Howl

by Annalise Grey

  “Hi, I’m Daniel.” His silky soft voice didn’t quite match his rugged appearance. The man Daniel wore a flannel grey and black shirt over jeans with fraying holes in more places that I could count. Heavy black biker boots finished off the carefree look.

  Tristan took his outstretched hand and shook it, a quizzical look to his face. “Hi, I’m Tristan and this is Sophie.”

  I know it’s rude to stare but I couldn’t take my eyes of this guy. He seemed awfully at ease sitting at our table eating our food. We rarely had visitors. The very few werewolves who would pass through didn’t stay more than a day or two and they certainly weren’t so relaxed. At least they didn’t seem to be. The handful I met had been polite and helped out around the house in exchange for a place to stay before moving on. But this guy was different. Like he knew he should be here. I could read it on his face and I could smell it in the air. Perfectly happy to be where he was. This bothered me a lot more than it probably should have.

  Daniel must have sensed my irritation because he cleared his throat and spoke again. “I’m sorry; I should probably be a little more specific.” His eyes darted to me and back to Tristan. “I’m from St. John, Canada. I’m working my way to the Rockies looking for other packs. But on my way, I thought I’d see some of the United States.” He leaned back on his heels and shoved his hands in his worn-out jeans pockets.

  “Hey man, welcome.” Tristan replied with a smile. “Is there any spaghetti left?” Of course Tristan’s thoughts go directly to food. I thought. It only increased my irritation.

  Daniel gave me a lopsided smile and sat back down to eat, finally acting a little self-conscious. I felt a bit smug at this observation.

  That evening at dinner I learned more about this stranger in our house.

  “So Daniel, what do you do for a living?” Granddad asked as he passed Daniel the bowl of salad.

  “Well, after graduating from secondary school I did a few years in the Canadian Navy as a medical technician. I loved the field so much that I’ve been working at the hospital in St. John as an assistant tech for over a year now.”

  “How old are you, Daniel?” Mom piped up.

  “Just turned twenty-four in April. Still a young pup, I guess but old enough to know where I'm going.”

  “So if you don’t mind an old man’s nosiness, what’s calling you out west? Seems to me like you are going awfully far from what you know.”

  Daniel was clearly amused by Granddad’s observation. “Actually, I’ve realized that I’m ready to settle down.” I thought I saw Daniel’s eyes flash my way.

  “Aha! I knew it! You had that look in your eyes!” Granddad’s laughter filled the room. It may have been my imagination, but I could have sworn my mom stirred in her seat ever so slightly.

  “I admit it!” Daniel threw his arm up in mock defeat. “I’ve been looking but you know how our kind is; we are so spread out and finding the right girl, well that’s a difficult task on its own.”

  “Don’t I know it!” Granddad laughed out loud again. “I have a feeling that our Tristan will be leaving us soon to go roaming. I’d give it another year or two.” He tossed a look of pride at Tristan who shrugged.

  “Probably, Granddad.” Tristan wasn’t quite there yet but he knew it might not be long. Tristan would get the inner calling to find his mate and so he would pack a bag and set out for the forests of the world. Eventually he would find the one he was looking for and settle down, perhaps within another pack. Sometimes males brought their mates back to their home pack but not always. John had settled with us instead of taking Lorelei back home to Texas. He said it just felt like here was where he was meant to be. The thought of my twin leaving our home was as heartbreaking for me as it was exciting for Granddad.

  Granddad turned back to Daniel. “You know, my other daughter Eve lives in western Colorado. I’ll give you her information if you’d like. A man needs a network, especially when he’s just starting out.”

  “I’d be forever in your debt, Sir.” Daniel seemed genuinely pleased with Granddad’s offer. I stabbed my lettuce.

  “You’ll do well wherever you go Daniel. It sounds like you have a good start on a career to help support your pack.”

  “Well I’m not sure if all of my medical training will qualify me to work in America, if this is where I end up. But I’m positive that I will stay in the medical field even if I have to take some extra classes.”

