It's been awhile, hasn't it? Well, let's just say senior year has been literally hell and I needed a few weeks to recover. Also, a side note here: I finally got past another writer's block and have been writing the next few chapters ahead of time so I could hopefully post faster. I'm currently finishing up chapter eleven and there might be another chapter before the Epilogue, it just depends.
So, here's an early Christmas present to y'all! I hope you enjoy this chapter and thanks to everyone for sticking with me and my random updating schedule! Happy Reading!
Have a Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays!
~Delyth
"Step follows step,
Hope follows Courage,
Set your face towards danger,
Set your heart on victory."
—Gail Carson Levine (The Two Princesses of Bamarre)
Chapter Eight
Another Step Forward
When Ari returned from the bathroom, hair sticking tightly to her back like a second skin and dripping, she blinked as both Warren and Doc stared at each other. The tension in the room was palpable and she wasn't stupid—she knew they weren't being hostile toward each other per se, but it was clear they were somewhat uncomfortable.
"Um, Warren?" His head turned away from the window and she stopped herself from flinching away from his sharp eyes as they met her face. Ari took a deep breath, and tilting her head up to meet his gaze, she asked, "Are there any leftovers? I didn't really get to eat…"
He blinked and turned his attention to Doc who released a surprised yet bemused snort of laughter as Warren replied, almost shyly, "Yes, there's some left, sweetheart. Sorry about that."
As the Texan cowboy left the room to heat up the leftover food she'd unintentionally didn't eat, Ari chanced a curious glance at Doc. He had his arms crossed and leaned against the wall furthest from the couch Warren had been sitting at. Even though the other male wolf had left the room, there was a stiffness to the doctor's shoulders and she wondered once again where Mercy was. If the walker was here, then she might have eased the amount of testosterone permeating the air.
"Yes, Ari?" Doc asked, a smile on his face as he turned from looking out the window to her.
Cheeks reddening and heart stuttering, she immediately averted her eyes with a cough and tried very hard to pretend that she hadn't just been staring at him unabashedly. "Earlier—ya know, before my most recent freakout—" Doc's lips quirked upward a little at her phrasing, "—I asked where Mercy went to, and y'all both seemed really upset."
She cocked her head to the side, listening to Warren as he cursed inelegantly under his breath after dropping something. The clattering of silverware distracted her momentarily, but Doc's focus was completely on her now, his eyes sharpening only slightly as he took her in again. As if her question and curiosity required a reassessment of her entire personality, motive, and intelligence. She couldn't fathom why on earth inquiring where the walker was such a touchy subject, but Ari wasn't going to back down on this one.
Raising her head to meet his gaze, Ari took a deep breath and asked, "You mentioned somethin' about 'getting into trouble,' but what does that even mean? Getting in trouble with what? And," she paused, her brain finally catching up to what her nose had been trying to tell her since she first entered Warren's apartment. "There's another man? He doesn't smell like…a wolf."
Approaching behind with loud steps to alert her of his presence, Warren brought a plate filled to the brim with Thai takeout and set it down on the table in front of her with a glass of water. He ran his hand through his hair, clearly stressed, and wanting to understand but not willing to push the subject too much, Ari grabbed her fork and began eating.
It was becoming very apparent that this mystery man with the gentle aroma of cologne was more than just a friend or roommate of Warren's. He was human and an important part of the cowboy's life that must have put a strain on their relationship, since no one was allowed to know about werewolves. Warren was the type of guy who was honorable and loyal—he would never betray Adam or his pack, no matter what the circumstance was from what she could guess after knowing him only a few days.
She stilled, her mind latching onto that thought—had it really only been two days since she was sitting in a cell? It felt like ages had passed—decades as a matter of fact.
"He's…" Warren hesitated a moment before sighing, sitting on the couch beside her. "He's really special to me."
Ari glanced at the broad and gentle giant, her heart aching for him in that moment. He looked defeated and tired, apparently being gay in a pack of wolves wasn't an easy life and keeping the biggest secret of the century had to be exhausting alone. Careful not to spill her food, the she-wolf patted his arm comfortingly with a small smile and Warren placed his large hand on top of hers, dwarfing her hand completely.
"You can't tell 'im, huh?" She shook her head. Shouldn't there be some kind of leniency when it came to sharing that he changed into a wolf? Wordlessly, her face turned to the Marrok's son still standing against the wall for an answer.
Doc sighed, "It's forbidden. Humans aren't allowed to know about us—not unless they're the mate of a wolf or they marry one. Only then can they know."
"But the humans in Aspen Creek…"
Warren spoke up, squeezing her hand, "Aspen Creek is a special exception. It's the home of the Marrok and there are many wolves who inhabit there, living freely with humans who know the secret. In turn of keeping that secret, the Marrok allows humans to make the decision to become a werewolf, bringing them into the pack, and giving them a new life."
