Pact of the Pack

by Deidre Huesmann

  Was this their safe place? She shuddered, recalling Holden’s home in the middle of nowhere in Wells.

  As though reading her mind, Aaron spoke for the first time in hours. “Do not pass judgment yet. You will understand soon.”

  Rachael grimaced.

  Finally, they stepped onto a small porch at the front door. Aaron pulled a key from his shirt pocket and unlocked it. Rather than open it, he took out another key from his pocket and used it on the deadbolt as well.

  Once she could look inside, Rachael’s doubts grew. Even Jackson, ever the faithful pup, said dubiously, “Not that I’m expecting luxury, Boss, but is this it?”

  “As I said,” bit Aaron. “Do not pass judgment yet.” He stepped over the threshold without waiting for the others. Nathan scampered in behind his brother.

  Rachael exchanged a look with her brother. Jackson just sighed, turned to his wife, and said, “After you, hon.”

  Eva crossed over as well. After Rachael and Ana Sofia followed, Jackson closed the door behind them.

  Inside, Aaron and Nathan headed for a back room. Though the house seemed well beyond repair in many areas, it was astoundingly clean. It even smelled as though someone had come through and deep-cleaned recently. Rachael took her time to look around. The walls were cracked with paper peeling in several places. Each floorboard squeaked unbearably, and the abandoned furniture was worn and dated. But there was no dust or grime, and everything seemed utterly free of debris.

  She bumped into a Victorian loveseat that cracked somewhere by the force. Hurriedly, Rachael twisted around it and strode through to catch up with the others. If anybody noticed what she’d done, they didn’t comment.

  Rachael ended up in what looked to be an old office, complete with a cherry wood desk and hand-carved matching chair. All of the corners, rather than meeting in a 90-degree angle, had been smoothed out to give the room more of an octagonal feel. One had a cupboard that held clean tumbler glasses; another sported a bookshelf with small doors at the bottom, and the last two sported landscape paintings.

  Aaron approached the bookshelf and crouched before it. Inside the lower doors were some books, papers, and an old wooden box. He pulled them all out, fumbled around in the back, and then a barely audible click sounded.

  Calmly, he stood and tugged on the edge of the shelf. It opened to reveal a fat metal slab inside similar to that of a bank vault. And past that was a flight of stairs that rapidly spiraled into darkness.

  He looked to them and nodded toward the entrance.

  In spite of herself, Rachael was enchanted. Secret passageways as in Narnia had captured her fancy like every other child, but she’d never really thought to see one.

  Without hesitation, Jackson pulled out his phone and turned it on. He used the resulting glow to light his way. Then Eva followed, and then Ana Sofia, and then Nathan.

  Rachael looked to Aaron. For the first time that day, his eyes were kind. “Please, go in,” he said gently. “I must lock this behind us.”

  Nervous yet thrilled, Rachael shoved her questions aside and stepped in.

  The flight of stairs was all concrete, winding down in a broad circle. There was little in the way of a handrail; in fact, it had clearly been fashioned well before safety laws would have applied, coming just short of her knee. Rachael practically hugged the wall as she descended, grateful that Jackson’s phone lit the way. As a human this might have been too dark a journey, but her sharper lycan eyes adjusted to the minimal they had.

  Above, she faintly heard rustling. Rachael stopped. It seemed like forever before the door closed. She wanted to look back to be certain Aaron really was following, but she was afraid that simple act might cause her to lose her balance. Suddenly vertigo became a very real thing for her, and her stomach churned.

  Darkness but for the glow of Jackson’s phone below encased her. Then light flooded the area. Rachael pressed back against the wall, looking up to find Aaron holding a flashlight.

  He frowned at her. “Please keep going.”

  Easy for you to say, she wanted to snap. But she complied.

  Soon they reached the bottom, where the others waited. Jackson turned off his phone once Aaron appeared with the flashlight, and he gestured at the three doors surrounding them. The walls were also concrete, and it seemed much colder here. Rachael wondered how far underground they had traveled.

