What Has Become Of Me?

The smell of food cooking makes my nose twitch. My stomach grumbles at the delicious scents floating around but I roll over deeper into the couch. Someone pokes me and I frown.
“Two more minutes” I mumble intending to go back to sleep for at least another hour.
I’m not a morning person and never claimed to be.
“Get up” Seb says and again I feel a poke.
“No” I murmur but it sounds more like a groan.
“There’s food of breakfast goodliness” he tempts.
“What sort?” I ask peeking out of one eye.
“Home made” he responds.
I frown at this. Who in this pack can cook? I know I can, but how many twenty-something year old men just decide to cook something for breakfast?
“Up we get” Chase says before suddenly I’m pulled from my warm spot on the couch.
“Hey!” I protest wishing I could be left to sleep for just a tiny bit longer.
Chase ignores me and walks me into the kitchen with Seb trailing behind us.

“Good morning” Jett greets from the table at which he, Nathan and Dom sits at.
Brian is the one wielding the cooking implements. He moves around the kitchen keeping an eye on what appears to be pancakes whilst also preparing bacon, eggs and some toast.
“Morning” I say glancing around still trapped in Chase’s arms.
“Sleep well?” Nathan asks.
I nod then wipe some sleep from the corner of my eyes. Seb moves over and pulls out a chair to sit at the table on. Suddenly Ghost springs at him. Apparently she had been sitting there before he tried to sit down on her. Her claws grip the fabric of his shirt as her ears pull back and she hisses. Seb screams in fright. Chase starts laughing so hard he has to put me down before he drops me. Seb starts flailing his arms about but the cat refusing to let go.
“Here” I frown approaching him.
The cat looks at me for a moment curiously. I hold my hand out to her allowing her to scent me. Making slow movements, as to not scare her, I reach out to her. I grab her and she reluctantly lets go of Seb’s shirt. For good measure she swipes at him before I place her down on the floor. We watch her stride from the room and the guys all stare at me.
“All hail Annie! Tamer of the evil Ghost!” Seb cries out before getting down and bowing.
“Stand up, goofball” I grumble then take the seat Ghost had previously occupied. Brian begins to serve us blueberry pancakes, crisp bacon, eggs and toast. The spread is massive but these boys have a massive appetite, I’ve been around Dom long enough to figure that one out.

After absolutely gorging ourselves we work together to clean up the kitchen. Jett and Chase are trusted with the task of washing up, Dom wipes down the benches while Brian and I dried.
“Seb! Why don’t you help?” Chase asks.
Seb is leaping around the room peeking around corners and trying to act like a ninja.
“I am helping! I’m keeping watch for the evil Ghost, she may attack at any moment” Seb finishes talking and tries to leap over a chair.
For the second time since this sleep-over began I watch Seb’s foot get caught and he tumbles to the floor. We all burst out laughing and continue washing up. Chase drops a plate into the sink suddenly which causes a wave of soapy water to slosh down the front of Jett’s shirt and jeans. I stifle a giggle as Jett stares at Chase shaking his head. Calmly, Jett dips his hands into the water before suddenly flinging it at Chase. Water runs in a neat trickle off the end of Chase’s nose and his hair hangs drenched around is head.
“Oh, it is on, little boy” Chase says copying Jett’s shaking of the head.
“But we are even now” Jett defends.
The rest of us back off to avoid being caught in the crossfire to come. Jett and Chase drive their hands into the sink to splash each other. We all begin laughing and Brian steps in since it is his house.
“Children, children” Brian says causing Chase and Jett to halt.
Both are absolutely soaked in the soapy water and freeze with their hands in the sink to look at Brian.
“Honestly, do you both want to be sent to your rooms?” Brian scolds.
“No” Jett and Chase mumble before glancing at each other and smirking.
“Hey!” Brian warns backing away a step.
Both boys suddenly throw a handful of water each at Brian leaving the sink basically empty. We all look to Brian. With a sigh he strips off his half soaked shirt. Chase and Jett follow his example. My wolf raises her head from her cosy perch within my mind; her eyes studying over the muscular chests set before her.
“Well we’ve finished washing up” Seb announces “Good job everyone.”
Everyone turns their eyes to Seb at the exact same moment and just stares.
“That’s freaky, and I’m bored” Seb says.

“What’s next?” I ask as I jump up onto the bench to watch Brian mop up the water splashed all over the floor.
“Not too sure” Dom answers in a thoughtful tone, stroking his chin.
“We can play hide-and-seek!” Seb yells.
“That doesn’t sound like such a bad idea” Jett agrees.
“Not like we have anything better to do” Brian shrugs.
“And I know the perfect spot” Seb tells us.
“Excellent, everyone get dressed and meet in the living room” Nathan commands before we all set off to begin the morning.

