Hidden Creek

Chapter Nineteen

Davidee

“What the f**k did you do?” I hissed as I parked my motorcycle outside the gas station. Three men lay in a half circle around Haven. She clutched a brown suede jacket around her body like a towel. I popped open the trunk of my bike and grabbed the clothes I had thrown in for her. “What happened?”

She sighed and pulled on the tee and shorts. “Jerome called me. His ex showed up, so I came to get him. She blindsided me, stabbed me in the back. My wolf took over in self defence, and then those guys came around from the front of the store. There were too many smells, the lights were too bright, and I don’t know. They were staring me down, their hearts were racing so fast.”

“And the third one?” I motioned to Jerome, lying unconscious with blood pooling around him. 

“I felt pity for him. The scent of garbage clung to him from his hiding behind the dumpster, but it didn’t mask the fear rolling off him. I knew it wasn’t just me, it was his ex-girlfriend too. She had truly terrified him, that’s part of how I found him. I followed the smell of fear from the club all the way here.” 

Pinching the bridge of my nose with my thumb and index finger, I nodded. “Okay. Bammiuk is on his way with the daycare’s van. We’ll load them in there, get them back to the Ranked House.”

“They didn’t choose this...” She whispered.

“Well, it’s happened. They’re part of the pack now, and they’re going to have a lot of questions that you need to be the one to answer.” I grabbed them one at a time and dragged them to the treeline, obscuring them from anyone who may pull up to the gas station. “Okay, he should be here any minute. In the meantime, do you want to explain to me why the f**k you think getting mixed up in human business is a good idea? I know you’re dating one now, but that doesn’t mean you have to adopt them all!”

Haven drew her shoulders back defensively. “Blame your girlfriend. She got in my head about ‘doing what’s right’ and ‘making ties to communities.’” She made little air quotes with each phrase. “From now on, Nik is the only human I’m taking any interest in.”

A horn honked as a robin blue van pulled up next to us. “Red Moon Morgue. You bag ‘em, we tag ‘em.” Bammiuk hung his head out the window with a cheesy smile. 

“Not funny. At all.” I pulled the sliding door open as Haven and Bammiuk grabbed the two unknown men. I hoisted Jerome up, loading him in after they had the two others settled. “Get them back, put them somewhere secure, and I’ll figure out where they’re going to stay until the new neighborhood is constructed.”

“I need to get back to Nik’s apartment. I think I left my wallet there.” Haven said, collecting her keys and phone from the ground where her clothes lay in tatters.

“I’ll call you when they wake up.” I smiled at her and waved to her bike.

“Thanks, ani.” She hugged me quickly before hopping on her motorcycle.

Bammiuk groaned. “Why are you encouraging this ridiculous relationship? They’ll never last.”

“They’ll last if she turns him.” I shrugged.

“She won’t.”

“Yeah, because you know my sister better than I do.” I chuckled, turning my back on him. “I wouldn’t be so sure of your standing with her, Bam. Watch out for Nik being the next addition to our ranks.” I called over my shoulder.

***

Haven

I waited as the deadbolt slid back, and the door popped open. A slow smile lit up Nik’s face, and he waved me in. “I didn’t expect you back so soon. But, I found your wallet.” He swiped it off the end table, holding it up triumphantly.

“Thanks.” I kissed him on the cheek and slid the seal skin wallet into my pocket. 

“I don’t have to be at work for four hours. Want to hang out for a bit?”

“I-” Yes, I really do, but I have to get back to three new wolves that I turned on accident. “I do, but I have to get back. Parsa had some ideas for how we’re going to engage more with the different communities, and I have to get the ball rolling.” The lie burned, but there was no way to tell him the truth.

“Oh.” He nodded, his smile disappearing. “I get it.”

“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be, I swear. If I didn’t have to deal with this, I would absolutely stay here all day. Hell, I’d do everything in my power to convince you to ditch work and spend the day with me. I’m sorry.” 

He took my hand, kissing it gently. “I’m not upset. You just have so many responsibilities there, I worry about you. There’s no way all of this stress is healthy.”

“Yeah, I wonder a lot about graying by the time I’m thirty, but there’s not much I can do about it. Davidee does his best to take some of the pressure off me, but he can only do so much.” I shrugged. “I do need to go, though.”

“Haven?” He called as I reached the door. “Let me take you on an actual date this weekend?” 

“Took you long enough to ask.” I blew him a kiss as I stepped out the door, running smack into a tall red haired girl. “Oh, sorry, hon.” 

Her big blue eyes narrowed as she stared down at me. “Who are you?” She practically hissed.

Nik sighed from behind me, his breath ruffling the hair cascading down my shoulder. “Ven, this is my ex, Myra. Myra, this is my girlfriend, Haven.” 

“Ha.” She chortled sarcastically. “Good luck with that.” She turned her attention from me to Nik. “I guess I’m wasting my time here then. Hope you don’t let that girl from the bar interfere with this relationship too.” I let my hair fall over my face, hiding my smirk as Nik masked his laugh with a fake cough. “What?” She asked.

“She’s the girl from the bar.” Nik’s fingers brushed my shoulder. “Lawrence saw her in town and gave her my number.”

“How would Lars know what she looks like?”

Discomfort and frustration radiated from Nik, making a small amount of anxiety course through me. “I ran into her at Red Moon Tavern while I was with Lawrence and Stanly.”

Myra clicked her tongue against her teeth. “Okay, then. I really hope whatever psycho s**t you two have going on works out for you.” She huffed.

“What the f**k are you even doing here?” Nik scoffed.

The question seemed to set her off balance. “Well, I was, uh... I was in town. In the area. I just figured we could grab a cup of coffee before you had to go to work. Talk, you know?” She shrugged uncomfortably. “Obviously that was misguided.” Without another word, she turned on her heel and practically ran down the hallway. 

“That was super weird.” I chuckled. 

“Yeah, she’s always weird.” Nik sighed. “Sorry you had to meet her.”

“No, it’s fine. What was uncomfortable is that she was obviously here to get back together with you.”

“You’re not wrong.” He gently took my hair between his fingers and twirled it. “We broke up so many times over the course of our relationship, and it was never healthy. She’s a great girl, but for some reason, I could never make myself love her. She knew it, she picked a fight, we broke up. She’d wait a couple of days, sometimes a couple of weeks, then she’d come back apologizing. We’d get back together. A vicious cycle that felt like it would never f*****g end.” 

I nodded slowly, thinking about Bammiuk. “I’m very familiar with unhealthy codependent relationships... Anyway, I should head back. I’ll talk to you later.” I kissed him quickly on his cheek and left before anything else could stop me. I have new wolves to take care of...