Episode 86: Thrown to the Wolves

Genre: Supernatural/Drama
Characters: Kaya, Caleb, Connor, Eli, Charlie, Ulrick, Byron, Isabella, Miles, Dominick, Joseph, Kaeleigh, Andre Foss
Word Count: 2,380
Rating: R
Type: Series
Summary: Night Shift heads off to the photoshoot Ulrick has set up for them and discuss the band's final stages. Later, Ulrick and Isabella finally speak words left unspoken. Meanwhile, back in Shadowvale, Caleb concludes his business with Byron.
Warnings: Language, suggestive material, violence, strong sexual content, adult content, adult situations, nudity.

Ulrick waited outside the studio for the black car to arrive. The photographer was getting anxious and Night shift was already twenty minutes late. Glancing at his watch again, he sighed as he retrieved his phone, preparing to send another urgent text to his lead singer when the sound of tires crunching over gravel pulled his eyes up. “Finally!” he said as Connor and Eli hopped out of the front seats of the vehicle.

Eli grabbed the backdoor and Kaya popped out with Dominick wrapped in her arms. Connor took Kaeleigh from her car seat and followed Caleb who carried Joseph. “You try wrangling three very active, hungry, crying babies into clothes and car seats and see how quickly you make appointments,” Kaya said before leaning over to greet her manager with a peck on the cheek.

Ulrick took the opportunity to steal one from the child in her arms and cooed at the eldest of the triplets. “You’re right, I’m sorry. I was just beginning to think you were blowing this off.”

“Nah. I wouldn’t let her do that,” Connor said as he rocked Kaeleigh.

Ulrick smiled appreciatively before leading the group inside the building. “Connor told me about your concern, Kaya, and I want you to know the photographer and his crew are kindred so if the babies should shift during the shoot, we’re covered.”

“THERE THEY ARE!” The doors opened and a smiling and anxious man standing beside the stage rushed forward. “Kaya, Caleb, Connor, Eli, a pleasure! I have been dying for this day. And I see we brought the babies, oh, how adorbs! Triplets? I can’t believe it. That is so exciting. I wanted to thank you, truly, from the bottom of my heart for this exclusive.”

“It’s our pleasure,” Kaya replied with a smile as she placed the baby bag on the table beside her. “So, where do you want us?”

“Oh! I thought we’d get a couple of the band first; get a feel for the room. I’d like to get some of the happy couple and their darling babies for Entertainment Weekly. And then maybe work out a plan for the album art.”

“Album art?” Kaya asked, looking over at their manager who smirked before shrugging. “Uh…”

“Andre,” the photographer replied. “Andre Foss.”

“Andre, do you think we can have a moment with our manager? I’d like to discuss a few things with him.” 

“Oh sure, of course. Take your time. I’ll be with the designer going over sets and costumes.”

“Thank you.” Kaya waited for the man to exit in the direction of his crew before turning with a confused expression towards Ulrick. “Album art?”

“Kaya, let’s not fool ourselves ok? I know why you’ve been ignoring my texts and not returning my phone calls. Night Shift is coming to an end, we both know it. I figured before we all ride off into the sunset we could do a farewell album and a small, not too time consuming farewell tour. ”

“What’s a ‘small, not too time consuming farewell tour’ consist of?” Caleb asked, giving Joseph’s back a gentle pat as he began to stir.

“150 cities; 130 here in the states, 3 in Asia, 3 Oceanic, 12 in Europe and one in both the Middle East and South America.”

“Geez, Rick. Were you going to tell us any of this before throwing us to the wolves?” Kaya asked, grabbing a bottle for Dominick.

“I’m telling you now, Ky. It’ll be fine. Just trust me like you have the entirety of your career ok? I figured with so many unreleased songs lying in the editing room, we could cobble together another album; a farewell to Night Shift. We might even be able to convince your Alpha to put together a few of these sonnets I’ve heard so much about.”

“You’ve heard about my sonnets?” Caleb asked, looking over at Connor.

