Wolf-Run

by Linda Palmer

  "That's the one. Only in our case, it's until you take the cure."

  I could tell that ticked him off, but I didn't care. If my holding out made him see the error of his ways, then it was worth it. No one deserved a Were cure more than Brody Anderson, the most wonderful boyfriend in the world, who'd saved my life not once, but twice now.

  "Hmph. Have you ever heard Pat Benatar's 'Sex as a Weapon'?"

  "Okay," I said with a sigh. "Point taken." I would probably be the one who couldn't keep her hands to herself, anyway. I forked one of the wieners, roasted to burnt perfection. After popping it and two others onto buns, I handed them to Brody on a paper plate. He got up and helped himself to relish and chips while I fixed my own. We both sat down again and began to eat.

  Time to change the subject. "How did you know I was on the road tonight?" I asked around a huge bite. I immediately had to blow air in and out of my mouth to cool it down.

  "I've been guarding you since you kicked me out of your life."

  I winced. "I didn't kick you out. At least not permanently. I was just confused."

  "Was? As in, you're not anymore? What cleared your head?"

  "I found some papers in my dad's desk." I told him what they'd said. "Once I realized that Max had lied about his inheritance, I opened up to the possibility that you could be right. Not that I think you are. I mean, I still can't go that far. But I can't completely dismiss the possibility, either." Brody didn't answer.

  "Who won the fight?"

  "It was a draw. I did manage to hurt a couple of them pretty good before they backed off."

  I wasn't surprised. "Were they trying to kill me?" He shook his head. "They were there to make a point."

  "Which was...?"

  "They wanted me to know that the people I love will be in danger as long as I'm a rogue wolf."

  "So they knew you were in the car?"

  "Yes."

  "And all of you talked?"

  "After we phased back. NFM shifts take awhile, remember?" Brody finished off the last hotdog and his drink. He tossed the plate and soda can into the trash.

  "So you don't have a mind link."

  He sighed. "That's only in the movies, Cass."

  "But I heard your voice in my head tonight."

  "That's something else, altogether."

  "As in...?"

  "I can't explain it."

  Neither could I. "Tell me everything they said to you." I continued to nibble at my own food, all my attention glued to Brody. His seemed to be glued to the front of my cami. I crossed my arms over it.

  He raised his gaze, though he still looked a little distracted.

  "They, um, said that they knew the younger pack was around and had contacted me. They asked if I planned to lead them. I told them I didn't. They reminded me that I'd never be free of The Arm and promised that they'd always be watching."

  "Wow." I finished my meal and got up to throw my stuff away, too. I leaned against the counter. "What are you going to do?"

  "Not sure."

  "Maybe you should get the young pack together and talk to them about taking the cure."

  "Hell no."

  "Huh?"

  "I was happy to let The Arm go its own way while I went mine, but that wasn't enough for them. As far as I'm concerned, they've crossed a line by threatening someone I love—twice. I'm going to take them down. I need the pack to help me." Oh my freakin' gosh.

  "But Brody—"

  "I'm not discussing this."

  Great. Just great.

  "How do you feel about my inviting them here for a meeting?"

  "I'm good with it. I'll even cook lunch." And while they're all here, I'll put in my two-cents worth.

  He gave me a look. "Do you have any idea how much food five teenage boys can consume?"

  "I've got plenty...well, my parents do, anyway. Lunch will be on them."

  Brody grinned. "Thanks, Cass." He dug his cell phone and began making calls; I left to raid my parents' freezer and pantry.

  I found Iris in the kitchen and glanced at my watch in surprise. She usually didn't get there so early.

  "There's my sweet Cassidy," she said, holding out her arms to me. "I've missed you so much since you've moved out." I smiled into her blouse. I could always count on Iris for a comforting hug. "Missed you, too."

  She kissed the top of my head and released me. "So how is independence working for you?"

  "It's...different."

  Iris laughed. "In a good or bad way?"

  "Actually, both."

  "Hungry? I could cook you something."

  "Nope," I said. "I've already had a hotdog." She winced. Iris was all about eating right.

