 
### Coming Home

### Annan Werewolf Series ~ Book 1

By Roxanne Fox

Published by Roxanne Fox at Smashwords

Copyright 2014 Roxanne Fox

Smashwords Edition, License Notes:

Thank you for downloading this free ebook. Although this is a free book, it remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied and/or distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy at Smashwords.com, where they can also discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support.
Acknowledgements:

I would like to thank my friends, family, and readers for their support and inspiration. Some of you have been here through it all, some have fallen away, but all of you have been vital to this journey. Thank you.

This story is dedicated to a pile of shit in the woods. Who knew some scat could lead to a whole new world full of amazing people and adventures.

~

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, locations, and incidents are all fictitious, or have been fictitiously used. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales, or events is purely coincidental.

Warning: This book contains adult content.

Dear Reader: At the end of this story you will find a list of how a few of the words in it are pronounced. I have added this so some of the words in the story will be understandable and others will be read with the correct inflection. Such as, with Cesair's name, the C makes the K sound.

Thank you and enjoy!
Table of Contents

Prologue – The End

Chapter 1 – Collection Time

Chapter 2 – Stupid Sunglasses

Chapter 3 – Bat Shit Crazy

Chapter 4 – Bad Wolf

Chapter 5 – Welcome Home

Chapter 6 – Shut up Sean

Chapter 7 – Just a Nightmare

Chapter 8 – Protectively Deceptive

Chapter 9 – Get Used to It

Chapter 10 – Fairy/Vampire/Alien...What?

Chapter 11 – Keep Your Thoughts to Yourself

Chapter 12 – I Outed Myself

Chapter 13 – A-fucking-mazing

Chapter 14 – Chosen Mate

Chapter 15 – Creepy

Chapter 16 – Hallmark Moment

Chapter 17 – Bye, Bye, Bye

Name Pronunciation

Preview of Taken ~ Book 2

### Prologue

The End

A woman with a puff of white hair around her head—I think my father's, accountant's secretary—stepped in front of me and touched my hands, which I stared at instead of her wrinkled face. "Everyone will just miss them," she said, and I could have cared less.

She was just another one of the many faces which drifted by me that day. Their mouths always moved the same, uttered the same words... I had heard it so many times before, this one random woman with a slight connection to my father made no difference to me.

"If there is anything you need dear" —her words kept flowing, like everyone else's had, her need to offer comfort making her oblivious to my disinterested stare— "just ask."

Once done with her meaningless offer she squeezed my hands as if to seal the deal and I looked away from them, away from her, away from everything. All I could do was focus on a spot somewhere beyond her forehead to a place that didn't exist. The poor woman was the last straw. The camel named, My-New-Found-Anger had just had its back broken. All I wanted to do was punch her in her over-rouged, wrinkled face, so I thought it best to not focus on her, or anything else, and just say nothing at all.

George must have sensed my souring mood because he thanked her, calling her Betty, and then guided her away before intercepting the next set of people. People who all acted as though they knew my folks, knew who they were, what their lives were like. Almost all of them people I didn't know and didn't want to talk to. People I wish would go away and die somewhere... like _now_.

_They should be dead like my parents,_ I thought as I scowled at them.

As soon as the idea faded from my mind, my gut twisted and forced out a spring of hot tears. Turning away from George and the people who kept glancing at me with unwanted concern in their eyes, I strode across the moss choked lawn of the funeral home and towards the parking lot. All I wanted to do was to put distance between me and all of the mourners. The fount of tears which wanted to burst forth every time I thought of my folks in the few short weeks since they had died was still new to me. It was hard sharing my tears with the people closest to me, there was no way I was going to share them with strangers.

Glancing back a moment, I saw Ash join his dad. Ash was short for Ashley, a name his mother had chosen, but everyone called him Ash. His eyes darted my way every so often as him and his dad spoke to a new set of people. Those two were all I had and neither of them were my family, though they were pretty close, and they were both there the day I had come home to a smoldering crater in the side of my house. My senior trip to Hawaii would go down in history as the most memorable event in my life, because when it had ended so did the lives of the only family I had.

Lucky for me, I managed to get home just in time to see my parents loaded up in black bags, fresh from the carnage. In my nightmares they tear from those bags still burning; their charred flesh dripping from their bleached white bones as their skeletal hands reach for me, wanting to pull me to the grave with them. As soon as I wake screaming I know it's cinematic, subconscious bullshit. They wouldn't really look like that after being burnt to death and there is no way they would want me to join them, but my sleeping brain didn't seem to care.

The sound of footfalls on soft ground pulled me from my disturbing thoughts and I swiped away the remaining tears before a gentle male voice dried up any more which threatened to surface. "How you holding up?"

Bringing my eyes to Ash, my best friend and the closest thing to a brother I had, I shrugged and looked away from his blue-shot-with-brown gaze to his sun warmed blond hair. When I had looked at his eyes they wavered and it seemed as though they would spill over at any moment. The pain there poked at my own and threatened to release the dam holding back my sorrow, so I opted to look at his hairline instead.

"You know how it is," I said to his scalp and turned away, glancing over his saddened features. His strong jaw was set tight with full lips pursed together. His whole face screamed, "I want to hold you and make it all better."

Stopping my gaze at the edge of the lawn, I decided the trees and shrubs bordering it were more interesting than Ash and any desire to comfort me he might have been feeling. The last thing I needed was him holding me. It had been difficult enough to keep it together when I looked at his concerned visage, I knew it would be too much if I felt all that concern wrapped around me while he tried to soothe the hurt away.

Don't get me wrong, crying would have been a completely acceptable way to mourn a loss. Crying wasn't the issue with me. It was more what the crying could lead to. For some reason, ever since my parents' death, extreme emotions seemed to turn to anger or violence. Seeing my folks hauled away in what looked like Glad Bags, I guess, put me in shock because the next thing I remembered was waking up strapped to a hospital bed.

Ash had explained to me the nurses did it for their safety. Apparently, the first time I came to—a time I didn't remember—a nurse tried to take my vitals and I shoved him across the room so hard the impact broke one of the doors off the cabinet he hit. One of my doctors said I was lucky I attacked a person of his stature—what Ash described as over six-foot tall and built like he lived on a farm all his life—because if it had been one of the smaller staff, what I had done might have been fatal.

On the morbid plus side, the recent death of my parents had left me with an exuberant amount of money. My dad had gotten a "hot tip," as he called it, about a small business named Microsoft before the stock went public. So I was adamant about compensating the nurse for any damages, even mental or emotional. The whole incident and smaller ones since—like thinking of punching an innocent grandma in the face for expressing concern—had shown me I needed to watch my emotions or something crazy might happen. There was no way I was going to let crazy reign all over Ash, or anyone else I loved. Money couldn't fix that kind of hurt.

