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Chapter 7: Mongrel Mind

The crack of gunfire echoed through the house. FUCK! I was slow to pick myself up from the floor, head in a haze, and struggled to keep my feet under me as I stumbled to the old gym room and collected the needles, chains, IV drip; shoving them all into the pack and stumbled my way out to my car. I was grateful I had made the decision to dump Colt's truck in an abandoned parking lot so that it was one less thing to have to worry about.

I could hear the soft chatter of men off in the distance; no more than a mile or so out from the house and felt fairly confident that it wasn't Kate or Chris. I need to find Colt..

Leaning against the half open door, I stopped, feeling a bit woozy as I inhaled a deep breath; reading the scents in the breeze. Colt wasn't around, his scent already growing stale and was positively drenched with fear. Oh God, what did I do to him? I had never smelled fear on any of the members of my pack...except…

No...I couldn't think of that right now. With more indignant groans of pain than I care to admit, I folded myself into the little Smart Car and sped down the drive.

Reaching the main road, I had a choice to make; left would lead me back to Chris's whom no doubt would be up at any minute. Did I risk running into him looking like I did...or worse...Kate and trying to come up with an explanation for the ash and dirt and bruising that no doubt covered me from head to toe? No...I knew I wouldn't be quick enough with my head swimming the way it was.

Right...well there was only one place that led me.

Parking behind a dumpster, I stumbled up the front steps of Beacon Hill High, breaking the lock on the door and shuffled inside. I took a moment to listen for any signs that I wasn't alone before setting about finding the locker rooms.

The moment the hot spray of water hit my naked body, I let out an aching groan, surprised when tears mixed with water and sank against the wall for support. I had raided several empty lockers before finally coming to one that still had some forgotten items left in it; including an almost empty bottle of body wash, travel size shampoo and conditioner, and a faded Foster the People t-shirt that smelled of stale sweat and perfume. While I wasn't happy about having to wear someone's discarded gym clothes, I didn't see much way around it since my own were so heavily soiled. I found a pair of black leggings in another locker and didn't dare smell them. Second hand filth would just have to see me through until I got back and could deep clean my body. Until then, I refused to think anymore of it.

Flashes of Colt and his memories tangled with my own, making it hard for me to distinguish the two. My head hurt and I still felt unpleasantly drunk; realizing that that had to do with the tangling of our memories. I never should have done that. Regret weighed heavily in my stomach-realizing now why only Alphas ever attempted such a thing. What had I done to Colt? My own brother…

While I had gotten my answer I wasn't sure if it was worth it.

A hanging mirror clung to the shower wall and in it I could see the smattering of bruises all over my body; the ones that had healed around my throat now angry red and blue. There was no way I could go back to Chris's like this; he would be able to tell that they were hand bruises. Shift…

I focused on letting the wolf take hold, the rippling of change pushing pain through my already sore body. I changed just enough to force the healing before reversing the change and then doing it again. The repetitive force to shift forcing my body to heal quickly before collapsing to the floor in exhaustion. Sleep...I just need...a little...nap…

"Hey...hey...you okay?" The voice was soft like the weight on my shoulder; other voices giggled and whispered in the background, "Do you need us to call 911?" The voice asked.

My eyes fluttered, heavily, before finally coming too, grabbing the hand on my shoulder probably a bit too quickly judging by the startled screams. "Where am I?" I asked; my head still a bit fuzzy.

"You're...you're...uh...you're hurting me" the poor wisp of a girl said with a grimace; long blonde hair hanging in frizzy waves from the steam that curled up around us, acne dotting her cheek and chin, and dressed in jerseys.

I released her wrist with an apology, unsure of why I had grabbed it with such force, and made to stand up, feeling the weight of my limbs as I nudged them back to life. Several of the girls backed away, a couple holding Lacrosse sticks out in front to better beat me with in case I made any sudden moves.

Grabbing the towel someone had so kindly placed over me, I wrapped it around my body and grabbed the pile of clothes and made for the door.

"Hey! Hey! Are you alright? I called the cops!" Someone was saying as I made my way through a much more crowded hall than I had experienced on my way in. Various whistles were thrown my way from teenage boys before finally making it to my car. Opening my passenger door, I used it and the dumpster for privacy as I rushed to pull on the clean-ish clothes over a wet body; throwing on my jogging jacket from the floor and toweling my hair until it wasn't dripping before getting in my car and getting the hell out of dodge just as the cops were pulling in.

On my way back to Chris's, I made a quick pit stop at the Beacon Quick Mart and bought some foundation, Chapstick, and mascara; applying them quickly in the car to better pass as semi put-together. Pitting again at Starbucks for three black coffees, one with extra shots of espresso and sugar, and three breakfast sandwiches and a muffin.

I was absolutely ravenous and still feeling a bit off, so I downed the muffin just as I pulled into the Argents. The garage door was open and I could see Kate inside, shoving packs of stuff into the back of her SUV. Fuck…She definitely wasn't the first person I wanted to see this morning.

"Just getting in?" She called to me as I locked my car and juggled the coffee and food in my hands.

