Fletcher
I followed the others silently as Sidney led the way back to the guest house, she was clearly tense and on edge as she eyed our surroundings on the way back. I had to admit my mind was still reeling from the sit down she'd had with us about what we'd need to expect for the upcoming days. It was difficult to really listen when my wolf just wanted to shift and roll all over her in overexcited eagerness. The sheer thought of the memory of her scent was enough to have the beast whining beneath my skin and my pants getting slightly more uncomfortable than they'd been beforehand. "You good Fletch?" Tucker asked as he jogged up beside me, I nodded despite the heat rushing into my face.
"Me too, dude, me too." He chuckled darkly as he focused his gaze on the sway of Sid's hips as she walked, at least I wasn't alone in my struggles. I was planning out this week's meals and food needs in my head to try getting my mind off of the wolfish wants when Sid suddenly stopped in her tracks. "We've got company." She growled lowly at us as she focused her gaze on the trees ahead, three sets of eyes watched us from the shadows. It took me a moment to catch the scent of them, and it curled my lips in disgust at the reek of the rogue males. Beck shifted first and snarled a warning as he rushed forward to stand beside Sidney, who was still watching them in human form.
"Easy Sweetness, they don't have control over their beasts right now, they're in a sort of haze of their own. They know a female called, they know any males would be protecting her, but they can't smell me so it's throwing them off." Her tone was soft and her words were rushed as she kept her eyes on the rogues hidden in the shadows. "How can you tell they don't have control?" I whispered nervously, I liked our odds so far but I hated having to fight. "Look at the eyes Puppet, they are all wolf." Her tone was warm as it washed over me and soothed my nerves instantly. "They want to attack." Bowen growled out.
"You yes, me they just want to steal away." Sid hissed out. Her words didn't sit well with anyone and soon Bowen, Colton, Asher and Micah joined Beck and the mutts as bodyguards. It was clear that the rogues knew we outnumbered them and after a few moments of staring after Sidney, they started to whine at her. When she refused to budge they turned to leave and I breathed a sigh of relief, at least that was one fight we'd avoided. "Let's move. We don't know if they have more friends waiting in the shadows, the quicker we get back to the guest house base the better to defend ourselves." Sidney snapped out as she picked up the pace.
I helped grab the guys clothes with Simon and Emmett before hurrying after the others, it was a huge relief once we'd shut the front door behind us. "Go ahead and shift back we need to start setting up a schedule and plan for patrols, night watches and sleeping arrangements that way the same two don't have to sleep on the couch all week to give me my own bed. Puppet do you think you can take stock on the food we have now and what all we need?" It was amazing how quickly Sid fell into a roll of easy command.
"Yeah sure." I agreed quickly. "Good also take half the guys with you and check the food at the Alvalrado's whatever might go bad before they get back. Then determine what all we need and send out a few to get us some fresh meat. I'm more than happy to go hunting but I doubt having me running through the woods right now is a great idea." She muttered thoughtfully and I nodded quickly. "Let's get to work then." She stated as she headed upstairs for who knows what, and I went to work on my own tasks.
Bowen
I wasn't entirely surprised that Sidney was giving out orders to my pack, considering she knew more about what to expect than I did. There was a brief moment where my wolf was annoyed at her display of power over my pack but then it switched into some sort of prideful pleasure that she liked our pack well enough to command it. The simple fact was that I knew if she really wanted to she could take the alpha position from me, our fight had taught me as much, but she truly didn't seem to want my position at all. I waited until she had disappeared upstairs before shifting back with the others and taking my clothes from Simon to get dressed and work on the schedules the she wolf suggested.
"I'll get started on the patrol and watch shift schedules if you want to take Si up to go check on Sid, she might be better with just the two of you instead of all of us." Colt whispered to me and I nodded my thanks as I led the way up the stairs with Simon quick on my heels. We found her in one of the bedrooms curled up in a ball on the floor with her mutts surrounding her, at least she was still in human form for now. "Ugh, can't a girl get five minutes of peace around here?" She groaned out on a growl sending a stern glare our way, definitely still in the 'I feel like mauling you' mood.
"We just wanted to see how you were doing without swarming you." Simon whispered as he knelt on the floor, keeping his distance but making it clear he was still respectful of her. "I'd be a lot better if you stopped asking me how I was doing all the time now, it's safe to say if I try to put distance between me and all of you I'm not doing great." She snapped back curtly, I took a seat on one of the beds as she watched me cautiously. "You seem okay after our little run in with those wolves, I was sure you hated rogues?" I voiced my interest as she furrowed her brows at me in a look of what appeared to be disbelief.
