Chapter 33: 11

Darrell slipped his key into the post office box that was his. Because of where Feral was located, mail was not delivered to the homes. Once a day, the US Postal truck drove through the hub delivering mail to the small post office boxes located in a small building, which was no bigger than a large chicken coop.

Opening the door to his box, Darrell took out his mail and flipped through it. Most of it was just monthly bills from the various vendors he used for his business supplies. “Hey,” Aster greeted him as she came to stand next to him, checking her own mail. “How is the girlfriend?” She asked mockingly.

Darrell wanted to snap at her, but he did not. He was pissed off that the pack scared Katelyn off, but he knew she had not been part of those who had been in the woods last night. Even in wolf form, he knew he had been responsible. It was the older members of the pack — Gordon’s friends. Gordon had not been among them, and he would no doubt be livid when he found out what happened. He had granted Katelyn amnesty, and yet members went against his word. Mutiny could not be tolerated. When Darrell got around to telling Gordon the fur was going to hit the fan.

“She went back to Aspen,” he told Aster.

“Oh?”

“There was an incident,” he said, turning to face Aster.

Aster took one look at him, and her smile was instantly gone. “There is something different about you,”

she said, looking deep into his eyes. “You have done something?’ When she saw it, Aster gasped, and rage filled her. “You imprinted with a human.”

Darrell said nothing. What could he say? He had gone against Lycanthrope law and imprinted with Katelyn. Imprinting was meant to unite two Lycanthrope mates. It was sacred and not to be shared with a human. Everyone knew that Aster was meant to be his mate, and the fact that he had given away what was rightfully hers to a human was a grave insult to Aster and the pack.

“You went against pack law for her?”

“Aster.”

“No! I have tolerated this long enough. I’m telling my father what you did. You are going to answer to the pack,” she snarled as she slammed her post box shut and stormed off.

Darrell groaned and shut the door to his box. Once the pack heard he had gone against their laws, he was going to face their wrath. He may even end up exiled. Cast back out into the mortal world alone without the protection of the pack forced to fend for himself.

Exile.

Darrell leaned forward and dropped his forehead against the wall of PO Boxes. He was so screwed. He could not understand why he had risked everything for a woman. For a human. He could not explain the way he felt. He was at odds. He wanted to be with Katelyn. He also wanted to remain part of the pack. He could not have both.

He had to make a choice.

Katelyn or the pack.

Darrell pictured Katelyn and smiled.

Katelyn.

Darrell left the post boxes and walked down the street to the Blood Moon Tattoo Studio, where Gordon worked. Gordon was a tattoo artist, and he owned his own shop. It was one of the few businesses that drew outsiders. Gordon was very good at what he did.

Darrell walked into the shop, and the chimes above the door announced his arrival. He spotted Gordon bent over some chick’s leg tattooing a tree. “Hey, what’s up, Darrell?” Gordon greeted him as he continued with his artwork.

“Do you go a moment to talk?”

“Sure, what is on your mind?” He did not stop what he was doing.

“It is community business,” he could not say pack in front of this outsider. Gordon stopped what he was doing and looked up at Darrell. “It is important.”

“Give me a minute,” Gordon wiped the woman’s leg, then cleaned it up and wrapped it up. “We are done for today. Come back tomorrow.”

“But you said you could do it all in one day,” the woman complained.

“Ok, how about you come back tomorrow and I finish it, plus I’ll give you a ten percent discount,” the woman’s face lit up, and she took the offer. Once they were alone, Gordon turned to face Darrell. “Ok, what is going on? Is this about what happened last night?”

“You knew about that?”

“After the fact. Those involved had been reprehended,” Gordon took a closer look at Darrell.

“Something is different about you. What have you done?”

He might as well confess. All Gordon had to do was look deeper, and he would know just as Aster had.

“I imprinted.”

“With Aster?”

“With Katelyn.”

Gordon’s face became outraged. “You imprinted with a human?” He yelled, advancing on Darrell. “You went against our laws and gave a sacred gift to a human? Why would you do that?”

