If I knew it was going to be this bad, I might have backed out of coming. Maybe I could rent a car and drive back? “Doing okay, Quinn?” Evan brushes a piece of my hair away from my face and leans in to get a better look at me.
I fake a smile. “Better when we land.” I shift to the left as the aircraft turns.
“If we don’t hear from the doctor by the time we leave, I could always get you some booze,” Griffin offers.
The thought of alcohol sloshing around in my belly while flying thirty thousand feet in the air makes me feel a little queasy. “Let’s just hope she calls.” The wheels touch the ground smoothly, but the roughness of the pavement makes the plane vibrate as we speed to a stop.
Every muscle in my body goes slack and I feel like I need a nap. “You did great, Quinn.” Evan lays his hand on my shoulder and gives me a slight squeeze. It sure doesn’t feel like it. But I thank him anyway.
Griffin rises, but doesn’t rush to disembark. Instead, he lifts his hand and motions for me to get up. Hastily, I unbuckle and stand, Evan is right behind me.
The sun is almost behind the horizon when the stairs fold down. Griffin and Evan are probably used to being up late, but I’m not. No wonder I’m sleepy, not to mention the adrenaline surge is over now that we’ve landed.
I eye the small airport, if you can call it that. I don’t even see a terminal. I do notice all the weeds sprouting up from the cracks in the cement though, and the high, chain-link fence surrounding the area.
Griffin looks down at his phone. “There should be a car waiting,” he mumbles, then puts it to his ear. “Find us some place to stay for the night, close. Four rooms. Text me and Max with the info. We’ll head back tomorrow.” He ends the call immediately after and pockets the phone.
My mood soars. That’s all I needed to hear. I can call the doctor again in the morning to get the pills.
The glare of headlights flash as an SUV comes around an old metal building with a car following right behind it. A man hops out as soon as the truck stops rolling and rushes over. “Mister—”
Griffin cuts him off. “You’re late.”
“Sorry, sir, we had an issue getting—”
“Keys,” Griffin demands, cutting the man off again.
“Come on, Quinn,” Evan says softly, encouraging me to follow him to the back passenger door of the SUV, which he opens for me before moving around to the driver’s seat. Griffin plops the key fob into the center console after getting into the passenger seat. “Can you give me the uncle’s address again?” Evan hits the navigation icon on the dash, and a map of the area pops up quickly.
He types it in as I’m reciting it. In seconds the route is highlighted. The drive should only take us a little over thirty minutes from the airport. By the time we reach the highway, the sun has fallen. I lean forward a little. “Do you think we should have waited until tomorrow? It’s already pretty late.”
“No, these smaller packs are most active at night when the humans are sleeping.” Evan catches my eye in the rearview mirror. “Make sure you stay close to us, it’s not only humans that hold onto prejudices.”
I wasn’t too nervous about making the move to Havenfall. I was hired to work there, after all, and knew I might face challenges, but walking into pack territory feels different. I haven’t given myself much time to actually think about what we’re trying to accomplish other than bringing Jacob back.
“No worries there, I’ll stick to you like rhythm and blues,” I vow.
Griffin turns and looks over his shoulder. “What does that even mean?”
“Like we go together, hammer and a nail, socks and shoes…rhythm and blues. You’ve never heard that?”
“I’m pretty sure no one has ever heard that. I think you just made it up.” Evan gives a slight chuckle.
“No, there’s this old song…it doesn’t matter. I’ll stay close, that’s all I’m saying.” I lean back against the seat and Griffin turns his gaze to the front window.
It’s so quiet in the car I hear Griffin’s phone when it vibrates. The screen illuminates his face with an eerie blue glow. “Rooms are booked at North Star Motel. I think I might just sleep in the car, or on the plane,” Griffin grumbles.
Evan turns his head, wearing a wide grin on his lips, showcasing his straight teeth. “Come on, it’s bound to be better than where we stayed in Siberia.”
“Everything is better than fucking Siberia.” Griffin gives a slight shudder.
