Dedicated to my AWESOME and AMAZING editor, thanks so much for all your help girl and for putting up with my weirdness.....lol
~ ~ Chapter Two ~ ~
Walking into the small diner-like cafe was exactly like the last time we all went human and grabbed some food – everybody turned and stared. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if this was, say, a huge city but it’s not, it’s some small backwoods town where nothing interesting ever happens except for a bunch of teenagers to walk in all starving hungry.
Harper walked up on my free side and slung an arm over my shoulder, grinning down at me, “What’ll it be sis’, my shout,” he winked as I rolled my eyes at his overly kind gesture.
“Burger with the lot and chips on the side, smothered in chicken salt and gravy...plus a large drink, you know, since it’s your shout and all,” I smirked back at him.
Harper chuckled as he pulled his arm away and looked over at Brody and Chris who were staring up at the big blackboard with the chalk written menu, both pointing and going on about what they each wanted. “C’mon, it’s my shout everyone, so hurry up and pick something,” Harper called out, gaining even more attention than what we all did when we stepped in through that small doorway just moments ago.
All of the noise we were making must have drawn the attention of the waitress from out back since she came lazily walking through the plastic strips hanging down over the open doorway, a pen and small notepad in her hand ready to take our orders but she stopped short when she looked up and noticed us all.
Her eyes narrowed slightly as they slowly ran over all of us, taking in the way we looked and probably trying to decide whether we’re worth serving or not. She seemed to be like mid thirties with hair that was already starting to grey a little and she smugly pointed to a little handmade sign and spoke, “No shoes, no service.” Her voice echoed the words at the same time that I happened to read them.
“Sorry,” she muttered with a smirk and my eyes narrowed, she wasn’t freaking sorry at all.
Saxon took a step away from me, releasing my hand as he moved towards the counter, standing up to his full intimidating height as he glared down at her and despite the counter still being between the two, the lady was quick to step back and lose her smug look.
“If I say you’re serving us, then you’re serving us – no arguments,” he growled in a human way but the threat and power behind his tone was clear to not argue with him, even though she obviously wasn’t a wolf, she understood perfectly.
I smirked as she gulped, yeah, normally I would have felt sorry for her but since she just threatened to not serve us – she gets no compassion from me. I'm a starving growing teenage girl here, I need my food.
Harper walked up to the counter, side stepping Saxon a little as he grinned at the lady and rattled of mine and his order first, then Brody and Chris told the lady theirs, followed by Vance, and Saxon was just a big old copy cat and copied mine.
I rolled my eyes before walking over to one of the empty tables in the corner by the open window, sitting down and putting my feet up on the chair across from me, I couldn’t help scrunch my nose up at how filthy they were.
“Better hope the wind doesn’t change,” Chris smirked as he slid into the seat next to the one I was using as a footstool.
Glancing over at him I laughed sarcastically, “You’re so funny – not.”
He just shrugged with a small grin, “I guess someone just left their sense of humour in the state behind us.”
Rolling my eyes, I groaned softly. I like Chris, I really do but after spending practically every waking minute with him and the others for the past two months – I'm so over them all. Saxon seems to be the only one I can stand and I think it has a lot to do with the fact he’s quiet most of the time.
“Maybe I should have left you there too,” I grumbled softly and he chuckled since he heard it, causing me to smirk slightly.
“Smell something you didn’t like?” he asked, referring back to my scrunched up face but in a serious tone this time and not teasing me – for once.
Shaking my head slowly, I wriggled my bare toes to get his attention, “My feet look filthy, like I live in mud or something and have never heard of a bath.”
Chris started laughing and Brody joined in as he walked towards us, “You have been living in the woods but you do get baths,” he smirked as he pulled out the chair directly to my right but a low warning growl from across the room made him pause in his actions and slowly look up to glare at Saxon before he smiled smugly and quickly sat down next to me.
Shaking my head softly as I sighed loudly, “You can’t help yourself, can you?”
Brody shrugged, “What can I say? The great spirits really gave you a crappy deal in the mate department.”
“He’s not that bad and you know it,” I pointed out, getting more and more use to openly defending Saxon and not having to come up with some excuse as to why since they all know why now.
“Yeah bro’, she could have ended up with someone like Lewis,” Harper grinned, coming up and yanking the chair out from under my feet and sitting down with a satisfied smile, “Food will be ready shortly.”
I nodded at the food part but glared over him stealing my chair.