  “Which one, Boss?” asked Jackson.

  Aaron shrugged. “Pick one.”

  Eva did so immediately. She twisted the handle on the door closest to her and shoved it open. This led to another hall, much to Rachael’s dismay.

  Thankfully, it ended up relatively short. One final door was left, and when this one opened, Aaron brushed past them and flicked on a light.

  “Whoa,” said Jackson, blinking rapidly.

  Rachael had to agree. They had arrived in what appeared to be a little girl’s bedroom, decked out in whites and pastels. A lovely little princess bed sat in the middle of one wall. Surrounding it were shelves full of things like coloring books, crayons, markers, dolls, and stuffed animals. The room wasn’t huge, but it did seem pretty grand for a little girl.

  A screech nearly jolted Rachael out of her skin. She whirled to find Ana Sofia excitably running around, touching as many things as she could. Then she ran up to the bed, threw her arms over it, and looked her Aaron. Her small eyes were enormous; pleading. “¿Es mía? ¿Es mía, Hermano?”

  A genuine smile crossed Aaron’s face briefly. “Sí.”

  Ana Sofia let out a loud squeal. She backed up, then with a running start leapt onto the bed. Her arms and legs exploded outward, and for a few moments she seemed to forget she was wearing a dress. “¡Gracias!”

  Her joy was contagious. Rachael grinned.

  “Through the door,” instructed Aaron. All but Ana Sofia moved quickly, eager to see what else there was. Aaron stayed behind to close the passageway, which, when Rachael glanced over her shoulder, was well-hidden behind another bookshelf.

  Cool, she thought.

  The next area opened into a vast room split into three open parts. The first was the equivalent of a living room with more than enough nice seating. The furniture looked a couple decades old, but relatively unused. Connected to that room was a large kitchen with an open dining area. Everything appeared picture-perfect. The kitchen was stocked, a game console hooked up to the large television in front of the expansive couch, and a huge mirror made the dining room seem even bigger than it was.

  Calmly, Aaron explained, “There is no cable, and not much in the way of entertainment. But it should suffice.”

  “Suffice?” Jackson turned to his alpha with a huge grin. “This is badass. Was this what you were waiting on this whole time?”

  Aaron waved a hand dismissively. “The architecture has been complete for years. What I needed were secure passageways in and out that would be difficult to find.”

  “Unreal,” breathed Jackson. “So, then...?”

  Aaron pointed. “Everyone has their own room, even you and your wife. Though yours are connected.” Rachael tried to ignore the stab of jealousy that sent through her. Aaron continued, oblivious to her feelings. “What you choose to do with them is ultimately up to you.”

  Eva’s gaze seemed turned inward. If she was either impressed or disappointed, it didn’t show. “This was kind,” she murmured. “Thank you.”

  “More importantly, it is safe,” said Aaron quietly. “There will not be much in the way of luxury, but this should adequately get us through the next couple years, so long as we maintain high security when we leave and return.” Then he shook his head. “We shall discuss more tomorrow. Please relax. I understand it has been a trying morning.”

  Then he directed each of them to their rooms. Rachael was disappointed not to share one with him, and couldn’t help but wonder if his attitude that morning had anything to do with that. Perhaps he had constructed the layout well before recent events, but was he trying to push her away now
?

  Rather than ask, she decided to look into her quarters. It was located at the far end of the dining room, behind a small door that looked as though it could have been a broom closet. Instead it opened into a mid-sized square layout with a full-sized bed. The contents were not nearly as flamboyant and cheerful as Ana Sofia’s, but Rachael still appreciated it. She had the bed, a dresser, a nightstand, a walk-in closet where a few new clothes hung, and her own bathroom. That she immediately used.

  Once she was done, she washed up and returned to get a better look at everything. In particular Rachael liked her bed; the comforter was soft and a simple white, and the mattress felt padded yet somewhat firm.

  From the doorway, Aaron said, “There is more.”

  Rachael fought against her stiffening back and turned to him. “Yeah?”

