You OK? For real?” Yeager asked as I put on the lose tank and yoga pants he’d brought from the motorhome.

“Yeah, promise,” I told him but I could tell he wasn’t only worried about my physical wounds or even the baby. He was worried about how I was handling what had happened. “I’m fine, I swear. That had to happen. I know that and I don’t have any regrets,” I told him.

“You planned that didn’t you?” he asked.

“What?” I wondered.

“Letting her think she’d won,” he clarified.

“Yeah. She was an arrogant bitch. I didn’t know if it would work but I had a pretty good idea,” I admitted.

“I was worried. I almost jumped in the middle,” Yeager told me.

“That would have ruined it, you know that,” I replied. I had to beat her one on one. I had to exhibit my dominance over her to win the hearts of the others. If Yeager had jumped in, her loyal wolves would have attacked. Everything would have fallen apart.

“That’s why I didn’t do it. I decided to trust you and you didn’t disappoint,” he said.

“I am pretty bad ass,” I joked.

“Yes, you are, fur ball,” he replied and I giggled, hugging him with one arm. We walked out of the room on the second floor and I heard what sounded like dozens of people below in the great room talking. I went to the balcony and saw men and women sitting around, eating, drinking and talking. Children played here and there on the floor.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“They just made themselves at home. Pretty cool, huh?” Yeager observed.

“Yeah, it is. I’m...so happy,” I exclaimed. I headed for the stairs and Yeager helped me down. When I got down to the great room, most of the people there stopped talking and stared. I hesitated, unsure of what might happen. Were they expecting me to say something or to issue orders? Then one woman came to me. She was human. Then a man, her mate I assumed, joined her.

“Hi, I’m Susan and this is Jim,” she greeted me and held out her hand. I shook hers and then his.

“I’m Cassie, nice to meet you,” I said.

“Same here,” they told me and stepped aside. Another couple was behind them and I met them too. Several couples introduced themselves and I happily greeted them. This was perfect. They were assembled here in the house, talking and enjoying one another’s company. They were becoming friends, a family, a pack. But then Sophia, the redhead that had tried to drive a wedge between Yeager and I, approached and bowed.

“Don’t do that?” I told her disgustedly.

“Sorry, Lady,” she said.

“And don’t call me Lady either,” I told her.

“I apologize. I am at your com...,” she began to say but I cut her off.

“No you’re not. You’re not at anyone’s command, especially mine. I get it. You, Gerard and Phillip are all submissive puppies but I have no desire to be your dame. Grow a spine. You’re not a wolf. You’re a shifter. Act like one,” I told her. Sophia looked shocked.

“I...I...uh,” she stammered.

“Look, as long as you don’t cause trouble, I don’t care what you do. Maybe you can find one of Violet’s other minions to be your daddy but it ain’t going to be me, sister,” I told her and looked at Yeager. He shrugged at the woman and led me past her smirking as we went. He leaned in close.

“You’re a real bitch, you know that,” he whispered.

“It must be the hormones,” I argued.

“Yeah, right!” Yeager told me with more than a hint of admiration in his voice. We found Edie and Agnes. They had grabbed three beers along with a glass of water for me and scrounged some food from the well-stocked kitchen.

“This is amazing,” Agnes told me. Another couple interrupted, apologizing before introducing themselves. I greeted them and introduced Yeager, Edie and Agnes as well. They smiled and after we had all shook hands, they left us alone.

“It is pretty cool. I hope this place is always like this instead of the cold, empty place it was before,” I remarked.

“It will be,” Amp said as he plopped into the chair next to where we sat. He pulled Ginnie onto his lap, giggling. “If we have anything to say about it, that is,” he added.

“I’m glad. For that and also that you two found each other. I hope you won’t mind if we come visit now and then,” I told them. Ginnie pushed Amp’s arms down so she could sit up.

“Well, you’d better. We’ve already talked with some of those that want to stay here and build a community...a real community. We all agree on one thing. Wolfsbane just isn’t a good name, flower or not. We’re going to call this place Cassie’s Ranch.” Ginnie told me. I almost cried.

“I...I’m overwhelmed by all of this. Thank you,” I replied. I could tell they would not accept my protests or my modesty. Murphy found us after that and joined us as well.

“That was a nice speech you gave outside,” he told me.

“I just said what I was feeling,” I replied.

“Those are the best kind of speeches. You did good. I’m proud of you,” he told me.

“All right, enough with all the compliments and naming shit after me. You’re all going to make me cry,” I protested. Murphy laughed.

“All right, good enough,” he said and instead just leaned forward and held up his beer. I tapped my glass of water against his and smiled at him.

“Thanks,” I said. Murphy grinned and sat back content to enjoy the atmosphere and the peace.

We stayed for a week as I recuperated. I met many new friends at the ranch they named for me. Not everyone stayed, though. Many left to return to their own lives, some alongside the rest of society and others to carve out an existence on the fringes like Yeager and I had. But all of them left knowing they had a home here at the ranch. They knew they were a part of something bigger than themselves. We were a family...a wolf pack.

I found it ironic that it took the demise of Lady Violet to attain that which she promised most of those she lured here. A sense that they belonged to something bigger than themselves, a sense of community. Violet wanted that but on her terms and her terms alone. Now these people could live as they saw fit and as it turned out, Violet’s promise was finally coming true but in a way she would never have accepted. It felt so good to see these people finally get what they came here for.

Leaving the ranch and the people there was hard but I was eager to go back to California and pick up the threads of my life. Edie and Agnes promised to follow but they had some business to tend too. There were children without parents, a few orphaned during our fight with Lady Violet and others brought here after being found living alone like Agnes and Ginnie had been. Agnes felt a connection with these children and she wanted to make sure they all found a home.

Yeager and I drove home alone. By the time we arrived, my wounds were mostly healed. It would be a long time before the scars faded but I was feeling healthy again. We occupied our old spot in the desert near the Salton Sea. It was cold there but nothing like Colorado. It snowed at the ranch a day after we left. Here it was pleasantly warm during the days, cold at night but not a snowflake in sight. I used to like snow but now that I spent a lot of time out and about as a wolf and then naked as a woman, not so much.

Yeager and I spent several days alone, in the motorhome during the days, out exploring the desert at night as wolves. We ranged further each night until on the third night I saw Yeager chasing a jack rabbit ahead of me. I knew how rabbits reacted, running in circles, and I anticipated the creature’s path. I sat and waited patiently as the rabbit led my mate around and then towards me. Yeager never saw me, his attention riveted on the rabbit, until I lunged and grabbed his prize before he could close the distance.