Pack Mentality

by Idella Breen

  She was beautiful, Gwen thought as she drank in the sight of the woman's snow white hair flowing down her shoulders like fine silk. The woman looked up meeting the werewolf’s gaze with a dark blue that was cold but seemed to twinkle with a hidden amusement. She had one purple pointed stripe down each side of her face. They completed the ethereal look. Gwen couldn’t help but feel as if she had seen this woman somewhere before but brushed it off as a silly thought. A hand waving in and out of her vision broke the moment and she blinked several times coming back to her senses. She turned to the owner of the appendage in annoyance.

  “Yes, Sam?”

  “Where did you go?” He chuckled.

  Gwen sighed and pushed past him. Shaking her head, she tried to get her thoughts in order. What was going on with her lately? Gwen was pretty sure she was straight. Actually, she was beginning to settle on the discovery that she was probably asexual. It was just, no one ever did it for her. Sure, werewolves had blood bonds, but that didn’t stop them from messing around. It could take years, decades even, before a wolf happened upon their blood bond and even then it might end with friendship and not romance. Gwen had simply just never felt anything besides numbness. Sure, she loved the people in her clan, they were family, and she loved Sam, he was her found family, but Gwen had never been attracted to anyone! Her heart had never stuttered, her palms had never gotten sweaty, after her talk with Sam earlier that week, she realized that even if she dated the old fashioned way, first she had to be attracted to someone. And, well, she just never was. Now, here she was, staring at a woman across the grocery store who was ethereal and incredibly beautiful and for some reason, she couldn’t keep her eyes off of her but even now, her heart remained heavy and numb, but her eyes were definitely magnetized and that woman was her positive connection. She couldn’t decide if she was attracted to the woman or just awed by her beauty.

  She practically oozed high class, privilege, and strength. Gwen figured she probably had men chasing her tail everywhere she went. The werewolf’s thoughts were interrupted by a heavy hand landing on her shoulder. Gwen looked back at Sam.

  “Yes?”

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yes Sam, I’m fine. Can we just get this shopping trip over with? I have to be back in time to meet Cait. She’s bringing Elena over today. I also have some other things to do today before the canoeing trip tomorrow.”

  “You mean, ca-brewing trip!” he laughed like a frat boy and Gwen sighed again.

  “Whatever, it’s really not my thing, but Remus insisted that I come.”

  “Live a little, omega. You’re always working. Remus just wants to make sure that you have some fun.”

  “Getting drunk while paddling in a canoe down rapids isn’t my idea of fun.”

  “Just think of it as an extreme sport,” he smirked.

  Gwen nodded absently as her gaze drifted down the aisle to where the woman had been. A sinking feeling filled her gut when she realized that the woman was gone. All week long she had felt kind of off. She hadn’t mentioned it to anyone, but there was a ghost ache in her chest sometimes but just in the short time she’d shared a gaze with that woman that ache had lessened somewhat. Now that she was gone, Gwen couldn’t help but feel somewhat lost. Truly strange, she thought, as Sam pushed the shopping cart down the chip aisle.

  “Oh, I forgot something!” he suddenly called out.

  Gwen turned to him. “What?”

  “I’ll be right back. Let me go grab it real quick.”

  “Okay. What snacks did you want? I’ll get them for you.”

  Sam called over his shoulder, “Cheetos!”

  Gwen smiled and took control over the shopping cart. She made her way to the cheese snack and parked the cart to look over the selection. She knew Sam, as well as a few other members of the clan, liked the flaming hot ones, she looked to the high shelf. Of course, it would be on the top shelf. Sighing, Gwen moved closer only to realize, that once again, her height was her enemy. Sometimes, she really hated being short. She attempted to move backwards and was pondering whether the bottom shelf would support her weight, only for the heady scent of jasmine to surround her as heat pressed flush into her from behind. A soft hand gently ghosted over the sensitive skin of her waist where her shirt had ridden up. Electric shocks tingled along the skin where the woman’s hand touched shooting straight up into the omegas chest. She felt the weight of twin mounds pushing against her as a pale arm reached out over her head and grabbed the flaming hot snack before completely retreating. Gwen unfroze and spun around. Standing before her was the woman from earlier. Her face was stoic but there was a heat burning within her blue gaze.

