The Legacy of Kilkenny (46 page)

General Phelan reached for Dolly’s hand, pulling her closer and telling her he loves her.
 
It was at that moment he took his final breath.

I hear Dolly let go of the sob she had been holding, first a small whimper and finally she cries.
 
My soul ripping at the seams hearing her and Pru.
 
I see Oakley run into the room, putting his arms around Pru and I see her melt into him, barely standing, being supported by him.
 
I see his tear streaked face.
 
Is this all I can do?
 
Is this really all I can do?
 
Watch my friends hurt, lose their husband, their father, their mentor.
 
What good is a Great Wolf if this is all I can do, stand there and watch the pain.

I run out of the room and
 
into Pru’s room grabbing Chrissy to follow me.
 
“Chrissy, just try, please just try.”
 
I beg.

She shakes her head no, “Abel, I can’t.
 
I don’t have that ability sweetie.”
 
She says gently.

“Yes you can!
 
Just do it!
 
Try, you have to try!
 
Please, just try!”
 
I beg.
 
She takes my hand and we run into the room, the charms not stopping her causes everyone to take notice.

Chrissy leans over the table and places her hands on him.
 
“Oakley, will you take the arrows out.
 
I can’t do it with them in him.”
 
She cries for him as they are pulled from his lifeless body.
 
Everyone in the room watches, anticipation filling them, just a moment of fleeting hope.

“What is she doing Abel?
 
Why is she even in here?”
 
Pru demands, her pain raw on her face and in her words.

“Her father could heal people, she has never healed anything but it is worth trying.
 
It won’t hurt.”
 
I turned to Chrissy.
 
“Please, for me.”

We all take a deep breath in as she lays her hands on his lifeless body, for a brief moment I see a flicker of light illuminate around her, I realize it is her aura.
 
Her hands shaking as they hover over his wounds.
 
Her aura brightens and suddenly the light shone from her hands.
 
Her concentration immense as she chants a prayer.
 
It seems to go for hours, but I know it is only minutes when she turns to me and says, “I’m sorry, really I am.
 
I cannot interfere with nature, his life cycle has ceased.
 
Please forgive me.”
 
She burst into sobs and runs from the room.

I run to catch up with her, pulling her in closer.
 
“
Shh
,
its
okay, you were wonderful in there.
 
I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.”
 
I wipe her hair from her face, her mascara running over her cheeks, I tilt her chin up to look at me. “Chrissy, you were incredible.”
 
I hug her and I hear Pru’s sobs coming from the house.
 
“Chrissy, I’m sorry, I need to go in there for a little while.
 
Thank you so much, really, you’re amazing.”
 
I didn’t wait for her to answer before I run back into the house.

I can see Pru and Dolly each with one of the General’s hands and crying. My heart ached for them.
 
Parker and Oakley take me aside and tell me that the arrows had to have been poisoned, the silver alone would have wounded him but the poison made it lethal.
 
Whoever did this, knew what they were doing.
 
In case they thought one arrow failed, they shot two.

As a tribute to the fallen, everyone heads outside to pay homage to the wolf in us.
 
The bellowing howls began with Dolly, followed by Pru, and went down the line until everyone is howling, their pain heard in their tone.
 

Dolly nudged me to howl, I always feel
kinda
silly, not this time, I can feel the wolf in me, I throw back my head and I howl the loudest and the longest.

The next couple of days are a blur.
 
I don’t know what I was thinking, I guess I thought the funeral would take place at the farm but it wasn’t.
 
A funeral home came to pick up the body to prepare it for burial.
 
I read in the paper the next day that he died in a hunting accident, charges would not be filed as it was an accident (per the district attorney).
 
Dolly sent an e-mail to the other Packs that an accident has happened and she will be the Alpha for the time being.

My mom made five trays of lasagna to take out to Dolly.
 
I try talking her out of making the drive all the way to their house but she is a stubborn woman and insists to pay respect in person.
 
A sigh of relief when I realize that humans will be around too, he was a big part of the community, of course they’ll want to come over.
 
When we get to the house there are cars lined up and down the drive, at least fifteen all with out of state plates.

The family knew that non
weres
will be visiting so everyone is on ‘human’ behavior orders.
 
I’d never been around when they weren’t allowed to be themselves, it seems very subdued.
 
I notice a table cloth draped over the poker table; it is white with green and gold Celtic knot stitching around the borders. On the table is a bottle from his prized collection of 25 year old
Chivas
Regal and plastic shot glasses.
 
I watch as a man I don’t know approaches the table, pouring himself a shot and said, ‘Here’s to you old friend.
 
Rest in peace.”
 

My mom and Dolly talked for the next hour while I sat with Pru and a few local farmers that does business with the family.
 
Pru dressed in black from head to toe, her beautiful eyes swollen with dark circles.
 
Her usual tough demeanor hidden behind the sadness, her tears coming and going in waves.
 
Oakley sitting at her side comforting her the best he can.
 
