Beautiful Creatures Series

It was early afternoon when Katelyn woke. Darrell was still in bed lying next to her, his arm wrapped around her holding her close. She was surprised to find him next to her. She thought he had to work, yet here he was. She knew Nigel had fired him, but she would have thought he had other jobs lined up waiting for him to start. Katelyn smiled contently. She liked the way he felt pressed up against her.

Katelyn rolled over to face Darrell. Her movement woke him. Through a sleepy haze, he smiled at her, and she smiled in return. “Good morning, Dove,” he said and then yawned.

“Good morning?” She returned. “Don’t you have to work?”

“As my own boss, I work when I want to. After last night I just didn’t feel up to it,” he said, pulling her closer. Darrell nuzzled her neck and nibbled on her ear. “Besides, I can think of a few things I would rather be doing.”

Katelyn giggled and tried to push him away. “No way. I’m still sore from last night,” Darrell pouted, and Katelyn grinned and pushed him away again. “I think you will live,” she said, getting out of bed and finding her clothes.

“Ok, I’ll give you some time to rest,” he said, sitting up in bed and watching her dress.

“Oh, how thoughtful of you,” she said, dressing and went to the window. Peeking out, Katelyn sighed. “It is such a nice day; it is a shame we are cooped up inside,” after last night, it was clear that she could not simply walk around freely in Feral. The pack would likely try to kill her again.

“You want to go out?” He asked, getting up. She did, but she feared setting foot outside the door. Katelyn watched as Darrell dressed for the day. He was a man that looked good in anything he put on or took off. Donning his ripped jeans and t-shirt, Darrell grabbed his hat off the floor and placed it on his golden head with a big shining smile. He made redneck look good.

Katelyn could not get over the fact that he was now in perfect condition when just last night, he nearly died. “Don’t you think after last night you should maybe rest a bit?”

“Aww, you are concerned,” he smiled and kissed her forehead. “That’s so cute but unnecessary. I’m as fit as a bull in the cattle corral,” he said, flexing for her. “See… strong.”

She could not stop giggling. Katelyn ran her hand over his bicep and grinned. “Yes, I can see that. Tell me though you challenged your leader, are you not scared he may still want you dead?”

Before he could answer, there was a knock at the door. Darrell looked at Katelyn, then they both walked downstairs, heading for the back door in the kitchen. Opening the door, they found Gordon on the other side. The older man looked Darrell over. “You are looking recovered,” Gordon said.

“You too,” Darrell replied.

“I have come to finish what we have started. I would call last night a draw. If you want to replace me, you still have to beat me. It is the law of the pack.”

“Gordon, I don’t want to replace you.”

“You challenged me.”

“I just want you not to kill Katelyn. I don’t want to be the leader. I’m not ready for that burden.”

Gordon looked past Darrell at Katelyn. She could feel his eyes boring into her. “She’s a big liability.”

“I can keep her out of trouble. I’m asking you to trust me. If I’m to be a leader one day, you and everyone else are going to have to learn to trust my judgment,” he said.

Gordon looked back at Darrell. “Ok, she can stay in Feral, but she’s your responsibility. I hope I’m not going to regret this.”

“You won’t,” Darrell assured him. Gordon gave in and left.

did not understand why he did not want

content being second banana,” he said, closing the door. He smiled at her. “You are afraid

he crossed the room to her. Darrell reached up and brushed his knuckles over her cheek. “What if

around here, and besides Gordon, I’m at the top of the food chain,” he

it safe?”

she supposed she really had no other option but to trust him. As it stood, Darrell was the

trust you,” she

you really? That’s

“You can read

like an idiot. “No, but I

mind games. How am I supposed to know what is true when you kid like that? It is hard enough to be surrounded by

expression claimed his otherwise handsome face. “Monsters? Is that what you think we are? Is that what you think I am?

rage, and Katelyn took a cautious step back, putting distance

real monsters. So arrogant and self-righteous. Thinking they own the world. We kill to survive, but humans kill for fun and for domain. Humans are the reason so many animals are extinct. You are like a fucking plague on the world sweeping across the globe, so convinced of your own superiority destroying everything you dislike or are too stupid to understand. You are destroying the world and taking everything else down with you, but do we hunt you? No. We mind our own business, but you hunt us for sport. I’m not

***

the corner pocket. He had left Katelyn at home and gone for a drive to the city with the gang to shoot pool and get drunk. Darrell now had a shot at the eight-ball, and he took it. He sank the ball in the side pocket and

you,” Kenneth complained. “You always win,” Darrell held out his hand, and Kenneth placed twenty bucks in his palm and then complained

looking around at

you,” Stanton

Aster. “Hey, Baby, what do you say you go fetch

your fucking lapdog? I don’t fetch anything. Get your own damn drink,” she snapped. “You

want to inconvenience her Majesty,” he said

trouble in

best thing going on last night, but come to the sobering dawn of a new day, I seem to have lost my appeal,” he snapped, taking his next shot and sending the ball skipping across the table. “Like her being mortal somehow makes her better than me,” he

he glared at

wound a bit tight tonight,” Kenneth noted. “How about I go get another round for everyone, and you take a deep breath and

this woman get to him. He knew what he was. Who cared what she thought of him? He did, but why? “Since when

said, jumping in on the conversation. “The fact that you do whatever you want without the regard of others is what makes you alpha. Your confidence is why people follow you. You can’t start questioning yourself now because some snobby mortal called you

grateful to you,” Charlotte added from her seat in the corner. “You defended her last night against all

you

had to be carried out of there last night. His days are numbered,” she said with confidence. “I think it might be time for some new blood to put the old

dog is my father,” Aster snarled. “And he’s not washed

Darrell said, lining up his next shot. “I’m way too selfish to have the weight of the whole pack on my shoulders. As far as I’m concerned, Gordon

Kenneth said, returning to the table with a handful of

ex Nigel and two he did not recognize. “Hey, you,” Nigel called

because if you were, you

paused, and a look of cautious fear graced their faces,

and nobody has seen her since she