Cry Wolf, Cry [Welcome To Wolf's Peak] (manxman)

Chapter 7 - Research

A/N: This one is just a filler really. But check back in a few hours because I'm already writing the next chapter and hope to have it up this evening.

Bram's POV

I took out my frustrations on the punching bag before me. The chain suspending it from the overhead rafters creaked ominously as I once again gave a series of jabs to the cracked leather surface. It has been twenty hours since I saw my mate standing on the front porch with a pain filled expression on his beautiful face. It had broken my heart to see him like that, to know that I was the cause of his pain. He'd given me a hate-filled look before he'd been joined by Austin who'd led him to his truck and driven him away from me. I'd shifted right there on the front lawn and had followed them in the tree line all the way to Rosewoods B&B. I'd spent the night curled up beneath the old willow in the side yard watching his window.

A clap on my shoulder has me spinning around, ready to strike out with my tape covered fist until I see Emery. "Don't sneak up on me little brother." I say with a warning growl.

Emery just gives me his beaming smile and shakes his head. "Don't growl at me, Bram. I was calling your name for the past few minutes but you didn't hear me. What were you thinking about?" I can see the knowing gleam in his eyes.

"Nothing. What did you want?" I begin unwrapping the tape from my hands and around my fingers as I speak. I don't want to look into his eyes and see his sympathy yet again. It was bad enough sitting at the breakfast table with him this morning as he gave me those looks.

"I want to let our wolves out and have a proper fight, like we used to in training before I went away to college." He tells me.

I feel a smile break across my face. A fight in wolf form sounds like just what I need to work off my funk over Jason. "Let's go." I lead the way out to the clearing behind the pack house and turn to face Emery who's already stripping off his clothes and I do the same. After placing my clothes in a neat folded pile beneath a tree I shift quickly and shake out my black fur. It feels so good to release Filtiarn, my wolf.

Emery shifts into his slightly smaller brown wolf and begins circling, I hold my ground only turning so I can keep him in sight. When Emery goes in for the attack, charging me with his head lowered, I move to the side and sink my teeth into his shoulder. He yelps and turns onto his back, dislodging me. He rolls back onto his feet in a smooth quick motion and straightens up on his hind legs as I do the same. Our teeth clash as sharp claws rake at each other's furred bodies. I rake my claws down the side of his snout and when he shakes his head to clear the pain I lower my head and get it under his exposed belly before using all of my strength to push him back. He flies into the trees behind us with a crash and I wince at the impact he's taken but charge forward. Before he can regain his bearings I clamp my teeth around his throat with enough pressure to keep him down but without breaking his skin.

I step back and shift back to my human form. "Do you want to go another round?" I chuckle at his dazed look when he shifts back.

"Yeah, sure. Just give me a few minutes for my ribs to heal." He stands with a groan and presses against his side gently. "Okay, I'm good to go." He grins back at me and shifts.

We fight for the next two hours, both in wolf and human forms, Emery is a good opponent but he always goes for the obvious attacks and leaves himself open to his opponent. "Let's go back and get something to eat, or do you want to go to the diner?" I ask him as we put our clothes back on. I'm sticky from our combined sweat and I feel gross. I can't wait to get back to the house and shower.

"I don't really feel like going to the diner, I just want to wash up and get something to eat quickly. I have a date later." He beams back at me. I can't believe he didn't tell me he had a date sooner. My brother can't keep anything a secret, he even tells you what you're getting for Christmas within half an hour of buying it.