Roc: The Primogenitor Saga, #2

1

Alight breeze blew through the cafe’s outdoor seating area, and the sun shone down from a cloudless sky, warming everything it touched. Mouth-watering scents wafted out of the cafe as staff carried drinks and food to their guests, whether inside or out. It was a busy time for the cafe, as people occupied most of their tables, and no one suspected that two of their number were not technically human.

Nadine looked across their table, taking in all the subtle changes in her sister’s demeanor and presence since she called Karleen out of the woods to help her with the abduction of her friend’s child. Her sister sat in a crowded patio of a city cafe, and she seemed at ease and relaxed. The Karleen of even three months ago would have been fidgeting and checking sight lines and sniffing the air, but now? She leaned back against her seat in a comfortable pose with her legs crossed under the table.

Have you heard from Mom and Dad lately? Karleen asked.

Nadine broke off from her consideration of her sister and nodded. They’re doing well. They’re visiting Rick and his family right now; newest grandchild and all that.

Seriously? Karleen asked. How many nieces and nephews do I have now?

Uhm… Nadine’s voice trailed off as she pursed her lips and started some mental math. Let’s see. There are my two. Jack’s three. Will’s four. And this one makes three for Rick. I think twelve all told, if my math is right.

Karleen gaped at her sister. Twelve? Are you kidding me?

Sis, we’ve been out of high school for sixty years, and it only takes nine months to make a baby. Twelve is kinda low for shifters in that amount of time.

Nadine watched the weight settle around her sister’s shoulders, before Karleen asked, Do they know about me? I mean, I know I walked away and all, so everyone would be well within their rights…

"We would never do that to you, Karleen. Mom and Dad always ask if I’ve seen you lately, and the kids all ask if Aunt Karleen will come to the next family get-together. The boys never really knew you well, but they hang on every word when I tell the family how you’re doing. You have a family waiting for you, whenever you’re ready for us."

A single tear escaped Karleen’s iron self-control, and she casually dabbed it away with a napkin that she placed in her lap. When is the next family get-together?

Nadine smiled. A couple of weeks from now, actually.

A couple weeks? That’s… wow… that’s really short notice. Would I be able to bring Wyatt?

Nadine fought to maintain her non-expression and hide even the barest hint of a reaction. A shifter named Wyatt had recently come onto the public scene in the shifter world in a big way. Thomas Carlyle no longer sat on the Shifter Council because of him, and she did not want to make any assumptions. Wyatt? Who’s that? Do you finally have yourself a man, sister dear?

Nadine felt her jaw drop when her sister blushed. Karleen looked away and tried to hide her face like an embarrassed schoolgirl, and neither of them had been a schoolgirl for several decades now.

Oh, you do! Nadine gushed. "I have never seen you blush before, sis. You have to tell me simply everything now. Come on; spill."

Hush already! Karleen said around a still-embarrassed smile. I don’t think they heard you in the next state over.

Nadine evolved her smirk into a full-blown predatory smile. Would you like them to? Hubby-dearest says I have a good set of lungs in me.

In the blink of an eye, Karleen’s coloring resembled a ripe tomato, and she buried her face in her hands. "I did not need to know that, Nadine. Whatever your husband thinks or doesn’t think is no business of mine at all. But yes, I am finally seeing someone. And he’s really nice. I don’t need you going all ‘big sister’ on me or him. I can take care of myself. You know that."

You’re right. You’ve always taken care of yourself. You’ve always forged your own path, but that doesn’t change the fact that I want details on this Wyatt of yours. Did you meet him during the abduction thing?

Karleen nodded. He’s dreamy, sis. I will rub my wolf up against him anytime he lets me.

Now, it was Nadine’s turn to gape. Karleen! Do you know what that means to shifters? Please, tell me you know what that means.

She shrugged. I didn’t, really. Not at first, but my wolf explained it to me. Then, I rubbed my wolf against him for the first time, and it was everything my wolf said it would be.

You are such a shameless hussy, Nadine shot back amid giggles. I can’t wait to tell Mom and Dad.

Don’t you dare! Karleen replied through a huge grin. "That’s none of their business."

Oh, it’s not? How is it not our parents’ business that little Karleen finally found herself a guy?

