Day's Light

by M. A. Church

  MARK WOKE alone. He stretched, his body a little sore. Was that from changing into a wolf or from being so sick? Hell, it could be the bed. It wasn’t the most comfortable thing he’d ever slept on.

  Swinging his legs over the side, he scratched his belly and tried to wake up. There was no clock, and with the curtains being closed he couldn’t see outside, but something told him it was late in the day. Lord, had it only been three days? It already felt like a lifetime.

  Closing his eyes, he tried to focus his new awesome hearing ability. He sorted through the sounds of the air-conditioning running, the low hum of the TV, and… yup. There it was. A heartbeat. Hunter. It beat perfectly in time with his, which was something he hadn’t noticed last night. Neat.

  There was also that scent he associated with Hunter. Unable to help himself, he grabbed Hunter’s pillow and inhaled deeply. That was what he was talking about.

  Then he got a whiff of food being warmed up. He surged to his feet. Unbelievably, he was hungry again. After a quick trip to the bathroom, he brushed his teeth and finger-combed his hair. Once he was done, he glanced out the window. Yup, the sun had set.

  Following his nose, he passed the master bedroom. It appeared Hunter had been up for quite a while. The busted bed frame had been removed, which he’d managed to sleep through. He shuffled into the kitchen and was greeted with a picture of Hunter in low slung jeans and no shirt.

  “Hey.” Hunter opened the microwave as it dinged. “We have food.”

  “You cooked?”

  “Naw. Not enough here. We need to take care of that later, unless you want to keep eating out.”

  “I forgot.” He had nothing—no hairbrush, no clothes. Nothing. Hell, even what he was wearing wasn’t his. “Might need to stop by a Wal-Mart or something too. I need everything. And, um, where’s my cell?”

  “We don’t have a Wal-Mart, but yes, you do. At least until we can get your stuff here. And your cell was shattered when you hit the pavement, sorry to say. I have it if you want to see it.”

  That reminded him of things he didn’t want to think about right then. Because yeah, what about his personal stuff? What about his parents? Michael? “If you don’t mind. Maybe after we eat? What’s for dinner?”

  “Chicken fried steak, a side salad, mashed potatoes, green beans, and homemade rolls. There’s key lime pie for dessert.”

  “That sounds really good.” Mark grabbed the back of the chair to pull it out, and the wood creaked under his hand. Startled, he jerked his hand back. “What the…?”

  “Werewolf ability.” Hunter grinned. “You’re stronger now. Try to remember that, and maybe you won’t break everything in the house. Seriously, though, you’re going to have to get used to your new body. Well, your body is still the same, just new and improved.”

  “Jesus, this is a trip.” This time Mark was much more careful how he gripped the back of the chair.

  “Eat up, and then we’ll talk.”

  “Sounds like a plan.” He dug into the food, noticing that Hunter seemed just as hungry. They plowed through it, neither really speaking until both plates were scraped clean. Then Hunter served dessert.

  Mark bit into the pie, and the tangy taste exploded on his tongue. “Holy moly, this is the best key lime I’ve ever had. Where did you say this restaurant was?”

  Hunter snickered. “I’m going to have to take you to Sissy’s soon, I can see.”

  “I’d like that.”

  “So, before we get to what happened to your parents and you, is there anything you want to ask me about werewolves in general? Or about you as a werewolf?”

  “Yes! What did I look like? How big am I? Why are you a white wolf? When can we shift again?”

  Hunter chuckled. “We’ll shift again soon, I promise. So, coat color in our pack is typically a mix of grayish-white and brown with buffy facial markings and undersides. That’s what your coat is. You’re a gorgeous wolf. Mine sure thought so. But coat color can vary. I’m a white wolf, as is Zane.”

  “Are all Alphas white then? Is coat color related to hair color? You’re blond. Is your brother? I can’t remember. And what exactly is an Alpha?”

  Hunter took a bite of his pie and hummed happily. “Zane is blond too, but we’re white wolves because of a recessive gene. It’s like having blue eyes. It’s passed down from our parents. I’m a born wolf, remember. So no, coat color is not related to hair color.”

  “Huh.”

