Alec
Following Christopher outside, the cloudy afternoon is mild and comfortable. All around me is the incredible sight of wolves, in different types and sizes but all otherworldly, are running around. There are still some werewolves in their human form as well as just some regular humans, too.
Earlier, I got to tag along and attend the meeting with Christopher. The large gymnasium sized space was even larger than their dining hall. A circle of chairs spread out from the center, forming larger and larger rings with each row. Christopher and I sat in the smallest circle in the front row. He said there weren't assigned seats but, even so, it seemed to me that the seats Christopher and his parents took too became the point that all the others turned their bodies today. It was quite a new, unsettling experience.
I've had a lot of new experiences today. My cheeks still flush hot when I think about this morning in Christopher's office. I was swept away with Christopher's touch and the way he looked at me.
Very swept away.
During the meeting, I felt people glance at me and I worried that they could see the evidence of what Christopher and I had done, like a neon sign above my head. Christopher seemed very undisturbed by it all, focused intently on the meeting.
It was a side of Christopher I've never seen before. As the pack members were all invited to speak up about their thoughts of the lockdown and when it should end, Christopher listened attentively. His responses were calm and thought out. I had assumed Marlon would be the main speaker but it was Christopher who kept the meeting going.
Tomorrow, the lockdown will end but everyone is allowed outside in the yard today. Christopher's mother, Gina but everyone called Luna, had turned to me and asked if I didn't mind staying here one more night. I had never wanted to go home so bad in my life. However, put on the spot like that, all I could do was agree.
I can go home tomorrow. I can return to normal tomorrow.
Glancing over at Christopher, I wonder what normal will look like for me from now on.
After the meeting it was time to eat again. Keeping a wolf fed must be a full-time job, or maybe it's just a werewolf thing. I still wasn't hungry after that huge breakfast but a few nudges and Christopher ate anything leftover.
Afterwards we walked and walked through the pack house as Christopher gave me a more thorough tour. The layout is starting to make a little more sense to me. The shared spaces were less crowded, too, as many of the pack members had moved to the outside.
I was feeling kind of worn out already when Christopher asked if I, too, wanted to go outside. I agreed. He must have felt as cooped up as the others have.
The wolves running around almost resemble dogs playing except there is more order and control. They stay in certain areas and maintain their distance from others doing separate activities. Christopher was pointing around us and talking about the other buildings on the packs lands and what they are for. The words are going in one ear and out the next with all this visual over-stimulation. This commonplace scene to him is madness to me.
Further past the grass, I see a large group of werewolves in formation, looking like they are doing a group exercise. Two werewolves stand in front of them, one an older man with a sturdy muscular frame that I had met earlier at the meeting, Mason, I think The other one was Reed.
I have two embarrassing moments from today that still make my skin crawl when I see Reed. The first being when I was sprawled out on Christopher's sofa, blind to the world around us, just feeling Christopher's large hands and hot tongue. Only to be interrupted by Reed's Hey, vet, let me have Christopher for a moment.
He might as well have put the hose on me, blasting me with cold water during such an intimate moment. I know that Reed couldn't know what we were doing but, in that moment, I feel like he did know somehow.
That was embarrassing but how I reacted at the meeting really makes me feel angry with myself. I was a little disappointed that I was being asked to wait to go home but sitting and watching all the goings on was really interesting.
As the meeting wrapped up, Reed came up from somewhere in the crowd and slung his arm around Christopher's shoulders. He said something to me, something about the meeting but I didn't really process it.
It was the arm wrapped around Christopher's shoulders for me. Shoulders that have my arms wrapped around them less than a couple of hours before. I stood up from my chair so fast it hit the floor with a loud bang. Almost everyone still left in the room had turned to look.
Christopher, concerned, had pulled away from his friend to step closer. "Are you okay?" he had asked, "I know you want to go home but please be patient for one more day." I pretended like that was why I was upset. I've told myself several times already that I was acting insane. Reed always reaches out to Christopher and seems to be part of their friendship.
"This is the training range," Christopher smiles at me as we reach Reed and the others. I've missed most of what he's explained while we walked. Smiling back, I just not.
Forcing my attention to the group, it looks more intense than just exercising up close. They are all in their human forms and moving in unison through a series of fast-paced movements. I wonder if part of it is martial art moves?
"What are you guys training for?" I ask Christopher.
"Protection, mostly. Sometimes there are exhibitions at our pack summits but those are for the challenge and entertainment."
"Protection? I thought you said attacks are rare?"
"Attacks like that are rare, I promise. We still live a secret life out here and we like to rely on ourselves. There aren't attacks like that but we have a lot of people to look out for here. We don't want to be a weak target."
