Silent Shadows

I woke up in the middle of the night and my throat felt like a desert. It barely registered that Danny wasn’t in the bed next to me. We slept on opposite sides of the bed, not touching at all. Not that I didn’t want him closer to me. I still wasn’t sleeping well and having someone nearby might help. I just couldn’t bring myself to ask

I padded down the hall, my footsteps silent as a cat’s. It was one of the few gifts I had before my first shift. It also helped that I wasn’t in as much pain now. My back was nearly completely healed and the cut on my arm was nothing but a puckered pink line. Danny had done a beautiful job with the stitches.

I chugged three glasses of water in the kitchen and was on my way back with another when I passed Matt’s office and heard voices from within. I knew I shouldn’t have stopped but I couldn’t help myself. I stepped closer, hiding myself in the shadows.

“The kid’s almost healed.” Danny was saying. “Her back looks better and she doesn’t seem like she’s in as much pain.”

“Good. Then we can drop her at the bottom of the mountain and get back to business.” Matt answered. I heard the clink of a glass, like he’d set it down on his desk.

“Matt, I don’t mean any disrespect, but have you thought about actually letting her fight? She could be useful.” Jimmy said quietly.

“Explain to me how someone who can’t shift is useful to us. She’s no good in a fight and the suckers love killing females.” Matt retorted.

“She’s close to her 21st birthday. You can smell it on her.” Jimmy offered. I sniffed myself, wondering if I really did smell different. “Plus she can cook, and she can help Danny with the medical shit.”

“If we’re in as deep shit as you think we are, I could use an extra pair of hands.” Danny said thoughtfully. I was rooting for Danny and Jimmy, right up until Jimmy opened his mouth again.

“If nothing else, she’s good for breeding.” My jaw dropped. For breeding? “Face it Matt, we’re dwindling. More pack members born into it would be good.” Matt was silent.

“I’ll think about it. Go back to bed.” He said finally. I barely had time to fling myself into the living room like I was just coming back from the kitchen before the door opened. I pretended to be startled at the sight of them.

“Thirsty?” Jimmy asked, motioning towards the glass in my hand. I nodded and headed down the hall to the room I shared with Danny. He was close on my heels and we got back into bed without saying anything. I wished I could have asked him to sleep closer to me. If I didn’t get some rest soon, no amount of coffee was going to keep me going.

The guys weren’t in their rooms when I went to wake them up for breakfast. I only spotted them when I passed in front of the living room window and saw them outside. They were watching Jorel and Arin circling each other, still in human form. I didn’t even see them shift, just registered that they were suddenly furry. I wondered if my shifts would be as quick and easy as that. I stepped outside, watching them from the back porch. They fought so quickly that they became almost blurs. I couldn’t tell who was winning until Jorel had Arin pinned to the ground.

“Good.” That was probably the first time I’d seen Matt smile. At least, he was smiling until he saw me over Zack’s head. “Danny, is she healed?” He didn’t let Danny answer, just started moving towards me so fast I didn’t have time to react. His fist collided with my chest like a freight train, knocking me off my feet. I hit the weathered wood of the back porch hard, knocking the wind out of me.

“Are you insane? You’ll kill her!” Danny yelled, getting between us. “She’s not trying to be alpha; she’s trying to join the damn pack.”

“Move, Danny.” Matt’s voice had that double tone, that alpha voice that Danny had no choice but to obey. He stepped to the side as I was still trying to put air back in my lungs.

“Anyone want to volunteer?” Matt crossed his arms over his chest. I could see the choice warring in the guys’ heads. None of them really wanted to do it, but I don’t think any of them wanted to see me get beaten to a pulp.

“I’ll do it.” Jorel offered. He had shifted back and was wearing a pair of loose basketball shorts. Arin was getting redressed behind him.

“Don’t take it easy on her. Treat her exactly like you would an enemy.” Matt ordered, standing back. I moved slowly into the middle of the circle, feeling smaller than I ever had. I was almost a foot shorter than almost everyone here, and a good deal weaker. Jorel joined me in the middle, a sympathetic look on his face.

I knew he was expecting me to be on the defensive from the beginning, so I did the opposite and punched him in the face. He was bigger and stronger, but I was small and fast, and I used it to my advantage, ducking and weaving the best I could. He still managed to land a good deal of blows on me. I was bleeding from my nose again and my shoulder felt like it was on fire from where he’d wrenched it flinging me around, but I was still standing. Barely.

As he pulled back his hand to hit me again, time seemed to slow down and I could see where he was going to strike, and where it would leave him defenseless. If I could just get behind him I could pin him. My limbs felt like I was moving through syrup but I was behind him. Time snapped back to normal like a rubber band pinging off your finger and I was on his back, wrapping my arms around his neck as tight as I could.

He sure tried getting me off, beating me upside the head and neck with his hands, but he couldn’t get any leverage and I was cutting off his air supply. As soon as he passed out I let go and collapsed in the dirt. My head was ringing like a church bell and I had a feeling I’d need more of Danny’s torture sessions. But I’d won. Somehow, I’d won.

“Welcome to the pack, Ronnie.” Matt held his hand out to me and pulled me to my feet. I nodded, splattering blood everywhere. “Go get cleaned up and then come to the living room. Danny, make sure Jorel’s okay.”
“I’m proud of you kid.” Jimmy grinned as I walked by. I was too busy staunching the blood flow from my nose to answer.

After a hot shower to scrub off all the dirt and sweat, and a round with Danny and his ointment, I sat down on the couch with the others. Now that I wasn’t an outsider, an unwanted, visitor, they sure were chatterboxes. Matt walked in from his office and they finally shut up, thankfully.

“When’s your birthday?” Matt asked, sitting in one of the armchairs. I’d noticed no one ever sat in that chair but him. I guessed it was “his chair.”

“September 8th.” I answered. It was June. I only had a few months left, which was both relieving and terrifying.

“You’re close kid.” He seemed a lot nicer now. “One of us will be with you when it happens, I promise. The protection of the pack now extends to you.”

“Thank you.” It felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I’d been living with the fear of being dumped at the bottom of the mountain with nowhere to go.

“Now we gotta get you out of Danny’s room.” Matt looked thoughtful. “I guess you could share with Zinnia but I’d have to ask when she came back.”

“Wait, wait, hold up a second.” I held up one hand. “You mean there’s another girl around here and you’ve been giving me shit for being a girl?” The look on my face must have been murderous, but they still laughed at me.

“Zinnia isn’t a wolf, kid.” Zack chuckled.

“She’s not a sucker either, if that’s your next question.” Jimmy said, reading my face.

“Zinnia is Fae.” Matt said. My jaw dropped. Fae are incredibly rare and reclusive. To have one living with you was not only amazing, but useful. Fae are the perfect vampire repellent. Wolves and Fae are born and natural beings. Vampires are made and about as unnatural as possible. Having a Fae on your side was like bringing a rocket launcher to an archery competition: a sure win.

“She’s due back any time now.” Jimmy said. “You’ll get to meet her soon.”

“Is Jorel okay?” I asked when Danny came in.

“Ask him yourself.” He grinned and pointed at Jorel, who was right behind him.

“Good job kid.” He high fived me and then held his fist out for me to bump mine against. Yesterday they hated me and now we’re doing bro fists. Okay.