by Celeste Raye
Jake agreed and then cursed. “So, what the hell are we supposed to do now?”
Charlie suggested that they come back with reinforcements, but he didn’t want to. They would do this themselves, and he ignored the eyeroll that he got from his younger brother.
“Fine, but don’t say that I didn’t tell you so. This isn’t going to end well if we have to fight him, Jake. I think he might even be bigger than you.”
“Yeah, but he doesn’t even know what he is. This is going to be hard to tell someone.”
Donovan told him he was just going to have to force him to turn. It was the only way something like that was going to be believed. It was something that had to be felt, lived. It was the only way that he would ever truly understand. But the first change was volatile, and no one knew how he was going to deal with it. Jake was worried about the answer to that one.
Scott wasn’t sure what to think. He wasn’t one to run away from a fight. If he was, he wouldn’t have been a bouncer for very long. All he did was get in the middle of men fighting all night, every night. These guys, though, they were different. Scott didn’t know what their deal was; he just knew that he just had to stay away from them. They were the reason he had a knot in his stomach.
He raced back to his place, and once he was in the driveway, Scott felt like an idiot for running. He didn’t know what had come over him, but the desire to get away had been so strong that he had just gone with it.
Now, he was sitting in the car feeling silly and wondering what it was that those guys wanted. Jake had said some strange things. He called them shifters, but Scott didn’t even know what the hell that meant. All he knew for certain was that he was curious now more than ever.
About to start the car and go back, Scott looked in the rearview mirror and saw the guys standing there. He had raced off away from them in a car not but a few minutes ago. There was no car around, so how in the world did they follow him and get there so quickly?
Every hair on the back of his neck was standing on end. He thought he saw Jake’s eyes flashing with an odd light but he waved it off.
“Shit.”
He got out of the car, ready to fight, because what else would they be there for? It looked like the biggest and oldest one was right along the same lines, because he came walking up to Scott with purpose.
Scott moved to punch him, and Jake blocked it, cracking him in the face. Scott didn’t wait for him to say anything. He was still too worried about how everything was going to go down.
“Stop fighting me, Scott. It doesn’t have to be this way.”
Scott wasn’t listening. He was getting mad now because he hadn’t been able to connect one of his hits since he started. Jake was connecting with him though. He wasn’t hitting him as hard as Scott imagined he could, but it was hard enough to piss him off.
He moved out of the way and connected with Jake, but then he was just slammed in the chest so hard that he flew onto his ass and several feet back.
“Not so hard, Jake.”
“Shut up, Fred. You get hit by this guy a couple of times and see how gentle you are with him.”
Scott didn’t know who was talking. He was finding it hard to breathe, and rage was coming over him like it never had before. He’d been hit before, but never like that. He got up and started to see red. A weird and painful sensation came over him, and he saw Jake’s eyes widen as he stood up completely. The world didn’t look the same.
“Dammit, guys. I don’t think we really thought this through. He looks pissed.”
Chapter Six
Scott ran off again, and Jake refused to go after him. He knew that they would have to soon, but only when he realized what he was and had stopped rampaging. It was getting to the point where he was hurting from the blows.
Donovan helped him up and chuckled. Jake asked him what it was that he was laughing about.
“You should see the way you looked getting knocked down, Jake. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it happen like that. Not even Dad could knock you on your ass.”
Jake didn’t like the reminder. He shifted into his bear form and started to track down his older brother. He didn’t look behind him, but he didn’t have to. He knew that his brothers were right behind him. They were going to have their hands full, and now that he was aware of what he was, they just had to have him calm down enough to let them get a word in edgewise.
It wasn’t long before they caught up to Scott. He had found a river and was looking at his reflection. He hadn’t changed from the bear yet, so Jake was keeping his distance. He didn’t want to tango with his brother when he was in his bear form.
They waited until the anger subsided, and then Jake moved closer. Scott turned back into his human form, and he was freaked out beyond belief. He was looking at his hands as if he thought he wasn’t going to see them again. Jake knew from experience that the first time was the most disorienting.
“I am sorry that you had to find out that way.”
He twirled around, and his eyes were wide. “I am a fucking bear?”
“Shifter.”
Jake waited for the next reaction. There was still a chance there was going to be a whole lot of anger coming next. All he knew for certain was that he had to help him figure it out. Then, he had to convince Scott to come back with him to the clubhouse, then to a witch’s house. He was going to have to get a crash course on magic, and Jake had a feeling that it was going to be a lot harder than he would have liked it to be.
“Yeah, we all are. It’s just part of being one of us, Scott. Your father was our father. It’s been proven now, I would think.”
He was still not wanting to believe it, and he said something that Jake knew would be harder still to deal with.
“My mother lied to me all of this time. Does she know?”
That was something that Jake didn’t know for certain. His father wasn’t the type of guy that would have given away all of the information that was needed. It was very possible that he could have done something to her to make her forget him. Jake wouldn’t put anything past Dean. He knew firsthand what kind of treachery he was capable of.
