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

:This chapter has a little side adventure into the realm of Chinese myth. Enjoy.:

Wolves as Dragons

We had the whole park to ourselves, and spent the afternoon setting up a half- dozen tents in the group campground area. I had a portable kitchen set up in a screen tent. The four Tsang-Lao, three Aussies, and Clayton were showing my 11 young city wolves how to be in the forest as wolves. What to watch for, how to track game, how to use their wolves in the wild. We eat and sit around the campfire talking, laughing, telling stories of our youths in large packs. I have very few I can share after my 16th year because of the Alpha couple sitting across the fire from me. Clayton pulls out a guitar and plays, Kennedy stares at him like a lovesick girl. I am shaking with rage, so I collect all the hot cocoa cups and go to wash them. As they all carry on singing, I slip away. My wolf and I run toward the fire lookout tower. If I stay, I will say something that will get me in trouble.

I stand looking out at the starry sky turning over the forest. I hear a noise and look down, Leong's giant black wolf is looking up at me. I give him a wave, then listen as his wolf's massive weight makes the tower stairs creak. He shifts and comes to stand beside me.

"How did you find this place?" Leong asks, looking out. "It is very beautiful here."

"Yeah, I come here when I can't handle the city anymore. My landlady told me about it. The first time, I came here, my wolf ran until we couldn't move. Ranger Remy found me by the river. He said a lot of wolves who go to the city come here and do the same thing," I explain. I had wolfed out completely after 6 months of only shifting in my apartment, of not being able to run among the trees or roll in the grass. "When I first came here, I couldn't stop my wolf, she just forced a shift and ran and ran and ran... I think it was just too much... too much concrete... too much artificial light... too much city... I have a park close by but everything in it feels and smells like city. I needed the forest, the soil, the sky... the moon." His arms snakes around my waist, and he pulls me against his side.

"I am sorry you have to suffer that place, and I am sorry that weak wolf made you feel pain."

I shrug, "He was just someone to make me feel less alone, a paper moon. I was more embarrassed than hurt. I am not like those city she-wolves, I don't have their style."

"You are perfect as you are," he calls the nickname that he has always called me.

I know lang in Mandarin means wolf but the rest? "What does dah dandee zi-zang mean?"

He laughs as my tongue stumbles over the pronunciation.

'Not even close,' my wolf laughs with him.

I had heard him laugh like that only once... ever. He was always so serious, but it is what happens when your mate is murdered in front of you at age 17 by your pack's enemies attempting a coup. That was 5 years before we met.

"It means you have a bold heart, a stout heart like a dragon." He says it again affectionately.

My wolf puffs up, she really likes this wolf, if we didn't find our mate and if the world was a different place... maybe.

He turns me, his fingers trace over my tattoo. "If you failed to find your mate, I would come for you."

"Your pack will never accept a westerner as Luna after your mate was lost, and I am sworn to return to Adams when I finish school," I say, fingertips tracing his shoulder tattoo. He is so beautifully made.

He growls loudly, and sleepy birds scatter from their night perches in the trees around us, terrified at the sound of this predator's displeasure. "Why would you return there?" 

If he wasn't a wolf, I would believe he was a dragon. I can imagine scales instead of fur on a body of a giant serpentine body with a wolf's head, holding the Moon in an iron claw, just like his tattoo.

Sighing, I look up into his dark eyes. "It was the only way to get R..Rya out." I tell him of the Beta's threats, and the deal I made with Luna Catherine for Rya's training, so she could become a traveling midwife and not have to spend all her time around Clayton and Kennedy. So she would be safe. "I have to go back, I gave my word and she will still need protection. Until then I will wait for my m..."

His lips crash into mine before I finish my mantra. Just like the first time he stole a kiss from me when I was 17, his deep rumble vibrating both our bodies. This wolf would be mine and I could be his if I hadn't vowed to wait. My wolf and I melt like chocolate pastilles and orange liqueur in a fondue pot. If only...

Forever or maybe moments later, he whispers his pet name for me into my neck, "Run back to camp or my lonely wolf may not let you wait for your mate because your wolf is willing and so are you."

My heart is pounding so hard, I think it will explode. The heat from his soul is burning into mine. Stepping back, I feel the cold night air surround my skin before I trade it for my fur. His wolf serenades the moon as I flee our temptation.

I shift and enter the tent, zipping the door as if the thin nylon could keep that beast out. Min sits up, smirking at me, Kennedy raises an eyebrow as she raises up on her elbows.