She balked at the thought of anyone wanting to choose in becoming a werewolf. To lose a sense of humanity and have to give into the call of the Moon no matter how much they want to cling to human morals and logic. Ari could only feel robbed of a childhood, a future, and a chance of motherhood the minute that crazed wolf attacked her and Lily. Yet, there were humans—people who wanted to become the wolf and live forever, remaining unchanged while the ones they love and care about wither and die. Maybe she was biased, but she had every reason to think humans who wanted to accept the Change and become something otherworldly was just wrong.
Her inner wolf growled at the thought of being viewed as a monster, and Ari was quick to reassure her that in the beginning she hadn't wanted to be a wolf. Hadn't wanted to be anything but human because being human meant a sense of normalcy and safety and freedom. After being turned, she'd been caged, tortured, and robbed of any hope of the future as a woman. Of course, she accepted the wolf now, dwelling over things she couldn't change and the fact that her wolf had helped her during the worst parts of her prison helped change her opinion somewhat.
Both men noticed her sudden shift in mood and Ari moved her hand away to begin eating again. She didn't want to tell them that she didn't see the act of giving a human the choice to Change as something rewarding. She just couldn't.
Silence descended upon them and Ari tried to concentrate on eating rather than the tension growing between the two dominant wolves. She didn't have the energy to lighten the atmosphere nor did she feel like dealing with her own thoughts about the Marrok Changing humans. Maybe she felt a little cheated and bitter about the fact that she didn't have a choice in becoming a werewolf, but the information was just too hard to swallow. So, she decided to focus on Mercy disappearing not too long after she fell asleep again. Could she have gone after Warren's lover? If so, why would Doc or Warren, for that matter, allow her to go?
Because, if it had been Ari, she would have spilled the beans about the whole wolf mafia thing. Could Mercy really get in trouble with the pack and the Marrok since she wasn't technically a member of the pack (or any at all)? Maybe the reason why Doc and Warren let her go was because she would find a way to do it anyway, or they possibly, secretly hoped that she would tell Warren's lover?
Ari reached for her water, holding back a sigh. She was just going in circles. What did she really know about pack hierarchy, werewolf politics, and rules? Despite being a wolf for nearly four years, she didn't know shit about her kind's lifestyle other than that it was violent and tended to be stuck in the past. They also liked to rile her up to the point that she wanted to crawl under a rock and never come out.
She tilted her head, her ears picking out Mercy's steps as she climbed the porch steps. Shifting in her seat to see the door open followed by Mercy standing in the doorway wearing a very expensive peacoat, Ari couldn't help but brace for impact. Her eyes watched Warren's form as he stood up and whirled, nostrils flaring as he scented the air, and Doc's shoulders tightened, the only sign that he was ready to jump between the cowboy and Mercy.
The first immediate thought that came to Ari's mind after seeing such a startling reaction was she needed to get as far away as possible (and protect her food from spilling). The second thought was Mercy smelled suspiciously like the man with the scent of cologne and who also happened to be carrying Warren's scent on him like a billboard sign for all who had the sense of smell to detect it. As she slowly moved away from the couch and into the chair that was a safer distance away, the teenager tried not to wince at the rising anger, shock, and fear that wafted into her nostrils with each breath. Doc took a small step in her direction, concern etched on his features at the frightened look on her face, but she shook her head at him. While terrified of a possible altercation (though, she highly doubted Warren would hurt Mercy, or Ari for that matter), she would be alright. Panicking would only escalate things and Warren needed to talk out his frustrations and fear instead of focusing on a traumatized she-wolf.
That, and she really didn't want to be around Doc if he was going to possibly jump in the middle of things either.
"You told him, didn't you." A statement of fact rather than a question. Warren's voice was void of any emotion, and Ari was beginning to learn that body language and scents didn't lie. Aside from her own fear, she could detect his anger as well as his terror.
Mercy snorted, crossing her arms and raising her chin. There wasn't an ounce of guilt in her gaze as she met his stare briefly before adjusting to looking at his chin instead. "You weren't going to tell him, and Kyle deserves to know the truth."
Warren's hands ruffled his dark hair in clear agitation at her response. "You don't get it, Mercy! You've just signed your death warrant as well as Kyle's. Adam can execute you both—I've seen him do it."
Ari winced as Mercy shook her head stubbornly. "Just me, not Kyle."
She wondered if the cowboy was contemplating ripping out his hair as he rubbed his face briskly. His voice was still flat, but there was an undertone of anger and a hint of fear. "Damn it, Mercy. It doesn't matter. Kyle will die, too."
Doc interjected before Mercy could say another word, "Only if he went to the media with the information."
Could that really be considered as a reassuring loophole? By the glare Warren sent in his direction, Ari didn't think so.
Ari's ears twitched at the lightest shift in weight along the wooden staircase and she stilled, only half-listening now as Warren assumed a defeated and misery-like pose. She tilted her head back and met Adam's eyes who was leaning heavily against his cane. There was a calmness in his face as he listened to his Third lament about how it was his responsibility and risk to tell Kyle, not Mercy's. Ari wasn't sure she could smell his emotions from her position—not with so many different scents lingering and mingling together during the exchange now—but he didn't look angry that Mercy had let the cat out of the bag to a human. In fact, she mused with her head cocked to the side, he looked rather pleased that she had.