Ash seemed to know me well enough because instead of asking more questions, or trying to force his comfort on me, he just stood in silence while I muddled through my thoughts.

"Hey, looks like dad is finished with the last of them."

Turning back around, I could see he was right. George, my father's life long best friend and my surrogate uncle, was waving to a younger couple with a toddler in tow before heading to us. There must have been more to do, cleaning up or saying goodbye to the owner before he cleaned up the funeral home... maybe, but I wasn't sure and I didn't care. The whole thing wasn't my idea anyways, George said we had to have a service for my folks and I couldn't hold one in my house, for obvious reasons, and his house was too small for all the irritating swarmers who were bound to come out for the show, so the funeral home was the best place.

We were right for choosing it. My dad had donated to so many local charities and my mother served on so many boards it seemed the entire town of Puyallup ended up attending their damn funeral. When I told George I was just going to have their remains cremated then spread some of them in Clarks Creek behind our home, and he and Ash were more than welcome to join me, he said the town would expect more. My response of, "Fuck the town," didn't go over so well.

He handled everything with ease, though, including my bouts of temper—like telling my neighbor if I saw her dog shit my dead parents' lawn again I would bunt it across the creek—so I was sure he would handle whatever else needed to be done, and I was thankful for it, even if I didn't want some of it in the first place.

However, I still couldn't smile when I said as much. "Thanks, George. I still think a small thing would have been better, though."

"Sweetie, you can still do that. You may not want to deal with the people, but they did respect your parents, and they will miss them."

There was no way I could hold in the snort that came out. "You mean they'll miss their money, their charity."

"Are you saying you will stop the funds?" A shaggy dark blond brow lifted over one hazel eye.

Ash's strong features had aged well on his father's face but the hint of graying stubble around his jaw and dark smudges starting to form under his eyes indicated the town's chief of police was too busy as of late and needed a break. No matter how tired he appeared, though, his cop eyes were able to hold a look of speculation well as he waited for an answer.

A small sigh escaped me. "No, the money won't stop. I have more than I could ever need." Shaking my head, I let out a small sound of disgust before looking at George's tired eyes again. "Did you know both of them had multimillion dollar life insurance policies? Can you believe how ridiculous that is?" Shaking my head again I looked back at the ground. "I won't handle it directly but no charity will be forgotten in their absence. I'll have dad's guy, Arnold, take care of it."

"I figured that is what you would do." He placed a hand on my shoulder, bringing my gaze to him once more. "And yes, I knew about the life insurance. Your parents wanted to make sure you had whatever you needed, no matter what." His hand went around my shoulder, pulling me to him the way a beloved uncle would, as he led Ash and me to the parking lot.

George was right. Throughout my whole life my parents only wanted the best for me. I wasn't even their blood, but that wasn't a bad thing. Being adopted seemed to only make them love me more; I was often called their "gift" and they never hid that fact that they wanted me to be well taken care of. Taking out crazy, huge life insurance policies would have been normal for them.

Ash picked up the pace and stepped up to my other side. "Do you want to rest when we get back?"

All I had the energy for was nodding a _yes_ at him as we strode toward the car. He smiled and seemed to be happy with my meager answer before talking to his dad about what he needed to do after we left. It seemed Ash was taking me back to their house while his dad finished up at the funeral home, just as I had assumed he would. As we approached the car their conversation steered to the farewell party for Ash later that evening at a local diner, and my heart sank a little more.

On top of the loss of my folks, Ash was heading off to the Marine Corps in the morning. The original plan was for all of us, my parents included, to go to the Ram on the hill, but Ash thought it would be too hard on me to go there since my mom had come up the plan. Instead, he suggested the locals' diner. Though I felt hollow inside, and knew eating was off the menu for myself, the least I could do was join Ash and his dad while Ashley ate his, "last dinner as a civilian," which is what he liked to call his last meal before leaving.

As Ash and his dad talked he asked me, for at least the tenth time, if I was up for it.

"Of course. I might not eat but I want to go out tonight, you know before I lose you too." George tensed next to me before his hand fell away, making me regret my choice of words.

He had been in the Army and so, though he was proud of his son's decision, he worried for Ash's safety.

"You'll never lose me." Ash put his arm around my shoulder, crossing where his dad's had been, and hugged me tight. He was either ignoring the distasteful remark I had made or hadn't noticed it all.

There was a press of lips on the top of my head and I decided not to pay attention to it, like I had with many other things since the loss of my folks. Besides, it wasn't a new thing to brush off with Ash. Even though for me he felt like a brother, and a brother only, he wanted something more and had for a while. He never kept his feelings for me a secret, but he didn't push them either, so a small smooch on the cheek or forehead every now and then had to be ignored.

Ignoring any and all hints of his affection was all I could do and since he never crossed any boundaries it was never an issue. Of course, it seemed after my parents had died, and with his eminent departure, he began getting more touchy-feely. Not that he was trying anything physical, or even saying anything, but the whole, "I'm here for you," was a little stronger than usual.

"Yeah, but you are leaving tomorrow so that just leaves me with your dad for conversation." Though my attempt at lightheartedness was weak, it was the best I could do to annul my previous comment and sidestep any hurt feelings from Ash by not reciprocating any hinted at feelings from him.

He gave a small laugh. " _Trust me_ , I know how awful that can be."

George retorted to his son's jab but what he said had me thinking. Ash did know what it was like to have no one but his dad at home to talk to. He also knew what I was going through. Ash had lost his mother to cancer when we were only five. He remembered her better than I did and he also remembered how it felt to lose a parent. Remembering his loss, I moved in a smidge closer and let him hug me tight before he opened the car door for me.

He was laughing over his dad's comment on how talking about video games was about as exciting to him as learning fly fishing was to Ash, when he turned to me. His eyes locked on mine and the sparkle went out as his laughter faded. "I'm sorry Ann."

"For what?" I asked then realized what he meant. "Laughing?" Leaning up, I planted a kiss on his cheek before giving him a smile that hurt only a little. "Never be sorry for being happy. Too many things are at an end in my life, I don't want you being a happy person to be one of them."

Ash wiggled his eyebrows. "Keep giving me kisses and I'll be happy forever."

Rolling my eyes, I said, "God," in the most exasperated tone I could muster before getting in the passenger's seat.

He laughed a little more and made his way around the car while talking with his dad. Once at the driver's door he got in and started the car, giving me a small smile, before standing back up to finish their conversation. As I waited, I turned the radio off, not wanting to hear the upbeat station Ash preferred, and powered my window down. The sun was low in the sky and the early evening was mild for the beginning of July, but even so I wanted to feel the air on my face while we made the short drive to Ash and George's home. As Ash got in the car his father came over to my side and knelt down.

