by KM Lowe
"You ready to head back?" asks Jasper through our link.
"Yeah. It's beautiful out here," I say more to myself, while taking in the scenery. That's one thing about the nature we're surrounded by. Nowhere does nature and scenery like Scotland.
"I love coming out here to think. Now you know where it is, you can come whenever you like. It’s pack land, so you'll be safe."
I nod and take off running back in the same direction I came from. I feel Jasper snapping my backside to make me run faster. He’s never hurt me, but it's a good boost to be pushed.
This is the perfect life to have. To be free to roam when we want. No threats. No hassle. Nothing holding us back.
It’s just a shame things have to change.
***
The run. The cold shower. The fresh clothes. I feel ready to take on the world. Okay, not really, but I feel ready to face the pack leaders and find out more about our surroundings, the threats, and what our future holds for us.
I head out into the living room of our cabin. Lisa is sitting at one side of the living room and Jasper’s at the opposite side. They've clearly not sorted out their difference from this afternoon, and I know Lisa won’t make the first move. I clear my throat and Lisa looks up and beams her gorgeous smile at me. Jasper stands and pats me on the shoulder.
This isn't happening. My family isn’t falling apart on my watch. I cross my arms over my chest. "Okay, this stops now. We're all family and this silent treatment isn’t the answer. For goodness sake, babe. Jasper didn't mean anything today. You even admitted that you were wrong in here. Dad, Lisa was just worked up. Cut the crap out."
Both Lisa and Jasper look at me like I've grown a set of wings. Where this little outburst came from, I don't know. I'm just so frustrated with the situation that we've found ourselves in. It isn’t any of our faults; it’s our life. We need to live it the best we can. Together.
"I'm sorry, Jasper. I was exhausted. I wasn't thinking straight," Lisa says, never taking her eyes off me. “I’m out of my depth here.”
"No apology needed. Let's go to dinner," says Jasper.
My arm curls around Lisa's shoulder and we follow Jasper out of the cabin. The area is so quiet. I never expected this peace and quiet from a pack of wolves. Lively, boisterous, obnoxious, are all words I associate with pack life. Unless this is the calm before the storm.
I tighten my grip on Lisa's shoulder and place a kiss on her temple. I was expecting another argument, but I'm glad she surrendered and let the animosity pass. We all want the same from this visit—freedom. We'll all go back to our own lives at the end of this trip. There is no reason why any of us need to change because of this fucked up situation.
"Just be yourselves, guys. No one expects anything from you," Jasper says, breaking the silence.
Lisa clears her throat. "Do we need to follow any rules, Jasper?"
"Not really. Just don't answer the Alpha and Betas back like you did me today and we'll be good." He winks at her.
Lisa tenses under my arm and I tighten my grip around her to show she isn’t alone. It’s my first time in this lifestyle as well, so we're all learning. It doesn't seem to faze Jasper, but I can see he’s more comfortable here than back home. He’s more relaxed. More open.
We finally stop outside of the Alpha's cabin and Jasper knocks on the door three times before he pushes it open. We follow him inside like his little minions, but I'm glad we have Jasper to share this experience with. I trust him with my life.
"Jasper." I turn to the voices and a big, strapping man stands about seven feet tall at least. I'm tall, but even I have to look up slightly.
"Hey, Carlos. Good to see you again. Long time, huh?" Jasper and Carlos do some weird fist bump and pat each other on the back. The whole room is silent, and I don’t take my eyes away from my dad's back.
"Aye, indeed it has, my old pal. Indeed it has. When Julian told us the script, we were only to keen to help. We heard the stories of ‘little Lisa’ and felt obliged to do right by her. We all need this bastard dead. Now, introduce me to your son."
I’m proud that everyone addresses me as Jasper’s son. They will all know I'm not his by blood, but it doesn't seem to bother them in the slightest.
"Of course. Carlos, this is my son, Markus. Markus, this is the Alpha of the pack, Carlos."
"Hi, Alpha. Nice to meet you." I hold out my hand to the biggest man I have ever laid eyes on.
