Some Were In Time

by Robyn Peterman

  She blew out a long sigh and her shoulders slumped forward.

  "Essie, he really is."

  "Well, okay—he is, but he's trying very hard not to be," I said, working to plead his case. I knew I should be freaking about the Were Cows, but I could only handle one thing at a time. Helping Junior out was the easiest of the jobs I had at the moment… maybe.

  "Essie, it will take a miracle or a castration for that boy to keep his pecker in his pants," Sandy stated in a resigned voice. "Do I think he's hot? Yes. Brilliant? Absolutely. Would I like to ride him till he's blind? You bet. The Werewolf for me? Not in a million years. So while I appreciate you trying to de-knob Junior, your case is falling on deaf ears."

  "Okay," I said as I let go of her arm and continued back to the Pack.

  "Okay?" she sputtered. "That's all you have to say?"

  "Yep—once a knob always a knob," I agreed with a nod of my head. "You are absolutely correct. People cannot change. They can't grow up or realize the error of their weenies—whoops, I meant ways. You should stay far away from him because he wants you something awful. Do you want me to find someone else to do the computer work?"

  She just stared at me in shocked silence. It took all I had not to pump my fists over my head and yell Victory.

  "Well?" I asked. "Do you?"

  "Um… no. I can, you know, do the stuff and um… no, you don't have to replace me," she stuttered, not making eye contact.

  "Okay. You ready to go back?"

  She nodded curtly and slapped me hard on the back of my head. "You suck, Ester Elizabeth McGee. You know that, don't you?"

  "I have heard it before." I grinned and smacked her back. "But you love me anyway."

  Sandy made a very unladylike grunt and stomped ahead of me. "I will make you pay," she said angrily, but I could hear the frustrated laugh trying to escape.

  "I've heard that before too," I said with a huge grin.

  One job down… so many more to go.

  ***

  Dwayne was literally holding hands with Mrs. Wilson when we reached the Pack. She was all aflutter and had pinned her dress together between her legs. She was now sporting an alarming make shift version of gauchos. I was going to have to rethink Dwayne's decapitation. Only a true BFF would make nice with my enemy and keep her occupied so I wouldn't put my foot in my mouth and start World War III.

  A hush fell over the crowd as our new Alpha, our old Alpha and their father, our retired Alpha, walked over the hill together and approached the Pack.

  Dressed in loose fitting black clothing, their power danced around and bathed the clearing. Splashes of colorful light flitted around them and shot out over the delighted crowd. The hair on my neck stood up and I was again awed at the raw and beautiful enchantment of the Werewolves. Hank and Junior quietly stood with their father on a raised stage. Torches burned brightly, illuminating the heightened area as the sky darkened in dusk. Magic swirled through the air and lightning bugs lit the excited faces of the Pack. I glanced quickly over at Dwayne, whose mouth was open in astonishment.

  "We are here tonight to pledge our loyalty and obedience to the new Alpha of the Georgia Pack," Mr. Wilson said with great joy. "I am humbled to have sired two Alphas."

  "You didn't have to give birth to them," Mrs. Wilson grumbled good-naturedly.

  The Pack laughed as did Mr. Wilson, Hank and Junior.

  "You are correct, my beautiful mate," Mr. Wilson agreed. "I am eternally grateful to you. Our blessings are many," he said as he gave her a wink. "And now we share our blessings with our people."

  The crowd howled and I howled right along with my Pack. Granny came up behind me and wrapped her arms around my waist. Her love sunk right into me and I made a very important decision.

  "Will you give me away at my wedding?" I whispered as I placed my hands over hers.

  Granny froze and then squeezed me tighter. "You gonna wear Sadie Wilson's buttass nasty gown?"

  "Um… yep."

  Holy hell, how fugly was the dress?

  "You're gonna looked like a puff ball with sequins and rhinestones," she whispered gleefully.

  Question answered.

  "Understood. It was a life or death decision," I hissed under my breath. "Answer the other question."

  She got right up next to my ear and gave me a kiss. "Nothing in this world would make me prouder. You are the light of my life and delivering you to the man who loves and deserves you will be one of my finest moments. I love you, baby girl."

  "I love you too, Granny," I choked out as my eyes filled and my world felt so right.

  "I wish your daddy was alive to walk you, but I will do him and your mamma proud."

  Her eyes were misty now too. I took her hand and placed it on my cheek, then leaned into it for comfort as I had when I was a child. I had no clue what this woman had given up to raise me, but I was so endlessly grateful that she did. I may have lost my parents, but I had never lost unconditional love. She was everything to me.

  "Enough of the sappy crap." She grinned and wiped my tears. "We better listen up or Jack Wilson will have our butts."

  She was right. Hank and Junior's father was a good and kind man, but he was an Alpha.

  "Nuff said," I whispered as I turned back to the action on the stage.

  A beautiful ruby encrusted knife had been drawn by Mr. Wilson and he held it up for the Pack to see.

  "Jacob David Wilson, do you solemnly swear to protect the Pack and lead with fairness and integrity?"

