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.

why he did not want that kind of power. He would have been

soon enough when Gordon gets too old to do the job. Until then, I’m content being second banana,” he

the room to her. Darrell reached up and brushed his knuckles over her cheek. “What if someone else challenges you. You can’t fight them all. You barely survived the fight

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

nodded, “But is it safe?” She asked, pulling on the

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

trust you,”

lifted one brow skeptically. “Do you really? That’s not

became alarmed. “You

snickered, and she felt like an idiot.

to play mind games. How am I supposed to know what is true when you kid like that? It is

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

and Katelyn took a cautious step back, putting distance between

your own superiority destroying everything you dislike or are too stupid to understand. You are

***

two stripes in 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 then

his hand, and Kenneth placed twenty bucks in his palm and then complained his way

looking around

play you,”

up,” Darrell said, draining his beer. He then smiled at Aster. “Hey, Baby, what

Get your own damn drink,” she snapped.

to inconvenience her Majesty,”

sense trouble in paradise,”

ball cracked against the others and scattered the balls across the table. “We had a real beauty, and the best thing going on last night, but come to the sobering dawn of a new day, I seem to have lost

and he glared at Darrell. “Dude, keep the balls on

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

was. Who cared what she thought of him? He did, but why? “Since when do you care what people think of you?” Aster asked. “Your utter disregard for other people’s

regard of others is what makes

added from her seat in the corner. “You defended her last night against

killed you for challenging him,”

last night. His days are numbered,” she said with confidence. “I think it might be time for

old dog is my father,” Aster snarled. “And

fighting over it. I don’t want to take over,” Darrell said, lining up his next shot. “I’m way too selfish to have the weight of the whole pack

Kenneth said, returning to the table with a handful of

Katelyn’s ex Nigel and two he did not recognize. “Hey, you,” Nigel

himself. “Are you talking to me?” He asked as he leaned on his cue stick. “You can’t be talking to me because if you were, you would be speaking with far more respect, or I would have

fear graced their faces, but Nigel did not back away.

asked around, and nobody has seen her since she left