Fate's Intentions (21 page)

Aaron didn't say anything right away. Once again, he sat thinking of what she'd just told him. He laughed a little when he finally did speak. "I'm not trying to be insensitive Babe, and I do believe you after seeing you turn into a wolf, but this crap that has happened to you is crazy! I really don't think you could make something like that up, but wow!"

Scarlett giggled. "Yea, I guess you're right. It does sound pretty nuts. But that is what happened. I owe everything to Ben. If not for him, well, I don't even want to go there. But there is your story. That's how I became a wolf. And now Ash is in heat, drooling all over Adam, so she wants to become a werewolf too."

Aaron laughed, "She probably just doesn't want to be left out."

Scarlett laughed and agreed, "Yea, I think you're right!"

Chapter 23

As they drove down the road behind Adam, Ashlynn and Ben, Scarlett smiled to herself as she wiggled around at Aaron's side. It was heaven to be next to him with his arm around her, even if they were on the run. "You have no idea how lost I've been without you Aaron!"

"Probably about as lost as I've been without you." He replied and then kissed her forehead. "I love you Scarlett, and I'm never letting you leave my side again!"

"That's good, because I don't plan to. You and I are going to be like Siamese twins." She laughed at him.

"Maybe instead of wedding rings, we should get a set of handcuffs." He joked, but then his expression changed. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to push the marriage thing. It's just, that's how I envision our future. I want you to be my wife!"

"It's okay. Honestly, I'm ready to get married. Everything that has happened to me has made me realize a lot, but on the other hand, I think maybe we should wait because there's some more stuff that you have to be willing to accept."

Aaron sighed. "Scarlett, don't you ever doubt my feelings for you. I was wrong to throw you out like I did. I was just hurt and angry, but it didn't change the way I feel about you. Nothing could ever make me love you any less!"

Scarlett didn't reply. She was watching Adam's taillights as he slowed and then pulled in to a motel. Adam parked outside the entrance and Aaron pulled in and parked to the right of him. He rolled down his window and Ashlynn put hers down as well. "Adam is going in to get us a room. Do you two mind if we all bunk together?"

Aaron shrugged and looked around to Scarlett. "What do you think Babe?"

"I'm okay with it if you are."

Aaron turned back to Ashlynn. "Yea, we'll room with you guys."

Adam got out of the car and entered the motel. In a few minutes he was back. "I think it's best if we leave our luggage in the car in case we need to leave quick."

Everyone agreed and they entered the motel, making their way down the hall to the room. Adam and Ashlynn lead the way with Aaron and Scarlett following them and Ben bringing up the rear. Adam unlocked the room and they all filed in, looking around, taking in their surroundings. There were two full sized beds and a couch. Ashlynn flopped down onto one of the beds. "Dibs!" She yelled and then pulled Adam backwards onto the bed as well. Scarlett awkwardly looked at Ben, "You can have the other bed Ben."

He shook his head. "No you take it. I probably won't be sleeping much tonight anyway."

Everyone gathered around and sat facing one another. Ashlynn threw her hands up. "Okay, so what is the plan? Are we going to Mexico or something?"

Ben shook his head. "No, we just need to stay low for a couple days and see what is going on in town. We need to find out what is becoming of today's events."

Adam nodded. "Yes, we need to know if any of us have been identified and if they did indeed see us transform." He looked over to Aaron. "How are you handling all of the information you have been informed with tonight?"

Aaron shrugged his shoulders. "I can't say it's easy to take in, but I'll stand by Scarlett no matter what!"

Adam couldn't help but notice the look that appeared on Ben's face as Aaron said this. Ashlynn interrupted. "If only we had one of those memory eraser thingys like in Men In Black." Everyone laughed until Ashlynn began to speak again. "Hey, nobody in town knows Aaron or his car, we can send him in to get the 411."