“Lewis beats Saxon hands down, no argument,” Brody grunted, glaring over at Saxon who was pretty much giving Brody the look of death, “Even if he is only human.” I groaned loudly before turning to face Brody.
“Unless you want me getting all cuddly with him, stop ticking him off like this,” I muttered, then added, “You know how defensive and overprotective he is.”
“I'm surprised he hasn’t neutered you yet,” Chris casually commented, shrugging as he looked up at Brody giving him daggers, “What? Just saying, I’ve known the guy all my life.”
“Can we change the subject, you all have this same style of conversation in our heads and while I can actually use my mouth to speak for once – I want to have a topic change,” I glared at all three of them.
“Agreed, Brody’s sulky tantrum is getting old now,” Harper grinned at our brother which turned into a wince as Brody kicked him under the table.
Brody changed the subject though, “Wonder if there is anything fun to do in this town?” he thought out loud.
I was about to agree with him but the smell of freshly cooked food wafered up my nose and my stomach growled hungrily as my eyes locked onto the tray with plates of food that Saxon was bringing towards me. He smiled slightly, shaking his head a little at the starved expression on my face as he walked up to next to me.
“You’re not that starved Eva,” he muttered, still smiling as he sat down a plate with a burger and steaming hot chips in front of me smothered in gravy and my mouth was watering at the sight as I quickly grabbed a chip and shoved it into my mouth, only to gasp for air as I waved my burnt tongue.
“Ow, hot,” I complained as I blew on my next chip first.
“Duh, it was just cooked,” Chris rolled his eyes.
“Where’s mine?” Brody grunted, looking up at Saxon who simply smirked and nodded back over to the counter where three other meals where sitting and waiting to be picked up. Brody grumbled some nasty words under his breath as he stood up along with the other two.
Smirking at his back because I knew why Saxon had purposely left his food over there, and my suspicion was confirmed when he stole Brody’s seat alongside me and sat his plate of food down and handed me my drink.
Vance was sitting at the empty table next to us, eating slowly and quietly while staring out the window. He really was weird at times. I nudged Saxon with my elbow and he looked down at me with a frown as he nudged me back, rolling my eyes at him I nodded at Vance.
‘What’s with Mr Hulk suddenly being all silent?’ I asked because it was a little weird.
Saxon smiled slightly, ‘Thought you wanted to use your mouth to talk?’ I glared up at him, causing him to chuckle quietly before he looked over at Vance himself and shrugged, ‘He has his moments.’
The sound of a chair scraping roughly across the floor had my head snapping over towards Vance’s table as I watched Brody grumpily sit down across from him and start to angrily eat his food. Harper and Chris had both bet him back to my table and they were laughing at the big sour puss right now – I was too though.
“Naw, did Brody lose his seat to the big bad Alpha?” Chris cooed, pouting mockingly as he struggled to contain his laughter.
“Shut it Chris!” Brody snapped, not even bothering to look at us which only made us three laugh more. I had to leave my food alone just to hold my stomach as tears were rolling down my eyes, he was going so overboard with this right now but it was plain hilarious for us.
“What do you thinks going to happen?” I asked between laughter.
“He thinks you might get pregnant by holding hands!” Harper erupted.
“Or cooties, don't forget cooties,” I gasped again as we all watched Brody’s face getting redder and redder by each comment that came out of our mouths.
“Naw, look everyone, Brody is blushing,” Chris cooed again teasingly and Brody must have had enough because he slammed his fists down on the table, causing the other customers to scream in shock and for us to quieten our laughing down...a little.
“Alright, you three back off now,” Saxon muttered, looking at each of us in turns until his eyes landed on me and I smirked widely.
“Are you defending him now, oooh,” I teased which earned me a low growl of annoyance.
“I just want you all to shut up and eat so we can leave already,” he half snapped in a hushed tone.
We all fell silent and Brody grunted something before picking up his knife and fork and cutting into his steak again. I sneaked a peek across at Harper and Chris while I was biting my bottom lip and it almost caused me to roar into laughter because Harper’s entire body was shaking so hard that you would think he was sitting in a freezer and his face was bright red from holding his laughter inside.
Chris let a snicker escape and Saxon growled, “Damn children.”
My head dropped to the table, narrowly missing my plate of food as I couldn’t hold back my laughter anymore, followed by Harper and Chris. I'm not sure why we all found it so hilarious but we just did. I mean, Brody loses his crap all the time but I guess since he’s usually in wolf form – we miss out on his facials, which make all the difference.
