by Lynn Red
Jackson stroked the hair from her forehead, his fingers rough against her skin. She snuggled deeper into him. The warmth of his body and the wearing off of her adrenaline was starting to make her sleepy. She didn't dare close her eyes, though. She kept one on her brother, making sure that his breathing stayed constant and even. She wasn't sure what they had done to him, and she wanted to make sure he was truly safe before she rested.
The van started to vibrate as Quent turned onto a dirt road. She could hear small rocks ping off the bottom of the van and wondered how the others were managing to sleep through the racket. To say the van was well insulated would be like saying a Solo cup made a good coffee mug.
The van finally rumbled to a stop and Quent stepped out and shouted a greeting to someone. Chloe shook her head, forcing the light doze out of her system. Jackson gave her a gentle squeeze before moving away from the back of the van so the door could open.
Chloe followed Jackson out into the cold night air. She hadn't realized the temperature had dropped even further since she had been snuggled up to a hot-blooded Were, but now without Jackson's warmth, she was shivering again. Big, wet snowflakes were falling from the sky and landing noiselessly on the ground. It wouldn't be long before they were lost in a world of white.
Chloe glanced around at where they had ended up. There were three log cabin style buildings set in a semi-circle facing one another. One was significantly larger than the others, with a large wooden porch and chairs spread out on the deck. The middle cabin looked as though it were a cafeteria and kitchen. The last cabin was a smaller version of the biggest, the windows opening to look out at the courtyard between them. It reminded Chloe of the summer camp she had gone to as a child and she wondered if that was what this was when it wasn't being used as a wolf safe-house.
A huge, intimidating man made of pure muscle rose from his seat on the porch of the biggest building. Thick black hair was pulled back into a ponytail and his shoulders were big enough to carry mountains.
"Is that the Alpha?" Chloe asked, stepping closer to Jackson. The man was so large, she was already calling him The Giant in her head.
"No," Jackson answered. He cocked his head to the side as though surprised at his own answer. He nodded in the direction of the smaller cabin. "That's the Alpha."
Chloe turned to see a man emerging from the snowy darkness. He was older, early seventies if she had to guess from his skin and coloring, but he didn't move like it. He stepped into the yellow light of the van and Chloe took a good look at him. He was tall and well-muscled, with thick, unruly, white hair and twinkling blue eyes. If he grew a beard and a gut, he would have made an excellent Santa Claus.
"Well, Quent, I have everything all set up for three new Weres and a lone Wolf," the older man said, shaking Quent's hand and then Jackson's. He peered at the military van as Blake and the other two soldiers moved groggily out of it. "I can see why you didn't want to say anything over the phone."
Even in the dark, the three soldiers looked fierce. Chloe had never noticed that about her brother before, but the way he moved was more fluid now. More like Jackson.
Blake stumbled as he jumped from the van, his legs not quite ready for the landing. Chloe hurried to his side, wrapping his arm over her shoulder. The Alpha looked at her as though he could see through her. She started maneuvering Blake toward the main building, but the Alpha moved to stand in her path.
"And you are?" The man asked, his blue eyes dissecting her features. Snow caught in her eyelashes as her brother sagged against her, exhausted. A hot spike of anger shot through her. If it hadn't have been freezing and close to midnight, she might have felt the need to be polite, but as it was, she just wanted to get her brother resting.
"Cold and hungry. You?"
Quent growled and shot her a frown. "Be polite!"
The Alpha brushed his hand through the air and gave her a friendly smile. "It's okay, Quent. It looks like she's had a rough night."
The Alpha went to the other side of Blake and lifted. Having someone helping to carry Blake's weight was a relief. She couldn't believe how much bigger her brother had grown in the last six months and she wondered just how much else had changed.
"I'm Arthur Crane. Let's get you two inside." The man began walking, nearly dragging Blake and Chloe along with him. The guy was definitely stronger than he looked.
