The Moon's Pack Book 1: A Girl Among Wolves

Chapter 8 - Avery

“So, I have no sense of style, huh?” Bastan teases as he looks down at me. I cover my mouth to hide my snicker.

“Come on, Wendy needs a little fun, and I need new clothes. It was a win-win. Also, I think this is the same outfit you wore yesterday.” I gesture to the worn-out dark jeans, faded black t-shirt and a leather bomber jacket. “Come one, I mean, that can’t even be warm enough.” He just chuckles.

“Tiny, us werewolves run warm. That means in these frigid temperatures, we don’t need to be as bundled up as you.” He grins down at me as I mumble something about my name not being Tiny. “Also, Frost Moon Pack, we especially were made with more durability in general. That includes levels of resistance even to frigid weather. And, I like calling you Tiny. It’s what my wolf called you when you first ran into us. Just kinda stuck,” he explains with a shrug. Despite it not being my favorite nickname, the fact that it came from Jasper makes me smile.

“Will I get to hang out with Jasper while I am staying here?” I can’t help the hopeful curiosity in my voice. Bastan goes quiet as he stares blankly ahead. I wonder if it’s because he is talking with Jasper now. For a while, the only noise is the snow crunching under our feet, while I wait for him to answer me.

“Hi Tiny!” Bastan finally responds, only his voice is a little gruffer. I look up and his eyes are almost glowing. A playful grin on his face that reminds me of a puppy.

“Bastan?” He shakes his head no with a bit of a chortle.

“You asked to hang out with me, remember Tiny?” He hunches over, just enough that it reminds me of a dog ready to play.

“Jasper?” I ask in shock. He nods his head with a bit of a lopsided grin.

“Tiny, how’d you know my name?” He c***s his head, just like a dog would, and I giggle lightly. I can just picture the floppy ears with the head tilt.

“Wendy told me your name earlier today, and her wolf’s name, Mina.” He nods his head like he already knew her wolf’s name, but continues looking at me intently. “Jasper, do you have the same feeling as me and Bastan, that I’m supposed to be here?” He nods again.

“I told the dummy you were important. Took him longer to feel it. I felt it. That’s why I ran to you. I saw you running, and you looked scared. Tiny human, alone and scared in the woods, and I knew I had to be with you. Dummy wanted to do a different plan until you ran into us. Then he got the feeling too.” I giggle at his constant calling Bastan, Dummy as I listen to him recount what happened from his point of view.

“Do you two disagree a lot?” He shakes his head no. “Jasper, you said I was important.” He nods his head, stopping and staring down at me. “What do you mean by that?” He just shrugs. Jasper glances right and left as if listening to more than just our conversation, while he thinks.

“I don’t know, Tiny. I think, well, Selene has reasons she reveals when it’s time. She just gives us the feeling to help us be ready. Dummy human is always a step behind.”

“Who is Selene?” I wonder if she is someone I could talk to about all of this. Clearly, she knows more than what she is revealing.

“Moon Goddess,” he states in a respectful and dreamy tone. He huffs right after and pouts. “Bye Tiny. Dummy human wants control back.” I stand on my tiptoes and kiss Jasper’s cheek. I giggle as a low rumble vibrates from his chest right before Bastan seems to have taken back control.

“I like him,” I say to Bastan before resuming our walk, not that I know where we are going.

“Well good, one of us ought to.” He chuckles before scrunching up his face. “Great, he can call me Dummy Human, but the wolf sulks if I make a joke at his expense.” I can’t help but laugh uncontrollably at that. They really do seem to be just like siblings, but in one body. So weird. Yet, also oddly not so strange.

“So, this Moon Goddess, Selene. She has all the answers?” I ask after catching my breath.

“Not so easy there Tiny. She is a goddess. Not like she is someone we can just call on the phone and ask what’s up.” I chew on the inside of my cheek while trying to think. Clearly, Selene is an active participant in werewolf lives, as even the wolves owe intuitive feelings to her. So, why me? And how do we get her to actually talk to us, if she really is real? “Alright, we’re here!”