Wolves among men

by penelope sweet

  “Give me the keys.”

  “What?” I smirked as I stepped down on the ground.

  “I’m riding with you, give me the keys.” She smiled politely as she thrust her hand at me. I handed them to her reluctantly and shot her a questioning glance.

  “You look tired.” She rolled her eyes with a smile. “Just get in.” She smirked as she pulled the door open and climbed in. I walked around the front of the truck and took my place next to her. It was strange not being behind the wheel but it was nice to know that I had the chance to ask a few more questions before we got to wherever it was that we were going. The truck came to life and she sped out of the parking lot like a woman on the run, the boys following close behind us as she pulled out onto the street and headed east toward the rising sun.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Is there anything you want to ask me?” Sam spoke softly after a long silence. Miles of road stretched out in front of us with nothing to see but thick lines of trees left me the perfect opportunity to play twenty questions, it was just too bad that it happened to be the particular moment my mind went blank. I sipped at my quickly cooling coffee and turned my head toward the window next to me, allowing my thoughts time to gather.

  “There’s a lot I still don’t know,” I muttered. I could feel her nodding lightly next to me and as I turned to face her my mind flashed back to the night we very first met, the night I saw her as nothing more than a beast. “That night in the alley,” I began as I sat up in my seat. Her body stiffened and her eyes flicked to me for a quick moment.

  “What about it?” Her attempts to brush off her reaction failed and I could see through her as easily as she could see through me.

  “I heard your voice in my head.” I pointed to my temple as she relaxed in her seat. “You spoke to me.”

  “Did I?” She smirked. “Are you sure it wasn’t just your imagination?”

  “No I’m sure,” I argued with a smile even thought I wasn’t. “It was your voice at least I think it was.”

  “And what did I say?”

  “You’re dying. I can save you,” I answered quickly. Sam breathed loudly as I watched her, her eyes resting on me for a moment before she returned them to the road.

  “I didn’t speak to you. Ethan.” She turned to me and smiled. “I’m not telepathic.”

  “Then what was it?” I asked as she turned her eyes once again to the road in front of us. She shrugged and shook her head.

  “I don’t know, maybe a false memory or something.”

  “But you were there.”

  “Yes.”

  “And I was dying.”

  “Yes.” She smirked. “You had a knife sticking out of your stomach, I’m pretty sure it’s safe to say that you weren’t walking away from that.”

  “Why were you there?” She stiffened as soon as I asked the question. Her smile faded and her eyes locked onto the road as she gripped the steering wheel tightly and shook her head.

  “I was hunting one of Malik’s kids and I heard you scream so I came running,” her tone was as emotionless as the fake smile she offered me before turning her eyes back to the road.

  “Bullshit.”

  “What?” she snapped with a smile.

  “Bullshit, you’re hiding something.”

  “No I’m not.” She smirked. “What makes you think-”

  “It’s not what I think it’s what you told me.” I laughed lightly. “You’re good at tracking down lost pups well I’m good at reading people and your body language screams bullshit.”

  “How do you figure?” She smirked as she took a sharp turn that pressed me uncomfortably into the door. I righted myself and cleared my throat as if about to give a lecture.

  “You tensed up when I asked you why you were there, your answer was quick and vague.” She laughed lightly and shook her head as I continued. “You wouldn’t make eye contact with me and I’ve seen you smile enough to know when you’re faking it.”

  “Okay, okay.” She laughed. “You’re good.” At least her smile was genuine this time as she looked to me and smirked.

  “I was following one of Malik’s kids, that wasn’t a lie,” she turned her eyes back to the road, her smile lingering as she spoke.

  “How long were you in town?”

  “A week, maybe two.” I nodded. “Anyway, I saw you a few times and I....” She stopped and shook her head. “It’s stupid.”

  “No what is it?” She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment.

  “I knew where you worked and I was going to introduce myself that night but before I got the chance those guys were pulling you into the alley so I backed off.”

  “You just let them take me.”

  “Not exactly.” She snapped lightly. “It’s not like I wanted you to get hurt but as a human I couldn’t do much.” She sighed. “We’re strong but not taking on two big guys with a knife strong.” She smirked. “I couldn’t let you see me change but by the time I got there the damage was already done.” Somehow it didn’t matter to me that that night had lined up to make me what I was, that somehow circumstance and time had conspired against me.