"I'll take care of what is left and be home in a couple of hours. Just take it easy for a bit, maybe watch a movie with Ash before I get there, and relax, Hun." He leaned up and gave me a small peck on my forehead before crouching back down. His eyes held mine a moment before a small smile pulled at his worn features. "Remember, when something ends all that is left is a new beginning."

With that, he stood up and patted the roof of Ashley's green Toyota before heading back to the funeral home. As we pulled away, Ash began rambling on about what we should watch, asking my opinion but making a different suggestion before I could answer. Agreeing to whatever movie it was he sounded most interested in, I watched his dad disappear into the gloom of the funeral home and was thankful I still had at least one person who was looking out for me.
Chapter 1

### Collection Time

God, I don't even know why he bothered to bring me in anymore. What a waste of time.

My thoughts blotted out the Black Keys gritty rhythms for a moment but didn't hinder the song from drowning out whatever it was George was saying.

Look at him flapping his lips. That's right Uncle Georgie keep talking.

As if he could hear my inner monologue he pulled the ear buds out of my head, halting both my music and snippish thoughts. George dropped them, along with my iPhone, on his thick wooden desk before sitting back in his chair. It looked much more comfortable than the one I had to sit in, but I knew it wasn't worth saying so. No matter how many times I had requested a nicer chair be in his office, the same stupid, grey fabric and metal thing was waiting for me every time I was hauled in. Snatching up my items, faster than he could stop me, I stuffed them in a small inner pocket of my denim jacket and sat back before crossing my arms.

George closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose under his gold rimmed glasses. A ragged breath escaped him as he exhaled. Raking a hand through his dishwater blond hair, which had gray and white advancing beyond his temples, he dropped it and his wore out eyes locked on mine.

"Annan, do you have any idea what this means?"

It was hard to not let out an incredulous sigh as I rolled my eyes and leaned back in the shity-ass chair. "No George, what does it mean?" His eyes flinched when I called him by his first name.

"How about we keep it to Chief Harris today."

Shaking my head, I waved a hand at him. "Yeah, whatever, Chief Harris. Can we get on with this? I'm starving."

George let out a disgusted laugh, which had me raising an eyebrow at him. Normally when I pulled some stunt or another and landed in his office I'd pay some fine and get a, "No, no, no don't do that again," before going home. He had never acted like he wasn't able to overlook what I had done, not once in all the years it had been happening.

"This time it's different," he said at last, as if answering my thoughts. "You weren't brought in for jumping the fence at the fair or busting up some drunk's face."

Trying to hide my curiosity over his new attitude towards my exploits I gave him the best blank "I don't give a shit" stare.

He let out another exhale of air before continuing. "Annan, look in the past it wasn't so bad, even stealing a car or messing with Martha, but this time you snuck onto Bangor."

The mention of the naval base caught my attention. Ash had been there before being shipped off to his next station, some hush, hush top secret place, and I wanted to see him and say goodbye. Unfortunately, I was a day late and was almost caught by base police—it was a good thing I could out run their dogs. Other than hearing some barking I didn't see a thing and I knew no one saw me. Hell, I didn't even see any cameras.

Trying not to let my cards show, I sat back in the chair and feigned disinterest. "Whatever you were told, it was a lie." Since I had no idea what he was told my statement itself could very well be BS, and by the look on George's face his sentiment was precisely that.

Opening my mouth to continue, he put a hand up halting me. "It doesn't matter what you say, how much you offer, or who you try to bribe this time. It is completely out of my hands."

George looked exhausted, beaten down, and I knew a good portion of that was my fault. All the crap I had put him through over the years was finally taking its toll. He was done, throwing in the towel. Honestly, I couldn't blame him.

Crossing my legs, I looked away from him and toward an old picture of Mt. Saint Helens erupting which hung in his small office. "Fine, whatever. I'm sure whoever—"

"The FBI."

My stomach dropped and I uncrossed my legs before looking back at his worn-down features. Crows-feet had even begun digging in at the corners of his eyes.

"As in, this is a national security issue?" There was no hiding the shock in my voice.

"What the hell did you think was going to happen? It _is_ a nuclear sub base." He put up a hand again before I could answer. "Either way, no matter what it was, this day was coming."

My eyes narrowed at him. "What do you mean?"

Before he could answer there was a knock at the door. George's eyes shot to it before coming back to me. Concern was stamped all over his face as he stood to answer the door. Someone, it sounded like the new guy who had been at the precinct only a couple of months, reported a disorderly in the drunk-tank.

George reassured the young officer, sounding a little too relieved if you ask me, before he told me to sit tight and left the room. Being hauled in on a Saturday night during the holiday season meant I wasn't the only bad guy in the station, but at least I was the most sober criminal in the place.

Snorting to myself at the thought, I sat back not liking the way he dropped a bombshell on me then left me to mull over my choices in life. Okay, it's not like he told me to think about how much of a bad kid I was being while I sat in time out, but that train of thought was inevitable while left alone in his office. And, to think I was actually trying to have a good time when they hauled me in. The nice patrolman snatched me from right in front of a bar.

It's not like I was there to drink though, I didn't drink... or at least I couldn't. The only time I was able to get drunk was when I was nineteen and drank a gallon of rum. It took that much just to get somewhat drunk. For some reason I metabolized the stuff too fast. With the way my appetite was increasing, alcohol wasn't the only thing I metabolized too fast.

No, I wasn't at the bar to drink, more to pick a fight; _my_ idea of a good time.

It wouldn't have been the first time either and it wasn't the strangest thing I had done during the five plus years since my parents' death. Like George said, I had jumped the fence to the fair. What he didn't know was how literal that term was. The fence around the Puyallup Fair might have been twelve or more feet high but I found out the previous year I was able to jump it from a standing point with little effort.

It was amazing to hear how the person who called it in explained my action away by saying I climbed it. Even though I was amazed by their obvious error, those kinds of mistakes had gotten me out of a few pickles over the years.

The corner of my full lips turned up in a smile thinking on how I moved Martha's lawn crap into the park behind our houses. She had a bunch of concrete ornaments, like a saint and gnomes and birdbaths scattered around her yard. I moved the whole lot in less than twenty minutes and she called George, sure I had done it. The only problem with her accusation was, she couldn't prove it. I mean, how can a hundred and twenty pound, five-foot eight-inch girl move objects over one hundred pounds each in the time it took her to watch the last half of American Idol?

There was no proof, but of course I had done it. Her fat ass wasn't getting off the couch for the season finale so I took the opportunity to be a pain in the ass, then relished in her reaction when she let her fluff ball out to shit after the show. She stood slack-jawed when she saw everything missing and lined up along the far bank of the creek. Snickering on my back porch while I watched her was the tip off I had hand in it, even if she couldn't prove it.

Sighing, I got up and stretched before moving to George's more comfortable chair. Kicking my boot clad feet up, I put them on the desk and picked up a framed picture sitting there. It was our families, him, his wife, my folks, and Ash and me at the beach. Ash and I looked to be about three. My emerald eyes seemed to sparkle in the photograph, set in my sun-kissed face and surrounded by deep brunette ringlets which trailed down my shoulders.

