Finding My Pack

by Lane Whitt

  "What happened to it? Car accident?" Jace says laughingly.

  Reed stiffens, clearly insulted. "Nothing happened to it, I mean...not recently. I told her to pick whichever one she wanted. She chose this one and named it Noah because it survived a storm. Kitten loves it. She obviously asked for it or else Ash wouldn't have stormed in here."

  Jace looks at the stuffed animal again. The disbelief apparent on his face. "She really likes that...thing?"

  Tristan speaks now. "Yeah, our Kitten is all about saving the unfortunate. I don't think we'll be able to take her anywhere without her being adorably heartbreaking." He shakes his head with a small smile on his face.

  "Unless you dare to shoot a paintball at Tristan, then she goes ape shit!" Logan exclaims.

  "Start from the beginning, neither of you are making sense to the rest of us." I say, exasperated. I've grown used to knowing Kitten's every movement and not having her here today has worn my patience thin.

  Tristan and Logan begin by telling us about their trip to Splatter Arena. It wouldn't be my first choice for an outing but I sent the two of them for a reason. They are better with this new generation than the rest of us. Logan mentions how Kitten was initially afraid of the guns, which makes sense, she's probably seen real ones in action. I'm insanely proud when Tristan talks about her not being afraid once she got shot at. In fact she took out four players on her own. We all have a good laugh when he reenacts her battle cry, defending Tristan from pink paint. She even got the other team's flag. Impressive as hell for a first timer.

  "Then she was like, 'did you get my flag?'". Logan chimes back in. "I didn't know what she was talking about. She meant OUR flag. She explained why it was hers, how she earned it. You should have seen her reaction when the manager tried to take it back. It was epic man. She clutched it to chest like she was ready to die for it."

  "Where is it now? Did you make she got to keep it?" I ask. They better have.

  "It's in my pocket. Like I'd let it out of my sight after all she did to have it. Just FYI to the rest of you, Kitten takes competition seriously. Very seriously. I don't think SHE even knew that she was that competitive until today. And if you offer up a prize, you damn well better be ready to hand it over." I'm a little surprised when he doesn't laugh. Logan tends to be a bit dramatic and finds most things funny. He must be a hundred percent serious. How interesting, our frightened little woman turns into a war goddess when pressed. Good to know. Ash seems to be over the moon at this new information while Jace and Kellan both have frowns on

  their faces.

  Reed takes over, telling us about their time at the fair. About Kitten's initial excitement, about how she walked away from the first game because of how the goldfish were treated.

  "Damn Finn, why couldn't you just let the girl win a goldfish? She doesn't need her pretty little brain warped by your freakish knowledge on fish." Jace huffs. I too, question whether I would have chosen to tell her that. Anyone who has ever been to a carnival of any type has that information.

  Staring Jace down, Finn explains himself. "She would have wanted to know. Kitten likes knowing things, she's not satisfied being coddled and paraded around like an airhead. Besides, what would happen once her prize died? What then? She has abandonment issues, she would have cried and been devastated again." He lowers his eyes.

  Ah, I see now. He said 'again'. He's still feeling the guilt of pretending to be her pet. I still don't know what he was thinking doing that. I know he got caught in his wolf form, but he should have ran off. He had said that she looked like she needed a friend and he wanted to be close to her. I can understand that...somewhat. But still...it was wrong.

  "Did you manage to redeem yourself to her today Finn?" I ask.

  "I think so, that incident is more of an inside joke to us now. She was quite...friendly with me today." I'm a little jealous of that last statement. I'll have to work on that. I'm glad that at least one problem was solved today.

  Reed continues on. He explains how Kitten came to have the bear. "As I said, I told her to pick a prize. I thought for sure she was going to choose a pristine white one with a red bow, but she changed her mind at the last minute, choosing that thing instead. The attendant almost didn't give it to her, explaining that it had been left out in a storm and damaged. Her eyes went ice cold man, like, just froze over. She put that guy in his place good, saying it wasn't the bear's fault it was left out. Then she..."

  Reed trails off, the sad looking smile I've noticed he gets when he thinks about her. Reed is the most laid back person I know, nothing really brings him down. I know his sadness is because he cares about her. He's going to have to accept her past and move on from it at some point though.

  "She what..." Kellan speaks for the first time at this meeting. I know he's like me. He was worried about her and felt left out today. He was invited to the fair but had to miss it because he was needed at the clinic. Jace was livid when Reed and Finn left without him today. He wanted to show off for Kitten, I'm sure. Or have her on his arm, parading her around like Finn suggested. No matter how hard I try, I cannot get that man to realize that he is no longer part of the Ton. Hell, the Ton doesn't even exist anymore. I managed to calm him down, explaining how much fun he would have trying to win her good graces. He'd have the opportunity to woo her like he was expected to back in his time. I truly hope that advice doesn't backfire.

  "...she took that bear and acted like her whole world stopped. Like it was the biggest diamond there ever was. She told me it was best present she ever received." Reed takes a seat. I guess he's done talking, off in his own little world now. I catch Jace's smug look and struggle not to roll my eyes. Oh yes, it certainly will backfire.