"Nice to meet you, son. I've heard a lot about you. Your dad always gushes about you when he’s here. It's good to have you here."
"Thanks for having us."
"Carlos, this is Lisa. Lisa, this is Carlos."
Lisa's hand reaches out steadily. "Nice to meet you. I'm looking forward to learning about pack life."
"Ah, little Lisa." Carlos steps forward and put his hands on Lisa's shoulders, as if inspecting her more closely. I don't know what happens, but a growl escapes me from deep within. Everyone looks at me like I'm crazy, but Carlos just laughs it off.
"Nice one, Jasper. You could’ve told me Lisa is Markus' mate."
"Sorry. I thought Chardonnay would have filled you in." He laughs.
Just at that moment, Chardonnay joins us. Her hand goes up to Carlos' chest protectively and her bright smile calms me down.
"I should have told you, but we've hardly seen each other today. Lisa, come and have a seat. Leave these guys to do what they do best; talk shite.” She tries to whisper, but Jasper just laughs and shakes his head.
"I see your mate is still as fiery as ever."
"Did you expect any less, old pal? Really? You've been away too long. Come and get a drink and I'll introduce you to everyone," says Carlos, walking into the mass of activity.
I let my eyes linger on Lisa's back but when I see she’s okay with Chardonnay, I follow Jasper and Carlos out back into the kitchen. "Beer okay for you guys?"
"Thanks." I nod as he holds out a chilled bottle of beer. Since I’ve just turned eighteen, I haven’t had much experience with alcohol, but Jasper always has bottles of beer in the fridge that I can help myself to. Right now, I think we all need to relax.
"So, how are you finding the camp, Markus?"
"Erm..." I clear my throat and take a swig of my drink for some courage. "It's different. I don't know what I expected, but I like the feel of freedom. No looking over your shoulder to see who is around before shifting."
I’m surprised how freely I’m speaking to a stranger. That's the thing though; Carlos doesn't feel like a stranger. Crazy, since this is our first meeting.
"Give it a few days and you'll feel like you've been here your whole life. Come through and we'll get this party started." Walking back into the living room, I spot Joel chatting to Chardonnay and Lisa. I try to keep my emotions in check because I don't want to bite Joel's head off for nothing. It’s hard though, because my wolf is going crazy being around these people when Lisa isn’t beside me.
"I hear you've met Joel. Well, from tomorrow you can work closely with him and get used to the security detail. It will also free up men, knowing you and Jasper are around Lisa at night."
"Sure. I'll do anything I can to help."
"This is Bull and Alex. Bull is my Beta, and Alex is my next in command after Bull. Together, we keep this pack in line. We're a team here."
"Hey." I nod to the men in front of me.
It’s like all the men here have had some growth spurt, because they’re all tall and well built. I’ve not met anyone under six foot.
"Alright, man. Heard a lot about you from Jasper,” says Bull.
"All good I hope," I hit back as I shake Bull's hand.
"We'll all get together tomorrow morning and discuss the situation at hand. Tonight is a time to relax and get to know everyone. If you have any bother with anyone in this pack, tell us. We don't tolerate that behaviour here. Everyone has a role. Everyone works to keep the pack thriving. We don't accept bullying of any form. I don't expect you will, because everyone knows that yo
u're Jasper's son, and Jasper's like a God around here. He has saved pretty much everyone at some point in time. All of his rescue missions get sent to me, and they get the chance to start over again."
Wow! I had no idea Jasper was so strong and well thought of. I didn't really realise what his job entailed, but I look forward to learning.
"Now, let's eat."
We all make our way into the dining room. I don't think I've seen a table as big in my life. There must be about twenty-five seats set around it. Surely this room doesn't get used every night for entertaining? Is it normal for the main members of the pack to come together to eat?
I really do have a lot to learn, because at home, Jasper is my pack.
***
The night has gone well. The food is delicious, the drinks flow, and the pack has welcomed us with open arms. It’s as if we’ve known them our whole lives. I haven't had a chance to speak much with Jasper and Lisa tonight, because Lisa was with Chardonnay and a few of the other woman, whereas I really bonded well with Joel. He’s taken me under his wing and spoken non-stop with me and Bull. It's going to take me a few days to get to know everyone by name and role, because I didn’t realise there were so many people here.