“Hey man, the song you wrote for Kaya was lit. I don’t think it’s completely unfeasible to get you to create more like that. And I don’t know about the rest of you but I like Rick’s idea. If this is it for the band then we should go out on a high, right?”

“I’d be down for that,” Eli said.

“That’s two,” Ulrick replied, turning towards his lead singer and her mate. “What do you say?”

“I say, as sad as it all sounds, you’re right. Things have been getting kinda crazy and I would really like to focus on my family.” Kaya smiled feeling Dominick nudged deeper into her neck. “Let’s do it.” Caleb leaned over and pressed a kiss into her cheek before nodding his answer to Ulrick.

“Well then, let’s get to work.”

“Izzy? “What are you still doing up?” Ulrick said as he walked into his bedroom door. The band’s photoshoot ran a little longer than he’d anticipated. It wasn’t until after eleven before he left the studio and another half hour before he made it back to Greymane. As late as it was, he hadn’t expected to find his mate awake.

“I was waiting for you.” She smiled timidly and watched as he removed his wallet and keys from his back pocket and set them on the dresser before undoing his boots and moving towards the bathroom. “How’s Kaya?”

“She’s good. She’s looking great. I’m just happy she agreed to come to the shoot. I think we got a lot done today.”

“That’s great,” Isabella shouted a little so her voice carried over the water of the faucet. “How are the pups?”

“High-spirited,” Ulrick replied with a smile in his voice. “I can tell they keep everyone busy. They couldn’t sit still for a moment on the set.”

“They shifted?”

“Oh yeah. Kaya doesn’t quite know how they trigger it themselves which was her concern with coming out in the first place but, everyone there was kindred so it wasn’t bad.”

“That’s wonderful,” she paused and took a deep breath before continuing. “I’d really like to meet them one day.”

“One day,” Ulrick replied. Shutting off the light as he rejoined her in the bedroom, he tossed his shirt and pants into the hamper in the corner.

“Rick?” Isabella said, her teeth worrying at her bottom lip as she waited on him to answer. He turned his head slightly to acknowledge her without exactly making eye contact. “Can we talk?”

“Izzy…” Ulrick stopped and started. “I wanna start by saying I’m sorry.”

“You—what?” she asked, moving from the head of the bed towards him. “I think that’s my line, Rick.”

“No, Izzy, it’s really not.” Dragging his hand over his face, he rubbed the scruff on his chin before dropping his head with a sigh. “I haven’t been exactly fair to you and that’s not right; it’s not who I am and for that I’m sorry. For years you’d pushed me away, afraid of me finding out your secret and when I finally did I left you out in the cold to fend for yourself.”

“No, Rick, I understand. What I did…you had every right to feel the way you did. I’ve been ashamed of it for so long and you’re right, it is why I refused to bond with you all those years. I just…I was being a coward. I was afraid of how you’d see me and I couldn’t bear the thought.”

“And then I brought to life your deepest fears.”

“Rick,” she reached out and lovingly massaged his shoulders and felt him shudder beneath her touch. “I know you love me and I know what you’re struggling with. What I did is a capital crime in our world. But, I had my reasons. Not that they matter at this point but, what I did…if you’d allow me to explain.”

Ulrick turned so that he faced her and Isabella moved to his side. “You know quite a bit I’m sure from what you’ve seen but, without the context it may be hard to understand.” Taking a breath, she started from the beginning. “Years ago, my mother had an affair with Douglas Greymane, the pack’s first Alpha. He wanted her to break her bond with my father and become his mate. When she refused, Greymane had her kidnapped, raped, tortured and killed.”

“Whoa, Izzy, I had no idea.”

“I know. Those are memories I’ve kept repressed for so long; I hated reliving them day in and day out,” she replied, her accent growing thicker the heavier her emotions became.

“Wait a second, you were there? You saw this happen?”

She nodded before continuing. “My father and I were held and made to watch. It lasted for hours. Greymane had his own men…”

“You mean there were others from our pack there?”

