by Sarah Noffke
“Finally, you’re being useful,” Adelaide said. “Give me all the details.”
“Oh, yeah, finally. Like reporting your abduction wasn’t a big deal,” Roya said.
“Totally wasn’t,” Adelaide said. “Details. Give ’em to me.”
“It’s one of my men, of course I should go,” Zephyr said.
Adelaide shook her head at him. “Think about it. I know you don’t really have many brain cells, but devote all three to this situation. Malcolm is apparently apprehended by a Neanderthal. Who are the best people we have to fight someone like that?”
He thought for a moment. The answer was obvious. “Rio and Rox,” he finally said.
“Yes, and just because you’re the alpha wolf, doesn’t mean you should go on every case. In some circumstances, you need to sit back, stay safe, and assign the right people to a project. That’s what a good leader does. They lead. Not go on the mission,” she said.
Zephyr bit down on his bottom lip, his eyes going skinny as he did. He didn’t appreciate being reminded of something he’d learned long ago at Officer School. It chagrined him more than ever the way Adelaide belittled his experience, and yet she was right. He had every intention of going on the mission before she stopped him. That was because now things were personal whereas before, in the Special Forces, they were business. Being an alpha wolf was both similar and dissimilar to being a captain.
“Okay, I’ll assign them to go after Malcolm,” he said, blowing out a breath.
“I’m leaving the strategy in your hands,” she said, and then something in her gaze shifted. “And on another subject, I’m sorry about David. That had to have been hard to lose another member of the pack.”
“It was,” Zephyr said, his jaw flinching. It was haunting him daily, but such was the weight of being the alpha wolf.
“Go tell dumb and dumber that they have a mission. Oh, and you might want to tell Rox to stay focused and no hooking while in Las Vegas. It will be hard for her to resist,” Adelaide said.
Zephyr released a small smile. “Yeah, I’ll warn her.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
“A man might befriend a wolf, even break a wolf, but no man could truly tame a wolf.”
- George R.R. Martin
The smoke in the casino sought to wrap around Malcolm and suffocate him. He rested his forehead on his hand, wondering why he was seeing double of his cards. Then his forehead slipped off his palm and he barely caught it before it smacked into the felt table.
A hand grabbed him by the shoulder, pulling him up. His feet weren’t at all happy about the idea of being under him, but he managed to stand by leaning against the table.
“Overserved again, mister,” a guard from the casino said in an angry whisper at his ear, so the other gamblers couldn’t hear. Still, a few looked over, curious about the drama.
“Nah, I just forgot to sleep last night. I’m tuckered out,” Malcolm said, his words slurring.
“Well, take a nap and don’t come back drunk. You’re out of here for the night.” The guard tugged Malcolm’s arm, nearly dragging him to the exit.
Damn it! Again he was getting kicked out of a place. It just never ended, he thought, his head lolling to the side.
At the door the guard who could use some manners pushed Malcolm into the back parking lot before slamming the door. Malcolm made it to the curb, deciding that looked like the perfect place to take that nap he’d mentioned.
“There’s our boy,” Rox said, from the driver’s seat of the SUV.
“And there’s the monster,” Rio said, watching as a caveman-looking thing stepped out of an unmarked van on the same side of the street as where Malcolm sat. “Damn it, why didn’t we meet him at the door?”
“Because I wanted to see this Neanderthal. You know that if Zeppy was here, he’d make us do the responsible thing and avoid a fight. But it’s just the two of us and I say we go kick some caveman butt,” Rox said, opening her door and stepping out.
“You know, I’m starting to like you more and more. You’ve got a spunk I can admire,” Rio said.
Malcolm pulled his head up when he heard a car door slam on the opposite side of the street. A blonde in black stilettos and skinny jeans was approaching him, her gaze on something that wasn’t him. He went to go push up to a standing position and then realized that wasn’t available to him. I’ll just let her come to me, he thought.
“Hey, honey. You sure are looking fine in that zebra-striped tank top. Why don’t you come over here so I can count your stripes,” he called out to her as a man the size of ox joined her on one side. “Or never mind,” Malcolm said, his eyes following where the pair had their gaze centered.
