Wolfsbane and Wallflowers

A Sheepish Wolf

“That car that hit you, that was Forest. He had no intention of taking you to the hospital. I didn’t plan to kidnap you and drag you out here to explain things. I just freaked out when I saw him carrying you.”

“I knew that light was red. That bastard. So, how, exactly, did you plan on explaining what was going on?”

“I hadn’t figured that out yet. I mean, it’s not really an easy topic. I thought about waiting until you tuned and explaining it then but, I realized pretty quickly, you turning would put too many people at risk. I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if you hurt someone and you definitely wouldn’t forgive me if I could have prevented it and didn’t. I kind of was just hoping something would come up that made it easier.”

He was kind of sheepish with his reply. It was kind of adorable, a sheepish wolf. No, Lena, he isn’t adorable… he is crazy. Focus and let’s not fall for the bundle of red flags with the serial killer brother. Nope, we aren’t going to admit that he is sounding less and less insane the more we talked.

“Listen, I know it’s a hard pill to swallow and you don’t want to believe me. The full moon is two days away. I’ll explain what I can and you can ask any questions you might have. Then, if after the full moon you still don’t believe me, you're free to go on with your life. It really isn’t going to hurt you any to spend a few days considering the possibility.”

“Fine, you got a deal.” I hated to admit it, but he did have a point. There was a very legitimate expiration date and I didn’t really have anything better to do over the next few days. My free time was occupied with sitting in front of a computer, staring at a blank screen consumed with self loathing… nothing very pressing. “But, if I don’t get back soon, Mrs. Lewis is going to have a heart attack or call the police and I’ve had enough encounters with the police this month to last a while.”

“I suppose you are right.” Flynn had seemed to relax after I had agreed. I, however, was more anxious than ever. I couldn’t begin to process the idea of turning into a wolf. “Before we head back, I do have to discuss something with you. I am not sure how much authority my brother has over you. I know that as his alpha, I technically trump him. I hate to do this, but would I be able to command you not to follow any of his orders. I don’t even know if he can issue commands to you, but I would rather not wait to find out and end up in a situation where you are hurt or he uses you to hurt someone.”

My lips pursed into a taut line and my arms settled over my chest in defiance. This was so stupid. The idea someone could strip you of your free will by mere command was just degrading. It was uncomfortable enough when Flynn had done it… but if Forest could command me, it would be an entirely different type of discomfort. Well, at least he asked for consent. “Fine, I won’t kill you… this time. But, only because you asked and I am choosing the lesser of two evils.”

Flynn issued the command and I felt that uncomfortable weight with his words. It left me feeling tethered, it was the only way I could explain it. An invisible force tugging at me, craving to agree to his every whim. A small sliver of doubt crept up inside. Was this really a good idea? He had merely said, “you are forbidden from following any commands Forest gives you.” Would that come back to bite me in the ass? Only time would tell.

We hopped in the car and left the murder cabin behind. I wanted to ride in silence but Flynn had other plans. “Don’t worry about the cabin, she died of natural causes. My pack owns properties all over the country. A large chunk of our income is from buying foreclosed properties at auctions and remodeling them. We own a couple construction companies. Once we fix up a place we either flip it, rent it out or keep it as a safe house. Being able to move around the country and not worry about lodging is pretty convenient to the pack. Plus, a lot of these houses would be bought by sleazy landlords who half ass fixing everything. When we buy them, we don’t take shortcuts. It is our way of preserving the heritage of our country. Architecture tells the story of the past. A team of the guys will be here soon and you will get to meet them.”

Great, more werewolves to deal with. Two was plenty. “When will they get here?”

“I figured it best to wait till after the full moon. I didn’t want to overwhelm you on your first hunt. Your senses can go a bit crazy when you first turn. Everything is magnified and so different from human senses. A fresh wolf can be skittish and high strung. They might run off if they are too overstimulated. When that happens, it can get really bad really quickly. Instinct takes over and they run to a place where they feel the most comfortable. In wolf form, they might not recognize people they care about.

In our pack, we don’t turn random humans. Normally, it happens when a wolf falls in love with a human. There is a ceremony very similar to a wedding and the fresh wolf has been educated long before the ceremony. They are introduced to their partner in wolf form and spend time with them. It is not as traumatic for their first shift, and their partner is there for them and a source of comfort.

Unfortunately, you don’t get that luxury. However, having me with you is the best substitution. Wolves instinctively are submissive to their alpha. It is a survival mechanism. Wolves, by nature, are very social. They hunt together, raise the pups together and everyone has a role in the pack hierarchy. Did you know, they will even sing to each other? Without a pack, wolves can’t survive for long. Werewolves are not much different.”

I hated admitting it but I really enjoyed listening to him talk. His accent was gentle on the ears and his voice soothing. He had this excitement laced into his words as he talked about his world. It made me want to be a part of it. We pulled into the driveway way too soon and were greeted by the wave of a curtain and Mrs. Lewis’ prying eyes. It made me feel like I was 16 again and coming home from a date with my dad waiting, not nearly as patient. I was kidn*pped, thank you very much…. It was very clearly not a date. No need to be so nosey.

“I suppose this is goodnight.” I said with a nod as I cracked open my door.

“Hold on, let me get your number. We need to meet up tomorrow. There are some things that we still need to talk about and I would really prefer if you didn’t go anywhere without me. I don’t know where Forest is and if he will try anything else.” He made a valid point, so I put my number in his phone.

“I don’t have much going on tomorrow, just work in the evening. I think my days of running are over. I don’t need any more signs from God that running is not in his plans for me.” We shared a laugh. It was nauseating and I fled upstairs.

I wanted to call Nora and Corinna and share every single detail of the day with them, but it all was too crazy. Instead, I sat down at my laptop. I abstained from the torture of trying to write words that wouldn’t come out and began my deep dive into the wonderful world of wolves. I spent my night sifting through articles and skimming documentaries. There was a lot I didn’t know about wolves. I greedily digested every morsel of information.