CHAPTER 8

Trust

(Portland)

Her blood slid warm over his hands and down his chin. He'd killed humans before with a gun or with his teeth, but he preferred to use his teeth because then he could taste the blood. The monster inside him reveled in the scent of fear before his victims died.

She hadn't been afraid of him. Obviously, she should have been. He let her body drop to the floor so that he could move to her belly. All of the soft organ meats were in the belly. He could hear her mate howling but his monster didn't care. His hands were still mostly human, so he shifted his nails to claws as he tore through her delicate skin. The blood spattered across her flaxen hair and a drop settled oddly on one open blue eye. Parker's lifeless face stared at him.

Quinn woke with the scream he felt caught in his throat as though it could choke him. He scrambled up in his bed but before he could reach for the light on the night stand the room lights came on.

"Quinn, it's okay. It was just a nightmare."

He looked at Parker standing in the doorway, alive, sleep rumpled, but alive.

Parker took a step into the room but stopped when she heard the wolf whine and saw Quinn flinch. "It's okay. You're safe."

"No I'm not." Quinn was sure he wasn't safe to be around and was becoming less safe by the moment.

"You are." Parker yawned and didn't bother to cover her mouth. "Come on. I know where Eliot keeps the tea and the whiskey."

"No. I'll stay here." Quinn tried to straighten his covers.

Parker frowned. "Nope. No staying where the nightmares are staying."

He could feel the push she put in her words, but she wasn't able to give him a true order no matter how hard she tried. He felt the urge to obey as he got out of bed and remembered Eliot laying orders over him before he'd left for New Orleans. Eliot had used his power as Alpha to order Quinn and his wolf to be obedient to Parker unless it would lead to injury and in that case, he should use his own judgement. He'd also charged him with protection of their pack. Remembering those orders and Eliot's trust in him settled him and his wolf as he followed Parker down the stairs.

He heard the door down the hall creak, and he saw Hardison, in his massive grey and black wolf, headed his way. He knew that Hardison and his wolf wanted to provide comfort and support and he appreciated it. He'd also figured out that it was the physical touch between packmates that made Hardison uncomfortable still. Hardison felt the same need for touch that any wolf would, but Hardison just couldn't seem to relax and accept or extend that, when in his human form. His wolf seemed to provide the distance his human half needed and allowed him to have that physical contact that werewolves needed to stay sane. Quinn appreciated Hardison's willingness to shift just to make sure that Quinn was okay.

Parker was fixing two mugs of tea and Quinn kept glancing at her as though he would see her blood splashed across her face. The thought unsettled him, and he went to the couch. He sat in the middle, and he smirked and shook his head when he realized he'd been drawn to that spot because it smelled like Eliot. It smelled like Alpha, and his wolf was sure that they were safe with their Alpha.

Hardison climbed onto the couch and rested his head and neck across Quinn's lap. Quinn petted absent mindedly as he stared out the living room windows. He couldn't see the moon, but it was bright enough that he could see its light even through the glow of the city lights. The moon was bright because it was nearly full. Only a few days until the moon would force his shift.

Parker startled him as she handed him the mug of tea. He just barely managed not to spill it as he steadied it with both hands. Parker settled onto the couch leaning into Quinn's right side. He wished she'd taken the chair instead of joining him on the couch.

"It's okay." She pulled her knees up and tucked her toes under Hardison's chin. "You didn't hurt me, and I know you won't."

Quinn flinched and turned to look at her. "Did you…?"

"See your dream? No." She shrugged and sipped at her own tea. "You aren't usually afraid of me. And I could tell through the bonds you kept checking on me. Are you listening for my heartbeat or just checking to see if I'm still here?"

Quinn shrugged.

"It's okay. It was just a bad dream."

"But I… I'm the one…" Quinn swallowed several very hot mouthfuls of tea and hoped that he could sear his vocal cords into immobility.

"You're the one…that…" Parker frowned for a second and then raised an eyebrow at him. "You're the one that killed me?"