  Logan picks up where Reed left off. "We took her on rides after that. Seriously, that girl had already broken my heart over the games. She had a great time riding. I tell ya, that girl is magnificent when she's carefree and laughing. There was an incident on the Ferris wheel though, I don't really get it since she wasn't afraid of heights before that but she had a freak out, Tristan used his magic Kitten taming voice and she calmed down until we could get her off."

  "Yeah and then we filled her full of fried goodness. She actually got a funnel cake for you Remy, but she was eyeing it with so much lust I told her to ahead and eat it. Powdered sugar is a good look on her." Tristan butts in. She thought about me huh? I can't stop the grin that spreads on my face.

  "Tell them about the roller-coaster Finn." Reed comes back from his inner thoughts.

  Finn has a broad smile as he obliges. "Kitten wanted to ride the roller-coaster again. I told her we could go wait in line again but she was having none of that. She told us in the most reasonable voice I've ever heard, that it was still her turn because on swing sets you have to wait for the person on the swing to be done before the next person gets a turn, and she wasn't done with the roller-coaster. Personally, I've never thought of it that way but it does make sense. I think she has her own logic and she isn't eager to budge from it. Just like with the flag, in her mind, she earned it because she defended it, even though the rest of the world would say that it belonged to Splatter Arena."

  I see Finn's point. Kitten probably had to develop her own logic because there wasn't anyone around to teach her differently. She's very observant. I remember watching her watch Jace at dinner, seeing how he ate. Mimicking his movements. She must have watched other people interact and decided what their actions meant on her own. What interests me most about this is that fact that her logic seems better than everyone else's. In today's society children have one set of rules and adults another. How that happened, I have no idea. It didn't use to be that way. Used to be, from the time you were born, you were trained to be an adult. You didn't wait to "grow up" to learn a skill. Your parents passed down their skill to you and as soon as you could do something for yourself, you did. Simple as that. Kitten's simple logic falls in line with a time that proceeds her by centuries. She's just full of surprises isn't she?
/>   Tristan is already speaking when I tune back in. "...wanted to go back and save the goldfish before we left. I paid the attendant off, let her play for a while so she'd feel she earned their freedom instead of buying it. I didn't think she'd like that very much. We dropped them off at an apartment complex with a pond."

  "You left out when she put us in our place, dude. Kitten must have thought we thought she was stupid for wanting to save the goldfish, she told us that her eyes have always been open, she knew about fish in pet stores and that she just wanted our fish to have a chance like they did. Or something like that, I don't know, I'm tired." Reed say irritably. He makes his point by yawning.

  I feel a bit like an ass that I drug everyone in here after their long day, but I'm glad I did. It's been informative.

  "Alright men, go about your business." I release them.

  As he's making his way to the door, Logan stops in his tracks, forcing the rest to halt behind him. "Oh yeah, she called this home." He continues on his way shouting back. "And we owe her a fish tank!"

  The last part needs more explaining, but not tonight. I rock back in my chair. Kitten called this home huh? Good.

  Kellan

  I head to my room wondering why we owe Kitten a fish tank. I thought she didn't like captive fish? I hung back at the meeting, listening to the guys talk about my perfect girl. I'll take Finn's advice and have talk with Kitten about her anxiety attacks. Whatever scares her is all in her head, each time she's had one it seems to come from out of nowhere. I still need to sit down with her and discuss what happened this morning with Remy, possibly get her on birth control if she wants.

  I'm sorry I missed out on time with her but I'm happy she had fun. I'm a little upset that I wasn't consulted before she engaged in such strenuous activities. I know it's easy for the rest of them to forget she's injured, since she doesn't act like it, but she is and she needs to take it easy. I feel like the girl has been on warp speed since he opened her pretty eyes.

  I sigh, removing my tie and unbuttoning my shirt. The shower is calling my name. The clinic was filled to the brim today with every known sickness to man it seems. I like what we do there, giving medical attention to those who can't afford insurance, but my mind has been elsewhere lately. It doesn't help that some people get the wrong idea about our facility and fake back injuries and sprains just to get prescriptions, wasting our time, money and patience.

  I'm not surprised in the least that Kitten is a humanitarian at heart. She's just never been on this side of the fence before. She's always been the one in need. Not anymore though, she's under my care now. Mine and my brothers'. I'm positive between the eight of us that Kitten will be the most spoiled, pampered, and protected woman this world has ever seen. The great part is that I have no fear she'll turn into brat because of it.

  I step under the warm spray of the shower, thinking back to all the things that jumped out at me from throughout the guys' day. Kitten's possessive streak is quite a shocker. There's no doubt in my mind that's what caused her to fly off the handle when Tristan was shot at with paintballs. Remy told us how upset she was when she thought Logan had a girlfriend. I don't think she's aware of why she has those reactions, at least not fully.

  But with the possessiveness, her speed, her ability to heal quickly, the fact that she lived in horrible conditions and didn't catch a virus, even though she had no shots to protect her from falling ill. It really makes me wonder. I'll need to run more tests on her blood.

