Pack of Trouble

by D. M. Turner

  Ian wove through the room to stand in front of the fireplace, taking Sophia with him. She made no protest or attempt to break his hold, not that it would’ve taken more than a tug on her part. He was left with one quandary—how much to disclose.

  “I’ve called all of you here to share something with you.” He glanced at Sophia, who met his gaze and nodded. His hackles rose at the fear in her eyes. Rationally and logically, he knew the pack didn’t mean to frighten her. That did little to appease the restless wolf inside him that wanted to lash out at those who scared her. He forced his focus back on the pack, starting with Brett. “I assume Kelly is with Clara.”

  His friend nodded.

  “Alright. You can share everything with her later.”

  Another brief nod.

  “I’m sure you heard about what happened with Sophia this morning.”

  A few nods, but mostly baffled looks.

  What do you know? The pack grapevine hasn’t spread the word yet. “She’s still recovering from a prolonged period of starvation, and according to Jeremy, her nervous system went haywire today. We hope that will be the last such episode. However, another issue came to light.”

  Sophia’s grip on his hand tightened almost to the point of pain. If she was any stronger or his hand smaller…. Ian pulled her closer and slightly behind him to shield her a bit from the others.

  She trembled.

  He forced himself not to look at her. If she became fearful enough, would the wolf take over again?

  “Donna was helping me after Sophia collapsed and Shifted. Sophia tried to go after her.”

  Several startled looks shot to Donna, including Graham’s. The woman lowered her gaze from her husband’s scowl. Apparently, she hadn’t told anyone, including her mate, about what happened in the kitchen.

  “Sophia was helpless and vulnerable, so her response to someone she’d never met before yesterday is hardly surprising.” Ian moved his gaze from one pack member to another. “Would any of us feel any different if we were incapacitated in the presence of virtual strangers?”

  Heads all through the room shook, but no one said a word.

  “Though Donna wasn’t hurt, what occurred revealed a potential danger for the entire pack. Sophia is unwilling to remain here unless everyone is warned and given the opportunity to object to her staying.” His hackles prickled again, but he forced himself to continue in a matter-of-fact tone. “We falsely believed the issue had been resolved on Saturday.”

  You’re rambling, man. Get to the point. He suppressed a growl. “Last summer, when Sophia went into heat, she retreated to a cabin in northern Washington for a couple of weeks. While she was there, a man stumbled upon her. As it turned out, he was in the wilderness on the run from the police, wanted for serial rape and murder.”

  Eyes around the room widened.

  Tanya and Donna both gasped and paled.

  Colin and Graham hugged them close.

  “He mistook Sophia for a lone human female and tried to rape her.” Rage reared up. Good thing the man was already dead. Ian gritted his teeth and took a deep breath. “She Shifted and killed him.”

  “Good!” Max nodded approval.

  Everyone turned to stare at him.

  Of the entire pack, he’d always been the least aggressive. His laid-back personality didn’t allow for bloodlust. Coming from him, it seemed… wrong, even to Ian.

  He glanced around and shrugged. “What? If he was a rapist and murderer, he deserved to die.” His gaze dropped to the floor.

  “We certainly agree.” Graham chuckled. “We just didn’t expect you to be the one to voice what we were all thinking.” His gaze returned to Ian. “So, she killed the guy. Is that what you felt we needed to know? I don’t think any of us cares much about it.”

  “It’s not quite so… simple.”

  Sophia moved close enough that her body heat clung to his side from shoulder to knees.

  He looked into her eyes.

  Fear stared back.

  “You alright?” he whispered.

  She nodded.

  “Just hang on.”

  A faint, shaky smile accompanied another nod.

  Ian refocused on the pack. “When Sophia Shifted that day, the wolf took full control. Until this past Saturday, she had no memory of what had happened. All she knew was that she’d come to in the cabin, in wolf form, covered in human blood. She didn’t remember meeting him, much less killing him.”

  Total stillness swept through the room.