Beyond confused now, Ari asked and interrupted whatever it was Doc was about to say. "How come you're not upset about Mercy telling Mr. Kyle?"
Mercy's eyes widened, and her head jerked to glance up at Adam as he remained leaning against his cane at the top of the staircase. Warren's entire focus had shifted from trying to get Mercy to understand that what she did wasn't right to his Alpha. Doc had settled more or less closer to the teenage wolf's side now that things seemed to be settling a little. Why emotions were dying down now that Adam was here, Ari didn't understand, but she was just going to roll with it for now. She could have someone explain more about the entire thing later.
"Mercy isn't pack like Warren who is bound to pack law. If Warren had told his lover, then I would have to enforce law or risk rebellion in the pack." Ari tried to keep back her wince as he abruptly sat on the top stair.
"So," she said, "Since Mercy isn't pack and doesn't have to obey that gag order—" she ignored Doc's fake cough to hide his laughter, "—she won't get punished?"
At Adam's nod then Doc's spoken affirmation, Ari glanced back at Warren who was still rather stunned at the information then to Mercy who appeared to be having some kind of epiphany. Ari 'aha'ed. "In other words, Mercy bent the rules and Warren didn't break any, so we're all good."
"Yes," Adam grinned, sharing a brief look with Doc. "Samuel and I can witness that Mercy told Kyle and not Warren." He rolled his shoulders and fixed Warren with a stare that said more than his words ever could. "I'd given you permission a long time ago, but I have orders to follow, too."
The Marrok, Ari thought immediately. She could understand why the Marrok would want to keep the whole 'there're werewolves around' bit close to the belt, but it just seemed a little cruel to make Warren's relationship with Mr. Kyle suffer. Then again, she was biased and tended to forget she wasn't human anymore at times when the lines between moral, logic, and instinct blurred.
"You knew I was going to tell him," Mercy accused, a hint of realization in her voice.
Instead of denying it, Adam's smile seemed to only widen further, and Ari suddenly had more respect for the Alpha since that night he took her and Mac in without hesitation. "If you hadn't gone after him, I was going to come down and order you not to tell him just to make you storm off before Kyle left."
Ari couldn't stop the bubble of laughter from escaping her throat at the look that crossed Mercy's face. She could only describe it as awe and maybe a passing of an evil scheme developing in her head. The she-wolf could only guess what she was planning to get under the Alpha's skin, but she wasn't going to ask and ruin the surprise.
Instead, she asked out of curiosity and for personal reasons, "So, how'd Mr. Kyle take it, Mercy?"
Warren seemed grateful for the question as he sat back down on the couch. Mercy replied, "He's not going to tell the police or the media. Kyle's great at keeping tough secrets like this." She paused before adding for the Texan's sake, "He's willing to talk with you about it, once we get Jesse back and everything is all said and done."
The weight placed on the cowboy's shoulders lifted somewhat and he rubbed his face, looking more tired than Ari had ever seen him. Her heart went out to him, and Mercy reached out to touch his shoulder comfortingly. His relationship wasn't over with Mr. Kyle yet—he had time to explain and make their relationship work. At least, that's what she hoped would happen after this entire mess was settled.
After a moment of silence, Mercy announced, "Zee contacted me and said he has a lead on where Jesse might be located."
Zee, her Fae friend who taught her everything she knows about being a mechanic. Ari wondered how Mercy met all these different supernatural beings—she had ties with werewolves since she was a baby, she lived next to an Alpha, and was friends with a Fae. What was next? Vampires? She cocked her head again, were there such thing as vampires? Well, considering how there were Fae and werewolves, there had to be vampires too, right?
She shook her head. Ari could figure that all out later—she needed to pay attention to the conversation at hand. After pulling herself free from her thoughts, she realized that Doc and Mercy were heading out the door. Possibly to go meet Zee and his contact? She tried not to groan in annoyance at her inability to stay focus for long periods of time.
"Ari?" Warren asked, suddenly standing in front of her and holding out his hand for her plate.
Blinking, she glanced down to see that her food had stopped steaming and was probably cold again. Most of the food had remained uneaten, and she blamed all the excitement and being distracted easily.
He smiled, the brightness in his eyes having returned. "Would you like me to reheat that, sweetheart?"
She nodded, blushing. "Sorry. I think I might have ADD or something."
Adam chuckled from his spot on the stairs, content at the moment to stay there. "You looked like you had a lot on your mind. Care to share?"
As Warren headed into the kitchen to reheat her meal again, Ari rubbed the back of her neck before taking a lock of her hair to fiddle with. She was a little embarrassed about needing to ask this question, but she was just tired of being kept in the dark so much. "I've been a werewolf for four years now and I don't know hardly anythin'. I've been relyin' on instinct and wantin' to survive so far."
The Alpha nodded, a sign that he understood and was listening.