"It was just a kiss," I say embarrassed, I know exactly how I must smell. Like Leong and lust.

Kennedy looks at me confused, "Why? He is handsome, strong. You like him, he obviously likes you, your wolves are compatible."

Min snorts derisively, she knew someone like Kennedy wouldn't understand. I remind myself to play nice, everything that happens here will get back to Luna Catherine.

So politely, I respond, "I am waiting for my mate, my real mate. Leong respects my choice. He lost his mate and I respect his traditions."

Her mouth make a silent 'O'. I was so glad Girlie hadn't woke up, that she had run herself to the point of exhaustion. 16 and nothing but attitude, she would probably have dragged me back to him.

Min was saying, "I would love Cora as our Luna, she would be great. But the traditionalist would never allow it. Leong's mate died, so he will be Alpha with my mother as Luna until her death or his which ever comes first, then our cousin's son will be Alpha. Since my mate does not lie within our pack, and neither did his sister's, our pups can not be Alpha of Tsang Lao. The bloodline of the sacred wolf must be kept pure. Our traditions teach Mates are the Moon Goddess' blessing and can not be replaced by anyone, no matter how one may feel. That is why my cousin sings to the Moon, to beg his mate's forgiveness for kissing another. You would not understand." Min finishes judgmentally before snuggling down into her sleeping bag, back turned to Kennedy.

I do the same. I let my breathing even out like I am asleep, but I am not. I am listening to the princess crying softly, as possibly the most powerful wolf in the world mournfully sings to his lost mate on the Moon.

~

We spend the next day teaching the young ones to hunt, to fight, to play together as a pack. The advantage of so many alphas is we don't need the pack link for them to hear and be heard. We call off training in the late afternoon, it is just too hot to stay out of the water. We were playing along the water above the falls, when suddenly three of the younger wolves come running out of the woods  and yelping being chased by a very large brown bear. A very angry brown bear. All were injured. I shifted into my wolf and ran at the bear, Kennedy ran screaming for Clayton to save her. Min was trying to stop the blood flowing from Girlie's side. I jumped at the bear and biting into its neck as I leapt over it, used my weight turn it. He swatted at me. I jumped away. Grabbing its back leg and dragging it backwards, my paws dug furrows into the dirt. He swung around roaring at me and trying to bite me. I had to let go and retreat, he turned toward Min and Girlie again, hungry. He wasn't going to stop, he wanted wolf blood. I lunged at his throat. My teeth ripping into the fur before he flipped me away. I collided hard with a tree, losing my air. 

The bear was advancing on me, I couldn't breath yet. I had just staggered back to my feet when a golden wolf shot passed me, hitting the bear full in the side. The Nullabor Alpha Brett was the fastest of his cousins, and I knew they would be here any moment. We just had to keep the enraged beast busy until they got here. The bear turned on Brett, I grabbed onto his back leg again. Together we harassed the bear as the thunder of paws approached. Brett yelp and I smelled his blood. I bit down as hard as I could and twisted breaking the bone in the bear's paw. The bear reared up and fell onto me, I felt his teeth in my fur. An earth shaking growl, vibrated through the air and the bear released me looking for his challenger. A moment later, the bear was lifted off of me and a sicken crunch of bone declared his end. I couldn't lift my head but I could see Leong's great wolf dragging the bear away as if it were an unruly pup.

"Cora, shift," Clayton ordered, his voice concerned, but my wolf ignored him. Kennedy was sobbing next to him.

Suddenly, Leong was beside me, whispering to me in Mandarin, "Shift 'my bold hearted wolf'."

I changed painfully, slowly. He gathered me into his arms and once again I was amazed at how warm he was, like he was filled with fire. 

Are we sure he isn't a dragon? my wolf muttered painfully, flashing an wolf-faced dragon image from a painting we had seen on the wall of his grandfather's tomb, it looked just like his tattoo. Then we passed out.

~

I woke up in the morning, sore but alive. I could hear Paully teasing Brett about have a bear scars to go along with his shark scar and how cool the she-wolves would find it. I was alone in the girls' tent. I sat up and rolled my shoulder. The back of my shoulder hurt but it was healing. I limped out, my whole body ached but Brett looked worse. Three new scars traced down his neck and chest, a bear bite on his left arm.

"Krikee Cora, I just came along to help with the pups, I didn't know you'd get us fed to a bear," Brett laughed, holding out a cup of coffee to me.