Quinn nodded and felt Hardison shift a little on his lap. He looked down at Hardison's watchful yellow eye.

"Eliot left me in charge. In control. So if you killed me in your dream…" She tapped a finger against her bottom lip. "Am I not doing this job right?"

She looked at him and Quinn could tell that she honestly wanted an answer. "I think you did a great job with the con."

"Yah but that's business. How am I doing as a wolfy? Should I have been doing something else? Maybe given you more orders? Hardison says his wolf needs orders sometimes."

Quinn couldn't help the half smile and he patted her knee. "You've been doing great as the werewolf in charge. It's just…" He shrugged.

Parker watched as Quinn seemed to get lost in something outside the room. She glanced out the windows and looked down at Hardison. She mouthed 'The moon?' and Hardison blinked slowly at her.

"You are afraid that you're going to lose control under the next full moon?"

Quinn's eyes snapped to Parker. "How did you…" He shook his head with a hand over his face.

"You've been a wolfy for a long time. Haven't you ever had a full moon without your Alpha there?" Parker realized that Eliot had never missed a full moon with them since Hardison became a werewolf but before then he'd frequently been alone and even when he'd spend the night with them, he was the only wolf.

"Yes." Quinn's eyes went blue, and he looked down at Hardison's neck. He sank his fingers into the thick ruff needing firmly but gently. Hardison moaned in pleasure and relaxed. "I always made sure I was locked up someplace or far enough from people that it wouldn't matter."

Parker nodded. She leaned her head on Quinn's shoulder. "Don't worry. We'll keep you safe."

. ͽϿ Ѻ Ͼͼ .

(New Orleans)

Eliot heard the bedroom door upstairs slam and the lock slide home as he stepped through the back door into the kitchen. He saw Ms. Teo getting up from her chair in the dining room.

"What happen' chil'?" Ms. Teo looked worried.

Eliot tugged at his shirt and showed her the cross shaped blister.

Ms. Teo clucked her disapproval and patted his cheek. "You wait a moment cher an' I'll fetch de ointment fer silver burns."

Eliot caught her fingers as she patted his cheek and kissed the back of her hand. "Thank you."

Eliot could hear Gemma crying upstairs and the sound broke his heart. He waited in the kitchen for Ms. Teo and tried to figure out what he should do next.

In a moment Ms. Teo was back and she spread a little gel over the blister and taped a small bandage over it. She wiped her hands on a nearby towel before she took his hand. "You been havin' to change yer expectations right along and now she' doin' de same. You know how it feels so you can help her." She gave his hand a squeeze. "I can't promise she'll come aroun' to ye. But you do yer best and at de very least she won' be afraid of ye."

"Ms. Teo, do you think you could talk with her first? See if she's willing to talk to me?" He gave her a half smile.

"Alright baby." She patted his arm.

~~o0o~~

Ms. Teo tapped a knuckle against Gemma's bedroom door. "Baby, can I come in?"

Gemma didn't answer but Ms. Teo could hear her feet shuffle across the carpet and a moment later the lock turned with a snap. Ms. Teo pushed the door open and saw Gemma sitting on the edge of the bed. Her face was red, and her eyes were puffy, and Ms. Teo pretended not to notice as she sat on the foot of the bed next to Gemma.

"Are you okay chil'?"

Gemma sniffled and nodded, then shrugged.

Ms. Teo put an arm around Gemma's shoulders and pulled her close.

Gemma rested her head on Ms. Teo's shoulder. "Did you know he's a monster?"

Ms. Teo kissed the top of Gemma's forehead. "I knew 'e was a werewolf from de moment I met 'im." She patted Gemma's arm where her hand rested and rocked a little.

"You all knew, and no one told me?"

"We wasn't keepin' secrets to be spiteful. It seemed you been dealin' wit a lot and no one wanted to add to your burden."

"I made such a fool of myself." She sniffled.

"Weren't never a person in love that didn'." Ms. Teo rubbed a hand over Gemma's arm in comfort.

After letting her thoughts spin for a bit, she glanced at Ms. Teo. "Is a monster ever not a monster?"

