Three years Latter.
Three Miles from the Canadian Border
I loved running.
It as a wolf it was accelerating. It was night and the moon was high over head giving light that I did not need but was useful none the less. My goal was the Canadian border and I had nearly done it. Three more miles lay between me and a hot plate of Poutine. Victory will be mine.
Hazel…..
Crap. Doubling my speed I attempted to shut out the voice trying to cut threw my subconscious. Fries, Gravy, Cheese, Curds became my mantra. I sang it loudly and on a steady loop.
"Fries, Gravy, Cheese,-"
Hazel Gray! Bran's Alpha voice broke threw my sacred prayer. Shocked by the force of his voice I tripped over my paws sending myself face first down a ravine. Righting myself half way down I saved myself from the frigid white waters churning below. Muscle sinks like lead in the water a not so fun lesson to learn one hot summer day. I was almost fish bait I snarled at the water, it would do no good but it made me feel better.
Hazel Gray you better not be sneaking into Canadian territory, He growled. Because they will not react kindly to an Alpha of your caliber in their home.
Bran used to be cool. The day I woke up in the Blue Fairy Motel I was convinced that he was a controlling, murder, rapist (One out of three). He reacted with calm and cool leadership. He helped me change and control my inner wolf. Somewhere along the way he became my mother. Don't get me wrong I needed Bran, I just really didn't want him.
Get back here, he ordered.
"Yes, Myaster." I grumbled, changing directions. I had learned a long time ago that orders from the Marrok weren't to be ignored. Bad things happened, for example your throat would be ripped out. As if sensing my resignation he didn't bother me again and I was fine with that.
My first night in Aspen Creek was spent outside. I thought I was going to stay with Bran but Leah, Bran's mate took one look at me then tried to rip my throat out. It was understandable I mean just that morning the guy woke up naked with an equal naked woman. I too would be wondering what my love monkey was doing on those long business trips. So, I only broke her collarbone, after that I made myself disappear I had been homeless so I was no stranger to sleeping out side. Besides, it was nice out so a night in a tree wouldn't be so bad.
About a mile out of Aspen Creek was my home. The beauty of supernatural strength is the ability to build big with little effort. The tree I spent my first night in became the tree I built my house on.
While staying at the Aspen Creek motel I spent a lot of time watching TV. According to Bran, I couldn't interact with people because if I lost my temper I would tear off their head and throw it across the room.
Anyway one night a documentary on tree house builder's came on and it was like magic. The tree houses featured on the documentary weren't the rinky dinky tree houses of childhood past. No, they were condos in the clouds. The next morning I had drawn up some plans and went hunting for lumber. Bran approved after making some structural changes he said it would be character building.
It took five months and a lot of help from Tony a local carpenter but it worked out like a dream (that drained my bank account). It had hot running water and WiFi what more could a person want for. Slowing to a trot I gazed up at my castle in the clouds.
The light was on.
Come on up.
I sat on my back hunches and growled slowly, hackles raised. It was Bran the Muffin- I mean Marrok and he was in my house. An image of killing him flashed through my mind before I squashed the notion. Bran had told me it was normal he then went on to tell me the consequences of my action. If I killed Bran I would have to take his place in the pack. So needless to say I wouldn't (even if I could) harm a single hair on his pretty little head.
Sniffing the foot of the stairs I caught Brands scent it was mingled with Sandalwood. Charles was in my house another thing that I didn't like but I wouldn't kill Charles for the same reason that I wouldn't kill Bran. I had no desire to be the pack executioner anymore then I wanted to be head honcho. Taking another sniff I found Anna's scent my tail wagged slightly, I liked Anna.
The stairs led up to a platform that in turn led to a wire and wood suspension bridge. The main structure technical wasn't directly built on a tree. Instead a platform was built that wrapped around three tall cedar trunks. The house part was nestled in the middle of the decked platform.
I padded over the bridge and passed the front door. Stopping at one of the windows, I hopped up on to my back legs to peek into the living room. Resting my paws on a painted flower box filled with Basil I got an eyeful of my reflection.
By whatever wolf raffle that the "change" was I had got the short stick. I had a white coat that was pretty but was not practical, cinnamon markings that suspiciously looked like tiger stripes, and two different colored eyes one cobalt the other gold an affliction I was told was fairly common among dogs and wolves (Heterochromia).
Refocusing my vision I assessed the situation.
Bran and Charles stud with their backs facing the window a position they wouldn't have normally taken had their attention not had been distracted by Anna who was playing with my newest toy. Delicate music wafted from the 5 stringed electric cello that Anna was playing expertly. I felt a twinge of jealousy that I swallowed.
Hopping down I rounded to the back of the structure. A glass dogie door let me straight into my room. I gave a little yip to declare my intentions to the closed door. The music paused for a moment before continuing. The room was just big enough to fit a queen mattress and dresser, a pocket door was opened to an adjoining three piece bathroom.