  He gestured at a full-length mirror against the wall. With a puzzled frown, Rachael approached it. She tried to lift it, but it seemed bolted in place. “Uh....”

  “Push.”

  She shot him an uncertain look, but he just stared at her. With a sigh, Rachael reached out and pressed against the glass. That gave way with some pressure, but the frame remained in place.

  Inside was dark, but the light from the room showed her enough. It was a cave, small enough she could see the sides but big enough for her to jog in if she wished. Against her will, memories of her imprisonment with Holden blew back in full force. Rachael froze in place.

  Aaron approached her from behind. His fingers touched her chin, and he slowly turned her head so she could see him. “It is not a prison, Rachael. This does not lock.”

  She shuddered. “How did you...?”

  He tilted his head, onyx eyes completely unreadable. “I may not know the details, but I do understand cause and effect. This is not a prison. This is meant for you to experience shapeshifting in privacy, without fear of destruction to your property.”

  Rachael took a steadying breath. “That’s... thoughtful.”

  Aaron let go of her. “Very soon, we must guide you through the experience. You need an isolated space to do it. Normally I would bring you to the woods, but for the time being it is not safe. This is the best I can do.”

  “How long have you been planning this?”

  He shrugged. “From the day we met, I assumed you would become a lycan. The only question was when.”

  Huh. Go figure.

  Rachael meant to thank him when she opened her mouth. Instead she blurted, “Why have you been such a jerk all morning?”

  Aaron folded his arms over his chest. “Have you ever tried to run, keep multiple people safe, as well as look out for danger every step of the way? It is not easy.”

  That sounded like deflection to her. “You snapped at me,” she said quietly.

  “You are lycan,” he returned in a similar tone. “Not human. Not any longer; not fully. I apologize if you thought differently, but I cannot always spare your feelings when we are in a crisis.”

  That stung, but she knew it was not a battle worth fighting. “Got it,” she said bitterly.

  He turned to go, but Rachael stopped him. She was faster, she realized once again with a flush of giddiness. Her hand rested on his chest, and she met his eyes fully.

  “Please don’t go yet,” she said.

  Something flickered in his gaze. Before she could name it, Aaron’s eyes became utterly blank again. “Do me a favor,” he said softly. “Talk to Nathan. Then, if you still wish, come see me.”

  She was still confused, but relieved by his invitation. Rachael lowered her hand. “Promise?”

  “Yes.”

  With a slow nod, she said, “Okay. I’ll talk to him. I’ll go right now.”

  His expression was maddeningly emotionless. “Have a good time.”

  It was such an odd thing to say—especially from Aaron, who always chose his words so carefully. But Rachael was determined to leap over whatever hurdle necessary to break down the wall he had erected between them overnight.

  She found Nathan in his room and asked, “Can I come in?”

  The boy sat upright in an overstuffed chair. “Miss Rachael! Yeah.” A huge grin split his face as he jumped up to close the bedroom door. Although the room had only been lived in a few minutes, he made a show of straightening things up before he hoisted himself onto a twin bed with dark covers. Nathan patted the mattress beside him. “Wanna sit?”

  “Sure.” Rachael eased down where his hand had been and gave him a small smile. “Did you know about all this?”

  Nathan shook his head, blond hair flying. “Nope. But we move around like that a lot, so it’s not weird anymore.” He turned his good eye to her, the other still covered with a piece of clean gauze. “You’ll get used to it.”

  Rachael couldn’t say she was convinced, but she nodded.

  However, she wasn’t here to talk about that. She shifted to face Nathan fully, bringing one leg up bent upon the bed. “Is there something you wanted to tell me?”

  Nathan grew quiet. He stared down at his feet, slowly bouncing his heel against the side of the metal frame.

  She didn’t want to be pushy, but Rachael was already tired of the day and it was barely noon. “Nathan, please.”

  His chest rose and fell dramatically. Then he looked up at her, his fists clenched into little balls in his lap. With absolute determination, he said, “Miss Rachael—no. Rachael. Yeah, I do.” His eye darkened, and for a moment he looked almost exactly like Aaron.