  “You wanted to talk to me?” I asked with a smile. Sam had always been beautiful to me but something about knowing that she had seen something in me made my stomach flutter and for the moment I couldn’t help but grin. Her cheeks reddened slightly as she nodded.

  “Yes.”

  “Why?” She laughed loudly and turned her eyes to me once again.

  “I don’t know. You seemed interesting to me.” She smirked. “And you’re not exactly a troll you know.” I felt myself blush and turned toward the window to hide it.

  “Okay.” The silence in the truck had grown nearly unbearable and I turned myself from the window to face her. “Change of subject?” I offered.

  “Yes, thank you that would be great.” She chuckled as we turned off of the highway and onto a series of winding dirt roads. We couldn’t be far now and I could feel myself growing excited at the prospect of meeting others like me. I sat up in my seat and cleared my throat, waiting for any sign that we were approaching the factory but so far the only sight there to greet me were the passing trees and scattered road signs.

  “So you told me we don’t age.” She nodded. “I’ve figured out that we hear, see and smell things differently and we heal fast.”

  “It’s all pretty basic Hollywood stuff.” She shrugged as she took a sharp turn, pressing me into the door uncomfortably.

  “Okay I got one,” I sat up and spoke excitedly. Her eyes flicked to me quickly before returning to the road in front of us. “There’s no chance that this is one of those things you grow out of right?” She laughed loudly and shook her head.

  “Ethan, I’ve been this way for over two-hundred years I think it’s fair to say that the change is permanent.”

  “Wow, two-hundred huh?”

  “Yup.” She nodded.

  “What’s your secret?” I chuckled lightly. She shrugged as we passed the dilapidated ruins of an old cabin, forgotten by time and swallowed up by the forest that surrounded it.

  “Oh you know, good diet, exorcise, eternal damnation and the souls of the innocent.” I laughed loudly and shook my head. It felt good to laugh, to enjoy the company of someone who didn’t take her lot in life too seriously. It was a luxury I hadn’t been afforded until now.

  “So is the whole silver bullet thing true?” Sam chuckled and shook her head.

  “Not even close. Just about anything that will kill a person will kill one of us the only difference is that were fast, strong and hard to catch.” I nodded. Marcus had told me the same thing when I asked the day that everything went to hell. But she needed a change of topic and I needed conversation to keep myself from dosing off so I figured it was just as good a question as any.

  “Why am I so freaking hungry all the time?” She laughed lightly.

  “Because your metabolism is higher, it’s the same reason your body temperature
runs high and you heal fast.” It made some semblance of sense to me but in a way not enough. Not wanting an in depth explanation of how werewolf biology works however, I let it lie and turned my attention to the front.

  The Trans Am had stopped and a rather large blond woman was approaching the driver’s side. My heart thundered in my chest as she pointed the car forward and we began to head up the long dark road. It was covered over with trees so thick even the sunlight had a hard time making its way through the foliage. I could hear the sounds of the country over the rumble of the truck engine. Birds chirping to the morning sky, crickets that had not yet caught on to the daylight and the sound of footsteps as whatever creatures were nearby took off deep into the woods as we passed.

  Sam chuckled as a large broken down building came into view.

  “What?” I turned to her and asked quickly.

  “I can hear your heartbeat from here.” She smiled.

  “Is it wrong that I’m excited?” I smirked. She shook her head and smiled as we pulled into a large circular driveway and threw the truck into park. I didn’t know if I was supposed to wait or if it was safe to go and somehow I didn’t care. I threw open the door and stepped out into the crisp morning air, rocks crunching beneath my feet as I walked slowly toward Sam, waiting for her cue to move ahead.

  “What’s wrong?” she whispered as I stopped at her side.

  “What do I do?” She laughed weakly and placed her hand on my back.

  “Don’t worry so much.” She smiled. I nodded even though my stomach was twisting and turning with a strange mix of excitement and nervousness.

  “I can’t help it.” I looked up at her as a million and one thoughts raced through my mind. Something in her eyes told me everything would be okay and as I watched the others pile out of the tiny silver car I began to feel like everything would be okay.