  “Did you need this?” Her smooth voice snapped Gwen out of her shock.

  She nodded dumbly as her heart pounded in her chest. Why was it pounding? Gwen wasn’t sure. Her heart never did this unless she was in a fight. The woman held out her hand. “I’m Silvia,” she said.

  Gwen suddenly blushed but gained her wits back. Gwen also never blushed, why was she blushing now? Quickly taking the offered hand, she gasped out her answer as her skin tingled, “Gwen.”

  “Silvia smirked, and god, if it wasn’t beautiful on her face. “A pleasure.”

  All Gwen could do was nod dumbly. She had the fleeting thought that she hoped that the woman hadn’t seen her staring earlier.

  “I couldn’t help but notice that I caught your gaze.”

  Gwen blushed and sputtered, “Sorry, I didn’t— I didn’t mean to stare.”

  “I don’t mind.”

  “You’re kind of beautiful,” Gwen blurted out before she could stop herself. Her hand shot up to cover her mouth. What was wrong with her? She was never like this, she thought, as she began to panic.

  Silvia’s smirk softened into a smile and Gwen’s breath caught in her throat. “Thank you. That’s very kind of you.”

  Gwen couldn’t look away. For some reason, this woman seemed to be glowing, as if the sun was beneath her skin.

  Silvia’s smile fell and her eyes seemed to sharpen as well, “I’m glad I was able to meet you again.”

  “Again?”

  She nodded her face once again controlled into a stoic mask. “I wanted to apologize for causing you to spill your coffee last time. I would have done it then, but I was late for an important meeting.”

  “Coffee?”

  “I’m not surprised you don’t remember, but for me, you were kind of hard to forget. I pay back all my debts and I owe you a coffee.”

  Gwen’s confusion cleared and was replaced with embarrassment, “Oh my gosh, you were one of the people I nearly plowed over at Starbuck! I thought you looked familiar!”

  Silvia smirked. “I’m glad I left an impression.”

  “I felt so bad! I didn’t like, hurt you or anything, did I?”

  She waved off Gwen’s concern, “It was nothing. I would be a bit pathetic if something like that harmed me.”

  “Still, I feel terrible! Is there anything I can do for you? I just feel so bad.”

  Silvia’s blue eyes seemed to get a predatory gleam to them that had Gwen almost regretting her guilty conscience.

  “Are you busy this afternoon?”

  The omega blinked.

  “Gwen?”

  “Huh?”

  “I asked if you were busy this afternoon?”

  “Why?”

  “Well, if you’re free I’d like to take you out for drinks.”

  Gwen blinked again. Why was this woman still glowing?

  “Gwen?”

  The omega shook her head to try and get her mind straight. “Drinks?”

  “Are you not free?”

  “No!”

  Silvia frowned. “No?”

  “No, I mean yes. Yes, I would like to go out for drinks. Are you free?”

  The humor was back in her glacial gaze. “I wouldn’t be inviting you if I was busy.”

  Gwen blushed. “Right. I knew that. Just checking.”

  Silvia look
ed around, and her nose twitched as if she suddenly smelled something, she frowned in what seemed to be annoyance before meeting Gwen’s gaze. “Can I have your number? I’ll call you later with the place we can meet at unless you have any suggestions?”

  The omega thought for a moment. She had to babysit Elena for a few hours but she would be at Remus’s house. If they were to meet afterwards it would be easier if it was someplace close to there. “How about Kirks?”

  Silvia nodded. “I know the place. How about I meet you there at twelve-thirty?”

  Gwen shook her head. “Can we do two-thirty instead?”

  “That’s fine. Can I still have your number? In case anything happens?”

  Gwen flushed. “Yes, of course. Umm, okay, are you ready?”

  Gwen said the digits, and Silvia added her as a contact, before looking back up and smiling wide, showing off impressive canines. “I’ll see you later then, Gwen.”

