The Burden of Blood

Chapter. 1

Sage Winters' flat, that he inhabited with two other pack members, always had the overwhelming aroma of marijuana. The musky scent was the first thing I could smell as I enter the home and walk down the smokey dark hallway that leads to his room. Sage's door is unlocked so I walk right in. His long limbs are sprawling across his bed, dressed in only boxers and a white tanktop with an unlit joint hanging between his lips, it wasn't unusual for me to see him like this. Sage was what you'd call proud of his body, and it was impressive, he was all lean muscle- muscular not buff, he had the body of an athlete, even though he hated sports. The room is smokey and reaks of pot, the only light comes from the muted tv. Removing a few articles of clothing I take a seat on the worn sofa, adjacent to Sage's bed.
Sage greets me with half-lidded eyes. "Just in time." He rises up in his bed, sitting cross legged opposite me. Grabbing a lighter off the bed he lights the joint and puffs. "What's your drama?"
I huff and take the joint from him, puffing a few times before speaking. "Garrett and the whole stupid Crossing Circle." Locating the ashtray I ash the joint and it hand back to Sage. "He's really on me about this. I know I'm gonna hear his mouth tomorrow."
"You're a top prospect, I've trained you well." His mouth pulls up like a Cheshire cat.
"Shut up." I shoot him a look, he stops.
Sage is quiet for some time, absent mindedly pulling on his reddish chin hairs. he's facing me but not looking at me.
"I talked to Mariah yesterday," I say to break the silence. "She remembered my name this time." I smile, feeling warmth when ever her name comes up.
"Ask her out." Sage says matter-of-factly as he lights his next joint. "I mean she's bi, so you gotta shot."
I frown, punching him pops into my head. "You know I can't." I sound pathetic, even to myself.
Sage had been my bestfriend for years, he's the one who helped me with my father's death and the following events that left me sprouting into a werewolf. There were many things about being a werewolf that scared me, but none more than the mating process. And I was afraid I had already started. My crush on Mariah was nothing new, but lately there was an edge to it, I ached when she was around. I had turned eight months ago, two months before my father was murdered. In the span of eight months my life had gone to complete crap, and truth be told I was scared to be half human.
"You're freakin' Rayon Fairchild!" I can tell Sage's high now. "You're gonna be legendary." Now I really want to punch him. "Face it kid, you," He points a finger in my direction. "Are meant for greatness."
Where do orphaned werewolves go? I'd been living in a small studio apartment since my dad's death. My mother was never around, so that was never an option. Luckily my dad being the greatest dad ever, left me a small fortune in case of, well, tragedy. That's the only thing I can describe it as. It left not only me, but the whole pack grieving. It was so exciting at first, the night I turned. A new world opened up to me. I discovered new facets of myself and it all started with Sage, like most things. He unlocked the door to fantasy- to a new me
A better me.
The adults had been erratic, speaking in hushed tones all day, giving me weird looks and the occasional oblong smile, it was like I had contacted some strange disease that I didn't know about.
Later in the night Sage and I had been behind the barn in a little clearing we had discovered years before, it had been our favorite hangout and a place for Sage to get high. On that day Sage was most definitely high but he'd been acting weirder than normal. His movements were off, his legs looked heightened, like they were something else.
"I've got something to show you." Sage says, removing his shirt and stepping out of his shoes, his feet looking abnormal with thick course red hair sprouting from every pore.
I hold my hand up in a stop motion. "Sage I'm not into you like that."
Sage's smirk lights up his face, he runs a hand over washboard abs, in an awkward attempt to be sexy. I admit I check him out, he was cute in his right, but his type wasn't my type. It made for moments like this to seal us closer, he was always fake coming on to me. Because we both knew what team I played for.
"Ray, you're into me. But please focus." He removes his pants.
I've seen him this naked before, but never has he stripped in front of me. "Sage I don't follow."
He removes his briefs, a hand safeguarding his junk, we were close but not that close. "Look," he drops to all fours, well all threes a hand still holding his package. "This is how it will happen." Sage's face strains, as his bones crackle, his feet- well paws come first and the rest of him shifts, giving way to a whole new being. I watch on in amazement, the boy standing before me is now wolf. Big and majestic. Sage's fur is the same reddish blonde as his human hair, I would be scared if it wasn't for the wolf's eyes, the same liquid green that's given me wisdom and comfort through the years I've known him, it's Sage.
