FicWad

Chapter Two

(Nik's point of view)



One day before the attack

"Fucking piece of shit!"

"I don't know why you're surprised, " Boris said calmly, not even looking up from his muffin.

That man and his bloody fucking cakes. Jane was never going to put out for him , I don't know why he kept trying. Every year it was something else. Matthew could never seem to show up for the family gatherings. It was one thing to just not show up to the dinners , or the meetings. He needed to be here for The Hunt.

It was the one time a year where all of the leaders of our family would run and feast together. Everyone would put their differences aside and just remember our bond as family. I s'pose it's like Thanksgiving for the humans. Of course every family has their own traditions. I was fucking pissed. Matthew should've been here over an hour ago, we were supposed to greet the other heads of the familiesy. It's proper that all of us are here to greet them. He is always fucking something up. He's my younger brother, but sometimes I cannot even stand his very presence.

Boris looked up,half a muffin stuffed in his mouth.

" You know he'll be here, just not when we want him to be. " He laughed lightly.

"Probably off sticking his todger in that whore Christina!"

Boris smirked.

"Oh don't be silly brother, our dear Matthew sticks his todger in any girl he gives a wink. "

I sighed in frustration. I was pacing now.

"They'll be here any moment, you know. " I ranted.

" Yes. I know." Boris responded matter of factly. "But if you don't stop pacing,you are going to wrinkle your suit. So calm down a bit, yea?"

I didn't need the heightened hearing to know that they were here. The two black , unnecessarily shiny,SUVS that pulled in told me that. I could see them from the window. It overlooked the whole front of the house. It was about five o'clock now;, they would socialize a bit before the festivities began.

In most cases,there was only one family that led their race in each state. How many territories the state was divided into depended on the size of both the family and the state. Here in Arizona, there were three territories. My brother,Olek governed the Northern region. My cousin, Lucia governed the central region, and her father, my uncle Richard, governed the southern region.

"Let's go and greet them then."Boris grumbled as he stood up. When he did, the crumbs from his muffin fell on the ground. He was worried about me wrinkling my suit.

We met Olek outside the front door just as Lucia exited her vehicle. We had decided last year that we wouldn't bring our own vehicles because of all the calamity. We usually weren't too riled ubut we have had our moments. That is for sure. Last year, Uncle Richard and Boris were drunk enough to clear our property of all the wild life. Instead, they took it out on the vehicles.

Hell hath no fury like a drunken wolf.

Hence the suvs.

Lucia jumped out of her vehicle and bolted towards Boris. She had her arms wrapped around his neck quicker than I could take a breath.

I rolled my eyes. Tossers.

Boris twirled her around like she was eight years old and sat her down gently.

"Lucia Volkov, you're still as gorgeous as ever!"

Lucia smiled brightly and tossed her black hair behind her shoulder.

Those two have always been close. They've only grown closer since Mary passed. I winced. Even thinking of her now hurt.

That's an understatement.

"Nikolas, are you just going to stand there and ignore us?"

My uncle's dull roar of a voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

" I see you're still loud as ever uncle."

Before I knew it , he was bear hugging me.

"Come 'ere boy , you 'shant escape the embrace of family!" he growled.

I returned his hug half halfheartedly.

Lucia had released her hold on Boris and now stood with her arms crossed, like a petulant child. She looked straight at Olek.

" I assume we'll be seeing Matthew later then? "

I sighed in frustration.

"Of course. I mean, who cares about family tradition? Certainly not him."

Richard laughed.

" He's young dear boy, he'll be here, and that's what is important."

I threw my hands in the air.

"My whole family has gone mad!"

Lucia laughed. When she was happy, you couldn't help but try to emulate her mood.


---///---

So far the night had gone smoothly. Lucia was helping Jane finish up dinner while the rest of us were sitting outside. Out of all of our family's estates, this was the one that I preferred the most.

I loved the way it smelled here. Especially as it was getting colder. It smelled of pine needles and warm fires. Olek had built a beautiful home here .

