Howl (13 page)

Daniel turned to Tristan and suggestively
nodded my way. Daniel left his spot next to my brother and sat down
on my left. Reluctantly, Tristan joined our uncomfortable
grouping.

“So.” Daniel began, leaning over to get a
better view of me and Jaime. “This is a lovely surprise.” His voice
dripped of saccharin pleasantry but there was a shadowy expression
across his face. I couldn’t bring myself to look him in the
eyes.

Just stop Daniel.

“Last minute change of plans.” I said,
glancing tentatively at Jaime, whose breathing became uneven and
the distinct scent of apprehension hung about him. He wasn’t
oblivious anymore.

“I’m Daniel Poirot, a friend of Sophie’s
family.” Daniel held out a hand to Jaime.

“Jaime Robertson.” He seemed unsure of how to
proceed. The cat was definitely out of the bag now.

Tristan leaned over to extend a hand as well.
“Tristan Matthews. I’m Sophie’s twin.” He gave Jaime a satisfying
smile. “It’s nice to meet you finally. Heard lots about you; good
things, of course.”

“Hey man, it’s great to meet you, too.”
Jaime’s shoulders relaxed. “Finally.”

Tristan tossed me a pointed look. I sunk into
my seat. What else could I do?

The straw bales were soft but terribly
scratchy even through my jeans. Introductions over, I leaned back
against the rigid metal frame, the back of my head resting on the
top bar. It was frigid to my skin even through my hat.

Jaime wrapped an arm around my back. “You’re
going to want to move forward. This will be a bumpy ride.”

No doubt.

The tractor began its slow journey over the
hills of the tree farm. Bumpy was an understatement. We were
jostled around, sometimes rather ferociously, at every rock and
dip. The constant, rumble of the tractor reverberated off the trees
around us, planted in precise rows. We turned down a tractor path
and made our way toward the forest. As we crept closer to the pitch
black woods, a teenager sitting not far from us shrieked with fake
terror.

Next to him, a toddler bellowed from genuine
fright at hearing the sound. The baby’s mother gave the teenager a
nasty look as she cuddled her child closer to calm him.

The kid either didn’t notice or didn’t care.
He turned to his friends around him, speaking loud enough for
everyone to hear. “You know, my grandma used to tell me stories
about monsters in these woods. She said that they were men who
looked just like us but they would change into ferocious beasts
when the moon was out.”

I stiffened without meaning to. Jaime
squeezed my hand.

The boy continued. “It’s true! They had
three-inch long canines, kind of like a saber-tooth tiger. Their
fur was like spikes, so sharp it would slice your skin at the
slightest touch. But the scariest part of all was they walked among
us during the day, acting like totally normal people. Grandma would
say that they tried to get close to their victims. Like, spend time
with them, let their children play together and gain their trust,
but when night fell, their friends were the first to go.”

“Oh shut up, Johnny. You’re going to scare
the little kids.” One girl called out though it only goaded him to
continue.

“Come on Jill, we’ve all heard the stories.
I, for one, made sure to wear silver tonight so that if one of
these horrible creatures were to attack us, at least I would have
some protection.”

Jill rolled her eyes and turned to the boy to
her right. “Uh oh, Jillybean didn’t bring her silver. She’s going
to be in trouble if we get high jacked.”

Silver? Seriously? Did this jackass get his
werewolf lore only from Hollywood? What an idiot.

Johnny’s voice became serious. “And Jill,
look around this area – wolves are a part of everything. Kane’s
high school mascot is the wolf. Even our police cars have images of
wolves on them. Don’t you find that strange?”

I was starting to seriously dislike this
kid.

Jill scoffed at him. “It’s because wolves
roam forested areas like this one. You can hear them howling from
time to time. It’s no different than if we lived in near the Arctic
Circle and our mascot was the polar bear.” Their group of friends
laughed out loud. “But it’s a far cry to say that because we have
wolves on our police cars that there MUST be werewolves in this
town.”

“Actually, Jillybean, the wolf is ingrained
in our town’s collective psyche because of the werewolves.”

Jill snorted. A few in their group snickered
behind mittens and gloves.

