by Renny Abbas
Copyright © 2017 by Renny Abbas
All rights reserved.
In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved. Respective authors own all copyrights not held by the publisher.
Leader Of The Pack
Gay Paranormal Romance
By Renny Abbas
Table of Contents
Leader Of The Pack
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Special Bonus Story
Violet Rose
Leader Of The Pack
Chapter 1
“Cheer up kid;” said Doug Cranston, poking his son Bobby in the ribs as they drove. “There’s no need to look quite so miserable!”
“Sorry Dad,” smiled Bobby, “I guess I was just trying to imagine what it was going to be like.”
“Well, quit staring out the window and let’s talk about it.” suggested Doug. “We’re going to tackle this as a team, just like we have every other move we’ve made together. I thought you would have gotten used to moving around by now?”
“I know,” smiled Bobby, “I’m excited for your promotion and everything, it’s just that this town seems like it’s going to be a long way from anywhere. Plus, it’s going to be my last summer with you before I head off to college.”
“So now you’ve turned eighteen you don’t need your old man anymore? Is that it?” teased Doug.
“I’ve only just turned eighteen.” shrugged Bobby. “Anyway, you know what I mean.”
“I know what you mean kid,” grinned Doug, reaching across and ruffling his son’s hair affectionately. We make a good team, you and me. I couldn’t do this without you. Besides, Dixon is supposed to be a beautiful little town – right on the edge of Glacier National Park.”
“I’ve never been to Montana.” noted Bobby.
“Well, you have now!” declared Doug. “We’ve just crossed the state border! Montana’s Snowy Mountains are spectacular, maybe we’ll become real outdoorsmen; hiking, and camping, and… well, whatever outdoorsmen do in Montana.”
“Sounds great Dad,” grinned Bobby, knowing full well that his father’s job as town sheriff would leave little time for pretty much anything else except working and sleeping.
“Well, this is it!” declared Doug triumphantly, as he pulled their pickup truck piled high with all of their possessions to a stop outside the small, weathered police station that would also be their new home.
“You’re kidding me, right?” asked Bobby, looking skeptically at the small house.
“Come on, don’t be like that!” said Doug, determined to be optimistic about the town of which he was now sheriff. “I’m sure it’s very comfortable. Come on, we can unpack later – let’s go and open up and see what it’s like inside!” Bobby followed his father inside, but he didn’t find much to change his opinion of their new home – everything seemed to be covered in dust, and the whole place needed a coat of paint.
“I guess this will be my room?” suggested Bobby, taking the smaller of the two bedrooms.
“Sure champ,” nodded Doug, “if you’re cool with that? The captain has given me the telephone number for some local guys who he said would be happy to help us unload the furniture. I’ll give them a call now and then we’ll be able to get settled in.”
A few minutes later, a battered pickup truck pulled up outside the house and four imposing looking men got out. Doug went out to greet them. Bobby noted that his father seemed almost dwarfed by the size of these men, but there was nothing small about his father.
“Sheriff Cranston?” asked the guy who had been driving the truck. Doug shook each of their outstretched hands. “I’m Butch Patterson, welcome to Dixon. Let’s get this stuff unloaded for you.”
“Very kind of you.” acknowledged Doug. “Let me introduce my son, Bobby.” Bobby stepped forward from the doorway of the house to shake Butch’s outstretched hand. Butch held the handshake for longer than Bobby had expected, Bobby could feel the big man’s eyes on him, studying him. “Do you and your boys run a removal business?” asked Doug, noting how expertly and effortlessly Butch’s team were lugging around the heavy furniture.
“Not exactly,” shrugged Butch, “but Dixon is a small place. My boys and I are always happy to lend a hand to welcome new folk.”
“Your boys,” asked Doug, “Are they your sons?”
“It sometimes feels like that!” laughed Butch, his deep, booming laugh almost vibrating through Bobby’s body. “We spend a fair bit of time together though, we’re more brothers I guess. Swimming and hiking and just hanging out up there in the mountains.”
“I’m looking forward to taking Bobby up there to do a bit of exploring,” said Doug, “but it’s fairly new territory for us, so if you’ve got any hints or tips then I’d certainly welcome them.”
“I’d be happy to.” nodded Butch. “What about tomorrow? I could take you both on a short hike to show you some of the more accessible trails?”
“That sounds great,” nodded Doug, “but I’ve really got to get busy getting the sheriff’s office up and running, but maybe you could take Bobby?”
“Oh, it’s okay,” said Bobby quickly, not wanting his father to volunteer him for anything.
“It would be my pleasure.” confirmed Butch.
“Go on Bobby.” encouraged Doug. “Otherwise it’s going to be pretty boring around here, I’m just going to have my head in paperwork all day. A bit of a hike with Butch here sounds like an awesome way to spend the day! Plus, you’ll get to know the area a bit so that on the weekend you and I can hit the trails together. What do you say?”
“Um, I don’t want to impose,” began Bobby, desperately trying to think of a way to avoid having to go hiking with these men whom he didn’t know at all.
“It’s no trouble at all,” repeated Butch, “it will be my pleasure to show you around.”
