by D. M. Turner
Detective Calvert nodded and pulled over. A heavy vehicle stopped directly in front of his, and he turned in his seat to look back at his passengers.
Instant panic shot through Tanya. “Please, tell me I don’t have to go in there.” She shook her head, barely able to breathe, keeping her head down. “I don’t think I can do it.”
Colin’s hand reached over and grasped hers.
“No. I was just going to say, you two stay here.” He pointed to an armed officer in heavy gear. “He’ll stay close to protect you.”
The relief that flowed over her was so sharp, she nearly fainted. She closed her eyes for a moment and willed away dizziness. When she opened them again, the detective met her gaze with a sympathetic smile.
“Stay here. Neither of you move from this vehicle. Do you hear me?” He shook his head. “The last thing I need is either of you getting hurt while I’m responsible for you.”
They both nodded. Not that he needed to tell her to stay put. She had no desire to go anywhere near that place.
Detective Calvert got out and followed men in body armor out of sight.
Tanya leaned her head back.
“Why don’t you lie down and nap for a bit?” Colin slipped as far to the other side as he could then patted his thigh closest to her. “You can use my leg as a pillow. I know it’s not as nice as a bed and soft pillow, but at least you might be able to rest a bit before you see your family. There’s no telling how long we’ll be sitting here.”
Not a bad idea. She probably wouldn’t be able to sleep, but it was worth a try. She lay down, legs curled up on the seat, head on Colin’s leg, and eyes closed. Her mind wouldn’t rest. She’d lied to a police officer. “I can’t lie to my parents, but I can’t tell them the truth either. What am I supposed to do?”
“You know your parents. I don’t, so I can’t really say what you should do.” He fell silent for a few moments. “I guess it depends what kind of people they are.”
She opened her eyes and rolled her head to look up at him. “What do you mean?”
“Are they the kind that can deal with things, no matter how difficult?”
“I think so.” She frowned. “They’ve had to deal with some things over the years that weren’t pretty. I was almost killed in a car accident when I was fifteen. Ended up in physical therapy for months to get mobility back. I’ve had aches and pains with the rains ever since, but at least I got back on my feet when the doctors said I might never again be able to walk without a limp, much less run.”
He snorted. “Well, you won’t have to worry about the aches and pains anymore. Old injuries will heal completely now.”
“Really?”
Colin nodded. “Absolutely.”
“That’s a positive, at least.” She rolled onto her back so she could look up at him more easily.
“It’s not as bad as you think, you know.”
“Maybe, maybe not. Time will tell.” Tanya scowled. “Either way, that doesn’t help me know what to say to my parents.”
“Do you feel any leading one way or the other?”
“I feel….” What? What exactly did she feel? “Like I’m supposed to tell them the truth. If the men who Turned me come back, it’ll put my family in danger. I can’t leave them ignorant about what they could be up against.”
“Then tell them and trust God to help them deal with it.”
“I don’t know if I can leave you out of it.”
“You can’t disclose anything about me to humans. You heard what Dad said. I have to protect the pack.”
Tanya sat up and turned in the seat to face him. “You told me yourself that the pack contains eleven wolves and three humans, the mates of three of your wolves. You counted humans as part of your pack. Well, my mom and dad are part of my pack. I have to protect them. That means letting them know what they might face if those men come after me again. I won’t leave them ignorant and defenseless.”
He opened his mouth, seemed to think better of whatever he’d intended to say, and snapped his mouth closed. Then he sighed. “Alright. Tell them about you. Hopefully that’ll keep them distracted enough to not worry about how I come into things. Leave me out of it if you can. If you can’t, we’ll deal with it.”
“Fine.” She leaned against the seat and rested her head back. No way would she get any sleep in that car, especially with the reunion with her parents looming before them.
* * *
Long minutes passed. The silence began to weigh on Colin. He’d let it linger, assuming Tanya used the time to mull over what to say to her parents.
“I can’t sit here like this much longer.” She shifted in the seat then pulled her knees to her chest, resting her feet on the edge of the seat. “I feel like I’m going to crawl out of my skin.”
“That’s the wolf. You’re afraid, so your instincts are saying ‘Run’.”
“Why not fight?”
He smiled. “Because predators don’t generally fight unless they have to. The risk of injury or death is too great if you fight without good cause, not to mention the energy it expends.” He slouched in the seat and forced his body to relax, hoping it would translate to her and help her feel calmer. “Predators fight over food, to guard territory, for breeding rights, and to protect a mate or young.”
“Oh.” New furrows formed in Tanya’s forehead. “When you first took me to your father, he said whether or not I belonged to him depended on me. What did he mean?”
An easy question. He liked those. “Right now, you’re an unattached female without a pack. A lone wolf, essentially. If you choose to join our pack, you’ll be bound to my father.”
“You mean… like a mate?”
“No.” Colin shook his head. Definitely not. His father had no designs on taking Tanya as his mate. He frowned. Hopefully. “He’ll be your alpha, which puts you under his authority, like me, Brett, Graham, and the others.”