“Holy fuck,” Malcolm said, scrambling again to stand and again realizing that wasn’t a good idea. On the sidewalk down from him stood a thing that made the ox man look like a mouse. The figure was more like a lawn mower than a man. His flat nose and large forehead made him appear almost like a caveman. And his arms looked too long for his body, like they were meant to drag on the ground.
“Don’t worry about this, tiger. We’ve got you covered,” the woman said, trotting past him, her fists balled up at her side.
“Ladies first,” Rox said to Rio, striding in front of him.
“Be my guest, princess,” he said.
She halted just a few feet from the Neanderthal, who looked confused. It peered around her and at Malcolm sitting on the curb, who was half watching, but looked close to falling asleep.
“Him,” the beast said, pointing at Malcolm.
“Nope. Not today, big guy,” Rio said, making a wall, standing next to Rox.
The thing that was once a man grunted, his five-head wrinkled with frustration. “Him,” he repeated.
“No, bad caveman,” Rox said. “He’s ours. But what are you going to do about it?” And she reached forward and pushed the monster in the chest. He didn’t rock back a centimeter, but instead roared, his mouth opening wide, showing a mouth of large teeth.
Neanderthal balled up his fist and pulled it around in Rox’s direction just as Rio blocked it with his forearm. “Haven’t you heard it’s rude to hit a lady?” Rio said, stopping the caveman’s progress and then launching his own arm back the opposite way, knocking them both sideways.
Again the caveman pumped his fist in the air, but Rio blocked it with his palm. Still the force was so great it pushed Rio back farther into the parking lot. Rox flew forward and jumped on the caveman’s back, her arms around his neck. He flailed his arms behind him, trying to swat at the girl wrapped around him. Several times his hand bashed into Rox, but to no effect.
“Now I can say I’ve ridden a caveman,” Rox said, between dodging the harder assaults. They didn’t hurt, but she was afraid they might mess up her makeup. She’d just had this new set of eyelashes put on that morning.
Rio dived at the caveman’s, waist knocking him on his back with his super strength. The Neanderthal flew back on the concrete, Rox under him. Unharmed by having such a great weight on her, she tightened her arm around his neck, pressing down hard on his throat. The caveman’s arms were now restrained by Rio, who was sitting on top of his waist and pressing both wrists down with his meaty hands. When the caveman stopped moving, Rox let out a giant breath of relief.
“He’s out?” she said, over the caveman’s shoulder, looking up at Rio.
“I think you’re responsible for killing the last Neanderthal. I always knew women were the death of men,” he said, standing up and towing the gigantic man away from Rox.
She brushed herself off as she popped into a standing position. “That gorilla smells like he hasn’t taken a shower since the stone ages,” Rox said, and then her eyes suddenly darted back to the sidewalk. A white van had pulled up next to Malcolm, and a man whose black uniform she recognized was dragging the drunk into the back of the van.
“Hey! No!” she yelled, bolting forward.
The guy raced to
get in the van as the passenger window rolled down and another guard saluted in their direction. “Thanks for the lift before. We’ll take this one this time,” he said as the van sped away down the busy street.
Chapter Thirty-Three
“She slept with wolves without fear, for the wolves knew a lion was among them.”
- R.M. Drake
The third Sunday of the month was Mrs. Magner’s day on the church flower committee. She’d been arranging the flowers for those services since Kaleb could remember. He used to play in the back rooms of the church while she trimmed flowers on Saturday evening, taking care as she arranged them in large vases. Other than when Kaleb was a young child and his mother’s constant companion, she always arranged the flowers alone, once remarking that it was a meditative process.
The church was empty aside from Mrs. Magner when Kaleb slid in through the back exit. He could hear her humming down the hall, although the music she made wasn’t loud; it was just that his werewolf ears made it possible for him to hear that which most didn’t notice. He flexed his fingers, gauging how normal his hands looked when not changed. No one would believe that he grew claws, fangs, and hair when changed. Well, Mrs. Magner would. She’d seen it with Zephyr.