  “You’re the typical mix of grayish-white, brown, and tan. Most of us are, in fact. You asked what an Alpha is. They are the pack’s leader, and they establish social structure and rules of conduct. He or she is the most dominant wolf. And yes, females can be Alphas. Don’t discount a wolf based on their sex,” Hunter warned. “That could get your throat ripped out.”

  “So females aren’t the weaker sex. Got it. That’s certainly not a human ideal.”

  “Again, we aren’t human. The social structure of the werewolf pack can change also, meaning a wolf can move up and down in the ‘pecking order’ by issuing a challenge for a position he or she wants. And yes, that includes pack leadership.”

  “You can be challenged? Like, you could lose to another Alpha?” The thought made him ill and incensed his wolf.

  “Yes.” Then a sly smile crossed Hunter’s face. “But the newcomer would have to challenge me and Zane, and not many want to do that. We’re co-Alphas remember?”

  “And if that did happen, and you and Zane lost? What then?”

  “Depends on the challenge. Some are to the death. If that’s the case, then the mate usually dies too, but not always. Depends on if it’s a fated mate or a regular mating, which is called a pair-bonding. A fated mate surviving isn’t usual. But seriously, taking on not only me but Zane also is enough to persuade challengers to rethink such idiocies.”

  “Lord have mercy. You could die? I could? Son of a bitch.”

  “Those are extreme examples. Most challenges aren’t to the death. Normally, the losing Alpha and their mate leaves. Sometimes pack members will follow instead of staying with the new Alpha.” Hunter shrugged. “But honestly, a challenge usually only happens when the pack leadership is a fucked-up mess. A healthy pack has a strong Alpha who cares for his members. It’s not impossible that we could be challenged, but it’s highly improbable.”

  Mark took another bite of his pie. “Jesus.”

  “You asked about your size.” Hunter forked up some of his dessert. “The average size of a werewolf’s animal is four to six feet long. Females typically weigh eighty to one hundred twenty pounds, and males weigh ninety to one hundred sixty pounds.”

  “And that means absolutely nothing to me since I have no idea how big natural wolves are, so are we bigger?”

  “We’re a little bigger than a natural wolf, but not so much that it’s alarming. By the way, you’re at the top end of that scale.”

  “Can I see myself in a mirror? I’d like to see what I look like, or is that silly? This being a shifter is cool. And yes, I know I’ve had a turnaround in all this.”

  “You were human before. Now you’re not. Not knocking humans, but they simply can’t… they can’t relate. We’re two different species—our culture, our language, our religious beliefs, and our values are not human. They can’t understand what being a werewolf is. Well, they can’t until they become one, but I’m glad you have. The mirror thing can be arranged, and no it isn’t silly. I’d say it’s natural. And also? You’re not a shifter. You’re a werewolf.”

  “Oh. There’s a difference?”

  “Damn straight there is. We’re werewolves. We change into a wolf. There’s weretigers, werebears, werelions, and so on. We all turn into some kind of animal. Then there are shape-shifters. They’re also paranormals, but their ability is changing into another human. They can impersonate anyone. They do not turn into an animal, and they’re dangerous.”

  “Wait.” Mark goggled. “More dangerous than someone who has fangs and claws?”

/>   “They can imitate anybody—human or paranormal. Think about that for a minute. Most of them use their ability for nefarious means. Even those of us who are paranormals can have trouble figuring out if a person is a shape-shifter or a true were. Or a vampire. Or a Guardian. Or an elemental. Or a—”

  “Wait, wait, wait.” Mark dropped his fork. “Vampires actually exist?”

  “Yes.”

  “Oh God. Oh my God. Okay, wow. Did I say oh my God already, because holy shit, vampires are real.”

  “A real pain in the ass is what they are. They’re arrogant, condescending, know-it-alls who tend to look down on everybody else, humans and paranormals alike.”

  “Tell me how you really feel,” Mark quipped, picking up his fork again.

  “I’m being serious, Mark. A vampire would just as soon kill you as look at you, meaning they will gladly drink your blood and drain you just like they would a human. They’re not to be trusted. They don’t like us, and we don’t like them.”

  “Right, avoid vampires. What’s a Guardian? And an elemental?”

  “Guardians are a group of nonhumans who police all of us. They live a really long time and have super strength, which is necessary, I suppose, since they often have to tangle with species like werewolves or vampires.”

