LIAM: WHEN PETE WOKE UP IT WAS SUDDENLY AND FRIGHTENED, LIKE WAKING UP FROM A NIGHTMARE.
“Liam!?” He called out, not seeing his uncle in the room with him.
I dropped everything I was doing to rush into his room and be by his side. He looked relieved when I appeared, and returned the hold I had on his hand when I knelt beside him.
“I’m here, Peter. I’m here.” I soothed, vaguely aware of Briar appearing behind me in the doorway.
“I feel weird.” He whined.
“I know honey. It’ll pass. Where does it feel weird?”
“Everywhere.” He sounded defeated, I squeezed his hand a little tighter.
“Are you thirsty? Hungry? What do you need, kiddo?”
“Yes.” Was all he said. “I feel like I’m starving.”
I didn’t need to ask Briar anything, he already turned to leave. I assumed he was getting the pancakes and sausages we’d prepared. Briar insisted on the sausage, saying he’d need the protein.
He returned shortly after, passing the plate to me so I could hold it for Pete while he struggled to sit upright.
“Easy, easy.” I cooed, I didn’t want him moving too fast in his excitement for food.
He didn’t pause to say anything as he shoveled food into his mouth. I had to look away for a moment as he all but inhaled the food on the plate, only slowing when two thirds of the plate was finished off.
“Feeling better?” I asked.
“Much.” He agreed, closing his eyes for a moment as if he were still tired. I supposed he probably was.
“So… how bad is it?” He eventually asked. “The bite, I mean.”
“Well, we had to call a doctor to be sure, but she says you’re healing well. You’ll be fine after another day or two of rest.”
“I didn’t wake up during all that? Damn, I was out.” He hummed, and I smiled tightly, he was looking normal, but I could tell he was in pain. We hadn’t even told him the other news, yet. I wasn’t looking forward to that conversation, but I wasn’t sure when would be the best time. Do I get it out of the way, while he’s lucid? Or do I wait for when he’s healed.
He must’ve seen the conflict written on my face, because he frowned.
“What is it?” He asked.
“What?”
“Something you’re not telling me. Why’s Mr. Galloway here, what’s going on?” His hackles were raised. I looked to Briar for guidance while Peter shoved the plate of food aside.
Briar must’ve taken it as permission to enter the room, setting his hand on my shoulder as he came to kneel beside me.
“We’ve got something we need to talk to you about, but I don’t wanna start until you’re ready. You’re still hurt.”
“I don’t care that I’m hurt, look, I’m fine now.” He complained, but that whine was still in his voice.
“We don’t wanna stress you out any more.” I tried, gently.
“Not telling me is doing the opposite. I feel like you’re looking at me like I’m dying.”
“You’re not dying.” Briar said with finality. I knew he wouldn’t, since the first thing he said upon waking was my name, so clearly he wasn’t feral. The doctor gave me no reason to doubt her, either. It filled me with relief, anyways.
“Do we tell him?” I asked Briar, ignoring Pete’s agitation for now.
“It’s up to you. As long as he doesn’t panic.”
“I won’t panic.” Pete supplied with annoyance.
I decided to bite the bullet, gripping his hand tightly with my own. He got the message, and met my gaze with poorly concealed concern.
“You’re turning into a werewolf.” I said it seriously, but even I could see the ridiculousness of it.
“Sick.” Pete answered after a long silence. I frowned.
“I’m serious.”
“Werewolves aren’t real.” He said, like he was trying to convince himself.
“I would have believed that too, if Mr. Galloway didn’t prove me wrong.”
“What, he’s a werewolf?” He still sounded incredulous, but there was a glimmer of interest in his eye.
“Yes.” Briar’s tone tried to relay just how serious he was.
“Proof.” Pete demanded, “I won’t believe it till I see it.”
I looked to Briar, who sighed. He looked tired, but met my gaze with his own. He seemed to think a little longer on it before nodding. I felt bad, it must be tiring to shift.
