Read Online The Lycan Rebirth (The Flux Age Book 3) by Steven J Shelley - Free Book Online Page B

place. He’d heard of these kinds of communities rising up since the Flux Age started. They started off as hippy communities, living off the land, but they slowly became naturebound strongholds. Most of these folk would be conventional shifters. Deer, bear, cougar, snake and centaur were all classic naturebound species. Even though they were straight shifters, with no dynamic powers like the lycans or vampires, the naturebound were extremely strong in their own elements. As entire settlements, well, they were extremely tough to beat. Jack now understood why Hector Caliri and his aquilans had left these folk well alone. Naturebound were only a threat if you poked them too often. Their plan was probably to live and grow in this valley until the Flux Age receded. From what Jack had learned, these collectives weren’t ambitious and generally liked to stay put.
    “You know they’ll come for you eventually, don’t you?” Jack asked the portly naturebound leader. “The aquilans will need this valley sooner or later.”
    “There’s no evidence of that,” Nate sniffed. “We don’t need you stirring up trouble. Please leave.”
    “Fine,” Jack said with a roguish smile. “Already out the door.”
     
    Jack made a point of heading back through the camp. His “official” intention was to thank the man who had saved his life. He asked for the healer and found the short, bespectacled man helping to repair the northern fence.
    “I believe I owe you a debt,” Jack said seriously. “You have my gratitude.”
    “I wasn’t about to leave you there,” the man said. “Needed help though. You’re a big bastard, even for a lycan.”
    Jack grinned, a little embarrassed.
    “Name’s Leroy Oaks,” said the healer. “You’ve caused quite a stir. Most of these folk have never set eyes on a lycan.”
    “Hopefully I’m not the last one either,” Jack said, seizing the opportunity to push his case. He didn’t know what he wanted exactly, only that he wanted to “enlist” the naturebound to the lycan cause. From the outside they seemed like the perfect allies. Right now, the lycans needed all the friends they could get. Whether the naturebound were up for a fight was another matter entirely.
    “You know, not much news travels all the way out here, but I have contacts in NYC,” Oaks said. “I heard what happened to your kin.”
    “I don’t need your pity,” Jack said firmly. “What I need is your rage.”
    Oaks drew Jack aside, as if their conversation had reached a confidential stage. “Plenty of folks think that what happened to the wolf is a damned disgrace. There’s no love here for the aquila, that’s for sure.”
    “Then do something about it,” Jack said. “Hector’s people are looking to control North America as the Flux Age gathers pace. We need to stop them before they become too powerful.”
    “I think you’re right, stranger,” Oaks said urgently. But there’s no way Nate Fincher will allow the naturebound to take up arms. It’s not our way.”
    Jack screwed his face up in frustration. Then he had the kind of idea that made perfect sense, a real bolt from the blue.
    “Listen,” he said. “Did you happen to find a box in that river?”
    “I did,” Oaks said. “Old Fincher took it as soon as he saw it. Can’t open it though, it’s code activated.”
    “That’s right,” Jack said, immensely relieved the dark tissue was still intact. “Does Fincher have it in his tent?”
    Oaks nodded.
    “Round up all the settlers,” Jack said. “Leave the rest to me.”
    To the healer’s credit he merely raised his eyebrow and asked no questions. Maybe the older man wanted to believe in the hope Jack was offering. These people had lived in the shadow of the aquilans for years now, and seen them grow slowly more aggressive. Oaks was smart enough to know that the families in this valley would soon be in grave danger. Far better to at least listen to what the strange lycan had to say. Jack suddenly