  Looking up, I took in the sight of the expansive and weather worn building in front of me. What once was a small factory on the outskirts of town had been stripped clean of its beautiful sheen and left dull and neglected amidst the woods. Massive in its frame, it stood nearly three stories high and looked more like an oversized house rather than a factory of any kind. With its steeped roof, lawn chairs and the well cared for garden that decorated the front of the building there was nothing left of the old factory that it once was. Cracked rust colored bricks made up the outside of the structure and somewhere behind it lay the ruins of what once was a well-used smoke stack that had since been left to rot and decay in the summer sun. Trees surrounded us, bringing a sense of seclusion and safety as we waited quietly in their welcoming shadows.

  It wasn’t long before the large double doors at the front swung open and an older looking man with a friendly look about him walked toward us. My heart thundered in my chest, excitement and fear filled me as he nearly jogged toward us.

  “Sam!” he called, opening his arms to her as he approached us with a smile. She took him into her embrace and closed her eyes as he rocked her back and forth. “It’s so good to see you,” he cooed as she held him tight.

  “You too.” She patted his back and after a long moment finally released him and watched with a smile as he turned to me.

  “This must be Ethan,” he spoke warmly and offered his hand to me. I took it graciously and nodded, barely able to contain my excitement.

  “The newest member of my pack.” She smiled as she placed her hand on my shoulder and smiled up at me warmly.

  “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “I only wish it were under different circumstances, son,” the remorse in his voice was hard to miss as he let go of my hand and motioned for us to follow him. Sam stuck close to my side as Logan and Matt followed quietly behind us but before I had the chance to look back the massive front door swung open once again and to my shock and surprise a line of people began to flood out and take their places in front of us.

  Women, children, old men and everyone in between stood happily before our tiny group. Sam and the others greeted them as if nothing magnificent had just happened but I, in my infamous naivety stood silent and still, staring at the faces that smiled back at me. They were all wolves like me, I could smell it on them and I counted at least forty bodies as I scanned their faces curiously.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Sam stop and turn to me. The others followed her lead as she made her way to my side slowly. Somewhere in my observation I had fallen to my knees, wide mouth and shocked at the display that greeted me, a sign of hope after the desperation and fear of the days before.

  All the bitterness I felt at my situation, all the loneliness and hopelessness that had come to feel like friends drifted away and in their place came a rushing sense of sanity, safety and hope. I felt Sam kneel down next to me, her arm wrapping itself gently around my shoulder as she took me into her embrace.

  “I’m not alone,” I managed to utter as she squeezed my shoulder gently. Logan, James and Matt looked down at me as I choked back the flood of emotion that shook me and made it almost impossible to breathe. Sam helped me to my feet and pulled me into a soft reassuring hug as the others looked on, their smiles never fading as I did my best to take it all in.

  “You never were, Ethan,” she whispered as she patted my back. I nodded in thanks and followed close behind her as she led me toward the building and past the hopeful faces of friends to come.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “This doesn’t look like much of a factory.” I smirked as I took a look around the expansive main room. The building had been renovated over time and despite the alterations that were made it still held a glimmer of what it once was.

  “That’s because it hasn’t been in nearly fifty years.” Grant chuckled as he flipped on the lights. The building came to life with the hum of florescence and my eyes struggled to adjust as every dark corner, every shadow disappeared with the pop of the blinding white lights.

  “I know that but that’s not what I meant.” I smiled as I looked curiously over the main room. It had been converted into some sort of hub. Tables lined the walls and each one was stacked with computers and various gadgets I hardly recognized. Newspaper clippings decorated the white plaster walls, old photographs and handmade charts had been pinned up to join them and as I quickly read them over a sense of excitement and mystery filled me.

  “What did you mean then?” I jumped slightly as the sound of his voice just behind me shocked me out of my trance.

  “It looks more like a hospital lobby to me.” I added with a shrug as Sam and the others joined at our side.

  “You’re observant.” He nodded as he shoved his hands in his pockets. “It was a hospital at one time, converted into a place to store and ship weapons overseas when war was declared.”

  “So why did you decide to come here?”

  “Was it easy for you to find this place?” I shook my head. “That’s your answer.” He smirked.

  “So what is all this?” I asked as I turned back to the articles on the wall.

  “You like it?”

  “It’s definitely interesting.” I chuckled as I skimmed over page after page detailing the gruesome history of the man we were chasing.

  “Our little operation has been running for nearly thirty years now, although I am sad to say that we don’t have much to show for it,” his voice was deep, friendly and somehow fierce as he spoke, the voice of a man who had seen his fair share of battle.