Wolv

24 - Truth

Hutch pressed himself even lower into the grass as the Pack Alpha and David cut across the clearing. Something buzzed along my ribs, and I snapped my head around quietly. It was Hutch's leg, shaking like a leaf next to me.

He was scared. The monster beast of an Alpha was scared.

I turned my eyes back to the scene ahead of me. Shoot, what if they smell my scent by the boat? I'd tried not to leave any trace when I'd done my one-around of the boat, but they were Alphas--the top two, in fact. I hope I was careful enough!

David walked strangely and sat down next to the boat, looking oddly doubled-over. I squinted my eyes at his torso. His stomach muscles were visibly contorting, and a wince was plastered over his face as he kneaded his jaws together, chewing on something.

What happened to you? I wondered silently, watching him shiver and quake. Had he been poisoned?

Kémé spoke as though nothing was happening to the wolv next to him. "I really wish you would've let me go. She knows me a lot better than you!"

David shook his head and gasped. "I'm not arguing with you. I'm a lot faster at this than you are. Besides," he looked down at his belly, than back up again, and spit out what he'd been chewing. "It's too late; it's already done. Why are you waiting for me? You've gotta get to the hunt!"

Kémé shook his head and sighed. "I know, I know." He swore. "Arguing with you is like arguing with myself."

"Well, I'll make sure I let her know you've gained a sentimental side since last month." David's words faded into an incomprehensible growl, and he stood up shakily, flicking his tail back and forth uncontrollably. What the heck is wrong with him?!? He popped several joints in his back loudly. "Has Jamie said anything?"

What does Jamie have to do with anything?

Kémé shook his head no. "No, thank goodness. It seems Humfrey has been keepin' his mouth shut around everyone." Hutch twitched in the grass beside me, and I nudged him back. I had no idea what they were talking about.

"For now, at least," David growled. His back arched and he retched a puddle of red bile onto the ground in front of him. He coughed a few times, then licked his chops. "That mutt...there's just somethin' about him I don't trust. You say he isn't talking, but that doesn't mean he doesn't know." Know what?

Kémé cursed again. "Honestly, I just wish I knew what all Spike told them." He shook his head, staring off into space. "I shoulda waited longer to get Spike. I thought he was dead already when I picked him up. I just couldn't smell him well enough with all that dang smoke in the air!"

"We could just get rid of Humfrey. Than it wouldn't matter if he knew or not." David snorted. "It's not like anyone here would miss him. He's not our bite-child anyway, Kémé. We're not really bound to protect him."

"Maybe not, but he is Mingan's bite-child, and we are bound to protect Mingan."

"Whatever."

"Hey, I agree. Things would've been a lot simpler if he'd just died during his change." Kémé shook his head and let out a laugh. "I've gotta give him credit, though. He's tough. That burn he had on his back...I didn't think that a fresh-changed wolv would be able to heal that!"

"Uh-huh."

My mind raged as I lay in the grass, listening. What exactly do they think that I know? What did he mean, 'I shoulda waited longer?' Did he kill Spike?

David howled loudly, and his chest heaved and twisted at an awkward angle, flattening out slightly.

Wait a minute, Kémé didn't rescue Spike. That crazy, naked guy did; the same one who rescued me! I mean, it must've been that guy! Kémé wasn't anywhere to be found!