by Jade Alters
Clay
The hut had the look of something thrown together on a lark, and then left to rot. The walls were rough, sodden planks that were anything but even and the roof was made of coarse straw and mud with a few gray stones thrown in for good measure. There were massive holes in both the roof and the walls and as far as shelters go, it was a 2 at best on a scale of 1-10. Had we been alone, we would have continued on up the mountainside and when we got tired, taken refuge in one of the many caves we knew were there. But at least for tonight we had to do whatever it took to make her feel safe with us, and gain her trust. This hut had two rooms and at least here she could have some semblance of privacy. Not that I wouldn't mind at all if she wanted to share my sleeping bag...and my body heat. But I realized this was all new to her and the idea of any type of sex, even if it was just the g-rated cuddling kind, was far from her mind. She probably thought we'd never get out of here, or that we would take advantage of her while she was up here alone with us. What she didn't know...yet, was that she was lucky. If she had to be stranded, she was at least stranded with a crew that would fight to the death for her in the event that we had to.
Will and Courtney walked into the opening of the hut that everyone but her had to duck to get inside of. I watched her eyes as she looked around. They were filled with disappointment. I was sure she had been hoping for a dwelling with running water and a pantry filled with food. That would have made us all happy. It was human nature to look for miracles when your brain wanted to convince you that you wouldn't survive...and me and my team were at least still part human. I was thankful that Titan had filled one of his bags with MRE's. The aluminum packets of military “food” were less than tasty, but they were filled with calories and vitamins and shit that Courtney would need to survive. We could and would go out hunting, but who knew if there was anything crawling around this God-forsaken place that we'd be able to convince her to eat. We had learned that as wolves we weren't all that discerning...not that we didn't all enjoy a steak and baked potato when we could get it, but life as a predator had also given us a taste for blood...the fresh kill.
“It's not the Taj Mahal,” I said, “But it will block out some of the weather.”
Courtney nodded. I had to admit that I was much more impressed with her than I had assumed I would be. She had done her absolute best to keep up with us all even though our legs were much longer and likely much stronger than hers...and I hadn't heard her complain once since she'd waken up in that Hummer we'd had to leave behind. I was sure she had a million questions, but she seemed to understand that survival came first. It was a quality a wolf looked for in his mate...but I wasn't looking for a mate, so that was an odd thought. Maybe it was just a part of my canine nature, the side of myself that I was still adjusting to.
Titan sat down on the mud floor, and for the first time since the bomb went off, he let his guard down, slightly. The M-17 was still draped over his shoulder and I knew the pistol he carried in his uniform would be out and ready to fire in mere seconds if necessary. He opened the extra backpack he'd been carrying and dumped out a pile of MRE's. He had grabbed at least two dozen of them, which would help our travels, considerably.
“You have a preference?” he asked Courtney. She made a face and said,
“The one they pretend is mac and cheese is at least palatable.” Will snorted out a laugh and Manny rolled his eyes. Titan shuffled through the aluminum packs and found a mac and cheese and tossed it in her direction. Without asking the rest of them what they wanted, he tossed one to each of his teammates and then looked at Will and said,
“How much water do we have left?”
“A pouch and a half.”
“Okay, after we eat someone will need to go...” He looked at Courtney and I saw him change his mind about what he was going to say. I agreed with Titan in a look that passed between us that letting her believe we didn't know exactly where we were taking her was probably best.
“Find water,” he said, leaving it at that. “Finding” it would simply be a matter of walking the two miles up the mountainside to the stream we knew was there...just like “finding” this hut. We had no idea how Courtney was involved in all of this, or exactly what she knew, so until we found out, things would need to remain classified.
“Bring back a rabbit,” Manny said, opening his meal pouch and plopping down on the floor with his back to the wall. I sat down too, leaving Courtney and Will the only ones on their feet. Courtney looked around the room again and without looking up Manny said, “Keep searching, a dining room table and the servants you're used to won't appear.”