Evan barks out a laugh. “Even I thought it was cold.” This is the first time I’ve witnessed a bond that seems to extend past working together. I wonder how long they’ve known each other.
“Our turn should be coming up.” Evan lowers his head, peering out the passenger window as he slows down. I didn’t even hear the navigation prompt a turn, but he’s right. The amber line is curving to the right.
I look closely past the glow of the headlights as we turn down a two-track road. I hope no one needs to pass us, there’s no way another car would fit.
The hair on my arms rises as an eerie feeling that I’m being watched falls over me. “There are a few trackers in the woods,” Griffin says, while Evan hits the button to lower his window.
“Might as well ask them where we can find Jacob.” Evan pulls up next to a small bank of dilapidated mailboxes. “If nothing else, we can find out where the uncle lives. I see the number Riley gave me posted on one of the mailboxes. I didn’t realize it wouldn’t take us right to the house.”
“Wait here,” Griffin orders, as they both open their doors and step out of the SUV, shutting me in the car—alone.
Evan’s window is still down, so I scoot into the middle seat and lean forward so I can check out what’s going on. Griffin rounds to Evan’s side of the truck. Just as I’m trying to get a better look at what the guys are doing, the headlights of the SUV blink out. The darkness is all-encompassing, pushing into the car. My eyes are slow to adjust to the glow of the moon, which provides a scant amount of light filtering through the tops of the trees surrounding us. I’m able to make out Evan and Griffin standing next to each other near the hood, but not much past that.
“I’m looking for Jacob,” Evan announces fairly loudly. He doesn’t get an immediate response. “He’s not in any trouble, Riley sent us,” he adds, his voice still booming.
“Where’s Riley? What do you want with us, bear?” I can’t tell where the voice is coming from, but it sounds like a man, not what I would expect a twelve-year-old boy to sound like. I mull over the word ‘bear,’ is that what Evan is, a bear? It would certainly fit with his size.
“Havenfall. He told you why we’re here. Where’s Jacob, wolf?” Griffin is the one to reply. I drag in a breath, concluding the use of the animal names must be an indicator of their shifted forms.
“He’s with Thomas.” I pull myself closer to the front seat. That’s who Riley warned me to say away from, the one Evan thought would be the alpha.
“Take us to him, or is he already on his way?” Evan tilts his head to the left. “Seeing as the other wolf already ran off to tell him.”
A thundering of footfalls interrupts the quiet of the moment. I see a few shapes emerge from the shadows of the tree line. I squint but can only make out darker forms.
“I’ll take you to him,” a clear, female voice volunteers. A woman solidifies near Griffin, not getting too close, but much closer than any of the others.
“Please don’t leave me in here,” I breathe.
“Bring along your human, she’s worried you might forget her,” the woman drawls.
I bite my lip to keep the curse from leaving my mouth. I didn’t mean to say that out loud. Evan reaches back and pulls the door open without turning his attention from the woman. I slide across the seat and put my feet on the running boards as Evan comes around the door and takes my hand, helping me from the backseat.
He crowds in close to my back as he pushes me closer to Griffin, whose back is turned toward me. Evan doesn’t st
op herding me until I’m nearly plastered to Griffin’s rear, and Evan isn’t far from my heels either.
“Take us to him.” Griffin steps forward and I let out a deep breath. This isn’t a situation I expected to find myself in during my second week. Evan urges me forward, not allowing me to put any space between myself and Griffin. I don’t feel frightened, not now that they are taking me with them, but I do feel out of my element and underprepared. That would make anyone edgy, not to mention I keep feeling Evan bump against my butt, and it’s the most action I’ve had in months.
Part of me is actually excited. Who knew the thrill of danger and a couple of hot dudes would kick-start my libido?
“Which of you does she belong to?”
“Me,” Evan growls.
While Griffin declares, “She’s mine,” at the exact same moment.