“Everyone finished eating now?” Harper asked quietly, looking over at Vance and Brody who both nodded. My eyes drifted over towards the sour looking lady standing behind the counter, it was like she almost knew what was about to happen but wasn’t quite sure.
Saxon took hold of my hand and pulled me up to my feet, smiling slightly down at me as we walked towards the front door while Harper walked over towards the counter slowly. Chris and Brody pushed past us, exiting the little diner first, both grinning like idiots.
I swear Brody needs medical help with his mood swings.
Just as Saxon pushed the door open for us, and held it open, nodding for me to exit first, Harper roared into laughter from behind us. Quickly turning to see what on earth he was doing, my eyes widen slightly as he yelled ‘run’ at the top of his lungs as he bolted towards me, almost taking me down as he pretty much ran into me.
But something warm and large grabbed onto my wrist as Harper laughed ‘sorry’ to me as he kept on running, catching up with Brody and Chris who were already halfway down the street. Saxon pulled me the rest of the way up to my feet and we followed them.
The door opened up behind us and I looked over my shoulder to see a very ticked off lady shaking her fist at us and screaming, “Get back here!”
A loud laugh erupted from my mouth as I shook my head at her and kept on running, “Race you to the trees!” I grinned up at Saxon, attempting to pull my hand free from his but he just tightened his hold on me.
“There are people watching Eva,” he muttered, glancing over his shoulder at the diner behind us and then it was gone out of sight as we turned a corner.
“Now?” I grinned again but he just shook his head.
“Did you see her face?” Harper laughed as we all met up at the edge of the trees and had started walking slowly into them, since our human form moment is now over.
“Hilarious,” Brody muttered, rolling his eyes and now completely out of his bad mood. I let go of Saxon’s hand and he actually released it this time as I walked over to my sulky sue brother and flung my arms around his neck.
“Love you,” I sang cheerily. He groaned but hugged me back.
‘Sorry for before,’ he whispered and I grinned up at him, letting him know with my eyes that it’s all good between us.
“How much did they want for our food anyway?” Chris asked casually, glancing over at Harper who was pulling leaves of trees and bushes as he walked past them and trying to throw them in my face but the wind was catching them.
“Like almost seventy dollars,” he commented in a very unimpressed voice, pulling a face.
Yes, if you haven’t already guessed it by now – we ate and ran. It’s the only way we can do it since we have no money and it’s not like we do it all the time, just on the odd occasion. If we get rooms at motels or small backpacker joints and they accept cards, well then we ring dad to pay for it.
Chris whistled loudly then grinned as he rubbed his now full stomach, “We are growing boys though.” I cleared my throat loudly and gave him a pointed look. He grinned even more, “Like I said, we are all growing boys.”
I quickly picked up a reasonable sized stick and threw it at the back of his head, “Uncool CC.”
“Don't refer to my mate as a boy,” Saxon snapped, growling defensively as he took hold of my hand and pulled me away from Brody who shot Saxon daggers but turned around quietly, not starting another argument.
“Can we just get going?” Vance stepped up behind us, making me jump slightly as his voice growled out at us all.
Harper mimicked him, pulling an angry looking face as he also stood up on tip toes to try and bring his height up closer to Vance’s. Rolling my eyes at him I motioned for Chris to give him a litter shove – which he happily obliged to and sent Harper falling into a big bush with a cry of shock.
“What the heck man, who does that?” Harper grumbled as he climbed back out, brushing dirt and loose leaves off his stolen clothing.
Chris shrugged and pointed at me, “Eva made me, threatened to...bite of my pee pee!” he roared into laughter at the last part which even had Saxon and Vance smirking and laughing quietly over. Brody growled in a low and nasty tone before he stormed off into the trees and a few moments later when he was out of sight we heard his clothing ripping from his body and knew he had gone wolf.
“High five,” I whispered as I walked over to Chris and we slapped hands together
“Everyone change and let’s get moving!” Saxon’s voice boomed out over our laughter in his commanding tone which I hated every time he used and I could tell the others did too – not including Vance because he was obviously use to having a mega bossy Alpha while we weren’t.
“Slave driver,” I muttered as Chris walked off into the trees with Vance and Harper doing the same but going off in their own directions, leaving Saxon and I left standing.
