Sanctuary Killer: Home

Chapter Seven – Calls Me Home

I forgot how beautiful it is here. The pack-grounds are part of our family’s 500,000 plus acre ranch. Dad settled in this area sometime back in the late 1700’s and has had the land since then.

Needless to say, dad is as old as dirt but doesn’t look over fifty. Werewolves, don’t age like humans and Royalty ages even slower. Yep. Dad’s royalty. A king to be exact but he doesn’t like to be referred to that, at all. He said he left that title behind when he left Ireland.

Dad doesn’t talk very much about “the old days”. I know he was born April 22, 1519 in what is now Ireland and he is the last Lycan to be born since then. Some say that is because he was born at the end of the “heaven cycles”, whatever that means. I never really gave much consideration to all the mumbo jumbo witch shit. And goddess forbid you should talk about druidism in front of my mother. The mere mention of it would set her off on a whirlwind of fury. Which is fine with me. I need proof before I just falsely believe in something.

Dad knew early on that with the influx of Europeans to the “New World” there would also be an influx of supernatural beings as well. Our kind had already been traveling to the “New World” for as long as anyone could remember. So, when the High Council of Lords asked him to be an emissary and overseer of the America’s he left Ireland in 1565 via Spain to the New World and landed in what is now St. Augustine. Florida.

Soon his travels would take him to what was the original 13 colonies. Salem Witch Trials? Yep dad burned those damn witches to the ground. He then traveled southward to New Orleans and then finally ended up here in Texas, but that’s a story for another day.

My father still holds the title of Emissary to this day and my brother Fenris would have taken dad’s place had he not been killed in Afghanistan almost three years ago, Fenris would become Alpha of our pack as well. Now I’m not sure what is going to happen once father decides to step down as Alpha of our pack. Traditionally, woman do not hold the Alpha position so even though I am more than capable of running the pack, I will most likely be required to relinquish both title and position to either one of the males in our pack or if I am mated then my mate then I would rule as Alpha and Luna. But since I don’t have a mate or if by chance Mr. Conri is my mate, I’m not sure what will happen. To make matters worse, I don’t know anything about my mate. “Wow, Raelynne, great detective work there”, Birdy scolds.

As I look out the window of the truck, I can see a herd of buffalo off in the distance. I can tell Birdy is licking her chops just thinking about sinking her teeth into one, but more so she is looking forward to the chase.

As part of the Sanctuary Treaty, dad set aside a fair portion of the ranch to raise livestock for the sole purpose of providing meat for our kind and we provide blood from the slaughterhouse to the vampires and they refrain from snacking on humans. It’s a win-win-win for everyone.

I hear Birdy whimper as a mental image of Griff runs through my head. I know she misses Griff, but she won’t admit it to me. She always held out with the hope she and I would find our true mate, but she also knows he loved her so much. He would play with her for hours. I am so proud of her. My wolf is so much stronger than me. If it weren’t for her, I probably wouldn’t be alive today.

We drive another fifteen minutes before we turn into the large circular driveway of the pack house. Dad had it built back in the late 1800s to resemble Glenarm Castle, a historical site in Northern Ireland. Since dad was originally from the area it seems only natural he would lean towards that sort of architecture, something to remind him of home. At one time, there was a miniature Stonehenge on the property but mother had it torn now and repurposed before Courtney was born. I really don’t remember it and I’ve only seen a picture of it once. Dad was standing in the middle of it with a woman I’ve never seen before. I didn’t ask about it since I found the photo when I was in the attic doing some Christmas Recon one year.

As children, Fenris, Courtney and I we were very privileged to have such a wonderful home and vast expanse to run and play in. I remember we would spend countless hours, playing hide-and-seek thru the hallways and rooms of the upper residential areas. I can honestly say we had a wonderful childhood. However, we were not spoiled by any means. Our father made sure we understood things were not just given to us because of our status within the pack and the supernatural world. Just as respect is earned, we learned to earn our keep as well. Courtney and I are not the typical daughters of an Alpha, that’s for sure.