“Well, that’s settled then.” declared Doug, clearly pleased with himself.
“I’ll pick you up in the morning.” confirmed Butch. “I’ll swing by after breakfast.”
With the furniture all unloaded and moved into the house, Butch rounded up his four boys and got their pickup truck started and in gear. As he drove off, away from the sheriff’s house, Butch looked in his rearview mirror. He could see Bobby standing outside the house, watching them drive away. Butch smiled to himself, pleased that the boy was showing some interest, pleased that he had maneuvered their conversation so that he would have some time alone with the boy the next day.
“Are you coming in kiddo?” asked Doug, breaking into Bobby’s thoughts as they watched Butch’s truck drive away.
“Oh, sorry. I was miles away.” apologized Bobby.
“I hope you didn’t mind me pushing you into that hiking trip tomorrow,” said Doug, “it just seemed like a good way to get to know this place a bit.”
“No, it's cool.” shrugged Bobby. “They seem friendly enough, and Butch seemed pretty keen to take me. I guess they want to impress you.”
Bobby couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but he was strangely excited by the prospect of the hiking trip into the mountains with Butch. There was something about the big man that Bobby found intriguing, almost intoxicating. That night as Bobby lay in bed, his head was filled with wild thoughts and dreams. He dreamed of the mountains, he dreamed of men, he d
reamed of the moon.
Chapter 2
No one knows where the wolves came from, not even the wolves themselves. Some called it magic, others a curse, or some kind of infection. Perhaps they weren’t even wolves at all but something else; something beyond the experience and comprehension of ordinary men.
Butch Patterson was a wolf. A man-wolf. His four boys – Denton, Fraser, Ely, and Trent – were also wolves. They were his pack. They spent most of their time together at their hut in the mountains, regularly coming into the town of Dixon in their human form to mix with the locals and keep an eye on comings and goings.
The transformation from human to wolf was something that the wolves themselves didn’t really understand. The only thing that was certain was that somehow the moon played an important part – each month the full moon signaled some form of renewal. The wolves seeming to draw power from the moon, they grew in strength, their cells renewed. Whatever this power was that they drew from the moon, it enabled the wolves to become much stronger than ordinary men and to live much longer.
It was dinner time for Butch and his pack. Butch was sitting at the head of the table. They had roasted a big joint of venison and Denton was expertly carving, dividing the meat between them. Once everyone had been served, the pack devoured their food, their hunger seemingly never satisfied. Butch loved his boys, they were his family – he had chosen each of them, helping them to leave their human lives behind and to embrace the power that could be unlocked through the magic of the moon.
The energy of the pack was particularly electric as it was to be a full moon that night.
“Fraser, did you put the closed signs on all the hiking trails?” asked Butch, wanting to make sure that there were no stray hikers in their vicinity.
“Yes sir.” confirmed Fraser.
“I put a notice up at the tourist information center as well,” added Ely, “don’t worry sir, we’ve got the mountain to ourselves tonight.”
“Good, well done boys.” nodded Butch. “I wouldn’t want that new sheriff to have to be investigating anything too complicated in his first week on the job.”
“I like that new sheriff,” volunteered Trent, “he seems like a decent sort of guy.”
“I think Butch is more interested in the son!” teased Denton.
“Settle down boys.” cautioned Butch. “I’m going to be taking young Bobby on a hike tomorrow.”
“Really? Can I come?” asked Fraser excitedly. “I wouldn’t mind sinking my teeth into that kid, or sinking something into him anyway.”
“I don’t need any of you there tomorrow.” decided Butch. “I’m perfectly capable of giving Bobby the guided tour.”
While his pack excitedly cleaned up after dinner and were boisterously preparing for a night of moon fueled fun, Butch’s thoughts drifted to the day that he would be spending with Bobby. There was something about the boy that had attracted Butch’s attention – it had been like that with each of the men that he had added to his pack. Butch wondered whether Bobby had what it takes to become one of the wolves of Dixon, Montana.
It was years ago when Butch had arrived in Glacier National Park, deep in Montana’s Snowy Mountains. In wolf terms he was relatively young, having only become a wolf a few years earlier. He had been thrown out of his pack for disobedience and so had struck out on his own, determined to make his own way in the world. He spent several decades on his own, getting used to his new life, his new abilities, and becoming comfortable with life as a wolf in the mountains of Montana. However, as the days dragged on, he began to long for company – wolves are fundamentally social creatures who operate best as a pack.
Butch didn’t really know how to turn a man into a wolf, and his initial attempts weren’t particularly successful – he had to bury several hikers and mark them down as failed experiments. His first success was with Denton – an experienced hiker that Butch had been stalking through the mountains for several days. When Butch sank his teeth into Denton’s neck, he could feel the connection between them, the power flowing through their bodies. What felt different was that Butch somehow knew that Denton wanted it just as much as Butch. With his confidence boosted, Butch soon added Fraser, Ely, and Trent to his pack. For many years it had just been the five of them, living in their secluded hut, high in the Montana Mountains, hidden within a deep ravine. But now, Butch was starting to think that it was time to expand his pack a little further, and he had a feeling that the new sheriff’s son was the perfect candidate.
