Saving Her Wolf Pup

Chapter Two

The next few hours passed quickly as everyone but Crimson slept. Even though he told the woman to stay away, he couldn't shake off his unease towards her. After all, he had to protect his own. Chances are the shapeshifting gene got passed down to Alice. Maybe it even got passed to the boy as well. If that were so, they would have a lot to worry about with the woman.

Alice woke around nine, yawning and stretching in her human form. She looked at Frederick, who was curled up in a ball, just like she slept when she was younger, watching over him when he was a baby curled up alongside her. She got up, and went downstairs with his clothes from earlier. She found Crimson standing in the kitchen entryway, watching out the window. Even in her silence, he turned to look at her.

"Good morning," he said with a smile.

"Good morning." She was surprised he knew she was coming, but she couldn't help but smile back at him. Somehow, she knew she could trust him. Maybe it was her "animal instinct?" She brushed that thought aside. She wasn't an animal.

"How did you sleep?" he asked.

"Much better since I have him. Once we get him settled, he'll be able to have a good bedroom. I'll set it up how he wants."

"You're a very dedicated sister to want to do so much for him."

"He may be my brother, but I was raising him as my own for a while. Our mother beat us often, me much more after he was born. I felt compelled to protect him, even as a baby, when she wouldn't dare touch him. I began taking beatings for him, in the hopes that she'd never harm him, that he'd never know the pain I went through. It was because of her that I turned to my best friend. Crystal loved me as a mother should, but I am immensely protective of her as well." Alice stayed quiet for a moment. "What was your childhood like with these abilities?"

"My parents weren't around much, but they helped me understand who I am. I trained to be stronger and faster, so that one day I could protect everyone I know." He looked at his phone suddenly. "Enough of me for now. The meeting will be in a few hours. We can get some of his clothes now, if you'd like. That woman is already being escorted to be interrogated."

That woman. Her mouth twitched at those words. "That would be wonderful. I don't have any clothes here that really fit him," she said with the clothes in her hand as she set them down on the table. "Will he be going into the meeting with us?"

"Yes. My contact would like to see how he reacts around you and her. And don't worry about if something is said about us. My contact knows about shifters."

Alice nodded. "As long as she can't hurt him, I don't mind who is there."

"He'll be safe. Now that our people know about you, you have more allies than you know."

"Why is everyone instantly my ally if they don't know me?" There was then a quiet creak of floorboards and Alice turned around to see Frederick emerge from the hall at the top of the stairs.

"Aly?" He rubbed his eyes as he started down the stairs.

"What's up, bud?" She started towards him.

"They won't make me go back to her, will they?"

"No. I'll make sure of it. You're safe with me. Would you like to go get some of your things?" He merely nodded, so she looked at Crimson. "When can we go?"

Crystal came out of her room, already dressed. "Just don't leave without me. You'll need all the witnesses you can get." She walked down to Alice and Frederick, putting a hand on his head. "I remember the pain she went through last year when she lost custody. I had to snap her out of her rage after she shifted for the first time. I won't let it happen again."

"You've only been a shifter for a year?" He sounded amazed. Alice nodded. "Extraordinary. It usually takes us years of practice to control our shifts. I've been training more than 10 years, and I wasn't to your point until two, maybe three years after my first shift."

"I guess you could say I let my instincts take over. Whenever I am in a different form, I feel- free."

"That is one way of being in tune with shifting."

Crystal spoke, feeling like the odd one out, "How about I make some breakfast while you get dressed?"

Alice nodded. "I'll be right back down then." So she gave her brother a pat forward to the kitchen before going upstairs to put on some semi-formal wear: a pair of black pants, paired with a white tank, which she tucked in, and a black button-up. She finished getting ready, then went down to find Frederick eating a bowl of cereal. "Hey, bud, did she ever do your laundry there? Do you have any clean clothes?"

He shook his head a bit after taking another bite. "I do have some clothes in my drawers."

"Alright. I guess we'll have to see what there is. If we have time, I'll take you shopping. Is that okay, Crimson?" Alice asked as she glanced up at him.

"That is perfectly fine. Whatever we can grab from the house I'll have brought here. Then I'll take you to get him outfitted for the meeting. It'll take about an hour to get to the meeting so we can't spend too much time at either location."

"I understand. I just want him to feel taken care of and special for once." Alice looked down at the little boy who meant so much to her. The memories of their early years flooded her thoughts. Tears welled in her eyes as she remembered feeling hopeless about protecting him.

He turned around to hug her. "Don't cry, Aly. I'm here for you."

That made her chuckle and a couple of tears escaped. "Buddy, that's not how it's supposed to work. Finish your food and I'll make you look nice for our friends."