Before I even have time to process what's going on he's human again, naked as they came. I'm quiet as he redress, my thoughts jumbling into one big ball of confusion.
"Lets go." His shirt is still off, and his face is flushed. I'm struck with the urge to touch him, to reaffirm that he's real and I'm not crazy. He looks at me eyes serious. "I hope you're ready."
When Sage and I got back I was let in on my disease. My father sat and told me how he was Alpha, and everything that entitled. And when the wolf I had known as Sage came for me I followed him.
I followed the wolf.
Red Moon Rising became my pack, we dominated an uncharted area of Northern Zarene, near the state's capital Saquinto. Which is were most of the pack's Subjects lived. Subjects were human members of the Red Moon Rising. The ones who never turn, but share a bloodline to werewolves. Those are the people Red Moon Rising is sworn to protect. Sometimes these Subjects become our mates, but most are just human. With werewolf guardians.
On the surface, it seemed like a fun job.
That was the first day of the rest of my life. My father's death was the second day of the rest of my life. Changing into a wolf was the third and never-ending day of my life. I along with many other wolves still had human responsibilities and school was one of them. I wasn't sure how I was supposed to rise to a wolf's full potential and keep a 3.6 G.P.A, though apparently some had done it before and I was expected to do no less. Or goodbye apartment. My small fortune had more rules attached to it than a birthing manuel, I could be cut off at the slightest hiccup. It was more than enough to keep me on my toes.
I hated school but loved English class, it was the one class I shared with Mariah, even though loud mouthed students surrounded us, we were together. I was the desk right behind her, close enough to smell the jasmine emanating off her skin. Recently I'd been more aware of my wolf when around her, it's like my wolf was drawn to her, and Mariah being the possible M word, maybe I was. Everything she did left me drooling, I couldn't get enough of the Angel that sat before me. I've killed before, but I couldn't summon the courage to talk to her.
After class was lunch, I usually met up with Sage and his buddies. Sage went to a police academy, especially for our kind, it'd been his assigned duty when he became a Beta wolf. He was pissed about it before, not liking his predestined career, but eventually he grew to love it. Serve and protect was in Sage's's blood. All Beta wolves had duties, some chore that your special circumstance could benefit from. Being a wolf made Sage almost impossible to kill, he was quickly rising up the ranks. We were both waiting for the day he'd be Officer Winters.
Sage's orange and black striped Mustang was in the back of the school were he always met me. I got in the front seat with no reception. Jace Matthews was in the backseat, I could see him in the rearview mirror, his face pinched in annoyance, he didn't like that I was Sage's best friend, as far as he was concerned I was just a high school lesbian with daddy issues, that was a direct quote, in which I broke his arm for- both of them. Sage's eyes were red and hung low as he followed the road to the McDonald's a few blocks down. When we got their it was crowded, though we managed to snag a booth and burgers before it got to chaotic.
"Look who's hear," Sage speaks through a mouth of fries. Jace and I both turn to the door to see Mariah Leeves walk through it. "No, him." Sage points to the guy Ariana's with.
"Tony," I nearly growl. I can't see his face, just the back of him. But I know it's him, Sage know it to. He's the competition. He'd been Ariana's boyfriend off and on for months. Where she was, you could bet he wasn't far behind. I'd recently started hated him, and that was new for me. Jealousy had never had such a strong grip on me, it worried me. I was unpredictable when Ariana was in question.
"Lesbian wolf." Jace snorts, locking cold eyes on me, I can feel the hate.
Now I really growl, the sound more animalistic than human, anger ceases me. "What was that?" Jace sits up, sprawling out letting his massive size fill up the booth. It's his intimidation tatic, it's all he has. He knows I could kick his ass without breaking a sweat. And I want to. "You say something?"
Jace's ruddy face pulls into a snide smile, his dark eyes sparkle with amusement. "Her?" He turns in his booth to get a better look at Mariah, his eyes stopping on her butt, Mariah's pressed up against Tony, a McFlurry in her hand. I growl again. "Rejected mate."
I'm growling loud, people look. In an instant my hands spring out, reaching for Jace's neck, I want to kill him, but Sage is restraining me before I get the chance, his arm resting across my shoulders, keeping me from finishing my homicide. I seethe, my anger another heartbeat within me. Jace smiles, returning to his meal.
Sadly I wonder if he's right.
From the corner of my eye I see Mariah kiss Tony, it's enough to make me lose my appetite.