“Okay.” He agreed. “I want you to see it for yourself.”
“Wait, really?” Pete spoke up, sitting up further as Briar moved to the doorway.
“I’ll save your eyes, Pete. I’m changing in the hallway.”
There were the sounds of cracking and creaking once again, and I had to remind myself that this was normal for him, to keep my stomach from rolling.
Soon enough the large brown wolf came wandering back into the bedroom, huffing at Pete’s look of bewilderment.
He growled lowly, putting his front paws on the edge of the bed and lifting up, sniffing around in Pete’s direction without getting too close.
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I watched the intrusive thought enter his brain, and did nothing to stop it as Pete reached over and ran his hands through Briar’s fur.
“No fucking way.” Pete said with awe in his voice while Briar patiently tolerated his inspection. “This is… happening to me?”
I nodded in lieu of answering.
“You need to remember how important this secret is. It’s not like who has a crush on who with your classmates, your life could seriously be in danger if you tell anyone.” No one had told me what would happen if the secret was spilled, but it didn’t take a genius to guess that it wasn’t good whatever it was. I needed Pete to understand that.
“… I get it.” He swallowed thickly. Briar whined and turned tail, trotting back out the door only to return a few minutes later looking like a human if only a little tired.
“There’s an estate about an hour’s drive away. There are other people like us there, always. It’s where my—our, alpha lives. She is willing to take you into the pack.”
This was news to me, it must’ve been what Briar was talking on the phone this morning before he called out of work. I couldn’t help but feel a little left out, not that I wanted to be a werewolf or anything, but to be a part of a community was something I wished for.
“How many others like me?”
“Tons. There are other packs, too. Some of them are your age.”
“Do they go to our school?” He sounded hopeful.
“No, they live in the next town over. If you heal well, I can see about bringing both of you to the estate to meet the rest of the pack.” He said, which made me feel a little better, to be invited.
“How many wolves live in this town?” I asked.
“Just me and Pete, at the moment. I think some of my friends back home have been considering moving, though.” He answered truthfully.
“Why did you move away?” Pete asked.
“The high school there is small, and I already know everyone in that town. I guess I just wanted something new for a change.” He smiled softly, like he was recalling something.
Pete was about to ask something else, when his body betrayed his exhaustion with a big yawn.
“C’mon, let’s let him rest some more.” Briar spoke softly, placing his hand on my shoulder and drawing me away from his bedside.
“But I have more questions.” Pete complained.
“Ask them later. You need to sleep, Peter.” I told him instead, brushing his hair away from his face and taking the plate of mostly finished pancakes away.
He didn’t complain anymore, just grumbled softly before turning over on his side and closing his eyes. I closed the door after us as we left, going back into the living room to talk more.
“So.” I began. “Taking him to the estate, huh?”
“Both of you. You’re just as much in this pack as he is.” He told me, sitting down on the couch. I followed.
“Me? I’m not a werewolf, though.”
“We have humans in the pack, too.” He told me, laughing lightly. “Family and mates of the wolves.”
“Whoa… and the pack will be okay with us joining? Even though it’s so sudden?” I couldn’t help my concern.
“They’ll have to. Clarice herself allowed your entry.”
“Why did she do that?” I asked.
“Being a lone wolf is a hard life, especially for a teenager who doesn’t know the first thing about being a werewolf. He needs a guiding hand to be able to teach him.”
“Like you?”
Briar nodded, but said: “It takes a village.”
“And what about me?” I asked.
“That—is a longer story. Why don’t I tell you when we finally have that date, hm?”
“Oh so now you’re hiding things from me.” I accused with humor in my tone. He smirked.
“I gotta keep some aces to myself.”
I rolled my eyes. “So this whole thing didn’t put you off at all then?” I waved my hand around me like I was pointing to the elephant in the room.
“Far from it. I’d say I’m more excited than ever to spend time with you. Under… less stressful conditions, hopefully.”