She took a deep breath, still focused on playing with her hair. The strand circled her index finger over and over before she unwound it to restart the process again. "All my life, I considered myself normal although, I don't think a girl with telekinesis has a right to call herself normal." Though she didn't look up to see Adam's reaction to that reveal, Ari could sense the surprise in the air as if he had voiced it aloud rather than remain perfectly still. "My parents hid the reason why Lily and I got these strange powers—said we weren't ready for that secret yet. Guess I'll never know why 'til I finally let 'em know where we've been this entire time. Wonder how they'll take the whole wolf thing?"
Ari shook herself. This wasn't what she wanted to focus on. She wanted to know more about her new life. There wasn't changing the past and she was beginning to realize that dwelling on it for too long would keep her from moving forward. She sighed. "I think I'm just talkin' in circles, but I don't wanna live in the dark no more."
Adam hummed thoughtfully. "You want to understand our world better—from a different perspective other than yours."
Warren entered the living room once more with her plate of food and handed it to her with a gentle smile. He noticed her embarrassment and said, "It's nothing to be ashamed of, sweetheart. You entered our world on the wrong terms so, of course, you're going to have a completely different opinion about our laws and lifestyle."
"Even so," she said, glancing up at Warren then Adam before looking down at her plate. "I want to understand."
"Very well." Adam motioned for her to eat with a hand when she looked up at him again. "Eat and ask your questions. Warren and I will answer what we can tonight."
Relieved, Ari took a bite of her chicken and settled further into her seat for a long talk.
~o~
It took Warren a solid thirty minutes to convince Adam to go back to bed and Ari found it rather amusing that the Alpha didn't put up much fuss when the Texan sweetheart gave him a bunch of raw meat to help replenish his energy. She had to hold in her giggles as Warren muttered something exasperatedly under his breath that she couldn't quite catch, but she understood the sentiment.
The two men had spent the better part of two hours explaining in more detail about werewolves and their society. Territories, Alphas and their top two, dominance fights, their weaknesses, mates, the pack bond, etc. She'd learned more in those hours than she had in the near four years spent as a wolf, and she was grateful to hear what to expect in her new life. The ceremonies and traditions that go as far back as King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, and how the Marrok gained his moniker. Everything she thought she knew about history felt obscured and suddenly too clean to be real. There were so many instances where a wolf, Fae, witch, or vampire had a prominent role in certain events in history—the fact that Adam said there were werewolves fighting in the Vietnam Conflict made her wonder how many more supernatural creatures had a direct impact on history. There were probably too many to count and she may never know unless she tried to ask the older wolves, vampires, or the Fae. As far as Adam and Warren were concerned, she wasn't going to go wander off and ask the wrong question—too risky, they told her. Besides, not many preternatural beings liked to talk about the past in first place.
Either way, it was an interesting thought that kept her preoccupied while Warren fed Adam and made sure his Alpha was comfortable.
Ari felt a little groggy herself, but her mind was whirring with so much new information that she couldn't fall asleep. Curled up on the sofa with a blanket and another glass of water in hand, she stared off to the side and drew patterns on the wall while her mind wandered. There were drawbacks in being a wolf and she knew plenty of them from personal experience, but she was comforted by what she knew now rather than stumbling around in the dark waiting for the Big Bad Wolf to finally devour her.
Her wolf snorted at the comparison and Ari didn't bother to apologize—her wolf knew she was only trying to make sense of it all still. Ari tilted her head as a thought occurred to her—more like a question, but she felt hesitant to ask Warren as he descended the stairs with the empty tray that had Adam's dinner.
"Hey, Warren?"
He paused on his way to the kitchen to wash the tray, eyes focused on her. "Yes, sweetheart?"
Taking a deep breath and to push down the sudden lump in her throat, Ari asked, "Will I be able to tell my parents? About…what happened to us?"
She couldn't look at him as she waited for his answer—didn't know if she could handle the anguish if Warren said no. It was bad enough that her parents and brothers probably thought Lily and Ari were dead; it would be worse if she couldn't tell them that she's alive—that Lily was probably out there somewhere breathing still as well. The guilt and pain of never seeing them again would be too much no matter much support she had with Adam, Mercy, Warren, and the Pack. It would be impossible to see the Pack as a replacement family for the one she'd lost if Warren acting as Alpha while Adam was on the mend thought it was too great of a risk to let her tell her family the big secret.
A loose seam caught her attention as she twirled it around her finger in an attempt to distract her nerves and depressing thoughts. She should at least try to think more positively instead of always worrying about things that hadn't even been decided yet or events that hadn't happened either.
"I believe they deserve to know that at least one of their daughters is alive." Her head snapped up at his soft reply and her eyes locked with his face, filled with such hope that her breath shuttered briefly. Smiling, Warren continued, "We can talk with Adam and the Marrok about it some more once everything has been settled."
"Do you—do you think they'll let me see them?" Her words came out garbled as she tried to fight back tears.