“Think about it. Humans are at the top of the
food chain, right? We know there are regular wolves in these
forests but they’re not a threat because they’re lower than us. But
what happens when you combine the wolf and man into one? What would
be a threat to it? Nothing. Now you have a new head of the food
chain. Our collective consciousness finds that terrifying and
thrilling at the same time. We both fear and revere it.”

Quit philosophizing and shut the hell up!

“You’re talking about a legend like its real.
Werewolves don’t exist.” Jill was becoming infuriated and frankly,
so was I.

“Then why do the stories about them persist
even to this day? I grew up hearing about them. There must be some
truth to it.” He looked at Jill with a look so priggish I wanted to
hit him.

“Aren’t you a little old to believe the scary
bedtime stories your grandma told you?” A middle-aged lady asked
the teenager reproachfully.

A fair-haired man on the opposite end of the
wagon spoke up. “Actually I’ve heard stories about them too, but
they were very different.”

“Werewolves? Seriously?” The lady looked
irritated at being contradicted by a grown man. “I know you’re too
old for nonsense.”

“No really, there supposedly were werewolves
in these woods at one point.”

“I grew up in here in Mt. Jewett, which has
plenty of woods, and I’ve never heard this ludicrous story.” The
lady crossed her arms as if her point finalized the
conversation.

Apparently, the man wasn’t ready to end it so
easily.

“My great-aunt would always tell me that
playing in the woods without an adult was dangerous because
man-wolves roamed the area. They would approach children looking
just like a human until they were ready to attack. Then they’d turn
into the foulest beasts Hell could spew out. Usually, there’d be
nothing left of the little one because the creature would eat every
last bit of him, bones, eyes, everything.”

Vomit lurched into my throat. I swallowed
hard and took deep breaths through my nose and out my mouth, like
you’re supposed to when you’re fighting back stomach bile. I stole
a glance at my companions. Jaime seemed mildly interested in the
stories while Tristan and Daniel were as still as statues, masks of
horror and disgust distorting their features.

A younger father held onto his son. “You took
the old legends too far, asshole. This is a family ride, not a
gore-fest.” His young child whimpered as he cowered under his dad’s
arm.

The asshole began to speak again when another
man, somewhere around his fifties but with an imposing build and
gravely voice, cut him off. “Dude, you need to shut your trap or
I’ll shut it for you.” From the size of biceps and shoulders, I’d
have put money down that he really could make the other guy ‘shut
his trap’.

Mercifully, the conversation was now
over.

I stirred in my seat so that I could get a
better view of the forest around us. Though the trees formed a
thick blanket of darkness around us, I could still see through it.
To distract myself, I indulged in wondering whether or not the fox
I just saw was running home to his family. How many siblings did he
have? Were they the same golden red as he? A few stags ran off into
thick brush as we passed. Their small hooves crunching twigs and
leaves delicately as they bounded away.

Jaime pulled me closer to him, drawing my
attention away form the forest’s nighttime activities.

“They’re just stories, Sophie. There’s
nothing out there that’s going to hurt you.” He chuckled,
merrily.

“I know.” I half-heartedly smiled and turned
my back to the woods. I refocused my attention to the sky above. As
I studied the tiny sparkles, a felt a hot breath on my ear.

“So he’s my competition, huh?” Daniel
whispered so low that no one other than Tristan might hear. “And
he’s human.” I tilted my face ever so slightly toward his. “I
forgive you for breaking my heart, sweetness.” Then he kissed my
cheek, soft as a cloud but a kiss just the same. He sent an
unreadable look in Jaime’s direction.

Jaime hadn’t noticed a thing.

I couldn’t help but be distracted for the
remainder of the evening. Between knowing that people sill
whispered horrible stories about my kind eating children, Daniel
and Tristan catching me with Jaime, topping it all off with
Daniel’s trespassing kiss, I desperately wanted the night over
with. I needed to curl up with my patchwork quilt, away from the
night’s events, and simply be alone.

Jaime must have sensed my disquiet because he
didn’t pressure me to stay at his place after the hayride.

“Worried that your brother will tell on you?”
He asked.

“Yes and no.” Ironically, that hadn’t been
the worst part of my night.

