The Characters of Clayton, Rya, Kennedy, Dallas, and the Valentines belong to Rachelle. The character of Cora is expanded on with Permission from Rachelle, and is written for the pleasure of the International Wildflower Pack, the WhiskeyQueenn fandom. #WildflowersUnited #iwp  

::special thanks for the inspiration for this sidestory 

and the use of her amazing characters::

Forked Tongues

As much as my wolf wanted to show herself and pee on Alpha Adams' desk, we resisted. We kept our heads bowed slightly in respect and hid what we had become. Charlie had graduated and I had to be allowed to return to Adams Pack for our senior year. Luna Catherine was watching me intently, I could not lie to the Alphas, but I did not have to tell the whole truth either. I had learned that lesson and many others  well from many different Lunas and Beta Females  as Grandmama Coraline and I had traveled the world in search of my next 'cooking lesson'. Very few knew I was Adams pack, to most I was the Goddess-daughter of the Noble Alpha being taken 'hunting for my mate' by my grandmother. I kept my answers simple, just the facts ma'am. My wolf enjoyed watching old tv shows with Alpha Forest entirely too much, Too Much. She's so weird.

"I spent my time studying hard, maintained A's and B+'s, learning culinary skills, and the roles of higher wolves in different pack structures for packs both here and overseas," I answered. All of my school work had been forwarded to Luna Catherine at her request, another way to keep me on their leash but what they didn't realize was that in the age of the internet, I had attended school from everywhere except Noble pack territory. And I mean everywhere, well, except Australia, an unfortunate Wolfbook post had got us caught, well almost caught. 

"And your grandmother took you to the Philippines for spring break?" Luna Catherine's words sounded like lemon and bitters.

"Yes Luna, to El Nido Resort on Lagen Island. Her friend, Luna Shin-mai of Tsang-Lao invited us. It was very exciting." I couldn't resist the little rub. Tsang-Lao pack was the longest single existing pack in the world, dating back nearly 5,000 years, even older than Sparta. Their code of honor was unique and their history was amazing. And the food, oh my Goddess, the food, I should weigh a thousand pounds.

"So you didn't know you were going to the Pacific Rim Alpha Gathering?" She persisted and I realized she was jealous. Luna Catherine was jealous of me. My wolf snickered but I kept my face straight.

"No, Luna." 

It was an invitation only gathering of the most powerful packs in the pacific. From Russia, my grandmother had called retired Luna Shin-mai, asking if we could come for a visit before we headed home. We spent months in China with her pack then were invited the meeting. They had known each other during the great war and had spent time fighting together and rescuing trapped wolves from behind enemy lines in Japanese-occupied China. They had many crazy, humorous, and disturbing stories together. Oh my virgin ears! My wolf had laughed at me more times that month than I could keep track. On this trip, I realized my grandmother would have made a great Luna.

Luna Catherine turned the laptop on the desk toward me, on the screen are lots of pictures of beautiful, young wolves partying hard. I am in several. "I hope you didn't embarrass our pack too much," she says snidely.

"No, Luna, I don't think..." her look said otherwise, "I'm sorry, Luna Catherine."

"I think your father made a mistake to send you to live with your grandmother, it appears she was a poor influence upon you," she sounded judgmental, like she has room to talk. We would choose our grandmother's influence over yours any day.

"Better than living with the man who let the Beta have me beaten almost to death," I couldn't help but growl out. I am still a little, no... a lot resentful about being beaten and sent away.

"Yes, well... that was an... unfortunate incident. The Alpha and I would never have allowed it to happen or go unpunished, had we known," she lied and it comes out of her mouth as naturally as air. I wonder if she has a forked tongue but I nodded like I believed her. I never looked at Alpha Adams, in that moment, he would have seen my hatred for them all.

"Thank you, Luna..."

~ Two months earlier

The sand was the whitest I had ever seen and the water... I can't even describe it. I had been to amazing beaches all over Europe and the Mediterranean but this place was in a single word – paradise.

I snapped a picture of Grandmama Coraline as she glided past again, waving at me from the para-sail. She had on a giant orange floppy hat that matched her skirted swimsuit and was wearing a pair of sunglasses that would make any 80's pop icon jealous. Her very large, colorful drink appeared to be almost empty, she'd be hitting the beach soon and I had better have another one waiting. Qwanling's great-grandmother Luna Shin-mai floated by looking very much the same but in deep scarlet. I waved to the waiter and pointed at the descending para-sails. He was waiting for them before their feet touched the sands. Grandmama waved me over but I shook my head, there was no way I was going up in one of those things. Wolves were not meant to float around in the air like soap bubbles.

I looked around at all the wolves on the beach, or in the water, or sitting and drinking in the raised cottages over the water. Several unmated male kept glancing my way. 

Just nope, Bachelorette Number Two is not interested. 

