The peaceful silent of the forest was shattered as the angry snarls and howls of Duncan's family filled the night. The pack were on the hunt and by the sounds of it they were out for blood. Duncan tensed. He didn't have the strength to shift and wouldn't be able to defend himself or his mate if it came to a fight. He only hoped that his father or grandfather were leading them. It was too much to hope that they wouldn't find them as the scent of blood from Keelay's wound and the combined scent of there mating was too strong to over look.
Unwillingly he moved away from Keelay, reaching for his clothes. He cursed to find his jeans torn and useless, his eyes automatically hunting the dark clearing floor for the gym clothes Keelay had been wearing. Thankfully they had survived his aggressive attempts to undress her and he quickly moved to put them on, taking the jumper for Keelay to wear.
He crouched down in front of her and gently shook her awake. She didn't so much as mutter, to deep in sleep to be roused. Instead if forcing her awake he merely manoeuvred her into a better position to dress her. It was probably better of she slept through the confrontation to come.
Lifting Keelay into his arms, Duncan started back through the forest to the cabin. He hadn't been walking long when he heard the first tell tale signs of being stalked. To the left he spied one of his many family members moving silently through the trees, his white-blue eyes never once leaving his prey. He couldn't be sure who it was, there were too many of them and they all tended to look alike in wolf form but if he had to guess he'd say it was his cousin Dean. Jakes older brother. He no doubt wanted Duncan's head for what he had done.
Jake had four siblings, two older brothers, one older sister and one younger sister. All of them were fiercely protective of Jake as due to some strange birth defect, Jake couldn't shift. He never let it show but it bothered him greatly and made him feel like a freak compared to his family. Although his lack of a wolf form was never bothered his pack, they loved him just the same. It was because of this defect that Duncan had left Keelay with him in the first place, so she wouldn't have to see what he was before he was ready to explain. So he wouldn't frighten her.
That worked out brilliantly didn't it! He snorted to himself. He'd still terrified her. Hurt her. He'd be lucky if she ever let him near her when this was all over.
Duncan was quickly brought out of his thought as a large, six foot werewolf stepped into his path. He stopped and stared unsure what to do. Normally he would have shifted and the two would have fought, working out their energy in a good old fashioned wrestling match. But he couldn't do that with Keelay in his arms, even if he could summon the energy to shift. So instead he stood his ground and stared the wolf down. His dominant nature refusing to allow him to look away first.
The staring contest was only broken as his elderly grandfather stepped through the trees on his right.
"Wot the he'll ya dun now lad?" he asked in exasperation.
"I'm sorry Grandpa, I never meant for this too happen. I just...." Duncan started to apologise but was cut off with a raise of a hand. There was no excuse. Duncan had broken pack law by attacking Jake, by taking Keelay from the safety of the cabin without her even knowing what he was, by claiming Keelay without her consent. The law was clear. Punishment must be handed down.
Without a word Drake turned around and lead the procession to the cabin. The glass of the large window, broken when Duncan had attacked Jake, had been cleared. The table, smashed when Duncan had thrown Jake across the room, had been removed. But the bloodstains on the carpet were bright and clear. A visible reminder that Jake had been seriously hurt.
After tucking Keelay into the bed in the only room of the cabin, uncaring that the sheets smelt of another male, Duncan returned to the living room to receive his punishment.
In his absents more of the pack had arrived and shifted into their human forms. His father and brothers, several cousins, aunts and uncles now crowded the small room. His grandfather stood by the kitchen door, his grandmother beside him, her small hand in his. Drake hated punishing his family. He'd had enough punishments as a child to fill a lifetime and the though of what he had to do turned his stomach. For the laws he had broken, only two punishments could be given. Death or banishment. He stared around the room at the pack, all eyes on him as they waited for his decree.