  I really need some personal time with kitten. Not just to psychoanalyze her or check in on her health, but because I just want to be around her. I truly did miss her today. Those full, bow-shaped lips, her long platinum hair.... I give in to my arousal, bringing my hand down my abs to my hard as steel manhood. I let out a groan, picturing those pink lips stretched around me, her pale green eyes looking up at me while my hand fists her hair, guiding her up and down on me. Shit...this is going to be quick. I feel my testicles drawing up, my climax building. I explode, panting for air, wishing she was really here, swallowing my seed.

  I finish up and dry myself off. A pang of guilt shoots through my chest at thinking of my sweet girl that way. If fades quickly as I tell myself she will be ours shortly, if not eventually. Then there will be no reason for guilt. She'll be mine as much as I am hers. Man and woman sharing in the most natural act.

  I climb into bed, hoping to fall asleep quickly so I can be up and ready when Kitten comes down stairs. I don't want to miss a moment with her on my day off. Hopefully I can steal her away from the others for a little while. I smile into my pillow at that thought.

  Reed

  I lay awake in bed, reliving the day. I loved spending time with Kitten and my brothers, but honestly, I don't know if I can take many more heartbreaking scenes with the girl. I don't know why I'm so hung up on what's she been through. All of us have been through rough times. Myself included, and yet her past haunts me so much more than my own. I've drawn her smiling face countless times. The paintings and sketches hanging up in my studio. Her eyes always come out sad though. Every. Single. Time. It's frustrating.

  I just want her to be happy. Truly happy. She has such a pure soul and kind heart that it literally splits me in two to think that she never had a toy as a child, she never had a mother to wash her hair and read her stories at bedtime. She deserved to have that and so much more. I wonder if she even had a hug before she came here. Werewolves need physical contact so much more than humans, I'm so happy that our family were the ones to find her. I'll hug her as much as she wants me to. I'll show her what a real family is like.

  Jace

  I can't believe they are going to let her keep that nasty bear. If I was the one to win a prize for her I would have found the most perfect one and insisted she have it. The darling girl came straight from the street. They want to give her broken things? What was going through Reed's head? She needs nice things. Things as pretty and shiny as her. I will show them what she needs. No girl of mine will have less than perfection.

  Kitten shut me out today. It hurt me deeply. I'll never admit that, but it's true. Young women have always thrown themselves at me to the point of annoyance. This one is different and I have to say...I'm at a loss. I'm going to take Remington's advice and charm her. The problem with that is, she likes ragged stuffed animals and saving goldfish. She's quite an outspoken little thing too, isn't she? I chuckle at that. I know she has a love of food, but that's more Tristan's territory. I pull at my hair, wracking my brain for an answer.

  I smile at my reflection in the mirror, fixing my hair into place. I know the perfect thing. Something she can't refuse no matter how much I hurt her before. I'm sure she'll forgive me. My smile fades when I think how time consuming my idea would be. I have no problem with that, but that means I still have to think of ways to woo her in the meantime. It's going to be a long night of fixing my hair.

  Kitten

  I groan, I'm burning up; feeling like my skin is going to melt off me at any moment. I wiggle around, trying to get my limbs to move. I'm trapped, wrapped up burrito style in a top sheet and brown comforter. Ash's body is curled around me like a boa constrictor. My face against his chest, his leg locking mine between his, arms holding me in a bear hug. If I didn't know any better I'd swear he was trying to smother me.

  "Ash." I groan out. He doesn't move. "Ash, I need to move."

  "Not yet Kitten." His voice doesn't sound sleepy at all.

  I stop my squirming. If he doesn't want me to move then I know I won't be going anywhere. "How long have you been awake Ash?" I ask softly.

  "I didn't sleep."

  "Why not?" Somehow I knew he was going to say that.

  "I'm not sure. At first I just wanted to watch you sleep. I sat in the chair across the room, watching as your little nose twitched as you slept. Did you know that you talk in your sleep Kitten?"

  No. I didn't know I did that. I wonder what I said. I shake my head in answer. "Why am I wrapped up like a burrito Ash?" I w
onder how he managed this without waking me. Maybe I was more tired than I thought.

  "You looked cold." Is his simple reply. No one has ever cared if I was cold or not.

  "I'm not cold anymore, actually, I'm too hot. Can I please get up now Ash?"

  "I don't want to let go of you just yet. If I do, you're going to get up, probably shower, then go down for breakfast and get swept away by everyone else. It's okay, I don't mind that it will happen, just not yet."

  I smile. He just wants to spend time with me? "Is Tristan already cooking?"

  "Yeah, I think he's about done." He grumbles back at me.

  "How about I hop in the shower while you go get breakfast for us? We can eat in here right? Just you and me."

  Ash squeezes me tight, his lips press into my hair in a soft kiss. "You're a genius, you know that, Little One?" I giggle. I'm happy he likes my idea, I wouldn't mind more time with him as well.

  Ash jumps from the bed and dashed from the room, so now I'm left struggling to free myself. Did he sew this thing together? I roll around and eventually untangle myself. If there was a ninja level of tucking someone in, Ash would have mastered it.