“And if I choose to stay a lone wolf?”
“You’ll be on your own. No pack means no protection. You’ll have to deal with the full moons on your own, as well as any threat that might arise. Being female, if word gets around that you’re not affiliated with the local pack, wolves looking for a mate will probably come looking for you.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “That’ll mean trouble for you and for us, since they’ll invade our territory, and probably cause trouble while they’re here.”
“In other words, I have to join a pack.”
He shrugged when he really wanted to say ‘Yes’. “It’s up to you. My father won’t force you into the pack. He truly meant it when he said it’s your choice.”
“Then why are you trying to scare me into joining?”
“I’m not. I’m merely letting you know the risks. People should be free to make their own choices, but they also need to be fully informed of risks and benefits in order to make solid decisions.”
Tanya eyed him thoughtfully for a moment. “And if I join your pack, then what?”
“You’ll be able to come to the Preserve each full moon, and any other time you need a safe place to retreat to or you’d like freedom to run without risk to yourself or others. Our pack protects its own, so you’ll fall under our protection. Anyone tries to hurt you, they’ll face all of us.” Colin flashed her his biggest grin. “Trust me. Nobody wants to deal with all of us at once. You think Brett’s scary….”
She smiled.
“By extension, that means we’ll also protect your family. Anyone threatens or harms them, they’ll have to deal with us.”
Movement caught his attention. Detective Calvert had returned, his expression grim as he rounded the vehicle in front of them. He slipped into the driver’s seat, leaned forward, and crossed his forearms over the steering wheel.
Colin shared a concerned look with Tanya, whose eyes filled with tears.
She turned her attention back to the man in front of her. “You found them.”
“Yeah, we did. What was done to them….” He strai
ghtened and let his hands flop into his lap. “We found three more in a refrigeration unit in another part of the building.”
Tanya gasped and paled. “There were others?”
“Yes, and if we don’t find these guys, there’ll be more. The three in the cooler were taken the month before you and the other two. These guys seem to have a thing for threes, and they’re taking them each month. At least, if the pattern that’s emerging can be trusted.”
She glanced at Colin. He put a hand on her arm.
“The team will guard the place until our forensics team gets here. I want to take you home, so you aren’t sitting here all day.”
Colin waited a heartbeat, but Tanya seemed uninclined to say anything, so he did. “Don’t they need you here?”
“I’ll come back after I drop you two off.” Detective Calvert started the engine then handed his cellphone over his shoulder. “Why don’t you let your parents know you’re on your way home? Ease their minds. We should be there in about ten or fifteen minutes.”
Tanya stared at the phone for a second then accepted it. As the detective put the car into motion, she slowly dialed a number, closed her eyes for a moment, then pulled it to her ear.
“Hello?”
Colin heard the weary, watery voice crystal-clear, though he knew the detective wouldn’t. Wolf-enhanced hearing had advantages.
“Mom?”
A breathless moment passed, then, “Tanya?”
“Yeah, it’s me.” Tears filled her eyes.
“Where are you?”
“With Detective Calvert from the police department. He’s bringing me home. We’ll be there in ten or fifteen minutes.”
“Are you alright?”
She frowned, her pause barely discernible. “I will be.”
“Sweetheart, where have you been? We’ve been so worried.”
“I know. I’ll explain everything when I get home. I promise.” A tear glided down one cheek.
“You’re really on your way home?”
“I am.”
“I better call your father. He was called into work for some crisis management meeting. He tried to stay home, but they demanded he come in. His boss claimed it would keep him busy and make the time pass faster.”
The annoyance on the other end of the phone made Colin smile. Like daughter, like mother. Both got testy when things weren’t done as they thought they should be.
“See you both real soon, Mom.”
“I’ll be here waiting.”
Tanya smiled and swiped a hand across her cheek as she closed the phone and returned it to the detective.
As the minutes passed, and they traveled across town, she grew increasingly restless. A cloud of fear rolled around her, filling Colin’s nose. He shifted in the seat. Maybe his father should’ve come instead. He had far better control than Colin.
The brakes squealed as the car slowed and then stopped in front of a modest, white, single-story house with dark green trim. Tanya stared at it but made no move to get out.
“It’s okay,” he whispered. “You’re gonna do fine.”
She glanced back at him then nodded with a shaky smile.
The detective got out and opened her door.
She slid out, her gaze locked on the house.
Colin followed her but paused and offered a hand to the detective. “Thank you for… handling her the way you did.”
The man smiled. “I wish I could’ve brought the others home, too.”
He nodded, knowing he couldn’t voice his understanding of how deeply the other man felt about that.
The front door opened, and a middle-aged woman in blue jeans and a big, baggy t-shirt stepped out. Her eyes lit up when they landed on her daughter, then tears started. For both women.
Tanya ran to her mom, and they threw their arms around each other.
“Should I stay and explain things to her family? It might make things go a little smoother for Tanya.”
“I think she’ll be okay.” She definitely didn’t need an audience for the coming discussion. “I’ll stay until she’s settled.”
“You’re a good friend. It’s not easy to support someone through something like this.”
