Chapter 5
Taylor and John bond
Pushing the door to Taylor's hospital room open, he slowly walks in. Taylor looks up at him cautiously and suspiciously just like his mother. John smiled at the thought, "Like mother like son."
"Hello, I'm John. I don't know if you remember me from the park," he says trying not to frighten the kid any more than he already is. He continues as he gestures at the grease stained bags which smell divine; and, if the rumbling of the kid's stomach is any indication he thinks so as well. "I thought that you might be hungry and since I know firsthand just how badly hospital food sucks, Fusco brought us some burgers, fries, and milkshakes," John says as he sets the bag down on Taylor's tray hoping to break the ice.
"OMG yes, I'm starving. I could eat a whole freaking cow right about now. Plus, Five Guys is my favorite," he responds enthusiastically like any typical hungry teenager.
Reaching for the burger Taylor unwraps the triple bacon cheeseburger and tears into it. John just chuckles to himself and shakes his head as he watches Joss's cub inhale the burger. He reaches into the bag handing the kid a second sandwich thinking it was a good idea on Fusco's part that he ordered five triple bacon cheeseburgers, four large orders of fries, plus the extra-large vanilla milkshakes. Besides, he was a teenager once a long time ago, add the whole wolf metabolism and he really could eat an entire cow.
They eat their food in silence until they've had their fill. As he cleans up the trash, out of the corner of his eye, he sees Taylor working up the nerve for what he can only assume are questions regarding his new situation. He finishes picking up the remainder of their dinner patiently waiting, giving Taylor the time to work out what he needs to ask as John sits and waits. He doesn't have to wait long.
"So my mom says that if I have questions about the whole wolf thing I should maybe ask you," Taylor says softly, almost hesitant.
"Yes that's right," John replies trying to wait and give the cub a chance to work out what he needs to ask me. "Anything you want to know all you have to do is ask."
"Anything?" Taylor asks timidly.
"Yes. Anything at all except about girls, because in all my years alive I still have no clue about girls," John replies giving him a smile trying to break the ice. He succeeds as he watches a smile grace the kid's face.
Taylor takes a deep breath and starts. "When I change will I…will I," he says and stops.
"Will you what," John responds having no idea what Taylor wanted to know but knowing that it must be important if he's hesitant and can't even get out the entire question. "Why don't you take a deep breath and then start again, okay? There's no rush and we have all the time in the world so take your time. No pressure at all. Okay?" He says trying to ease the cub's mind and trying not to let his anger show. This kid should be out playing with his friends and trying to get girls' phone numbers, not worried about being a wolf. Shaking those thoughts out of his head, he waits once again to give Taylor a chance to settle his mind and gather his thoughts.
Taylor starts once again a lot calmer than the first time. "When I change, will I hurt people? Like my mother, grandma, or even my friends?" he asks softly, voice trembling in fear at the answer. He whispers are so low that if it wasn't for John's enhanced hearing he would have missed it. But he didn't miss the vulnerability in Taylor's eyes, his mother's eye's staring back at him looking so fucking lost. John vowed to himself then and there to protect Taylor with his life and lives of his entire pack.
Swallowing John says, "No you will not. I won't let you nor will the pack. Your pack now if you'll have us. I'm not going to lie and tell you it's never happened before but those were wolves that were left to fend for themselves with no training and no pack. You'll be a part of my pack and will be trained so you never attack anyone especially your mother and grandmother. You have my word as your future Alpha. Okay?"
Looking John in his eye finding the truth of his words, Taylor nods and says, "Okay."
"Good, once you are released from here and heal we'll start your training and introduce you to the pack." Taylor finally relaxes at his words which makes John happy. So he takes a sip of his shake and nearly chokes at the cub's next question.
"So what do you think of my mom? Do you like her? She's very pretty don't you think?" He asks.
Coughing he looks up into Taylors's smirking face and thinks out of the mouths of smart ass teenagers. Trying to gather his thoughts John just stares at the kid even as he continues.
"It's okay if you do. My mom's single and Shaw says you're single. So do you like my mom? She's very pretty."
"Kid your mom's not just pretty. She's beautiful but I'm single for a reason. I'm not ready to settle down. I'm sure there's some guy out there that would be lucky to have her," John replies softly; but then curses as the smart ass teenager smirks at him. Damn smart ass teenager John thinks. Damn that crazy ass beta of his. John thinks this has Shaw's paws all over it. That crazy ass bitch.
Meanwhile down the hall Shaw continues to put her paws into John's business.