  With that, she walked away, spinning around at the end of the aisle and catching Gwen’s embarrassed gaze. Her lips turned up at the corners only slightly, and her eyes twinkled, then she was gone. Gwen sighed wistfully. She couldn’t believe that just happened. That woman was just so pretty. Like her face had all the right proportions. It was almost like looking at a work of art. She was startled from her thoughts by a gruff voice.

  “Found them! I had to get some Bud Lite but Remus said that they had to be cans because we couldn’t bring—”

  He stopped mid-sentence and growled. “Were you speaking with someone?”

  Gwen looked down at the Cheetos in her hand and couldn’t help the frown that overtook her face. She placed the snack into the shopping cart, and began to push it away, but was stopped by a warm hand on her arm.

  “Gwen, was someone here?”

  She was startled by the anger in Sam’s voice and placed her hand on top of his. Some of the tension in his body was released and he relaxed his hold. She smiled and shook her head. “Someone just helped me with getting the snacks down from the top shelf. Nothing you need to be concerned about.”

  His face was tense for a moment before a smile took over and he chuckled. “You always were short. I guess I take my height advantage for granted.”

  “Hey!” She slapped him in the arm as he placed two sixty-four packs on the bottom level of the shopping cart.

  “Was that supposed to hurt?”

  She frowned. “I guess not,” she muttered under her breath as she pushed the cart down the next aisle. The scent of jasmine still lingered on her clothes making her relax. She had been tense lately for some reason. She was rounding the next corner when her cellphone buzzed. Stopping, she pulled it from her pocket. There was a text from an unknown number.

  It was nice meeting you, Gwen.

  This is Silvia by the way.

  Gwen paused for a minute, saved the number, then decided to say something back.

  Looking forward to later? ;)

  There wasn’t an immediate answer. Gwen suddenly had a thought. She had felt something.

  Sam’s gruff voice interrupted her. “Gwen? Why did you stop? Come on, we still have tons of stuff to get.”

  She shook her head hardly having realized that she’d stopped. Gwen absently began moving again but her mind was in chaos. Her chest was numb again. Actually, the slight ache that had been there was now worse then before but the numbness was once again overpowering. Even as the slight tingles from where their skin had touched began to fade the ache in her chest grew and the numbness blocked everything else out.

  The important thing, the thing she needed to mull over, was that she had felt something. Silvia made her feel. Was it lust? Love at first sight? She doubted that but she wasn’t sure what such a thing would feel like. Was it even attraction or anxiety? What was Silvia? Did her species cause such a reaction in others? Gwen was sure she wasn’t human, she smelt, off. Different. Earthen, like a werebeast, but spicy. Was she a threat? Should she tell Remus? No.

  Gwen was slightly shocked. Every cell of her being told her, no. It told her that Silvia was her’s. That she didn’t want to share her with anyone, not even her friends or alpha. What a strange reaction, she thought. Was this a curse of some type? Something to prevent her from sharing their meeting with anyone? No. Gwen knew she could tell someone about the mysterious woman, but she didn’t want to. Her wolf didn’t want her to. What exactly was she feeling? Gwen wasn’t sure. The numbness was coming back, and the tingles were all but gone, and the ache was distracting.

  “Gwen?”

  “Huh?” She looked up in confusion.

  “That’s all that’s on the list. We can check out now.”

  She nodded absently and followed him. They quickly finished up the rest of the shopping and Sam was driving them back to the Lander’s land in silence when he interrupted her thoughts again.

  “Gwen?”

  She turned to him. “Yeah?”

  “You’ve been distracted for a while now. Are you sure everything's okay?”