It was a good question. Why had he done it? Because he did not want her to leave him. Was he in love? Was it even possible to fall in love that fast? Darrell was not sure, but what he knew was he wanted to be with Katelyn, and he was willing to give up everything to make it work.

“I think I love her.”

“Are you listening to yourself? Do you love her? She’s human. Her kind kills our kind.”

“Not her. I’m not blaming Katelyn for the sins of others. She cares about me. She just wants to be included. Only the pack drove her off. So, I have decided. I’m leaving the pack. I’m heading out on my own.”

“You want to leave the pack? Darrell, you are the next in line. I’m getting long in the tooth. In a few more years, the pack is going to need a new alpha. You are the only other alpha. The pack needs you.”

“Well, the pack should have thought about that before they tried to murder the woman I love.”

“Love? Did that word actually pass your lips? You have known this woman a week, and you are giving everything up for her. What are you going to do, ask her to marry you? You are not even the same God damned species. How exactly is that supposed to work?”

“So what if I ask her to marry me? I’m a hell of a catch. She might say yes.”

“Really and live where. The pack is never going to accept a human member. The humans are never going to accept it either. You are going to be exposed and vulnerable. Alone in the world again. No one is going to accept you on either side.”

“I don’t care. I love that girl, and I’m going to tell her so tonight.”

“Ok, playing devil’s advocate, let’s say she loves you too. Let’s say she agrees to be your wife. What are you going to tell her when she decided she wants children? Lycanthropes and humans can’t breed.

It is a physical impossibility. Like breeding a rottweiler with a hamster… it just can’t be done.”

Darrell looked away. He knew Gordon was right. If he married Katelyn, then they were both giving up the possibility of children.

“Then I’ll tell her upfront. I’ll give her all the information before I ask for her answer.”

“Boy, you can’t do this. Fucking a human is one thing. Making one your mate, it is unheard of. It will never work.

“Just because it has never been done does not mean it won’t work. I’m going to ask Katelyn to marry me and if she accepts. I’m leaving the pack. I just wanted you to know.”

“I won’t allow it,” Gordon growled.

“I wasn’t asking your permission,” Darrell said as he turned and walked out the door.

***

Katelyn was glad she had left her car with her parents when she had gone home with Nigel last week.

Last week.

It was so crazy to think that only a week ago, she was engaged to be married and contemplating living with Nigel. So much had changed in seven days. It felt like a lifetime ago. She had thought about Darrell all day. She had developed feelings for the man, and in such a short time, they had become so strong. Thanks to the imprinting, she knew she meant a lot to him too.

She had spent the day in her old room, sitting in the window thinking about Darrell. She wanted to be with him, but she feared the pack. Then again, if she just avoided Feral, the pack might just leave her alone. She did not know if that was true, but she certainly hoped it was because tonight she was seeing Darrell again. Hopefully not for the last time.

Katelyn waited until it got late, then she changed for the night. Since this was an official date, she had cleaned up and dressed in her cutest little sundress and then hopping into her car, saying goodnight to her parents. Katelyn tried to follow the directions Darrell had given her. They lead out to Pyramid Lake.

She took the side road into the trees until she came to a clearing a good half-mile from the water.

Katelyn slowed to a stop and got out of her car, astonished.

There were white Christmas lights stretched from one tree to another, basking the small clearing in a soft glow. A large white sheet was hung between two trees pulled taut like some kind of homemade movie screen. Darrell’s truck was parked with the tailgate down and facing the screen. The back of the truck bed was set up with blankets and pillows forming a cozy little bed. Between the truck bed and the screen was a small table with two chairs. The table was set with dinner and a small mason jar vase containing a single red rose. On the roof of the truck was a small home movie projector that was casting pictures on the homemade screen while the audio was playing over the truck’s speakers.

Darrell leaned against the side of his truck, dressed in his best jeans and a black button-up dress shirt.

He had even cleaned his boots and hat for the occasion. He smiled at her. “Glad you could come.”

Katelyn grinned as she walked toward him. “What is all this?” She asked as she reached his side.