"Couldn't sleep so I went for a run. Hope you haven't eaten," I said, trying to make nice which absolutely made me sick, "Coffee and Sandwich" I handed her both and my stomach growled loudly at the smell of the sausage and cheese biscuit.

Kate laughed, "Must have worked up an appetite"? I breathed a sigh of relief, taking a sip from my coffee to fill the space where my response should have been before looking pointedly in the back of her car.

"Early business?" I asked with a raised brow.

"Yeah, something like that," she said around a mouth full.

"Chris not going along?" I asked; stupidly relieved that I wouldn't have to spend the day alone, even though I knew it was better if I would be alone and left to find my brother in peace.

Kate chuckled again, "In his condition? I'd rather have a baby come with me today and I don't even like babies," she said matter-of-factly, leaving me to imagine her using a baby as bait on one of her hunts, "you have Chris all to yourself." She added and I smiled.

"Time to make good on my nurse promise then" I said in hopes to smell her rise of jealousy.

"Yeah-yeah…" she said, letting it hang in the air before climbing into her car, "just don't get your hopes up with him. He's still kind of damaged."

"Guess that makes two of us." I said dryly; turning to go inside and ending our fun little jousting match.

I found Chris reclined back on the sofa in the living room; a half drunk glass of water on the coffee table next to an empty packet of Tylenol.

I took a moment to drink in the sight of him sprawled on the couch; dressed in grey sweatpants that gave into the impression of his package and a black t-shirt. His hair was messy and his beard was coming in thicker, giving way to strands of grey. Arms crossed over the steady rise and fall of his chest; accenting the bulge of his biceps and muscles of his forearms. Pure perfection.

I almost hated to wake him, but the coffee was getting cold and it would be a shame to waste.

I sat gently on the edge of the couch at his side and waved the coffee under his nose; watching with intrigue as his nostrils flared, letting out a soft groan as his eyelids fluttered open. God his eyes were so intense blue. "Morning." I said softly as his hand wrapped around the cup and my own, bringing it to his lips and taking a long gulp. God damn that was hot.

"Morning," he said; his voice so gruff and gravely that it hummed straight down to my nether regions. I about spilled the damn coffee on him when he let go and sat it a bit too roughly on the table when the cup spilled over.

"Shit…" I said, going to clean up the mess with the sleeve of my jacket and he chuckled, grunting when the pain hit him. He fucking knew he had me rattled. "Ha-ha," I mocked and couldn't help the smile as I offered him the sandwich next. He was much less enthused with the sandwich than he was the coffee, pushing my hand away, and lay back against the pillow. "You need to eat, it'll help you heal." I said; concern creeping in when he showed no interest in the food.

"I'm fine for now." He said, throwing the arm opposite his hurt side under his head, causing his shirt to ride up a bit, exposing the V of his abdomen and the soft smattering of hair that disappeared beneath the low slung waistband.

I glared at him when he smiled with a self-satisfied smirk, having caught me ogling him, before shoving the sandwich in my mouth. "You're making it really fucking difficult to keep my promise," I threw over my shoulder around a mouth full, making my way to the kitchen to catch my breath and heard him chuckle again.

I left Chris to sleep with his self-satisfaction on the couch; finishing my coffee and food before going upstairs to rinse and change clothes into a soft-casual cotton green dress.

The bruising on my body had softened into fast fading yellow and would be gone probably by the time Chris woke up. I checked on him after I got out, finding him fast asleep and snoring softly in the exact position I had left him. I had to pry myself from the balcony overlooking the living room, knowing I could stand there all day, just watching him sleep.

I realized then that I was in fact, fucked. Colton had been right in his feeling that there was more going on with me when it came to Chris. And if that wasn't a kick to the ole whore box? I laughed, knowing that if I didn't I would cry.

If I were smart, I would take this opportunity to catch up on some much needed rest. I still wasn't feeling all together and once Chris woke up, I didn't think there would be much time for a nap. And I needed to find my brother before Kate or someone else did and before he hurt someone.

God, what a cluster fuck this entire thing had become.

I opened the computer and started scanning local reports and news stations for anything unusual-flagging an article published this morning at 4am of another animal attack. This must be what got Kate up early. I shuttered, thinking how close I had come to getting caught. While I knew it wasn't Colt, I was also aware that there was another Werewolf in these woods trying to draw attention. And that was yet another thing to add to my rapidly growing to-do list.

When I could no longer stop yawning or keep my eyes open, I shut the computer and ambled downstairs to find Chris had flipped over on his good side on the couch. I can make this work…

There's just enough space…

I eased myself over the back of the couch slowly, finagling myself into the six inch gap between Chris and the back couch cushion, taking care as I gently slipped my leg between his and tucked the arm I was laying on around my middle, lacing my other under his arm and tucking my head into his chest and under his chin.

"About time…" he hummed into my hair and tucked me closer to his body.

I tried to ignore how perfectly we fit together or how easy it was to be with him...but I couldn't. Everything seemed to melt away when I was near him and it all just felt...right.

I'm so sorry, Colt. You were right.

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