  Gwen looked out the passenger window. As the omega, everyone in the clan was always concerned with her wellbeing. It was a bit ironic, as she was also responsible for everyone in the clans wellbeing. In this way, it was all give and take and even though it wasn’t entirely equal, it worked. Gwen was like an older sister to the younger wolves, and like a little sister to the older wolves, so it worked. Gwen was important, but more than that, she was useful. She balanced out the power of the clan. Remus was the alpha but even though he commanded their respect, as well as had absolute control, clans didn’t function well without a healthy omega. Without a happy omega, the alpha was law and order without the cushioning to keep everyone happy with those laws. It was the difference between a tyrant, and a loved and respected leader. So, it wasn’t so strange, that when the omega was troubled, everyone in the clan was compelled by instinct, to help in anyway they could.

  “Gwen?”

  “I’m fine Sam. There is just a lot on my mind right now.”

  “Do you want to talk about it?”

  She shook her head. “It’s not important.”

  “If you’re sure.”

  “I am.”

  “Okay.”

  They sat in silence for a while before Sam chuckled. “My goal for the trip is to tip someone's canoe.”

  “You better not tip mine. I’ll kill you!”

  “You and what army? I can squash you with my thumb,” he laughed.

  “I’ll set Remus on you!”

  Sam stopped. “Of course I won’t tip yours. I was thinking about tipping Chris’s. He’s been annoying lately with all the talk about his new motorcycle. The whole clan has been subjected to his monologue about it.”

  Gwen laughed. “I might even help you then.”

  They both shared a laugh before it was quiet again.

  “Gwen?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I want you to know that you can tell me anything. I would never judge you. You’ve been my friend since we were kids and I’ll always be there for you if you let me.”

  Gwen smiled. “I know.”

  He smiled. “Good.”

  She looked back out her window. “I’m just not ready to talk about it yet.”

  He nodded. “When you’re ready then.”

  “Yeah.”

  He reached forward to turn on the radio. The sound of the Lord of The Rings soundtrack blasted through the speakers. Gwen giggled and relaxed fully into her seat as she watched the scenery whip by. He always was a bit of a nerd despite being one of the bigger wolves in the clan. Sam was in line to be the next beta. He still had to challenge the current beta though, before he could claim the current position, and Sam just never seemed to have the ambition to do it. Gwen always wondered why he didn’t. The current beta was old, but he was smart, and had battle experience. Sam was definitely stronger than him though. Gwen always just figured that he would do it when he was ready. She glanced over to the man. What was he waiting for? She was pulled from her
thoughts when her phone buzzed again. She pulled it out.

  More than you can imagine ;)

  As Silvia left the grocery store she paused and pulled out her cellphone. She didn’t know why she had approached Gwen. Something inside of her just jumped to the surface when their eyes connected. She was compelled to get closer and then it was only natural to start a conversation. Gwen was cute if a bit awkward but something about her drew Silvia in like a moth to the flame. This was an unplanned circumstance and could prove to be a deadly one.

  Silvia knew she was being followed but at least her phone was her’s. She’d have to burn it soon and get another one through. Things were getting dangerous and her interactions with Gwen were going to cost her everything if she wasn’t careful. Silvia liked to play the long game but her long game had only ever consisted of keeping her brother safe. Then she met Gwen, and suddenly all her instincts were telling her to consider the woman in her long game. That suddenly, she couldn’t just focus on her brother. Silvia wasn’t stupid. She’d been taught about mates and the such, but she had just figured she wasn’t meant to find her’s. Gwen was not what she was expecting but she couldn’t deny the pull she felt for the woman despite the woman’s seemingly obliviousness. Silvia chuckled only to frown. Gwen was turning her into a giggling school girl.

  She caught the scent of one of the men following her. Silvia smirked. It would be fun to play a little hide-and-go-seek, she thought, and quickly sent off the texts, first one to Gwen, then one to the person she wanted to meet with later. She hated to admit it but she needed help now that Gwen was part of the equation. She was going to have to call in some favors if she wanted to make this all work and that meant talking to neutral parties.

  First, She would have to lose these buffoons to meet with her contact and she needed to do it quickly. She would probably still be able to meet with Gwen before meeting with her contact but it would be close. It seems her rock and a hard place was beginning to crush her, Silvia thought bitterly, as she ducked into an alleyway and took off running. Werewolves had nothing on inuyoukai, she grinned and disappeared into the shadows.