Karleen arched an eyebrow. ‘Little’ Karleen, is it?

Nadine beamed. "Well, you are the baby of the family. At least for now, anyway. Once they get tired of being grandparents, Mom and Dad might go for another round of parenting. I’ve heard whispers that we’re not their first litter. Which is also common among shifters."

Seriously?

Nadine nodded in response. Oh, yeah. We’re basically immortal, sis, with shifter healing. But… you’ve stalled for long enough. Tell me about this dreamy Wyatt of yours.

Karleen blushed again and shook her head. You are relentless.

"What… you think I’ll let you surprise all of us by just showing up with him? Come on; give, already. I’m the family reconnaissance. I already know he’s a decent guy, or you wouldn’t be chasing his tail. But you gotta give me more than that, sis. Just think of how our brothers will respond. Do you want them all to do the ‘big brother’ thing with Wyatt?"

Karleen snorted a laugh, and Nadine had never heard her sister do that, either. Then, Karleen said, I think I’d like to see that.

Why? Nadine’s eyes narrowed. Karleen had that mischievous twinkle in her eyes that hadn’t changed one bit since they were kids.

The mischievous twinkle evolved into full-on amusement as Karleen spoke, You remember Shep?

Shep? Nadine blinked at the non-sequitur and searched her mind. Then, she frowned. The Arenbergs’ Rottweiler? What does he have to do with this?

Shep wouldn’t chase Wyatt, either.

Nadine’s frown deepened. Shep had no fear of shifters—unlike most animals—and chased every shifter in the town where they grew up… except Karleen. Even when Karleen was just a toddler, that damned Rottie rolled onto his back and bared its throat at the mere scent of her. It wasn’t until Karleen revealed herself to be the first modern primogenitor that… no. It couldn’t be.

This Wyatt you’re chasing… he’s that new feline primogenitor everyone’s been hearing about? The one that cost Thomas Carlyle his seat on the council?

Karleen’s grin turned into a flinty glare in the space of a finger-snap. First, I don’t know anything about that, and second, what I know of Thomas Carlyle tells me he doesn’t deserve a council seat. I’ve lost count of the number of wolves who have tracked me down over the years and asked—almost begged—me to end him.

The word among wolves is that your beau goaded Carlyle into a challenge and then humiliated him in the arena, Nadine explained. More than a few aren’t too happy about that. He did choose not to take Carlyle’s seat on the council, which was a good thing. That kept things balanced, but he’s none too popular in certain circles, regardless of his primogenitor status.

Would our brothers or father be among those wolves? Karleen asked, not quite giving Nadine the Stink Eye.

Nadine chuckled and shook her head. Dad doesn’t care about any of it. He goes about his daily life and never gets involved in politics.

So, it’s our brothers then. Karleen almost growled. Which ones? All of them?

Jack and Will seem the fiercest in their dislike of the Wyatt circulating in the shifter news. Rick has a new baby; not much competes with that.

Karleen leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms, glaring at the tabletop. It was clear to Nadine that her sister considered the situation, and it wasn’t lost on her that the two brothers who disliked the public perception of Wyatt the most were their two oldest brothers.

After several moments, Karleen snorted; only this time, it didn’t come from amusement. She unfolded her arms and uncrossed her legs, placing her palms on her knees as if she meant to stand. If they have a problem with Wyatt, then they have a problem with me. Hell with it. I’ve lived this long without my blood family.

Karleen! Wait! Nadine hissed, trying to keep her sister from leaving and not cause a scene at the same time.

"What? If Wyatt isn’t welcome, neither am I. He isn’t some weekend boyfriend, Nadine. How many guys did you bring home for dinner that we only saw once? After the fourth or fifth, I stopped caring about their names unless I saw them a second time. Do you think I want my first time seeing the family in sixty years to be some kind of rude pissing match between Wyatt and my brothers that sets everyone on edge? None of us need that, sis. I’ve been just fine all these years without the family; I can go a few more. See you in a year or two. Call if you need help."

Before Nadine could say another word, Karleen stood, dropped some bills on the table, and walked away. Nadine watched her sister leave the cafe, and she fought the urge to slam her fists on the arms of her chair. Thirty years! She’d been slowly working her sister for thirty years to get her to come back to the family, and her damn fool brothers sent all her hard work up in smoke.

