Page 100 of Wolf's Mark

Sedona wasn’t interested in protocol or worried about being shunned. She stepped forward with the same iPad in her hand, almost frantically pressing her fingers across the screen. “See for yourself. You tell me what I’m seeing. Tell me what I witnessed isn’t true. And tell me one more time that werewolves aren’t real.”

She handed me the small computer, allowing me to give the iPad to Eliza first. I wasn’t certain if Eliza believed what he was seeing, but at least he paid close attention. He lifted his gaze toward me, but I could clearly see his continued hatred.

“If not werewolves, then we have another unknown issue,” I told them. “DNA will need to be tested against ours.”

“By whom?” another Alpha asked.

“By Doctor Willis,” I told them. All eyes shifted toward Sedona. I was proud of her. She held her own, giving them the same looks they were giving to her.

The iPad was passed around, several of the men and most of the women in the group unnerved. I could feel their anxiety in my bones. But I wasn’t certain it would be enough.

Eliza burst into laughter. “Contrived. A movie and nothing more.”

“Bullshit. I was there. I performed an autopsy on the man who returned to life and turned into some… fucking horrible creature.”

Sedona was suddenly beside me, almost frothing at the mouth from the level of anger furrowing inside of her.

“Who the fuck is that?” Danton asked, also laughing alongside his brother.

“She’s the medical examiner for the town of Cartersville, her credentials top notch. And why don’t you take a goddamn deep whiff,” I told them. Yeah, I was pushing limits, but I didn’t give a shit. I couldn’t worry about Sedona’s concerns or fears. This could be life or death for our kind.

Danton shifted his hate-filled gaze in her direction, at least doing what I asked. “What the fuck are you trying to tell me? She doesn’t belong here. We are wolves. She is nothing.”

“She does belong here,” my mother interjected. “She is the first person to capture what the beasts are capable of. The killing will continue. Humans will be slaughtered. We will be challenged. And if things go the way they are now, they could win.”

“Why?” one of the women in the group asked.

“Because we’ve grown weak,” Riker said. He stood in front of one of the windows. “We aren’t the strong and invincible wolves we used to be. The council was right. We need to continue our training. We need to be prepared for the onslaught of any enemy, human or beast.”

“Do you not remember the humans who almost pushed us into extinction?” Mother added. She waited until some of the older Alphas finally nodded.

Eliza snorted.

“We only survived because we worked together.” Mother’s words finally seemed to hit home with some. They started talking amongst themselves again.

At least Chase flanked my side. “I’ve ignored my duties. All of us have. I didn’t want a goddamn thing to do with being a wolf. I couldn’t have cared less about my Wolfen ancestry. Most of you can say the same. We’ve become complacent with our fancy cars and hefty bank accounts, big houses and influential friends. My brothers are right. We’ve lost our sense of being wolves. We’ve enjoyed being human to the point we don’t know how to fight our real enemy any longer.”

I was shocked to hear him chime in, but pleased. I offered him another nod.

“What the fuck do you want us to do with this? Old wives’ tales. I haven’t seen shit.” Eliza shook his head. “It can’t be real.”

“It’s all over the news. You’ve heard about the recent murders supposedly done by wild animals?” I asked, waiting as what I was saying dawned on him.

“If what you’re saying is true, we just hunt them down. They are rogue Wolfen.”

I half laughed. “You watched that video. Do you really believe they are one of us? These creatures are already so strong they will be almost impossible to kill.”

“Bullshit,” Danton snapped. “We cut off their heads.”

“You’ll never get that close.” Riker was as angry as I was. “We witnessed several men who’d been slaughtered in the park. Theywere in the process of transforming and I can tell you that they were not easy to kill in their subhuman form.”

Sedona issued a single moan.

“You faced several of the beasts?” Marla asked. She was also a doctor, another hybrid scientist. I’d forgotten she’d returned to Cartersville to be closer to her mother. She was considered an expert in dealing with epidemics.

“Yes, we did,” I answered. “They are entirely different than depicted in the stories we’ve been told. We were victorious only because they hadn’t fully transformed.”

Mother nodded in agreement. “They are much more powerful.”

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