Gatsby Wolves, Vol. 4

Kade should have been working, but his mind was so far from work that all he had managed to do was tap his pen absentmindedly on the desk. All he wanted to do was get home to Celine and Emelie. He must have wished hard enough to will it into reality, because that afternoon his door swung open and Emelie marched inside like she owned the place. She made her way around the desk and climbed up into Kade's lap, dropping her schoolbag on the ground in the process.

"Do you have an appointment?" Kade asked. "You didn't even knock."

"How come I'm not allowed to close my door at home but you can close your door here?" she pouted.

"Because I get to do whatever I want with the things I pay for," he said. "And because when you close the door, you end up doing something messy or dangerous."

"I only made slime explode two times," she said, sticking her nose in the air.

"You didn't come here alone," Kade said. "Where's your mother?"

"Talking to Tommy," she said. "He's all red in the face. Like a tomato. Tommytato. Mommy and Tommy."

She started to speak in a singsong, then squealed when Kade stood up and swung her over his shoulder. She giggled and kicked, but he held tight onto her as he walked out into the shop. Tommy was red like Emelie had noticed, eyes on the floor. Celine was grinning from ear to ear over whatever he was saying.

"You're not coming onto my wife, are you Thomas?" Kade asked.

Tommy looked like he wanted to die. Celine just swatted Kade's arm.

"Oh, stop," she scolded. "You're embarrassing the poor boy. And then you wonder why no one ever wants to tell you anything."

"I could be worse," Kade said. "I could be like Wes."

"Delia told me," Tommy grimaced. "The whole thing about the child bearing hips. Clara had to explain what it meant to her."

"Clara? Who's Clara?" Kade asked.

"His girlfriend," Celine said. "Haven't you seen her? She works over at the diner. She's a pure wolf."

"The diner," Kade repeated, suddenly understanding why Tommy never wanted Kade to come with him for lunch. If she was a wolf, there was only one option to who it could be. "Of course. Red hair, right?"

"I was just telling Celine that I want to ask her to come with me to Joseph's wedding," Tommy explained. "I don't know if that's too forward. I don't even know if she'll be able to come. She has a pretty strict uncle."

"She lives with her uncle?" Kade asked. "Where are her parents?"

"I'm not really sure," Tommy shrugged. "We haven't talked about her family much."

"But they're wolves."

"I guess so."

Kade looked at Celine, who was catching on to what Kade was suggesting. She didn't push the subject too much further, though. Kade guessed that she didn't want to make Tommy uncomfortable.

"Well I'm sure Joseph and his new wife will be happy to include her in the wedding festivities," Celine told him. "I hope her uncle can come around and change his mind."

"I hope so, too."

Gibbet came out a little bit later, followed by one of Kade's regular customers. Eloise Reeve, who ran a gentleman's club with half-elf dancers. She used to dance herself when she was younger, and still talked with a sultry purr in her voice.

"Mr. Rosier," she said with a smile. "It's been a long time since I've had a chance to speak with you directly."

"Well, I mostly do back end things these days," he said. "But it's good to see you again. Seems the club is still going strong."

"As long as there's men who like pretty ladies, it will be," she grinned, then looked to Celine. "We always hope to see you come around, but I can understand why you'd choose to stay home."

"Right," Kade said. "This is my wife, Celine. And our daughter, Emelie."

"Never expected you to be such a family man," she said with a light laugh. "You were always a bit of maverick."

"I've grown up a lot since you've met me," Kade said, a bit embarrassed.

"You sure have," Eloise chuckled. "Well, I'll let you three get back to it. You're a lucky man, Mr. Rosier."

"I count my blessings every day."

Kade left early to walk home with his family, he and Celine each holding one of Emelie's hands. She skipped a bit as she walked, but suddenly came to a halt. A low growl ahead of them made Kade protectively push them both behind him. He never expected to see another feral wolf in broad daylight, but no one was around them to see the wolf about to attack.

Kade backed up and Celine held tightly onto Emelie. In the daylight, Kade got a better look at the wolf. It was matted and wild looking like the other one, but now Kade could see that it was covered in cuts and bites. Almost like it had been in several fights with other wolves.

"Attack my family and you'll regret it," Kade warned, pushing Celine and Emelie back a little more.

The wolf backed off and whimpered a bit, but then there is was again. That high pitched whistle in the distance. Celine gasped when Kade doubled over in pain, and the wolf seemed to be in pain as well. Thankfully, Emelie was unaffected. Kade thought the wolf would attack, but someone came out of a shop and yelled and the wolf ran away.

Kade wasn't able to get up this time, and he heard both Emelie and Celine saying his name as he hit the ground and the world went dark.