3 - Wake Up Call

~Punch’s Point of View~

When Doze first said Hazel was coming home I was instantly in a foul mood. When he told me she’d gotten herself thrown out of school, the slightly undead part of my heart was a bit proud. 

Maybe it's a cry for help, maybe she’s just tired of bullshit and wants to forge her own path, who knows. Hazel is too much her father’s child in every way. She does what she wants and makes no excuses. Maybe some of that has been my influence. But if she was a male, Doze would be proud and support it.

I hadn’t seen her now in over a year, and that was by design. When she came home last summer, me and a couple of the guys went on a road trip. Even though I’m technically a minor in the eyes of the human world, nobody gave a shit. If shifters don’t wanna go to school, they’re not forced to. Like I said, we’re our own city and normal humans don’t fuck with our pack.

I had people that took notes for me at school, even took tests for me. I skipped a lot of it but I still went sometimes. I kind of liked the idea of getting my high school diploma even if I didn’t actually really earn it myself. No one in my family had ever done it, so maybe that was the appeal.

Really, the idea of doing it for Mags was in the back of my mind. The way she looked at me was how I always wished Nina would have. She was proud of me. She’d get excited when I had good news, when I won a fight. When I’d fuck up some asshole who was abusing his children and get them into a better home. She was my biggest champion, and suddenly it was weird to have someone I didn’t want to disappoint.

Sure there was Dozer and his mate Mona, they were terrific. Better than great parents. But they weren’t my blood even if being a Flyer meant they were my adopted blood. Flyers and their mates would be my family for life. Thick and thin, no matter what and they would be the same for me.

Only I didn’t see me ever settling down. Human girls? Fucking boring. Twigs. Too much make-up, stupid attitudes and whiny. Female shifters? Attitude with nothing to back it up. They want too much and give nothing in return. They usually have small tits and no ass. Living in the human world they don’t have to work for it … meaning exercise, taking care of themselves. She-wolfs or any female shifter out in the wild in a real pack is built and strong. You DON’T want to fuck with those chicks.

Then there’s Hazel fucking Dennison. The female I love to hate.

I rub my face, irritated all over again. I’d barely slept last night, caught between wanting to find her and fuck her senseless or throwing myself off a bridge. My dick got boners around her that went in all kinds of directions. None of them ever any good.

The female drives me to the brink of insanity every time I lay eyes on her. Last summer I was so desperate to get away from her I left with four other guys and drove our bikes up and down the east coast. What was supposed to be a month turned into four.

We visited actual packs, real shifter packs. There were so few anymore. Most were thrown together groups like ours. Loner two-natured beasts just looking to have some semblance of family so they come together. But what Dozer has managed to build, carving out a little city of his own for us all to prosper in… It’s truly fucking special.

I met some really incredible people, and learned so much. We even spent a couple weeks at a time just in our shifter forms in the woods.

But above all, we met some couples who were real fated mates. Such a thing so rare anymore, most didn’t believe in it. I didn’t know what I believed in, but love? Fuck love.

The only love I have is for Mags, and I like it that way. She’s proven herself to be loyal, to be real family and I’d do anything for her. 

*I smell bacon. Let’s eat and hit Clover since you were a bitch last night,* Mick says, yawning.

I glance at the clock and see it's already noon. Well, shit. Maybe I did fall asleep at some point.

I drag ass but I eventually make it to the shower and get to the dining area for the plate Mags had saved just for me, piled crazy high with meat. I kiss her cheek and give her a wink. She is such a sweetheart. I have a standing order to deliver flowers to her house two days a week, and today she’d have gotten lilacs. She was the only female I loved to spoil.

“How was the airport,” she asks, falling next to me with a twinkle in her eye.

She’s always suspected something was between Hazel and I. I’d never let there be, even if she’d given me several indications over the years she wanted more. Something really, anything. I was no fucking good for her and even a slight step in that direction could be catastrophic. While I didn’t live with the Dennisons anymore in their home I still kept a room there, went home on occasion for Mona’s sake. I think especially with Hazel gone she’s just been lonely.

“Fucking waste of time,” I whine, with a mouthful of eggs.

She makes my eggs with cream and cheese. They’re so fucking good. I only wished I could have had this cooking growing up. Shit, to have had food at all growing up.