  "I do, Father," Junior answered.

  I almost giggled. Sometimes I forget Junior had another name… Granny pinched my backside and I immediately sobered up.

  "Do you promise to put the Pack above all others until the day you are blessed with a mate who shall rule by your side?" Mr. Wilson asked.

  Junior's eyes scanned the crowd and landed on Sandy. She tried to look away, but Junior's gaze was so intense no one could have looked away. Her body trembled and her eyes blazed with both anger and desire. Junior had his work cut out for him in that department.

  "I do, Father," he said with a grin and a wink to Sandy.

  "Henry James Wilson, do you willingly cede the title of Alpha of the Georgia Pack to your brother, knowing this shall never change? He will rule the Pack and you will now be one of his subjects."

  "With honor, humility and love I do," Hank said as he embraced his brother.

  "Then in the name of our ancestors and all that we hold as fair and good, I name you, Jacob, Alpha of the Georgia Pack. Jacob David Wilson, Henry James Wilson—hold out your hands."

  With quick and decisive slashes from the glittering knife, Mr. Wilson sliced his sons' hands and brought them together over his head. As their blood mixed and the power of the Pack Alpha was transferred the crowd fell to their knees. The soft ground beneath me trembled with magic. I raised my eyes back to the stage and had to put my hand up to shield them from the blast of golden light that exploded and burned brightly between Hank and Junior's clasped hands.

  Shouts of joy began to burst from the kneeling crowd. Clapping and whistling soon followed. A cool wind blew and the mist floated around us. Hank caught my eye and mouthed, I love you. I almost cried with pride. He was so strong and good and mine. I had no clue what I had done to deserve him, but I was keeping him until the day I left this earth. I also felt the distinct need to rush the stage and jump his sexy ass.

  "Is it time to get naked and furry?" Dwayne yelled over the crowd, thankfully stopping me from making good on my inappropriate plan.

  "Almost," I shouted back as I hugged him. "Thank you for befriending the viper."

  "She's really not that bad and she looks wonderful in gauchos!"

  "Did you bring your faux fur?" I asked, not touching the newly discovered merits of Mrs. Wilson.

  "You bet I did, doll baby." Dwayne's eyes lit up almost as brightly as the magic still floating around us.

  The shift was about to be Dwayned… no one would ever be the same.

>   Chapter 6

  "I proudly introduce to you our new Alpha, Jacob David Wilson," Mr. Wilson bellowed as he hugged both of his sons.

  "Isn't it amazing?" I asked Dwayne. I grasped his hand and let myself get lost in the pure joy and excitement of my Pack.

  "In all my years I have never seen anything so beautiful," Dwayne said reverently. "Vampyres don't like each other much so we really don't get together often. Our gatherings tend to end in a decapitation."

  "Then I'm so happy you're here," I said. I wrapped my arms around my best friend and held on tight.

  "You have no clue what that means to me," he said as he hugged me back. "No clue."

  "What are you going to do while we run?" I asked, feeling bad about leaving him here alone.

  "Oh honey pie, I'm coming with you."

  "How?" I asked, a bit confused.

  "You'll see." His grin was positively evil and totally contagious.

  "God help us all," I muttered.

  "And all the angels and saints, the Goddess, Mother Earth, all our ancestors and Dolce and Gabbana," Dwayne recited with a smirk.

  "You forgot Buddha," I reminded him.

  "Damn it, you're correct—and Buddha," he amended. "Can we get naked yet?"

  I rolled my eyes and laughed. "In a minute. Just listen."

  All eyes were fixed on the stage as Junior stepped forward and his father and Hank stepped back. The crowd quieted and waited.

  "I am humbled and honored to be your new Alpha. I come from a long line of Alphas that have taught me well. I will do everything in my power to respect the bravery and memory of those that have come before me or I will die trying," Junior shouted to the Pack.

  Gone was the clumsy man that could destroy an office by simply pacing. On the stage stood a powerful force to be reckoned with. He seemed to be even bigger than his already enormous self and magic swirled around him like a moving kaleidoscope.

  "I promise to protect you and to govern with a fair and honest hand. I also swear to destroy anything that risks the health and happiness of our people."

  That got a bloodthirsty whoop from the crowd. What did I expect? We were Werewolves.

  "Alright people," Junior bellowed with a wide grin followed by a howl. "It's time to get nekkid and run!"

  There was the Junior I knew.

  The whoops were now so loud I couldn't hear my own thoughts. Clothes were flying and skin turned to fur quickly. Dwayne had a somewhat shocked and amused crowd around him as he stripped to a Lady Gaga song. He had put his phone in a cordless dock and was going to town. I fell down laughing as he tore away his halter and tossed it up high. It was caught midair by a set of fangs that belonged to a delighted Mrs. Wilson. I had seen everything now. She shimmied over and continued her de-robing in time with the Gaga. I prayed to Dolce and Gabbana that this would not become a new ritual.

  Hank came up behind me and stopped dead in his tracks.

