“Anything else?” R.J. asked.
“The suppression pills don’t work for me.”
Hal’s mouth dropped open in astonishment while R.J. stared, an unfathomable expression on his face.
“What? How?” Hal asked finally.
Because he was a freak. Corey shrugged. “How should I know?”
“Who knows about this?”
“When did you take your last pill?”
The questions flew quick and fast.
“My father knows and the doctors and scientists in the pack’s underground lab. I told you I took a pill this morning.”
“Start from the beginning, Corey,” Hal said. “Don’t leave a thing out.”
“At first the pills worked. I started taking them when I was around five, the age when parents register their offspring. When I turned fourteen, I started butting heads with my father. I wanted to take art courses instead of the classes he wanted me to take in accounting and technical drawing.”
“Go on,” Hal said.
“One day I lost my temper with my father. He’d forbidden me to take an art course and I was so angry…” Corey trailed off, recalling his fury at his father’s edict. He refused to let him study to learn portraiture from one of the best artists on the West Coast. A vein twitched at his temple and renewed anger surged through him. When it came to his art, his father was intractable.
“Corey, tell us what happened,” R.J. said.
A noticeable shiver racked Corey and R.J. moved closer, gripping his shoulder in silent encouragement.
“I didn’t change properly. I transformed halfway and got stuck. I couldn’t finish the change and I didn’t know how to shift back to human. I freaked. In the end they locked me away in the cells below the pack buildings. The doctors and scientists poked and prodded me and gradually I returned to human form. After that my father made sure I received a higher dosage of the suppression pills. Until I went off the pills here I couldn’t sense my wolf at all.”
Hal frowned. “Did your father tell anyone? And why would he risk sending you on the course here?”
“I wondered myself, but my father wouldn’t like others knowing about a weakness in his son,” Corey said. “I doubt he told anyone because no one bothered me after he got me out of the cells. Whenever I run out of pills I go to my father for a script. He told me to fill it at a small pharmacy near Chinatown.” Corey’s throat moved in an audible swallow, recalling the agonized screams he’d heard while incarcerated in the cells. Once he’d heard Enforcers beating some unlucky prick in the cell next to him. The crunch of fist against flesh and bone was a sound he never wanted to hear again.
“And the course?”
“That’s easier to answer,” R.J. said. “As head of the pack, he’d want the prestige of his son going on the course. It’s a subtle power play to show his strength and status.”
“Yep, my father is all about status and appearing powerful,” Corey said. “It’s that simple, plus he wanted me out of the way while he held negotiations with a neighboring pack. My failure to behave in a manner he deems proper embarrasses him.”
Hal nodded. “And coming here was low risk because all of the kids go off the suppression pills.”
“Exactly,” R.J. said.
“It’s time for us to go for a run. Emma and the others will welcome the exercise,” Hal said, changing the subject. “Corey, we need you to keep away from the dining area and the other public areas unless you wear a hat and make yourself appear like a tourist. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t contact anyone at home.”
“All right.” Curiosity rose in Corey. All this secrecy was obviously something to do with Emma. And Hal had mentioned other wolves. He decided to observe instead of asking questions. Only Teague knew his location and he wouldn’t tattle.
Hal disappeared, leaving them alone. R.J. closed the door and turned to face him, leaning his weight against the hard wood.
Corey bit his lip. “Have I landed you in trouble?”
“You haven’t exactly made things easy for me.”
“I’m sorry.” His gaze slid away from R.J.’s as shame filled him. Once again he’d jumped in with both feet instead of thinking. He’d missed R.J. so bad.
“Corey?”
“Yeah?” Corey swallowed, bracing himself for a rejection.
“I missed you. A lot. I’m glad you came back because I hated the way we parted. I’ve kicked myself ever since you left. I wanted to call you.”
“Really?” Relief made him dizzy.
“Yeah. Now shut up and kiss me quick before Hal comes back.”
Corey flew into R.J.’s arms. Their lips met and Corey put every wayward emotion into the kiss. His desire. His liking for R.J. and the fact he’d missed him dreadfully. Yearning crashed through him, a whimper of pleasure escaping. His hands mapped R.J.’s broad shoulders and he clung while their lips mated and their tongues tangled with enthusiasm.
The kiss proved one thing. His memories didn’t do their passion justice. He’d been right to return. Hopefully R.J. felt the same way.
Corey gripped R.J. tighter and kissed him, groaning in disapproval when R.J. lifted his head and pushed him away.
“Why did you stop?”
“Hal will return in a minute. Knowing about us and witnessing the fact are two different things.”
Chagrin flooded Corey. He’d made things worse for R.J. “I’m sorry.”
“Hey, don’t apologize. Normally your arrival wouldn’t cause problems.”
“I should have called first, but all I could think about was seeing you again.”
“And getting away from your father.”
Corey grimaced. “That too. I was careful. I doubt my father will search for me. He doesn’t like me and nothing I do is ever good enough for him.”
“Blood ties don’t make a family.”
