Born Howling (Book 1) COMPLETED

Chapter 52 Hunter

 Tension among the group was on a constant rise and it was making my skin itch. Jarek still held my hand in his and it did help a bit but the growing tension was becoming unbearable. I was about to ask how much longer but I started to sense the strong presence of other wolves and the faint sound of water. With those two things the others around me began to relax the slightest. I didn't realize the tension humming through Jarek's hand until the moment he too relaxed. Even though my group was becoming more and more relaxed I was feeling more and more off. My mood was shifting to bitchy and the need to run was increasing. It was the same thing I felt before. I was starting to sense when I was becoming off balances.

"Vic?" I tried to keep the panic out of my voice but I don't think I managed it.

"Yes, Hunter, strong emotions will throw you off. Even if they aren't yours." Vic answered my unasked question.

It was getting beyond creepy the way him and Nikko could do that. I stopped dead in my tracks to swing around to look, first at Vic, than Nikko, then Sam, back to Nikko, and finally Jarek. Taking a deep breath through my nose I confirmed what my slow brain just realized. "Son of a..." I caught myself before I finished that one. My uncle's did not like me using less lady-like words or phrases and I was trying my best.

Nikko and Vic started to chuckle. See they were doing it again! "How do you do that?" I demanded to know. Forgetting for a moment the real question.

"Your face is very expressive." Nikko answered but it wasn't the truth. Not the whole truth and everyone caught that. "Yes they are all my sons." He answered once again my other question before I asked it.

This piece of information put surprise on everyone's face except for, of course, my uncle's. Either they hid it well or they already knew. I narrowed my eyes at Nikko letting him know this conversation was not over. I was going to find out how him and Vic answered unasked question before I asked them and it wasn't just my unasked questions that they have answered. That took the humour off their face in a hurry and confirmed my suspicion.

Somehow they could read minds. To what extent I wasn't sure but I was sure going to find out. Jarek pulled at my hand to get me walking again. It wasn't the place or time for a heart to heart so I didn't protest. It took about 5 steps and my mood started to edge toward bitchy again. I could feel myself spiralling down like before but faster. It was like that couple minutes of reprieve with Nikko and Vic had its downside. My unbalanced feeling came back with vengeance.

"Grayson? Please." I gritted out. Fighting to hold myself together. Looking back at him, hand stretched out, begging for his help. His touch. Grayson didn't even hesitate, thankfully. As soon as his hand touched mine I felt that familiar heat that I now recognized with his touch. Just like the electric jolt I get from Jarek. When they both touch me the two sensations seem to collide into each other making me a big ball of mush. It was a fabulous feeling. Who needs drugs when I had this? I stumbled twice, trying to find where my leg muscles were again then I was fine. Balance, happy, and at peace. It was all false but I was going to ride this high for a little bit longer.

I was missing something, tension was back in the air and voices sounded heated. What I did catch, once I forced myself to pay attention was Vic giving his opinion. "No, I don't think this is a norm for them. Take in her first change. Emotions are running extremely high. Plus add in all of these wolves, both borns and mades, she might as well be on overdrive. The situation alone is not normal so you add all that and the sanest person would be having issues. For example all week she was fine."

"That's because she wouldn't let either of us within 5 feet of her so there has been no physical contact at all." That was Grayson and he did not sound like a happy camper he normally was.