by S Bolanos
“Actually, I’m here to let you know your relationship status has officially been updated with HR. Per company policy you’ll be receiving the standard inter-office memo regarding appropriate behavior in the workplace.” My jaw dropped and she cracked a smile.
“You’re awful.” We laughed and I filled her in on as many of the details as I could remember. “It was horrible. All of this training, and never once did it occur to any of us that we should train in the other form.”
“At least you all came out alright, maybe a little worse for wear, but you’re okay enough to be at work.”
I scoffed. “Charline, at this point, I’d probably show up to work dead.”
“That’s not funny.”
“You’re right, it’s not. But in all seriousness, I’m very glad it’s Friday. I need a break.” She nodded her agreement then left me to the rest of my day.
Saturday did not prove to be the beacon of renewal I so desperately needed, not the least of which because my damn shoulder was taking its sweet ass time to heal. A light rain peppered the windows of Charline’s home as we all wallowed in our melancholy.
“Alright, enough of this,” I said, breaking the hush.
“Enough of what?” Charline asked, looking up.
“This pity party.”
The guys shifted in their respective seats.
“So he got the best of us the other night. What’re we going to do about it? Where did we go wrong?” I looked to each of them and waited.
“We didn’t work together,” David said, leaning back next to Charline.
“We got caught up by the moon,” I added, hoping to keep the conversation alive.
“We never trained or even talked about how to react if he confronted us while we were in wolf form,” Michael finished.
“We leave Charline out of everything,” Charline tossed out. David smirked at her pouty addition and gave her a side bear-hug, prompting an indignant, “Oof.”
“Seriously though, how do wolves coordinate in the real world? It’s not like they have walkie talkies. He split us up with hardly any effort.”
“It’s pack instinct,” David said. “The Alpha leads and everyone falls in line.” He glanced over at Michael who kept his gaze firmly on the rug.
“Well, that’s progressive. So, who’s the alpha here?” Charline’s innocent question effectively sucked all of the air out of the room. Michael shrank in on himself, while David rolled his shoulders.
After a very long pause, David answered. “Michael will take point. This is his hunt after all. Besides, you're his partner,” he added with a lopsided grin. His attempt at levity barely made a dent in the otherwise tight atmosphere.
“We need to go back,” Michael said into the void.
“Say what now?”
David ignored my question and nodded sagely. “It’s the only play we didn’t run.”
“So, we’ll run it tomorrow,” Michael said with finality.
“Um, this isn’t football. What exactly are you expecting us to do?” I asked. They shared an intense look that seemed to pack an encyclopedia’s worth of words.
“Exactly what he said. We’re going back to the park tomorrow. Only this time, we’re going to practice running as a team.” David’s piercing gaze slid past me.
I looked to Michael for clarity, but he refused to meet my gaze and instead grabbed his keys and headed for the door. “I guess we’re leaving,” I said to Charline.
“Sure, doll. I’ll talk to you later.” We both glanced at David. Something was definitely going on.
I joined Michael in the Jeep and managed to make it to the end of the street before I exploded. “What aren’t you telling me? Why was that so weird? Pack dynamics may be a bit beyond me, but even I could tell that was tense.”
He rolled his shoulders, refusing to make eye contact.
“Answer me.”
His sigh threatened to fog the windows. “Those questions don’t have easy answers and David was being generous. I’m not an Alpha, I’m not even a Beta.”
“What are you?”
“I’m…” He paused and his knuckles tightened around the steering wheel. “I’m what’s considered a lone wolf.”
“Why does that sound bad?”
The steering wheel creaked beneath the increasing pressure of his grip. “You know how some people are considered extroverts and others antisocial?”
“Yeah.”
“Those things don’t really fit into the pack hierarchy. If you don’t have a role, you don’t have a pack.”
“Okay. Where do you fit in?”
“I don’t.”
“But I’ve heard you talk about the pack—your pack.”
“We have a loose relationship. An uneasy truce, if you will.” He passed the turn for his street. “I don’t cause trouble, I come when called, and I do as I’m told. In return, I’m allowed to live outside of the pack.” His explanation wasn’t making things any clearer. “If I was to even think about what Charline asked…”
“Then what? What would happen?”
He stared straight ahead.
“Damn it, Michael, answer me!”
He finally looked at me, his eyes filled equally with anger and despair. “Then the pack would hunt me down and kill me.”
The Jeep lurched to a halt in the drive. He got out and strode with purpose to the door. I followed more slowly, giving him room to breathe. He was sitting on the couch, already at the bottom of a glass that smelled like bourbon, when I came in.
“Is that why you and David got upset?”
He scoffed. “That’s not why I’m angry.”
“Then why?”
He rolled his head on the back of the couch to face me. “Because of you.” Thankfully, he didn’t make me ask what that was supposed to mean. “You deserve to have a pack, to know what it’s like.”
“That doesn’t make any sense.” I poured myself a glass and sat on a chair, officially more confused than ever.
“You really don’t get it.” I bit my tongue. “Of course, you don’t understand, this isn’t your world, not really, not yet.” He paused to take another sip. “When this is over, you’ll report to the Alpha. They’ll accept you, and you’ll be pack.”
