LOGINShare
I've Had Worse
Last Updated:
2024-10-29 19:42:56Jackson woke up to Wren still sleeping. His head was pillowed on Jackson’s stomach. His arms were latched around Jackson. Jackson wouldn’t dream of ever waking him up, but he couldn’t resist reaching out to touch the black silky strands of hair. He ran a hand through Wren’s hair and smiled as Wren grumbled in his sleep, but pushed against the touch.
The smile faded as Jackson took in the cuts and bruises littering Wren’s skin. The arm Jackson could see had a crescent of punctures where the other wolf had gotten a good bite. Jackson needed to check on Wren’s stomach as well. He needed to check on the other wolf. He didn’t even know the other wolf’s name.
Jackson slammed his thoughts to a stop. For now, that wolf would be well taken care of. He trusted Kia to make sure of it. For now, Jackson would stay in bed and let Wren find comfort with him.
He didn’t know how long he lay there, slowly running his fingers t
Related chapters
The Love of a Werewolf So Proud
Jackson reached up and scratched at Wren’s scalp. Wren nuzzled against him with a pleased hum. “I’m asking Margaret and Sue-Sue and Charlene… All of them, if they want to leave with us tonight.”Wren jerked his head up, but kept his arms locked around Jackson. “Tonight?”Jackson nodded. “Tonight. Never again do I want to be the reason something like that happens to you. I want that collar off. I want you to be free and I don’t want to ‘own’ anyone ever again.” Some of the panic from the night before prickled under his skin again. He wouldn’t let something like this ever be his fault again and he couldn’t wait until the end of winter break anymore.Wren stared at him then a small grin grew on his face. “Ok.”“Ok?”“Yeah, who’s Charlene?”Jackon chuckled. Relief loosened his muscles and he sagged into Wren’s warm
The Love of a Werewolf Bath Time 2.0
Wren was exhausted. His shouldn’t be. He’d slept the entire night snuggled up with Jackson, but he was. Kia left to go get the others and Wren slipped away to take another bath. The water was hot. Almost too hot, but it had been so long since he’d been able to enjoy just soaking in the tub.The soothing scent of lavender drifted in the steam. Wren sank down so the only part of him exposed to the air was from his nose up. He was sore all over. His stomach hurt where the other wolf had managed to land a good hit. Images from the day before flashed through his mind. The metallic scent, and taste of blood. The other wolf, so young and new to fighting.He didn’t like that he hurt someone. He didn’t like what he’d done at all… But he was happy he’d done it. A part of him that he hadn’t realized was unsettled, calmed down. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d cried. The last time he’d felt safe enough
The Love of a Werewolf Jackson's Dad
Jackson didn’t want to do this, but he didn’t know that he’d be able to forgive himself if he didn’t. Kia was taking Wren to talk with the new wolf. Jackson was staring at the ornately carved doors that led to his dad’s study. Kia’d confirmed he was in there when Jackson explained what he wanted to do.Jackson lifted his hand and knocked. There was no response. He knocked again, harder, and heard a yell for him to come in. His dad was pushing something into a drawer as Jackson stepped into the room.“I thought you weren’t coming back until tomorrow?” His dad frowned at him.“Nope. I very clearly said I would be back today.”His dad hummed and Jackson took a second to take the man in. He had aged so much since Jackson’s mom died. The man made a lot of mistakes, in their personal relationship and in general, but… He was still Jackson’s dad and despite their problems, a part
The Love of a Werewolf Didn't Need To Be Said
They split off from Jackson at the staircase. Kia hummed to herself as they walked. Wren was busy listening to Jackson’s slow steps walking away from him. Kia’s humming stopped and Wren glanced down at her. She had her head tilted slightly, then she sighed. “You won’t ask and Jackson won’t talk about it without prompting,” she said. “So, if you want, I’ll fill you in.”“Talk about what?”Kia’s smile was sad. “His mom.”Oh. He hesitated. If it wasn’t something Jackson would talk about… “No. Jackson can talk about it with me when he wants to.” He tried to make his refusal gentle.Kia looked surprised, then a warm smile lit up her face. “All right,” she agreed. “But I am going to tell you about his dad because the most he ever says is that his dad was different before his mom died.”Wren paused. Kia was waiting for him t
The Love of a Werewolf Uncollared