"Hey, you said let's go have an adventure. Now we have matching souvenirs," I grinned, tapping his bite. He laughed.

His cousin glared us, evidently Paully did not find us nearly being eaten by a bear amusing. Yipping drew our attention, the others returned with the youth. Betas Liu and Lau are both carrying smaller deer, Alpha Leong followed carrying a large stag. He dropped it, leaping over its carcass and shifting as he landed on his feet and in two steps, he was hugging me.

"OUCH," I squeaked breathlessly.

He looked horrified as his embraced loosened. "Sorry... you gave me a scare. Do not do it again."

The young wolves were yipping and playing, running in circles, Min yelled at them to go throw themselves in the river and wash their bloody fur.

I grinned up at him, "How did they hunt?"

Leong laughed, really laughed before he answered, "Sloppy, but it was their first hunt." Leong let me go, shifted and ran after the group.

Kennedy came up to me, looking timid, "Are you okay, Cora?"

"I'm fine, princess," I said harsher than I meant to. I meant it, I meant it that harshly even if you didn't mean it to come out like that, I meant it. My wolf insisted.

She looks pissed. "I went for help. She-wolves can't fight a bear."

I looked her up and down, I honestly didn't know why males fell over themselves for her, I mean yes she was beautiful but... Then I remembered that day in the library. What I had said about emptiness and beauty. Nothing on the inside.

"Maybe not empty ones, Kennedy, but us ugly she-wolves will fight a bear to protect pups, even pups that aren't our own. But since pups isn't in your future, I can understand why you ran away to protect your beauty. It's all you have." I limped off toward the river after the others.

Brett walked beside me, silent until we reached the trees, "When you and Coraline told us about that sheila and her bloke, I thought you must be exaggerating. She is just as beautiful as you said, but there is nothing good inside her. Never heard of a sheila-wolf who would run away, leaving wounded pups to be killed. I like Clayton though, he's a nice guy when he isn't following her around like a puppy."

"He was, but he chose her over his m... mate..." I start.

"Don't talk about it, you'll get a bleeder. If you start bleeding out the face, they'll know you are fighting the command and go back to tell them. We all know what happened, it isn't right. But I think Alistair and Paully are tad smitten with her," He finished. 

I grunt  thinking about the Queensland and Wales-Victoria Alphas, "It cause they're horndawgs instead of wolves."

He grins, shaking his head, "We'll drive out tomorrow. Can you make it one more day without going Cora-geddon on them?" That's what Paully had called my temperamental outburst. I wheeze a laugh. Brett seems like he wants to say something more.

"What else?"

"Leong's nerves are shot already, seeing you almost bear food, I've never seen him like this. He was ready to kill Kennedy for abandoning you and Min with three terrified pups. Cora, he killed that bear with one bite and drug it off like it weighed nothing. " Brett hugs me with his good arm. "Leong told us what you did for HER, and why. How you have to go back after school. We all think you are very brave."

A deep rumbling growl surrounded us and Brett rolled his eyes. He boldly yells at the black hulking beast, "Oy mate, she ain't yours, get buggered." But he presses a kiss into my temple then leaves me standing before Leong's giant wolf. Dark, endless eyes take me in, before he walks around me, rubbing against me, leaving his scent on me. The pain fades away like magic.

"I'm just going to the river, Láng Lóng."

He tips his head at me, a wolfy smirk curls his lips.

"I know your secret." I whisper loudly.

My wolf watches his, curious, he simply blinks down us before giving us a burning lick on the cheek, then the Alpha of Tsang Lao vanishes into the forest quieter that I ever would have believed possible for a wolf his size.

~

Four days later, I am putting my friends onto a planes to China and Australia. I hug them all saying goodbye, I may never get to see them again. My days as a free wolf are numbered. Standing before the Customs Area, Leong holds me in his arms for the last time, he is so warm. He's just too warm for a normal wolf.

"I have a secret to tell you," and he calls me by that name I still can't pronounce.

"You love me and want to take me away with you?" I tease hopefully, he throws back his head and laughs. People look at us. I giggle, a blush creeping up my cheeks.

"That is not a secret. No, it is about your mate. Shin-Mai says he will be Mǎ bīng de fángzi."

"What does that mean?" I stand very still, I am afraid.

"It means of the House of the Horsemen."

He steals one last kiss that leaves me breathless, I swear my first exhale as he walked away was smoke. If only Leong was our mate...

(láng means wolf, lóng means dragon, Liu and Lau mean dragon keeper).   

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

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.