Joss walked out of the ladies room to see none other than John's beta Shaw holding up a bag of food from Five Guys in one hand and a milkshake in another. "Hey Detective," she says grinning like mad which sets off Joss's instincts, of what she has no idea but it's best to be safer now than sorrier later. Shaw continues, "So I thought with the situation with Taylor and all, you might have some questions that needed answers. So why don't we go down the hall to the waiting area and you can eat while we chat."
Shaw waits for Joss to respond ignoring the suspicious looks she's shooting her still smiling that crazy smile that had people usually giving her a wide berth. But then again her instincts and what happened in the park let her know that Joss is no ordinary human.
Joss quirks her brow at Shaw but follows her to a waiting area down the hall because she's hungry and curious about what the hell Shaw's up to. Sitting down in one of the seats she waits as Shaw sits across from her handing her the bag. She digs into the bag and finally the food not realizing how hungry she was until she's finished it, all the while Shaw sits and watches and waits.
"So things between you and our Alpha got really heated there," Shaw replies looking for something, of which Joss has no clue but decides to play along anyway to see what game the beta is playing.
"Hmm heated is one way of putting it. Your Alpha is an overbearing asshole and if it's one thing I hate, it's assholes that think they can dictate to me," Joss replies with a grin of her own. "So Shaw why don't you really tell me what this little confab is all about. I doubt seriously you cornered me to have a girl talk, so what gives?"
Shaw smirks, liking this bitch more and more and feeling a slight itch. She knows her Alpha would skin her alive for messing with Joss but then again she loves living dangerously. "Well truthfully with the way you and the Alpha were shooting sparks all over the place I thought I'd have to hose you both down. Not that I can blame the Alpha because a woman like you would make a wolf want to howl at the moon," she says giving Joss an indecipherable look.
"First, let me say that the only thoughts I have about your Alpha is him helping me keep that bastard Elias and his pack away from me and my son. And as far as us shooting sparks that would be a silver bullet in his furry ass if he fucks with me," Joss replies heatedly, staring daggers at Shaw just thinking about that arrogant sexy ass wolf. Shaking those thoughts that could lead to nothing but trouble she looks up into the shit eating grin of Shaw.
"Hmm interesting choice of words there Detective."
"Really? Not too interesting since they are simply words Shaw."
"Yes, and yet when I brought up the subject of our Alpha..."
"Your Alpha," Joss spits out almost defensively much to the amusement of Shaw and Joss knows she's being played. She might not know why or what Shaw's up to and so decides to tread softly.
"Hmm it just seems you and John both are protesting a bit much don't you think? I mean our," and Shaw pauses as Joss lifts her eyebrow, then continues, rolling her eyes, "my Alpha is an attractive man, even though he doesn't make me itch." She laughs and covers it with a cough as she can smell the confusion coming off of Joss in waves.
"Itch," Joss responds and continues. "Are you sure it's not flees?"
Shaw pauses and throws her head back laughing hysterically until tears roll down her face. After she finally gets herself under control she shakes a finger at Joss and says. "I knew the moment the Alpha told me you, a human woman, took on fully grown wolves with nothing but a knife, your gun, and that kick ass mentality that I would like you. Now I know you and I are going to be great friends and cause a lot of trouble."
Joss sits back and contemplates this woman who, for all intents and purposes, was crazy as hell but who could help her in the world of wolf politics. And she could sense that Shaw really could use a friend, and so could she for that matter. Because no matter what human and non-human alike, at the end of the day it always comes down to politics so it's best to be prepared for any and everything. Picking up her milkshake she lifts it and says, "Let the games begin. And by the way not too subtle with all the hints about your Alpha and me, which amounts to absolutely nothing."
"Subtle is for pussies," Shaw responds as she smiles and leans forward fist raised waiting in friendship, mayhem, and a hell of a lot of chaos.
Joss reaches across gives Shaw's fist a bump feeling like she's stepping into the twilight zone wolf style, but what the hell she's game for anything. Hell she took on wolves and lived to tell the tale, so befriending one slightly psychotic wolf is no problem at all, she thinks as she settles back into her seat. She finishes her shake contemplating these strange new times she and her son were about to embark upon.
With those thoughts in mind she gets up to head back towards her son's room gearing up for the next battle royal with John fucking Reese. Breathing thru her nose she takes a deep breath, squares her shoulders and goes into battle. If this pain in the ass Alpha thinks he can somehow dictate her life he has another thing coming; namely her foot up his furry ass. Those thoughts bring a smile to her face as she comes to stand outside Taylor's private hospital room prepared for battle with one asshole Alpha wolf.