Love, Be-Were! Ch. 3 Teaser
Silence crept over the darkened
glade, soothing the chaotic motions and sounds of all encased within its
depths. Birds and beasts alike felt its serene shroud settling upon their
brows, lulling their frantic movements with a deep calm. Even the merry chirping
of crickets and other nocturnal bug life stilled as an expectant hush fell
across the surrounding forest.
One by one, small lights began
clicking to life. The soft glow from the fixtures spread with a slow and
methodical rhythm, illuminating a low stone wall that ran in an arc along the
center of the clearing. The luminaries spread from the only break in that
border, a majestically hand-hewn arch with a wrought iron gate, and drifted
along the paving stones of a long pathway.
The soft glow raced along the
stones, casting shadows over the exquisite landscaping that bordered its
path. Beautiful blooms, their colors
made indeterminate by the looming darkness, seemed to nod in greeting as the
light spread. Reaching the end of the stones, the lights split in opposite
directions, and morphed into larger fixtures in a semi-circle that paralleled
the low stone border.
Large spot lights hummed as light
poured from them, the glow spreading across vast amounts of layered stone. The
procession finally came to a halt as the last few fixtures clicked on, casting
illumination along the entire base of the enormous three-story structure that
stood in sharp relief against the darkness. The tall rock walls flowed
seamlessly from the cliff behind them, each stone appearing as if it had been
molded from the mountain face instead of being hewn by the hands of men.
Over the space of two hundred
years, Werehaven Manor had remained a beacon of hope and prosperity for the
neighboring towns. Although it had undergone numerous renovations during that
time, the aura of serenity it exuded had never wavered. With its lofty
parapets, tall columns, and beautifully manicured grounds, the manor house
presented an impressive façade. It was, however, more than it seemed; the
building’s founder, Rhochlan Werehaven, had designed it for a dual purpose.
Many human patrons had frequented
its halls and given wonderful reviews of the Werehaven Manor Bed and Breakfast
Inn as a secluded retreat. The B&B boasted a fully staffed kitchen that
made it possible to offer three home-cooked meals a day; it wasn’t unusual for
the dining room to be packed at each of them, by both customers and people just
walking in off the street. It even offered a gift store that sold hand-made
crafts, and a harvest season farmer’s market that encouraged young farmers and
children to sell their home-grown produce.
Beyond the hustle of the business
front, and out of the path of any curious humans, deep hallways pushed back
through the mountain itself. The stones in those tunnels were much older, much
heavier. They housed a multitude of rooms designed specifically to be used as
homes for Weres: shifters, individuals that were as much beast as human. After having
lost his mother in childbirth along with his younger sister, and his father murdered
by a rival Were species, Rhochlan built the Inn to preface a half-way house for
orphaned Were children.
As Alpha of the Werehaven rabbit
colony, Rhochlan recognized the need to provide a future for abandoned
kittens—Were-rabbit children—because their genealogy was a bit different from
other shifter species. A kit was born in human form to both parents, but unlike
wolves or cats, the beast didn’t manifest upon puberty; instead, it was locked
from birth inside a cage in the babe’s mind. Upon the child’s fifth birthday, a
visit would be scheduled with the Alpha to unlock the beast, allowing the two
halves of the kit’s psyche to merge and become whole.
If, for some reason, the cage
remained unopened…the consequences to the child were often terrible to behold.
In the beast’s desperation to be free, the kit’s mind would be ravaged; all too
often, damaged beyond repair. Usually, this was as a result of a family tragedy
or extenuating circumstances that removed the kitten from an Alpha’s influence
and ability to perform the rites necessary. Running a licensed shelter for
troubled youth provided Rhochlan with a unique opportunity to seek out those
children who may benefit the most from an Alpha’s presence.
There were times when he
succeeded, happy moments when he drew the children away from the madness and
back into the light. He’d bring them back to the Manor, and the love of his
sister and the other Weres at the compound would help them come to peace with
their life. When they were ready, they’d make the transition to the rabbit
colony, granted the ability to grow and prosper as a part of the community.
Occasionally, however, there were
times when success was no longer an option.
Exhaustion would force him to leave the minds of those children who were
too plagued with pain, terror, and agony to save. There was always the threat of his own mind
being lost when he tarried too long in those dark places, drowning in the
horror that came to life when a child’s Were had been caged for too long. He
fought for them, wrestled with their demons, until he risked his very sanity in
his bid for their freedom.
