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
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
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
Jackson called Liam in the morning. He didn’t explain why he’d felt the need to get out as quick as he did, but Liam was completely understanding anyway. Of course there was a little cussing, a little irritation, but as soon as Jackson promised to meet him and Zain across the border after winter break so they could join the rest in Mendota, then everything was fine.Then things moved fast. He made a couple other calls and, before breakfast, had several meetings set up in the city for that afternoon and the next day. Kia wanted to come, but Jackson didn’t want to leave the new wolf at his grandparents without as many other wolves there as possible. He debated asking Wren to stay behind as well, but he wanted Wren with him in the city. He didn’t want to be separated from him so soon.He was meeting with the real estate agent to tour the hotel and then a lawyer. The next day he was meeting with Nathaniel again. Then the next day he was back with th
Jackson was oddly nervous as they got ready for the night. He’d spent almost every day since he’d purchased Wren right by Wren’s side. Why he’d be nervous for what they had already acknowledged made no sense.But he was. He found himself almost breathless as they pulled into the botanical gardens. They walked in, side by side, elbows brushing occasionally and sending a shock of awareness through Jackson every time. The lights had just opened so they beat the crowd and were some of the first in for the night. Jackson smiled up at Wren and ignored the way his heart sped up when Wren grinned back.He also ignored the way Wren’s eyes flicked down to his chest.They stepped out into a snowy, quite literal ‘Winter Wonderland,’ as the little sign proclaimed. Small twinkle lights blinked merrily at them from every tree and bush. They hung like diamonds from branches. Instrumental versions of holiday songs played softly from hidd
Wren stretched out in bed first. Jackson was talking on the phone with Kia. He stood highlighted from the window. Wren’s lips tingled as he thought back to the garden. It wasn’t his first kiss, not technically, and the thought hurt him more than it should.He wanted something like that to be a first kiss. Something that made his heart beat fast in excitement, not fear. Something that wasn’t rushed or painful. Jackson glanced at him and smiled when they made eye contact.“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Jackson said into the phone and hung up on the call. “Hey, what are you thinking about?” His smile was easy on his lips. His eyes crinkled slightly at the corners. Wren’s chest warmed and heat coiled low in his groin at the memory of Jackson’s breath hitching. The memory of Jackson’s lips encouraging his own.“Earlier,” Wren said.Jackson hummed and approached the bed. He sat on the edge,
There was a cop car in his grandparents driveway when Jackson and Wren returned. They exchanged a glance. “What’s going on in there?” Jackson asked.Wren listened for a second then shook his head. “The cop’s a wolf. She said she’ll talk to you when we come in.”So they went in. A young woman in a police uniform sat at the kitchen table with a mug in front of her. Jackson squinted at her. She looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn’t place her. Grandma Rose was humming to the radio playing as she plated up food. “What’s going on?” Jackson asked.The cop sipped from her mug. “My name is Officer Jenkins. There seems to be some runaway wolves on this property.”Wren’s hand shot up to his neck. Jackson stepped in front of him in an instinct to protect him. “There are no runaway wolves. Only free wolves who crossed the border without a collar. Mendota’s immigration la
Wren held Jackson’s hand as they drove back to the border. Not a mile went by that he didn’t pull it up to press a kiss to his knuckles. Jackson kept his grins to himself. Wren wasn’t this openly affectionate with kisses around others, but as soon as they were in the car, it was like kissing was the only thing on his mind.If they had time, Jackson would pull over somewhere, but they didn’t have time. The border crossing station was within view. Four cop cars sat across the border. “Can you hear them?” Jackson asked.“Yeah, but they’re not talking about anything. Just complaining that this was a waste of time,” Wren said.Jackson nodded and directed the car off the main road and down the dirt path his Grandpa had picked them up from. He pulled to a stop far enough away from the border station that it was out of sight and Wren could barely pick up sounds from them.They walked the path they’d walk
Jackson gently pressed on the skin around Wren’s stomach wound. It was healing quickly, which was a relief. He pulled his hands back and Wren pulled his shirt back down. “It’ll be healed up by the time we make our first freedom run,” Wren said.There was a small smile on his face and Jackson didn’t want to say what he was about to say… but he couldn’t not. “I don’t want you to come on the runs with us.”Wren’s smile froze, then fell. His brows tugged closer together. “I thought I was… a part of this?”Jackson nodded and leaned back into Wren’s space. “You are! You are the biggest part of this. You are why we can even do this.”“Then why don’t you want me to come?”Never again would he let Wren be hurt. “I’ve already seen you hurt under my watch once, and I won’t let it happen again. Besides, we don’t need
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