“Don't be an ass,” I said.
“I don't need you to defend me,” Courtney snapped at me. Then with fire in her blue eyes she looked at Manny and said, “I grew up as a military kid so trust me when I tell you that I've never had servants. Did I have a comfortable life? Yes. Does that make a difference now? Not so much. I didn't ask for this. I didn't blow anything or anybody up. I didn't put us or you in this situation, and whether you've noticed or not, I've done everything I could to make the best of it. I haven't said a fucking word for however many hours it was that we traipsed through the mountains. I'm as covered in dust and sweat and even blood as you are. I'm as hungry as you are, and probably twice as tired because I'm not used to this, but I'm holding my own. If you have a problem with being here, protecting me or whatever, you're free to go any time. I didn't ask for your help...as a matter of fact, so far none of you has given me a choice as to whether or not I even wanted it. So like I said, if you don't want to be here, fuck off. Now, is there an outhouse or something? I'd like to freshen up.” She narrowed her eyes at Manny on that last line. The room was completely silent for a few seconds and then Will laughed, loudly.
“Freshen up, that's funny,” he said. “The next room has a little alcove. There's a hole in the ground. Titan you got any...” Titan was ahead of him. He pulled out a roll of the rough paper towels they used on base and held them out to her. She put down her mac and cheese and took them.
“Thank you.” We all watched her leave the room and as soon as she was gone Will laughed again and told Manny,
“Damn, she put you in your place.”
Manny shot Will a glare and then looked at me. “What is the plan? We're going to keep her hidden in the mountains for how long?” Manny and I were alpha all the way so I understood my teammate's frustration, an alpha always needed a plan to protect his pack, plus we all knew that having a female with us for too long, without any of us touching her, was going to be harder than anything we'd done so far. I was already trying to formulate a plan in my head that the others might buy, and I didn't doubt the rest of them were as well.
“We're not hiding her,” I said. “We're taking her...to the tower.”
Manny's eyes grew wide. He was one of the bravest men that I had ever known, but the mere mention of the tower sends shivers down every one of our spines. I could hear the fear in Manny's voice as he said, “Why would we take her there? Have you lost your mind?”
My mind was already on the chopping block in our little circle. Recently I'd been receiving “signals” from our Lieutenant Colonel, a man named Grover Dayton. He was the one who “saved” us, and in doing so he had sacrificed himself. He'd been like a father to us all and the past year and a half had been all about making sure he stayed alive so that someday we could all really “live” again. Then I had begun to hear a voice in my head. At first, I did think I was losing my mind...but eventually me, and my teammates accepted that it was Grover. Those words had been the catalyst for this entire operation, and the guilt I felt for my part in the deaths of those people today...Mitchell's death especially, cut me to my very soul.
“Not any more so than usual,” I said. “But those are the orders. Lt says they will kill her too if we don't bring her there.”
“And you don't think that maybe she'd be better off dead?” Manny snapped. “You don't envy Mitchell...just a little?” We were all silent t
hen. It was a horrible thought, but I did envy our friend. He was released from the hell we had all been living. Regardless, I couldn't let go of my own survival instinct, or my instinct to protect Courtney, or die trying.
We left the conversation at that, for now, because Courtney came back into the room. She'd taken the bandanna off her face and had obviously used the dry paper towels to wipe at the dirt there. Unfortunately the stains on the clothes she still wore underneath that coat would probably leave permanent ones on her psyche. As she walked over to where she left her meal and sat down she said,
“You guys are going to make a girl think you're talking about her if you stop every time she walks in.” Will laughed again. The rest of us continued to eat in silence. While I ate the tasteless, cold meal I thought about Grover. Lieutenant Colonel Grover Dayton, the reason we were even still alive. Of course he was also the reason we weren't quite human. Some days I respected and appreciated that, other days I wished I could rip out the man's throat.
