“Um, how’d you make it so we can’t hear in your room?” Zain’s voice was quieter than it had been when he was hidden in Liam’s room and he wasn’t quite making eye contact with Jackson, but Jackson leaped at the chance to explain.
He pointed at the box sitting on the top part of the desk. “I made the first version of that my freshman year of high school. It’s wireless and connects via… “ Jackson let his voice trail off. “The specifics don’t matter. It’s customizable to fit any sized room. I hold the patent, but due to a minor disagreement with my dad, I’m unable to currently create and market them as I’d like.”
Liam’s brow rose. “You made that?”
Irritation again prickled under his skin at Liam’s tone of disbelief. “Yeah. I did. I got into this school just the same as you and you don’t see me doubting your intellig
Jackson stepped back into the room. Wren hadn’t even twitched from his position. The pizza was untouched on the plate. Jackson wanted to reach for it, move it away, but Wren could still be a little protective over his food and with him already tense, Jackson wanted him to have his space.“Are you ok?” Jackson asked. Wren flinched at his voice and didn’t answer. Jackson ran over the conversation in his head. He’d been so focused on Liam that he wasn’t sure what part made Wren so upset. The information about Kia had surprised him, but he hadn’t looked upset at it.“Gay means… You have sex with men?” Wren’s voice was shaky in a way Jackson had never heard it before.Jackson was struck all over again by how much Wren didn’t know. “Yeah, in my case. I’m interested in men to date and potentially have sex with. Kia’s interested in women, though she’s never been with anyone.
Jackson’s upper back was numb from where it had been pressed into the hard wall. His arms were tired from staying locked around Wren. Wren was a heavy, heavy weight against his chest. Jackson wouldn’t have moved to save his own life. Not now that Wren had settled enough to fall asleep.Wren shifted in his arms, then jerked back and Jackson let his arms fall. He sat forward some and shifted his shoulders in an attempt to get some feeling back in them.“Good morning,” Jackson said and Wren flinched back. His ears flattened down to his skull and he ducked his head. Jackson hesitated, unsure if Wren was afraid or worried or what… He figured it was best to just not mention and keep going on like nothing odd had happened. “I figured you’re probably still hungry. Want some burgers? Or want to get out of this room for a bit? We’re not too far from some hiking trails.”Hiking was the last thing Jackson wanted to do.
Muffled whines woke Jackson up. The window was wide open, the room was a couple steps past chilly, but his quilt was much thicker than the hotel blanket had been. The moon was full and bright enough to light the room up.Jackson rolled over to stare at the Wren shaped lump across on his bed. Another whine filled the room. Jackson started to push the blanket off, started to go wake Wren up, but he stopped. Wren flinched back from touch as a human when Jackson initiated it. It was only when he was a wolf that Wren seemed more comfortable with touch.The next whine cut off half way through and an audible gasp of air came from Wren’s bed. Jackson watched as Wren lay still, then rolled over. His eyes glinted in the moonlight. For several seconds, they stared at each other.What was there to say? Nothing Jackson could say would make anything Wren had gone through any better. The silence stretched between them. Wren tugged the blanket tighter around him and Jacks
Wren hadn’t meant to growl at Zain. He’d just seen Zain warning Jackson to back off and had reacted without thought. He’d spent the rest of the time remaining still and quiet. Jackson was trying to be friends with them and he’d growled at Zain.Though Zain seemed to forget the whole thing within moments. He was back to quietly sitting by Liam’s side, leaning in slightly, and focusing on Liam. Every now and then, he’d glance over and give Wren a small smile and Wren would jerk his gaze away. On the walk back, Wren had stepped back, to walk behind Jackson as usual, but Zain was sticking close to Liam’s side this time and Jackson kept glancing back at him.He couldn’t stay behind him. His heart skipped forward a couple beats, and he stepped ahead. Jackson smiled up at him and Wren gave an uncertain, almost smile in return. His lips felt like they twisted weird and the expression didn’t come naturally to him at all, but
Wren and Zain were off frolicking in the woods. Jackson was waiting for a call and Liam was chowing down on the pasta Jackson had delivered.“Just gonna skip your afternoon class?” Liam asked around a mouthful of food.Jackson scowled at him. “Did no one teach you to not speak with your mouth full.”Liam swallowed and grinned, “Sure they did, but they ain’t here now, are they?”Jackson rolled his eyes, but smiled so Liam would know he didn’t really care. “Grandma said she’d call half an hour ago. I’m not going to risk missing the call.”“You never explained why you don’t call more. How long did you say it’s been since you last saw them?”“Six years.” Six years. He had been twelve the last time he’d been allowed to see his grandparents. “We can only talk when they go into town and use a payphone and I borrow someone else&rsq