Ash had on blue two-tone swim trunks with a matching hat and I was wearing a Barbie swimsuit in pink and more pink. We all looked happy, but Ash's mom looked so thin. I was too young to remember the trip but I was told about it. It had been the last family vacation we had with Ash's mom before they found the cancer and started treatment.

Setting the picture back down, I sighed again. George had been through so much. He lost a wife, raised a son alone, worked his way up to chief of police, lost his best friend, and then looked out for that friend's daughter.

As usual, once my snit was over I felt bad about putting George through so much.

It wasn't like it was intentional, I just didn't seem to have a handle on my emotions. And, the whole weirdness of being super strong and fast made it even worse. I knew growing up I was a little faster and stayed healthier than all my friends. In all my years at school I never once missed a day for being sick or injured. Even when I fell from a tree at six I didn't break a bone. All I got was a small scuff which healed in a day.

Heck, even my hair was different and never needed cutting like all my friends. It just stayed long, even if I did cut it my hair always grew back to just above my bottom. Whenever I asked on it my mom would tell me I was lucky—I never had to go to a doctor or salon—and to not question that luck, bad things might happen if the lucky question their hand in life.

Seeing Ash lose his mom to illness, combined with my mother's warning, kept my mouth shut about anything I found odd. Of course, after mom and dad passed, the questions began mounting and there was no one around to ask. Talking to George about it was out of the question. Any time something came up that hinted at me being different he seemed to hide it and pretend like it didn't exist. It was as though he thought the men in black were going to swoop down and snatch me up or something.

Ash was off the list too. He was moving up so fast in the Marine Corps his plate was full enough without worrying about me. Also, if he knew something was amiss in my life he might...

"Annan Marie Michaels, I'm Agent Korbin Anderson." The door opened in such an unexpected way, I let out a small yelp and forgot my thoughts.

It was so sudden, I about fell out of George's chair. Once I pulled my heart out of my throat and reinserted it in my chest I looked at the man standing in the doorway, and was ready to snap at him. Of course, when I got a good look any words I had stopped up in my throat, because when I say he was standing in the door, it was a literal term. He filled it out like he was the freaking door himself. His black suit must have been tailor made to fit around so much muscle.

Wait a minute... Black suit?

Swallowing hard I tried to push the forming thought away and not focus on how he _did_ look much like the fabled "men in black" and how coincidental it was he happened to be standing there when I had just been thinking about them. Also, there was that thing George's said seconds before he left, "This day was coming..."

Shaking off the foreboding notion, I watched as the man looked up from the papers he had in his hands. The corner of his mouth quirked and he raised a black eyebrow over a dark sapphire eye. "Should you be sitting in that chair?"

His question was as unexpected as his entrance and I found myself sitting with my mouth open before I regained composure. "Uncle George doesn't mind if I sit here. I think my dad got him this chair right before he died."

There was no harm in showing my connection to the local police chief or mentioning the loss of my family. Both could garner some leniency. At least, that's what I told myself as I let my hand run across the supple leather on the arm of the chair in question. It was a lie but the agent didn't know that.

He made a harrumph sound before sitting in the crappy chair I was in before. "Chief Harris got that at Costco about three years ago because he thought it would match the desk your father and he made when you were fifteen."

Once again, I found myself catching flies. "How do you—"

He waved away the start of my question. "Never mind, just don't lie Annie, it won't do you any good."

Crossing my arms—feeling the first tinge of anger at him for using a pet name only the closest to me used—I scowled. "Don't call me that."

His lip quirked again as he set the file in his hands on the desk and then leaned forward; elbows on knees, fingers templed in front of his smiling face. "Why? What are you going to do, beat me up?" The glint in his eyes somehow told me he thought that would be rather hilarious.

Ignoring the fact an FBI agent was acting strange—of course, for all I knew his behavior was normal since I never met any agents before—I let that same glint show in my eyes as I mimicked his pose, only with my elbows on the desk.

"You may be a lot bigger than me but I bet I could hold my own." I let the utter confidence of what I said fill my words. Size or not, I could probably take him, or at least throw him and run like hell. After all, I was some super freak.

He burst out laughing as George walked back in the office. George looked from the laughing agent to me behind his desk then pinched the bridge of his nose once more.

"Get out of my seat, Annan."

Vacating his chair, I shuffled to the side but not near the other occupant of the office.

"I take it Korbin, I mean Agent Anderson, has introduced himself?"

Nodding, I was curious at his familiar tone when talking about the FBI agent.

"Good. He and his partner, who is waiting in the car, are here to take you." George wouldn't look at me, he just shuffled some papers around he had came in with and eyed the stack the agent had set on his desk.

Even though he seemed distracted what he told me had my heart trying to escape my chest again. "What! Why? I didn't _do_ anything!"

He finally looked at me, his tired eyes showing mild concern but something else, something which looked like relief. "Calm down Annie, you'll be fine and it wouldn't matter either way. It's out of my hands now. I've done what I could. Now it's up to them."

"What do you mean? What are you talking about?" I could feel my panic begin to turn to anger as it always did but I tried to ignore it because I didn't want to yell at George.

"You'll be fine, but you do need to come with us to sort some things out."

Agent Anderson's voice raked on my nerves like nails across a chalkboard. It was all I had in me not to lash out at him. By the look on George's face he was expecting the same thing.

"Will I get to go home?" I said through gritted teeth.

The agent's broad lips pulled across white teeth in a smile, as though what I said was something wondrous. "Oh, you are most definitely getting going to go home."

My brows pursed together as confusion pushed away some of the anger. George cleared his throat, drawing my attention away from the weird agent and back to him. "Well now that that is all sorted out." He stood and picked up the folder of papers the agent set on his desk. "Your files, Agent Anderson."

He looked at the files and smiled again. "Those are yours." He glanced at me then back to George, "That thing we discussed." He winked and my confusion grew.

George's eyebrows knitted together before he opened the file and looked at the first page. His eyes grew big seconds before he put his cop face back on. "Very well, then. I...uh, appreciate the help."

Agent Anderson turned to the door and said, "Not as much as us, believe me," before walking out.

My eyes went back to the file in George's hand wondering what it contained, but before I could ask the agent popped back in the office and grabbed my arm.

"Can't forget what we came to collect." He let out a short laugh as he pulled me towards the door.

Dumbfounded, I dug my heels in. No way was I leaving with someone who claimed to be with the FBI when he acted so weird, even if George said I should go. To my surprise, the agent just chuckled at my resistance and moved behind me to push me out the door like a bulldozer. The door shut behind us and we made it five feet down the hall before I turned around and punched him square in his jaw as hard as I could.