A few Flies were around, wrapping gifts and acting busy with Christmas decorations. I ignore their smiles and flicks of hair. I was glad to see all the gifts though, the pack was big on getting things for needy kids … a lot of them come to the boxing gym. They would be the only gifts they’d get usually.

“Word is one of her girlfriends took her home. You know how all the gossip travels around here,” she whispers, shaking her head. 

She lives for it, who is she kidding?? She doesn’t fool me.

Dozer had made her the “building manager” since we had to give her some sort of title and pay for her time, even though it isn’t much. She was basically the mom who just bounced around making sure everyone was taken care of, smoothed over problems before they blew up. It was a job that we didn’t know we needed, but now couldn’t do without. Guys confided in her, and unlike the other females around here she knows how to keep a secret.

*Let’s go, I bet that redhead is there today,* Mick pushes, trying to will my dick to life.

I didn’t have anything too heavy on my plate today. I took some shifts at the garage a few times a month but not many, only when they needed a fill in. Dozer was still convinced he could get me to finish school and didn’t want me thinking that I needed to do any obligations outside of pack business.

*Yeah I can roll by there,* I promise Mick.

It was just to release physical tension, I told myself. Scratching an itch.

But it’s never enough.

A few hours later and after a somewhat decent blow job and fuck, I find myself in the boxing ring, sweating it out. I do have a fight next month, but I’m too stressed about it. I typically had one a month but I took this one off. You can’t win them all and pushing yourself doesn’t do anyone any good. They weren’t big time matches, those guys were a few years older than me and fuckload meaner. I usually fell in with guys my own age from nearby packs we had alliances with. I couldn’t still be fighting in five years, I’d probably be half brain dead if I did.

Maybe that was Mama Dennison getting in my head. But she was right.

“Closing time, good job tonight,” I shout, when it's nearly eight pm.

“Aww come on Punch,” Pit Stop whines.

“You know it’s important at your age to keep a curfew. Bad shit happens at night,” I say, wiping my face.

“Like stuff the Flyers do,” Nugget asks.

I cleared my throat and began to clean up as the boys all laughed and hit the locker room.

I’m not always proud of the shit I do, but if the pack needs it, if Doze needs it, I’m there. No questions asked. But the longer I keep these pups on the straight and narrow, I’m gonna do it.

I begin to regret those words as I’m locking up a while later and my phone goes off.

BEEP

Dozer: Come by my office before nine.

I sigh and practically drag my feet across the lot. Stopping to shoot the shit with a few guys, I manage to kill fifteen minutes. When I officially join the Flyers any one of them will be able to mind-link me at any time, I am NOT looking forward to that. If Doze wants me in my sleep he’ll be able to get me even if my phone is dead.

KNOCK KNOCK

“Yeah Punch,” a loud bass voice calls.

The dude could be bigger than Shaq, he may very well be. I’m a large guy though I think I’m still growing, I’ll still never be like the BullDozer himself.

“Sup,” I say, shutting the door and falling into a chair. 

I always do my damndest to act like being alone with him doesn’t phase me. Flyers prey on fear, their wolves live for that shit. We don’t have a dungeon two floors below us for nothing. Yeah everything looks all pristine and innocent during the day, but night time around the packhouse can be pretty fucking terrifying. 

And I’m the reaper himself. I have fourteen dead flies on my legs. Insects, yes, and definitely not sexy looking. But symbols of the males that tried to take me down and fuckin’ failed. But I know better than anyone, even my wolf… Flyers don’t live forever. We do our part to make this world a better place and try to leave it for those after us to prosper.

Doze shakes his head and before he speaks, I already know why he’s pissed.

Hazel.

If it was pack business, the current Reeve would be in here with me. 

“This girl is gonna be the death of her poor mother. I thought for sure sending you to fetch her last night would spook her a bit. She’s always been a bit skittish with you. You look like you mean business and don’t fuck around. Hell grown men cry like a bitch for their mama when they see you … but Hazel? She spits in your face. She spits at all of us! My wolf is ready to run her ten miles into the middle of nowhere and leave her. Maybe I should have done that sooner,” he snaps, running his fingers over his graying beard.

I snicker.