  "What the hell is happening?" he asked as he winced at the site of his partially clad mother twerking with the very gay Vampyre.

  "I'm pretty sure Hell just froze over," I said as I observed the disaster unfolding.

  It simply got more disturbing as Mr. Wilson joined his mate in the dance party.

  "Let's get out of here before this degenerates into something I'll need therapy for," Hank insisted as he pulled me away from the show.

  "Agreed," I said as I followed him into the woods. My wolf was close to the surface and wanted out badly.

  "You ready baby?" Hank asked as he tore his clothes off.

  "So ready," I said as I joined him.

  I closed my eyes and drew on the power of my inner wolf. She was there and waiting for me happily. I let the magic engulf me and my body tingled from my head to my toes. A magic so wondrous and rare it always left me breathless. My skin changed to fur, my bones shifted painlessly and my body became what it was supposed to be. My wolf—my strong and beautiful wolf.

  Hank's wolf was as gorgeous as his human form. His shiny chocolate coat glistened in the moonlight that filtered through the trees. He was huge. My wolf was small in comparison, but I was fast. His eyes were still the same intense green and they stared at me with amusement.

  "You like what you see?" he asked as his voice invaded my brain.

  In wolf form the Pack was still able to communicate. A mated pair could communicate perfectly even from great distances because of the mating bite and shared blood. With other Pack members we had to be in close range. The only other wolf that could communicate with ease and complete clarity to our people was our Alpha.

  "You'll do," I replied cockily.

  His laugh bounced around in my head and I nipped playfully at his hind legs until he pinned me and howled with victory.

  "You suck," I accused. "If I had a running start you'd never best me."

  "Be my guest, my beautiful wolf," he dared with narrowed eyes as he let me up.

  I needed a little distraction if I was going to make good on my boast… I limped pathetically as I got to my feet and favored my left hind leg.

  "Oh baby, are you okay?" Hank got low and examined my paw. It was all I needed. I took off like a bat out of hell. Shrieking with delight I left him in the dust.

  "You'll pay for that," he threatened as he took off on the chase.

  "I keep hearing that one tonight," I squealed as I raced through the woods I knew like the back of my hand.

  Being smaller I had the advantage of being able to go under brush as opposed to over. It gave me an edge that I used wisely. As I ran the wind blew through my fur. I felt free, happy and alive. I would miss Hung Island when we left, but I knew we'd always come back.

  "Gaining on you, pretty girl," Hank huffed inside my head.

  "Maybe," I shot back, "but I'm still winning!"

  I whipped past Granny's wolf. She was trotting around with some of her buddies including Lori and Layla. I wondered for a moment if the shop gals had seen Dwayne's striptease and I honestly hoped they hadn't. Poor Layla was liable to loose it.

  "You better run, girlie," Granny shouted with a gleeful cackle. "I can hear him coming."

  I came to a clearing and skidded to a halt. I caught the scent of a non-shifter deer and I lost precious seconds. To hunt or not to hunt… that is the question. Unfortunately my brief pause put an end to both choices. Damn that Shakespeare.

  Hank jumped me from behind and we rolled down the hill laughing like children. Paws and muzzles and tails were undistinguishable as we tumbled forward all tangled up in each other. We landed with a thud by a gurgling stream.

  "Uncle?" Hank asked as my wolf lay pinned beneath him.

  "Fine. Uncle," I huffed. "But it wasn't ‘cause I actually lost. I scented a deer and my wolf wanted to hunt."

  "Excuses, excuses," Hanks said drolly as he let me up.

  We went to the stream and drank like we hadn't had water in weeks.

  "God, that was fun," I said with water dripping from my muzzle. "I really love being in my wolf form when it's for fun. Not for the job when I'm trying to sniff out a bad guy."

  "Couldn't agree more," he said as he nuzzled me.

  "You wanna hunt?" I asked as I pressed my side to his.

  "In a minute. Let's just be lazy for a few," he said as he knocked my paws out from under me, causing me to land on his furry chest.

  "Works for me," I said as I cuddled with my big wolf. "Oh my god, I have to tell you about the conversation I had with your mother. It was positively… "

  I stopped on a dime, jumped to my feet and growled low in my throat. Something huge and furry flew over our heads. Hank leapt and tried to yank it out of the air, but it was too fast.

  "What in the hell was that," he growled as we went butt to butt and circled, looking for danger.

  "I have no idea. Crap," I snapped. "Is this something else I missed by skipping Were History?"

  "Nope," he answered tersely. "Wolves do not fly. However, if that was a wolf it was one of the mangiest wolves I've ever
seen."

  Wolves did not fly… but Vampyres did.

  If we could get in each other's heads in human form maybe I could tear Dwayne a new butthole in wolf form. It was worth a try.

  "Dwayne, you idiot, is that you?" I shouted as I scanned the air above me.

  "Yesssssss," he squealed. "And you tell Hank I resent that. I am not mangy. This faux fur cost six thousand dollars."

  "Tell him he overpaid," Hank said. "Wait. Am I hearing Dwayne in my head?"