"That's it," Trent drawled. He looked at me for a bit, and then his interest disappeared just as quickly. Slowly, as if at a tea ceremony, he took a sip of his coffee, gesturing with his hand for Reid to follow suit. But Reed ignored this gesture as well. - And for how long did you leave the reservation?"How will it work," Reid replied colorlessly.- How did Morgan and your mother let you go for such an indefinite period?“They support my thirst for learning,” Reed seemed to be tired of pretending to be indifferent, and the ironic notes in his words did not escape the former alpha. All ostentatious cordiality fled from his face for a second, but he quickly controlled himself, and the mask returned to its place.- Great, I left my son in safe hands.- Lana's friends are waiting for her outside. And, of course, they are worried that she has been gone for so long.Trent didn't even look in my direction. He silently examined his son for several seconds, as if considering whether to let u
"What else did they say," he asked meanwhile.- Yes, nothing special, - I squandered the conversation in my memory, - You were discussed. They said that you are alpha and would bend them.- Correctly think, - he grinned.After sending the message, he looked at me. Thoughtfully, still sorting through the options, he just caught my eye. And maybe he wanted to find the answer.- I have to go back.- Okay, let's go. The guys will soon turn to the police, - I rushed from side to side, not knowing which way to go back."Home to Lovell," he said.-What? I turned to him.- I can't contact them.- You'll be in touch tomorrow.- You saw them. My help is still needed. I don't trust Trent.I took a deep breath. I didn't trust either.- Do you think they will attack the flock? I asked doubtfully.- Hardly, not the ratio - he ran over his face, and then through his hair, arguing - They are renegades. We have heard of these. For one reason or another, they have been expelled from their packs, they f
“You're right, maybe I'm useless,” my eyes stinged dangerously, but I managed to control myself, “but I want to be close to my aunt if something threatens her. Instead of waiting in another state for news from a place where even the phone does not catch. And I can fly without you."I've decided, then," he murmured.- Yes.- Great, - he walked past me and sat down on a bench in the waiting room. I hung around for a bit, and then asked:- Did you buy a ticket to Casper with a transfer in Denver?“You can fly without me,” Reid quipped.I gritted my teeth in anger, but I didn't want to back down. It is unlikely that he did not have time to react, rather he was taken aback when I abruptly grabbed his hand with a ticket and looked at the flight number. Releasing my wrist just as quickly, without looking at Reed, I turned around and hurried for the ticket. How did I not stumble, feeling such a gaze on me. My guess turned out to be correct, Reid bought a ticket to Casper. The queue moved slo
I woke up very abruptly with the click of a belt fastened on me."We land in Denver," Reed explained. Still under the impression of the dream, I opened my mouth to tell Reed about it, but hesitated.- What? But it was as embarrassing to talk about as it was to watch."Nothing," I shook my head.- You, it seems, didn’t even move in your sleep, where did it come from ... - Reed gently touched my hair at the top of my head.Oooh, I can imagine without a mirror, what surprised him so much - after sleeping, my hair always looked like someone had been diligently bouffanting me all this time. I quickly tucked them into a bun and, avoiding Reed's gaze, laughed it off.- They live their own lives, even if I sleep standing up, they would still look like this.- Nice, - I looked at him in surprise. Is he bullying? Or a skewed idea of cute? It is difficult to say, only a slight smile replaced his impenetrable mask for a split second. Landing seemed to me even more terrible than takeoff. A te
They didn't have to step on me to make me shrink. They did not move, only threatened with their looks and massive figures. Three of them looked like truckers - soiled trousers, one was wearing a shabby pilot's jacket over a gray turtleneck, another was in a hunting windbreaker, the third seemed to have just got out of a warm truck in a black sweater with rolled up sleeves and a puffy waistcoat - all three looked rumpled and not against easy money. But the one who started first was different - dark blue trousers and a black coat looked out of place in this roadside toilet. “Better not twitch, beauty,” he warned me. Obviously, he is the leader among them, - The night flight from Des Moines finished me off, so don't piss me off - his manner of speech did not match the outward intelligent appearance - vulgar phrases with nasty smacking sounds, as if it was time for him to go to the dentist. But this, apparently, is the norm for Trent's entourage - to look not who they really are. So he f
Yes, there is no one else to talk to.I stared at them in horror. The problem was the people who caught us. Something seemed familiar to me, he had already spoken about a problem that needed to be fixed earlier. Before she had time to process it, the door screeched open again, and the Major's head poked through.- Boss! Everything is ready, he said.- I told you to wait outside! Trent answered sharply. The door slammed shut immediately.Thomas didn't even move, apparently already used to the boss's furious outbursts. While they forgot about me, I tried to take a more comfortable position and look around. But it would be more convenient just to sit down or lie down, and this is too noticeable. Inspection also did not bear fruit. Although I was not chained to anything else, I was definitely not taken into account, but it was very far from the only exit from the hangar, and two werewolves stood in the way. There was nothing to cut the screed either, I was lying in an empty corner, only a
Small sips of oxygen entered my lungs. Breathing evened out. I was still shaking. But the panic attack subsided. Reed continued to lull me to sleep, gently running his hand through my hair and back. "Let's get out of here," he whispered. I nodded.He slowly got to his feet, pulling me with him at the same time. I still clung to his chest, clinging tightly to his clothes with my hands. Reid gently loosened my grip.- One second, - he grabbed the edge of the pit and with one jump he was at the top. Then he bent down and pulled me out of there. He tried to hide the view of their corpses with himself, but in an inexplicable reflex, my gaze grabbed a pool of blood under a massive body and stylish boots with dirty soles.It was deep night outside the hangar door. And silence. An old cottage with dark windows, a rickety barn, a spacious parking area, a farm fence, and then a field spread under a full moon. Where are we?Reid pulled me aside. Obviously, this is a machine for Bill and Major.
