Desolation

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

June 2018

Kent hung up his utility belt on the peg in the back of the van and hopped out, stretching as soon as he was free of the confines of the work vehicle. His feet ached, and he was ready to get out of these heavy boots. He was glad it had finally warmed up. He was tired of checking lines and repairing relay boxes with frost on the metal and his breath turning to a cloud in front of his face. His partner and former mentor, Allen, locked up the van.

“You did good work today,” the older man said. “Looks like I can retire in peace.”

“You’re not old enough to retire,” Kent said.

“In this economy I’ll have to work until I’m dead.” He clapped Kent on the shoulder. “See you tomorrow.”

“No, it’s my day off tomorrow.”

“Then I’ll see you day after, unless there’s an emergency.”

There’d better not be another f*****g emergency, Kent thought but he smiled and returned Allen’s wave as he jogged across the lot to his car. He got in, turned the key, and told himself he was happy. You got what you wanted. You worked damn hard for it, too. So be happy.

It had been one hell of a fight, two years of fighting, and arguing, and watching out for sabotage from people who were supposed to support him, and squirrelling money away in an account that his father didn’t know about, just to get his ass out of that house.

Somehow, he’d gotten to community college and completed his diploma. Somehow, he’d gotten a job even with no work experience and no references since he couldn’t use his father’s company and he didn’t trust his father or any of the managers working for him to give an honest accounting of his work ethic. Now he had a reliable job with a small, local electrician’s company doing contractor work on new houses and repairs when people’s lights went out. He had a basement apartment a whole town over from his overbearing family and a reliable roommate, and only five grand in debt left on his car loan and the line of credit that had gotten him through college.

He pulled up to the curb in front of Mrs. Meyer’s house. Her ancient station wagon sat in the driveway beside Patrick’s little two-door. Just ahead of his front bumper was another car, a beat-up four door with familiar plates parked on the street. Is Kendra over again? What time is it even? He glanced at the dashboard clock before turning the car off. Damn. She’ll probably be spending the night again.

He came in, responding to Mrs. Meyer’s greeting with a quick “hi” and a little wave. He took his boots off inside the back door and carried them down the stairs. They needed new insoles and he needed to spray them before he could wear them to work again. What he really needed was a new pair but that wasn’t on the budget right now.

The common living space that took up most of the basement, a living room and a kitchenette, was empty, the TV was off. He sighed. As he passed Patrick’s room he could hear them, the breathy gasping sounds of pleasure and the soft creak of the bed frame. He looked away and hurried past. It wasn’t Patrick’s fault this house was old and had both squeaky bed frames and thin walls.

When Patrick and Kendra did emerge from Patrick’s room, Kent was playing video games with his headphones on. He tugged the headset down so it hung around his neck and kept playing.

“Oh, you’re home,” Patrick said. “When’d you get in?”

“Not long ago.”

“You got a minute?”

“Lemme finish this race.”

“Sure.” Patrick retreated to the kitchen and came back with three cold beers. He set one on the table and handed one to Kendra.

When Kent’s car crossed the finish line he set the controller down and grabbed the beer. “What’re we celebrating?”

“Success,” Patrick said. “It’s official. I am not being shipped back to New Orleans.”

“That’s great! Now you can hang around here and find out what winter is really about.”

“There’s more,” Patrick said.

“More good news is always better,” Kent said.

Patrick and Kendra exchanged a look. “It may not be the best news, actually,” Patrick said.

“Oh, what’s up?”

“Kendra and I want to find our own place. The walls here are pretty thin. You can deny it, but I know it’s embarrassing for you, as well as us. And we could do with a bigger kitchen.”

“I can’t afford this place on my own, and you signed a lease agreement.”

“I know all that. Hey, I’m not moving out tomorrow, okay? I – we just wanted to give you a head’s up. Hopefully you can find someone to take over my half of the rent by the time we find somewhere else to live. Until then, I’ll keep holding up my end. I’ll even help you ask around for a roommate.”

“It took me long enough to find you. I don’t want to move back home, I can’t.” He set his beer down hard on the table. “What happens if I don’t find a roommate?”

“We could try finding you a girlfriend,” Kendra said. When the joke wasn’t met with the intended laughter, she sighed. “Look, we both know the situation. We all do. Patrick and I won’t do anything rash or sudden, but we did think it fair to warn you.”

“Yeah, okay, I get that. But you just moved in here!”

“I know. But things happened quicker than I thought they would. And really, basement flats like this are supposed to be temporary.”

“Any other news you want to spring on me today?”

Patrick shook his head. “I’m sorry.”

“Ah, don’t be. We’ll work this out.”

“Thanks.” He stood and drained his beer. “We’re on our way out. Catch you later.”

“Sure man. See you, Kendra.”

She waved.

When they’d disappeared up the stairs, he yanked the headset off and tossed it on the table, muttering curses under his breath. I had this all worked out! This is not how things are supposed to go!

Patrick and Kent drove down to the pack hall together for the full moon, taking Patrick’s car since it was better on fuel. Generally, the mood between them was one of old buddies, a lot of idle chatter, a lot of jokes, many of which weren’t appropriate. Tonight, however, Kent didn’t really feel like talking, not since Patrick had sprung the “good” news on him, and it seemed Patrick didn’t either, at least not tonight. Patrick was going to be made a full member of the Stevensville pack tonight and Kent could tell from his friend’s body language that he was nervous. And he wasn’t sure how Patrick was feeling about seeing Heidi again.