"I do hate rogues, those weren't rogues Bowen." The use of my name and the slow explanation in her tone leaves me with even more questions. When she says my name like that gentle purr it's hard to focus on anything else she might be saying. "What do you mean they weren't rogues, they certainly reeked like..." I go to defend myself but in the back of my mind there is an inkling of doubt, an underlying scent I hadn't put a name to in the moment. "They were nomads, like me." Her words have the truth flooding my mind, they had been with a different smell than usual.
"That's probably one of the main reasons hey didn't outright attack anyone because a nomad is not as desperate, despicable and wild as a rogue is. They did seem to be close to that edge though, being a nomad long enough will turn some into rogues unless they have the mental strength to hold off the crazy." She shrugged and I stilled. "Have you ever come close to going rogue?" Simon whispered with a note of terror, until her snort of amusement reached my ears. "I've dealt with going into and out of heat without permanently losing my mind, I'm stable enough that I've never had any desire to turn rogue." She confirmed easily, a great relief to know.
"I will say I was reluctant to let those three leave considering they could warn others or bring more fighters, but what's done is done. If they attack us we'll be ready for them, and I've fought off attacks through heat before so it's not like I don't know what I'm doing, stop worrying so much." She sent a pointed look to Simon who turned red immediately at her reprimand. "I'm a doctor, it's my job to worry about you and everyone else." He retorted on a grumble. "I know that but I don't break easy, so do you mind laying off on asking how I'm doing every 10 minutes?" She glanced between us. "I think we can try that." I smiled gently back at her and she nodded in thanks.
"Now shoo I'm going to take a nap and I don't want to be disturbed, let the others know too. I'll be struggling to sleep at all this week so I'm taking what I can get for now, besides you have your own planning to do. I have to say that I'm glad you took the buddy system advice to heart, keep that up and we might make it out of this together." There was a bitter note behind her words but the fact she'd put us all together had my wolf wagging his tail like a maniac beneath my skin. "Enjoy your nap Sidney, well be downstairs if you need us for anything." I chuckled as I stood to leave with Simon milling at my side, I could feel her eyes on us as she watched us leave.
Sidney
My nap wasn't the most relaxing thing considering my wolf hormones had me feeling cranky and ever so slightly frustrated with myself and the world around me. When I finally got comfortable enough to rest my dreams were filled with thoughts of the guys that were anything but PG, on both spectrums of the scale of bad. When I finally woke up I was very aware of the scent of food wafting into the room, and how incredibly hungry I was after skipping breakfast and lunch. I hurried to feed the dogs first before rushing down the stairs to fill my own belly with whatever delicious concoction Fletcher had created. I ignored the boys eyes on me as I bounced into the kitchen and straight to where Fletcher was stirring a large pot of something.
"So what ya making for me Puppet?" I hummed out as I took in a deep breath at his shoulder of the steaming pot, trying to ignore the fact that the male stirring it smelled nearly as tasty as the food inside. My close proximity seemed to fluster him as he stumbled and stuttered, but at the moment I didn't care for my effect of him as much as I was focused on food. "Venison stew." He finally gritted out through his adorable blushes. "Sounds and smells delicious, when will it be ready because I'm starving?" I tilted my head to him as I waited for an answer but he was so flustered he couldn't seem to focus enough to respond. "Gorgeous I think you might have broken the poor kid." Micah chuckled out drawing my attention to him, he was quick to smirk back at me.
"I don't see how, and can someone please tell me when I can eat food so my stomach stops trying to digest itself?" I huffed on a pout. "You can purr for me anytime Sid, I assure you I'm not as bashful as the pup is." Emmett rumbled out and the sound sent sparks flying under my skin to my utter annoyance. "No thanks." I scowled back at him on a snarl. "Easy little Sid, the foods been done for a little while now, we were just waiting on you before we ate." Colton smiled and my annoyed mood flew out the window as I beamed back at him. "Great then let's eat!" I cheered eagerly to their combined amusement. "I like heat crazy Sidney better already." Beck smirked out and I snorted back at him.
"Wait a day or two and you'll change your mind all over again, trust me." I winked back playfully before taking the bowl of stew Fletcher offered me with a small smile. We ate in a gratefully pleasant silence and once my belly was full I couldn't help yawning despite my earlier nap. "Tired already?" Tucker asked curiously and I shrugged. "A little, plus I might be suffering the beginning effects of a food coma." I hummed back. "You'll be sleeping in Colt and I's bed for tonight since we have first watch anyway." Bowen sighed out as I let the dogs out for a quick bathroom break before bed. "Sounds good to me, night boys." I saluted them playfully before heading back upstairs to sleep off my food baby for as long as my hormones allowed.
*Well Day 1 is over next update will be a day 2 adventure and we're just getting started, hope you enjoyed.*