  “You have to start somewhere, son.” Granddad beamed at Daniel. “Thomas is the only one of my grandkids to go to college but the others are doing very well with other foundations.”

  “What do you all do?” Daniel presented the question to all of us but his eyes landed on me.

  “I do gardening and sewing.” I answered him plainly, hoping his attention would move on to one of my siblings.

  Tristan jumped in, thankfully, before Daniel could ask anymore questions of me. “Right now I’m learning to work on cars with John but I have a side business making custom cabinetry. Granddad passed down his infatuation with woodworking to me.” He seemed to know when to say the right thing to divert someone’s attention. Tristan and Daniel buried themselves in woodcarving for basically the remainder of dinner.

  Mom asked me to clear the table and do dishes as everyone else dispersed to the living room for a game of cards or to play with the babies. The pain medication Thomas had given me earlier in the day was wearing off but I wanted some time alone so I agreed. After popping a few ibuprofens and swigging a big glass of water, I started to my task. As I was stacking plates to take to the sink, I felt a pair of eyes on me.

  “Let me help you.” Daniel offered.

  “Suit yourself.” I was astonished at how rude I sounded. He is just trying to be nice. I reminded myself.

  “You know, I’m an expert dish cleaner.” He stuck his face to the first plate he grabbed and pretended to be a dog at a dog bowl.

  “Ugh! What is wrong with you?!” I tried to fight it, but I laughed out loud.

  “I knew you could smile.” He had a piece of mashed potato on his cheek. I wanted to stay irritated but he looked so ridiculous I couldn’t help but laugh again.

  “Nice face.” I pointed to the food.

  Daniel grabbed a dish towel and wiped it away. His face flushed as his eyes met mine. I smiled haughtily with a rush of triumph.

  Daniel cleared his throat and handed me the plate.

  “You started it, you finish.” I said and gestured toward the bucket for scraps. “And when that gets full you can take it out to the compost.” Oh my god - bossy much?

  “Yes ma’am.”

  Daniel gathered, scraped, and handed me the plates to wash. What would have taken me close to an hour, took about half that. His presence was irksome mostly because he flirted far more than I thought proper.

  “I heard about that cougar.” He gave me a sly grin. “Kind of reckless to take on something so vicious, you know.”

  “Thanks Mom.” I sniffed. “Because I haven’t heard enough crap about it.” It was even more irritating that someone in my family told this stranger about the hunt. He only just got here but they’re treating him like a part of the family.

  “Hey now, I think it’s hot that you enjoy a challenge.”

  My cheeks lit up so fiercely I had to turn away.

  “Personally, I would love to tackle a moose or maybe a polar bear one day.”

  “Sounds fun.” I murmured as I rinsed the final coffee mug and stacked it in the drying rack.

  “Maybe we could tag team. You’re fearlessness and my size; we’d make a great team.”

  “Maybe.” I murmured again, avoiding looking at him.

  I abandoned Daniel in the kitchen and sat down on the living room floor with my niece and nephew. Lorelei had laid a thick quilt down for Nina and LJ to have a space to play. I plopped myself down next to LJ.

  “How’s my big guy tonight?” I cooed at him.

  The feeling of eyes watching me returned. A pair of
unbelievably sexy light grey eyes. You’re being completely irrational. I thought. Willing myself to forget, I focused my attention on the tiny baby in front of me.

  ~Balancing act~

  “Have you heard anything about that hiker?” I asked nonchalantly as Jaime started the vehicle.

  His gaze became somber. “He died.”

  “Oh god.” Thomas hadn't told us. At least, I hadn't been told yet.

  “That's why we're going picnicking outside of the Allegheny National Forest. I'm thinking maybe Moshannon State Forest. I want to keep you safe.”

  I gave him a small smile. “Any ideas what attacked him?”

  “No. His wounds quickly became gangrenous and the doctors weren't able to verify which type of animal or if it even was an animal that got him. Some of his family came forward and said it may have been a premeditated attack by a former business partner or something like that. We just don't know now.”