The Tsang-Lao Pack and Australian United Packs had basically rented Lagen Island. We all stayed in the resort complex but each pack had been assign its own little territory in the jungle. There had only been one fight. A pregnant female had gotten pushed down accidentally by a male rushing to get to his mate. Her mate and his alpha had attacked the offending Delta, which brought another alpha and beta into the fray. Several pack warriors had tried to join in the brawl. It was the first time I had combat shifted, Qwan followed. She stood guard over the pregnant Beta and her Luna while I defended. Needless to say, there were many surprised by the size and ferocity of our young she-wolves, especially mine. 

After three pack warriors ended up mangled, I managed to pull her back enough to not kill any of them. She stalked back and forth in front of Qwan and the two Balinese she-wolves, growling like an angel of death. Every time anyone tried to get close, she gave them the squint eyes and raised her lip. The three pack warriors were truly humiliated that a 17 year old girl had bested them. I was proud of my wolf, but my grandmother wasn't impressed and ordered me to shift back in front of everyone. Mortifying! Min's olderest brother had offered me his shirt, much to the disappointment of the unmated males, but he had grinned at me proudly. Leong and I had trained my wolf together everyday while I was with their pack. And that was how Qwan and I became Bachelorettes number one and number two on the island. No one knew Qwan had found her mate, and mine wasn't there, so I wasn't interested, except maybe if I didn't find my mate... No, I couldn't, I wouldn't do that... Leong would have to give up everything to take a choice mate. None of the others even drew a glance from my wolf, even though they all tried.

Sorry boys, nothing to see here, move along...

Qwan's cousin Min flopped in a lounge next to me, leaning over to see what I was typing. I had a history paper due by 9 AM Noble pack time. Qwan's mate carried her out of the water, they were laughing. We didn't think any of the adults suspected yet, too busy with pack alliance stuff, but who knew. Tensions had run high between these packs for generations. Corbin pushed my floppy hat back on my head, looking at me amused with his dark jade eyes.

"Homework? really?" Corbin teased.

I just shrug. I was so glad I had gotten over my thing for green eyes, the gorgeous Aussie was Qwan's mate. He and his three cousins would be taking over the down-under packs someday. Our grandmothers had declared them the four most beautiful pieces of lupine man-candy at the meeting and 'drunkenly' lamented being 65 years too old to 'play' with them, at least I hope they were drunk. I don't know why they call older women who flirt with younger men cougars, they should be called she-wolves. 

I think I am damaged, no seriously, I am going to need therapy. Do yo hear that? My wolf is laughing at me again. I can't even wrap my brain around half the things they said they wanted to do to them... 

Listening to Coraline and Shinmai reminisce about their youth and what they would do such lovely creatures has scarred Qwan, Min and I... FOR LIFE! Honestly, I will never be able to look at them without thinking about candy bars. And why I may never be able to eat that particular confection ever, ever again. There are just some things that a girl does not want to know her grandmother can do, did do... you know what I mean... Just Nope!

I closed my laptop, and smiled sweetly, "Hello Corbin," nodding to his god-like cousins, "Alistair, Brett, Paully. Did you have fun snorkeling?"

"Yea, but we lost Paully for a while on the reef?" Brett answers. "Kept us out for an extra hour looking for the damn bloke, couldn't let him drown or our mums would have at us."

I eyed Paully up and down, he winked at me shamelessly. "I think Paully got distracted, " I say coyly, his cousins frown, "By a lovely Samoan angelfish?"

Paully laughed, "How'd you know?"

I smirked, "Your swim trunks are wrong-side out."

He chortled as his cousins take turns pushing on him playfully. I shake my head, Paully isn't a wolf, he's a horndawg. Alistair isn't much better. Brett has the same wait for your mate mentality as I do, we are the rare ones here.

"You should let me take you diving, Cora love" Allistair offered, he means scuba diving. Another thing I won't do, wolves are not meant to breath underwater. "Then I can teach you how to body surf like a proper sea-wolf."

"What you mean is, I almost drown and you get to grope me," I retorted. He laughs. I stand and stretch, I am going to have to find another place to finish my paper. Alistair ogles me, "Hey, my eyes are up here, Queensland." He just smirks, and my wolf wants to bite at him, such a dawg, no respect. I just walk away. He reminds of those two annoying younger brothers in one of the packs we visited on our way out of the country, the Valentines I think. Thirteen and fifteen and already total pervs. At least their eldest brother found his mate, all the she wolves in the pack said he was worse, I can't even imagine it. I feel sorry for their mates. Grandmama said Alpha Clinton was worse before he met Luna Grace, so maybe there is hope for them, but I doubt it.

Two hours later, I have my paper on the history of the Tsang-Lao pack submitted and am staring up at the emerald green canopy above. My email chimes. Tina sending me my weekly update on Rya. We are both in exile but I feel guilty. I have my grandmother and have met many friends traveling, she is alone, trapped, invisible in her own home, like a ghost who doesn't know she is dead. It will give me a headache, but I read it anyway. My wolf and I have spent a lot of time fighting the alpha command that forbids me to speak to her or of her. I rarely get nosebleeds anymore but still stutter.

