Chapter 13.2: Shots Fired

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We return to camp just in time for something as pretty much everyone is gathered around the central bonfire. Even Spencer Ward has shown up and is downing a bottle of beer with a group of other guys.

"Did your little bump on the noggin' make you forget how to find your way back, Goldilocks?" asks Gemma, leaning in so only I can hear when I try to quickly scoot past her.

The comment takes me so off guard that I can only focus on the most obvious part.

"I think you mean Gretel," I snark back at her loudly before realizing how stupid I probably sound to everyone else without context. Plus, my hair's not even gold, but silver.

Luckily, I don't have to deal with her for long. Some of Galina's friends have saved both of us spots on the edge of the fire as far away from Gemma as possible. But this also means that after taking a seat, I have a direct view across the flames of Clayton and his snooty shrew.

"Now that we're all here, I'd like to officially welcome everyone to the annual Allegheny pack wilderness retreat," Clayton says as he stands so he can be better seen and heard.

"Awoo," sounds out a chorus of human howls mimicking those of the wolf in response.

Looking around, I see pack members old and young smiling and playfully exaggerating the lupine exaltation to the moon, and after some prodding from Walt sitting behind me, I join in.

At first, it all feels silly. A bunch of werewolves in their non-wolf forms acting like their animal counterparts. But the longer it goes on, the more I begin to understand. We're part of the pack in every which way, both as person and as beast. Just because our primal urge is to transform during each full moon doesn't mean that our bonds become weaker at other times. Honestly, we probably need each other more when we're not wolves to keep each others' secrets, to listen and understand each others' problems, and mostly, to be there for each other through good and bad.

That's what being in a pack is all about.

"That's what I like to hear," Clayton says with a huge grin as he looks around at the equally happy faces surrounding him as the raucous howls fade away. "And hopefully we'll have more of that later, but first, there are some announcements that I would like to make."

There are a few groans at this and someone shouts for more beer, which gets a big laugh.

"Yes, yes, there'll be more beer, too. Just give me a few more minutes and then the party can continue, okay?" Clayton says before waiting for the group to settle down.

"As you all know, this past year hasn't been the easiest for any of us," he begins his speech. His sombre tone and the nods from the pack are unexpected and I listen intently. I know there have been some bad things happening recently, but I had no idea that there had already been some kind of trouble going on before then. Maybe this will be my chance to find out more.

"But as in tough times before, Allegheny has come through stronger than ever," Clayton continues. "One of our biggest achievements has been in negotiating a truce with the pack from Black River."

Someone boos from the rear, but our Alpha ignores it and doesn't miss a beat.

"That truce-to peacefully share this land and everything that is on it between the two packs-will be further cemented next spring when our new Luna, Gemma Calhoun, becomes my wife."

Clayton looks down at the woman sitting next to him and smiles. There is some weak applause from the crowd, but all I can suddenly care about is how strongly his face looking at Gemma now resembles the looks he's given me.

But surely I'm mistaken. And even if I'm not, what does it matter to me that he might be more of a womanizer than he wants to publicly appear? I'm not the one about to marry him!

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