  “Annie said it sounds similar to a condition in humans called situation-specific psychogenic amnesia, wherein a person is traumatized to the point where they block all memory of the event. In this case, it was exacerbated by the wolf taking charge, and her behavior reflected that.” No need to go into detail about that. “Sophia had two more such episodes during the fall that we were able, with Brett’s help, to link to news broadcasts about the criminal she’d killed.”

  Colin cocked his head. “But she remembers now?”

  “Yes. Brett, Jeremy, Annie, and I helped her.”

  Tanya raised tear-filled eyes to look at Sophia. “That had to be terrifying.”

  Sophia nodded without looking at anyone, her gaze steady on Ian.

  “I thought she’d maintain control of the wolf from then on. Today’s blackout or whatever you want to call it came as a surprise. Thankfully, I was right there, Sophia was physically unable to be much of a threat, and Donna handled it beautifully once she realized the wolf was in charge.” He smiled at the woman, who blushed and lowered her gaze.

  Colin’s inquisitive gaze rested on Ian. “So… you’re concerned that Sophia could wolf-out and hurt one of us?”

  “We’re concerned that she could Shift and the wolf be in charge without any of you being aware of the possibility. That could get someone hurt, if I’m not there to intervene.”

  “Her wolf submits to you?” his son asked.

  Brett shot him an amused look, daring him to lie.

  Ian flicked his friend an annoyed glance then met his son’s gaze. “Not entirely. Sometimes I have to argue with her first.”

  Colin laughed, then a sheepish expression crossed his face. “Sorry. I’m just floored by the fact my dad’s met a woman who can stand up to him.”

  Had he been such a jerk for everyone to be so pleased about that? “Anyway….” He scowled at Colin then shook his head. “It only seems to happen when Sophia is frightened sufficiently or in severe pain, but it’s hard to tell the difference unless you can get a good look at her eyes. If it’s Sophia, she’ll understand you and you’ll see the human intelligence. When the wolf is in charge, her eyes go wild. She won’t understand if you speak to her. All of us who have seen a wolf that’s gone feral like our last alpha will recognize the look immediately. The wolf has a hair-trigger temper and will respond with extreme prejudice to any move she perceives as a threat.”

  Max raised his hand. “How do we respond?”

  “Total submission worked for Donna.”

  “And if she attacks us?” Graham scowled. “Submission didn’t work with Brady. He almost killed me.”

  “This is a different situation. Brady was beyond responding with anything but rage. When Donna submitted to Sophia’s wolf, she dismissed her as a threat and relaxed. She responded pretty much the same way with Brett on Saturday morning when he sat down and relaxed.”

  Frowns wreathed some faces.

  Sophia squeezed Ian’s hand and stepped forward slightly, bringing her even with him. “Ian’s telling you all of this because I don’t want to hurt anyone. Whether I stay or go is up to you. I don’t want you to feel you have to live with this threat. You have so much to deal with already. If any of you object to me staying, now’s the time to speak up.”

  Glances shot around the room.

  After a long moment, wherein Ian held his breath, Max got slowly to his feet and smiled. “Well, I guess that means you’re staying. I’m pretty sure none of us have any obje
ctions.”

  Every head nodded.

  Ian blinked back tears. Twice in as many days, the pack had come through for him. Lord, I don’t know what I did to deserve such incredible people in my life, but thank You!

  Brett grinned. “So, does this mean you’re still getting married today?”

  With a chuckle, Ian shot a questioning look at Sophia.

  She smiled. “Will I be slaughtered by the pack if I say no?”

  Max nodded with a grin. “Probably.”

  “Then, I guess I have no choice.”

  Chapter 26

  “You’re very quiet.” Ian stopped the Expedition for a red light and glanced at his passenger. “You haven’t said a word since we left the Clerk’s office.”

  Sophia shrugged without looking at him, her gaze directed out the passenger window. “Just trying to process it all, I guess. So much has happened in a short time.”

  He chuckled. “Tell me about it. A few days ago, I told Brett I was never getting married again, yet here we are, on our way to the church.”