I slowly got out of the car and looked around the killing field. It was only now that I noticed the dead werewolf off to the side. He did not participate in the battle. It must be Fred. He found his treacherous death. Here is the body of Trent's faithful bodyguard, indifferently abandoned by his master. And two wolves I killed. The first one barely twitched its paws, the second crawled into the safe thick of the forest on broken legs. I bypassed him.Trying not to startle Reed, she quietly approached. He licked his uncle's wound as if he could heal him. Like then my hand. Only now, with all the frenzy, as if the countdown was on seconds. I myself suddenly believed that it was possible. Looking at him hopefully, she waited that just about, right now, his chest would rise heavily. He shakes his muzzle and easily jumps to his feet. Jokingly pushes Reed's head, making it clear that this is not serious, he is fine. But he continued to lie.I knelt next to them. She took Morgan's paw in her
They did not accompany me beyond the threshold of the house. I went out alone through the back door, wearing only a long poncho. I stepped on the cold ground with my bare feet and looked up at the sky. The moon has claimed its rights. Bright and round. Reed picked a great time to start the race. Oddly enough, the wolf in me was calm. Either the rut didn't work on her, or I drank too much wine. Throwing off my only robe in the shed and placing my mother's bracelet next to me, I took a deep breath and said softly before turning around: “Just not this year. And then she gave herself up to the she-wolf. I felt the thirst and desires of others. They seemed to be on fire, but their heat did not touch me. I was drawn to the forest, and I was calm. She circled the closest of her flock and rushed deep into the depths. I, as if stepped on the threshold of my native home, confident and peaceful. But there was something else. Something was waiting for me up there. Beckoning, but not demandin
— Kira! Kira, wake up!Martha's voice and an unpleasant thump on my shoulder pulled me out of a dream where I wandered through the woods in search of ... something. Listened to all my feelings, but could not find. What was I looking for? I didn’t have time to understand, because they unceremoniously woke me up in my own house, where, I can swear, I fell asleep alone.“Leave me alone,” she grumbled and hid from the intruder under a pillow.But she did not lag behind, moreover, she climbed on top of me and shook me well.No, no, you can't sleep now. I have such news!“Get off me, you annoying elephant!” She turned around and pushed her off.Then Martha crawled under the covers, looked under the pillow and put her head beside her.Pfft, so childish. Let me sleep. I don’t know what time it is, but I’m sure it’s God’s shit,” I muttered, barely moving my tongue, drifting off to sleep again.Reed approved. Mating season starts tomorrow.My eyes flew open. And it is unlikely that they had the
"No, I didn't," I grew more and more gloomy.And then, when Roca's mom treated us all to baked mutton pies in the courtyard of his house. The four of us sat at a round table - Me, Martha, Rock and Alex. Alex and I fought over the crunchiest pies, and Martha kept dreaming.“Just imagine, this year we might have a new member of the pack join us.- In terms of? Rock asked in surprise, barely chewing a huge piece of pie, which he hastily stuffed into his mouth, saving him from two gluttonous alphas.“Someone can find their mate from another pack."That's unlikely," Rock waved his hand.Why not? For example, you can get so far away from our territory by smelling your mate. So is she,” Martha smiled.“No, definitely not me.Of course not you. You're looking forward to your Beast choosing Molly, aren't you, Rock?“Maybe it will be me. Just like my Uncle Trent.I suddenly spoke up. I don't know why she said it. Yes, and remembered the father of Reed. But the expression on Alex's face explaine
I was waiting for the trial, threats. Grandma was gone, so I took her place in the rocking chair from where she usually watched the meetings, in the shade of her house. She swayed rhythmically and watched the others gather around the oak table. And she scrolled everything so that I would tell the pack if I were the leader. Probably, anger still spoke in me, but I would demand blood. I found Alex with my eyes, he also did not join the others at the table, he froze in the distance, leaning on the carved posts in the fence of my old house. And my eyes were ignored. Therefore, Ba liked to repeat - my character is not suitable for a leader. Too impulsive. Too easily emotions take over the mind. Reed appeared on the porch of the office, looked around the pack, and stopped at Lark and his son, who were sitting at the table. They took everyone, even the children. Lark looked worried, stroking her son's head, twiddling her fingers through the curls, but as soon as she caught her husband's ga
