Loved By Danger

Chapter 3

    Aden watched as Creed busied himself playing at the pool table, he was winning currently, collecting all of his bets, dinner was on him tonight as Aden thought taking a sip of his favorite drink.  Neko was busy talking to one of his regulars about sports and the moment seemed calm until everyone in the Grease Trap stopped what they were doing.  Confusion read on all of their faces as the sirens got louder and louder.  Outside there were flashing lights and the curfew bell was starting to toll.  They had two more hours to be out why were the alarms sounding out now?  They always lose track of time at Neko's and would have to rush back home but there was still time left on the clock.    

    Neko looked out of the window and muttered a curse under his breath, "You two better start heading home.  And if I were you I would take the sleep streets back," the sleep streets was his code word for ways home where not many people are in that area.  Taking alleyways was off-limits sometimes because there would be surveillance cameras and watchers there.  It would be best to stroll through the streets where the more comfortable people lived.  It pays to have privacy and they knew how to maneuver through those streets without being seen.  That's where most of their runs were.

    "Is it that bad?" asked Creed as he too started to look alarmed.  Everyone's tracker watch started to flash a warning message and then all at one the chief of police popped out as a hologram, all having the same breaking news announcement.

"All citizens are to make it to their residences within one hour.  Anyone caught after that hour is up will be brought in for questioning.  A body was found at seven this evening.  Unfortunately, the woman was attacked by a Lycan.  Evidence and further details will be posted on the crime bulletin board."

    "They're only going to post what they want us to know," said Aden as he turned to Neko, "I hate that they only give us only part of it."

    "You know it's just another way to push the narrative.  But a Lycan attack is wild right now.  Hasn't been one in ages.  Who's to say that's even what really happened.  I'll have my ears to the streets for you guys and if I hear anything I will pass it off."  Neko started to close out the tabs and his security started to clear everyone out.  Both Aden and Creed walked out and the entire area was swarming with the boys in blue.  There were countless barriers and cops who steered the traffic of people in another direction.  One group, in particular, couldn't move down on a particular street because that's where the body was.  Aden crept through the crowd ignoring the whispers of Creed's warnings.  He wanted to get closer to see if he could see anything.  There, lying on the ground was the woman he saw last night when they were on their full moon run.  Her eyes were opened and she looked like she had fear die on her face.

    Her husband was standing close holding their baby in his arms and looked as if he was in a daze.  Aden looked closely at the woman's body and could see large gashes and teeth marks on her neck.  One of her hands was gone and millions of cuts were along her arms and legs as if she was trying her best to fight the creature off.  Aden has never seen a Lycan attack before and at this close range, it was brutal.  Scoping the area once more before heading back he didn't see or get a sense of another wolf near or has been there.  But what was evident was the hunters who came and were trying to hide among the crowd as well.

    These must be new and low-rank hunters, they were always easy for Aden to spot.  They tried way too hard to blend in making them look even more obvious to those who knew how to look for them.  But they weren't the ones that were making him nervous while he was making his way back to Creed was the ones you couldn't see.  They were there as well and Aden didn't want to be noticed before he noticed them.  Creed was hanging back at the corner waiting for Aden to come back, he had every bit of worry on his face, "You do know that you're crazy right."

    "So I have been told most of my life but I wanted to see if any other packs have been through here.  That was the area we had the run last night.  I don't know if anyone left anything behind or it could be the work of a rogue wolf."  Aden didn't want to tell Creed the way the body was mutilated.  He couldn't really stomach things like that, it would give him nightmares.  A rouge wolf was just a wolf without a pack, but a Lycan is just another name for what the humans also called werewolves.

    It didn't take them long to finally reach home as Creed let out a sigh of relief to be getting back safely.  Before they could tell anyone what was going on standing at the entrance was Elder, the elder of the pack.  He hurried them into the building making sure to take their watches.  Nobody wore them in the community because they feared that they were bugged and could spy on them.  They had to be as discreet as possible.  Elder dragged them to a quiet place and looked around to make sure nobody was listening in on their conversation.

    "You boys are always around some trouble," he said.  He had a little quirkiness about him.  Most of the pack paid him no mind unless they needed him for some ancient information and wisdom.  He was almost always drunk, but Aden liked that about him--how different he was.  Elder and his father Judge always debated back and forth about old ways versus the new ways of the pack and of course since Aden's father was the alpha, his words were always law and he always won.  But the sheer fact that Elder would challenge him was something Aden always admired.  he never really left the community to venture out.  He feared that someone would recognize him because wolves aged differently than humans, and Elder has been around longer than the fifty-something man whose identity he was using for identity purposes.  He adjusted his large glasses to stare at them a little better

    "I'm only in trouble with him all the time because he makes me go," whined Creed.

    "Why what's wrong?" asked Aden as he looked around for his mother.  She was busy helping tend to the smaller pups who haven't yet morphed into their human forms just yet and it was feeding time, "I'm assuming you're talking about what's going on right now.  I know we're a bit late but I needed to scope out the place before we came back.  The attack happened where we had our run last night."

    "Is that so?  Well, looks like your father has a lot on his plate for the next few weeks.  Baxter just got back with the report with the rest of the scouts.  He's going to talk about it at the fireside meeting tonight."

    "He didn't find anything I guarantee it.  I didn't pick anything unusual when I was there."