Looking around now, it seems to be the pack Alpha, Betas, and head of security. I don't know who the other women are, but everyone is still laughing and joking.
"So, Markus, will we say eight a.m., bright and early? I'll take you through everything." Joel breaks my trance and I turn my attention back to him.
"Sounds good. Where will I meet you?" I ask before draining my bottle.
"I'll come by your cabin and get you. Get some rest. Tomorrow, you’ll see what it's like in the life of a shifter." He altered his voice and emphasised the word shifter for effect. Of course, I've come to realise Joel thinks he's funny, and he does keep the laughter flowing.
I nod and we stand. I’m shattered. I look at my watch, and the time reads twelve-fifteen a.m. Goodness, the time has flown by since we ate dinner.
"Right, guys. I'm heading off. See you all tomorrow," shouts Joel over everyone.
"Yeah, you need your beauty sleep, bro," says Bull.
The laughter echoes around him and I make my way over to Jasper, where he’s talking with Carlos. I don't think I've ever felt this dead on my feet, and I need rest to protect Lisa.
"I'm going to head off as well, Dad. I've got an early start in the morning."
"I'll be right behind you, son."
I turn and notice Lisa already saying her goodbyes to the ladies she was talking with. When I reach the door, she’s behind me. I go outside into the cold night air and shudder. It’s unbelievable how cold it’s got since we arrived. I'm glad we don't really feel the cold with the way our body temperatures work. So far, that’s one good thing I've found out about us wolves.
"I'm so glad we're going home. I could hardly keep my eyes open." Lisa yawns.
I wrap my arm around her shoulder and pull her into my side. Her body rests into me and her head leans on my shoulder. This moment right here is perfect. Just me and her against the world.
"You should have said, babe. We could have left earlier."
"I didn't want to be the first to leave. We need to fit in, don't we?"
"We do, but it wouldn't help if exhaustion took over you. Besides, everyone we met seems friendly enough. Joel is going to pick me up at eight tomorrow. Will you be okay on your own?"
"Yeah. I said I would shadow Chardonnay for a few days, get a feel for the camp, understand wolves better and generally see what lies ahead for us. I had no idea pack life was so complicated."
"They all work together well to make their community run smoothly. It makes sense to them, and I'm guessing a few days here and it will make sense to us too. Right now, I just want to climb into bed and wrap my arms around you. I could sleep for a week."
"Sounds good."
The short walk back to our cabin feels like a million miles away because we are so done in. The cold air keeps me focused, and, for our first day here, it couldn't have gone any better.
Roll on tomorrow.
Chapter 12
Markus
I roll out of bed at six-thirty. I want to be alert and ready to go when Joel stops by. I make my way into the kitchen after a shower. My dad has breakfast cooking; he looks domesticated and relaxed.
"Hey, buddy. How did you sleep?"
"Out like a light the moment we hit the pillow. Lisa is just getting up now. What time did you get home?"
"Not long after you guys. I finished my drink and said my goodbyes. You both seem to have mingled well. I'm glad you got on well with Joel. He'll be a good role model for you."
I nod and sit down at the table. Before I can say anything, my dad pushes a coffee into my hands. He knows me too well. I guess that's one thing Lisa and I have in common - we can't focus in the morning without caffeine.
"Joel seems like a good guy. What's the story with him?" I ask curiously, because I get a feeling there’s a lot more than meets the eye.
"Not mine to tell, son. If he wants you to know, he'll be the one to tell you. I will say it isn't much different to yours. The pack took him in and he's been here ever since. He’s good at his job. I'm glad he's running the security out here now. We've got Julian’s men arriving today, so we'll be able to see what the plan is going to be."
"Good. All this unknown shit is mind boggling."
Lisa turns the corner looking just as tired as she did last night. "Morning," she says softly as she crosses the room.
"Morning, sweetheart. Coffee?"
Lisa looks at my dad like she wants to eat him. "Do bears shite in the woods?"