"Well sure chil. When you love 'em." She smiled and brushed Gemma's hair away from her eyes.

"He doesn't look like a monster. Is he more…human?" Gemma sighed and settled with her head on Ms. Teo's lap.

Ms. Teo played with Gemma's hair and ran a hand over her arm. "A wolf is a wolf, wheder dey're in a cage, or dressed in silk. Eliot been tryin' hard at first to keep da wolf hidden, but in de las' few days he been tryin' ta find da right time ta tell ya what he is."

"What changed in the last few days?"

"Da boy smarten' up and realize he really is in love wit ya and he didn' want dere ta be secrets." She ran her knobby fingers through Gemma's hair.

"So why didn't he tell me then?"

"One thin' an' another come up or scare da boy off." Ms. Teo couldn't help the smile on her face.

"He was scared? Of what?" Gemma turned a little so that she could look up at Ms. Teo.

"You chil'. You scare dat man more 'an da vampires eve' could."

Gemma frowned.

"He been worried. What if you don' like 'im da same way 'e likes you? What if you fin' out 'e's a werewolf an' you hate 'im for it?" Ms. Teo raised an eyebrow.

"What if I do hate him?" Gemma frowned and looked away.

"You don' hate 'im. You just grievin' what ya thought ya knew. An' even if ya did manage ta hate 'im ya couldn' do dat wit out havin' cared fo' 'im first."

A few more tears leaked onto Ms. Teo's lap through her soft cotton skirt.

"You think on what ya know about dat man. He's brave, an' kind, an' took care a you even when 'e thought ya might hate 'im." Ms. Teo stroked Gemma's hair again before she scooted to the side and off the bed. "You think about it an' den ya decide what comes next." With a hand on the bed post to steady herself she leaned down and kissed the edge of Gemma's temple.

~~o0o~~

Eliot sat at the bottom of the stairs and shamelessly eves dropped on the conversation above him. He hoped that Gemma would give him a second chance, but he couldn't blame her if she didn't. As the conversation came to a close, he rose and looked up the stairs to track Ms. Teo's progress. When she made it to the bottom of the stairs, he enveloped her in a hug and kissed her cheek. "Thanks." He whispered in her ear.

He got Ms. Teo settled in her living room chair and a cup of tea on her side table. Then he went back to the kitchen and started in on meal prep. He knew he should try and get some rest, since tonight might be the night he finally got his hands on Missy. But he knew that he wouldn't be able to sleep and if he wasn't going to sleep, he might as well do something useful.

He'd just started deveining shrimp when his phone vibrated. He wiped his hands on his apron and fished his phone out of his pocket. There was a text from Parker.

'Will you be home in time for full moon night?'

He'd been feeling the moon's call and he knew that full moon was only a few days away. 'I hope so. Depends.'

He waited a moment and checked his pack bonds. 'Are you guys okay?'

'okay Sparky.'

He didn't know if that was acknowledgement that he might not make it back or if she was telling him they were okay. With a sigh he went back to the shrimp. He knew he needed to get back soon. He wanted to be with his pack for full moon night, but he hated to leave here with things in such a mess. He'd call Parker when he was done with the food and see how things were going at home.

He finished the prep and had everything put away in the fridge so that it was only a matter of dumping ingredients into the pot when the time came. He went to his room and flopped down on his bed. He could hear Gemma's heartbeat and after listening to the slow steady beat of it he supposed she was sleeping. He pulled his phone out and dialed Parker.

Parker answered on the first ring. "Is it the vampires or Gemma that are going to make you miss full moon night?"

"I'm hoping I'll be home by then. I think I've worked out a deal with one of the local vampires so hopefully I'll have things wrapped up tonight with the vampires."

"And Gemma?"

Eliot sighed. "She found out that I'm a werewolf."

"Found out? You didn't tell her?"

"Her necklace burned me. It was an accident but there was no hiding it."

"How'd she take it?"

"She cried herself to sleep. I don't know what she's going to say when she wakes up."