  “How long of a time?”

  “Rumor is some were around during the Roman Empire. Some possibly before that.”

  Mark blinked. “Whoa shit. When you said long time, I was thinking—wait, wait. Oh shit, how long do werewolves live again?”

  “A couple of hundred years. We’re not immortal like some paranormals. We age but at a much slower rate. We also have the ability to heal abnormally fast and have a ridiculously fast metabolism. We’re pretty tough to kill too.”

  “Have I said oh my God yet? Because I feel like it needs to be said.” Mark scowled at Hunter. “Repeatedly.”

  Hunter snickered. “Yes, you have. So, back to the Guardians. They can hear as well, see as well, and smell as well as the other paranormals too. Those things are pretty standard.”

  “Standard,” Mark echoed.

  “However, they also have talents unique to them. They’re very powerful. They’re also answerable to the High Council, which is made up of the oldest paranormals, who are called Elders. We do our best to avoid having Guardians mucking around in our business.”

  “You take care of your own problems. Got it.”

  “We.”

  “Huh?”

  “We. You’re part of the pack now. So, we take care of our own problems.”

  “Yeah.” Mark touched his mating mark. “Yeah, I am.” He also wanted to know why he was the only one who had the mark. Seemed to him like Hunter should have one too, and he’d bring that up later. “So avoid vampires and these Guardian folks. What else? Oh. What’s an elemental?”

  “A non-human who has power over a specific element of matter, like, say for example, fire or wind. A fire elemental can create, shape, and manipulate fire. It will not burn them, either. How dangerous they are depends on their age, knowledge, skill, and strength. And, of course, their morals.”

  “Holy overload, Batman.” Mark stared at Hunter.

  Chapter Ten – Hunter

  “SORRY, I know I just dropped a whole lot on you,” Hunter said. “Are you finished eating?”

  “Yup.”

  Hunter picked up their plates. “We’ll come back to werewolves a little later. Kind of give what I’ve told you a chance to sink in.” Hunter rinsed off the plates, placed them in the sink, and sat back down at the table. “We need to talk about your parents, and what I’ve found out since the incident happened.”

  “Incident?”

  “I figured that would be easier than saying they were—”

  “It really isn’t. They were murdered. Say they were murdered. It doesn’t make it any easier for me.”

  “All right. As I told you, Brax and I were tailing two werewolves who had come onto pack land and stolen from us. Before you ask, yes, it was a big deal. A wolf coming into a territory without permission from the Alpha isn’t done.”

  “Why?”

  “Our territory is where we’re the safest. This is our land, which we’ve worked hard to keep healthy. We’ve built businesses, homes, parks, and so on. Our families are here. We defend it against any wolf who thinks they can just stroll in and take over what we’ve accomplished. We’re a wealthy pack, but Zane and I don’t hoard the money. We make sure the entire pack is prosperous, not just us.”

  “I guess that makes sense.”

  “We share characteristics with wolves and humans. So, back to the werewolves who trespassed. They’d robbed two businesses in town before taking off. I retrieved the video surveillance, but we didn’t have a clear image of their faces. One of them did slip up, though, and the camera caught his profile. We tracked them to Vegas and into that alley. You know the rest.”

  “I just don’t get it. We handed over our wallets like they demanded. Why did they…. I just don’t….” Mark froze. “Holy shit.”

  Hunter tensed. “What?”

  “I remember something. Oh fuck, I just remembered something.” Wide-eyed, Mark glanced at Hunter.

  Hunter was around the table and kneeling by Mark’s chair in an instant. He hated seeing the pain and fear in Mark’s face. “Anything you can tell me—anything—could help.”

  “One said he had hoped they could’ve had some fun with me before…. He didn’t finish the sentence because the other one said no witnesses.” Mark grasped Hunter’s hand.

  Hunter’s wolf threatened to force a shift. They both had a pretty good idea what the bastard meant, and it infuriated him and his wolf.

  “And, oh my God, he said Alpha Bennett said absolutely no witnesses.” Mark tightened his fingers around Hunter’s. “Then one of them shot me.”

  The bastards would pay. Hunter wouldn’t stop until the two were dead. “Mark, I need you to think carefully now. Are you absolutely certain you heard the name Alpha Bennett?”