There wasn't a soul around to see what I had done, and George couldn't have heard the sound behind his shut door. Even if someone had seen us, or George had heard it, it wouldn't have mattered because no one would have believed a supposed FBI agent just stood in a police precinct hallway and laughed after being hit by a suspect.

Hell, I almost didn't believe he stood there laughing at me. I certainly couldn't believe how much my hand hurt. It was like punching a brick wall.

As I rubbed my sore fingers, he guided me, willingly this time, out the station and into the night air. The only reason I left of my own accord was because the moment my fist struck his face and he didn't flinch or move, but instead laughed, I knew I might have found someone who could answer all those questions I had about what was going on with me. Looking up at the agent, a smile on his lips, blue eyes facing forward, I had to wonder if he was like me. If he was some freak of nature too.

Chapter 2

### Stupid Sunglasses

My cheek stung only a bit as a cold breeze bit at them while we crossed the parking lot to a black suburban parked on the street at the far corner. One of my many oddities included being impervious to the cold but it had been a bitter winter in Western Washington that year—snow having made an appearance low in the foothills by Thanksgiving—so even though my long-sleeve crew, denim jacket, and skinny jeans were more than enough to keep me warm, when the wind kicked up the chill in the air still nipped at my exposed face some.

Ignoring the slight sting at my nose and eyes, I decided the crunch of salt under our shoes—his, a pair shiny black some things, and mine, knee-high brown leather awesomeness—shouldn't be the only sound in the wind. It was too ominous.

"So who's your partner; another brick-wall beefcake like you?"

There was a pause in his steps before he glanced down at me and continued on. "That's disgusting. Please don't refer to me as 'beefcake' ever again." He sounded disturbed or put off by my comment and, though I was not attracted to the pile of muscle, his reaction still got my back up.

"Oh please, don't be so full of yourself. I was referring to the obvious over compensation for _something_ in the form of working out too often. Lift much?"

Shooting him a glare, I saw the same gleam in his eyes I had earlier, which begged me to continue on. Looking away from him, not wanting to be baited in by that twinkle, I held my tongue. It was obvious that sparkle in his eye held a teasing edge, one which jabbed at my growing irritation of the man. He laughed at my comment but didn't say a thing. So, not wanting to hit him again, being that it wouldn't do any good, I crossed my arms over my chest deciding crunching noises and the wind were just fine.

By some grace of god as I stepped up the large vehicle a sense of calm washed over me and the urge to punch Agent Beefcake in the face faded. Giving myself a mental pat on the back, I couldn't help but be proud of letting go of the growing anger so fast. Those moments when I was able to calm the anger down were rare, but sometimes, out of nowhere, it would happen and I was thankful when they came.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I let the agent open the back door of the SUV and climbed in. There was another man, or very short haired woman, in the passenger's seat. The person's light blond hair was so pale it almost glinted as the dome light came on when Agent Anderson got in. From where I sat I surmised it was a guy—he was wearing the same suit as the other agent—but he wasn't muscled like Beefcake, _and_ he wore glasses. The arm of them peaked out of his tawny mane. Of course that was all I could see. The guy didn't even give me a sideways glance as I settled in and strapped on my belt.

Beefcake seemed to study his partner as he put his own belt on. "Well dude?"

Agent Blond Silence faced the other man but didn't say a word.

My eyes went wide. The guy was wearing sunglasses, not glasses, _sunglass_... at night. What, did he think I wouldn't be afraid of a guy in shades? Oh no! Pursing my lips together I tried very hard not to laugh at my own thoughts over Agent Blond Silence... no, Agent Cory Hart.

A small snicker came out of me but Beefcake seemed unaware. He looked as if he was waiting for the other man to say something. As if he wanted an answer from Agent Hart. I'm not sure what he was expecting from the oh-so-professional, "Well dude?" though. To me, that half-assed question didn't seem to warrant a response.

"Did you say hello?" Beefcake said.

Agent Hart turned to me. His smile was quick to come and as my chest tightened in response—an unbelievable first for me—I wanted nothing more than to smack those sunglasses off and see if the pull of his lips reached his eyes.

"Hey, Annan. My name's Sean." His gentle voice said more than the few words he spoke and he faced me a moment longer, as if he wanted to say something else, but turned back around without another word.

His partner let out a snort of a laugh and started the vehicle before putting it in gear. "Real smooth. So _you,_ dude."

The other guy shook his head as my confusion grew. What kind of FBI agents referred to each other as dude, or wore sunglasses at night like some kind of 80's hipster?

Many thoughts were running around in my skull as we pulled out and into traffic. It took me a moment to realize we hadn't started for the highway, where I thought we would be heading since agents of any kind should be based in Seattle. Forgetting my internal questioning, I watched as house after house went by, wondering if there was some back way to I-5 I was unaware of, but by the third turn I figured there was only one place we could be headed.

"Are we going to my house?" Confusion coated my words. Nothing about the evening made sense to me.

"Yeah, you can grab some of your stuff while we get some things from our place."

Time seemed to lengthen as I waited for further clarification from Beefcake. When it became obvious there wasn't going to be any I said, "Excuse me?"

"What?" His eyes locked on mine in the review mirror. "Those seem pretty straight forward instructions." He looked back at the road, having waited his turn at the stop sign. "You pack the shit you need. We'll get our shit from our house. Then we can all get in the car and go by-by."

Ignoring his attitude, I focused on the odd part of his statement instead. "What do you mean by 'our house'?"

"Really? I know you are not that stupid, Annan. Sean and I live by you. How is that hard to understand?"

His condescending tone pushed at the layer of calm I had miraculously gained, threatening to undo it altogether. "Well if you would start making fucking sense I would not be so fucking confused. There is no way the two of of you live in my neighborhood? _That_ , I find hard to believe."

Beefcake stopped the car at another intersection and turned to look at me; his twinkle gone, replaced by something which looked much more serious. "Look, we have a long night ahead of us so if you would just comply we can get this done quickly. Yes we live in your neighborhood, believe it or not. Sean and I have lived there for a long time." As he turned back around I heard him add under his breath, "for far to frickin' long."

Chewing on my lower lip a new question popped in my head when he gave me his non-explanation of what was going on. Contemplating the pair a moment I tried not to let stereotypes influence my thinking because even though they didn't "look" gay I was starting to wonder if that was part of their odd behavior. Such as Beefcake not wanting me to call him that.

"So, let's say I believe you and you guys have lived together for way to long by me. Setting aside the impossibility of such a thing, since I would have noticed you two at some point, when George called that guy your partner did he mean _partner_ , as in life companion? You know, like you two are homo—"

"Don't even finish that sentence!" The loudness of Beefcake's voice had me snapping my mouth shut. "Oh, nasty; you are _never, ever_ allowed to say that again. Gross. Jesus, Annan." He sounded mortified, but his partner's quiet laughter indicated he found it funny. "Not that I have anything against people who are gay," Beefcake continued. "It's just not my preference." His eyes shifted to Sean. "Especially not with him."