Chapter 3
“Morning Butch!” greeted Sheriff Doug Cranston, as Butch pulled his pickup truck to a stop outside the sheriff’s office.
“Nice day for it,” winked Butch, stepping out of the truck and waving towards Doug.
“Coffee?” offered Doug, indicating the pot of coffee sitting beside him in the sun.
“Sure.” nodded Butch. “Is Bobby up yet?”
“He’s pretty much ready to go,” confirmed Doug, “he’s just finishing his packing. Looks like you’ve got good weather for the hike?”
“It looks perfect.” agreed Butch. “Given the good conditions, I was wondering if you’d mind if we made it an overnight hike.”
“Overnight?” repeated Doug. “I don’t want to impose too much, I’m sure just a short hike today would be fine.”
“Honestly, it’s no trouble.” shrugged Butch. “If you don’t need Bobby for anything then it’s a good chance for me to check on some of the higher trails. There’s a forest cabin up there that’s fairly comfortable, so that will be our base for the night, but if you’d prefer that I had him back here this evening then that’s no problem.”
“I probably seem like an over-protective dad.” laughed Doug. “Look, I’m relaxed – I guess it’s up to Bobby.” Doug opened the door to their living quarters to hurry along his son. “Bobby! Bobby! Butch is here waiting for you!”
“Oh hey,” smiled Bobby, eventually emerging from the house, a small backpack slung over his shoulder.
“You look ready for action!” grinned Butch.
“I guess so.” grinned Bobby.
“Listen kiddo,” said Doug, “Butch here was just suggesting that instead of only doing a short hike today, that you could head up a bit further into the mountains and stay overnight, make it a two-day hike. What do you think about that?”
“Um, I don’t mind, I guess.” shrugged Bobby. “I don’t want to be any bother though.”
“It’s no trouble to me,” confirmed Butch, “the forecast for the next few days looks so good that it will be a treat to be able to be out and about in the fresh air.”
“Well, that settles it I guess!” declared Doug. “A two day hike it is. I’m just jealous that I can’t come with you!”
“I’ll take you up those mountains any time you’ve got a free day.” winked Butch.
“That sounds like a deal.” grinned Doug. “Do you need any extra food or sleeping gear for the overnight expedition?”
“I think I’ve got everything covered.” replied Butch. “I’ll have him home to you safe and sound by sundown tomorrow.”
Bobby slung his backpack into the back of Butch’s pickup truck and climbed into the passenger seat.
“Ready for this?” asked Butch, as he put the truck into gear and they headed off down the road, towards the mountains.
“I think so.” nodded Bobby. “I’ve never really been on a hike like this before. I guess I’m not really sure what to expect.”
“No problem.” grinned Butch. “I know these mountains like the back of my hand. I’ll keep an eye out for you.”
“Am I wearing the right kind of clothes?” asked Bobby.
“You look absolutely perfect,” confirmed Butch, letting his eyes wander over the shorts and tight t-shirt that Bobby was wearing. Bobby was an undeniably attractive young guy – long, straight blond hair, a slim, athletic body, and a warm and open personality that was irresistible.
It was about a thirty minute drive to where they would be park
ing the truck and hitting the hiking trail. Bobby felt surprisingly relaxed and comfortable in the company of Butch. There was an easy silence between them, but Bobby felt that he should probably try and make conversation.
“Um, how long have you lived here in Dixon?” asked Bobby.
“Longer than I can remember!” laughed Butch.
“So, you must like it okay? To stay so long?” asked Bobby.
“It’s a pretty good place,” nodded Butch, “these mountains have become my home. I can’t imagine living anywhere else. What about you? How are you settling into life in Dixon?”
“Well, its only day two,” replied Bobby, “and I haven’t really had much of a chance to explore, but so far it all seems pretty good. Although, I’m only going to be here for the summer, after that I’ll be heading off to college.”
“That sounds exciting?” suggested Butch.
“Yeah, I guess so.” shrugged Bobby. “It will be weird though, to move away from my dad.”
“You two are pretty close, huh?” asked Butch.
“It’s always just been the two of us.” shrugged Bobby. “We make a pretty good team.”
“Did you ever know your mother?” asked Butch, unsure if he was getting into territory that was too sensitive to talk about.
“No.” replied Bobby quietly. Butch decided not to push that subject any further.
“What about friends?” asked Butch. “I guess it’s not easy making friends if you’re always moving around with your father’s job. Hobbies? Sports? Do you play any sports at all?”
“Um, no.” shrugged Bobby. “But I’m happy to give anything a try.”
At the foot of the hiking trail that they were aiming for, Butch parked the pickup truck, they loaded themselves up with their backpacks and all of the supplies that they’d need, and Butch led the way up into the mountains.
“We can afford to take a fairly relaxed pace on this first stage.” explained Butch. “We’re spending the night in one of the forest huts at the top of the trail, so our goal today is to reach there well before nightfall so we can get a fire going and cook some food. Tomorrow we’ll take a different trail back down the mountain, so we’ll get to explore as much as possible. How does that sound?”