Griffin stops, my hands go up and brace against his back. “Both of you? What a lucky girl. You might want to tell her to calm down though. We don’t need her causing a stir.” The woman resumes walking, and Griffin follows in her wake.
“Sorry,” I whisper. “I’m a little nervous,” I admit, once there’s a few feet of distance from the woman and our small group. “Plus, you guys are acting like something might jump out and grab me from the woods.”
“Quiet.” Evan leans down and breathes near my ear.
I mouth, “Okay,” but I have a feeling they both heard me anyway. I need to do more research on supernatural abilities, like hearing and other senses.
My steps begin to slow after the first ten minutes of walking. The path is mostly clear, but I’ve stumbled a few times over roots and uneven ground. Each time Evan was there to grab my elbow, or I would reach out and grab onto Griffin’s back to keep myself upright. I’m getting tired though.
“Not built for stamina, that one, she seems like she might break easily,” the woman comments without any sign of being winded from our jaunt through the woods.
“I have plenty of stamina, I’m just usually in bed right now,” I defend, but it comes out sounding petulant. I curl my lips, pissed I let her get a rise out of me.
“Quit running your mouth, and we might actually get there,” Griffin snaps.
“Touchy, touchy. We’re almost there,” she singsongs.
True to her words, I can see the glow of a sizeable fire burning up ahead. A substantial wooden cabin comes into view as we draw closer to the firelight. I’m not sure why they’d need it, it’s warm, but the light is a nice change.
Several people step out of the back door of the house, and others come from the woods on either side of the path we traveled on, forming a large circle around us. I reach up and grab the back of Griffin’s shirt, tempted to reach for a handful of Evan’s too. This doesn’t seem like the friendly I’m here to offer you aid kind of meeting I was hoping for.
“Why are you looking for Jacob?” A rugged-looking man near the house tips his chin down and glares at us. His hair is longish and scruffy. He has a short beard, but it reaches high on his cheeks, covering most of his face.
“Knock off the power show, Thomas. I’m not here for your pack, but we both know what would happen if I was.” Evan crosses his arms over his chest and sends a glare back at the man.
“I don’t know where the kid is.” Thomas still sounds challenging, but he loses some of the rigidity of his posture.
“Lie.” Griffin doesn’t need to say it loudly for everyone to hear him.
“We came here to offer you and your people help, to let the young ones know there are other options than just running until you can’t anymore. But Thomas,” Evan takes a step forward, still managing to keep me between him and Griffin, “There’s something about you I don’t particularly like. Stop inconveniencing me and tell me what I want to know.”
“Why did you bring this human here? It’s her kind that took Riley.”
“Her kind took Riley because she got caught stealing food. Food that you should have been providing for her,” Evan accuses.
“I’ll give you Jacob if you bring Riley back.” Thomas’s eyes dart around quickly before settling on Evan.
“You’re not a very smart man, Thomas. Not happening. Go sit down,” Evan orders, his voice strangely growly. Thomas tilts his head to the right, holding Evan’s stare for a brief second before he looks at the ground and shuffles over to a broken-down lawn chair.
“Let me try this again.” Evan looks around at the group that’s formed around us. “We’re not you’re enemy. We came here because Riley asked for our help.” A few low whispers kick up. “We know she was struggling to survive, and she’s worried about her brother.”
A thin man steps forward from the back of the group. “You’re really here to take Jacob to Riley? Is she okay?” The man’s eyes narrow, but there’s something about him that seems almost hopeful too.
“She’s fine, worried about Jacob, but she’s doing well. Are you her uncle?” I inquire, releasing the back of Griffin’s shirt so I can face the man fully.
“They used to stay with me.” He shrugs.
“Don’t answer her, Chuck,” Thomas spits.
“If you speak again, I will rip your teeth out.” The cadence of Griffin’s voice is slow, making it somehow more threatening. I place my hand on Griffin’s arm automatically, which is rather strange, you’d think the threat would have frightened me.
“Just tell us where the kid is, and we’ll leave.” Evan opens his hands in an easy gesture.