Built on 100 acres of land, it was modeled after an old southern plantation when he first took leadership of the area.. . Over half the property was covered with woods.

Right when the sun was starting to set, the women started bringing dinner out .

It really was a perfect setting . The cool breeze was blowing lightly, making the trees rustle in response. The table we were dining at was a heavy wooden one. At the head of the table, where Olek was sitting, our family crest was engraved in the corner, a wolf with fierce eyes. The letter 'V' was underneath and wrapped itself around the wolf as if it was protecting it.
"Lucy, Jane, do you need any help? " Olek asked with a small smile. "It seems a bit sexist of us to just be sitting here while the lovely ladies of our home serve us . "

I chuckled as I held my fork in one hand and the knife in the other, playfully knocking it on the table.
"I'm not complaining in the least bit! Cousin! Jane! I demand sustenance!"

Lucia finished setting the last of the food down and glared menacingly at me.
"Oh cousin, I shall shove that knife down your throat if you don't watch your tone!"

My dear cousin, such a feminist.

"Oh Lucy," Jane said with a smile as she set a plate in front of Boris, " I wouldn't worry about his snide remarks, you'll beat him in the run tonight "

I laughed .

"Doubtful my dear Jane, doubtful!" I retorted with a smile plastered on my face .

Lucy rolled her eyes . I do miss our family banter . We don't get to spend much time together . I complain about the gatherings and about Matt being less than on time. I claim it's because of tradition. Truthfully, I don't give a shit about tradition. I just want my family together.

When all the food and the plates were set up, and the wine was poured, Olek stood up. My proud, noble brother who cared more about our family's happiness than his own.
The soft white lights around the table and the candlelight helped perfect the setting that was host to one of the most important nights of the year.

" My family," Olek started, " I welcome you to my home. It has been too long since we have dined together as a family. Years ago when our parents formed this clan, it was to protect our people and make sure they have the right to live out their lives in peace and serenity. I believe that we have succeeded. We could not ask for better leaders . Uncle, you govern with an iron fist , you are also stubborn as a bear, but you keep your people safe ."

His eyes fell to Lucy. " You , my beautiful cousin, you are honest and kind. However, you are also fierce and have an anger that would rival even the the strongest God."

Olek continued on with his speech.

"I am honored to be a part of this family. Tonight , not only do we honor our family, but the wolf as well. I do not need to tell you what the wolf means to us, it is a part of us and always will be."

He raised his glass as did the rest of us.

"Tonight my dear family, The Volkovs will run. We will run free."

We all stood and howled in celebration . As our glasses clinked together, we laughed about our human howls, then we started to eat.

We finished as the moon rose fully. The sky was clear as it always was here and the crickets sang their normal tune .

Ruthie, one of our family's dear friends cleared the table for us when we finished . She was human, a Native American shaman that Olek had brought into our family years ago. She was an older woman with graying hair. Ruthie always spoke her mind, and if we were wise, we would listen to her . She always thought I was a troublemaker and would be the death of us all. I smiled at the thought.

We all walked to the edge of the field just before the woods began . There were no lights here except for what the moon and the stars lit up. We all stood in line and waited for the command .
Lucy was beside me on my left. Jane was beside her, then Boris, Richard and Olek.

"Alright, can we try to keep the property in one piece this year?" Olek scolded, looking at my uncle then Boris.

They both laughed .

"No promises here ! " Boris said playfully as he stepped forward.

"Brother, do you mind?"

Olek shook his head.

"Not at all. Go for it "

Boris' eyes were already glowing golden. The moonlight reflected off of his eyes making them twinkle.

The change was magnificent. Painful, but beautiful. We had changed so many times that the pain of the broken bones didn't really bother us too much. It still hurt like a bitch, but we've grown accustomed to it.

Boris changed quickly, his bones breaking and growing into this massive wolf-like creature. His clothes were in small pieces on the ground . We always wore loose clothing that we didn't mind being ripped to shreds . We could just strip naked, but I'd rather not see Boris' naked arse.

Boris stood up on his back legs which made him appear even more massive than he already was. He turned and looked at us with a gleam in his eyes .