That fateful night we'd been in pursuit of a group of Taliban who had taken responsibility for a car bomb that had killed and/or injured dozens of American soldiers. We had tracked them up this very same mountain and before the night was over, each of the five of us, and the lieutenant had been critically wounded. Our Lt knew something we didn't however. He knew what was going on in “the Tower”. He'd made a decision to alter the course of our lives so that we could continue living. The problem was that we were no longer sure which world we belonged to...human, or animal. Being angry with the Lt was next to impossible however, since he was the only one who became perpetually trapped in animal form. The Tower became his home and now the only communications he had with anyone other than the handful of scientists assigned there were sent telepathically from his mind to mine. I suspected we all had the ability to receive the messages, but thus far I had been the only one willing to accept them.
Walking with Courtney in tow to the tower meant that we were up for at least a two-day hike even as hard as she was pushing herself. Manny was right to worry about taking her there. But I knew they wouldn't take no for an answer. We would just have to figure out a way to save her once we were all there. Maybe, we could find a way to finally save us all. I didn't understand why I felt that way suddenly, but something about being around Courtney had given me a renewed sense of hope. I just didn't know how to explain it, or share it with my teammates. I just needed them to trust me.
I looked over at Courtney again. She was looking at me. I didn't know anything about her other than that she was a reporter. I was curious as to why the army let her be there in the first place...I was even more curious as to why “they” hadn't chosen to kill her along with the other civilians. They wanted her alive and at the tower, but she was fully human...so why? The doctors had knowledge and abilities they wanted. But what did they want from Courtney?
“Where are you from, Courtney?”
“California, near LA.”
“Is that where you work?”
“No. I took a job in Atlanta about six months ago working for KTAT Channel 6 News. The opportunity came up to do a story on the medical clinic on base and it was given to me. We were told that the base was offering medical help to refugees from Kabul and it would make a great documentary.”
“Were you invited here, personally?”
“No, I don't believe so. I'm much too new for someone to ask for me, personally. The station manager offered it to me though He was looking for someone that didn't...well, someone who could spend a good deal of time away from home.”
“Hmm.” I scratched my chin and held my hand out to Will who put the water canteen in it. After washing down the sticky meal I'd just eaten I said, “Just you, or did he offer it to others as well?”
“Why all the questions?”
I shrugged. “Just passing time, getting to know you.”
She frowned. “No. If you wanted to get to know me, you'd ask questions like, “Are you married?” “Do you have kids?” “Where did you go to school?” Your questions sound more like you're insinuating I was sent here and set up somehow.”
She was sharp. “That wasn't my intention,” I said. “Are you married?” She rolled her eyes but said,
“No.”
“Fiancé?”
“No.”
“Boyfriend?”
“No!” she snapped out the last reply and Manny mumbled,
“Shocking.”
Courtney dropped the half-eaten MRE down on the floor in front of her and said, “I'm going in the other room to sleep.”
“Courtney, wait...” I tried, giving Manny an angry look.
“I'm just tired,” she said. “Good night.” We all said good-night, Manny sounding almost under protest as he did. Titan opened his bag of tricks again and took out a tightly rolled sleeping bag. He held it out to her and with a thankful look, she took it. “Thank you. Good night.” We all watched her go and then I turned to Manny and said,
“She's right, this is not her fault. There's no reason to be so rude.”
Manny shook his head and said, “That's rich, coming from the guy who showed her his fangs earlier today.”
I looked at Will. “Sorry. I didn't know it was a secret,” Will said.
“I'm going to go out and hunt for a while. I'll be back.” I needed to run off the lust I was feeling for Courtney, the grief I felt for Mitchell and the annoyance I felt toward my own teammates.