I remember him telling me about other packs and other Weres. But after seeing the tight-knit community here the past couple of days, I had started to assume there were all like the damn Partridge family.
"Is our Alpha giving you the grand tour? Reed butts in, leaving the front of the group to lean an elbow on Christopher's shoulder.
I look away, staying silent, watching the movements being practiced in front of me instead.
"Um, yeah," Christopher answers for me. "How much training are you going to do today? My dad wants us all in before dark."
"Yes, Alpha." Reed answers in an automatic voice. Then in a more normal tone, "We'll for sure be in before the sun dips below the trees."
Christopher and Reed talk low among themselves and I lose interest in their business like words. The other werewolf leading training pauses the group to start a new exercise. Now, the werewolves were shedding their clothes. Everyone. Totally nude.
Wide eyed, I watch as they mass shift into wolves. Then they start to leap into the air, drop to the ground, and jump up again. It took me a few times to realize they were doing burpees with a wolf twist.
"Alec?"
"Hmm." I turn back to Christopher, and Reed standing on his own for once.
"I have to go back and catch up on some homework, do you want to come with? Or stay here with Reed and Mason?"
"Do I have to be babysat?"
"It's not babysitting if I put you in charge, right?"
"Ha ha."
"Fine, I'm joking. But, I would feel better if you stayed with someone while you're here until you know your way around. Or you could always come back with me to my office?"
His office? Where I lost my damn mind? No, thanks.
"I'll stay here with... Reed. I guess."
Reed pretends to give me half a bow, smiling. "Wonderful."
Fix your face, Alec. I remind myself not to glare at his annoying personality.
"Alright, I'll just work for a bit and be down to join you for dinner, okay? Jeez, even more food? Christopher reaches his hand out towards my head.
"Don't pet me!" I jolt back, jerking away, my cheeks flaming.
"Okay, sorry." Christopher pulls his hand back, trying to hide a small laugh. "How do you want me to say good-bye?"
"Just- just say it." I regret it, though, when Christopher leans in quickly, his lips just grazing my ear.
"Bye, Alec. I'll see you later." He whispers. Pulling back with a wink, he turns and strides off.
Covering my ear with one hand, I try to understand how he has such a strong effect on me.
"Want to sit down?" Reed is suddenly standing beside me. Or, maybe, I was too busy daydreaming and staring off into the space even though Christopher has gone from view by now. Dropping my hand, I turn to look up into Reed's annoying face.
"Sure." I say flatly.
Reed leads me a little bit away to a wooden bench. Still close enough that I can watch the strange antics of the training wolves. I can also watch the werewolves playing across the wide lawn. The afternoon air is filled with enjoyment and energy.
"Tired?"
I slide my eyes over to Reed, looking for any hidden meaning. His bland smile is just curious. "A little."
"Hungry?" Reed badgers me.
"Mm-hmm." I shake my head.
"Thirsty?"
"No."
"Jealous?"
"Maybe." My answer slips out before I realize what Reed asked. "What?"
"Me and Christopher are pretty close, huh?" Glancing fully at his face now, Reed's looking smug.
"You should be close. You two are friends." I will not rise to his bait.
"Ah, come on." Reed nudges me and I have to lurch my legs and arms out to keep from tipping off the bench. "I'm just teasing you. I'm happy that you're here. You know, still here after finding out about us. Christopher's so happy. But you do make some funny faces if I get too close to Christopher."
"So, you're aware?." My teeth are so tight it's hard to get the words out.
"Haha, sorry. You don't need to worry about me. I mean, Christopher is all yours. Especially since he had your smell all over him coming into the meeting-"
My brain starts to go fuzzy. Maybe it's because Reed is talking about how my boyfriend smelled. Or maybe it's learning how specific the werewolf's sense of smell was. Which means that all of the werewolves probably smelled me.
"REED!" I jump to my feet, face burning and hands clenched into fists.
"Yes, L- ah, mm-" Reed's body rises to his full height next to me in a blink of an eye. His voice strangles over his words, while his arms are held tight to his sides. After a beat, his eyes wide, eyebrows raising, as if he can't believe what he just did either.
"What are you doing?" I ask, honest confusion lacing my voice.
"Uh, nothing." Reed forces out a laugh and loosens his stance. His eyes won't fully meet mine. Crossing his arms and shrugging his shoulders, "I'm just standing. You're standing, so I'm standing. We're just standing, that's all."
Something feels terribly off all of a sudden. I notice out of the corner of my eye that the training wolves have stopped as well. Looking all around, the wolves are all seated on their haunches where they stood, turned to me, even across the lawn.
The ones in human form are standing similar to Reed's pose, their arms at their sides. Anything they were holding have dropped to the ground. Even the smallest pups have froze, their heads turned my way.
What in the ever-fucking hell?