I turned to my left, Lucy and Jane were already mid change. Richard joined Boris next. Those two were quite a pair.

I could feel my whole body tingle. I could feel the wolf inside of me, waiting . My vision sharpened, my hearing became even more heightened. I let the wolf change me . I fell to the ground . When my forearm broke and began to stretch, I gasped. The first break was always the worst.

When I changed , Lucy was looking back at m , waiting. I let out growl and charged into the woods after them.

We ran. And we ran free.

---///---
It was after midnight by the time we were finished.

Lucy and Jane had already changed back and were running into the house laughing wildly. As they ran, the moonlight was dancing on Jane's glorious lower extremities . The lower parts of me were responding while I watched her run.

It has been awhile. I looked away . The last thing I wanted was to have a hard on when I changed back.

I heard a low growl behind me . I turned and saw Richard. He was changing, with Boris shortly behind.

I closed my eyes and could feel the wolf receding as I changed back to my rather dashing human self. Standing naked in the woods , I realized I was getting cold. I looked down . I successfully controlled my own bloody todger. I shouldn't feel so accomplished. No matter.
It took about half an hour for all of us to be decent, and we returned to the back yard to wolf down -no pun intended- what was left of dinner. The girls made twice as much, knowing we would finish it off after the run .

We were eating mostly quietly when a familiar voice broke through our rather savage eating .
"Good evening family, sorry I'm late, trust you saved some for me ." Matt's familiar voice stopped us. He pulled out his chair and started to munch on his turkey. His suit was disheveled, as was his normally neat dark blonde hair.

Uncle Richard hugged him quite ferociously, knocking the turkey leg out of his hand. Jane and Lucy stood up and kissed him respectively on each cheek.

My anger returned. My youngest brother couldn't do any wrong. I suppose my anger was quite apparent because Boris whispered. "Calm down would you ? He's here. We're all together, yea?"

I shot him a look.


Boris raised his hands in defeat.

I stood up and Matthew did as well. He looked at me and his eyes were wide . I know he looked up to me as some sort of role model , yet he refused to take anything seriously.

He wiped his hands off and walked towards me. "Hello Brother."

What the hell. I hugged him. All of my family yelled in triumph. "Yeah, Yeah don't make a big deal 'bout it"

When I released him, I placed my hand on his shoulder .
"Welcome home Matthew, but next time, inform Christina that our family events take precedence over your time together."

Boris put a calming hand on my shoulder.

I looked at him and nodded slightly, letting him know I was calm. He released my shoulder and laughed lightly.

"Matt?" I heard a worried Lucy say.

I frowned and turned towards my younger brother . He was rigid . His whole body was tensed. I could see his fists at his side start to shake. His face was blank.

What the bloody fuck was happening?

The whole family was standing up . Lucy had rushed to his side . Jane, her eyes wide, called for Ruthie.

Matt had fallen on the ground and started vomiting blood. It was his, I could smell the thick coppery liquid .
Ruthie came rushing out to Matt's side . She was a powerful shaman, she helped us with our magical problems . She held her hand up and started chanting in her native language and walked towards him. We backed away, giving her room. When she got close to Matt, something pushed her back and sent her flying .

Olek lunged and caught the woman before she hit the side of the house. "It's blocking my magic! " she rasped.

Matt had stopped vomiting blood, and was on all fours in it. I went to him and as I knelt , he raised his arm and threw me back. He looked at me, his eyes now black. His face was changing. It was now part man and part wolf.


Matt roared.


"What the fuck is going on?!" Richard yelled as he was running towards his nephew.

"DON'T!" I yelled, pushing him back, "There is something there preventing us from helping him!"


Matt was still growling as he changed. I just watched, unsure what was happening . He was bigger, what was strange was he had no fur. He was black, and he was huge, nothing but muscle . He let out a huge roar as he bolted into the woods as if he was being summoned .

Olek was helping Ruthie up.

"FUCK,"Richard thundered .

Well, so much for a peaceful family gathering .