Back in Silverthorne

Baylor POV

I wandered around town most of the morning, hoping that the commentary in my head would stop. No such luck though, this Shammus as the voice calls itself, talks too damn much. “Ok listen, I can’t believe I am trying to reason with the voice in my head, but can you please just shut up for a while?” I asked, getting frustrated. “Fine dummy! I am not just a voice in your head, I am your wolf. The sooner you realize this, the easier it will be for both of us.” 

I climbed the back stairs towards the apartment, I just needed to get a shower for work. I walked through the door and Kenneth said, “Where did you go this morning?” I just shrugged my shoulders and said, “I just went for a walk to clear my head. I don’t know, but I think that the weed from last night was off. Messed with my head big time.” Kenneth replied, “Sorry man, maybe it was different than you’re used to. Not like you smoke much anyway.” I just walked off to get in the shower. Right now my hallucination is quiet, so I won’t dwell on it. 

Bessie wants me to wait tables and do dishes since we are both short staffed and slow today. Just as I finished the last sink of dishes, I hear the door chimes and I walk out of the back to see five men walk in. “Go ahead and choose a table, I’ll grab some menus and be right with you” I call out. 

I start to walk towards where the men chose to sit and get a strong scent of wood and dirt. Of course ‘Shammus' chose this moment to start chanting in my head: “PACK! PACK! PACK!” I pause mid-step to quietly mutter to myself, “Listen fucker, now is not the time for this shit!” Shammus says, “It is absolutely time for this dummy, they are pack. And pack means family.” None of these guys look anything like me and my family would be in Ireland. 

As I step to the table, I hand menus and say, “Good afternoon gentlemen, my name is Baylor and I will be your server. House specials are on the back and the soup today is broccoli cheddar. Can I get you anything to start with?” They order a round of coffee and once I grab the cups and bring the pot over to fill them, they place orders for soup. While the men eat I catch a couple more tables and refill their coffee. As I notice them finish up, I ask “Will this be on separate bills or all together?” The guy I have seen staring says, “Altogether.” I go over to the order screen and print the bill and take it to the table. “Whenever you guys are ready, I can cash you out” I say just before a loud crash comes from the back room. 

I hurried off to see what happened, and opening the door I saw glass and pickles everywhere. “Kenneth what the hell man? This is a big fucking mess!” I pinched the bridge of my nose thinking this was going to be a pain to clean. “I was going to move the last two jars up to the front line and the box just gave out,” Kenneth replied exasperated.  “Sorry dude, didn’t mean to yell. Let me help you clean this up,” I said looking for a broom. “Thanks man, I appreciate it,” Kenneth replied. 

After cleaning up the pickle disaster, I walked back out front to realize the group of men had left. As I walked over to the table thinking they probably stiffed me on the tip, I saw five one hundred dollar bills and a note: “Baylor, we need to speak. Please call me at The Gilded Inn at 970-867-5309 and ask to be connected to the presidential suite.” “See dummy, they are pack” the annoying voice in my head says. I picked up the cash and paid their tab. Then I tucked the note and my four hundred and sixty dollar tip in my pocket. I will give the guys each some of it when we get back to the apartment and I don’t think I will be calling the staring guy. I appreciate the tip, but that was just creepy. 

After the guys and I were off work, we headed back to the apartment. “It’s my turn to cook, so I am going to order from Pino’s Pizzeria so the delivery should be there shortly after we get back” Kenneth said, breaking me away from my thoughts. “Fine by me. Can we do bacon and mild peppers” I replied. “Actually, I think I can swing three larges today so we can all have what we like on our own pizzas,” Kenneth said. 

“Oh, Hey about that, I can cover the pizzas and also here is a nice crisp benjamin for each of you,”I said, handing them each a cut of the tip. “The table I had before ‘Picklegate’ left five hundred bucks on the table with a note,” I told them when they gave me a weird look. Mitchum said, “You mean that table with all the biker dudes?” I nodded and said, “Yes, that table.” 