Within the next 20 minutes, they were on their way out of the forest, using an SUV that appeared in the night. Crimson motioned to it, explaining, "I had a friend, another shifter, bring it while I watched last night. He then went back to our meeting place to put some paperwork together." Everyone got in the vehicle and they were on their way to Allison's house.

Freddy didn't have many things there, but what he did have was special to him. We first went through to his room, where he had his school bag. "When does school start up again? Shouldn't you be going back soon?"

"Next week, I think."

"I guess I better meet your teacher then," Alice smiled. She grabbed the backpack and opened it. There were some papers for school in a folder that she opened. "You're right. School starts back up next week. I'll get you some new clothes to wear." She zipped the bag back up and handed it to him.

She opened the drawers to find only a few clothes. She picked up a nice short sleeve plaid shirt and shorts that went well together, then grabbed underwear and socks. "Here you go, bud, so you don't have to wear those that are too small." She handed him the clothes and walked out to let him change.

In the living room, Crimson and Crystal sat, talking about Alice. "She has incredible strength, too. I know she could do almost anything if she had to. I want her to continue school, but she doesn't want to."

Alice entered the room and spoke, "That's because there isn't much knowledge that is useful to me. And I'm no fool in school. Lord Tennyson is still one of my favorite poets. I can recite Lady of Shalott if you'd like." She smiled and leaned against the wall.

Crimson chuckled. "I agree that school is important, but if you already have the knowledge, then what's the point?" He smiled at Alice, who smiled in return.

"The point," Crystal stated, "is that she should be a good influence on her brother. I'm sure she'd want Freddy to continue school when he gets older."

"Yes, but by then we should be in a better situation where that will become a big probability. He's very bright. I hope he continues his thirst for knowledge when he gets closer to my age."

"Have you thought about what will happen after this is done?" Crystal looked at Alice with a serious expression. "Are you going to do everything you can to give him the life he deserves?"

Alice frowned and glanced to the side of the hallway behind her. "Of course I have. I told you earlier I'll even get a job to support you two. I can do damn near anything. And after this semester I'll have my degree. The trust funds for him and myself can be our back-up. I am already using the money she left in her will to me since I combined my entire savings to it. My grandma made sure we would be okay. It's a damn shame that b***h won that custody battle. If she told the truth, grandma would still be alive. Her heart wouldn't have given out after losing him."

"You also wouldn't be who you are today," Crystal pointed out. "I just want to make sure you'll be okay. I think you both deserve each other more than anything."

"Aly?" Frederick had silently come out and was already dressed with a sad look on his face as he stood in his doorway. "Grandma is gone? Is it my fault?"

Alice felt her heart plummet as the ideas spread across his face. "I'm sorry, bud. No, it is not your fault." Her eyes started watering and she gripped him in a tight hug. "Don't ever think it is your fault. You're too young to understand what was going on."

"But it is my fault. Mom said she'd beat me more if I didn't do as she said. She had me meet detectives with her and I told them she never hit me." He gripped her tightly and cried.

Those words hit Alice like daggers. She rubbed his back. "It's okay, now. Freddy, it is going to be okay. She can't hurt us anymore. I promise I won't let her this time or anytime from now on. I wish I could make her suffer for ever hurting you."

Crimson watched with interest and sympathy. In front of him was this incredibly strong person. She felt so much pain and anger, but she didn't let her emotions get in the way of caring for the young boy. He was her everything, and she would give up anything for him. "I promise you, she will pay for this. I will even make sure of it myself if I have to."

Alice looked up from Frederick to Crimson. "Thank you," she said very quietly. She then took a deep breath, and with a final hug with her brother she stood up. "He has no clothes that really fit him. These are the best I found. If we still have time to shop, I'd like to get him a few pairs of clothes for school. If not, this should do just fine until after the meeting."

"If we leave here now, we'll have time. If you want to spend more time here packing his things, then that outfit is fine for the meeting and you can shop afterwards."

Alice looked down at Frederick. "Would you rather pack up some of your stuff to take home?"

He smiled wide and ran to his room. Alice looked at Crimson and Crystal with a small smile before Frederick came back out carrying a few toys. "These are my favorite. I always hid them so they wouldn't break."

Crimson smiled and spoke, "I'll grab a few boxes from the car so you can put your things in them. Depending on how much you want to take, we can pack them into the car and go to the meeting."

Frederick smiled more and set his toys on the floor as Crimson stood up. Before Crimson could get fully out the door, Frederick was already heading back to his room to grab more. Of the toys on the ground, Alice recognized one in particular - a blue stuffed Easter bunny from right before she lost him. It was a symbol for him to never forget that his sister loves him. She smiled softly at the memories from when he was younger.

Before long, there were three boxes full of toys, some of his favorite clothes that would fit for a short while longer, and some of his favorite blankets. He was so excited to decorate and set up his new room. They packed the car and were on their way to their meeting.