"Okay, whatever. You guys, or at least _you_ are straight."

"Oh, Sean's straight too. Aren't you Sean?"

Sean didn't say anything but I could have sworn his cheeks were pink as they caught in a passing street light. "Alright, so you both are as straight as a runway. Let's get back to the question at hand. Why do I need stuff from my house? I mean you did say I would go home again but I didn't think you meant right now and especially not to _get_ my stuff."

"I wasn't talking about your home here in Puyallup."

That was it, I had enough of his crap. "Oh my god, can you please start making sense. Your cryptic talk is driving me nuts and I'm guessing you two are not FBI agents, but that only raises more questions. What is going on?" The confusion in me was so high I was surprised it wasn't making my anger resurface. Stranger than that was, I hadn't even noticed the anger subside from appearing moments before.

As Agent Beefcake helped deepen my confusion, I also hadn't noticed we were no longer on the road but had pulled over and were parked once again. Beefcake, aka Agent Anderson, turned off the car and I shifted my gaze out the window to see we had pulled up in front of my home. The lights were on, just as I had left them, ready for my return. I imagined rushing inside and locking the doors before one of them could grab me, but that was a dumb idea.

No matter how many questions came up from encountering the supposed FBI agents I knew there were other questions they could answer. Such as, how could Anderson take a hit from me like I was a kitten batting string when any other guy would be knocked on his ass with a broken jaw? Whatever BS excuse brought me into George's office, I had a sneaking suspicion it had nothing to do with why the two men came to get me.

"I'll get out and go in my house, but that is as far as I'm going until you give me some real answers. What is really going on here?"

"How about we rock paper scissors for it? If you win, you stay here and I'll answer all your questions. If I win, you stop throwing at tizzy, get your shit, and get in the SUV. Sound good?"

My mouth fell open but before I could answer, Sean interjected. "Korbin, you're a class-A asshole. You know that, right? Don't be such a dick."

The other man began laughing. "It's not my fault." He shrugged. "She hit me in the face, now I have to get her back." He sounded like a wounded brother plotting revenge and for the life of me I could not figure why he would behave in such a way.

"Christ, we aren't even back home yet and you are already starting." Sean shook his head and turned to me. "This will all make sense, Annan but it will be more confusing before it makes sense, trust me. Just give us some time." He looked over at the other man then back at me. "As for Korbin; ignore him. He's a kind hearted ass, I promise."

His attempt to comfort me grated on my nerves and before I knew what I was going to say, I blurted out: "And, you're just a weirdo who wears sunglasses at night."

Korbin burst out laughing. "Ha, I told you not to wear those!"

Sean turned back around. I couldn't tell if he was hurt or not by what I said, but for some reason I felt as though he was and I wished I could have taken back my comment.

"Let's just get our things," he said before exiting the Suburban.

Snickering was still coming from Korbin in the front seat when I screamed, "Will one of you tell me what the hell is going on?"

His laughter ebbed as he exited. "Just get out and we'll explain _everything_."

The way he said everything sounded as though he had an answer to end all answers... or would that be to end all questions? With some reluctance, I got out of the vehicle and followed the guys in.

Sean led the way and... unlocked my house? _What the hell?_ Touching my pocket I felt my keys within, the same ones I had on me when the police picked me up. Looking back to my home, I noticed my car was also in front of the garage. The same car I had left in front of the bar.

"Nice of the police to drop off my car for me. Didn't know they had curbside service like that. Question is, where did they get the key? Maybe it was the same place Sean got a house key from." Being snarky seemed the only reasonable response to an added layer of strange.

Korbin laughed some more. "Something like that."

His new cryptic statement had me even more bewildered but as we entered my modest living room I was thankful the last threads of my anger had dissipated once more. Sean sat himself down in a beige chair and I plopped in the matching one, angled to the left of him and facing the couch Korbin had made himself comfortable on. The furniture was all the same neutral shade which blended in with the contemporary bland of the living room. Everything was various shades of gray or neutral, white, and black. The only pop of color was the accent wall behind the TV—some tone called Turkish Blue I liked to refer to as darkish teal.

The whole room was far removed from what my mother had done before, which was close to shabby-chic. I didn't care much anymore how different or alike the living room was compared to when it was rebuilt. As things changed with me I began spending as little time as possible at home. It was boring and lonesome and I tended to get in trouble when feeling bored or alone for too long.

Korbin made some contented noise drawing my attention to him. "See we should have gone to the same place she did. Her couch is _way_ more comfortable than ours." He wriggled down and kicked his shoes off, as though he was home from a long day's work.

Looking over at Sean I saw him with his hand over his face shaking his head. At least he had some dignity in a stranger's home, even if he was strange himself.

"Well Annie, go pack some stuff. You need things like hiking boots, and pants, you can bring a coat if you want to but you probably won't need it since the cold doesn't bother you much."

He kept on talking about snow and weather conditions but I couldn't respond, so in shock I was over him naming one of my oddities like it was a normal everyday thing. "Pack enough clothes for like a week," he said, oblivious to my state of astonishment. "Mom might want to take you shopping, but after a week I'm sure if you want to come back down here dad won't growl over it too much."

There was no way to describe how flabbergasted I was. This, what looked like one of the fabled men in black, who I was told was an FBI agent by someone I trust like family, was acting like I should know him and just say, "Okie-dokie let me scuttle up and get that right quick," to what he said. Well, I wasn't going anywhere. For one, I still had no idea why he and his buddy had come to get me, or even who he was.

"Okay, look." My start didn't sound too bitchy. At least I hoped it didn't. "You said you were going to tell me everything, and as far as I'm concerned having me go pack a bag and telling me your mommy might want to take me shopping is not an explanation of anything. In fact, it only raises more questions. Now, before I go tootling off with two strangers who are stranger than any other strangers I have ever met you need to give me a very good reason why I should go with you in the first place."

Korbin leaned forward, a smile wide on his face. "Because, you see we are here to take you to your birth family and the reason my mom might want to take you shopping is because she is your aunt. You're right, we're not really with the FBI. I am actually your cousin."

"You son of a bitch!"

Blind fury rushed through me as I threw myself on the muscled man who just stated he was my cousin. I don't know why I believed what he had said but I did, each word came out as pure truth to my ears, and with each also came a fury in the knowledge that I had family right there the whole time, every year, every month, every second I grieved for family, they were there. I screamed all that and more at Korbin as I pounded my fists into his face praying the pain in my hands would be worth it and he would at least be bruised.

Without warning two strong arms came around me and lifted me off my new found dick-hole cousin. Tearing at those lightly muscled arms holding me, wanting nothing more than to be free and on Korbin again, I started screaming.