Warren walked toward her, placed the tray on the table, and sat at her side. He brushed his hand against her shoulder, not wanting to overwhelm her with his touch in case it brought back terrible memories, but she shifted position until she rested against his side. While Warren absorbed Ari actually accepting his offer to comfort her, she laid her head against his chest since she was too short to rest against his shoulder. She could hear his heart beat, healthy and strong and soothing, in its never-ending rhythm.
"I don't see why not, sweetheart," he murmured, brushing his fingers through her hair.
She couldn't stop the tears from falling after that and tried to keep from crying too loudly so as not to disturb Adam upstairs. Just hearing that there was a chance she'd finally see her parents—see Aquilo and Auster again filled her with hope. In that moment, she didn't care that they may not accept her because of the wolf or that they might blame her for Lily's disappearance when she should have protected her better. All that mattered was the hope of hearing her parents' voice, being tackled by Auster in a hug, and seeing Aquilo, her big brother, laughing at his siblings' antics.
Tears stained his shirt and she was pretty positive her nose was running, but Warren didn't care, he just let her cry and lean against him like Aquilo would do whenever she was upset. Ari sobbed the pain, the fear, and the frustration she's felt for such a long time that a huge weight was lifted from her shoulders.
"It's going to be alright, Ari," Warren drawled, his hand still petting her hair as she sniffled against his chest.
She really hadn't meant to cry on him like that, but once the floodgates started, it was a miracle if it ever stopped. The teenager took a deep shuttering breath and nodded. Everything would work out in the end—one way or another.
"Sorry for cryin' on you like that. I hadn't meant to cry," she said, pulling away so she could rub her face.
Warren grinned, completely unbothered by the wet stain on his shirt and the possible snot mixed in, too. "It's alright, sweetheart. I don't mind being a shoulder for you to cry on."
Despite herself, Ari laughed. "Hopefully, it won't be too often."
He ruffled her hair fondly before standing up and grabbing the tray to return to his previous task before she got so emotional. Ari used her shirt to wipe her tears and nose since she didn't know where any Kleenex were. Oh well, a little runny nose wouldn't kill her.
Ari stilled, a noise outside catching her attention, and she turned her head to stare at the door, as if she could see through it and what was happening in Warren's driveway. Several tires slid across the concrete until they came to a complete stop, the sound of doors opening and closing, which was quickly followed by footsteps heading for Warren's apartment.
Her heart stuttered in her chest, fear creeping back into her system as Warren rushed from the kitchen, phone in hand and already talking to whoever he called. She edged away from the door until she was practically sitting on the arm of the sofa. Her skin rippled with the need to Change as fight or flight took over any human logic—all Ari could think about were those mercenaries coming in through that door and shooting Warren until he died. She could practically see them bursting through the door to take her back with them—dead or alive.
Ari scrambled backwards until she was in the furthest corner away from the door, shivering as the beginnings of a panic attack were underway. Warren sounded worried—talking to Mercy about something and telling her to come back ASAP. There was too much buzzing in Ari's head for her to make out everything the Texan werewolf had said, and the urge to shift became so strong as her wolf was becoming more and more restless. She couldn't blame her, Ari was having a tough time keeping her wits from scattering into broken pieces from fear and panic alone.
Warren glanced over his shoulder at her, clearly wanting to go to her, but before he could take a step in her direction, the front door opened from someone shouldering the door hard enough that it broke the deadbolt. Ari's scream of terror choked into a breathless squeak as Darryl entered the room with a wave of power and anger as he glared at Warren. She tried to stop herself from Changing, but with the Second's entrance and her mind going off the deep end, there was nothing she could do.
Her back bowed as the first wave of the Change occurred, there was cursing from both men and dimly she could see Warren carefully rip her clothes off to release the unbearable pressure against her skin. Body spasming as bones broke and shifted nauseatingly under her flesh, Ari tried to breathe as the panic attack hit her full force. She was too vulnerable—there were unfamiliar presences entering the room surrounding her in a half-circle with Warren standing just in front of her, blocking them from her. She didn't understand why he was doing so—didn't understand at the time that Darryl thought he was breaking pack law or that Warren had challenged his authority when Darryl demanded where Adam was. All she knew was there were angry werewolves in Warren's living room and even though they were pack, Ari saw white labcoats and manic grins.
She screamed as her jaw snapped and elongated into a snout. Already her canine legs were trying to move—to get away from the impending fight. Too vulnerable—too weak—can't move. Ari's throat constricted more at the thought of being tied down—of someone trying to hold her still while she struggled to run away. As fur sprouted along her sensitive skin, Ari moved further into her corner as she could while lying on her side. Panting for air but not receiving it, her ears roared with sound as someone shouted a warning that came too late.
Teeth gleaming against the light of Warren's living room, she lashed out at the hand that tried to restrain her just as the coffee table lifted into the air and flew across the room at the crowd swarming her. She didn't know if it hit anyone—didn't care—she just wanted to be left alone. She needed air and she needed it now.
"Don't touch her." Warren's voice, while gentle, held more authority and anger in it than Ari had ever heard. "Can't you tell she's scared to death, Darryl?"