Jackson and Quent were hot on their heels with the dark haired soldier draped between them. The Giant lifted the blonde over his shoulder and was strode through the fallen snow like as easily as if the man were nothing more than a child. It was less than a minute before everyone was inside the large cabin.
Inside, the cabin was warm and welcoming. A fire flickered in one corner of the long rectangular room and three sets of bunk-beds lined the far wall. Near the fireplace was a door with a crescent moon sign hanging on it. Arthur helped Chloe settle her brother on the bottom bunk nearest the fireplace. Quent and Jackson had the dark haired soldier in the second bunk, tucking the blankets around him neatly. The blonde was dumped carefully into the last bunk by the giant man.
Chloe tucked her brother in, brushing the stray strands of hair from his forehead. He would need a haircut soon. She yawned, throwing her hand up to cover her mouth at the last second. Arthur smiled gently and put a hand on her shoulder.
"You've had a long day. Get some rest. He'll sleep until morning and we'll talk then," he said kindly, putting a hand on her shoulder. She nodded and went to the wall across from Blake's bunk. Despite being exhausted, she wasn't ready to sleep yet. The firelight flickered across her brother's face as she drew her knees up to her chest and watched him sleep.
Jackson and Arthur nodded to one another, a wordless agreement to talk later passing between them. Jackson sat down next to Chloe, draping his arm over her shoulder. The Alpha watched them for a moment and then carefully followed the Giant and Quent out into the night.
Jackson's hand rubbed small circles across Chloe's back as she watched the firelight flicker across her brother's face. She was sure at any moment men with guns would come barging through the windows to take him away.
"You okay?" he asked quietly. His hand felt good on her back and she could feel some of the stress from the day fading the longer he touched her.
"Yeah," she said slowly, releasing her legs and cuddling into Jackson's strong chest. He felt safe. "It's been a crazy day."
Jackson kissed her forehead softly, still rubbing her back. She turned her face to look up at him. The firelight reflected in his brown eyes, his brows relaxed as he smiled at her. Chloe closed her eyes and kissed him, feeling his warmth spread down into her toes. He was so handsome. She was sure this was all a dream. There was no way that this handsome man was holding her and that her brother was safe.
His tongue slipped into her mouth, teasing her with softness. She moaned slightly and he smiled as he kissed her further, nibbling on her bottom lip and tasting her sweetness. His fingers kept their slow circles on her back. Her fingers touched his jawline, feeling the masculine stubble.
Jackson kissed down her jaw, down the angle of her neck, sucking gently at the sensitive skin. She shivered with delight and then promptly let out a jaw-cracking yawn.
Jackson laughed softly, kissing her forehead again and cuddling her into him. "I just can't seem to get enough of you," he whispered, his breath tickling her ear. "Go to sleep. I'll keep watch on them."
Chloe yawned again before nestling her head into the hollow of his shoulder. His heat and the gentle crackle of the fire had her asleep before she finished closing her eyes.
Chapter 27
Chloe awoke warm and in a strange bed. She sat straight up and promptly bumped her head on the bed above her. She swore and held her hand to her head as she carefully maneuvered out of the bunk bed. The fire still crackled in the fireplace next to her, but sunlight shone through the high windows of the cabin, filling the room with morning light.
The door with the crescent moon on it was indeed
a bathroom, which Chloe took her time using. She even found a comb and managed to coax her hair out of the giant rat's nest it had become and back into a usable ponytail. She found her coat and shoes stored neatly by the front door and stepped outside.
Snow had continued to fall through the night and the entire camp sparkled with fresh snow. The trees wore blankets of thick white and the ground glittered in the sun. Chloe took a deep breath in of clean, winter air and smiled. Today was going to be a good day.
She could hear the sounds of laughter and yelling, so she followed a path beaten into the snow by other feet. In a clearing just beyond the cabin, the four soldiers were playing football in the snow while Quent and Arthur watched.
The two soldiers, Chloe realized she still didn't know their names yet, were shirtless in the snow. Steam rose in tendrils from their muscular bodies as they ran to catch the ball. Jackson and Blake were in nothing but plain white t-shirts, the fabric already soaked and clinging to their skin.