“Are you afraid to go home alone?” Jaime
poked fun at my unease. “With the possibility of dangerous
creatures lurking in the dark?”

“No.” I said sharply. “I’m just really tired.
I stayed up too late reading last night.”

“Okay.” He nodded. A moment of silence passed
between us. Jaime’s whole demeanor was inviting. I had a fleeting
desire to stay right where I was but the night’s events left me
feeling exhausted and cold. “Will I get to see you tomorrow?” He
asked.

I shrugged. “Who knows? I have no idea what’s
in store for me when I get home.” I was almost beyond caring.

*

I found Gavin on the couch with today’s Kane
Republican in his hands when I stepped in the door.

“Tristan and Daniel said they met up with you
at the hayride.” He said without looking up. Every muscle in my
body froze. I had been almost beyond caring after the hayride but
as the words flew through the air, every ounce of fear swept back
into me. Breathe, just breathe. “How was it?” He asked fatherly,
putting the paper down. Nothing in his tone suggested he knew.

“Interesting. And disturbing.” My mouth was
bone dry. “Some jerks were spouting off at the mouth about local
werewolf legends.” Take the focus off me.

He looked resigned. “Well, I figured all the
stories couldn’t die out.”

“So you knew there were some whispers about
us still being in the area?”

“Not exactly. Werewolf stories come from all
over the world. There will always be stories of shape-shifters and
the like. But you said these stories say we’re still in the
area?”

“Yeah. One guy, an adult no less, told our
group that growing up he was told not to play alone in the woods
because werewolves would eat him alive until there was nothing
left.”

“That is disturbing.” His said darkly.

“Is there anything we should do? Can anything
be done?”

“I doubt it.” He sighed and leaned his head
back on the couch. “Let me think about it. Maybe we need to stay on
the western side of the forest, even further away from hiking
trails and towns. Or limit our hunt times even more. I’ll talk to
Granddad and see what he thinks.”

“Alright.” I nodded in agreement. My legs
wobbled underneath me as I turned toward the stairs.

“Thank you for letting me know. Our avoidance
of human society puts us at a disadvantage when it comes to hearing
things like this.” Gavin returned to his paper.

At the top of the steps my bedroom door was
ajar. As I approached, a light flicked on in my room.

~Decisions~

Tristan was sitting on my bed waiting for me.
Tentatively, I approached him though he was definitely upset.

“I haven’t told on you.”

“I know.” I pulled the door shut and sat down
next to him.

“Daniel won’t tell either. He doesn’t believe
it’s his place to break that kind of news to Gavin.”

I didn’t have a response.

“I’m so angry with you I could destroy a
building. And you’ve hurt me immensely.” Tristan’s throat convulsed
as a he spoke. “But I do understand why you do it. I’m not stupid
or blind. I saw the look on his face when he sat next to you. He
loves you Sophie. Truly and absolutely loves you.”

Jaime hadn’t actually ever said the words to
me. But I believed deep down Tristan was right. And I knew how I
felt.

“I have to know something. Do you care at all
for Daniel?”

“No.” I startled. “Daniel is a lot of things
– he's charming and deadly hot but he's not for me.”

“And you won’t give up your human, will you?”
The question was blunt yet caring. I couldn’t answer him but I
didn’t have to. Tristan took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
“Do you think he is capable of handling the truth?”

“What?” I gasped.

“Look, the thought of you spilling the beans
to Jaime scares me stupid. But it’s already in the works to match
you with Daniel, whether you want him or not. And if you love this
human as much as you say, now is the time to act before you are
obliged to do something you don’t want to do.”

“Who told you that?”

“Granddad, Gavin, and Mom have their sights
set on you two as a mated pair. Mom is practically drooling at the
thought of you being mated to such a good catch; he has a career
path and will be able to provide a solid home for you and your
children. He is proving himself to be a very loving man with the
babies. And most of all, he is a strong fighter, a natural Beta.
This has Gavin doing cartwheels because now he has another wingman
when Thomas can’t be around.” Tristan grabbed my shoulders and
turned me toward him. “And it doesn’t help that Daniel wanders
around this place practically swooning over you. Everyone knows he
wants you.”