A growl from the Chinese man who nursed the nip he'd received from Ari. "She wouldn't have been had you contacted us about Adam and Mercy."
Her eyes refused to focus, and her chest felt fit to burst as the tension rose in the room. Murmurings from the other members of the pack as they headed outside without a word from Darryl. Her nose twitched as something tingly entered her nostrils, making her sneeze. She really wanted out—she wanted to run.
Instead, Ari remained on her side, completely frozen as she tried to work her way through the panic attack. Begging her lungs to inhale and her heart to slow down if only a little bit. God, why did she have to panic when two of the most dominant males in Adam's pack were having a spat? It was only her luck that this would happen in the first place. Every time she tried to stand, her legs gave out and refused to cooperate even after her heart began to calm its frantic beating. Her throat still felt like someone had wrapped both hands around her neck and was slowly squeezing the life out of her.
Sounds of flesh hitting flesh and furniture shattering against walls or someone's torso flowed into her ears. Ari could blearily make out Warren's shape as he moved to block a fist to the side and Darryl throwing his entire weight into this scuffle. What all had she missed in the time she'd been freaking out that led from arguing to full-fledged fighting?
Whatever caused it, Ari was in no position to even try to break it up and even if she could, she'd end up getting hurt herself.
Whining, she tried to figure out what would be the best course of action as Warren's fist slammed into Darryl's nose, cracking it. There had to be something she could do to get them to stop this stupid fight, but all her ideas consisted on her getting in between, which would be a very bad plan. Her only other course of action would be to get Adam from the guest bedroom, but he was still recovering and Doc, Mercy, and Warren all said that any other dominant wolf would try to kill him. She couldn't possibly place him in more danger after everything that happened, but what else could she do until Mercy or Doc came back?
First, she needed to get out of her corner and try to make her way up the stairs. So far, that looked to be the biggest obstacle as Warren and Darryl continued to brawl right by the staircase. Quivering and panting with effort, Ari slowly stood and began to make her way across the destroyed living room.
The Third will not allow the Second to harm us. We must go to the Alpha. He can end the fight without bloodshed, her wolf said, sending soothing waves through her body and easing the overwhelming fear.
Ari nodded to herself. Okay, she could do this. All she needed to do was get pass two dominant wolves duking it out. Easy.
She tiptoed around broken furniture, her eyes focused intently on the two men who were locked into a test of strength as they tried to pull the other one into a headlock. For a brief second, she could've sworn Warren had met her eyes, but the moment was over so quickly that Ari thought she'd imagined the entire interaction. Her body hugged the wall, the furthest from Warren and Darryl as the Texan gained the upper hand and pulled the Second over his shoulder like he weighed nothing. Ari didn't hesitate, she bolted toward the stairs with every ounce of speed she had and didn't look back when another crack echoed in the destroyed living room.
Her legs nearly tangled together as she flew up the steps and down the hall where Adam was resting, oblivious to the world around him. The door to his room was shut and she pawed at it, whining desperately as she tried to twist the doorknob. If she had opposable thumbs instead of giant paws with thick claws, then it would've made this entire mission so much easier. Exasperated and frustrated, Ari lifted herself until her back legs held her up and rested her forelegs on the door. With her jaw, she wrapped her teeth around the knob and jerked until the damn thing was in her mouth, completely detached from the door and leaving a sizeable hole behind.
Satisfied, Ari pushed until it squealed open and announced her presence. Ari wasn't sure how she was supposed to wake up Adam without startling him into possibly breaking her neck, but she needed to try something. She paced at his bedside, completely unsure how she could possibly rouse him besides licking his face, putting her cold nose in his ear, or whining until he stirred. Warren said he was in a healing coma and it'd be a miracle if he heard the end of the world.
Fuck, fuck, fuck, she thought as another deafening crash floated upstairs into the room. If she didn't think of something, then one of them was going to die and there'd probably be more bloodshed if that happened.
Carefully, Ari rested her paws on the bed beside Adam's head and nudged him with her snout, gently at first then a little harder when he was still out cold. Desperate and hearing the front door being slammed open again, she whined loudly in his ear before giving a high-pitched yip and pulling insistently at his shirt's collar. Before she could check to see if that had roused him, an overwhelming wave of power slammed into her so hard and fast that her body shuddered from the impact. She felt nauseous as the rush of power from a wolf more dominant than Warren and Darryl practically devoured everything and everyone in the house.
She quivered against the weight and pressure of it as it slowly dripped from her like perspiration, completely unaware that Adam had opened his eyes. His hand rubbed her ears and she whirled from her slightly cowering position to look at him sitting up in bed. "Thanks for the wakeup call, Ari."
Ari felt relief push against the unfamiliar and unrelenting power as he moved his legs off the side of the bed to stand. She shook her fur, attempting to push away her nausea and the prickling pressure, and tried to help Adam remain steady as he stood. There were several different popping noises as his joints moved and she pressed her body against his side, acting as a makeshift crutch if only briefly as he exited the room first and she followed after him.