“What’s stopping you,” I tease, holding out my arms. He scoffs.

“My mate of course. I’ve more than said we need to be firm with her. If she were a boy I’d have pitched him out in the woods years ago. Made him figure out life the hard way,” he says, sighing.

When it's quiet for a second I say, “so you’re really asking for my advice?”

He makes a welcoming gesture with his hands.

I blow out a hard breath just as there is a soft knock at the door.

“Yeah,” he calls, leaning forward.

I could already smell it was a female, likely a Fly. Sure enough a little blonde came in, setting a tray of cold beers on the desk.

“Anything else Dozer,” she asks, in a sweet little girl voice. 

She’s got fake tits pushed up to her chin and popping out of her shirt. A black skirt so short the bottom of her ass is visible and Mick makes me look. I push him out of my mind, annoyed. She’s not at all my type and I think my dick actually shrivels.

Dozer shakes his head, waving her off.

Doze is literally the only male in the pack that doesn’t cheat on his mate. They were not fated, but they are the most in love a couple could possibly be. Not to mention Mona is around all the time, and she can be pretty terrifying if she wants to be. 

It is more than known her male is off limits. Not that he would. Never stops the Flies from trying. One of these times someone’s gonna lose their teeth or an eye. Even though they’re wolves and they’ll grow back, it’ll hurt like hell for days.

RING RING RING

Dozer sighs and answers, putting it on speaker.

“Hey uhm, bad news Alpha. I just saw Hazel jump out her bedroom window. I’m following her in my truck,” I hear, the voice was a male we called Klunk. 

He was a Yardbird recruit, same as me. Although we were both pretty much a guaranteed in.  He’d just come on board a month ago. His old man was a Flyer and everyone had high hopes for him. The nickname came from the fact that he doesn’t like slowing down for speed bumps and is constantly fucking up cars and dropping mufflers. So, his dad got him a high truck, solving that problem. He’s sixteen and doesn’t have his wolf yet though. Can’t be a Flyer without that.

Thankfully Klunk liked school and actually went, usually helping to save my ass. He was tall and intimidating, had a big “in” with the jock crowd as a basketball player. Shifters are only allowed to play in human sports until they shift even though humans often still think there is an unfair advantage.

THUD

I didn’t flinch or jump, even though Doze slammed his fist into the desk so hard it cracked.

“Stay on her. If she wanted to go to a friend's, she'd have just asked,” he shouts, pointing at the phone.

“How was she dressed,” I ask, making Doze raise his eyebrow. Yeah, he doesn’t think like a teenager.

“Yeah, uhm, party clothes. Short dress and heels,” Klunk states, reluctantly. 

Doze growls, but grabs his beer and throws it back. I take one and do the same. It isn’t even that late, she has some balls sneaking out while her parents are both still awake.

“When she lands somewhere, call Punch with the location,” Doze barks, hanging up.

I make a face.

I’m not a motherfucking babysitter! Though my traitor of a wolf perked up, liking the idea of being close to her. I’d lived at the Dennison’s house with the family until Mick came along. After that he was surging my hormones to unbearable levels. Staying there anymore wasn’t an option. But I had a small apartment here at the packhouse with my own bathroom so I couldn’t complain. 

“She’s not even home one damn night? Fucking hell, she thinks she’s untouchable,” I curse. 

We are near the bottom of a major human city and our packlands are a safe haven for our kind though anyone outside has a different opinion of us. Still, if she goes outside our lands, it's a rough area and she has no clue who is in those streets. No clue the scum we deal with that the law won’t touch.

“Mona will kill me but…” he says, grabbing another beer.

“Somebody needs a wake up call,” I ask, raising my eyebrow. Now THAT I could be down for, and my wolf snickers.

“Yeah, I’m out of options. I’m not even sure the damn school is gonna let her enroll. I’ll have to bribe someone,” he sighs, throwing back the bottle.

The pup schools are all divided by shifter type: wolves with wolves, etc. Learning from a young age about your own kind. But as you get older, you need to understand it's a big world out there. There’s a lot more than just your little bubble. So, our high school has all kinds of students. They’re all still very much in groups, usually by their shifter type. 

It’s high time little Hazel finds out that it can indeed be a big, sick world out there.