"Sir the park office is closed. Are you sure you want me to leave you here?" The Uber driver asks looking worriedly at Paul who had occasionally been drinking not so subtly from a bottle. "It's fine. I'm meeting some friends who are camping in the back." Paul says exiting the car and swaying slightly. "It's going to be really cold tonight. Do you need help walking back to them?" She asks opening her door to get out. "No I'm fine. I texted them to let them know I'm here they are going to meet me. Thanks" Paul closes the door firmly and walks away breathing out a frustrated "Fuck finally." When the car slowly pulls away as he glares at the retreating tail lights. He pauses and looks around the dark parking area. "So familiar." He mutters… The park office is dark a single bulb lighting a sign indicating the nightly fee for camping above a box where late arrivals can deposit their fee. There is a cool breeze then and large heavy snow flakes begin to fall. Paul closes his eyes tilting his head back. As the large flakes land softly on his face a flash of memory flutters through his mind. Strong arms holding him gently as soft lips press against his. "First kiss." He whispers bringing his fingers to his lips as he desperately tries to make out the face in the memory. Another flair of frigid pain causes him to grimace. "Fuck." He says drunkenly before taking a long pull from the bottle. The brown liquor taking some of the edge off the pain.
Continuing deeper he pauses at the site of a large gate off to the side. "Through here." He whispers as he tugs on the gate. The gate moves several inches before the clank of the chain causes Paul to look down. With a sigh he climbs over grunting in pain at unknown injuries and makes his way down the dark road.
"What do we do if he sees us?" Kyle whispers as he and Isaac quietly stalk Paul at a distance in the trees. "Make sure he doesn't." Isaac says grabbing Kyle's arm and pointing down just as Kyle was about to step on a large dead branch. "We should shift." Kyle says. Isaac pauses for a moment before nodding in agreement. The two quickly strip down shifting and bounding off after Paul silently.
"This." Paul says as he comes to a stop in the middle of his former camp site. Turning slowly he takes in the site of the area dimly lit by his phone and the moon light. "Nothing here." He says with a sigh. He walks over to the edge of the camp site stopping before a fairly steep drop off. The weak light from his phone not reaching the bottom. Sighing heavily he takes another drink from the bottle emptying it. With a annoyed huff he flings the bottle at the gorge. He steps forward trying to maintain his balance and slips in the snow and leaves and starts to slide dangerously close to the edge. In an instant his slides around and catches sight of two large wolves racing towards him. "Shit!" He yells as he falls backwards into the darkness.
Milton is walking towards his car behind the liquor store when he suddenly is flying through the air and crashing against a dumpster. The pistol he draws to defend himself is kicked away. Peter glares down at him blue eyes glowing in the dark. "What does Devon Hughes want with my pack." He snarls. "Nothing." Milton says gasping in pain when his legs are swept out from under him when he attempts to stand. Peter pauses at the honest reply. "Explain your involvement in attacks on Hale pack." Milton sighs leveling an unflinching look at Peter. "I owed a favor to an acquaintance. She wanted you all dead for past deeds. I was merely assisting out of my obligation to her." He tried to stand again but stops when Peter growls menacingly. "Why are you using his estate?" Peter growls. "Similar to why I was helping her. He owes me some favors. I've assisted him now and again over the years. He's not even in the country, he has no quarrel with you or your pack. He's retired and wishes to remain above any conflicts. I assume you had something to do with Rebecca's untimely demise?" Milton asks with a raised eyebrow. "Do I look like I can fly?" Peter scoffs shifting from Beta back to his human features. "No but there have been rumors over the years. Rumors about the Hale Pack's Left Hand making inquiries about the whereabouts of a rare…..Some might say mythical supernatural being.
Those rumors combined with the manner in which poor Rebeca met her end could lead one to surmise that perhaps you located such a creature. Such an amazing specimen would would be worth…. well a life changing amount of money. Seeing as how you know the attack came from above….." Milton tries to stand again. "Do you think I won't break your leg?" Peter says with a sneer. "I have to say I'm disappointed. Given the types of situations you engage in for your career I would have thought you'd have better defense than a small caliber pistol with standard ammunition." Peter says shaking his head and kicking idly at the weapon on the ground. "I rarely get this close to the action. I prefer to work from behind the scenes. It's only Rebecca's foolishness that exposed me to direct conflict. Mr. Hale, I can assure you I served merely as an advisor I took no direct action against your pack. If you were to look past this unpleasantness I'm sure you could see how having someone with my expertise in your debt as a benefit to your role as pack enforcer. A warning of impending threat, a misdirection of people who mean to do you or your kind harm." "The thought has occurred to me. You've never shown preference for any side. You side with yourself and your bank account. Since your business here is at an end I would suggest you be on your way. If you cause me to regret this there will be...consequences.." Milton bows his head in agreement. When he looks back up Peter is nowhere to be seen. With a heavy sigh he hauls himself to his feet. Brushing the dirt off his clothes he pockets the pistol before heading to his car.
"Paul. Paul!" Isaac says pulling broken branches off the silent human and brushing snow and dirt from his face. Kyle is at his side a second later and gently cradles the unconscious humans head in his hands. "Nothing appears broken." Isaac says in a near panic. Paul stirs then. Kyle and Isaac both look at each other. "Go get Deaton he's the only one he's not afraid of." Isaac says immediately shifting. Kyle whines loudly fear and worry clearly written on his face. He sets Paul's head gently on the ground and shifts just as Paul's eyes flutter open. Kyle pauses for just a second to look down at his mate before racing off in the night. Isaac backs away slowly as Paul moans and struggles to sit up. Paul looks around in the darkness then reaches for his phone which is a few feet away. The flashlight shining down into the snow. When he picks the phone up and flips it over and sweeps the area. The beam of light passing over Isaac. Paul freezes. "Oh fuck….Nice doggie." Slowly Paul slides back looking around for something to use as a weapon. Thinking fast Isaac whines and rolls on his back. Paul freezes. "What the fuck?" Isaac flips back over and "yips" softly. A cold breeze blows through the ravine then causing Paul to shiver. His clothes soaked from the snow. He shivers teeth clenched together to keep them from chattering. Isaac whines and scoots towards Paul on his stomach. The spike of fear from the human causing him to whine and wag his tail. Paul tries to get up before crying out in pain and dropping back down grabbing his leg. Isaac keens softly and moves up to Paul who looks at him fearfully. Isaac puts his face right up in Paul's looking for any sign of recognition in the human's eyes. Nothing he thinks. Sighing inwardly Isaac licks Paul across the face eliciting a shocked laugh and shove from the human. Isaac wraps himself around Paul as best he can. Whining softly until Paul stops trying to escape and lays back in to Isaac's warmth. "If you're willing to be my pillow I guess I'll take you up on the offer. I'll find my way out of here when I can see." Paul stretches his leg out wincing in pain. "Nothing broken. Just sprained I think." Paul breaths heavily sinking a little further into Isaac. "Well puppy…." Paul says then pauses. Isaac's ears perk up at the familiar nickname and the two lock eyes. Paul blinks several times looking at Isaac. "Weird." Paul mutters as his foggy memory continues to cause trouble. "Looks like we've got a long night." Paul coughs softly and shivers as the snow fall intensifies.