  “Positive. And I know that because I remember thinking what kind of name was ‘Alpha’?” Mark shuddered. “They mentioned smelling another wolf, a female, but they called her a rogue. Then something was said about smelling an Alpha and a Beta.”

  “Me and Brax, I assume.” He wanted to wrap Mark up and never let him go. The shocked pain in his voice was killing Hunter. But excitement also stirred. They finally had a break.

  “I guess? What’s a Beta?”

  “It’s a position in the werewolf hierarchy. They’re second in command and in dominance. They carry out our orders, and if an Alpha isn’t around, can make decisions in his stead. You remember anything else?”

  “They seemed worried. They wondered if it could be the ones who’d been trailing them. Said they needed to get the hell out of there. One remarked the young human wasn’t dead yet—meaning me, and—”

  Hunter growled. Loudly.

  Mark licked his lips. “Holy shit, that was hot.” He shook his head. “What is wrong with me that I found that hot? Anyway, the other one said I’d be dead soon enough and maybe all that blood would trigger the Alpha—that hopefully he’d finish me off. What the hell did that mean?”

  Hunter grimaced. “We’re predators. We like to hunt. Blood is involved in hunting, you know. The asshole was probably hoping your blood would trigger my wolf into attacking you. I guarantee he wasn’t expecting me to find my mate. Now I’m going to hunt that bastard down and rip his head off.”

  “Blood? Aw man, I’m not a fan of blood.”

  “You will be now. Trust me.” Hunter released Mark’s hand, stood, and fished his cell phone out of his pocket. “Brax is assigned to this. I’m going to call him. We may end up going over there, depending on what he says.”

  “Um.” Mark glanced down at his night pants.

  “You’ll have to borrow something of mine until we can drop by a clothing store. I had to toss your shirt and jeans, unfortunately.” Hunter checked
his watch and pursed his lips. “It’s getting late. We might have to do the grocery shopping and clothing store tomorrow. I’m sorry.”

  “I’ll live.” Mark flashed a tight-lipped smile at Hunter. “Seriously, if what I told you helps in finding these two, then I’m all for putting off what I need until tomorrow.”

  “Why don’t you go take a shower while I talk to Brax? And feel free to pick out whatever you want from my clothes.”

  Hunter watched Mark leave the table. His wolf voted that they join Mark in the shower, but he resisted. Having his mate wet, slippery, and nearby would guarantee the information wouldn’t get to Brax until tomorrow. Or maybe even the next day. So no, he was not following Mark into the shower. Hunter’s wolf howled with disappointment. Rolling his eyes, he called Brax.

  “Hey, Hunter.”

  Hunter noticed the lack of title, which meant Brax was around humans. “Are you in the middle of something?”

  “Nothing I can’t get out of. What’s up?”

  If Brax was in public, Hunter wasn’t going to relay what he knew. “Can Mark and I meet at your house? I have information.”

  “Give me twenty minutes to get home.”

  “Excellent. We’ll see you then.” After he disconnected, Hunter noticed the shower wasn’t running any longer.

  Wandering into the bedroom, he saw Mark, with a towel wrapped around his waist, standing in the walk-in closet glaring at Hunter’s clothes.

  “You know, it just hit me that I’m not as tall or as muscular as you. Nothing you have is going to fit me right.”

  Hunter scooted into the closet next to Mark. And if he just so happened to drag his fingers up Mark’s back, well… they were mated, after all.

  Mark tensed suddenly at the touch. A low growl started in his chest. Hunter stilled. He wasn’t afraid. No, that sound was one an Alpha made when he was aroused. Hunter glanced down, and sure enough, there was a tent in the towel. Mark turned slowly and buried his nose right where Hunter’s neck and shoulder met.

  Mark inhaled deeply. “Oh shit, you smell so good here. I want to… I… I need to….”

  The hot gust of air and the scrape of fang against his skin caught Hunter’s attention. Careful not to make any sudden moves, he wound his arm around Mark’s waist. “What’s your instinct telling you?” Hunter had a pretty good idea, but he needed Mark not to get lost in the mating lust. Shit, he really should have told Mark he was an Alpha. Now, the mating instinct had taken over, and Hunter was out of time.