Autumn break came soon enough and Jackson and Wren were heading to Jackson’s grandparents. They promised to fill Liam and Zain in as soon as they could and then they hit the road. Wren dozed on and off in the passenger seat. Jackson cursed the fact that Wren didn’t know how to drive and resolved to teach him soon.Though, having Wren be able to fall asleep next to him while in human form was kind of nice. It had nothing to do with the fact that Jackson could take in Wren’s peaceful sleeping face as much as he wanted like this. And nothing to do with the way Wren would wake up and blink sleepily at him before his almost-smile made its appearance. Nothing at all to do with the way his heart didn’t know how to stay in its rhythm every time it happened.They got to his grandparents right around midnight. The light on the porch was on. Jackson pulled his car behind his grandpa’s old beater work truck and nudged Wren awake. Wren blinked blearily
Jackson could hear the bacon sizzling in the kitchen as they stepped out of their room. The house was warm and comfortable and Jackson loved it here.The table was piled high with a large selection of breakfast foods. Grandma Rose was at the stove flipping bacon. “Good morning, Grandma. Grandpa already busy?”She smiled at him. “You know him. Can’t sit still to save his life, that man.”Jackson gestured for Wren to sit next to him at the table. Grandma Rose brought the plate of bacon over to join the rest of the feast filling the table then moved back to the stove. “I think you overestimated how hungry we are,” Jackson said.Grandma Rose just smiled wider and brought a steaming cup over to set next to Wren. “Coffee’s in the pot. Jackson said you prefer tea, Wren, so I brewed you a cup. I’m afraid we only have chamomile tea on hand, but I’ll pick up more next time I go to town.”
Fuck. Fuck.Fuck. Jackson slammed his hand against the steering wheel then fell forward against it. Fuck.Nathaniel wanted a 45% share in Jackson’s product. 45%. Jackson couldn’t do that. He needed this product, the money from it, to save werewolves. He couldn’t do that if 45% of his expected profits were going straight into this rich asshole’s pocket. And now… now he had to go back, look Wren in the eyes and tell him that they were going to have to wait and keep looking. Keep trying. Figure out a way to get enough of a start up fund themselves that they wouldn’t need any investors.He’d have to tell Liam and Zain that this way wouldn’t work out. That it’d be even longer before Zain would be able to be freed from the collar. Longer before they could transfer out of their college and to a college in Mendota.“Fuck!” He slammed his fist against the wheel again, then started the car. I
Jackson dug their big knife out of the drawer. He crushed and minced the garlic and scraped it to the side of the cutting board. “Wren?”“Yeah?”“Check the chicken.”There was a rattle behind him. Jackson turned to the carrots and started peeling them. The peeler was apparently a little loose and cocked the side after just two swipes. “Chicken’s good. Want me to adjust that?”“Nah, I got it.” Jackson straightened the peeler clamped on the edge of the counter. He tightened the grip and switched back to peeling the carrots. “Has anyone texted yet?”“Kia and Belle said they might be a little late. Otherwise, no.”Jackson glanced over. Wren was leaning his hip against the counter. His hair was loose around his shoulders. The sun beamed through their kitchen window and lit him in a warm light. Jackson set the half-peeled carrot down and stepped forward.
Nine months since he’d lost his arm and he and Wren were homeowners. Jackson laughed as he caught sight of the white flakes swirling in the wind outside the kitchen window. He opened the cabinet doors in search of the cocoa. Wren was starting a fire in the fireplace. The first snow of the year was later than normal and nothing more than barely there flurries. “Wren,” Jackson called from the kitchen.“Yeah?”“It’s snowing.” Jackson found the container. He braced it between the counter and his hip and used his hand to pry off the top. He mixed the chocolate into the hot milk, squeezed the excess out of Wren’s tea bag, placed both cups on his tray and carefully carried it into the living room. “Our first kiss was in the snow.”The fire was just starting to catch on the logs. Wren settled on the couch next to him and reached for his steaming mug on the coffee table. He tossed his other arm across Jack
Six months of therapy and rehab and sympathetic looks and Jackson was sick of it. He was tired of living in the hotel. He was tired of nonstop people. Nonstop sound. Nonstop everything. For a moment, he considered asking Wren if Wren would want to move in with Grandma Rose and Grandpa Frank. Then he realized what they could do. What they had the means to do.Wren stepped into their room. He was sweaty from the run with Zain. His dark hair stuck to the back of his neck despite the ponytail’s effort to keep it off. Jackson pushed his laptop to the side and rose up on his knees.Wren leaned forward for a kiss and Jackson pulled him in closer with his arm around Wren’s neck. Wren chuckled and gently disengaged. “What’s going on?”Jackson fell back and reached for his laptop again. He avoided eye contact as he pulled up the screen he had minimized. “I was just thinking that maybe it’s time we get a house? Just for the two of