I laughed “Dinner and a movie at home then. Nothing more relaxed than that.”
“Sounds perfect.” He chuckled.
I decided I liked hearing him laugh. I accidentally let my eyes drop to his lips for a second, snapping them back up to his eyes in time for me to catch him doing the same. I became aware of how close we were, then. I had sat so close to him, and he only leaned closer while we talked about going on a date. Now we were close enough to feel the ghost of the other’s breath. Just a little closer… and…
My mind came back to me all at once, and I blinked, pulling away suddenly. I cleared my throat.
“Pete’s still sick, we… can’t.” I swallowed. It was a sorry apology but he understood, nodding, and pulling back as well.
“Do you want to watch anything?” I turned away, fighting against the part of my brain that craved his touch, reaching over to the table for the remote.
“Sure.” It sounded a little forced, but when I looked at him he was smiling again. I nodded, clicking the TV on and finding something for us to watch.
…
There came a knocking on the door later that evening. Briar looked at the door before it even knocked, and he was the one to get up first. I was a little bummed, he was so warm.
I followed him to the entryway, curious about who it could be. When Briar opened the door, there was a brunette woman with a round, pretty face a little taller than me, and a very tall muscular man with dusty blonde spiked hair and wraparound shades. He looked like the personification of 2000’s men’s fashion.
“Jeanette, Axle. What a surprise! How did you find this address.”
“You know Clarice and new wolves. She sent us over with this.” Jeanette smiled charmingly, pulling a gift basket of all things from beyond where I couldn’t see.
“He’s hardly an infant.” Briar laughed, but accepted the package, passing it to me.
“Yeah, well. I think she’s more excited than she lets on.”
“How did she know Pete was awake?” I asked after glancing at the note card.
“I texted her when he went back to sleep.” Briar told me. Funny, I hadn’t seen him do it.
I put the basket on the table and returned, I invited them in “Come on in, you two.”
Jeanette walked right in with her head held high, while Axle looked a little sheepish.
“My name’s Liam, I’m Pete’s guardian.” I held out my hand to the newcomers.
“Hi there! I’m Jeanette, the walking boy band is Axle. It’s nice to meet you!” Jeanette shook my hand first, smiling wide.
“It’s a pleasure.” Axle greeted me with a smile when he shook my hand. Catching their scents, Axle surprised me by being a beta, while Jeanette was another omega.
“These two are my friends from the next town over.” Briar explained, and suddenly it made sense as to why Clarice sent them specifically.
“Well, feel free to have a seat. Leave your shoes at the door, can I get us some tea?”
“No thanks, I really appreciate it. We are just stopping by to give the basket and offer our congrats to Pete’s recovery.” Jeanette shook her head.
“Thank you, I’ll pass the message along the next time he wakes up.”
“Did Clarice send you to investigate the rogue?” Briar asked in Axle’s direction.
“Yeah, well, we’re helping at least. Jonah’s the one doing most of the legwork.” Axle shook his head.
“How’s it going?”
“Not great. We found a couple trails but nothing conclusive. It’s like he disappeared.” Axle tutted.
“Damn.” Briar frowned, a motion I mirrored. It could mean that rogue is still out there. What if it was a danger, or even got in trouble.
“We haven’t lost hope yet, though. Thank you for your hospitality, Liam, but we’d better get back to looking for the rogue.”
“Oh, sure. Feel free to stop by.” I waved, while Axle gave Briar a pat on the shoulder, and Jeanette gave him a big hug, making me frown a little with the way she clung to him.
“Bye now!” Jeanette called as she left out the door shortly after, leaving Briar and I in a quiet house once again.
“They seem nice.” I filled the silence.
“Heh, yeah, they can be.” He chuckled. I got the sense that they were close.
He started moving back toward the couch, but this time instead of following him, I went to go check on Pete.
Still sleeping away, I satisfied myself and returned to Briar’s side.
“Another episode?” He asked.
“Let’s.” I snorted.