Theo, Anne, and the Walsh family were already at the pack hall when the two boys arrived. They helped finish up the set-up before the rest of the pack began trickling in. As well as Patrick’s initiation, there was a new juvenile joining the pack. She’d shifted the night before, at home, with her parents, a common thing for new wolves who could not yet resist the call of a moon so close to full.

When the pack was assembled, Theo took his place before them. “Thank you for arriving early this evening. We have some business to attend to. First, I invite Julie and Mark to come forward with Mina.”

The family of three joined Theo at the front of the room. The girl, Mina, was tall, thin, the kind of kid who had a future playing volleyball or basketball or both. Theo placed a hand on Mina’s shoulder, which was nearly level with his even with the age difference.

“This daughter of the moon has come into her birthright. It is our joy and our honor to welcome her into the pack. If this young wolf comes to you, in either of her forms seeking help, it is your duty to assist and guide her.” He gestured off to one side and the family took a few steps back. “Patrick O’Leary, will you join us at the front?”

Kendra patted Patrick’s arm and smiled at him. Patrick took a deep breath and took the half dozen strides to Theo’s side.

“In March I introduced you to Patrick, a young man searching for his place in the world. He has found it here, with us. We will officially welcome Patrick into our pack today. Before we begin the ceremonial part, I would also like to welcome Benjamin Dogget back to Stevensville. Many of you know that Benjamin has been away at school. He has returned to the pack.”

There was a round of polite applause from the crowd and then Mina and Patrick were called upon to recite their oath of loyalty to their alpha and to their pack. After the oath Theo, Patrick, and Mina retreated so they could shift without everyone staring at their naked bodies. When they returned, Theo offered each of them meat, a symbol of his duty to provide and protect his pack. Both Patrick and Mina ate the offering and then laid on the ground, bellies exposed, a sign that neither of them intended to challenge the alpha.

Theo howled, marking the end of the ceremony and Anne stepped up beside him to finish the words he could not speak. “The moon calls to us all and we, her children, must answer.”

Kent dispersed with the rest of the crowd, headed for the familiar place where he and the other men his age liked to pile their clothes when they shifted. There was little talking among them. The ceremony had taken them right up to full dark and they could all feel the pull of the moon.

After several hours of running, wrestling, and eating, the wolves shifted back, the humans finding their piles of clothes and getting dressed. Kent made his way quickly through the crowd, hoping to locate Patrick before …

“Kent, there you are!”

Kent’s shoulders dropped, and he turned, forcing a smile. “Benny! So, you are back.” His brother embraced him, and he forced himself to participate in the gesture.

“Sorry I haven’t come down to see your new place. You really moved out, huh?”

Kent nodded. “Yeah, about a month ago now. Where were you? We were expecting you home before the May full moon.”

“Oh, well, things came up. They gave me an extension on my student pass for one more full moon. Just had to tie up loose ends before leaving town. You know how it is. How’s work?”

“Same as it was when you came home for Christmas, except now I don’t have to put up with people belittling me at dinner every day for doing a job that requires steel toe boots and a hard hat instead of one that requires a suit and tie.”

“That’s good,” Benny said but Kent couldn’t hear any enthusiasm in the answer.

“Look, I car pooled here. Gas is a big expense for some of us. I shouldn’t keep my friend waiting.”

“Of course,” Benny said, falling in step with Kent. “Now’s not great, I know, it’s late. Can we do coffee or something? Soon? I’d like to get caught up with you.”

“I’ll let you know what my work schedule looks like. It’s construction season so I’m going to be busy now until the snow flies.”

“Oh, sure. Just let me know. Cell phone number hasn’t change.”

Kent breathed a sigh of relief when Benny stopped following him. A month before Kent had graduated high school, he and his brother had gone through a bit of a falling out. Most of the time it didn’t matter, not with Benny being two states over attending university. But now Benny was done, a full-fledged lawyer, and he was home for good. I don’t have to talk to him. I don’t talk to Dad, so I don’t have to talk to Benny either.

He found Patrick near Theo’s office. Kendra and Theo were standing in front of the computer, pointing at the screen and talking about something to do with the numbers that were there. Anne and Justine were a short way off talking with Mina’s parents. Larry and Patrick were busy discussing tractor hydraulics.

When Patrick saw Kent, he patted Larry’s arm. “I’ll come out on my next day off, all right?”

“Thanks. You take care now. I don’t need you run over by a fork lift.”

“I’ll watch my step,” Patrick said with a laugh. He turned to Kent. “Ready to go?”

“Yes.” He didn’t care that the desperation was obvious in his voice.

Patrick’s face took a more serious turn and he nodded. “Let’s go then.”

The good thing about having a roommate who’d also run away from an overbearing family was that Patrick understood the discomfort of having to deal with the family you were running from when you wanted nothing to do with them. Patrick paused, kissed Kendra’s cheek, and wished her a good night, and then they were out the door and in the car.

“Did you run into your dad?” Patrick asked as he backed out.

“No, my older brother. Dad won’t talk to me at all now that I’ve moved out.” Thank God for that.

“Your older brother is Benny, the one that just got back from school?”

“Yeah. And he wants to have coffee. I don’t know if I can handle that.”

“Where does he fall in this whole family drama?” Patrick asked.

“I thought he’d side with me, he’d always been there for me before, but I was wrong. Whatever I’ve done, whatever I’ve accomplished, I did it without him.”