"Let me go! I'll kill him! You fucker, you left me here! The whole time you left me here!"

The vice like grip around me didn't let up so I grabbed at the only flesh I could see, a hand, and bit down. Blood welled in my mouth and I had a moment to wonder at the scent of pine needles and rain in the air when Sean's grip lightened as he drew in a sharp breath. It wasn't enough to free me but it was enough I could move my arms and smack at him. "You too, whoever are you, some other family member who left me to suffer, to wallow in hate and confusion."

His grip loosened enough to allow me to free myself and spinning to face him, I raised my right hand ready to unleash on him like I had Korbin. Sean didn't move or flinch, he didn't even hold up a hand in defense as I struck him with all I had right in his left cheek. As I lifted my hand again, ready to smack him once more, I watched his head snap back and send the sunglasses flying. When he looked back at me I saw something which stopped my second blow.

Tears spilled fresh on his cheeks and from the pained look in his gaze it wasn't from my strike, but the apparent hurt in the man's eyes alone hadn't stopped me. It was his eyes themselves. One was cornflower blue, like the sky on a hot July afternoon and the other was a color not found in any human, rather a cat. It was the color of hay freshly cut and baking in the sun, a bright yellow orange. The only time I had seen duel colored eyes like that was on a cat in a 4H show. The cat had been pure white with six toes on each paw. She also had one yellow eye and one blue eye. I was eight and fell in love immediately.

His tears broke my heart and I decided I never wanted to see him sad again, ever, but as I thought of comforting him, the most striking man I had ever seen, my heart shattered. _How could I comfort an angel?_ was all I could think as I took a step back and really looked at him for the first time. Sean's face could have graced any statue I had seen in Rome, his features perfect for the artist chisel.

"I'm... I'm so sorry. I hope I didn't... Did I hurt you?" The words fell out of my mouth as though I was an idiot teenager trying to talk to the hottest guy in school.

A loud laugh pulled me out of my teenage idiocy with its unexpectedness and reminded me there was someone I _was_ pissed at, and not only willing to hurt, but wanting to hurt.

My eyes narrowed at Korbin as he said, "I told you the sunglasses were a stupid idea."
Chapter 3

### Bat Shit Crazy

About an hour later I was looking down at a picture of a happy couple. There was of a woman with jet black hair, catching violet and blue in the sun, with pale creamy skin and my emerald eyes staring up at a man who had a hair color much closer to mine, just not as vibrant—mine had the same vibrancy the woman's hair held. The man also had sun-kissed skin which was copied perfectly on me. My parents.

They were not the ones I lost in the fire, those parents looked nothing like me. My mother was a strawberry blond with light skin and freckles, and my father was what I called an average American. He had regular, medium brown hair, and eyes the brown of coffee with only a touch of cream. Those parents looked nothing like me; the people in the picture, the ones Korbin and Sean assured me were my blood parents, looked very much like me.

Looking over at Korbin—I rather enjoyed the busted lip and black eye I gave him—I could see where the resemblance came in, the high cheek bones, mine more feminine of course, and arched brows. I was guessing he went tanning or something, though, with the darker hue of his skin. Mine would be golden if I let it get that way in the summer, but I liked it to be just barely sun kissed, it felt more natural on me.

We were finishing up the food Korbin had brought over from their house and I popped the last bite of sandwich in my mouth as I sat back, still holding the photo. He brought the sandwiches back with him after he had gone over to get their things. While he was out, I looked through photos and listened to Sean tell stories about how Korbin and he were connected to me.

Even though Korbin was supposed to be my cousin and Sean an "adopted like person in the family," as he explained it, I felt more comfortable with Sean than Korbin. So, Korbin opted to go over and get their stuff. When he returned with stacks of sandwiches on paper plates saying the Suburban was loaded down, I figured his stomach made him volunteer more than anything and, of course, maybe the fact I pounded his face in.

If it was his stomach that drove him over there I couldn't blame him. Korbin would have had to go to their place to get any food because my fridge was empty, and he knew as much. Just like with the other stuff he had mentioned in George's office, they both seemed to know everything about me and my home. They knew I barely cooked, or to be honest I couldn't cook. They knew the exact layout of my house. They apparently knew my parents. Korbin proved that by showing me a photo of them smiling with my mom while tiny toddlers Ash and I played in the background.

The biggest bombshell of the night for me was that George knew as well. Ash was in the dark, thank god I had that, but George knew.

Taking one last look at the picture, I set it with the others then brought my eyes to Sean. Still not used to his duel colored gaze, I looked more at his nose. "George could have told me something, even if he was sworn to secrecy, and I still don't understand how you could live practically across the street from me yet I have no recollection of seeing you two. Shit, there are photographs with you and me in them and I don't remember. Why?"

Sean looked away before facing me again. Korbin was busy stuffing his face, letting Sean take the lead with the conversation. "There is something else we haven't told you. It has to do with the things you think are odd about you, why I look the way I do," he pointed to his eyes, "and he can eat the way he does."

Korbin gave him the finger, making Sean laugh. I still hadn't warmed up to the man who was supposed to be my cousin so I didn't join in. Maybe our interactions were how family was supposed to be, I wouldn't know. My parents were both only children so I had no cousins. Ash was the closest person to any of that I had. Even so, there was more Korbin and I had in common than our similar facial features considering I could have eaten four sandwiches like he had, but settled on two.

Sean was watching me. He seemed to be waiting, as if I had to ask before he would tell me. "What is it? What's the big secret that has had me on edge for nearly all my life, or at least the last six years?"

He took in a deep breath. "Now this is going to sound strange, and I'm sure you wouldn't believe it if it weren't for the fact you already know how fast and strong you are."

Nodding in agreement, I ignored Korbin's chewing, it was hard though. The pig.

"The reason for that is that you are not a human."

"Come again." My tone was flat and the small choke I heard from my cousin left a satisfying warmth in my belly.

Sean's eyes went to the other man before coming back to me. "It does sound odd, I said it would but I'm being completely honest."

"So... let's say I believe you. What exactly am I? Or you, or him for that matter? What are we?" A huge part of me didn't want to believe him but there was this nagging voice in the back of my head that told me: Here are all the answers you've been looking for.

"Well, we are each a little different."

I found myself mimicking George's nose pinch of frustration and felt even worse for the crap I had put him through. Both Sean and Korbin seemed to be good at talking in code and I knew if I was a normal person I would be getting a headache from it by now. Poor George must have had migraine after migraine dealing with me.

"I... am so tired of this." My hand dropped and I managed to meet his unsettling gaze. "Can you just stop with the foreplay and get on with it already."

"That's it! I'm putting my god damn food down!" Korbin said out of nowhere before belting out with another round of laughter so vigorous his tanned face reddened.