"Now, let's see what Mercy got herself into this time." They neared the top of the stairs and she whined as she saw Warren on his knees, bloodied but alive, and Darryl stumbling backwards after he tried to grab the giant white wolf broadcasting his rank to the entire block. Mercy had her head between her knees, struggling to breathe evenly, and Ari was worried that she had gotten caught in the crossfire. With a quick glance up to Adam's face, she noticed that he didn't look at all impressed as he said, "That's enough, Samuel. I believe you've made your point, whatever it was."
Doc gave a wolfish grin and trotted back toward Mercy, nudging her a little when she didn't immediately look up. Ari breathed easier, relaxing as the uncomfortable pressure finally relented, and she sat back on her haunches, relieved that the worse was over. Adam patted her head, taking stock of the situation he'd woken up to, then he led the way downstairs and all eyes focused on him once again.
Instinctively, Ari remained close enough to him that if he lost his balance she could try to steady him again, though he was moving a lot easier than earlier today. He headed for Mercy and Ari trotted up to Warren, whining at the blood dripping from a cut on his forehead, and the Texan smiled tightly. "I'll be fine, Ari."
Even though he said that and Adam was here to keep peace, she still remained close to Warren and kept a wary eye on Darryl as he wiped blood from a split lip. The wound was already healing, and Ari knew he along with Warren would be good as new in the next forty-five minutes, she was uneasy with the amount of violence she could still taste on her tongue. Warren, having noticed her body tense again, placed one hand on her scruff and she relaxed a little. She'd feel a lot better once everyone calmed down and explanations from all around were given.
Adam rested his hand on Mercy's head briefly before moving away to address both men. "What caused this?"
Darryl looked away from her and Warren to his Alpha. "We've been searching for you for two days, Adam. All we had was a voicemail from Mercy on Elizaveta Arkadyevna's machine, which she told us about but that was it. We had the wreckage of your house and three unidentifiable dead wolves—you, Mercy, Jesse, and Artemis were missing. It was pure luck that one of the pack happened to see Mercy riding around with Kyle."
Ari watched as members of the pack slowly trickled into Warren's home as the Adam's lieutenants explained why they had been fighting like two children. While the situation itself wasn't at all amusing, the comparison had her snorting a little and Warren glanced at her with an eyebrow raised. There was curiosity in his gaze, but he returned to the task at hand and explained, "Darryl called while you were in a healing sleep and Ari was on the couch dozing. He asked me if you were here and I couldn't answer him because he'd bring the pack and I wasn't going to allow that while you were vulnerable."
She knew she had about an hour's worth of time missing after she, Adam, and Warren had a little Q&A session, but had she really been that out of it? Shaking her head a little, she refocused on the conversation. Warren continued, "I wasn't going to lie to Darryl and I couldn't wake you up. When Darryl and the others came, I'd just finished phoning Mercy and Ari was panicking from the amount of violence Darryl had used."
Not an accusation but it was clear Warren didn't like that he'd placed unnecessary stress and fear on Ari with the Second's entrance. Later, Mercy explained to her that the only reason why Warren's neighbors didn't come over to complain about all the noise was because of werewolf magic—one of the very few magic werewolves had: Silence. It was why a majority of the Pack had left to go outside rather than watch the battle between the Second and Third.
The she-wolf nudged the Texan again, thankful he'd been looking after her despite how much of a handful she was. She also realized that she'd bitten Darryl and glanced at him with a slight dip of her head, clearly sorry she'd lashed out from fear, but in her opinion, the man deserved it.
Before Darryl could say anything to that, Adam said, "Warren was following my orders."
The Second's face became a blank mask as he nodded stiffly. Adam made a series of gestures that were crisp and smooth and clearly everyone around her knew what it meant. She'd have to remember to ask what that was about as Darryl subsided.
"It wasn't against you, personally."
"Then who?"
"We're not sure yet," Mercy spoke up for the first time since entering the destroyed living room. "There was just something that bothered me."
Ari all too well knew what she meant as Adam asked her (though it sounded like a general giving orders to his subordinate) to share what happened that morning everything went to hell in a handbasket. She laid down beside Warren, resting her head on her paws, and listened to Mercy narrate everything that happened for the few members of the Pack who were present. Her eyes remained focused on the men and few women present as they settled in a small circle around Adam, moving a few pieces of unbroken furniture to sit on or just taking a seat on the floor. Ari was only half-listening by the time Mercy was explaining the trip to Montana and was more focus on the same question that had continued to stump everyone: Why had she been practically delivered to Adam's doorstep?
It was a thought that had remained at the back part of her mind but tended to return to center stage once everything around her had quieted and there was little to ponder over. She still couldn't fathom why the boss had ordered Bald Head to take her with them when they went after Mac, or why she hadn't been killed immediately when they pulled her from the van and presented her to Mac. Wouldn't she have outlived her usefulness by then? She was on her last wind when they grabbed her for a moonlit road trip and if not for Mercy, there was little doubt that she'd be alive right now. Ari was still surprised she'd lived this long, all things considered.