The air starts feeling really thick to me, I’m so hot.
 
I look around to see if anyone else is fanning themselves, everyone looks comfortable.
 
I grab a bottle of water and go outside to get some air.

A few minutes later Parker came over and takes the seat next to me.
 
“This must be hard on you,” he said, to me.

I slap at a mosquito that tries to take a drink out of my arm. “No harder than it is on everyone else.
 
Tell me something, what happened out there?
 
Did you find a rogue that was in with vamps?”
 
I ask.

“We never saw anyone.
 
The guys that he had me pick up before we left, none of them were involved, trust me… they would have talked after the persuasion tactics we did.”
 
He shook his head back and forth, hanging it low. “I don’t know, I really don’t.
 
I need you to be quiet about that meeting, it is just between us.
 
Everyone will know that I’ve been helping the Pack by looking for evidence but they can’t know that we met with you.
 
His involvement with the
you know what
, can’t be divulged.”

I nodded in agreement.
 
I am still hot but the wind is helping me catch my breath.

“I know you think I was hard on you, but I had to be certain of you.
 
I had to know you could handle it.”
 
He finishes off the beer he has in his hand.

“Well?
 
What do you think?”
 
I ask him.

“You did good kid.
 
You did good.
 
I’ll catch you on the flip side.
 
I can’t handle all of this sadness, I’ve got to get
outta
here.
 
I’ll see you soon.”
 
Parker stood up and dusts off his pants.
 
“You know where to find me.”

I watched as he walked out to his car and left.

The weeks following the funeral go by quickly.
 
Allie is coming home for a visit, she is staying with us since she is only coming in for the weekend.
 
I wonder about her relationship with Arien, and pray it is finally over.
 
Pru was edgy, she was all business, nothing more, nothing less.
 
Oakley and I talked every day; he told me she was having night terrors that were keeping her from sleeping.
 
He told me to just be cool with her and she’ll get through this eventually.
 
I hoped so, she was a little bitchy.

My hot flashes, as I commonly refer to them, are happening more frequently.
 
I don’t tell Pru in fear she will bite my head off for not telling her sooner.
 
My fear for my family is tenfold after watching the Phelan Pack mourn. Call me selfish, but I want to keep my family.

Thursday July 1
^st
, I drive out to Will Roger’s airport to pick Allie up for her weekend visit.
 
When I first see her, I am taken aback by her appearance.
 
She was in Reno during summer time and to me she looks paler.
 
Instead of the freckles that pepper her face, her skin is all the same color.
 
She has on great big black sunglasses that cover half her face, a giant brimmed hat, a long sleeved shirt and long pants.
 
If I didn’t know better, I’d say she grew a couple of inches.
 
I expect her to start sneezing when she gets near me but she doesn’t.
 
When we
skyped
I didn’t notice the differences, I guess because she had the drapes closed in her hotel room to keep the glare off of her computer.
 
It doesn’t matter, I am just glad to see her.

“How much did you Pack?
 
You’re only here until Monday, damn.”
 
I carry her
ginormous
suitcase out to my car.
 
“Mom made all of your favorites for dinner, I hope you brought your appetite.”

“You smell intriguing.
 
What cologne do you have on?”
 
She said to me.

“Huh?
 
I don’t have any cologne on, just me.”

“Just me is working for you bro, it’s
sorta
woodsy smelling. I’m hoping to spend the fourth with you and Pru, I haven’t talked with her since her dad died.
 
How is she doing?
 
Are we going to stop by and see her?”

“Yeah, about that.
 
I don’t think so, she has been a little moody lately.
 
Not that I blame her, I can’t imagine how I’d feel if something happened to dad.
 
Mom has dinner ready anyway.”

Our drive home starts just fine, at least the first minute or so went fine, after that?
 
Downhill.
 
My super bitchy sister decided to be just that… bitchy.
 
Oh the joys of women.

Pulling down the sun visor she starts applying lip stuff, after smacking her lips together and flipping the visor up she said, “You
wanna
know what I think?
 
I think you’re pathetic. You have it so bad for that bitch and she’ll never give you the time of day.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?
 
I’m pathetic?
 
You can be such an ass.”
 
I feel my teeth clench as I say the words.

“You are.
 
I mean seriously, she doesn’t want
you
, she wants that loser
Oakman
or whatever his name is.
 
I’d say you could do better, but probably not,” she said flatly.

Her words are pissing me off, I grip the steering wheel with both hands so I won’t reach over and strangle her scrawny neck.
 
“Wow!
 
I can see where I stand in your book.
 
What in the hell is wrong with you?
 
What did I do to you to deserve this tirade of super jackass sister?”

One thing is for certain, she is going for the jugular.
 
I don’t even bother telling her about Chrissy, because I know I will drop her off on the side of the road if she said anything bad about her.
 
The rest of the ride home consisted of verbal slams by both of us until we spent the last few minutes in silence.