Chapter Three: Human

"Pay my respects to grace and virtue

Send my condolences to good

Give my regards to soul and romance

They always did the best they could."

-The Killers' "Human"

Two hours after Sage showed up, we were telling each other stories of summer romances and painting each other's toenails, binging on Ben & Jerry's.

At least, that's what I'd have preferred.

As soon as I got the ice cream out and it was successfully cradled in Sage's arms, a plastic spoon in her other hand, I grabbed some of my newly clean clothes and changed in the bathroom.

When I came back into the room, Sage surprised me. She said, "Yum. It's strange how good ice cream can calm your nerves, no matter what the matter at hand is."

I arched an eyebrow, but I nodded. I didn't want to make enemies before I could even speak with the Marrok.

"Who works that store across the road?" I asked.

She gulped down that last mouthful of ice cream and said, "What's he look like?"

"Red hair, green eyes-"

"Oh, that's Vincent Tanner. Goes by Vince, though. Likes to think he's a member of the pack, even though he's human. Why?"

I sat down on the other side of the bed and sighed. "He said that he was afraid of a wolf-walker mix. Said he didn't want to see people in danger just because some idiot werewolf mated with some other kind."

She looked at me with a grimace. "I take it he didn't know what you were?" Then, with a sad smile, "You eventually get used to the stares, people pulling their kids closer when you're around. This might be the Marrok's town, but that doesn't mean people aren't still skeptical.

"I mean, some people take it in stride. Think of us as protection and just go on about our lives. But there are people here who, even though they've lived here all their lives, still think of us as abominations and would rather if we were dead. Vince exaggerates, too. People aren't afraid of you, that I know of. I think they're pretty much just curious."

I nodded. "Yeah, people look at you pretty funny when they check your dorm at midnight and find a wolf laying under your blanket."

She laughed. She started to say something, but before she could, the hotel phone rang.

I looked over at her. "No one that I know knows I'm here."

But I still lunged for the phone and got it before she could. "Hello?"

A girlish voice replied, "Emlyn?"

"Ravine," I said. She was Nathaniel's daughter, about a year older than me. "What's up?"

"Oh, the same. I'm back home for the summer. I heard you skipped town and had to bribe Dad to give me your hotel number." She sounded like a college girl should sound. Bubbly, full of energy, the same Ravine that I'd played Barbies with so long ago.

"Bribe him with what?"

She laughed, "I can no longer get Cheeto blood all over the remote."

I laughed. We'd had this joke since we were small, that the cheesy stuff that gets on your fingers when you eat cheetos was it's blood. Things had been so simple back then, when I could at least play human for a little while.

Sage cleared her throat.

"What was that?" Ravine asked. Then, "You with someone?"

I swallowed. "I have to go meet someone. I'll talk to you later, K?"

She sounded disappointed when she said, "Sure." Ravine hung up before I could.

Sage said, "Sorry to interrupt the get-together, but we should probably go."

I pulled on my shoes and followed her to the door. She made to open it.

"Sage. What's taken you so long?"

The dark man standing in the door way was a little more than scary. And that's exactly what he was. Dark skinned, dark hair, dark eyes. In some other setting, he might even be handsome, but I was doing all I could not to cower.

"Charles," Sage said, looking down.

He chuckled. "Time to get the little one to see Da."

We followed.

-------------

The house was amazing.

As my English IV teacher would have said, it was 'frikkin' huge.'

But it was a bit more modest than you'd think the Marrok's house would be. Whether that was because he was humble or because this was Montana, I couldn't be sure.

We pulled up in front of the house. We were in Charles's truck. How he navigated the winding roads, I'd never know. I had my license, but I wasn't a good driver.

Charles Cornick was the Marrok's son, as I'd found out.

I surely hoped Bran Cornick wasn't as scary as his son.

I followed the other two into the house, and we arrived in a nice living room. I was instantly hit by the overwhelming scent of werewolves. There were multiple scents, lingering. I couldn't help but be filled with dread. What if I was their meal ticket? Nice, fresh, Emlyn. I'm sure I would die a painful death, mauled to death by ravaging, bloodthirsty-

"Emlyn?" Charles asked gruffly, pulling me away from my horrific thoughts.

"Yessir?"

I heard another chuckle. I realized that there was another scent in the room. I looked around, but I only saw a guy that looked like he might be visiting home from college, too.

I repeated myself. "Yessir?"

The college kid answered me instead of Charles.

"Ah, so you're Emlyn James, I presume?"

I nodded and looked back at Charles, trying not to be rude. "Um, where am I meeting the Marrok?"

This time, all three of the others laughed. I couldn't help but guess I'd made yet another blunder.

"I am the Marrok," the college kid said. "Bran Cornick, nice to meet you," he added as he held his hand out for me to shake.

I would have protested and asked for the real Marrok, but I was in a room with three other werewolves who could have easily taken me on one-on-one; I didn't feel like pushing my luck too far.

"Um, nice to meet you too."

He stared at me, as if trying to make sense of something.

I almost forgot to avert my gaze, but I remembered before I'd metaphorically stumbled into the lions' den. Or wolves' den in this case. And maybe not so metaphorically.

"I've been wondering," he said, "what exactly is a wolf-walker cross? What do you shift into? Must you change on the full moon?"

I shook my head. "No, I don't have to change on the full moon. I-I turn into a wolf, not a coyote. But not like you guys. I change faster, and I'm more like a real wolf. Not as big as a werewolf. Not as dangerous."

I couldn't help but like the Marrok. But I wondered if that was actually me or if it was part of his being the Marrok.

He surprised me when he said, "Au contraire, Ms. James. A cross such as you could wreak havoc, just like any other wolf or walker." Then, even more surprising, "I'd like you to join my pack."