  Conflicting emotions wrestled inside my heart. Relief that there was no evidence of an animal attack but shame that I should be happy at all to hear of another's demise.

  “Anyway, whether it was an animal attack or not, I don't want to take a chance with my woman. So Moshannon it is!” He tried to appear upbeat as we pulled out of the parking space into the first golden streaks of early morning.

  Entering a remote section of Moshannon, we parked off the road and walked for at least a mile off the trail. I grabbed the old blanket Jaime kept in his vehicle for times such as these. The muscle in my shoulder ached as I stretched it out on a pile of pine needles. My skin was healing just fine but the muscle was taking its sweet time getting back to its peak. Jaime must have seen the grimace on my face.

  “Let me help.” He took the blanket from me and pointed to my shoulder. “How's that doing?”

  I shrugged with the other shoulder. “Fine, just still a little sore.”

  “No more hiking alone for you.” He laughed as he spread out the blanket and began taking our food from the picnic bag.

  “Agreed.”

  “So I was wondering if you thought any more about taking classes in the spring.”

  “Not really.”

  “What do you want to do with your life?” The question sounded slightly offensive although I was certain that he hadn’t meant it to.

  I helped myself to some pasta salad before answering. The answer to this was tricky. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to make a life for myself. It’s just that a werewolf life and a human life are vastly different. I pictured myself having babies and building a home for my pack just like my mom had. Gardening, raising my children, and living the simple life were my future. Sometimes I daydreamed about going to college but ultimately I knew where I wanted to end up.

  “I’m not really sure yet.”

  “You’ve been out of high school for a year – have you made any plans?”

  “It’s not what you think, Jaime. I’m in the earliest stages of building myself a future. I don't have to know everything right this minute.”

  “No, I get that. But it is your life and ultimately you will be the one who has to live it.” He interjected.

  “And I will!”

  “What does your mom think? Surely she would want you to go to college?”

  “You have no idea what my mom wants. I grew up in a family that is vastly different than yours. You had a family that encouraged you to go to school and build a career but mine isn't like that. We are a solitary unit and we provide for ourselves in a way that you couldn't understand or appreciate. And we do it without a degree.”

  “Thomas obviously had some encouragement to go to school. Look where he ended up.”

  I frowned. “Thomas went to college and then to vet school because that's just who he is – higher education minded and always striving. The rest of us just....” My words got lost in the process of thinking of how to explain why my family didn't see the importance of going to college.

  “Look,” I started again. “I grew up with a certain set of expectations, rules that I have to live by. It's not my choice. The truth is, I'm a female and therefore I don't get much say. And I don't know how to explain it anymore than that. My family is...complicated. Their rules are complicated.”

  “You act like your family is some kind of cult.”

  “Now you've insulted me and you're pissing me off.”

  Jaime’s shoulders hunched a bit at my equally stinging words. “Sorry.” He said with an exaggerated sad face.

  We sat in contemplative quiet for some time. I martyred my annoyance for the sake of peace between us and spoke up.

  “For a while I thought about going to college to study meteorology.”

  “Meteorology?” He seemed impressed. “What changed your mind?”

  “Besides the already stated rules and regulations, to major in meteorology I’d have to end up at some huge university where I’d be just another number in the stands. I’ve told you before, I don’t do well in cities and a university would be just as bad. Besides, I doubt there’s much they could teach me about predicting the weather. It would be the experience I’d value more than knowledge I’d gain.” Whoa, did I just sound smug or what? “I mean, I enjoy the process of learning.”

  “Okay smart-ass, what’s the forecast for tonight?” Jaime wrinkled his nose playfully. He was clearly trying to brighten the mood. It was working.

  “Rain.” I said simply. “Tons of it.” My senses were never wrong when it came to weather. I could feel the atmospheric pressure changes and literally smell a storm brewing. Tonight would be a soggy mess for sure.

  Jaime gazed at the sky. “The weather channel is only calling for light drizzle.” He put a hand out. “Are you willing to take a bet on that?”