Kenneth gets a strange look on his face and he said, “What did the note say? And why would a bunch of dudes leave another dude a note?” I took the note out of my pocket and held it up so that the guys could see it.  “Baylor, we need to speak. Please call me at The Gilded Inn at 970-867-5309 and ask to be connected to the presidential suite,” Kenneth read out loud over my shoulder. “Man, that's just weird. What are you going to do about it? Did you call the number?” Mitchum asked. “No, I didn't call the number and I don’t plan on doing anything. One of the guys stared at me the whole time I waited on them, gave me the creeps.” 

Kenneth was quiet for a moment and then he said, “They did give you a nice tip and that’s who you were waiting on when ‘Picklegate’ happened. So you were busy helping me and couldn’t talk then. Maybe it’s something important.” 

I shrugged and looked at the floor, “I don’t know, ‘Staring Guy’ really gave me the creeps. And why didn’t they say anything before ‘Picklegate’ happened?” There were no answers unless I called the number. After that we ate and watched some television then decided to call it a night.

I was lying awake in bed and I thought about the note. ‘Shammus’ starts up with a monologue about how I should call the number and how those men were my pack. I am really confused by that because first off I am still hearing a voice in my head. And second I am not an animal, I don’t belong to a pack I. AM. HUMAN. Finally I fell asleep and dreamt of a bunch of wolves running through an open field. There was one large black wolf that was watching me with green eyes that resembled my own. 

I woke in a cold sweat with my breath heaving in my chest. I look at the clock and it is 3:00a.m. ‘Ok too much pizza before bed’ I thought, as I rolled over and went back to sleep.

Clive POV

“Baylor certainly favors Alpha Connor, but definitely has Luna Sophie’s eyes,” I remarked. “It is astounding that we were able to find him after all this time,” Phineas replied. There was a murmur of agreement amongst the men. “Clive, did you notice the scent of two other wolves in that place?” Phineas commented. “No Phineas, but you always were the best tracker in our pack. Though I don’t usually miss the scent of others when they are near,” I replied with my brows furrowed. 

“See, that’s the thing  though. I could smell them, but they smelled off,” Phineas stated.  “Why didn’t you say something? We can’t risk rouges attacking the Alpha Heir!” I asked with a sinking feeling in my gut. “Clive, they didn’t smell like rouges. They just smelled off. No matter, once Alpha Baylor calls, we will be able to take him back to Ireland with us, where he will be safe.” “Perhaps you’re right, Phineas. It’s just that we had waited so long and come so far, I would hate to have it all fall apart,” I replied with a sigh. 

“Come on brother, let’s have a pint while we wait for the call,” Phineas replied with a pat on my shoulder. “You go ahead and pour. I am going to grab a shower and make a quick call to Fiadh to let her know that we have made it safe thus far. She will be able to fill in your mate and the other men’s mates as well,” I said as I walked into the private bedroom and then into the bathroom to shower. 

After showering I called Fiadh, to tell her of the journey thus far and asked her to pass the news to the other men’s mates that all was going well. When I came back to the main parlor, the men were chatting and drinking their pints and it looked like someone had opened a bottle of whiskey as well. 

As the evening progressed, the men continued to drink, but the telephone never rang. “Phineas, I think we should have left a man or two back at the restaurant to keep an eye on the alpha heir,” I stated. I wondered if he got the message or if something else had happened. “Clive, I think you may be fretting over nothing. He’s a young lad and perhaps pocketed the note and forgot. If we haven’t heard anything by late morning, we can go back to the restaurant and see if he is there or maybe find a way to contact him from there,” Phineas said, trying to be reassuring.  “Yes, you’re right of course. I am just anxious because we have gotten so close,”I replied. “It will all work out in the morning Clive, I am sure of it. Now let’s all get some rest. Codladh Samh, gentlemen,” Phineas said heading to bed.