"Of course you want coffee. How silly of me to ask, Miss I Can't Focus Without Caffeine. Here, don't say I'm not good to you. It might waken you up."
Lisa takes the cup from Dad, pulls a chair out from the table, and sits down opposite me. I’m worried about her. She won’t let on that she’s tired and feeling the strain of all this wolf business, but she can't fool me. My dad will notice as well, because he knows me and Lisa like the back of his hand.
"What are you doing today, Jasper?" asks Lisa, looking over her cup.
"I'm going to have a meeting when Julian and his men arrive. Just shadow Chardonnay and we'll meet up after."
Lisa straightens in her seat. "I want to be kept in the loop."
"And you will be. Maybe get Chardonnay to introduce you to the pack healer. She might have some ideas to encourage your wolf to make an appearance. Stracey has many connections, and her family goes back centuries. You never know what she or her family have seen."
"Maybe."
I look between my dad and Lisa, and when I see my dad's eyebrows rise slightly, I wonder what he’s thinking. I wish I could read his mind like I can with Lisa, because it would come in handy right now. I feel like we're sitting ducks, waiting for some rogue to determine our future.
The slight knock on the door has me standing to open it. It’s Joel. I look down at my watch to make sure I'm not the one running late.
"You're early," I say.
"You'll get used to my time keeping. Is that coffee I smell?"
"Good morning, Joel. You're just in time for some breakfast. Join us," says Jasper from behind me.
"Thanks, Jasper. I've been out since half five this morning. There was an issue with broken fences that I needed to check out." Joel crosses the room to the table.
"And?"
"And I have no explanation. I've got a few wolves stationed out at that area. No scents of wolves that aren't ours. Could have been a wild animal."
"Hmm... maybe."
I know my dad, and he has a lot on his mind this morning. It’s making me anxious. Is this what it's like out here?
"So, how did you guys sleep? Big difference from your palace back home, is it not?" enquires Joel as he plonks himself down beside Lisa.
"It wasn't too bad, actually. It's a bed. All beds are the same to me," Lisa says sa
rcastically. "Have you ever stayed anywhere other than here?"
I sit forward and place my elbows on the table, resting my chin on my hands. I want to know more about Joel because it seems that the pack knows everything about us.
"Yeah. I've not always stayed in this pack. I have Jasper to thank for that. My pack got taken over by rogues. My family was killed. I was eleven years old when Jasper broke into the camp with his minions. Thirty minutes and the rogues were no longer an issue. Jasper ran the remainder of the pack for a few days until a new Alpha and Beta were appointed. I didn't speak, but I took a shine to Jasper. He asked me what I wanted to do. For the first time since my family was killed, I had a choice to make. It was easy, really, because everywhere I turned I could see my mum and dad being murdered. Jasper brought me here and I settled in. I started to open up, the healer helped me with my anxiety, and I worked my way up through the pack. It feels like I was born here. Hamish and Morag took me under their wing. I'll let you meet them today."
I sit silently thinking about our lives and how very different they'd be if Jasper didn't save us. The likelihood of me and Joel still being alive without the council’s help is very slim.
"Are rogues a big issue for packs?" Lisa asks.
"They can be. Usually we get wind of them before anything major happens, but the odd pack gets taken over." Jasper places plates of bacon, sausage, eggs, haggis, and black pudding in front of us. "Your dad... well, your biological dad, has gone undetected because he has a witch keeping him hidden. That's unusual, but it does happen. Why? We'll never really know the answer to that."
"It all seems so crazy. Fictional, if you like. And no human can find out about you?" The questions are just rolling off Lisa's tongue this morning and Jasper and Joel seem happy to enlighten her.
"Some humans know about us, but it's imperative that we keep ourselves low key."
"You can still cook, Jasper," Joel scoffs over a mouthful of food. "Lisa, tell me why you keep speaking about us as wolves but not yourself?"
Joel has a valid point. I had noticed that she never speaks about herself as a wolf. Maybe it’s her way of dealing with it, or maybe it’s her way of trying to ignore it. Either way isn’t going to work well for her.