Surprisingly, the news about the new gene in the pack was perceived calmer than the close attention to us from the people from the hotel and the ban on solo outings. Let the lesser danger, but it is closer, and that makes it more frightening.I had to go to Reid, give him reports, but I continued to sit on the porch at Martha's house. We didn’t even really talk, we just worried together. There were so many things I wanted to discuss with her, but for some reason, what Ba told me, she could not pronounce. The tongue could not put together the necessary words, and in my thoughts, as if there was a taboo.“You know, I thought… If our blood can heal many people, then that’s good. We will save so many lives. They can come up with cures. Or they will develop something based on our gene, - Martha propped up her cheek with her hand and turned so that she could see me.“You will think differently when you lie on the operating table, and your blood will be pumped to the last drop. To heal a few
Dinner did take place that evening, thanks in part to Sarah's food. But much later, so Morgan pecked at the table.Although with the same success it was possible to bring that burnt meat pie to the table - no one had an appetite. Lark took Morgan to sleep in Rod's empty room, Ba moved to a chair closer to the fire in the fireplace. The others sat at the table and talked quietly, as if speaking a little louder would bring the disturbing thoughts to life.“How serious is it, Rod said?” Reed asked.- News, as always, and do not reflect half. There are several laboratories, and there are far from such peaceful purposes as they show us. And not in such peaceful ways,” said grandfather.He became even gloomier after they returned with their grandmother. And I was sure that my uncle did not tell even half, so as not to disturb the old people.He said he had suspicions. But then people failed to get on the trail of the werewolves, - Reed remained calm. - And now?He's not sure anymore. But he
“Mr. Wilson, five years ago, when I was fourteen, we found out that I do not understand half hints. Be direct about what you're getting at.Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the old man wince. If the alpha points directly, even without the intent of an order, it is difficult to cross this barrier. I knew that the old man would never admit it, and therefore would not complain to his brother.“I didn't want to remind you. But my heart always remembers and regrets your loss: you lost your father, then your mother and maternal uncle ... If you think about it, then your brother and his wife are behind all these events.“If you think about it, my Uncle Trent is behind all this,” I said through gritted teeth. Every family has its own black sheep.Are you still wearing it? He suddenly changed the subject.My gaze dropped to my hand. I myself did not notice how unconsciously I began to twist the strap on my arm. Mr. Wilson knew it well, having seen me put it on. And he knew the reason.I lowe
And at my eighteen. Right after the birthday, when we were alone.Nothing has changed. We were pulled and thrown back. And the gap between us grew.And at the next meeting, we put on hopelessly cheerful smiles and did not discuss anything. As if it wasn't.But this look. Every time this look. I tried to understand him, but I couldn't.- Grandma, go. I'll be back in a minute,” I told Grandma, never taking my eyes off Alex. Her fingers reached for the bracelet on her arm, seeking reassurance.Well, Alex Wilson, I know the rules of the game very well. I smiled, nodded in the direction the stranger had gone, and rolled my eyes. Alex nodded in understanding.I waved my hand and turned away. There was no point in discussing anything. Not when I was so afraid of losing my best friend.Not when we both knew full well that two alphas couldn't be together. In this duel, only one will survive. It doesn't matter what stupid human hearts felt.***In the evening, Reed gathered us around an oak tab
Toward morning, I found myself naked in the forest. The she-wolf left, left me, as if punishing me. This was not her first meanness, and in this case, I kept caches of clothes and shoes all over the forest. In the nearest one, I found a long shirt and sneakers that were almost trashed. Too many hiding places, too few unnecessary clothes.But such a walk through the gloomy forest, when the sun was just preparing to assert its rights, on the grass wet with dew, cleared my head. I, like a ghost, went through the fog to the community houses. Tourists should see me! My feet were covered in mud and grass, my head was a complete mess. Maybe not a ghost? Maybe a bride from the grave? Thinking like that, a smile appeared on my face, and I smoothed out the fabric of my white shirt, which reached down to my knees.I went into the house through the back door, threw off my dirty sneakers, made a note in my head that I needed to return things to the hiding place in case of new wolf kicks, and went