Slowly the pieces started coming together. “But you’re not.”
“I’m not.”
“I don’t understand. I’ll be with you. That won’t change.”
He got up to fix another drink. Downed it and poured another. Sadness poured off of him in waves. “Everything will change when you become part of the pack. And I can’t—I won’t—ostracize you like that.” His eyes squeezed shut and he tightened his grip on the glass and it cracked under the strain. “Loners aren’t allowed to mate.”
“That’s twice now someone has used that word like I’m missing something glaringly important. Would you please explain what that term really means?” I strained to keep my increasing volume in check.
“All loners—all loners permitted to live—are confirmed bachelors. To take a mate, a partner, would be considered an open act of aggression. It would be a threat of a rival pack.”
“No.”
Michael set his glass down hard. “This isn’t something you get to opt out of. Packs are not a democracy. You show up and do as you’re told or you’re cut off. More often than not, the cut is literal.”
“I won’t let my life be dictated like this. I’ve lived this long without a pack. What’s so important about it anyway?”
He grabbed me by the shoulders. “Sara, you don’t get it. A pack is security. A pack is family.” A deep longing filled his voice and laced through it all—heartbreak. He slumped to the floor and a sound of anguish barely distinguishable from the thud floated up.
I joined him on the ground and wrapped my arms around him. “We’ll figure it out. One life-shattering problem at a time.” I tried to bring some lightness, but the desired laugh dried like dust in my mouth.
The doorbell sliced through
the fog of dreams. I begrudgingly slipped out of bed to answer it, leaving Michael to sleep. Much to my surprise, Charline greeted me.
“Good morning. Ooh you look rough. But, hey, your arm seems to be doing better,” she said brightly. Morning people.
“Yeah. I guess. But what are you doing here?”
“She wouldn’t be left behind,” David said as he surged past her.
Charline made a face and followed him inside. “Where’s Michael?” she asked.
“He’s asleep,” I said.
David quickly schooled his surprise. “Well go wake him up. I thought we wanted to get an early start.”
“No need. I’m up. Sara, why don’t you get dressed?” Michael suggested from the hall, looking as terrible as I felt. Without a word, I went to change out of yesterday’s stale clothes.
Once again, we sandwiched into David’s truck. Awkwardness and tension no one seemed eager to address defined the lengthy drive.
“Is this where y’all come?” Charline asked as she explored a clearing similar to the one where we’d changed the other night.
“Come on, we need to get deeper,” Michael stated, then guided the group through the trees. He only went about a mile before he signaled for us to stop. I looked at him questioningly. “If something happens, Charline needs to be able to get to the truck quickly.”
“Enough with the stalling. We all know the drill,” David said, clearly upset that Charline was here in the first place. I shook my head and wandered off to find a private spot.
My anxiety increased as I stripped down and braced for the change. Trepidation around how Charline would react to seeing all of us—seeing me—kept the change at bay until I managed to clear my mind. It returned with a vengeance, however, once I settled into my new body and padded back. Sunlight tickled my paws as I stood at the edge of the clearing, clinging to the shadows.
“Is that you, Sara?” Charline called as I continued to hover.
I braced myself for the inevitable rejection and stepped into the full light of day.
“You’re beautiful,” she gasped.
My ears perked forward in surprise then twitched as a cracked twig betrayed David’s approach on my right. Michael followed shortly after, stepping up on my left. I hung back while they approached.
“Hello, David,” Charline giggled at the lighter wolf. Wisely she didn’t reach out to touch him until he bumped into her legs. “Yep. So that makes you Michael. Easy enough to tell with that hair.”
I cocked my head to the side. Seeing the two of them in the daytime, I realized how much larger David was than Michael. In human form their height difference didn’t seem like much, but shifted, the difference was stark. The question of who should take the lead seemed ludicrous now; my instincts were very clear on who should be in charge…and it wasn’t Michael. A belief further solidified after thirty minutes.
Mercifully, Charline had no idea the level of awkwardness unfolding before her as I tripped and stumbled worse than I had my first shift. The three of us did our best to persist until Michael threw in the metaphorical towel and simply sat down.
Without any audible cue, David walked to the center. He caught each of us with a look and we stood up. David gave a short huff and I walked over to sit beside Michael. He made another sound low in his throat and Michael cocked his head to the side.
David shook out his ruff then fell into an easy lope. I merged to join him and together we wove in and out of the trees circling the clearing. I glanced over at Michael who had yet to move and slowed. David pulled up beside me, his frustration evident in the way he kept shaking his head, then gave a short yip and nodded toward the far side.
Understanding bloomed inside me and I took off in a dead sprint. I bolted past Michael and banked off the sizable pine to snap at a low hanging branch. David barked at Michael. When he didn’t move, he barked at me. Michael bared his teeth and a low growl rolled out of him. I stepped forward to intervene, but pulled up short when David snapped at me. Michael’s growl dropped another octave as he lowered his head.
I whimpered in confused alarm at the scene unfolding before me and danced in place.
