Chapter Three
It had been an eventful, amusing day. Jeff, Keith, Alyssa, and I had all gone to the meadow where we’d always played as pups. The entire time we spent prancing in the freezing river, nipping playfully at each other, and lying under the sun in the snow.
Then the day drew to an abrupt end when I heard a sound, and looked up. When I saw what Pack member it was standing there, my mouth curled into a snarl. Jeff glanced at me, and Alyssa followed my gaze curiously.
Mark stood at the edge of the clearing, wearing his pelt and grinning at us. My hackles rose in dislike, and I stood, glaring. Alyssa, on the other hand, began to coyly lick her paw like a giant cat. I bared my fangs again, this time in disgust.
“Nice weather,” Mark said pleasantly, padding toward us. I saw that Harriet was just behind him. Her fur was ruffled on her back, as if something—or someone—had been atop her. My lips curled in deeper revulsion.
“It was Genny’s idea,” Keith said offhandedly. I scowled at him.
“Why wasn’t I invited?” Mark asked with a false hurt note in his deep voice, barely looking my way.
“Jealous, Williams?” Jeff asked, and I couldn’t tell if it was playfully or not. Jeff abandoned his pelt and stood naked before Mark. And as Mark strode up to him, I couldn’t help but compare the two and admire Mark’s form. Our human bodies were so pale and insignificant, while wolves were full of color and life.
It was not my fault that I noticed Mark was an exceptionally graceful wolf. His fur was black as midnight, sleek as if it had just rained, and his sinewy muscles moved smoothly as he walked. No one could help noticing him. He commanded attention, despite his promiscuity and disregard of our Law.
But Jeff remained wrong; I may have looked at Mark with admiration, but never anything close to attraction.
“Not at all,” Mark replied with a grin, dark eyes twinkling. “I was doing far better things while you played with these little pups.”
Harriet laughed suggestively, and I tired of being near her and Mark.
Keith snorted as I turned to Alyssa. “Little?” I heard him exclaim.
“I’ll see you tonight at the bonfire,” I told Alyssa, moving away towards the shelter of the trees. She didn’t respond, or even blink. Her yellow eyes were riveted on Mark Williams.
“Hey, Gen, save me a dance tonight!” Keith called. I flipped my tail at him, and the others laughed.
“Do you also wish Gen to save you a dance, my friend?” I heard Jeff ask Mark.
And, right before I slipped into the line of trees, I caught his reply: “No.”
* * * * *
Music blared in the background from Yolanda’s radio. My family and friends all sat around or danced before the huge fire Charles, another burly Pack member, had started an hour earlier. I leaned against a tree in the outskirts, staring into the flames and brooding. I wasn’t very social, and I hated the stupid Pack bonfires we were all required to go to; Yolanda, our old Alpha’s mate, thought it was a good way of keeping the Pack “unified”.
“Isn’t Mark beautiful?” Alyssa murmured, appearing next to me. The wolf she spoke of stood not too far from us, kissing Harriet in the shadows. I caught a glimpse of his tongue.
“If you like his type,” I replied stiffly.
She sighed. “You’re such a bore. You know he’s the best-looking guy in the Pack.”
“What about Keith? He’s not so bad.” I glanced at the boy, who was dancing with Pricilla. Although, truth be told, he couldn’t hold a candle to Mark or Jeff.
“No.” Alyssa shook her blonde head. “Keith is tiny. All of us can outrun him in a hunt. No, the next guy in line would be Shawn.” She jerked her chin at the tattooed wolf, presently in human form as the rest of us were, dancing. He was Mark’s best friend, I knew. Everyone knew everything about everyone in a Pack, being so close together all the time.
“And what about Jeff?” I asked darkly. My cousin smirked.
“Do you really want to know what I think?” She licked her lips. I drew away, exasperated. She was always acting like a bitch in heat.
“No,” I said quickly. “I can guess.”
Alyssa shrugged. “He’s taken. We all know that. I don't like rating guys who are taken.”
I raised a brow. “Mark? Shawn? They’re not taken? What about Harriet, and Shawn’s new girl?”
She scoffed. “Mark and Shawn aren’t not taken. They have temporary amusements.”
“Amusements,” I repeated.
“Yes,” Alyssa replied coyly. “You should try it some time. Oh, by the way, I was just wondering... where is Jeff tonight?” Her eyes were knowing. She knew we weren’t getting along.
I snarled at her, and my pendant flickered with my irritation. “I don't know. I'm not his mother.”
“Oh, I know. No one knows what you are. Least of all Jeff.”
“What do you mean?” I snapped.
But Alyssa must have tired of my company. She rolled her eyes and flounced away, heading in the direction of Shawn and his dance partner, a young wolf called Falon.
No one else bothered me. My father met my gaze once, and then an instant later his skittered away. My stomach tightened. We hadn’t spoken in weeks; he claimed to be tired, or busy. But I knew he didn’t know what to say to me, how to act. Like Uncle Richard, I reminded him of my mother. Father didn’t hate me for it, but he certainly avoided me.
Wanting a distraction, I looked around the bonfire again.
Everyone in the Pack had coupled off, and still Jeff was nowhere to be seen. There was joyous howling now, but I couldn’t force myself to join in. Everywhere there was dancing, and the smell of lust pierced the smoky air. Cubs would be made this night, mates joined.
And I was alone. Where was Jeff? I turned my head and saw that Mark had Harriet up against a tree, and was nuzzling her neck. She had grown her claws, and was running them down his bare back. Mark growled and threw back his head, and the she-wolf licked his jaw. When she unzipped his jeans, I instantly turned away, but their image remained burned in my mind. Both of their pendants were burning profusely, and mine remained unmoving and cold.
How could Jeff shun me like this? Because that’s what I knew he was doing. The wolf thought to show me that he had meant what he said that afternoon by ignoring me.
Temporary amusements.
Where is Jeff tonight?
I shook my head, growling. Alyssa just had had too much to drink. She wouldn’t remember half of what she had said the next morning. Her words had no meaning.
Did they?
Mark and Harriet were making unmistakable sounds that caused my stomach to clench. Not able to stand it any longer, I whirled and ran into the dark woods.