Adam nodded, "That's a good idea. If you don't mind Aaron, maybe you could ride into town to the grocery store and pick up a newspaper.  Maybe you will overhear some gossip."

Aaron shrugged again. "Sure. I can do that."

Ashlynn fell back on the bed and made a noise sounding irritated. "This needs to all be over. It's spoiling my plans!"

Adam raised an eyebrow at her. "What plans?"

She smiled. "For you to make me a wolf before the next full moon!"

Adam didn't reply to this and when no one else said anything, Aaron spoke. "If you guys don't mind, could someone explain this werewolf thing to me?"

Adam nodded. "How much has Scarlett told you?"

He looked around to Scarlett and then back to Adam. "Nothing really. Only how she ended up a wolf."

Adam ran his fingers through his hair and wondered where to start. "'Well, Ben and I were born werewolves. My parents were werewolves, my grandparents, Ben is my grandfather's brother. I'm not sure how our family ended up as wolves but we are."

Aaron looked confused. "Hold on, you say Ben is your grandfather's brother?"

Adam nodded. "Yes. I know he doesn't look to be that old, but we don't age as humans do. Humans live for decades whereas we live for centuries."

Aaron was taken aback. "So how old are you guys?"

Adam sighed. "I am 73. Ben is 128."

Aaron looked like a feather could knock him over. "Wow!"

Adam continued. "We are not dangerous animals. 90 percent of the time, maybe more we are humans. We transform at will, whenever we like, and we transform against our will on nights of the full moon."

Aaron nodded as he listened as if the nodding was helping the information settle a little easier. "So what happens on a full moon?" He was a little leery of the answer.

"Well, besides from us turning into wolves uncontrollably, nothing. We usually go out and run the forest and hunt small game. Our lives are not much different from everyone else. We just don't stay in the same spot for extended periods of time. Every ten years or so we move somewhere new so locals don't get suspicious that we don't age."

Aaron seemed mesmerized by the things Adam was saying. "That sounds like an awesome way to live!"

Adam laughed. "Yea, it just gets a little lonely. For many years it has only been Ben and I. We can not make friends or tell anyone what we really are. You three are the only people we have told."

Before either could say anymore, Ashlynn blurted in, "I feel so privileged!"

Aaron, Adam and Ben looked at her like she was crazy, but Scarlett and Ashlynn erupted with laughter.

When the girls quieted down, Ben spoke. "We should all get some rest. We don't know what tomorrow will bring."

Everyone settled into bed to get some sleep. Everyone but Ben. He laid back on the couch and decided to stay awake and keep an ear out, just in case anyone found them.

Scarlett laid in Aaron's arms and thought about how right it felt to be next to him again. It had been too long since she'd fell asleep with him at her side and woken up to see his face. She found sleep quickly. Although there were many things to be weighing on her mind, it all felt like it would be okay now that she was with him again.

Adam wrapped his arms around Ashlynn and hoped that no one had found out his secret. He couldn't ask Ashlynn to live a life on the run, she deserved happiness and success. He loved this girl more than he ever thought it possible to love someone.

Ben was stretched across the sofa, listening and smelling, trying to detect any change in the environment outside their room. He replayed the events of the past week in his mind and wondered what it all meant. He was a firm believer everything happened for a reason and he tried to determine the reason fate had for bringing Ashlynn, Scarlett and now Aaron into their lives.

~

The next morning, Ashlynn, Adam, Scarlett and Aaron were awakened by Scarlett's phone ringing. Ben had been the only one already awake. After her sleepy haze had cleared a bit, Scarlett realized the noise that had woke her was her phone, and grabbed it off the nightstand. It was Officer Branson. She swiped the screen. "Hello."

"Hello, Miss Williams, I was phoning to inform you that your attacker had been found dead two days ago. It has been confirmed that he was killed by wolves."

Scarlett's mouth fell open from the shock that this is what he was calling to discuss, but she quickly recomposed herself. "I actually knew that Officer. We had caught wind of the gossip from town, something about a mob?"