    "Well according to that overgrown ape they did.  You do well to keep that to yourself.  You know Baxter loves to prove your lack of skill in being the delta and one-day alpha.  He doesn't think it should fall to the son but rather someone who is stronger and much older.  He could always do a challenge but that would be foolish knowing you and your father are loved.  He would rather make you look weak making the pack unsure so don't give him a reason."

    "Where is my father now?"

    Elder tilted his head up the walkway, "Up there waiting to speak with you.  I forgot to mention that to you when I saw you.  I guess my brain is going finally."  Aden looked up to see his father standing there looking at him, probably waiting until he was noticed, wondered how long he was standing there for.  Aden reluctantly walked up to meet him and once he was close enough, Judge turned and walked inside expecting Aden to follow him.  It annoyed Aden how everything was business with his father from morning to nighttime he was always on guard never a moment to be calm or stretch his legs.  Even on the runs his father wouldn't take joy in the wind beneath his fur but rather making sure other wolves followed rank and didn't break formations.  But that was the life of the alpha, all work, and no play and that wasn't something to look forward to.  Judge was adored by the pack because for years he has kept them safe regardless of how small they were.  But just once Aden wished he could adore Judge as a father and not just the pack leader.

    Judge looked out into the night sky and sighed a heavy sigh warning Aden about the lecture he was about to receive from him.  It was going to be long and drawn out about his immaturity, "Every time I look out this window, I always hope to see more stars," he focused on one particular spot, "But I can still just see the one right there," he pointed at the north star, "Billions of stars in the sky but you can't see any of them...just this one."

    "Cause it's the brightest one," Aden was trying his best to hide his annoyance, "What is this all about Judge?  I mean you told me this already."

    "I have?  Well, glad to know you were listening then.  Because that's something you have a hard time doing.  I say this over and over because that star shines so bright because it's the closest to earth.  Many of the other stars are either far away or are too dim to be a guide for others.  In other words, they're too weak to stand out among the heavy city lights.  One day, I will go to a place where I can see those billions of stars.  That attack on that woman means there are about to be dark days ahead.  An attack like that hasn't happened in years, not since you were a pup.  The hunters found the rogue wolf and killed it.  Your mother is worried about you."

    "I'll be fine, Creed is always with me.  I trust him to have my back where it counts."

    Judge ignored the comment about Creed.  It not that he hated him it's just that like the rest of the pack they saw him as weak but Judge never shunned him for it, but he also never acknowledge him for it either, "You cannot go on a run by yourself anymore.  You thought that I didn't know I can tell.  But I know about everything.  At this time your judgment is way off.  Not going to training, ditching fireside meetings, and going off on your own has been been a rule for ages that you consistently love to break.  Things are about to change around here and you're not even ready."  Aden has to learn to be quiet for the sake of his mom.  The last time they had a conversation like this it ended with a huge fight and it stressed his mother out.

    In Judge's mind, the pack always came first over selfish fantasies like running free and escaping the tight tension in the air.  He was to endure it just as his father did.  There had to be a time when his father was loving and carefree but that was not this time or anytime that Aden could remember.  The judge was finished with the conversation because he walked past his son without so much of a glance.  He treated Aden as one of the lower-ranking scouts when they were in the privacy of each other because if he did that in front of the pack there would be whispers and challenges all around.  But Aden didn't care, he glanced up at the lone star once more before heading out to see Creed waiting for him on the walkway.

    "Your dad looked pissed.  Still hasn't said anything to me."

    "Yeah, well he always looks like that, and he won't ever say anything to you...won't even acknowledge you," Aden kicked a pebble and watched it sore far across the opening, "as the pack leader he's not allowed to associate himself with you.  It's not your fault so don't sweat it.  He knew about my secret runs and told me to stop them."

    "Well, that's a bummer."

    "Tell me about it.  He's been on edge lately like he knows something we don't know."

    "Doesn't he always though?"

    "But I'm the delta of the pack I should know too."

    "Now you're just being plain stupid.  Even I know that you're a little too impulsive at times.  You're the delta but you're also his son and only child.  I think he worries about you more than you would expect him to."

    "Worried I won't lead the pack as he does.  He might as well give it to Baxter, he wants it hard enough.  He's been gunning for that spot since forever."

    "No, I think Baxter wants your spot more than the alpha spot."

    "Well, he can have that too."

    "You're talking crazy Aden, almost like a rogue.  If you leave what's going to happen to me?"

    "No, never rouge...just free.  All these rules and roles,  I just want to be Aden.  This war with the hunters is not my war. I think my parents knew I'm not cut out for all of this."

    "I wonder if everyone is on edge because of those hunters that moved to town.  I mean it would make sense, I looked them up and they're a big deal.  They have this kill now ask questions later type of vibe.  Scary when you think about it."  Aden watched as people started to gather near the back of the community for the fireside meeting.  He didn't want any parts of it and wanted to take this time to sneak away.  He didn't care what his father said, he was going to stretch his legs and get out of that place before he suffocated.

    "Hey, can you cover for me?"

    "Oh come on, they're going to notice that you're not at the fireside."

    "Well, tell them I'm pissed at Judge or something and I went to bed early."

    "But you are pissed at him."

    "Creed stop being a baby and just do it."

    Creed rubbed his hands through his hair and shrugged.  He wouldn't have a choice anyway because Aden would still go and Creed would always cover for him.  As the group went forward and Creed followed, Aden ran in the opposite direction.