Jackson’s quilt was folded up and sitting at the foot of his bed. He had both of his pillows sitting on top. His laptop was in the duffle bag in the trunk of his car. The moment they’d been waiting for was finally happening and Jackson’s heart was caught in his throat.So many things could happen. So many different outcomes were possible. His dad could realize they were gone too soon and call the cops before they were a safer distance away. They could be pulled over and a cop could notice the collars missing. The car could break down. He hated that they didn’t live closer to the border. “Wren? Are you ready?” Jackson was and wasn’t at the same time.Jackson held the tool to remove the collar in his hand. Wren nodded and tilted his chin up. Jackson attached the tool on either side of the hidden catch of the collar. Five seconds later, the red light turned green, and the collar opened without a problem.Wren’s skin w
The Love of a Werewolf Long Drive
Jackson drove first. Wren sat in the front seat next to him. The rest were crammed in the backseat. Sue-Sue slept on Charlene’s lap. Margaret was in the middle. The new wolf sat next to Margaret. When Jackson glanced in the rearview mirror, he could see Margaret attempting to give him as much space as she could in the tight quarters. Kia was scrunched into the floorboards at Charlene’s feet. At first, Jackson could hear her as she moved around, but eventually she seemed to have found a comfortable enough position to get some sleep.Which was good because Jackson drove through the night. At the first gas station, Jackson purchased some cheap flannel scarves that hung by the register. All of the wolves had obvious tan lines on their neck. Any of them going inside was dangerous so Jackson tried to target only rest areas along the interstate, places where they could use the bathrooms without worrying over an employee noticing something off and reporting them.S
The Love of a Werewolf Safe
It was so cold.So. Fucking. Cold.They had six miles to walk in total. Five miles so they could avoid the checkpoint on the road and the final mile would get them to his grandparents van. They would be able to pick them up and take them the rest of the way.Charlene had the quilt wrapped around her and Sue-Sue, but Sue-Sue was still shivering. After the first mile, Charlene was lagging and shifting Sue-Sue around in her arms. Jackson knew she couldn’t carry her any longer.“Give her to me for a bit,” Jackson said. Charlene gave him a grateful look that was clear even in the dark night. Charlene shushed Sue-Sue and handed her over. She tucked the quilt in around her as best she could then stepped back with a shiver of her own.Jackson was warmer with her in his arms and the blanket covering her, but she got heavy fast. His duffle bag swung against his back with every step. He shifted her up and the blanket slipped. Sue-Sue sh
The Love of a Werewolf Grandma's
Grandma Rose had a holiday tree lit up in the front window when they pulled in. The multi-colored lights twinkled merrily behind the frosted glass. The house smelled like chicken noodle soup and cookies. She greeted Grandpa Frank with a kiss, then stepped back so everyone could traipse inside. Charlene was carrying Sue-Sue in her arms. The sky in the east was just beginning to brighten.“Cows need taken care of before I get to sleep,” Grandpa Frank told them as he headed straight out the back door. Jackson watched him go.“Kia.” Grandma’s voice warbled. “Oh, my sweet girl. You’ve gotten so big.”Jackson grinned at that. Kia was fairly short, but she was taller than Grandma.“Grandma!” Kia threw her arms around Grandma Rose. Her shoulders shook as she buried her face into Grandma’s shoulder. “Grandma, I’m free. I’m free.” Her voice broke on the last word and the entir
Latest chapter
The Love of a Werewolf Epilogue - 4 (The End)
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.
The Love of a Werewolf Epilogue - 3
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
The Love of a Werewolf Epilogue - 2
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
The Love of a Werewolf Epilogue - 1
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
The Love of a Werewolf Jackson's Dad Again
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
The Love of a Werewolf Hospital Pt. 2
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
The Love of a Werewolf Hospital
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
The Love of a Werewolf March Pt. 2
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
The Love of a Werewolf March Pt. 1
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