She heaved a long sigh. There had to be a suitable reason why the boss allowed her to go and why she hadn't been retrieved like they attempted with Mac. Maybe it was because Adam and the others wouldn't let her out of their sights? It could also mean that she was meant to be brought back along with Jesse if she was the main target for the attack that morning. But, if Jesse was a target then why did they go through the hassle of tying up Adam and acting as if they were going to interrogate him? An interrogation that immediately turned sour and ultimately, resulted in the deaths of three more rogue wolves and Jesse's kidnapping along with Adam and Ari being injured.
There was also the fact that she'd heard several of the mercenaries (human and wolf alike) talk about Adam when they would drag her back from the observation room. The conversations were dim and muffled by memories of pain and suffering. She could barely make out the syllables for Adam's name let alone the entire dialogue. Maybe if she concentrated enough she could recall more information? Maybe she could find out what they thought of the plans the boss had let them in on?
However, going down that road was not at all going to be pleasant and she'd need some kind of help…
She startled a little when Warren's hand ruffled her ears and her indigo eyes turned to glance at him. The cut on his forehead had healed completely and the only remnant of a scuffle with Darryl was the dried blood on his face. There was one brow raised at her as he took in her body language and Ari wagged her tail, a slight thumping against the wood and his thigh.
The only way to explain her ideas and what she was thinking would be to Change back, and Ari didn't think she had the energy to do so—at least not yet. It was still a little too close in time when she desperately shifted into the wolf.
"Why did they take Jesse and not Artemis?" Darryl asked, not out of a need to accuse her of anything, but simply curious as to why Jesse had been the main target. Ari completely understood his line of questioning because she was wondering the same thing, and she ignored the looks the rest of the Pack were giving her as well.
She shook her fur again, a physical attempt to shake away the stares and the rising discomfort. As she returned to her sitting position beside Warren and Adam made sure she wasn't showing any other signs of a possible freak out, he said, "Warren told me there haven't been any ransom calls. I've been thinking about it and I haven't been able to come up with a reason. I recognized one of the wolves from when we were both Changed thirty years ago, but to strike now after all these years is a long time for revenge."
A short, stocky woman who looked like she worked a good bit asked, "Does he belong to a pack?"
Adam shook his head, "David chose to be a lone wolf—he doesn't like other werewolves."
"You mentioned there were humans and new wolves there," Warren piped in.
Ari watched the discussion bounce from one adult to the next like a tennis match. She listened intently, her mind whirring behind her gaze as Auriele, Darryl's mate, asked about the drug mixture that had struck down Mac and Adam. The same drug that no doubt had affected the wolves who attacked her when the labcoats were running their tests. Which led her to another question that may never be fully answered—not unless they caught and confronted him: Why did they give the drugs to all those other wolves but not her or Lily? Were they truly just the control for the experiments?
She was still in the middle of contemplating several questions at once while Adam, Mercy, and the others talked when the coyote mentioned the man who'd given her a near heart attack. Her muscles tensed, and Adam, Mercy, and Doc glanced at her, waiting for the possible explosion as Ari's body wound up tighter and tighter. The other members of the Pack noticed her reaction to the sudden change from the drug to Dr. Wallace, who just so happened to be a vet and werewolf and had access to the chemicals Auriele listed off.
"Is she alright?" One of the other male wolves asked, voice soft and body very still so as not to startle her.
"Does she know Dr. Wallace from somewhere?" Darryl asked, putting two and two together.
Adam shook his head, "She only explained at the time that she recognized a scent that had sent her off. I can't be a hundred percent certain it was because of Carter—she wouldn't elaborate more than that."
Mercy had been accusing Dr. Wallace of having some hand in the creation of this new drug, but there wasn't proof—none except for her reaction when he neared. There was just one problem with that—Ari couldn't remember ever seeing the older man once in her four years of captivity and even if she hadn't even seen the man, she would've at least recognized him by his voice or scent. Maybe there was some relation to the boss and Dr. Wallace or maybe one of the rogue wolves were distantly related to him.
She needed to tell them at least that much—she couldn't continue to rely on others to speak for her and they deserved to know everything that happened while she was imprisoned and tortured. Not just the summaries so she could get it over with.
Ari stood up from her spot by Warren and made her way around the isles of legs toward the stairs. The group watched in confusion, Adam paused in his pacing and watched her trot upstairs to head for her room. She wasn't comfortable enough to Change back to her human form in front of near strangers yet, even though all of them wouldn't find anything wrong with it. A part of her reasoning was human modesty, but the main reason was because she hated anyone seeing her nude—to gaze upon the scars that marred her flesh. She knew no one would dare touch her the same way those mercenaries and rogue wolves had, but the shame and the terrible memories always remained and rose to the surface whenever she was naked. But what was one more trigger to add to the collection?
Breathing deeply, Ari pawed at the room she'd woken up in and prepared herself for a long shift back.