  She turned in her seat to study him. “Any regrets?”

  “No.” He half-smiled. Not yet, anyway. Tomorrow may be another matter, if things get as ugly as I fear. “I can’t say I’m not terrified on some level, but I also know I can’t allow fear to hold me back from embracing God’s plan for my life.” He’d never hear the end of it from Brett, Colin, or the new moon. Heaven only knew how many others would jump on the bandwagon, given even the slightest information about what was going on. Regardless, the Lord would definitely get His point across.

  A tight frown etched lines between her brows, and she nodded. “I guess that’s true enough for both of us. All of it.”

  Good to know he wasn’t alone in wanting to run. More fierce, though, was his determination to make sure she didn’t disappear from his life.

  “As a human, I never made decisions without careful thought and planning.” Her gaze lowered to her hands, which lay folded in her lap. “The wolf has a tendency to make decisions and drag me along for the ride. At least, that’s how it feels sometimes. I don’t like that.”

  “That’s one of the best descriptions I’ve heard to date for the difference between before and after we become werewolves. Even the most cautious of us are at the mercy of our wolves in some ways. That’s no more apparent than when the wolf chooses a mate. No fighting it, no matter how hard the human half tries.”

  Something to keep in mind. If his suspicions proved correct, he wasn’t the only member of the pack dealing with that lupine directive. He’d have to be careful how he handled Max.

  Silence fell as Ian followed the car in front of him through the green light and continued the drive to the church.

  “Are you sure we’re doing the right thing?”

  “By getting married? I’m positive.”

  “No, I mean, having a wedding without the pack there. They’re your family. Shouldn’t they be at the church for this?”

  Ian grimaced. “I’m sorry. I should’ve thought about that. Do you want or need them there, or friends from Seattle? We could wait until everyone can come.”

  “What friends?” Sophia shook her head. “There’s no one. My friends abandoned me long ago. Not that I blame them. I pretty much shut everyone out of my personal life after my Turning. I just thought you’d want your family at the wedding.”

  “To be brutally honest, weddings are a matter of tradition left over from our human lives. For us, true mating is about heart, intent, and commitment, rather than a piece of paper to appease government file keepers. The others will celebrate the true mating with us when we return to the house.”

  “Oh.” That tight frown didn’t lessen.

  “Would you prefer a traditional ceremony? Gown, flowers, decorations, the whole human thing?” That was the human thing, right? He’d been a wolf and lived in near-isolation so long, he’d almost forgotten what humans preferred.

  “No. I was never one of those girls who fantasized about a big church wedding, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

  “Then why the frown? You’re obviously fretting about something.” Wait. Hadn’t Brett said humans no longer used words like “fretting”. Oh, well. Too late to reword it.

  “Not fretting exactly. Just… confused, maybe?”

  “About?” He eased into a parking spot outside the church, shut off the ignition, and pivoted in his seat to face her.

  Sophia’s gaze dropped to her lap. “I expected the pack to reject me.”

  “Did you want them to?”

  “No.” A faint smile touched her lips. “I was terrified they would, and I’d have nowhere to go. How can they be so accepting of someone who could be a threat to their well-being? If I was to be the lowest member of the pack, I’d understand, but I’m not. I’ll be their alpha’s wife.”

  “First, they trust me to take care of both you and them. We talked about that already. I won’t let anything happen if it’s within my power to stop it.” He raised a brow. “And I guarantee, I’ll be sticking close to you as much as I can until we find a solution to these blackouts of yours.”

  She grimaced then nodded. “Fair enough.”

  “Second, every single one of us is a threat to the others, given the right circumstances.” Reaching out one hand, he caressed her cheek with a knuckle. “You know what I’m capable of if the wolf takes hold. That danger exists with all of us.”

  With a soft sigh, she leaned into his touch. “Yeah, but no one else seems to lose control like I do.”

  “Perhaps, but your wolf is reasonable.”