She heard a laugh on the other end of the phone. "Yes, some of the townfolk felt the need to go on a wolf hunt. A couple older gentlemen were the only ones to see anything, but they weren't exactly credible witnesses. At least that was what the alcohol on their breath told me. They probably scared the hell out of a couple tourists."

"Tourists?" Scarlett asked in confusion.

"Yes, we get tourists regularly off the highway to see the mountains. From what I gather, the old men caught two of them in the middle of some personal business and chased them naked out of the woods. They claimed they saw wolves, but after their breathalyzers, I doubt they remember what they saw. We have informed everyone not to be out hunting wolves anymore. Thank God no one was injured."

Scarlett sighed in relief. "Yes, thank God."

"Okay, well you have a good day ma'am."

Scarlett smiled, "You too officer." And ended the call.

Everyone in the room but Ashlynn had heard the conversation. Adam and Ben had wolf hearing, and Aaron was sitting close enough to overhear. Ashlynn looked around to everyone. "Okay, what did he say?"

Adam hugged her. "We are in the clear Love! The attack has been confirmed as a wolf attack, and the cops told the locals to stay out of the woods after a couple drunk men tried to shoot some tourists, claiming the 'tourists' were werewolves."

"Tourists?" Ashlynn said with a dumb look on her face.

Scarlett laughed. "Yea, the cops assume it was tourists that the old men caught in the woods getting their freak on."

"Come again?" Ashlynn said, looking between Adam and Scarlett with an evil look on her face.

"I don't know, I guess when they told the cops we were naked, that's what the cops assumed the 'tourists' were doing! But the cops don't really believe any of it by the way he talked."

Scarlett's voice had happiness in it again. Ashlynn was happy to see the change in her. She hadn't been herself the last couple weeks. "Well that's awesome! Then let's go home!" Ashlynn blurted the words before thinking. When she realized what she'd said she turned to Adam. "I mean your home."

Adam shook his head and kissed her blushing cheek. "No Love, it's your home now too. And Scarlett is now part of the pack, so it is her home as well."

Everyone turned in shock to Aaron when he spoke next. "I want to be part of your pack. I want to be a wolf too!"

Adam sat up a little straighter. "Really?"

Aaron reached over for Scarlett's hand. He took hers in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Yes. I want to spend every minute of my life with her and if it is possible for me to get some extra time with her, I'll do whatever it takes to get it."

"I understand." Adam said as he smiled back to Ashlynn.

A brief moment later, Ben stood and said, "I don't know about all of you, but I could use some breakfast."

Adam nodded. "I think there is an IHOP in this town."

Ashlynn bounced on the bed. "Excellent! I love IHOP!"

Scarlett looked around to Aaron and laughed. "Home of the one-legged women!" Referring to a joke she had told him a long time ago. Everyone gave them a strange glare but ignored it and gathered their things to leave.

As Aaron and Scarlett followed the others down the road, Scarlett laid her hand on Aaron's thigh. "Are you sure about this wolf thing?"

He smiled. "I'm positive! You are my everything and I want all the time I can get with you. I want to experience all of the things you experience, and if becoming a wolf every month is one of those things, well, then count me in."

"Aaron, it is incredible. Since I've become a wolf, I feel so alive, I have so much energy, even my mood is always up! Nothing has ever made me feel like this but you!"

"Me?" Aaron asked sounding surprised. "Well I guess I can't be sarcastic, because I feel the same way about you. Just the thought of you sends this vibe through me like nothing else."

She smiled at this as she leaned over and laid her head on his shoulder.

They turned into the parking lot after Adam and parked in the space next to him. They went inside and a waitress showed them to a big corner booth.

When the waitress brought their drinks and took their order, Aaron leaned up and turned his gaze to Ben. "Ben, I understand you've done a great deal for Scarlett in the past week. I want to thank you for everything!"