  Rachael waited.

  At last, Nathan relaxed his hands and said simply, “I love you.”

  On reflex, Rachael opened her mouth to return the words. But she stopped and looked at Nathan, really looked at him, for the first time in a long while. She realized he was completely serious, that his words were not platonic—and he expected an answer right then.

  “No,” said Rachael softly.

  Pain bled through his expression in an instant. With tremoring hope, Nathan asked, “No, what?”

  She shook her head. “No, Nathan. I don’t love you. Not like that.”

  He said nothing, but no longer could he look her in the eye. Guilt weighed down her words, but Rachael forcefully continued. “I love Aaron. You know that.”

  With unnerving quiet, he replied, “You loved Holden and changed your mind.”

  It was worse than if he’d slapped her. Rachael’s back went rigid, and her tongue felt flat. Still she said, “That has nothing to do with this. I’m sorry, Nathan, but I don’t love you.”

  His jaw set. “You could.”

  “No.”

  “Someday,” he insisted, his voice rising in panic. “Someday you could. Not everyone stays together forever. Maybe you and Aaron won’t, either. And maybe then—”

  “I said, no, Nathan,” she shot back, horrified at his words. “That’s an awful thing to say. I don’t plan on leaving Aaron.”

  He asked shrewdly, “Did you plan on leavin’ Holden, too?”

  “That’s not fair,” she protested. “This is totally different.”

  “Why?” he all but shouted. Nathan shoved off the bed and glared at her. “Because I look like a kid?”

  “Yes.” God, what the hell had just happened? Rachael felt sick to her stomach. Had Aaron known about this all along? Was this why he’d been so short with Nathan lately? In that moment she seriously considered screaming at him once they had their talk. “I’m sorry, Nathan, but that’s exactly why. You’re still a kid.”

  “I am not,” he said. “I just look like one.”

  It wasn’t that, and they both knew it. Lycans as a general rule aged slower than humans—not just physically. Their mental and emotional growth was also stunted. Why or how, nobody was certain; as Holden had once said, there weren’t exactly enough lycans do perform scientific studies on their inner workings, and humans weren’t supposed to know about them in the first place.

  Even if he wasn’t a kid, Rachael knew it wouldn’t matter. She liked Nathan, a lot in fact, but she like
d him for his childlike qualities. She trusted him, but not with the certainty she placed in Aaron. She’d opened up to him over Aaron in the past before they had started dating, but the circumstances had been pretty drastic.

  Rachael stood and headed for the door.

  Before she could get there, Nathan blocked her. He looked up to her, begging. “Please, Rachael. Don’t do this.”

  “Move,” she whispered.

  He shook his head stubbornly. “You’re gonna break up with him someday if you don’t end up dead first. Holden shoulda been killed to protect you. I would’ve done it.”

  Why am I even arguing with him? Yet Rachael felt compelled to defend Aaron—and herself. “If you would have killed Holden back there, then you don’t know what I want at all,” she told him.

  Nathan scowled. “You’d change your mind if he was dead.”

  She didn’t want to say it, but... “Nathan,” said Rachael quietly. “You got me through Holden being awful when I was a teenager. Right now you’re acting a lot like him.”

  From his stricken expression, she might as well have cursed at him and kicked him in the stomach. For a moment she thought he would argue.

  But then Nathan turned his head and stepped away from the exit. With a mixture of relief and sadness, Rachael let herself out.

  He slammed the door.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Rachael had intended to confront Aaron immediately after her “chat” with Nathan, but she was too tired. Everything felt strange. The bizarre conversation with Nathan was part of it, but her new lycan senses were disconcerting on top of that.

  How was it that someone who hardly seemed more than ten could make her want to cry?

  In the living room, Jackson sat on the floor in front of the television hooking up the game console. Beside him was Eva, and she had a few games in her hand as she read the back aloud softly.

  Jackson peered up after the door thudded closed behind her. He took one look at her face and abandoned his project. “RayRay? What’s wrong?” Eva raised her eyes but didn’t leave her spot.