Hardison's voice came over Parker's phone. "Would if help if one of us talked to her?"

"Ms. Teo's already talked to her."

Quinn's voice was next, and Eliot could picture him leaning over Parker's phone. "Has Gemma talked to you yet or only Ms. Teo?"

"Just Ms. Teo. I'll try and talk to her when I finish making lunch."

"Alright wolfys this is my phone call. You can talk to Eliot on your own phones." Parker scolded Quinn and Hardison and it made Eliot smile.

He could hear a scuffling sound and a clang. "Are you in the air vent?"

"Yep."

"You know they can still hear you right?"

"But they can't talk on my phone in here." She sounded smug.

"So I think Eliot food is a good idea. Did you make pancakes?"

Eliot chuffed a laugh. "Now why would I make Gemma your pancakes? I made gumbo."

"Oooh. I like the gumbo too."

"I know ya do. I'll make you some when I get home."

"Okay. I think it might be important for you to be here for full moon."

"I'll do my best." He heard the click when she hung up and knew that she didn't mean anything by it. She just never really got the point of pleasantries at least on the phone.

He knew he'd nodded off when his phone woke him. He'd set a reminder to start the gumbo and it was glowing at him on his phone screen. He rolled out of bed and headed for the kitchen to put lunch together. He added ingredients as needed and worked on garlic bread to go with it. The last time he'd made gumbo here Gemma had spent time in the kitchen with him and the thought made him miss her presence. He finished the garlic bread and while the bread was in the oven and the gumbo was finishing up, he heated water for tea. He got down three mugs and the box of tea Ms. Teo liked and the box she kept for him.

He filled a bowl with gumbo and set it on a plate with two slices of garlic bread. Taking the plate and the mug of Ms. Teo's tea he headed to the living room. Ms. Teo set her book of cross word puzzles to the side when she saw him coming. "Oh cher, tha's so nice. I thought I smelled yer cookin'."

"I figured I couldn't go too far wrong with some kind of food for lunch."

"I'm sure dis'll all work itse'f out. But I do thank ya fer da gumbo. Dat be just what dese ol' bones needed."

"Let me know if you need anything."

Ms. Teo nodded as she bit into a slice of garlic bread.

He went back to the kitchen and fixed a tray that had gumbo and bread for him and Gemma. He took the tray and headed upstairs. He set the tray on the desk in the study and went to Gemma's bedroom door. He knocked lightly and heard Gemma stir on the other side of the door.

"Who is it?"

"I brought you some lunch if you're hungry." He waited but there wasn't an answer. He leaned against the wall near the door. "Gemma? I'm sorry you found out the way you did but I'm glad you know. I'm here if you want to talk or not talk… either way I'm here." He waited and he heard her slide down the door to sit on the floor. He followed suit and sitting down he leaned back against the door. He waited and he was a little surprised to hear her hum a few notes. He supposed she was comforting herself, but it gave him an idea.

"You never know when you're gonna meet someone
And your whole wide world in a moment comes undone" He heard her move a little on the other side of the door and he hoped it was because she was interested in what he was singing.

"You're just walking around and suddenly
Everything that you thought that you knew about love is gone
You find out it's all been wrong" He knew that she'd changed what he hoped for in a relationship, but he was afraid that these words would remind her of recent events and not in a good way, but he continued.

"And all my scars don't seem to matter anymore
'Cause they led me here to you" He heard her move again and continued to hope for the best.

"I know that it's gonna take some time
I've got to admit that the thought has crossed my mind
This might end up like it should" He wasn't sure if things ending like they should, would bring him and Gemma together or keep them apart but he knew what he'd been praying for.

"And I'm gonna say what I need to say
And hope to God that it don't scare you away
Don't wanna be misunderstood
But I'm starting to believe that this could be the start of something good" He paused when he heard her move again and he smiled when he heard her unlock the door.

He leaned away from the door and looked up at her. "Hello darlin. Can we talk?"

Gemma gave him a sad smile but nodded and stepped back from the door.

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AN: Start of Something Good by Daughtry