“Jacob, come out here, boy,” Chuck hollers. The screen door opens with a squeak as a small boy steps out onto the sagging porch. He doesn’t even lift his head.
“I ain’t do nuttin’.” His shoulders are small and round, he’s thinner than he should be. My heart aches from seeing him.
“Riley’s worried about you, Jacob.” I push myself forward and Griffin moves with me, trying to stay in front of me, but I jerk my shoulder forward and sidestep his efforts. It’s not like I’m going to go running off.
“She okay?” The boy looks up at me while keeping his head down. I can only see the side of his face, but even in the dim light I can make out a dark swatch of bruising along his cheek bone.
“She is, Jacob, worried about you, but she’s good. She wants you to come back with us to Havenfall. She insisted on it, really.” I chuckle a little at how determined Riley was when she walked into my office, and how telling her I would do everything I could to help eased the weight on her shoulders.
“Sounds like Riley,” Chuck confirms.
I turn to look at some of the faces. Most of them are older, too old to offer my help to, but they need to know about Havenfall anyway. “Havenfall is a safe place for you, Jacob,” I tell him, but I hope the others are listening. “They can help you, and other young people like you. It’s a school and a place to live. A place where you can build a future with others like yourself.”
“You’re human. What do you have to do with it?” The voice comes from a man near the front of the group, and it’s rife with disdain.
“Watch it,” Evan growls.
“I am human.” I bring my hand up to my chest, understanding the mistrust. “But they aren’t, neither is anyone else. At Havenfall, I’m the minority.”
“She’s right, you don’t need to live like this. There are places out there for people like us. Places that can help you get on your feet, so you can decide if you want to be pack or not.” Evan adds.
“Like there’s a choice.” The bitter words are spoken by a woman, she’s probably thirty, maybe older considering she’s a shifter and they age differently.
“There is a choice, I’m not pack. I live with several different shifter species who aren’t part of a pack. We govern ourselves. We don’t follow arbitrary laws just because someone else says we need to.” I hear a scoffing sound at Evan’s words. “That doesn’t mean we don’t have rules. Everyone has rules. We’re building a future where everyone can be equal,” he continues, explaining it much better than I could, plus the
y would trust him more than me.
“So what do you say, Jacob, will you come with us?” I really don’t want him to feel forced, but I can’t leave him here either.
“Now? Tonight?” Jacob looks around. I can’t tell if he wants to come now, or if he wants to stay here longer.
I glance up at Griffin. He’s been really quiet most of the time, but it seems like he’s the one in charge of all our plans. It’s Evan who answers though. “We’ll give you time to gather your belongings, but yes, you’ll need to come with us now.”
“Grab your bag, boy,” Chuck orders immediately.
“Wait.” Thomas stands up again, his lips pinched in a frown. “You leave now, boy, and you better never come back.”
“I only stayed because I knew she would come for me.” Jacob’s teeth are clenched so tight only his lips move when he speaks.
“Then where is she? I’m the one that’s been taking care of you. You’re going to trust the word of these people over mine?” Thomas’s shoulders go back and his hands ball into fists.
I get a sick feeling in my stomach. He’s not acting like an alpha worried about losing a pack member, not that I really know what that looks like, but he’s acting more like a jilted lover.
“You sound worried about me, Alpha.” Jacob’s words drip with sarcasm.
“You ungrateful little fucker.” Thomas takes a step forward with his hand raised as if to strike Jacob. Before the gasp even falls from my lips, Evan is between them with Thomas’s arm clutched in his hand to stop the blow.
“Is that how you run your pack?” The disgust Evan is feeling is clear by his tone and the sneer on his lips.
“He needs to respect me.” Thomas averts his gaze from Evan.
“Have you earned it? Tell me, what have you done for these people but hold them back?” Evan shakes Thomas’s arm hard enough that the man ends up stumbling.
“I took them in when no one else would. I let them live here.” Thomas bristles at the accusations.
Havenfall Harbor: Book One Page 11