The engine of a well-tuned chopper erupted in a furious rumble from the cafe’s parking lot, and Nadine watched her sister ride away as feelings of dread formed a pit in her stomach. She didn’t want to have the conversation about this with her parents. Dad would be hurt; he missed Karleen something fierce. Mom… Mom would probably be livid and have a none-too-quiet word with the boys. Either way, Nadine didn’t want any part of what came next.

Karleen fought the rage that simmered inside her. How could people who seemed like such upstanding, worthwhile souls as her brothers support someone like Thomas Carlyle? The man gave misogynists a bad name. She didn’t have proof that the man forced himself on weaker female shifters, but too many of the women who came to her showed signs of surviving brutality. Her conscience wouldn’t let her simply challenge and kill him. She needed actual proof of what he was supposed to have done, which she didn’t have.

The city around her transitioned to suburbs and up-scale, middle-class housing developments. Then, the suburbs and communities became more hilly and forested terrain, and Karleen felt a tension fade from her body and soul she hadn’t realized she held. She was glad Precious didn’t have a city vibe or even big town feel to it. As much as she wanted Wyatt and wanted to explore having him in her life, she doubted she could enjoy her time with him if he had chosen a city. But whereas most wolves might be able to hide in cities or suburbs and have people mistake them for weird dog breeds, Wyatt had no chance. No one would mistake a Smilodon for a pet cat.

Despite herself, Karleen chuckled at the thought of taking Wyatt to a pet park in his cat form. Every animal in a square mile would probably piss themselves in submission. A few humans might, too.

The absurd thought went a long way to banishing the ire Karleen felt over the situation with her brothers. As much as she felt the yearning all shifters did to be near and with family, Karleen still thought that the proper path was leaving them to their own devices. She didn’t feel like she belonged in their lives, no matter how much she wanted otherwise.

A little over an hour later, the Godwin County sign flew past her right side, and the feeling of being home surprised her. She hadn’t thought of anywhere other than her cabin deep in the Oregon wilderness as home in a very long time.

Movement on the side of the road up ahead drew Karleen’s focus. A woman burst out of the underbrush lining the rural road. She wore a flannel shirt, denim jeans, and sneakers of some kind. The shirt and jeans possessed numerous jagged rips and tears. She ran into what was the oncoming lane for Karleen, her speed slowing to a stagger, and she collapsed laying halfway across the double yellow line.

Karleen applied the brakes and eased her ride to a stop on the berm. She hit her hazard lights before she put the kickstand down and removed her helmet. She left the bike idling in neutral as she rushed to the woman’s side. Still, five feet or more from her, the scent of a shifter reached Karleen.

As she knelt beside the collapsed woman, Karleen saw the woman’s eyes fluttering as she breathed heavily.

Do you need help? Karleen asked.

The woman moved her head in a minute fraction of what might have been a nod in normal circumstances.

Hunters, the woman whispered so faintly even Karleen’s shifter hearing almost didn’t catch it.

Well… that tore it. Karleen almost felt like moving her chopper out of sight and leaning the woman against a tree with a water bottle while they waited for the hunters. It had been a while since she had a good fight. But she didn’t know how many hunted her or how well armed they were. While she knew she would win the fight, how much of her would be left afterwards?

No. The better path in this instance was to take her back to Precious. Doc could fix the woman up, and she could tell Wyatt what happened. The tricky part would be getting the woman back to Precious via motorcycle in her half-conscious state.

Karleen scooped the woman into her arms and carried her across the road. She placed her on the back seat and let her slump forward to rest on the gas tank. Then, she went to her saddlebags. She unlocked the left one that held her emergency supplies, like tire patches, a spare chain, bungee cords, and such. The right was her utility bag. Its contents changed with Karleen’s needs, and it had been quite a while since she’d even looked in there.

The lid rolled back, and Karleen snorted at what she saw. Emergency climbing gear—including two harnesses—and a bag of carabiners. Huh. Was the search and rescue job for those missing hikers the last time she used this? That was something like eight months ago. Still, she wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth. Those harnesses might take this from being a forlorn hope to something vaguely feasible.