  "Do we have any steaks in the freezer? I'm having guests for lunch."

  "How many do you need?"

  "Six."

  Her brown eyes widened. "Six?"

  "Uh-huh, and they're all guys." I tried but couldn't hide my teasing grin.

  Now her brown eyes twinkled. "Any of them special to you?"

  "Maybe."

  "All right!"

  We gave each other huge grins, and I knew she was doing exactly what I was doing—remembering how many times I'd lamented my lack of boyfriend and worried that I'd never find the guy meant just for me.

  "I told you so," she said.

  "I know, I know." I sighed. "He absolutely amazing."

  "When do I get to meet him?"

  "Soon. So what about the steaks?"

  "We have plenty. I'll get them for you.” My parents loved to host dinner parties when they were in town and kept lots of food on hand, something I'd been counting on.

  "Do we have potatoes? I thought I might bake some."

  "Why don't you go au gratin instead? I have everything you need for a huge dish of them, and they're so easy. Plus, guys love cheese."

  "Thanks, Iris. Don't know what I'd do without you." She just smiled. "Have you talked to your folks lately?" I tried to keep my expression neutral. "Briefly. You know how busy they are."

  Iris didn't hide her feelings. "Busy, my behind. Someday they will slow down enough to realize they have an incredible daughter. Unfortunately, you'll be long gone, and it won't be anyone's fault but theirs." With a sigh of complete disgust, she left me.

  I pilfered through the pantry for a side dish and came up empty. Not that there wasn't anything in there. I simply had no clue what the male species liked to eat.

  When Iris returned to the kitchen, she had a plastic grocery bag full of rib eye steaks. My parents were all about good beef. She also had a huge bag of potatoes, cheese, an onion, and an index card with a handwritten recipe on it. We put everything into one of those rolling shopping-tote thingies and added a big baking dish. I gave Iris another hug and headed back to my place, a backyard away. Brody met me at the door.

  A glance back told me that the housekeeper stood on my parents' deck. I saw her face light up when she glimpsed my boyfriend.

  "Wave," I told him as I maneuvered the tote into my kitchen.

  He obeyed without question. Iris waved back.

  While I unloaded the food I'd stolen from my folks, I told Brody all about her. She'd been around most of my life, a role model so different from my parents. I shared with him my determination to be just like her when I grew up.

  "You already are," he said.

  That made me smile.

  "The guys will be here around noon. Will that give you enough time to pull all this together?" He dubiously eyed the frozen steaks.

  "Absolutely," I said, hoping I didn't lie. After checking out the recipe Iris had given me, I handed Brody a sharp knife, pointed to a barstool, and put him on potato peeling duty. While he did that, I worked on microwaving each steak individually for one minute on the defrost setting to get them started thawing.

  We worked in companionable silence for a bit before he stopped to swat an annoying fly that had somehow gotten inside the house. "Maybe I'm wrong about Max."

  "Maybe."

 
"If I'm not, what are you going to do?"

  "I have no idea." And I didn't. It wasn't like I could run to the police. There was, after all, no proof except a scent Brody's wolf-y nose had picked up. I thought about telling my Dad—if I could get his attention long enough, that is. But how could I convince him without giving away Brody's secret? And what could Dad do about his half-brother even if he believed me?

  Nothing, that's what. The past proved that.

  "A twenty for your thoughts."

  I laughed. "Wow! I've heard of inflation, but that's ridiculous."

  Brody shrugged. "Don't have a penny on me. Besides, your expression tells me they might be worth it."

  I told him the direction my Max line of thinking had taken.

  "Don't worry about him, okay? As long as we're together, you're safe from anything he does."

  "Then you'd better stay with me forever."

  "Deal."

  "What?"

  "I said 'deal.' I love you, Cass. I'll be around as long as you want me."

  Now who could nuke steaks—or withhold kisses and hugs—after a line like that? Not me, for sure. I threw myself at Brody, who jerked his paring knife aside just in time to keep from stabbing my arm. A second later, the knife hit the floor with a clatter, forgotten as we kissed and kissed and kissed. The hundredth reminder ding of the microwave was the first one that actually registered with me, and by the time I realized what it was, my cami had been pushed up to my arm pits and Brody's T-shirt had joined the knife on the floor. I fumbled with the top button on his 501s.