Three months. His scar was still red and angry. Jackson’s therapist was great. Really. He knew any body image issues he might have were something he’d get over with enough time, but for now, staring at the angry red skin that marked where his arm should be… He felt a stupid mixture of embarassment, shame, and disgust. Jackson was pale. He’d always been pale. He’d never had an issue with it before, but now, the paleness of his skin made the scar look all the more alarming. The knock on the door startled him and he realized he’d been standing there for a little too long. “Just a second,” he called. The shirt was still a struggle to get on, but he was getting quicker every time. Jeans were a no go since he couldn’t button them one handed so he spent all of his time in sweatpants. Sweats were comfortable, but they were just another reminder of what he couldn’t do anymore. What he didn’t have anymore. The empty sleeve hung limp over his shoulder. Jackson turned hi
His dad was on his way to Jackson’s hospital room. Grandma Rose had reassured him countless times that if he changed his mind then she would personally escort him from the entire country. Jackson appreciated the thought, but he needed to talk to his dad. It had been a week since Jackson woke up. A week and Jackson was leaving the hospital in hopefully another day or two. He wanted to talk to his dad now, while he was still in such an impersonal place such as a hospital room.Jackson stared at the door. His dad should be arriving any minute. His dad had told Grandma Rose that he would be there at noon and it was currently 11:57. Wren sat next to him, on his left side, the side of his missing arm. He glanced at the clock. Then the door. Then the clock.When the knock came, he jumped and glanced at Wren. “Can you get it?” Jackson asked. Walking across the room in his hospital gown with one sleeve hanging limp would have put him in too vulnerable a positi
About two hours after your shooting, all of the collars in Oconee stopped working.Jackson didn’t understand. “That’s not possible. I know the coding in those collars backward and forward. There are countless fail-safes. For them to just, stop working…” Jackson shook his head. He was already feeling tired again, but he pushed through. “Do we know what caused it?”“There was a statement put out from that Carmillan Collars PR lady that they were looking into what caused the problem, but that was three days ago. There’s been no word since.”Three days. “What day is it?”“You were shot four days ago. You’ve been in and out of consciousness but every time was only for a few seconds and you were pretty confused,” Kia said. “You mentioned geese a couple of times.”Jackson’s lips twitched in a reluctant smile. “I think I was dreaming of
Jackson woke up confused. His brain was fuzzy and he couldn’t move. The ceiling was unfamiliar to him. It was white and speckled… like a quail egg. Jackson chuckled, but the laugh sounded wrong. He couldn’t stop though, because quails made him think of geese and geese made him think of Kia getting chased by the geese that lived in the pond.His chest heaved as he tried to stop laughing, then a sharp burst of pain stole the laughter from him. He gasped and closed his eyes.“Jackson!” That was Kia. Wasn’t she just chasing the geese? “Jackson! Wren, wake up.” There was a thump. Wren? Did she name the geese? Maybe he’d help her chase them…* * *Jackson opened his eyes to the quail egg ceiling. “Did you get the geese?” There was a weight across his legs that he hadn’t noticed until it was gone. He tried to turn his head, but his muscles didn’t want to work so he just closed
They mingled. Jackson shook countless hands. Laughed with people as he passed them by. The crowd bubbled around him and let him through easily. Kia held tight to one hand as she pulled him forward through the crowd. “Come on!”She shoved him up onto a truck bed, then pushed him higher so he was standing on the cab. A megaphone was shoved in his hand. He gripped it tight and stood up straight. In the most surreal moment of his life, the crowd in front of him stilled and grew silent without a word from him. Hundreds of people. Thousands of people? A lot of people, quiet and staring at him. Jackson lifted his chin and raised his hand in a wave.“Are you ready?”There was a murmur of assent through the crowd.“Please, march quietly. We ask that this be a time to reflect. A time to ask ourselves what else we can do for those oppressed in Oconee. If you’re religious, use this time to pray for our neighbors. If you’re no
Jackson couldn’t believe it. The sheer amount of people who had crammed their way into the small town near the border… He turned to Kia. “How did you do this?”Kia grinned. “The power of the internet… And your second interview was probably the main thing.”People in bright colors carrying signs of various messages milled about. The streets were packed. There were police officers out, some of them carried signs of their own.No More Collars. Freedom For All. No Rest Until We’re All Free.Jackson shook his head and stepped back from the window of his hotel room. “I can’t do this. I shouldn’t be the one speaking.”He heard the shower cut off. Kia leaned against him. “You’ve done so much more than this already, Jackson. Now you’re going to lead this march. You’re going to climb on that stage and you’re going to give that speech. Look out there