Chloe licked her lips as she watched Jackson throw the ball to Blake. The wet shirt clung to his skin like a transparent lover, accenting the curves and lines of his chest and abs. His army pants hung low on his hips, hugging his perfectly sculpted ass. Everything about him was curves and strength and she could feel her core heating to see him.
"You sleep well?" Arthur asked without turning around as she joined them from where they watched the others play.
"Yes, thank you." She stretched her hands above her head and quickly pulled her arms back down as an inch of skin between her jacket and gloves exposed to the cold air. "How are they not freezing? It's gotta be a bajillion degrees below zero out here and those two aren't even wearing shirts."
"How else are you supposed to play shirts vs skins?" Quent quipped.
Arthur laughed. "They're Weres. The moon is full tonight and we tend to be a little restless. Those four are just burning off extra energy. I doubt they even feel the cold," Arthur explained. Chloe realized that neither Arthur nor Quent were wearing coats. They both had on short sleeved shirts and neither seemed bothered by the cold. She tucked her gloved hands inside her coat. Despite the men's reaction, she was sure it was still cold outside.
The blonde soldier had control of the ball now and was passing it to the dark-haired soldier. Jackson slammed into the blonde's waist as he let the ball fly, the two of them landing in the snow with a thud. They were both up in a minute, shaking the snow from their skin and chasing after the ball. Steam rose from both their shoulders and combined with their breath before disappearing into the sunlight.
Arthur turned, his blue eyes bright under bushy brows. "Chloe, there's something very serious we need to discuss with you."
Quent fidgeted in the snow with his foot for a moment before turning to face her. He put both hands on her shoulders, his eyes dark. He took a deep breath. "Chloe, your brother isn't human anymore."
Chloe snorted and nodded in the pointed her head in the direction of the football game. "They're playing shirts and skins in below zero weather and aren't cold. I think I got that one."
"Chloe, it's more serious than that." Quent frowned at her and she put her gloved hands over his bare ones.
"I know. He's a wolf now. I understand."
"It's more than just that. He's dangerous now," Arthur added. Chloe shook her head.
"No, he's not. I mean, yes, he's bigger and stronger and can hear stuff from a mile away, but he's still my brother." She smiled at the two men reassuringly. "I taught him how to swim. I was the one who made sure he didn't get beaten up in elementary school. He would never hurt me."
"He would never mean to hurt you, but... accidents happen." Arthur's eyes were calm and sure as he looked at her. "It's happened before."
"So I will be careful." Chloe looked back and forth between the two men. "Quent, you've known me for years and you've never hurt me. Jackson's hasn't hurt me either."
"Jackson is a different story altogether, and Quent has had years to learn how to control the wolf," Arthur said. "What Quent is trying to say, and failing, is that you need to stay in the councilors cabin tonight. And should probably not play football with them."
A loud bickering came from the football field as the four men scrabbled for the ball. Muscles and snow mixed on the ground as each man tried to gain the football. If she had been playing, she would have been squished. Hell, she thought, if a Denver Bronco's linebacker was playing, he'd be squished.
"Excuse me for a moment." Arthur turned from Quent and Chloe and stepped into the melee, yelling at the four to break it up. The two soldiers backed off immediately, but Blake and Jackson took a moment. Blake only seemed to back down once Jackson relaxed. Arthur picked up the ball and handed it to the blonde and the game resumed.
"This is not an option. I'm requiring you to stay in the councilor's cabin tonight," Arthur continued as he returned to his original spot. "With new Weres, they have a tendency to be unpredictable. They are a lot like big puppies. They don't know their own strength, and they tend to get a bit... overzealous. I just don't want to see you get bit. Or worse."