Again she nodded and shuddered as the images flashed through her mind. Ulrick could see them and took her hand as she started again. “When I first met Lexi, I was at my lowest point. I didn’t care about anyone or anything. I didn’t even care if I lived or died. But, she promised me we’d right the wrong. That meant killing an Alpha. So, I did this, lo siento, mi amor.” Tears cascaded down her face and she turned so she didn’t have to look into his eyes as she continued. (I’m sorry, my love.)

“But, it wasn’t to stop there. In order to have my revenge, she wanted something from me in return. Lexi wanted me to find you and mate you to work my way close to Lobo,” she said, slowly looking up into his eyes. “He was her ultimate target. Killing Greymane only proved to her I was capable and prepared to take the life of an Alpha. She had imbued me with a special power…”

“The ceremony I saw.”

“It enabled me to overpower Greymane but, I couldn’t do it again. After we mated, I realized Lexi had tricked me. You and I were true mates, something that’s only happened a handful of times. I couldn’t betray you like that. Lobo was your friend and I didn’t want to hurt you so I refused to kill him. Greymane deserved what happened for what he did to my family but, Lobo has been nothing but kind to me and he even helped me after the war and after what the hunters did.” 

“My refusal angered Lexi. So to take revenge, she cursed me with slow healing, took away my full strength and the ability to shift. Not only that, she knew had we bonded, it would mean that you would no longer be at your full capacity either. I’d take away your ability to protect your Alpha, leaving him vulnerable to Lexi’s attack. So I pushed you away. For three centuries I refused to bond with you because you deserved so much better. You deserved a woman who was stronger; who could stand up for herself and not be tricked by una bruja malvada. You deserved to be happy. And that meant not waiting around for someone who could never fully be yours.” (An evil witch.)

“When I left home, the reason you found me with Luther, he had found the hunters Lexi used to hurt me. I needed to get to them to make myself whole again so that you and I could be together; to fully complete our mating. Except…”

“We dragged you away before you could,” Ulrick completed her thought. “Damn it, Isabella!” Ulrick shouted, jumping to his feet. “You could have told me. You could have said all of this three hundred years ago! I could have helped you. I wanted to help you.” 

“I know. I failed you. No te merezco!” (I don’t deserve you.)

“No, Izzy, that’s not what I’m saying. I’m the one that failed. I knew there was something going on. I should have tried harder. I should have been there for you. Te amo, Isabella.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her hard on the lips. Isabella wrapped herself around him, finally finding the comfort she’d longed for all these years. Her tears fell freely now. And she trembled against him as he held her tighter.

“That’s not everything, I’m afraid, Rick,” she whispered against his neck. “Now that everything is coming to light, you know what that will mean for me.”

“No. I won’t let that happen. I can’t. We will work this out, Izzy. And Lexi will pay for all the hurt she’s caused. Te lo prometo.” (This I promise you.)

Kaya tossed and turned. Finally able to crawl into bed, she was finding it difficult to actually fall asleep. The babies had started sleeping through the night which was more than she could say for her mate. Running a hand over his side of the bed, she sighed to herself at the feeling of the cold, empty sheets.

Hopping up, she decided to make herself a cup of tea to help with her insomnia. As she poured water into the kettle, a sudden, sharp pain seared through her head. Kaya dropped the pot as she too crashed to the floor. Images of Joey walking through the old shoe factory pushed through her mind. They were replaying from when she linked with him but, some of these were new, clearer.

The voices were not of who she originally thought and yet were strangely familiar. She continued walking the path with him, down the long hallway and towards the door at the end. Two figures loomed in the darkness, one was a hunter whom the other man referred to as Crane. The other…

Kaya’s eyes popped open and her heart dropped to her stomach. She had to get to Caleb and tell him what she saw. Joey was right, they were betrayed by a wolf but it wasn’t the one they thought. Rushing outside and through the thick growth of trees, Kaya pushed into the metal doors of the storage room and down the stairs. She could hear them just on the other side of the door. Shoving herself through her last obstacle she found them huddled in front of Byron who knelt before his Alpha. Caleb lifted an ax while the onlookers held their collective breaths as he prepared to bring it down. “WAIT!”

Continue---->