“Heard that,” he mumbled, smirking slightly as he looked over at me.
Pouting slightly in the way Emily had taught me, I looked up at him with big sad eyes, “Cant I just stay in human form...for a little while?” and I held up one hand, pinching two fingers closely together but leaving a small gap to show how little I meant.
He groaned loudly and turned away, “You won’t be able to keep up.”
“I can run fast and you know it,” I shot back, smiling a little now.
“You’ll just tire out quicker.”
“I can ride shot gun then,” my smile grew ever more.
Saxon turned and looked at me with a frown, “We don't have a car Eva.”
“Shot gun on your back Saxon,” I spoke slowly like he was a three year old and he growled in a low tone over that.
“Fine, have it your way then,” he muttered moments before he changed into his giant sized wolf and I grinned like a maniac as I shouted ‘race you!’ and took off through the trees, following Brody’s scent since he was the one who took of first and would be in the lead.
Bending down to pick some yellow coloured wild flowers, I could hear Saxon growling from just up ahead of me but I turned my face away so he couldn’t see me smiling. Turns out he was right, I ran out of steam but I was refusing to admit that to him and have him use it against me as a future reference. So I'm playing on it and pretending I'm more interested in picking wild flowers than keeping up with all of them.
Besides, it is an unfair race.
‘You don't even like flowers,’ Saxon snapped inside my head and I smirked.
“Yes, I do,” I turned and smiled at him sweetly while standing back up to my feet as he was slowly walking back towards me, looking more like a predator than my mate.
‘Since when?’
“You don't know everything Almighty Alpha,” I sung teasingly while walking towards him and picking the flower with the longest stem out of my small bunch. “This will make you look hot,’ I winked as I tucked it in behind his ear before he realised what I was doing.
He scoffed loudly, sounding almost like he was choking as he shook his head, bringing one paw up to knock the flower away, ‘Men don't have flowers in their fur,’ he grunted while I pretended to be upset.
“Fine,” I sniffed, sneaking a peek at him from the corner of my eye while I pretended to cry – which sounded so fake to my ears so it would have to his as well.
‘I really hate Emily for teaching you this crap, you were fine before she came along with her womanly ways,’ he mumbled with annoyance, ‘I'm not wearing the flower Eva, I'm serious.’
Closing my eyes as I relaxed on Saxon’s soft back, the sun warming my face every once in awhile as it streamed in through the gaps between the branches way up over top of us, the birds were singing from close by, normally they flew away at our approach but since Saxon is just leisurely walking along, they didn’t see him as a threat..
The others are waiting by a small stream which we should be arriving at anytime soon now and just on cue, their voices filled my mind, well rather their laughter as I sat up and looked ahead of us at the wolves’ lounging around on the green grass.
But before one of them could utter a single word, Saxon bet them all to it, letting out a loud and powerful warning growl for them to all keep their big traps shut. Smiling, I climbed down off of him, “I'm getting a drink,” I muttered as I walked over towards the clear stream, glancing back at my ‘hot’ wolf with a flower behind each ear and held in my laughter.
‘You so own him,’ Harper chuckled and winked at me as I turned and looked over at him, suppressing a grin as I gave him a hidden thumbs up that Saxon couldn’t see.
‘I know right,’ I smirked back.
The very small clearing was pretty serene, the soft sounds of the water flowing along the stream with the occasional fish coming up to catch small insects which had landed on the surface on the calmer sections, the tall trees all around made it feel locked off from the rest of the woods, like this was someone’s private drinking source.
Kneeling down on the edge, I leaned in and started scooping up cups of water in my hand and drinking it, thank goodness it tasted fresh and not contaminated like a certain place Saxon told me to drink from a few weeks back – that ended with him being shoved in by me.
It was as I was staring at the reflection on the tree trunks in the calm section of the stream that I noticed we weren’t alone and Saxon noticed this at the same time because as I raised my head to look up at the yellow eyes staring back at me from between the thick trunks, that Saxon growled protectively as he instantly ran to my side, half blocking me.
I watched the smaller sized wolf bare its teeth and growled lowly, its ears twitching slightly but it didn’t move apart from that and I was just stunned staring at it. This wasn’t the same kind of wolf like we were, this one was a genuine one, a real born wild wolf and it couldn’t have been more gorgeous if it had tried.