Not making a noise, Kaleb paused in the doorway to the kitchen. Mrs. Magner was bent over a table, roses and carnations laid out in front of her. She snipped an end of greenery and then slid it into the vase.
“Mother,” he said in a whisper.
The older woman spun around, horror already written across it. In her hand she held the shears and a red carnation. “Kaleb,” the woman said, her face turning into one of shock and then shifting to relief. Dropping the things in her hands, she rushed forward, throwing her arms around his shoulders. “Oh, son, where have you been?” she asked, pulling him in to her tightly. He heard the tears in her voice and released one of his own that rolled down his cheek and landed on her shoulder.
Pulling back, the woman looked Kaleb over. “Are you all right? For God sake, I’ve been so worried. I thought you were dead and then…” She trailed away, biting down on her bottom lip and shaking her head as more tears spilled over her smooth cheeks. “Oh, Kaleb, the worst thing has happened.”
“I know, Mother,” Kaleb said, holding her hands in front of them. It felt so good to see her and then also so wrong. This was the woman he’d loved unconditionally and yet, there were so many things unsaid between them. So many things he could never say, afraid to lose her favor. Was that unconditional love or was it censorship? “Father is dead. I know. I was there when it happened.”
Her hands flew to her mouth. “You were? Why? That was at our house,” she said.
“I know. I was coming home to see you. To say goodbye,” he said.
“You saw it?” she asked, wrinkles springing up around her eyes as she squinted with shock. “Then you know what attacked him. Oh, my poor dear. I’m so sorry you saw that. No wonder you ran away,” she said, and stepped forward to hug him again.
Kaleb shook his head and stepped back, holding up his hands. “A werewolf didn’t kill Father. It was a man. Not a normal man, but it wasn’t a werewolf,” he said. He was going to fix this. Adelaide had trusted him and he knew how to make his mother stop.
She was already shaking her head before he was done speaking. “Maybe you didn’t see it. I was there watching through the window. I saw the werewolf and the horrible things it did,” she said with a shiver, like the event was playing before her eyes again.
“No, Mother. I know for a fact it wasn’t a werewolf who killed Father,” Kaleb said. “I swear to God.”
Mrs. Magner opened her mouth to say something, but shut it, pursing her lips. “Now you know better than to—”
“Mother, I’m a werewolf. That’s how I know. The one you saw isn’t bad. He was protecting me. Saving me,” Kaleb said, flipping his head over his shoulder. Upstairs someone had entered the church. He needed to be fast.
Tears choked out of Mrs. Magner at once. “Oh dear Lord. Say it isn’t so. That’s where you’ve been? That’s what you’ve become? One of those awful beasts?” she said.
“I didn’t have a choice,” he said, on the verge of yelling. Why couldn’t she just this once listen to him without judgment? Without presuming she knew everything?
“What happened, Kaleb? Tell me now,” she said, that firmness that he associated with his mother returning at once.
Kaleb’s gaze flew up at the ceiling. The people upstairs were moving around. They could be headed down here. He couldn’t be seen. Caught. “Look, I don’t have time to go into this. I just came to tell you that you need to stop this campaign against werewolves. You’re putting too much attention on us. You’re making it harder.”
“Kaleb, if you’re truly a werewolf then you need to be taken into custody. I’m calling someone. We’ve got to have you restrain—”
Kaleb paused time just as Mrs. Magner slid her hand into her pants to probably retrieve her cell phone.
“Mother,” Kaleb said, shaking his head with heavy disappointment. He studied her frozen face, feeling the lump in his throat rise up. “I’ve never been good enough for you. I was never smart enough. Devoted enough. Well-mannered enough. My sisters were good and I was flawed. Father and you never, not once, told me I met your expectations. Instead, you two told me to go to church more. Study harder. Love God better. Well, that’s not who I am. I’m a werewolf. I’m an awesome werewolf who can stop time and save people. I’m not what you wanted, but that doesn’t make me not good enough.” Kaleb stepped back, studying his mother’s face, her eyes glassed over. “I love you, Mother. Please stop protesting that which I am. Just this once accept me and my people. And leave us alone.”
