Gypsy Moon

Chapter Sixty: Aiden

. . . . . . (late January)

The morning run was canceled when we discovered cub number six was in the works for the new members. Her wolf refused to let her shift and we went to the newly finished infirmary to confirm the good news. Bryce and Samuel ran the border for me so I could cheerfully welcome yet another future pack member instead.

I remembered Lilian was up to something when I spotted her huddling with a handful of wolves outside the packhouse. I tilted my head suspiciously, all of them had clouded eyes, so they were using a mind link to prevent eavesdropping.

/:We can't follow her around; we have to meet with Dei.:/ I could feel Rhys's reluctance, we were both far more interested in what Lilian was up to.

/:Contact Inage, ask him where Dei wants to meet.:/ Rhys was quiet for a moment. When he spoke again, I had the feeling he was still linked to Inage.

/:Dei has no idea what we are talking about, he's off at the reservoir. He says that the meeting is supposed to be Thursday.:/ I could almost feel the confusion coming from Dei and Inage through Rhys. I'm pretty sure all four of us were humming suspiciously.

/:Let him know Lilian is up to something, and that I'll see him Thursday.:/ I watched Lilian and Kyle climb into one of the SUVs and drive away.

/:They expect us to leave, let's get going.:/ I grinned and stepped out of the packhouse, shedding my clothing and shifting as soon as I was outside. I made a point of flopping over and rolling in the dust before jogging casually away. I picked up speed as I got further from the campus, making it to a clearing near the road just in time to spot the SUV disappearing further into the trees.

I grinned and trotted calmly down the hill, my path far faster than the winding road they were driving on. I lay down as the trees switched to desert shrubbery and the soil began taking on sandy characteristics, wagging my tail lazily as I waited for the SUV to drive past.

The SUV purred past almost half an hour later, exactly when I thought it would and I flicked an ear to listen as they passed, they were heading towards town like she said. I yawned and followed them, casually loping along I-80 after them, making sure I was staying out of sight. The freeway turned north just after the state line, curving sharply towards Reno. I wouldn't be able to follow them in wolf form much longer on their current path. The area began to be spotted with houses as soon as we crossed the Nevada border.

Inspiration came to me, and I skidded to a stop, lying down in the low scrub as I gently tapped Gyam's mind.

/:hey.:/

/:g'way:/

/:where's Lil?:/

/:airport.:/ I grinned as he shut the link down. I figured she had told him. I ran off into the foothills to the southeast, my strides long as I raced around the city to the far side. They still had to drive through at least an hour of city traffic, but I needed every second if I was going to beat them there without being seen.

For once in my life, my fur color actually helped, I was nothing but a glittering flash across the smooth landscape. I forgot where I was going for a moment as I enjoyed the sand flying from under my paws, my breath coming out in sharp clouds as I ran, bounding through the rolling foothills, weaving through thick swaths of desert shrubs.

An airplane overhead reminded me, and I pushed myself faster. I had to slip through some farmland to get to the thinnest gap of civilization next to the airport and I crouched patiently at the edge of a field, looking for a chance to dash across to the landing field. I growled softly, there wasn't much cover on the airfield, not to mention the constant flurry of activity.

It was like watching a beehive. I sat and watched the humans working for a long time. I blinked when I noticed the SUV driving across the airfield towards a small private plane that had recently landed. I glanced around in annoyance, there was nothing I could hide behind to get closer. The shimmer of the pavement warped my view of the SUV and I growled softly.

Several minutes later, the SUV pulled away from the plane and drove away. Damn. I slid backwards and snuck back through the fields until I could run again. I grumbled as I jogged through the desert. I didn't bother hurrying, I had no idea if they would head back directly or not, so my chase was effectively over.

I stopped suddenly, thinking. I was supposed to meet Dei on Thursday, not today... But Lilian told me today. She assumed I would try to go to the meeting. But that would only have worked until I contacted Dei. She had to know I would contact him before I left. So, she would know that I would know there was no meeting. She would have had an excuse for getting the days mixed up, but I never tried to contact her about the mix-up.

Dammit! I started running furiously while Rhys howled with laughter. There was no 'mix up', the whole bunch of them were in on it. Maybe not Dei, but the rest of them. She knew I was following her the whole time, since I DIDN'T contact her.

Rhys was gasping with laughter as we raced west. I'm not even sure if a spirit can laugh itself to death, but Rhys was trying. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if she drove all the way to the airport simply because she knew it would take me longer to get to and from. She did this specifically to get me away from the packhouse for several hours.

/:I swear to the Goddess, if we get back to a surprise party for my birthday, I am throwing myself in the Grand Canyon.:/ By the way, it is NOT my birthday today, it's not for a couple more days, Thursday, in fact, but I could see Lilian trying this to get a jump on me. But the shame of falling for it... Yeah, the Grand Canyon might not be deep enough.

I expected this on Thursday. To be honest, I figured she scheduled the meeting when she did specifically to give herself time to set the party up. I growled softly as I ran, making a beeline for the packhouse. Fine, I'll just get home first, and we will play this game MY way. I don't technically have to be the one surprised for it to be a surprise party.

I slowed down as I neared the campus, watching the wolves working on the construction teams. Suspicion crept back into me. They wouldn't be working normally if they were expecting a surprise party sometime soon. I scanned the campus. Nothing was out of the ordinary.

Okay, not a surprise party, but she got rid of me for some reason. I circled through the woods until I was behind the packhouse. Still, nothing amiss, and I'm starting to hate how much fun I'm having with this ridiculous game. I studied the packhouse while I waited hidden in the shrubbery, until I picked up the familiar sound of the SUV returning.

I smothered a groan when Kyle and Lilian were the only ones to hop out of the SUV. They didn't even have any packages. It looked like the entire trip to the airport was a sham. My breath caught in alarm when Sinah walked out of the packhouse to greet them. Alone.

Gyam let her leave the suite unguarded? And she actually left without him? What if something happens? She looks exhausted! She can't protect herself at this stage of pregnancy, she's due in less than two months! What were they thinking?

I bolted towards my mate, growling angrily. I skidded to a stop when she turned to me with a very sleepy smile. Gyam was standing just out of sight, next to Derek. Derek was grinning and flipping me off with both hands. Derek had two arms!

Lilian was laughing hysterically as Derek strolled up and held up a pair of shorts for me. I shifted and pulled them on as quickly as I could as Gyam went to Sinah and picked her up bridal style. He grinned and carried her over while I examined Derek's right arm.

"How the f**k did you get a new arm?" Derek laughed.

"Your mate, brother. Grew it back, which hurt slightly less than when you took it off." Sinah smiled sleepily from Gyam's arms.

"You spent the entire time I was gone healing his arm, didn't you?" I didn't really need her sleepy nod and I grabbed Derek in a bone-crushing hug. "When did you get here?" He laughed and coughed as I released him.

"I wanted to show up on Thursday for your birthday, but Lilian said that would be too obvious and hatched this plot." He grinned. "I walked onto campus while you were rolling in the dirt pretending to be nonchalant." I shook with laughter.

"I fell for every crumb on the path." Lilian giggled and hugged me from behind.

"Only because you were so worn out. You were being so responsible for so long; we worried the condition would stick." Gyam chuckled, Sinah had fallen asleep, and he turned to carry her back inside. Lilian hopped up on my back piggyback style and I moved my arm to support her. "I had to protect my job security and plotted accordingly. Happy birthday, Aiden." I shook my head and twisted to look over my shoulder at her.

"To be clear, you are now obligated to throw a party on Thursday because I will now be disappointed if I don't get cake."

. . . . . .