  A soft laugh rippled through the vehicle. “I hunted a man, tore him apart, and ate his liver. I wouldn’t call that reasonable.”

  “That was a very different situation. Any of us would’ve slaughtered that guy, and we’d’ve done so with the human in control. Trust me. None of us have many qualms about killing scumbags like that.” Ian half-grinned. “All your wolf did was overkill.”

  “You think?” Sophia rolled her eyes.

  “Donna submitted to you, and your wolf settled right down.” He shook his head. “You heard Graham. He submitted to Brady. Brady almost killed him anyway. The only thing that saved him was my intervention.”

  A brow rose. “Your wolf did the same as mine after Dresden. When Brett submitted, you regained control.”

  “I regained control. The wolf didn’t back down. I backed him down.”

  Green eyes narrowed. “There you go talking about two different personalities again.”

  Ian chuckled. “I know. It’s confusing. How about if I put it this way? Reason regained control of my instincts.”

  “Hm. That’ll have to do, I guess.” Sophia cocked her head. “Have you ever considered the possibility that we’re all demon-possessed?”

  “I did for a while, to be honest, but not any longer. Demons are evil and bent on destruction. Our wolves aren’t. They simply are. Instinct isn’t evil. It just is. How it manifests determines good or evil at that moment.” He mimicked her body language. “Would you call anger, fear, grief, shame, guilt, and such evil?”

  “No, but they can be used for evil.”

  “Exactly. The wolf is the same. Neither good nor evil, but how emotion and wolf manifest in our words and behavior most certainly can be one or the other. The wolf isn’t a separate entity. It’s simply a different element than humans contend with. Humans have logic, emotion, and instinct. We have those three plus the wolf’s instincts and reactions to emotion and logic.” Ian cupped her cheek. “Ultimately, we are a danger to each other and society at large, depending on the choices we make and how well we control the wolf. When you think about it, we’re really not that different from Regulars.” Kelly’s word. He frowned. Sophia wouldn’t recognize it. “I mean, regular humans.”

  “How do you figure that?”

  “Look at how your father treated you. Then there’s Sedgwick, a serial rapist and murderer. Both of them, regular humans. Are they all that
different from Brimfield who abused Clara so viciously or the monsters that imprisoned and brutalized Tanya and Donna? They don’t even have the wolf to blame for their evil.”

  Sophia bit her lower lip as she considered his words then nodded. “Good point. Humans certainly have their fair share of monsters.”

  “And like us, they blend into society and most people never know their neighbors are even less civilized and domesticated than us werewolves.” Ian half-grinned. “Does that make sense?”

  “I guess so.” Sophia sighed then glanced at the church. “We should go in.”

  “There’s something I should tell you before we do.”

  “What?”

  “Taylor Fleming, the pastor we’re about to see, is the son of one of the wolves Brady killed. He knows all about us. He was in his late twenties when his father was killed.”

  “And he doesn’t hate us?”

  “No. He’s never blamed us for the actions of one grief-stricken wolf.”

  “Good.”

  “His wife, Claudia, doesn’t know about our existence. He’s never felt the need to share that information with her.”

  Sophia nodded. “Okay. Thanks for the heads-up. I’d hate to accidentally say something I shouldn’t to the wrong person.”

  “I doubt you would, but I thought it only fair to let you know the situation.” Turning away, Ian opened his door, got out, and went around to help her out of the SUV. Her hand in his, he led her into the church through a side door that would take them to Pastor Fleming’s office.

  “There you are.” The man looked up from his desk and smiled when Ian tapped on the doorframe with one knuckle. “I spoke with Brett a while ago. He told me to expect you.”

  “Good. I asked him to call.” Ian shook the man’s hand then motioned toward his companion. “Sophia, this is Taylor Fleming, the pastor of this church. Pastor, Sophia Ferguson.”

  “Yes, the bride. It’s good to meet you, Sophia.” Warmth radiated from him. “My wife will join us shortly, along with Fred, our janitor. They’ll serve as witnesses for the wedding. I assume you have the license.”