A small breath of air left my lips as I watched in amazement as it slunk back into the shadows of the trees very slowly and so quietly that I could have sworn I had imagined it ever being there. Saxon stopped growling and I turned to look up at him, his eyes glued to the spot the wolf had just been standing at, “Wow, that was pretty cool.”
‘Get on, we’ve wasted enough time today,’ he growled and I knew not to argue right now. He gets so snappy if we waste his time and I’ve done quite a lot of that today but it was so worth his cranky mood.
But we just weren’t meant to make any progress today as it turns out because after I had climbed onto his back and everyone was standing and ready to keep going, the sound of paws running across the ground echoed all around us.
I wasn’t scared, even though it was obvious they outnumbered us but I inhaled deeply and slowly, “Werewolves,” I muttered loud enough for everyone to hear me, though they had probably figured it out for themselves.
‘What the heck, we’re not even on anyone’s freakin’ land,’ Brody snapped angrily, taking on a defensive stance immediately.
‘We’re not,’ Harper muttered just before their scents and the sounds of them grew even close and we finally were looking at ten big wolf heads staring right back at us, all glaring angrily and growling
Then the biggest one came walking in from behind them, two wolves moving to the side to make room for him and he took in turns glaring at each of us, his eyes landing on me and widening slowly before he barked some kind of command at the others and the growling stopped.
‘He is not having you!’ Saxon roared furiously, his entire body tensing up even more as he dug his front paws into the ground a little deeper, ready to fight the lot of them if they made another move what so ever. His growl erupted loudly and I moved one hand to the top of his head gently as I laid down a little more, my head just above his as I stroked his fur softly.
‘Calm down, no one’s taking me,’ I soothed quietly.
The others had been so silent and in stealth mode, that I hadn’t even noticed they were now in a kind of formation. Vance and Brody standing directly beside Saxon with Chris and Harper just a little behind the other two, almost like a giant sized V made from wolf bodies – oh and this giant V was growling defensively and protectively.
Rolling my eyes a little, I looked back over at the Alpha, knowing Saxon or the others couldn’t talk to him right now, “We’re just passing through, no harm done,” I smiled a little, but not much. I didn’t want to agree with Saxon but I didn’t like the way the Alpha had looked at me, especially since its plain obvious that I'm with my mate.
The Alpha barked again and then was gone in a flash, turning his back on us as he ran off into the trees but the other wolves all stayed, eyeing us off carefully.
Staring blankly at where he had disappeared to, “Well, he is a rude Alpha if I ever saw one,” I mumbled and Saxon gave me a warning growl.
‘Don't Eva,’ he responded at the same time a new and unknown voice did.
“I’ve never had complaints about my Alpha skills before.”
I looked up at a well-built half naked man, well old kind of man, he looked to be about the same age as my dad and I scrunched my nose up, couldn’t he have put a shirt on along with his shorts? I think he may be older than dad though because his light brown hair has streaks of grey running through it already.
“Well, now you have,” I smirked and Saxon shook me on his back, warning me to shut up but I just stroked his fur, “You shush,” I whispered at him, smiling to myself.
‘Eva, don't insult an Alpha!’ Vance snapped angrily, not even bothering to shoot me daggers as his eyes stayed on the other wolves.
“You shush too,” I snapped back, glaring at him.
A soft chuckle had me turning back to the unknown Alpha and his eyes were lit up with amusement, “I was wondering if we were ever going to come across you all,” he spoke with a genuine smile and I frowned – he was expecting us?
Brody and Harper both tensed up, the hackles on the back of their necks rising up and they both bared their teeth, not liking the way this Alpha was looking at me and speaking.
The Alpha smiled slightly as he took them both in, “Your brothers, I assume?” he asked, tilting his head slightly to one side.
Not giving anything away emotionally, “What’s it to you?” I half snapped, not liking how he knew who we were.
He grinned, “You act just like your mother did.”
My mouth fell open, what the heck, how on earth did he know our mum?
‘He’s bluffing, don't fall for it!’ Brody growled and I closed my mouth.
‘No way had he known her, something’s up,’ Harper added.
‘Sax – he knows way too much already,’ Chris muttered, concerned.
‘He’s obviously done his research,’ Vance snapped at Chris’s comment.
‘No one but our two packs knows what we are up to!’ Chris snapped back, defending himself while I leaned in closer to Saxons back, not liking this one little bit.
‘Saxon...,’ I trailed off.
‘Don't worry babe, I won’t let him get anywhere near you.’