As we come to a stop, I see mom standing there with a gaggle of children around her, ever much the doting grandmother. I open the truck door and instantly I am assaulted by four little arms hugging my legs. I reach down and kiss my nieces on the tops of their heads. “Girls…” Courtney yells. “Let aunt Raelynne get settled in before you start nagging her to death. Now go to the kitchen and see if Mrs. McGillycuddy has some cupcakes ready for you to decorate.”

I walk over to my mother just as she is handing Alric to Courtney. My mother gives me a stiff hug as usual, then pushes me back some. “It’s nice to see you dear” she says. “However, please be sure to cover up those awful marks on your neck before guests arrive. Remember, your appearance is a reflection on your father and I”, she says coldly as she waves her hand pointing at my neck. I pull my bandana up over my neck as Courtney gives me a smirk and mouths “You are so in trouble” and quickly walks away.

Rolling my eyes, I grab my duffle bag from the back of the pick-up and turn to walk towards the pack house. At the last moment, my mother grabs my arm, pulling me to a stop. “Raelynne dear”, she says “I know you have had a really tough time and all, but you need to snap out of it. Griff is gone and there is nothing you can do about it. It’s time you grow-up and take your rightful place in this family and find a damn mate.”

I glare at my mother jerking my arm out of her grasp and say through gritted teeth “I’m not a child anymore mother, so don’t treat me like one. Life is not some fucking fairy-tale. Maybe for you, but not for me. You think I like not having a mate? Do you think I like watching my sister and all my friends find their mates, fall in love and start families before I do? I’ve searched for year’s mother. I’ve gone to every event you whored me out to with the hope that my mate would be there. Hell, I’ve even traveled the world in search for him. And do you know what I found? Not a fucking thing. So, I allowed myself to fall in love… not the love you have for your true mate, but still real love and before I could ever tell him how much he meant to me, he was killed. So, forgive me if I’m a little bitter and a little wild but it’s my g-d damn life not yours.” My mother just stares at me with a shocked expression on her face like I slapped her. I turn on my heels and stomp away. Good maybe now she’ll leave me alone about this whole mate thing for a little while.

Typically, I would be staying in the family residence a couple of miles from the pack-house, however, when my father convinced me to come “home” it was on one condition. He had to allow me to stay at the pack-house. I prefaced it with the fact that I needed to be close to all the comings and goings over the next several weeks. But honestly, it was so that I can have a buffer from my family.

I was surprised when my father agreed and said that would be fine. I know my mother will no doubt have me parading around like a prize heifer on display before the auction at every opportunity. The only reason I agreed to come was for my father. When I spoke with my father about coming, I could hear the strain in his voice. When I asked him, what was wrong, he simply blew it off as nothing and quickly changed the subject. Later he confided in me that at least two members from the High Council of Lords would be here sometime over the next two weeks and expressed the importance of me being in attendance. So, here I am.

I walk into the pack-house, greeted with the sounds of laughter and conversation. As I walk up the staircase, I glance into the large living room and see my father, tossing my nephew Fenris in the air, while Travis and Courtney are talking with Gregor, my father’s Beta and Strabo his third in command. I shudder as I see Strabo look my way. I hear him excuse himself from the conversation and head towards the stairs. I quicken my pace up the staircase, hoping to avoid him. As I reach the top landing, Strabo grabs my waist and looks at me with hungry eyes. I hear Birdy growl and get in a defensive stance. I pull up a mental wall, hoping Strabo didn’t see Birdy snarl at him.

Most women find Strabo very handsome, which I must admit on the outside he is handsome for an older man, but there is nothing about him that reminds me of gentlemen. Frankly, he makes my skin crawl and the hair on the back of my neck stand up. He’s a lot shorter than my father, standing just shy of six foot, as most druid men are. His sandy blonde hair always looks dirty and he has a constant five o’clock show. He has crystal clear blue eyes and a hug dimple in his chin. Oh, and did I mention he is a druid. Yeah him and mom just love each other. Not. Feelings mutual.

“Raelynne darling, please let me take your bag to your room. You shouldn’t carry something that heavy.” He beams.

Just then I hear my father yell, “Strabo I need you and Gregor to go to the airstrip and pick up our first group of guest.” Strabo lets go of my bag and I see a flash of anger in his eyes for a second as he looks in my father’s direction. I can’t help but smirk as he turns to leave. I head to my room to get settled in.