  I took his hand in mine and barely squeezed. No sense in breaking his hand over a silly bet. Haughtily I laughed and said, “No weatherman is more accurate than me” then stopped myself short and backtracked a little as one of Jaime’s eyebrows shot sky high in disbelief. “I mean, I’m just really good at deciphering cloud patterns.”

  “You do realize there are hardly any clouds in the sky.” Jaime’s eyes seemed to dance as he spoke. How does he do that?

  “Whatever!” I rolled my eyes and played it off so he wouldn’t think anything amiss. Deviously, the competitive side of me wanted Jaime to know I was right. In less than three hours, Jaime and every resident in Kane would be taking shelter from a major downpour. Then he’d know just how right I am.

  Nothing out of the ordinary, remember? My conscience returned.

  “You are definitely more math and science minded then?”

  “You could say that. I’ve always been good at reading and writing but science is more my thing.” Honesty with no hint of the unusual? Check. This werewolf-human relationship was turning out to be trickier than I ever thought possible. It was like giving over only half of me. The other half had to be safely locked away and buried under an entire ocean.

  “Me, too. That’s why my job is so great. My medical research degree allows me to use my brain while the job allows for plenty of time outdoors. I can’t be cooped up in an office all day.”

  “Sounds like you have it all.” I helped myself to more pasta salad.

  “Sort of. There are one or two items left to check off my list.” His tone resonated with allusion. “But first I must have you all to myself.”

  Jaime set aside his food. He placed one hand on the back of my neck and pulled me toward him. His lips found mine. Ever so gently he leaned me back on the blanket, indeed taking me all for himself. I wanted nothing less.

  Skin exposed to the forest around us we interlaced our limbs in heated passion. It was enthralling to make love under the forest canopy. The wind rustling through the branches above made for an enticing chorus in harmony with our sighs and movements below. Sparkling streaks of golden light danced through the leaves as I took in the velvet paleness of Jaime’s skin. Even the slight chill than danced across my bare skin couldn’t comp
ete with the fire that raged from the depths of my belly as Jaime poured himself into me.

  Breathless from our woodland love-making, I leaned over and kissed Jaime’s cheek. “We really should go. I’ve been gone all afternoon and Mom will start to wonder.” I couldn’t deny that I was slipping – coming home later and leaving more often. It was just too easy to lie these days and to ignore the risks.

  “I don’t want you to leave.” Jaime pulled me back down onto the blanket and nestled my chest into his. Our legs entwined. Jaime’s woodsy scent tinted with a hint of desire, warmed by body heat, lingered heavy in the air around us. I studied the curve of his shoulders with my fingertips.

  I hated breaking free of his arms but I had already been gone most of the day. “I really do have to get back.” I skimmed on my jeans and shoved my phone in the pocket.

  “Have you tried talking to your family? About us, I mean?”

  “No, I told you.” I muttered. “You are off-limits.”

  “I just don’t get it Sophie.”

  “There’s nothing to get.” I cut him off. “You and me equals forbidden. That’s it, end of story.” My temper flashed so quick and harsh that my canines grew and heat rippled across my skin. My hands flew to my mouth and I turned away, terrified he had caught a glimpse of the shift trying to take me. Calm down damn it! A few deep breaths and my teeth retracted, the burning heat rolling off my skin in little waves. I slowly turned back to Jaime.

  He sighed and threw his shirt back on. In tense silence we packed up our picnic items. He drove me to the research center, now our permanent rendezvous point whenever I needed to escape without arousing suspicion. The stubble on Jaime’s chin tickled as he laid a longing kiss on my lips. “I’m sorry about earlier. I wanted us to have a good time and I think I ruined it. Twice.”

  “You aren’t making this any easier, you know.” I snapped, still more than a little pissed and not especially at Jaime.

  “I just….” His mouth snapped shut as I shot him a barbed look and slammed the door behind me.

  *

  “Sophie!” Tristan grabbed my arm hard, fingering digging into my flesh. I had just walked in the house when he accosted me.