Hard decisions had to be made
then; decisions for the safety and security of those around the child as well
as the need to preserve the secrecy of their heritage that made Rhochlan sick
to his very soul. Only when the child’s mind held no hope of recovery would he
relent and make the little one’s passing as painless as possible. He’d always
chosen to ignore the fact that eventually he was destined to fail…refused to
accept that there would come a day when a mind he tried to save would bring an
end to his own life.
He was the Werehaven Alpha, and the
failure to try was not an option.
*****
After the last light switch
clicked into place, Riocha closed the fuse cabinet door. Her eyes swept over
the marble kitchen counters as she opened cabinet and refrigerator doors,
mentally checking off inventory items that she’d need to restock. She wandered
throughout the manor as she checked the locks on doors and windows. Finally
satisfied that all security measures were in place, she scanned the yard
through one of the front foyer windows and then headed toward her personal
chambers.
The unusual silence within the
Inn’s walls pressed against her senses, heavy and oppressive. She sighed,
exasperated with herself; after all the times that the noise of the children
drove her to the point of madness, she couldn’t enjoy their absence either. As
acting Alpha Doe, she was used to handling a constant barrage from the little
ones, and felt a bit out of sorts as she wandered through the empty rooms. The
stone walls felt hollow and bare without their laughter ringing through the
halls.
Riocha felt contentment envelope
her as she entered the door of her personal burrow. Soft light filtered from
recessed sconces on the walls, casting gentle shadows throughout the three
rooms. She softly tread towards the kitchen, pausing when she reached the fully
stocked wine cabinet installed there. Her fingers trailed along the corked
bottles as she selected her favorite vintage and pulled it from the shelf. As
she often did, she offered a silent prayer of gratitude that the Colony
maintained its own personal vineyard, with recipes for fine wines that had been
passed down for generations.
Her wine goblet in hand, she
meandered toward the large porcelain tub in the bathroom. Her brother had
spared no expense when she’d decorated her burrow, as he knew she’d be making a
permanent home at the Inn instead of the Colony. She balanced on the edge as
she turned the knobs, the steady thrum of the water in the basin soothing her
frazzled nerves. Setting her goblet down, she added a light touch of mint oil
to her bath. Disrobing quickly and turning the water off, she stepped into the tub,
and sank her lithe form into the steaming water with a sigh.
Retrieving her wine from the
nearby counter, she took a sip. She closed her eyes in appreciation as the deep
fruit and earthen tones swirled around her tongue. Taking another sip, she sank
further into the bath and felt her stressed muscles begin to relax. The fresh,
effervescent mint essence rejuvenated her tired body, soothing her aching feet
and back. Her mind drifted to the male Betas that assisted her at the Inn, and
wished for a fleeting moment that they’d already returned after dropping the
children off for their monthly fieldtrip to the Colony. Another sip and they,
too, were forgotten as she felt her mind enter a meditative state.
Her eyelids fluttered open as she
realized her water had cooled. Surprised that she’d relaxed enough to nap in
the tub, she washed quickly before she stepped out of the water. Chill bumps
raced along her skin as she dried herself off, not bothering to dress as she
headed toward her bed, her nest. The greatest of all her comforts, it brought
her the most pleasure and was truly worthy of an Alpha.
A small smile graced her lips as
she looked at it; oversized and round, the mattress was recessed into the
frame. Soft, downy quilts and comforters piled on top, with fluffy pillows galore;
it was sized to easily accommodate her beast and the several young kits that
inevitably snuck into her room in the middle of the night. When in human form,
her diminutive size was dwarfed as she snuggled in for some much needed rest.
Several hours later, she began to
rouse as she felt her beast stir within. Her inner rabbit had been disturbed
from slumber; keeping her eyes closed, she allowed it to extend her senses to
figure out why. New scents teased her nostrils, but her suddenly tense muscles
relaxed as she realized they were familiar to her. Warm chocolate with a hint
of strawberries made her think of Raycer. Mocha with a splash of coconut
brought Raevin’s face to mind. Caramel and banana instantly sprang forth an
image of Ridge. Her lips curled into a sleepy smile; the triplets were home.
Riocha allowed her rabbit to
enhance her hearing even further. She could just barely make out their quiet
steps as the three males approached her bed, and smiled to herself as she
sensed their hesitation. She peeped through one eye to find them watching her,
letting them know she was aware of their presence and wouldn’t allow her beast
to lash out at them. She heard at least one sharp intake of breath as she
languidly stretched and turned over on her back, allowing the quilt she was
under to slip to her waist. The cool breeze from the door felt delightful over
her flushed skin as one of the brothers closed it, the other two making their
way over to where she lay.
To Be Continued...