Chloe chewed the inside of her cheek for a moment. The idea that her sweet, helpful, loving little brother could be a dangerous killer was a difficult concept to wrap her head around. She didn't have the same bone-knowing feeling that she did with him and her safety that she did with Jackson. She thought back to when he first woke up from the tank and how he had squeezed Jackson's throat. Her hand touched her neck in an unconscious movement as she watched the Blake take down the dark haired soldier in a decisive tackle.
"I understand and I'll stay in the councilor's cabin away from Blake tonight," she said slowly. She looked up at the two men, and bit her lip. "They're all going to be okay, though, right?"
Quent put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "They're going to be fine. It's going to be a rough night, being their first shift and all, but they're going to be just fine."
"Your brother and his friends are stronger than any Were I've ever seen. Faster too." Arthur's eyes followed the football as it sped through the air and into Blake's hands.
"It's a good thing we got to them in time," Quent told her softly. I'm terrified to think of what that last dose would have done to them. As is, they are on the upper scales of Weres. I've never encountered anything like them."
Chloe nodded. "Thank you for telling me."
Quent patted her shoulder gently as the three of them resumed watching the football game. "You deserve to know what's going on. You're as much a part of this as anyone now."
Chapter 28
The evening sun hung low in the sky, slowly dipping behind the mountains as it were tired. The sky was awash in purples and reds with thin clouds making abstract and beautiful designs in the sky. On the other end of the sky from the sun, stars were starting to dot the navy blue heavens and the moon was beginning her full rise to glory.
Chloe sat at the window, watching the sun and moon shift places. A friendly fire crackled in the small councilor's cabin and she had a cup of tea on the table beside her. The cabin was meant to hold camp councilors during the summer months. As such, there were three small bedrooms, one bathroom, a utility kitchen, and a small table with four chairs next to the big window overlooking the center courtyard. Chloe could see the sun fading into to the west from the edge of the window, and the moon ascending in the middle.
The moon had been in the sky for much of the day, hanging low but still visible. She had asked why they all weren't shifting since the full moon was in the sky.
"The pull is strongest at night," Quent had told her over lunch. "We think it has something to do with the light source and some other phenomena."
"Like the ocean and fish spawning?" Chloe asked, her brain trying to combine various papers she had read on the subjects. Quent shrugged.
"I'm not sure. Not exactly a huge area of research currently being done on the shifting habits of werewolves," he said with a grin.
The day had been relatively calm. The
three new Weres were bustling with nervous energy as the moon pulled them ever closer to their wolf state. Arthur had her stay away from them, and as much as she wanted to see her brother, his flashes of anger at the other wolves told her it was for the best. Arthur and Jackson had to break up several fights, and Arthur had even been bit by the blonde soldier.
Evan, she reminded herself. The blonde is Evan Drandt, the other one is Joel Martinez. She had picked up their names when Blake had finally seen her watching them play football. Introductions were made all around, and then Joel had gotten a little close to her and made Blake growl.
A scuffle had almost broken out, but Jackson had been her protector that time. He stepped between her and the other two, and seemed to grow bigger. They had both backed down, then. That was when Arthur had decided she should spend the day away from the wolves. Jackson went with the three soldiers off into the woods to burn off more energy. She wished he would have stayed with her.
Instead, Quent had spent much of the day drilling her on her thesis plans. In all the commotion, she had almost forgotten that she was still a student and that there were still tests and papers due. Luckily, she was supposed to be with Quent this week to work on her thesis and lab work. Unfortunately for her, Quent didn't let her off the hook just because they were in the middle of the woods.
The sun gave one last yellow flash before ducking under its blanket of mountains and going to sleep. Chloe got up and checked the lock on the sturdy oak door one last time. The wolves would be coming out at any time now.
She was debating watching the transformation at all. Quent had told her that people often got sick watching a wolf shift for the first time. He said the first transformation was the hardest, the most brutal, and the longest. Once it had been done, the mind learned how to do it and it became easier. Just as a baby's first steps were clumsy and slow, so was a wolf's first transformation. Only, instead of steps, it was realigning bones, growing new teeth, and sprouting fur.