"Rya ate alone in the library every day.

She did not talk to anyone in the hall or join in any class discussion.

Rya rode bus home alone, spoke to no one. She is living like a ghost.

They are transferring their house but Rya started working on her garden anyway."

Attached are three pictures obviously taken from Charlie's room. One is Rya raking, the second is Rya turning the dirt in her garden with a spade. The third breaks my heart. Rya is sitting in the fresh turned earth, looking up into the sky. Her white hair hangs in a braid down her back. Her dark hoodie is dirty. She is crying, eyes red, pale cheeks flushed. Though the optics of Charlie's camera, I can tell her eyes really are getting lighter. She looks so beautiful, so lovely, so broken. Tears stream down my cheeks for her, as the familiar burn of Alpha Adams' command sears through my nerves. My wolf howls for Rya's pain and we resist. A gentle hand squeezes my shoulder, and a cool cloth is pressed to my face.

"Is that her?" Corbin asks as Qwan wipes my blood away. I nod, holding the cloth to my nose. Min rubs her cheek against mine. My friends comfort me, but she has no one to comfort her.

"Y...yes... th.. that's R...Rya," I say through gritted teeth, I hear the cousins come up behind us.

"Crikey, Cora do you need a healer?" Brett exclaims.

My smocked sun-cover is splattered in my blood. " N..no.." I start.

"Her Alpha commanded her not to be with her friend or speak of his son's dishonor," Min hisses hatefully. "He has blasphemed the Moon Goddess by rejecting his Luna for another."

"She w...was my b...best fr...friend. He r.. r... rejected her f...for the B...Beta's d..d..daughter," I stammer, now my nose is really gushing.

Qwan shushes me, "Speak not Cora, relax. Heal. I will tell the tale as your grandmama told mine." Quickly she recounts the last 18 month of Rya's personal hell, my punishment and banishment.

The three cousins stand mouths open. Brett speaks first, "Well, that bloke is a fool, she's gorgeous."

"And moon blessed," Paully adds, "Look at those eyes."

"Is he crazy?" Alistair asks.

"That whole pack is messed up," my grandmother interrupts. She levels her gaze with mine, "They are looking for us. But Alpha Forrest told them I had taken you to see one of my old friends for spring break. Your mother is coming to see us next week. Alpha Forrest forbade everyone from Adams pack except her and Charlie to enter our territory. We going home instead of south." A round of profanity ensued from the males, but Grandmama silenced them with a glance.

"How did they find out?"I asks.

"Evidently the princess was looking at pictures online and saw you tagged with the Balinese Luna and Beta females. But you were tagged as Noble pack and that pissed them off."

"The princess?" Paully asks.

Qwan laughs, "That is what our Cora calls their false Luna." They all smirk.

Then Brett gets a look that always means trouble, of his cousins, he is by far the most conniving and devious. "Cora love, you need a reason for them to bring you home correct?" I nod.

His peridot eyes flash dangerously, "Grandmama Coraline, how do you feel about being an undue influence on your poor, vulnerable granddaughter?"

My grandmother raises an eyebrow at him and Brett grins like the devil itself.

~

An hour later, I was dismissed after being properly scolded. They believed me, I guess I have a forked tongue too. I headed straight to Tina's. She jumped me on the porch, hugging me fiercely before we put her boxes in the car and drove to the house Charlie had 'rented'. Grandmama gave us the money. It was a modern open floor plan, next to a lake, just across the water from Gretchen's cottage. I could check on her every day while Charlie was at the law enforcement academy. I had gotten my job at the bistro back and would start my college culinary class next week. Rya's family had moved to the edge of the territory, half an hour away by wolf or car. I was so glad I wouldn't need to live with my parents. Becky and I could not deal with each other, and I refused to speak to my father or even look at him. Twice he tried to apologize and I would stare at a wall or my hands or roll my eyes. My wolf snarled the whole time. Charlie was waiting on the porch with Tina's mate. We laughed over dinner as I showed them the pictures of me and grandmama 'partying' with the Pacific wolves, I would be ashamed if any of it were true. It was going to be an interesting summer and senior school year.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

9.2018 - CLAYTON is published!!!

Clayton (The Wildflower Series) by Rachelle Mills https://www.amazon.com/dp/164034487X/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_S8sbDbB084P46 via @amazon

2.2019- DALLAS is published!!!

Dallas (The Wildflower Series Book 2) by Rachelle Mills https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MXRVB7M/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_o9sbDbPFY61NH via @amazon
Find them on Amazon

::Thank you to Rachelle for allowing this CLAYTON Fanfiction to be published.:: 

If you are reading this on a site that is not Wattpad, it has been taken

and published without my permission.