“Not necessarily. There is a chance that she didn’t even know about it. You would have to know our father to understand. He had a way of deceiving people, and it is a possibility he could have done that to your mother.”
He shook his head, and Scott then met his eyes. “So, we are really brothers, then?”
Jake agreed and then motioned for the rest of them to come closer. He introduced them all, and he hoped that this would be the start of something good. Jake was done getting hit by Scott. He hit like a truck.
Scott didn’t look like he was taking the news too hard, but it seemed to be a lot for him. Jake was as helpful as he could be, and they all went into his house to get to know each other a little better. Jake knew that once they said a few things, the past and all of the questions he had to have would come into play.
When he suggested that they all go to the clubhouse, Scott didn’t seem as eager to go as Jake hoped for.
“I think I need to have a talk with my mom first. I want to hear it from her.”
Jake didn’t want to wait any longer than he had to. He needed Scott to go back with him, or more people could die because of the stalling. He wanted to tell Scott the truth, all of it, so he would be able to make the choice to go with them faster, but it was just more on a plate that was already full. He didn’t want to overwhelm him any more than he already had.
“Look, Scott, I know that you have a lot to think about, but you really need to come with us. There is a lot I haven't told you yet, and I meant it when I said it was life or death.”
Scott turned to Jake and asked him what he meant by that.
“Let's just say that sometimes, being our brother isn't the greatest thing. We have enemies, and one of them has put a curse on us. I'm surprised you haven't had anything bad happen to you yet. Everybody else has.”
Scott looked incredulous.
“What do you mean a curse? Like a real curse?”
Jake agreed, and he found it a little funny that his brother was so entertained by it. He, of course, didn't understand what it actually meant, and Jake finally told him about the deaths in the clubhouse and the sickness. Jake didn't want to upset him, but he needed to understand that it was nothing to joke about. People were dying, and unless they got him back and agreed to do the rituals to get rid of the curse, more people would perish.
Jake eventually said something along those lines to him, and Scott immediately agreed to go with. Jake worried secretly about what parts of his father his brother had gotten. Who was to say that he would even help at all? If he was anything like Dean, there was a big chance that he would refuse to help and make everything more difficult. Jake was happy his brother didn't seem to be that way.
After Scott got a bag together to take with him for the trip, Jake showed him how to carry it when he turned. They had to spend a little more time teaching Scott how to even get into his bear form, and it took some more time still for him to get over the feel of it enough to get moving.
Jake was on edge as they made their way back to the clubhouse. They had been gone for a while, and he was afraid that more bad things had happened.
He looked over at Scott and wondered how it was all going to work out. Had they just gained a new brother or a new enemy? Jake knew that it was going to take time before he knew the answer to that. He really hoped that they had found another brother and not another they had to fight. They’d had enough of that with her father.
Chapter Seven
Scott felt so out of his element that it was hard for him to deal with anything. He wanted to wrap his head around it all, but there wasn't time. He would have never believed that he had brothers and that he was some kind of werebear, but there was no denying it now.
When Scott had seen himself in the water's reflection, it had taken him aback. There was a big part of him that still didn't even believe what he had seen. He knew that it was true, though. As he ran in his other form, Scott knew that this was the part of himself he had been missing. It was the part that had been just outside of his view. Scott had always felt different. He had always been stronger and faster, and a lot of people had been upset with him because of it.
He had found it hard to make friends because with men, it was always a competition. Few people accepted him for the differences he had never understood before. Now that he did, it seemed to all make more sense. To know that he wasn’t completely alone also made him feel less lonely.
They all finally stopped. He hoped that they were done for the night because he was exhausted. Even though it was easier to run in his bear form, it was going to take some time for his muscles to get used to it. It was all just so foreign, and before he could really think much else, everyone was shifting back into their human forms, and he did the same. It almost felt weird now to have only two legs to run on. It made him wonder what he really was. Was he a human that could turn into a bear, or was he a bear that had been living a lie?
Fred was the youngest, and he also seemed to be the one that was most aware of how Scott was feeling. Several times, Fred had offered to help, and at first, he hadn't taken it, but he was finding out rather quickly that the youngest brother was the more sensitive one. He seemed to empathize with Scott, and that was what Scott needed at the moment. He still wasn't too sure how he felt about Jake. Jake was the one he got into a fight with, and even though he understood what he was doing, it still was not something he was going to forget so easily. He was going to have to watch Jake.
“You seem a little out of it.”
“I just turned into a bear and ran a great distance. It's going to take me a little bit of time to get used to this.”
Fred smiled and agreed. He didn't have any judgment, and just that was enough to help him calm down some. It was all going to be okay.
“Well, if you're impressed with what we can do, wait until you meet your sister-in-law Celeste.”
He asked Fred what that meant, and Fred explained to him that Celeste was a witch.