Colin studied her. “She’s worth it.”
“You better get them inside before the neighbors decide to come see what all the fuss is about.” The detective got back into his car and soon pulled away.
Hesitant about what was to come, but resolved to see it through, Colin ventured up the sidewalk to where the women still clung to each other. “Tanya, Mrs. Sikes, we should probably go inside.”
The older woman pulled away without entirely releasing her daughter then smiled and wiped tears from her face with one hand. “I’m sorry. I didn’t see you there.”
Tanya sniffled. “Mom, this is my friend Colin. Colin, my mom Nancy.”
“It’s good to meet you. Both of you, come inside.” Mrs. Sikes waved them through the door. “Your father should be home in a few minutes. He said he’s coming home whether they like it or not.”
“I hope he doesn’t get into trouble.” Tanya frowned.
“Oh, poo.” The woman waved her hand. “He won’t care about that. All he cares about is seeing for himself that you’re safe.” She eyed her daughter, tears surging up again. “What did they do to you?”
She grimaced. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to wait until Daddy gets here, so I don’t have to explain everything twice.”
“Of course.” With a shake of her head, as though she should’ve thought of that, Mrs. Sikes smiled. “Would either of you like something to eat or drink while we wait?”
Tanya nodded.
Colin shrugged noncommittally. He’d eat if they did, but they didn’t need to go to any trouble just for him.
A few minutes later, the three of them sat at the dining room table and drank glasses of sweet iced tea. Colin listened in silence as Mrs. Sikes updated Tanya on the comings and goings of various family members. He couldn’t imagine that Tanya cared much at the moment about such mundane things, or that Mrs. Sikes really cared to discuss them, but it kept them from staring at each other in awkward silence while they waited.
The front door opened. “Nancy? Tanya?”
Mrs. Sikes jumped to her feet. “We’re in the dining room.”
A man about fifty years of age appeared in the doorway from the living room, his gaze immediately seeking and finding his daughter.
Tanya smiled and skirted the table to give him a hug.
After a tight hug, they stepped apart, and Mr. Sikes’ gaze slipped over her. “You’re way too thin. How’d you get so thin in a matter of days?”
“They didn’t feed me.”
Mrs. Sikes sniffled.
Colin couldn’t see her face, but grief flitted through the air, carried on the scent that was uniquely hers.
“Dad, this is my friend, Colin. Colin, my dad Will.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir.”
Puzzlement clouded Mr. Sikes expression as he studied Colin with intense scrutiny. If Colin hadn’t been accustomed to such looks from his own father, he’d have squirmed for sure.
“I don’t recall you mentioning a Colin before.” Mr. Sikes shook his head then turned his attention back to his daughter. “What happened?”
Tanya glanced at Colin, dread in her eyes. “We better sit down for this.”
The four of them settled around the table.
Colin sat next to Tanya in case she needed his touch and proximity to keep her emotions in check.
She took a deep breath then dived into the story, telling them everything she’d relayed to the detective. Her voice faded when she talked about hearing the other women scream.
He grasped her hand under the table. It locked around his in a death grip.
“What did they do to you?” her mother asked.
“One of them came into the cell and…”—her eyes closed—“assaulted me. Tore into me pretty bad, ripped my stomach open. I thoug
ht I was gonna die.” Blue eyes opened, and her voice fell to a whisper. “I kinda hoped I would.”
“He raped you?”
Tanya nodded and lowered her head.
Colin suppressed a grunt of surprise. He hadn’t known. How had he not scented it when he’d found her?
The couple shared a confused look, then Mr. Sikes glanced at his daughter. “You don’t appear to be injured.”
“That’s where it gets… complicated.” Her grip tightened on Colin’s fingers. “When he attacked me, he didn’t intend to kill me. He… wanted to bring me close to death, I guess.”
“Why?”
“That’s how it works.” She shrugged and bit her bottom lip.
The scent of her fear once again tested the limits of Colin’s control. Every instinct said “Protect her,” but she wasn’t in danger. Emotion and instinct had no desire to listen to reason.
“How what works?” Mr. Sikes asked.
A long pause followed that felt like it went on for hours. Then Tanya raised her head and met her father’s gaze. “I’m not human anymore.”
The man startled, frowned, and met his wife’s equally confused gaze. “What do you mean? Not human. You look perfectly normal, except for your weight.”
“I’m….” A tremor ran through her body. “I’m a werewolf.”
The room fell dead still. If Colin hadn’t been able to hear the faint rhythm of their breathing and the low thrum of their heartbeats, he’d think they’d all suddenly died. None of them so much as blinked.
“That’s not funny, Tanya.” Mr. Sikes scowled. “We’ve been worried sick. You disappeared without a word, and you finally show up with this story? We taught you better than this.”
“How can you do this to us?” Tears flooded over Mrs. Sikes’ cheeks.
“I’m telling the truth.”
Her father got to his feet, shoving his chair back hard enough to hit the wall.
She flinched and shifted discernibly closer to Colin. Her fear spiked through the roof.