  "You're killing me," said Brody capturing my fingers.

  "All I want is thirty minutes," I told him with a nod toward my bedroom.

  He burst into laughter. "Baby, I won't last thirty seconds."

  "Mmm."

  "Don't do that!"

  "Fine!" I jerked my cami down before taking a steak from the microwave and putting another one in.

  "Don't be pissed."

  I glared at him. "Just promise me one thing, okay?"

  "O-kay." He didn't look that sure about it.

  "We will have sex—"

  "I promise."

  "Let me finish, please."

  He nodded and waited.

  "Promise me that we will have sex before I'm too old to want it."

  "Definitely. In fact, if I called Mom and asked, she'd say it loomed on the horizon."

  "Good." I deliberately didn't look his way while I finished the steaks and laid them out on a platter. I also didn't tell him where I was going when I left the kitchen to get cleaned up. I took my time showering and shampooing, drying my hair, and straightening it. Next, I put on make-up and my favorite cologne. After that, I tugged on skinny jeans and a red asymmetrical top that left one shoulder bare and set off my tan. Silver loop earrings and four-inch wedges completed the look, which was uncharacteristically daring and designed to show Brody what he was missing.

  When I finally stepped into the kitchen again, his gasp told me I'd succeeded. I gave him a sweet smile, took his bowl of peeled potatoes, and scooted the trashcan over so he could pile peeling into it. When he got a grip, that is. At that moment, he definitely didn't have one.

  "If you don't shut your mouth, that stupid fly's gonna land in there."

  Brody shut it and nodded.

  "Do guys eat salads?"

  "What?"

  I repeated the question...slowly and distinctly.

  "Er, yeah. Sure." I heard his hard swallow. "I do, anyway."

  "Good. I'll make one."

  He got up from his bar stool and walked over to me, standing so close that my backside brushed his, um, front side.

  "What can I do to help?"

  "You can slice tomatoes and chop carrots," I said, delicately rubbing my tush against him before turning. The guy's eyes practically rolled back in his head.

  "Okay. I'll do the freakin' cure thing. But not before we take down The Arm."

  "Yeeees!' I yelled, throwing my arms around his neck. Okay, so I played dirty. So the heck what?

  "In the meantime," he said, loosening my grip. "Would you please behave?"

  "No promises."

  Chapter Nine

  The thunder of motorcycles alerted me to the arrival of the pack just after noon on Friday. Dang those things were loud! I could just imagine what Iris must be thinking.

  Brody met them at the door. They piled into the kitchen, all of them instantly gaga at the sight of me and my bare shoulder.

  "Dude," said Jackson with awe in his voice. "Your woman's hot."

  "Why, thanks," I said since Brody couldn't seem to find his tongue. "The steaks will be done in five more minutes. Anyone need to wash up before we eat?" Not knowing their living arrangements, I thought that might be a reasonable question. They all did and made short work of it at my sink, using dishwashing liquid. As soon as Lee dried his hands on a paper towel, Brody handed him the meat platter we'd washed up earlier. "Get the steaks, would you? There's a grill fork out there. Be sure and turn off the propane tank before you come in."

  "You're not going to do it?" I said, surprised. We were the hosts, after all.

  "Don't trust these jokers enough to leave them alone with you."

  I don't know I kept from laughing.

  In minutes, I sat at my kitchen table with five Weres. I marveled that they all looked so normal. They could've been my classmates or something. I intercepted more than one appreciative stare and a matching glare from my boyfriend. Since I thought a jealousy would do him good, I pretty much reveled in it.

  The food went fast, even the salad. The potatoes were a huge hit. Dessert consisted of vanilla ice cream cones, which the guys ate without complaint. Welch even asked if I had sprinkles to put on his, which made me laugh so hard I nearly peed my pants.