“My version of Netflix and chill.”

She liked it. It was so romantic.

“It must have taken so long to set this up.”

“You are worth it,” he smiled at her. “I hope you are hungry.”

“Famished,” she smiled.

“Let’s eat,” he said, taking her to the table and pulling out the chair for her. Looking at the plate, Katelyn was impressed. It was a homemade meal. It was not exactly the five-star restaurant dinner. He had made fried chicken with sweet cornbread, coleslaw, and a loaded baked potato. Instead of wine or champagne, there was a steel container filled with ice and cold beer. It was not classy or elegant, but it was one hundred percent Darrell, and she thought it was perfect.

It was certainly more than Nigel would have ever done.

They ate their dinner and talked about the memories they had both experienced during the imprinting. It was strange. She had known Darrell for a week, but she felt like she had known him all her life. She knew his deepest memories, and he knew hers. They had bonded on a level she had never known was possible.

After dinner, they crawled into the back of the truck to cuddle and watch a movie. Katelyn did not know what movie they were watching, and she did not care because they spent the whole time necking in the bed of his truck. It was all intensely heated kisses and maddening heavy petting, but he never took it further. It was like being fifteen on lover’s lane again. Only this time, her father was not likely to come knocking on the window with a baseball bat.

After an hour of hot and heavy, Katelyn reached for his zipper. She wanted more. So much more.

Darrell’s hand closed over Katelyn’s, stopping her from undressing him. “No more teasing, Darrell.

“Give me what I want.”

“Anytime Dove… except for tonight,” he whispered as he leaned over her gazing down into her eyes. “I have something I need to say, and I don’t want you to think it is just pillow talk.”

She pulled her hand from his and caressed his face. She was all worked up and wanted more than talk, but she would hear him out. “What do you want to say?”

“I know it hasn’t been long. I know this is going to sound crazy. I have never bonded with any woman the way I have with you. I love you, Katelyn. I want to marry you.”

Katelyn was speechless. She did not know what to say. “We barely know each other.”

“You know me better now than anyone ever has.”

“It has been seven days.”

“When it is right, then it is right. Why wait?”

“What about the pack?”

“Fuck the pack. I’ll give up the pack to be with you.”

Wow, he was willing to give up his entire life to be with her. After four years, she could not even get Nigel to give up other women. He must truly love her because he was willing to give up everything.

“What if you don’t feel this way in two years? Or two weeks?”

“I have never felt this way with anyone. I have never said I love you to anyone, not even my family. So, when I say it, you had better believe that I mean it.”

“I don’t want you to give up the pack. You need each other.”

“I need you.”

“To what end. Are we going to have the white picket fence and the two-point-five children?” He cringed.

Something was wrong. “What?”

“There wouldn’t be any children.”

She did not know what to say. “Why not? You don’t want kids?”

“I want children one day. If you marry me, there won’t be any children. It is just not physically possible.”

“Why?”

“We are not the same species Katelyn. Genetically we can’t breed. I can’t give you children.”

“Oh,” she sighed. Katelyn had never thought about it that way. She supposed Darrell was right. If they got married, he would be giving up his people, and she would be giving up any chance of having a family.

Darrell pulled away, sliding to the end of the truck bed so he could sit on the tailgate. Katelyn shifted onto her knees and came up behind him, wrapping her arms around his strong shoulders, resting her chin on his shoulder. She did not want him to feel bad that he could not give her a family.

“I love you too, Darrell,” he turned his head so he could nuzzle her as he placed both hands over hers, keeping Katelyn wrapped around her. “I love you too much to allow you to give up the pack.”

“Shouldn’t that be my choice?”

Katelyn kissed his cheek and then let him go as she hopped down from the truck bed and looked into his eyes. “I’m sorry, Darrell, but I can’t see you anymore.”

She could see the pain in his eyes. “Don’t say that. Please.”

“Goodbye,” Katelyn barely managed and then turned and walked to her car. She got in and drove home in tears leaving Darrell behind forever.