“Ain’t that the truth.” Corey thought back to his childhood. His father hadn’t always worked this hard, yet he’d never spent time with him either. His friends’ parents played with them, took them out to the fun parks and for dinner. Corey couldn’t remember a single time when his father took him on an outing. His mother had taken him to the beach, to the movies and to play with other kids. Never his father. Funny, he hadn’t considered it strange until now.
Only his loss of temper and partial shift had grabbed his father’s attention. And, recently his refusal to work with him.
Hal returned and R.J.’s hands dropped from Corey’s shoulders. “You ready to go?”
“We’ll take the bus. People are used to seeing us with people in a bus and the ones here for the season won’t notice or suspect anything different.”
“Good idea. Corey, you know where we keep the water. Grab seven for us.”
“Seven?”
“We’ll answer your questions later.” R.J. waited for Corey’s nod of acquiescence before leaving him alone with Hal.
Corey gnawed on his bottom lip, acknowledging his worry—the worry he should have considered before arriving on their doorstep. “Will my presence cause trouble for you?”
“I honestly don’t know. You told us everything?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t worry,” Hal said. “I’ll see you in a few minutes out the front.”
Corey was the last to board the bus, lugging the requested water. Three men and Emma sat at the front of the bus, just behind Hal and R.J.
“How do we know we can trust him?” one of the men said.
The other two glared at Corey, faces filled with menacing agreement.
“I think he’s kinda cute,” Emma drawled.
Corey opened his mouth and shut it again. Silence might be his best option at this stage. He’d bulked out during the last three months but he wouldn’t have a chance against these men.
“Where does he come from? What is he doing here?” the man persisted. His dark eyes glinted with distrust.
“I told you before. He’s one of our students,” Hal said, his sharp
tone telling Corey he’d repeated the words several times already.
Time for Corey to speak. “I come from Los Angeles. I’m an artist. I came to visit R.J. and to check in on the store and the two lodges that are stocking my paintings on consignment. They want more paintings so I intend to stay and paint.”
His words stopped the growling and the muttering although the men still shot him looks full of suspicion. Corey wanted to ask questions of his own.
“What’s your name, kid?” Emma asked.
“Corey.”
“Corey who? You have another name, right?”
The woman had a real attitude. Corey’s glowered at her. “Yes, I have another name.”
Emma flashed a white grin at him. Unrepentant. “Well, what is it? Are you ashamed of your name?”
“Corey Wilson.” Most people knew his father or had at least heard of him. He took a deep breath and waited for the fallout.
“Wilson,” one of the men snarled.
“Yes.”
“Relation to Grant?”
Corey didn’t say anything. He didn’t have to since the answer was written over his face.
“Fuck, I thought this was a fuckin’ safe house,” the nearest man snarled. “We have to leave. Now.” He stood, taking two giant steps toward the exit door before Hal reached over and seized his arm.
“Don’t be stupid,” Hal said. “I explained everything to you.”
“You didn’t tell us his name,” Emma snapped.
“You’re only here for three more nights. Corey’s father doesn’t realize he’s here.”
The men continued to glare, and Corey hurriedly changed the subject. “Where are we going? This is a different way than we used to go for our lessons.”
“We like to vary our days. It’s not good for wolf sightings to take place in the same areas all the time,” R.J. said.
“A run will do us good,” Hal said. “Get rid of some of the stored energy and nerves.”
“Is he here to guard the bus?” Emma asked.
“Not exactly,” Hal said.
R.J. pulled into a side road Corey hadn’t noticed before. The road was narrow and bumpy, tree branches scraped the windows and body of the bus as they passed.
Corey’s teeth rattled and if he hadn’t grabbed the seat in front, he would have fallen to the floor. One of the men cursed.
Another shouted, “R.J., where did you get your license? In a cereal box?”
Emma laughed, wildness in her eyes, and Corey couldn’t help but grin back. The insults about R.J.’s driving flew hard and fast with R.J. flinging verbal abuse right back. The joking lightened the atmosphere and a much happier group exited the bus at the end of the track.
R.J. led the way to a winding path, not much bigger than a goat trail. Corey inhaled deeply and caught a whiff of deer, animals that passed this way a few hours earlier. He noticed the blades of grass and a freshly broken twig on an overhanging branch. Stepping carefully he avoided the pile of droppings. He took in these things automatically, delighting in the smells and sounds of the forest. After the closeness of the city and the multitude of sweaty bodies, the fresh crisp tang of the forest hit him like a health tonic.
“This looks familiar,” he said to R.J.
“We didn’t range this far during our training, but you might have come this way during your hunt.”
“Do you have to chatter like a couple of raucous birds?” Emma demanded. “I want to hunt today.”
“I’m sorry.” Corey understood the urge to run in wolf form. A thought occurred, one so obvious he was surprised he hadn’t thought of it earlier. These people weren’t students, and only students qualified for the summer program at Yellowstone, which meant…
“We’ll leave our stuff here,” R.J. said. “There’s a space behind this pile of rocks to hide our gear. I’ve left stuff here before.”
They stashed their packs and moved back.
R.J. grinned at him. “Corey, I’ll race you to shift.”