  Finally, it came time to clear the table. By then I felt like Wendy in Peter Pan. These were lost boys, and now, I played the role of surrogate mom. We piled everything in the sink and sat down again, ready to hear what Brody had to say. My skin felt clammy all of a sudden and my stomach churned with anticipation. Whatever his plan was, it wouldn't be good. Not while there was a chance, someone could get hurt.

  Brody first told them all about the most recent encounter with The Arm. I saw meaningful looks exchanged and heard a few curses, muttered low.

  "So, if you still want me to be leader, I will." High fives all around the table left no doubt that they did. Jackson asked, "So what's the plan?"

  "Not sure yet. Tonight I just need to know that you guys are with me."

  "We are," said Stewart. The other three nodded.

  "Okay. I'm thinking I might meet with The Arm again—"

  "No!" My exclamation startled all of them.

  "Hear me out, Cass. If they think I'm coming back, they might open up to me. We have to know what they're doing in order to stop it."

  "Find another way."

  Brody looked from me to his too-interested-in-ourargument pack, then back to me. "Can we talk about this later?"

  "Not if you're going to tell me you're risking your fool neck in the slight hope that some wolves that will never truly trust you might spill their guts. It's not going to happen, Brody. And you're going to wind up dead."

  "They'll never kill me. It's bad Karma."

  "You're right," I said. "They'll drop you off in the middle of an Arizona desert, instead, and let the hot sun do it. Karma problem solved."

  "She has a point, man," said Lee.

  The others solemnly nodded.

  Brody sighed. "Fine."

  "Thanks," I whispered, taking his hand under the table. He just pouted, clearly not a happy camper.

  "We'll come up with a plan," said Jackson. "In the meantime, can we try to rescue some lost kids or something?

  There was one on the news last night. That would be a break for us. All we do is work, work, and work. It's so freakin'

  boring."

  "Where do you guys sleep?" I asked.

  "The pit."
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  So that's where they stayed—an abandoned rock quarry just outside of town. I suddenly wished I had four spare bedrooms. I'd have given them all a home; put them back in high school or tutored them for a GED, as appropriate; and helped them get fresh starts so they could live the lives Titus Leopold has stolen from them.

  "And where do you work?"

  "Lee and Welch work late nights at McDonalds," Jackson said. "I'm at Best Buy. Stewart busses tables at Chili's."

  "And no one ever asks why you're not in school?"

  "It's summer, and that's why we work at night. So everyone will assume we have school during the day."

  "Oh." My gaze swept them. "Has anyone in this room graduated from high school besides me?"

  They all shook their heads.

  "Okay. I need ages." I pointed to Lee, who looked the youngest. "Starting with you."

  "Seventeen."

  I pointed at Jackson. "Eighteen."

  Stewart came next followed by Welch. "Nineteen."

  "Seventeen."

  "And you've all been out of school at least a year?" They nodded in unison.

  "How'd you do it? I mean, aren't there laws about minors being out of school?"

  Jackson answered. "In Alabama, home schooling is legal. Titus supposedly tutored us."

  I sighed. "You all know that you can't go on like this forever. You'll never have decent jobs."

  They exchanged uneasy glances.

  "Yeah," said Stewart with a sigh. "We know." I glanced at my boyfriend. "Brody's taking the GED test in January."

  The pack looked at their new leader with what could only be respect.

  "Jackson, Stewart, you should, too. I'll tutor you while I'm tutoring Brody."

  Brody's eyes widened at the news I was taking over his education.

  "As for you guys—" I looked pointedly at Lee and Welch.

  "You've got to enroll in one of the high schools. Cops will get you if you don't." I looked Brody in the eye. "As their leader, you've got to make this happen."

  "I will."

  "Good."

  Brody scooted back his chair and stood. "Meeting's over, guys. Beat it."

  They did.

  In ten minutes, my kitchen looked as clean as it ever had. While the dishwasher hummed, Brody and I walked into the living room and sat on the couch to watch TV. I let him do the channel surfing and didn't complain when he stopped on a repeat of 'Cops'. That made me think of a something I didn't quite understand.