“A witch? Are you kidding me?”
Fred said that he wasn't.
It was hard for Scott to even imagine that it was real. He expected to wake up in the morning and be in his own bed. Everything would be back the way it was before. He would not have any brothers. He would not be able to turn into anything.
A part of that idea made Scott upset. He did not want it all to go away. He was just starting to get used to the idea of it. Or at least he thought he was. Soon, he was going to meet more of his own kind, and it was going to be even more overwhelming than before. Not only did Scott have a bunch of brothers, but apparently, they were the leaders of a whole clan.
By the end of the night, Scott’s mind was reeling. He was thankful for a room so that he could think it all through. He had never been so overwhelmed and confused in all of his life.
Scott thought for sure that he would pass out. He was drained emotionally and physically. Every sign pointed to him having a good night's sleep, but it never came. Instead, he just listened to all the sounds of the people around him and stared at the ceiling. He had met a lot of people and learned a lot of different names, but it was all coming to him now. Scott believed he was still in shock from it all.
The sounds in the clubhouse seemed to die down, and Scott was still awake. Everyone else was sleeping now, and he crept out of the room. He wasn't sure where he was going to go, but he just wanted some time to think. Even though everyone was asleep and he was alone in the room, there wasn't a window, and he felt like he needed fresh air more than anything else. He needed to clear his mind.
The clubhouse was massive, though, and even the tour he had wasn’t enough to help him find his way. Every hallway looked the same, and after about ten minutes, he was beyond frustrated. He heard a voice come out of the darkness, and his head whipped around. It was a woman, one that he had seen earlier in the night. She had never come up to him to be introduced. Scott knew that he would remember if she had.
“Your name is Scott, right?”
He nodded. Everybody should know who he is because his brother had introduced him in an announcement when they had first gotten back.
“And you are?”
“Jessica.”
“It's good to meet you, Jessica.”
Scott meant it too. Jessica was certainly eye-catching. Her bright green eyes popped out of her unnaturally white face. She had freckles across the bridge of her nose, and they looked about as delicate as she was. She had fine features, and even though she was rather tall, he still towered over her considerably. She had a nice, round body. He didn't know what to think of Jessica, but he certainly liked having her near.
“Are you lost? This clubhouse must seem like a maze to you. It did to me at first, too.”
“Did you just come here?”
She waved him off. “No, I was actually saved when I was younger by your father. I know that a lot of people have a lot of bad things to say about Dean, but he saved my life, and I will always be grateful for it. He showed me kindness when no one else did.”
Scott still didn’t know how to feel about his father. He had heard stories through the night about Dean, and while some of them were about how strong he was, most of them were cut short by a series of dirty looks that were given by one of his brothers. Whoever his father had been, there were certainly mixed emotions about him. How was he supposed to know how to feel about it? He had never met the man.
“I am kind of turned around. Do you think you could show me how to get out of here? I would be forever grateful.”
She looked concerned for a moment. “You know, if you leave, then the curse is going to keep going, right?”
“I am not trying to leave. I just need to get some fresh air. It's really stuffy in here.”
Jessica smiled like she understood and took him by the hand. It was such an innocent gesture, but the electricity that flowed between
the two of them did not seem so harmless. He was looking down at the touch and wondering how a little contact could make him feel such a way. What was it about Jessica that made him feel like he was running a marathon and his heart was reacting in kind?
In just a few moments, and a few twists and turns later, he was breathing in fresh air and doing his best to calm the inner voice that told him that he wasn't okay and everything was off. As much as he tried to get his mind in order, it was hard. He had a father, or did have one, who was a bear, and so was he…
“Are you sure you're okay, Scott? You look a little pale.”
“It’s just a lot. Until a couple of hours ago, I thought I was human. Hell, before a couple of hours ago, I didn't even know that there was a difference. Now, I don't know what to think.”
“Just don't think about it. And if you're going to, look at it on the bright side. It’s not all bad, you know.”
“There's a bright side? How is that possible, when I literally can now turn into an animal?”
“You turn into an animal that is stronger than you will ever be in your human form. You are also faster, and all of your senses are heightened. You get close to someone in your bear form, and you'll also be able to talk to them telepathically. You're focusing on the wrong things because it might be a lot, but you just went to the top of the food chain.”
Scott chuckled bitterly. He knew that it was going to take some time before he was finding the benefits of it all. His mind was still trying to figure out what he was now. The man or the bear.
“The funny thing is I already thought I was.”
She agreed. “Most humans would be quite surprised to realize the truth.”
Scott noted that she did not speak about humans all that well. He had noted it before, but for some reason, he felt comfortable enough to ask her questions. He had so many, but when he was around his brothers, he didn't feel very comfortable asking them. He didn't want to offend anyone, and considering what they were, he was very careful with his words and how his reaction was perceived. He didn't want to offend anyone. Even though he was attracted to Jessica, none of those worries even came to him.