Karleen hustled into her climbing harness before she put the other one on her rescue. Then, she sat on the bike and pulled the woman against her back, clipping the two harnesses at each shoulder with two climbing-grade carabiners. Then, she locked the right saddlebag and pulled a red bungee cord from the left saddlebag before closing it. Karleen lifted the woman’s legs and bent them around her waist, like she was giving her rescue a piggy-back ride. She used the bungee cord to secure the woman’s ankles. The last thing Karleen wanted was for the woman’s feet to flop around and get caught on the chain or the rear tire; that would be a bad day for all involved. The good news was that shifter healing would handle any minor injuries incurred from this.

She took hold of the handlebars and leaned side to side. It wasn’t perfect, but if she kept her speed down, it should work. She shifted into first gear. Then, she eased back onto the road that hadn’t seen any traffic since stopping and resumed her return to Precious.

2

Isat at a table in Gladys’s diner, my attention divided between my amazing meal and my equally amazing—yet for different reasons—and very attractive meal companion. Gabrielle sat ninety degrees around the table to my left, so we both could watch the windows and door.

If I was prepared to be one-hundred-percent honest with myself about her, I was already smitten. Gabrielle had the dusky complexion of Middle Eastern or eastern Mediterranean ethnicity, and she kept her dark hair short. It wasn’t buzz-cut short, but it didn’t have the long side strands of hair that I saw in pictures of ‘page boy’ styles. Tall and lithe, she moved her athletic form with an innate grace only a born shifter possessed, and her personality made her a joy to be near.

Yeah… I was a lost cause.

So what do we have on the docket after lunch? I asked between bites.

Gabrielle took a few more bites before she replied, I was thinking we’d spend an hour on responsibilities of being an Alpha and another hour on shifter stuff. I don’t want to push you too far too fast, because that’s no way to learn anything. Honestly, given you’re two months into being a shifter already, I may just call it good and help you learn as you go. You’ve done really well so far with the few times you’ve needed to adjudicate things as Alpha, and you have Alistair and I for meeting prep in the future.

I nodded around another bite. When did steaks—and medium-rare steaks at that—get to be so tasty? This was my third one, and I kind of felt like I wanted a fourth.

So… do we get to have another game of ‘Catch the Cat’ tonight?

Gabrielle blushed. Honest-to-goodness blushed. Let’s see how Karleen’s doing when she gets back. She said her sister sounded a little off when they set up the lunch date, and if she needs us, I’d rather focus on that.

Naturally, I replied. Sometimes, I think Karleen needs us as much as I need the two of you.

A haunted look took over Gabrielle’s expression for a moment, and I wondered what all she and Karleen talked about. I knew they went for runs sometimes that turned into talk sessions as they swam in Gabrielle’s lake.

Yeah, she really does. She hasn’t told me a lot, but what little I do know… well… she had a rough childhood.

Ouch. Rough childhoods either screwed someone up for life or set them on the path to success because they fought against their experiences. Karleen hadn’t told me all the whys and wherefores that led her to abandon shifter society for however long she had, but I didn’t see how it could’ve been good. And yeah… I didn’t know how old she truly was yet, either. In the long run, age didn’t really matter, since shifters only died from wounds and not from old age or disease. What blew my mind about that was Alistair choosing to look as old as he did; come to find out, he didn’t have to.

The roar of a chopper reached our ears, and Gabrielle and I grinned at the same time.

She’s back, I said.

Gabrielle nodded, and we devoured our food so we could go welcome her back. As soon as our plates were clean, we stood, and I tossed a handful of bills on the table. We turned toward the door, and I blinked at the sight of Karleen having someone behind her on her bike that looked unconscious. Gabrielle didn’t freeze; she crossed the space to the door in the blink of an eye and was halfway across the street by the time I shook off my surprise. I hurried to catch up.

…ran out of the underbrush along the road, Karleen was saying as Gabrielle helped her release her passenger from the harness. I have no idea who she is or where she’s from, but she scents of shifter. Normally, my wolf tells me what breed a shifter is, especially if I haven’t met the breed before, but she’s been silent the whole time.

Here, tough guy, Gabrielle said, gesturing to the unconscious woman. You can carry her into the infirmary.