Will stood up too. “I'll go get the water.” Titan and Manny looked at each other and Titan said,
“You wanna go with Will, I'll stay here.” Maybe a run would clear Manny's head too and he wouldn't be such an asshole, I thought. Manny was right, I had been extremely frustrated with Courtney earlier myself. But since the explosion, she'd given me...or any of us, no reason to treat her poorly. I didn't know why I felt so over-protective of her. Of course I was there to protect her physically, but the thought of Manny hurting her feelings had rattled me way too much. I had to stop thinking of her like she was a prospect for a mate and remind myself that she was simply a human who needed us to watch out for her. I wished I knew what we were watching out for...and why the Lt wanted us to take her to the tower. I left the hut, hoping that some time under the moon would clear my head enough that I might be able to communicate with Grover, and make sure that we weren't walking her into a trap.
Courtney
I lay in the dark room, in the sleeping bag, on the hard ground and willed myself not to cry. I was learning quickly that the men in the other room could smell weakness and fear and I didn't want them smelling it on me. I thought about each one of them then, Clay...gorgeous, masculine, snarky but with a sensitive side. Will...the one that seemed to find everything funny. Titan, the quiet one, and Manny, the dark, brooding one who obviously didn't like me, but I wasn't sure why. For some reason, he blamed me for everything that was happening. But that didn't make any sense. I was in Afghanistan as a reporter on assignment. I had done everything I was told to do, even when I didn't like it. So, there was no way that I caused or perpetuated any of this, and how dare he insinuate that I did? I got the feeling there was something else they were hiding as well. For starters, I still couldn't get the picture out of my head of Clay's eyes changing and his teeth seeming to grow when he was angry with me earlier. That was just too weird, and it was before I'd been thrown by the blast and hit my head, so I couldn't even blame it on that. I wanted to ask him about it again...but I wasn't sure I wanted to hear the answer.
I could hear them all talking after I first lay down, not what they were saying, but the sounds of their voices. Now it was quiet...too quiet. I'd heard the sounds of one or more of them leaving and for a few seconds I felt panic settle in my chest. What if they left me alone? I shook that thought off quickly. They might be a lot of things that I had yet to discover, but so far, the one thing they all seemed to have in common was that they took their job very seriously. I'd at least been able to shake off my worries that they might dec
ide to have their way with me. They'd had plenty of opportunity and no one had lay a finger on me...other than in a comforting or stabilizing way. I felt a tingle in my belly when I thought about Clay touching me in the car. I'd been angry the first time he lifted me up and carried me, and terrified the next. But in the car, his touch had been so gentle and sweet...and warm. For just half a second, I almost forgot where we were and what was happening. I had a burning desire to touch him back, to put my hand on the side of his face and feel the beard that seemed to be growing almost as I watched. That was another strange thing that I didn't think about until exactly that moment. Their beards all seemed to be growing, quickly. Will's had been stubble in the car earlier, I was sure of it. But, by the time I left the room, it was at least half an inch thick. Clay's beard was blonde, like his hair and he'd already had a full one when he stuck his head in my tent. But it seemed to be longer by the end of the day...Titan's and Manny's too.
I pondered that and was just about to put those thoughts to rest and try to sleep when the sound of a wolf, howling, sent a shiver through my body and down my spine. My eyes flew open and I looked around the tiny space, wondering if the slats in the walls were big enough to allow one through. I thought about getting up and going back into the other room. The men had guns and if a wolf showed up, they could at least shoot him. If one let himself into my room, I'd simply be dinner...surely the wolves that lived way out here were hungry. The entire time we'd been walking I hadn't seen one animal...not a squirrel or a rabbit or even a desert mouse. That was strange too...wasn't it? We were in the desert, on top of a mountain covered with shrubs and rocks, shouldn't I have seen at least one pair of glowing eyes? I sighed. My brain was going too fast and my thoughts weren't making much sense. I needed to turn it off and get some sleep. If these guys expected me to keep the pace they'd gone tonight, the next day under the desert sun, I was going to have to get some rest. I closed my eyes again...and another howl ripped through the night. This time, it sounded close and it brought me up out of the sleeping bag and without any more thought than that, I practically ran back into the other room.