Arching my back I let the change wash over me. I had never got used to it, the feeling of fur retracting and bone remodeling. Gasping for breath I collapsed. It takes me fifteen seconds to change and twenty to change back, I was sure I had timed it. Running to the bathroom I rinsed out my mouth.
I will not throw up. I growled at myself in the mirror. Meeting blue eyes I watched as the left glazed gold. Stop this, I snarled at my wolf. The gold faded and I was left with plain blue eyes again. Pulling my long black hair away from my face I twisted it into a bun at the back of my neck. It made me look severe but maybe that wasn't a bad thing in this case. My brother had once told me that I was built like an elf from the Lord of the Rings movies which I thought was a lovely compliment until he pointed out that you couldn't really tell who was a male or female.
Grabbing a pair of sweats I had time to put them on before there was a loud rap on the door. Opening the door I met Brands stony face.
"Why did you want to go to Canada?"
Striding past him I walked into the living room. "I felt it was a matter of life or death." I said straight faced. "Anna its good to see you again, Charles."
Anna gave me a lopsided smile and Charles gave a deep nod which was I assumed the equivalent of a kiss on the cheek. Blinking back suprise I turned back to Anna. "What do you think?"
Her half smile turned into a full grin. "It handles like a dream."
"I know right, but I was a little leery about the acoustics on the extra C string." I nodded to her to play it. We both listened as the sound resonated. "Doesn't it sound a little swallowed?"
The cello was not cheap but luckily my job paid well enough to cover the expenses. I worked for the Noble Cinema Scoring Co. For a living I put music to movies. I loved my job.
"A little." She agreed.
"So do you think-," Before I went on my voice caught in my throat.
I was ignoring the head honcho, I might have as well tossed a gauntlet at his feet. His hand clamped over the back of my neck. It swallowed my neck, enveloping it in a trembling death trap. Trembling was bad it meant barely contained fury. (Or fear, but I doubted that was the case here.)
"Why were you going to Canada?" He whispered into my ear.
Bad. Why couldn't I leave well enough alone.
"I wanted Poutine."
"What?" He let me go surprised.
Taking the opportunity I backed my way into the kitchenette. It had a door out to the deck and a way out if things started to get hairy, oh look a pun.
"Fries covered in gravy and cheese curds." I explained. "I saw it on the EAT network." I looked at Charles he stood protectively in front of Anna. Speaking of Anna I tried to send her a mental message to work her Omega ju ju on the pissed off Marrok.
"Let me get this straight," He sighed exasperated. "You would be willing to cause a werewolf civil war for fast food?"
"Oh, calm down they would just kill me, you're over reacting."
Start a war?
"And who would have to retaliate?" He asked like I was stupid.
"Would you retaliate?" I growled. My hands closed over butcher block counters. I held on not because I was trying to get away but because I was trying to hold myself back.
"You are one of my wolves, of course I would." The words seemed to surprise Bran more than me which was quite the feet as I could no longer breath.
Charles politely cleared his throat effectively breaking the awkward spell that had descended.
"Right." I coughed breaking eye contact. "What are you doing in my house?"
Bran nodded accepting my submissive gesture. Our shaky truce went back into affect. "The Blue Fairy Motel burned down."
My eyebrows lowered. The Blue Fairy Motel was the base of the Las Vegas Werewolf pack. My brother had lived there for the entirety of his werewolf life a grand total of three and a half weeks. Xavier lived there with his family.
"How many dead?" I asked releasing the counter.
"All of them." Charles sighed, Anna put a hand on his back comforting him. A sharp yearning hit me, I wanted someone to comfort me. I turned my eyes to Bran who was watching them with the same rapt fascination I had. His eyes suddenly latched on to me. Kinship passed between us before I remembered who I was looking at. Snorting I turned away.
"How," I snapped more harshly than I intended. "Fourteen werewolves do not politely sit and burn."
Charles once again went tense. "Calm, Hazel lashing at us does good for no one but the ones responsible."
My eyes zeroed in on him as a hunger built. "Sweet Charles you smell tasty from here I wonder if you taste as spicy as you smell."
"Hazel." Anna growled jumping to her feet. Calm followed her words soothing the wolf tearing at my control.
"Thank you." I murmured. "Why did you tell me this, I haven't thought about Vegas in years."
That wasn't true. I had left everything there my life, my friends, my family. Thoughts of what they were up to had crossed my mind often. I had friends in the pack.
"I want you to go and figure out what happened." Bran folded his arms. "Deal with it as I would."
I opened my mouth then thought differently of it. "I'll catch a plan tonight on one condition."
Bran cocked an eyebrow.
"I do this alone." Taking a deep breath I went on. "Without you there I might be tempted to kill Charles."
Bran nodded. "Your right but Charles isn't going with you," A smile lit his face. "I am."