I chuckled and scooped the woman up in a bridal carry, following Karleen and Gabrielle as they opened doors for me. The last set of doors—the ones that led to Doc’s triage area and the rest of the infirmary—swooshed open on their own at Gabrielle’s approach.

Doc, Gabrielle said, we have an unconscious woman here. She scents like a shifter.

Doc looked up from a book of some type just as I followed Gabrielle through the automatic doors. Ah, yes. Put her over there on the bed where you woke, please, Alpha Wyatt.

By the time I had the woman laid out on the bed, Doc was across the bed from me. He started his exam with two fingers pressed to the side of her neck. Hmmm… she’s alive, yes. Pulse is steady if a little weak.

I picked up on the shifter scent as well, and I agreed with Karleen. I didn’t know what breed she was.

Well? I directed to the part of my mind that was no longer human.

My cat sent back a mental image of a massive Smilodon yawning, the growly voice asking, What?

You’ve always identified shifter breeds for me before. What is she?

Trouble, the growly voice immediately replied. Very yummy but still trouble.

Seriously? That’s all you’re giving me?

What? A mental image of total innocence formed in my mind. Then, an almost-human shrug. All cats think birds are yummy.

Birds, huh? So, she’s an avian shifter?

Sure… why not.

My cat sent an image of a massive Smilodon lazing in the shade of an enormous tree on a bright, sunny day. I felt pretty certain that was code for ‘not talking anymore.’

My cat hinted that she’s an avian shifter, I said while Doc continued his exam.

Karleen scoffed. Well, that’s no fair. My wolf doesn’t even acknowledge her existence. The last time I asked, she sent back an image of us playing in the woods.

Just then, the woman’s stomach growled. Most people hear ‘stomach growled’ and think of the fairly tame growling human stomachs do. Yes, for the most part, ours are the same way. Except this one. It wasn’t a growl so much as a roar. Doc even took a small step back from the bed.

Should we go get a couple platters of food, Doc? I asked.

Doc nodded. Yes, that might be good.

Her head hurt. Her stomach ached. The last thing she remembered was… what? Running? Right. She ran through the forest after they found her at that campground. But where was she now?

She laid on a… well… it almost felt like a hospital bed. Her back angled slightly upward. The smell of strong disinfectant assaulted her nose, and she heard a heartbeat and breathing close. Very close. Whoever was with her knew she was awake if the person was a shifter. Might as well get it over with.

She opened her eyes and saw a curtained off space. The drop ceiling and florescent lighting screamed hospital of some type, and terror threatened to overtake her that they caught her at last.

Hey, relax, a new voice said. A woman’s voice.

Turning toward the voice, she saw a woman in a flannel shirt, blue denim jeans, and biker leathers. Her dark hair brushed her shoulders. Her expression—her entire demeanor—conveyed concern.

I don’t know where you think you are, but I’m almost certain you’re wrong, the woman said. You’re in Precious, the infirmary there. My friends went across the street to get some food for you, and they’ll be back shortly.

At the mention of food, her stomach growled again. Growled so fiercely it sounded like it might attempt escape to get its own food. Then, her senses finally caught up to her; the woman in biker leathers was a shifter. Hints of wolf but nothing like any wolf shifter she’d ever encountered.

I’m Karleen Vesper, the woman continued. You stumbled out of the forest about an hour west of here and collapsed right on the road’s yellow line. I brought you here. Doc says you’re okay overall, just malnourished and dehydrated. We’re going to fix you up, okay? You don’t have to run. You’re safe here.

No. She wasn’t safe anywhere. She didn’t see how she’d ever be safe again. Not since the Higgins farm outside Pitawqua, Nebraska. Goodness, that was what… a year ago now? But how much was safe to tell? She always avoided large settlements before—regardless of human or shifter. Except now she was one of two places she never wanted to be.

She opened her mouth to speak, but her throat and mouth were parched. She cleared her throat and licked her lips. How long?

The woman calling herself Karleen lifted one eyebrow. About ninety minutes since I found you. It’s been maybe twenty minutes since my friends went for food. They should be back very soon.

Who else is here?

"If you mean the infirmary, no one; Doc went to get a bite once he finished making sure you had no injuries that