Between Two Wolves

07 - Decide and Protect

Jim's POV

I was sparring at the pack's gym, placed at my house's basement when I heard doors banging upstairs. I dodged a kick aimed for my ribs and retaliated with a punch in my opponents stomach, keeping most of my strength in check. After all we were in training, not in a challenge. I saw Dan watching us from the door and my wolf started to twitch inside, something had happened. I took a punch, meant for my ribs, to my upper arm. It hurt but I managed to take a few steps back and re-organize just before an all too familiar scent came to my nostrils. My guard was down and I almost didn't see the foot coming for my head. I managed to move but wasn't fast enough. The pain started at the left side of my ribcage and radiated all the way to my neck and legs through my spine. I felt the air leaving my lungs in a whoosh and knelt clutching my ribs.

Maria, my sparring partner knelt before me showing me her neck, "I am sorry Alpha! Should I call the doctor?"

I sat down still holding my side and shook my head, "No, I'll be fine in a few minutes. We are done for today. You have improved your kicks. Watch your punches and don't let your guard down. You can go." I told her as I motioned for Dan to come in. slowly the pain disappeared and I could stand up again, but for the moment i decided to stay put. I didn't want to get in another fight with Dan.

"Explain!" I ordered and watched as he knelt before me and presented me his neck.

"I, I met her at the campus. She's, working at the cafe there. There were wolves around and I, I believe she's hiding something. So I stayed for a bit and drove her back home." I could hear his heart beating faster as he saw my eyes changing to my wolf's dark amber. "Her home, her car." he said and something on him made my wolf sit back. I didn't know and I couldn't understand what was it that had convinced my wolf that Dan was no longer a threat to his connection with his mate.

"Was she in danger?" I asked and knew he could hear the wolf in that question.

"The others... were of the council. I managed to drive them away without bloodshed. She was scared, panicked. When she calmed a bit, I drove her home and walked back here. The house is a couple of blocks from here. The white one on Magnolia street." he said and I nodded.

"Come with me." I said and stood up, glad that I didn't feel any pain, 'No broken ribs this time.' We walked upstairs to my office and I turned on the PC. It was a long time since I had to turn to anyone other than my pack for information or advice. I logged in to the Supernatural community's forum and as the page loaded a message became clearer, in bold underlined letters it read : "Council still on Shifter's tail. Case Closed for the Human Police."

Clicking on the message the page reloaded to the article. I read down trying to match the pieces of the jigshaw puzzle that was Claire.

<<Last July a human male was found dead in a small forrest near the small town of Mercan, the land of the NewMoon Shifters pack.The victim was identified as the convictited rapist and murderer John McDougal who had escaped during a transfer some weeks before.

His death was caused of a fatal scratch of his jugular vein. The human police found nothing on the crime scene but a few canine hairs and paw marks belonging to either a large dog or an abnormally large wolf.

The main suspect is a family of three that had disappeared from the town the same night of the new moon. The Council believes the daughter of the family, Keeran Scilair, was out for a run under the new moon when she encountered the male. Unknown remains what happened that night.

The family was last seen in a small town in Remanns Pack lands last month. Since then noone has come forward with any information as to their whereabouts.>>