Corey started to fling off his clothes, the chance to best R.J. too good to pass. He laughed out loud at R.J.’s ripe curse. “Should remove the boots first.” A cackle of delight escaped him, his breathing coming fast as the urgent desire to win poured adrenaline through his veins.
A clear rip of fabric rent the air when he tore his boxer-briefs down his legs. Free of his clothes, he visualized his wolf, embracing the pain and the distinct pleasure of the shift. His wolf rolled over him, his bones cracking and reshaping, fur sprouting across his naked skin. He fell forward onto all fours and seconds later, his wolfish senses burst upon him.
In his wolf form he turned to see R.J. His lover stood beside Hal, naked, but not attempting to shift.
“It’s true,” Hal said. “He can shift even though he’s taking the suppression pills.”
Astonished, Corey sat on his haunches instead of bursting into a sprint as he’d originally intended. Hal was right, and he didn’t feel any different now from when he’d gone off the pills and shifted.
The pills really didn’t work!
The implications brought a tremble and he slunk across the ground to R.J., seeking comfort. As he had when he’d changed the first time, R.J. crouched beside him and petted him until his quivering stopped.
“Does anyone know about this?” one of the men demanded.
“Corey’s father,” Hal answered.
Emma scowled at Corey before turning her glower on Hal. “He hid it?”
Corey couldn’t decide if their anger was directed at him or his father.
Hal shook his head. “Not exactly. He let the doctors and scientists use his son as a test subject.”
“How did he get free?” another of the men asked.
“His father got the doctors to formulate stronger pills for him.”
“So why has he changed now?”
“We gave Corey a supply of pills when he left Yellowstone. We give all the kids a fresh supply of pills when they leave. I’d say he’s watched Corey and waited for any signs of his wolf to appear,” R.J. said.
To Corey’s relief R.J. continued the physical contact, scratching him and ruffling his fur. He sidled closer until he pressed against R.J.’s naked thigh. He listened closely, yet didn’t feel the need to join in the conversation. It was interesting—the ramifications. He’d never thought of his father’s behavior in this light before. Why had he let the doctors and scientists poke and prod him then let him free?
That part didn’t make sense. It wasn’t as if he and his father got along.
“Why didn’t Wilson make sure his son took the stronger pills?” one of the men asked.
“I don’t know. Perhaps he thought it a passing phase. For all we know he might be keeping a close eye on his son, waiting to see what happens,” Hal said.
There was an edgy pause, the snarls emanating from one of the men scaring Corey. His hackles rose and he returned a growl, despite his fear. This wasn’t his fault, dammit.
“What if he wants his son back?” one of the men demanded, a threatening edge to his voice.
When R.J. stretched to his full height to face the threat, Corey sidled behind him.
“Or if he’s tracked his son here?” another asked.
“Putting us all in danger,” Emma finished, summing up their thoughts.
“Crap,” one of the men said. “We need to check him for tracking devices.”
Emma went to Corey’s day pack and rifled through the compartments. “Does he have a cell phone?”
“No,” R.J. said. “At least he didn’t during his last visit. Corey doesn’t like them. Said he didn’t like making it easy for his father to contact him. The other kids had one each but not Corey.”
“That’s good news,” Hal said. “It also means they didn’t put any tracking devices on his body when they had him in the med labs.”
“Any shifting would upset a tracking device,” R.J. said. “If they’d injected one under his skin, the number of shifts he’s done would’ve
destroyed it by now.”
“Makes sense,” one of the men grudgingly agreed. The tension leached from his body. “We’ll check his belongings in case he’s brought a tracking device with him.”
Corey didn’t see how. None of his belongings had been anywhere near his father. In fact, several items were new, purchased in New York to help his disguise. The only things he’d brought with him from Los Angeles were art supplies.
“Do we need to do it right now?” Emma pouted, but her sulk didn’t look pretty or enticing. She looked downright scary. “I wanted a run. I’m going to crazy if I don’t run. Today.”
“R.J., Corey and I will go back to the camp,” Hal said finally. “You guys take a run and either R.J. or I will come and pick you up once we’re assured of your safety. Meanwhile we’ll go through Corey’s stuff and search for anything suspicious.”
“How do we know you’ll do a good job?” one of the men asked.
Fuck, they were a trusting lot. Corey came out from behind R.J. He shifted back to human and grabbed his scattered clothes. He’d looked forward to a run—didn’t look as if he’d get one today.
R.J. glared and took half a step toward the man. “Hal and I are putting our lives on the line to help you. Why the fuck would we sabotage ourselves?”
One of the others grabbed the man’s arm and hauled him back.
“They’re right. We have to trust them.” He turned to Hal. “Do you think we can move things along? Move us to the next safe house sooner than scheduled.”
“Good suggestion,” Hal said. “I’ll contact the major, let him know we have a problem.”
The man gave a curt nod. “That’ll work. If the worst happens, we can always hole up out here. We’ve slept rough before.”
“We’ll leave our water. I have some candy bars as well.” Hal produced several from his pocket and handed them over for storage with their gear.
The three men and Emma stripped and shifted to wolf, confirming Corey’s suspicions. They weren’t on suppression drugs, which was why they smelled wild and wolfish.
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