With a weight in his heart he’d have to come to terms with, Kaleb spun around and raced for the exit, knowing he only had a few seconds before time resumed again.
Chapter Thirty-Four
“The modern wolves were the offspring of ancestors that had survived because they had learned that human meat had sharp edges.”
- Terry Pratchett
Rox’s face said it all. It said that she had bad news. She didn’t wear the defeated look too well because the girl hardly ever had the experience. Zephyr dropped his chin, clapping his hand to his forehead as Rox and Rio trotted down the corridor of the strategic department. Adelaide and Zephyr had been reviewing the newest reports on the werewolf protests. Things had gone from bad to fucking horrible and now it appeared more bad news was on the way.
“Why don’t you have a new mutt on a leash?” Adelaide said, folding up the LA Times newspaper.
“They weren’t successful,” Zephyr said, answering her question.
“Bloody great! Send a slut and a meat head to do a job and of course they aren’t successful,” Adelaide said, looking at Zephyr. “I blame you for this. You should have gone on the mission.”
He only shook his head at the impossible girl. “What happened?” Zephyr said, when Rox and Rio stopped just in front of him.
“We killed a Neanderthal if that’s any consolation,” Rox said.
“It’s not. Why did you have to kill the Neanderthal?” Zephyr said.
“Beats me. Same reason that we have to take out invisible people and mega wolves on any of these rescue missions?” Rox said.
“Boss, I’m sorry,” Rio said, interjecting. “While we were defending ourselves against the Neanderthal, the damn rent-a-cops swooped in and picked up Malcolm, who, by the way, was shitfaced.”
“Need I remind you that you were inebriated when I brought you in as well?” Zephyr said.
“You don’t need to. Seems like the weres are some pretty big losers,” Rio said, tying his thick arms in front of his chest.
“That’s not true. It’s just a coping mechanism. We aren’t emotionally equipped to be out there away from the pack. That’s why we all went back to our hometowns,” Zephyr said.
“So now Mika has
a werewolf. It’s official, Rox, you’re fired,” Adelaide said.
“Actually, I heard the rumors and think you could use some of my media contacts through the FBI to defuse the situation,” Rox said, bouncing her hip a bit, her hand resting on it. She already looked recovered from her loss.
“You mean the werewolf protests? What can you offer? I can delay your firing for a few days,” Adelaide said.
“You’re so kind, Freckles,” Rox said, not meaning it. “As an FBI agent, I can hold a press conference and deny any allegations regarding werewolves. I’ll calm fears with the rabid wolf case.”
“It’s about time you did something of use around here, Hooker Shoes,” Adelaide said.
Rox playfully kicked her black five-inch heel behind her, throwing back her head as she did. “Besides giving the boys something good to look at.”
“How are you going to address the newest allegation?” Zephyr said, redirecting the discussion back to the matter at hand. Rox just wasn’t satisfied unless she was the center of attention. Maybe it was because it was easy for her to get the attention or it was a deep-seated insecurity. He didn’t know since she never talked about anything other than sex and work.
“I’m going to state that Kaleb is still missing and that our last report showed he’d left the country for a backpacking expedition and hasn’t returned,” she said.
“That’s a good plan,” Zephyr said, picking the newspaper out of Adelaide’s hand. “We’re not calling Mrs. Magner a liar, but it negates her claims.”
“No, we have to figure out what to do with the runt. I say we kill him, but murder is frowned on by the Lucidites for some odd reason. Bloody goody-goods,” Adelaide said.
“I’ll have a talk with him. He definitely wasn’t thinking clearly. But that happens when emotions block reason,” Zephyr said, unfolding the newspaper. The headlines of the front page stared back at him, a string of words that only made the tension in his head worse. The article fueled the concerns regarding the deaths reportedly done by the rabid wolf. Zephyr reread the headline, his jaw clinching.