“All set?” Nathan asks as we’ve gathered in the foyer.
“Yes, now let’s go!” Seb whines, grabbing one of the long sleeves of my light blue shirt and dragging me out the door.
“We’ve got Seb in our car so follow us” Brian tells Dom.
“Sure thing, but I get Anika” Dom says.
Seb pouts clutching my arm.
“But Annie is all mines!” Seb whines loudly.
Dom walks over pulling the short man off of me and handing him off to Jett before grabbing my hand and dragging me to his car.
“Was that necessary?” I ask as Seb climbs into Brian’s car with his infamous pout.
“Totally” Dom grins before opening the passenger door for me as if he’s a gentleman.
With a roll of my eyes, I sink into the seat and watch Dom walk around the hood of the car. Nathan slides into the back seat as I watch the others reverse out of Brian’s driveway. The engine of Dom’s car struggles to start but manages to come to life. Leaning my forehead against the cool glass of the car I watch scenery pass us lost too deep in thought to keep up with Dom and Nathan’s conversation.

“Kingsley Park lands?” I read the sign as we follow the track to a park located awfully close to the suburbs.
“Don’t worry, the park is heavily ringed with trees but still be careful” Dom responds.
Brian’s car pulls to a stop and the guys quickly exit. I hop out to ask what we are going to do now but they are already stripping off their clothes.
“Whoa!” I exclaim turning my back to them.
“Twelve! Thirteen” Jett calls as he dumps his shirt beside the car.
Dom and Nathan follow suit.
“The game has started?” I ask closing my eyes.
“Fourteen!” Jett yells confirming my question.
“Remember to stay out of sight and when caught in an issue play lost dog” Nathan tells me before morphing and bolting out of sight.
I spin around to hear a sharp growl.
“Fifteen?” I ask the large wolf left standing alone with me by the cars.
The wolf, who is obviously Jett, nods before turning his back to give me privacy. I strip off as quickly as I can and morph.

Three more barks have been issued by Jett by the time I am on four paws.
“He’s only counting to twenty” Brian’s voice warns.
I bolt out of there as fast as my legs can carry me. This will be a really challenging game because we have a limited area to work with and I can smell where each pack member has headed. How do I hide my scent from another wolf? I dodge around trees effortlessly whilst I rack my brain for ideas. The thrill of the game has my heart pumping quickly already. Then I hear it.

Running water. Hopefully all the movies I’ve seen with the characters crossing streams to make it harder to track them is true. I head towards the water. My nose picks up the familiar scents of the boys as well as one extra one. I brush the matter aside more engrossed in the game. Without hesitation, I plunge into the cool stream. It barely raises half way up my legs. I follow the current down for a while hoping to get away from my entry point. My ears keep on high alert and I hear rustling nearby. I lower my body closer to the water not wishing to be seen. My nose is carefully analysing each intake of air and that same vaguely familiar scent appears but it’s washed out by the air coming off the water. I pick up my pace before finally exiting the water on the bank opposite to the one I started on. The rustling behind me stirs louder telling me it must be another wolf. Thinking its Jett, I dash off. As I run, I look behind my shoulder for the large outline of Jett chasing after me. Suddenly my nails aren’t digging into soft earth; they’re scraping against harsh cement. Confused I stumble along the solid road unfamiliar with the feeling of my nail clipping along the surface. I look down at my paws still confused. Suddenly the screeching of brakes makes me look up. A van pulls to a halt in front of me. I skid back a few paces realising what I’ve done. A large man jumps out of the van and produces a long pole with a strange loop protruding from the end. I study it unsure what his intentions are. His steps are slow and cautious. It’s only too late that I think to read along the side of his van. He launches forward slipping the loop over my head and pulling on the cord that feeds through the pole. I rear my head back and growl. My ears press to my skull as I struggle to free myself. Why hadn’t I realised he was driving the local pound van before I lost my chance to run? He tries to pull me in and I fight to back away but only succeeding in choking myself.
“Bad boy” the man scolds.
Boy? Who was he calling a boy? With a sharp pull I’m forced closer to him as my air way is blocked for a second. My growl is choked out as I glare at the man.
“Up you get” he commands pointing to the large cage taking up most of the room in the back of his van, “heard a small dog had been causing trouble in these parts but you are more than just a small dog. Have you been pigging out big man?”
I snap my teeth at him. Again with the boy and man stuff also, I’m not that big. My figure is nothing to be ashamed about. I am the perfect weight, not too fat and not too thin. This guy could stand to lose some weight. Suddenly I’m being lifted by the loop wrapped around my neck and hoisted into the back of the van. I splutter and scramble for the back of the van to get some air back into my lungs. In my scramble I only realise too late that I’ve ended up in the large cage. I give a menacing growl at the man as he locks the cage. A movement in the trees catches my attention though. It’s an unfamiliar wolf watching me. Suddenly, I feel a presence in my head that makes me back away shaking my head sharply.
“Do not stress young wolf, I’ll bail you out shortly” the voice is very familiar but very unnerving.
The doors are slammed shut and the van begins to drive. I squat down in the cage thoroughly annoyed at myself. How stupid can you get? This is so humiliating.