Michael’s eyes shifted to me and his growl died. No comment, no bark, nothing, just silent surrender. David’s own threat tapered off and he huffed. I cautiously stepped toward Michael, wary of another reprisal, and brushed against him. His soft sound of distress hurt my heart and I glanced back at David who gave me an odd sort of shrug. Is this what it was to be a lone wolf, to have no place?
My jaw tightened with determination and I bumped Michael. When he didn’t look up, I bumped him harder. He shot me an angry look and this time I hit him hard enough for him to stumble. He regained his bearings and squared off with me. I brushed the length of his side in an attempt to convey encouragement, then bumped him again. He bared his teeth and I cocked my head to the side, then took a half step forward. When he didn’t respond, I dropped to the ground and placed a paw over my eyes. I peeked up at him and finally saw the light of understanding in his dark brown eyes.
I perked back up and yipped at David. He shook his head in obvious laughter then resumed his easy run around the clearing. This time when I fell in line, Michael was right beside me. Together we wove through trees and under shrubs.
I banked to the right and so did he. As I picked the pace back up, he maneuvered to cover my flank.
When I came to a complete stop and he halted as well, looking out into the trees for any potential threats. David gave a short bark of approval and both of our heads swiveled to face him. Michael caught my eye and gave me a toothy grin.
Charline pulled out sandwiches and the three of us eagerly raced off to change.
“I’m glad someone thinks of these things,” I said as I joined her on the ground.
“That was incredible guys,” Charline commented, handing us each a monster sub. “I had no idea wolves were so graceful. I mean wow.”
“It would’ve been nice to really stretch our legs, but I didn’t want to stray too far,” David said, glancing at Charline with a softness in his eyes.
She leaned back on her arms, her red waves falling behind her. “What a beautiful sky.”
I looked up to see the deeper hues of dusk coloring the horizon. “Guess that’s our cue,” I said and began cleaning up our picnic.
“Today has been refreshingly uneventful,” Michael said with a smile.
“It’s nice not being attacked everywhere we go,” I laughed.
“You guys are kidding, right?” Charline asked. We piled into the truck without answering. “Right?”
“What do you plan to do once your current contract is finished?” I asked David once we were officially on the road again. Charline leaned forward eagerly.
“I don’t know. I’ll probably head back to the House, but I might find a reason to come back to the area and stick around.” He winked at Charline who positively beamed. “What about you?” he asked in return.
“What do you mean?”
“News travels fast in this circle. I heard about the incident with Bob.” Charline at least had the decency to blush.
“Oh, well, I hadn’t really thought about it. He hasn’t said anything.”
“Maybe it’s time for a change of scenery,” Michael suggested.
“I’ll take that under advisement,” I laughed.
“And who says you have to stay in this city? You could go anywhere,” David added.
Michael’s face grayed, but before I could delve into the peculiar expression, something large darted across the road. David swerved and we ran off the highway. The truck dipped and bucked until we came to a dead stop with a metallic crunch.
31
Friend & Foe
“Is everyone okay?” David reached back and squeezed Charline’s knee while she nursed her head.
“And that’s why we wear seat belts,” I moaned. “What was that?”
“It looked like a stag,” Michael said as he unbuckled and swung
the door open. “I’m gonna check out the damage.”
“I’ll give you a hand.” David’s buckle released and he exited the cab.
A third click rang out. “I need fresh air.”
“You going to be alright, Charline?” I asked.
“I’m fine. A little woozy is all.” She carefully extricated herself, mindful of her head. I looked to the front where the open hood obscured the windshield.
I wonder if we’ll need a tow.
A hair-raising scream pierced the air. I turned to find the source and nausea enveloped me.
Charline stood at the edge of where the forest threatened the road, her eyes wide with terror. Behind her was the mutt. He stood on two twisted legs, partially transitioned, his hand wrapped around her neck. Time slowed as a rivulet of red drew down her pale skin to pool in the hollow of her throat.
Everything happened at once. A shout came from the front of the truck. I tore at my buckle, heedless of the pain in my shoulder. Broken bits of plastic stuck to my hand as I crushed it. I glanced back up, but where Charline had been now Michael restrained a shouting David. He struggled to hold him in place, shouting something in return, while I sat frozen, staring at the last place I’d seen Charline.
Blood rushed in my ears and my middle violently twisted. I should have been far too exhausted to change—I was wrong. My shoulder crashed into the window and the glass splintered. Leather split beneath the force of growing claws. The springs in the seat groaned in protest, then gave out, causing the cushion to sag. My legs tangled in the belt, ripping it free of its source.
In a record ten minutes, I lay panting on the obliterated seat to the backdrop of David’s angry shouts. I heaved myself out of Charline’s open door and landed in a riotous tumble of limbs. My side slammed into the truck as I got back to my feet.
At the noise, Michael looked up from where he’d managed to pin David to the ground. Horror spread across his face as he realized what he was seeing. He released David who surged back to his feet and stumbled toward the tree line before catching himself. Michael took a step in my direction. My gaze slid past him to the section of trees where Charline had vanished. He took another step, hands outstretched, and I sprang forward.