Bringing my eyes back to Sean, I saw that there was a definite flush to his pale skin as well, even though he wasn't laughing a bit. He cleared his throat before beginning. "Okay, I'll start with Korbin since he is the least complicated. He is a werewolf."

"Jesus." Sitting back I put my hand to my forehead and brought my right ankle up to rest on my left knee. "Go on."

"I'm half aside vampire half werepanther."

"Of course you are." That nagging voice and I both thought one thing: I wasn't expecting that.

"But I would really say I'm half werejaguar since panthers aren't an exact species of big cat, it's just what some werecat groups are called."

_Uh, okay_.

Pushing my thought aside, I said, "Naturally, go on," with as little sarcasm as I could manage, which ended up being more than I intended.

"I'm also albino in cat form and my two tone eyes are not normal, you should have normal human eyes as a human and animal eyes when an animal. My eyes are believed to be an abnormality from my vampire side."

Closing my eyes a moment, I put my elbows on my knees and started massaging my temples. "I'm starting to wonder what the hell I am if you are going in order of least complicated to most."

He audibly swallowed before continuing. "You... are a bit different."

"You could say that again." Korbin sounded over-excited and when I looked at him from under my hand he had that horrid twinkle in his eyes. Under normal circumstances it would have irritated me, but because one eye had to twinkle through flesh which was still red and swollen, any irritation was tamped down by satisfaction.

"You are," Sean began.

Sitting up, I waited as he appeared to rethink his start. "Well, your father is easy to explain. As you know he was Korbin's uncle so he was a werewolf like him."

"Okay."

Sean referring to my father in the past tense wasn't a surprise. They had already told me my parents were both killed soon after I was born in a work related incident. When I asked what it was Korbin just shook his head and said they were "agents of sorts" like the two of them while Sean looked all twitchy, as though he wanted to say more. All the information, crazy and not so crazy, was making my head spin but Sean wasn't done. He still had to tell me about my maternal lineage.

"Okay, and your mother, she was half vampire like me but her other half was fae."

The last word he said hit me like a punch to the stomach and I threw my hands up in the air as I stood. "Okay, that's it."

As my arms fell, my legs moved me to the stairs as if they had a mind of their own. Sean stood too and looked like he was going to follow me so I put my hand up, halting him in his place.

With my eyes on the floor, I said, "No, just no. I need a moment." Taking a deep breath, I pulled my gaze from the dark, hand-scraped wood floor to his two-toned eyes. He looked scared, of what I couldn't imagine.

"Let me absorb this, Sean." He backed off when I said his name so I continued. "Even though I have been experiencing some strange crap over the last six years, believing it is all because I am half werewolf, a quarter vampire, and a quarter fae—which, if I know my literature and lore, that basically means fairy to most people—is not going to happen easily."

Taking a deep breath and blessing whatever god there may have been for helping me keep the anger down, I closed and opened my eyes again. "I'm not going to run away, I just need a moment. What you said is like, nut house, certifiable, crazy shit."

"Oh, that's not the strangest of it," Korbin said in from behind me, sounding as if he was still on the couch. "He didn't even tell you that you are the only known born female Were in the history of Weres. You are absolutely unique and one of a kind."

Sean's eyes went round before he turned to Korbin. All I could do was let out an exasperated scream and throw my hands in the air again before storming up the stairs.

"If you don't believe me, call George and tell him you know about yourself. The spell on him will allow him to talk to you about what you are now that you know too," Korbin added, I'm sure to twist the knife.

In response, I screamed even louder before slamming my bedroom door.

~

"If I could have said anything, even a single word, I would have. Believe me there were times I tried."

Relief flooded through me each time George acknowledged what I was told, relief and a tinge of fear. I was relieved to find out even though he knew about me and couldn't say anything, he had always been trying to help me. It was also relieving to know he really didn't have control over saying anything to me about it. The fear came in having someone I knew give affirmation to what Sean said. The outlandish claims that not only am I some mythical creature but a mix of them, which only means there are many different kinds in the world, and that I am also uniquely one of a kind. All of that was true and it kind of scared the shit out of me... and was downright just a lot to take in.

"How long have you known about... other things?" It was still too strange to say vampire or werewolf for me.

"You mean the Supes?" George sounded better, more like his old self. Just being able to talk about the hidden world around me seemed to lift his spirits.

"The what?" For the life of me I had no idea what he meant by soups.

"The supernaturals. I've heard the term Supes passed around or paras, but with paraprofessionals now, they don't like it."

"So how long then, Uncle George?"

He chuckled on the other end of the line and I rolled over on my canopied bed, facing the fabric draped over the top as I transferred my iPhone to my other ear. My bedroom was the only place in the house I really enjoyed. It was full of bright fabric covered pillows and more draped fabric on the bed, knick-knacks, photographs I had taken, and random things I had collected since I was a child were everywhere around my shelves, dressers, and vanity. It was usually a mess but I didn't care, no one but me entered it anyways.

"I found out about them, your family actually, well before you or Ashley were born. I even met your folks."

"Really? What were they like? How did you meet them?" It was amazing to know I could hear about the people who gave me my blood from someone I knew and trusted so well.

"You should ask Sean about your mom, and your family about your dad. As far as I know, that is who knew them best. What I knew of them was that your dad was a nice guy and your mother was very intelligent. I only got to know them a short while, but in that time I enjoyed their company and could tell they were good people. That's why, when Korbin and Sean came to me with you I knew the only right thing to do was find you the best family I could to raise you and of course, sweetie, you know what family that was."

"My folks." My eyes felt hot for the first time in nearly two years at their memory, this time it was in a good way.

"You know they were the best people I knew and they also couldn't have children. They had spoken of adoption and when Korbin and Sean brought you along they didn't even think of saying no."

"So, now that you can talk to me about the truth, now that you can really tell me what is going on, will I be okay if I go with these guys?"

George's laughter carried over the small speaker and warmed my heart. "Yes, you will be completely fine. Those two have been watching over you your entire life. They have been along for the ride the whole time, even when you would pull stunts and land in my office. After you would leave I would get the details from one of them while the other followed you home."

"You do realize how freaking creepy that sounds right."

His laugh was deeper this time. "Think of them more as guardian angels than creepy stalkers. The only reason they stayed hidden was because they wanted you to live a normal, happy life. Being what you are, from what I have been told, you wouldn't have had that in the pack."

"Shit, you mean like actual factual werewolf pack?"

"They didn't tell you yet?"

"Nothing about a pack."

There was an exhale of breath, I guess he figured I sat around for more information before storming away in a fit. "Your cousin would be the best person to ask about the pack, dear. I can tell you what I know from my experience though."

Sitting up I clutched the phone, enthralled with the idea that all the things I thought were fiction and lore were truth and I was going to experience them first hand, and not only that but someone I loved dearly had experienced them as well.

"The person I first met was your uncle. I stumbled across his land during a storm. Your father had told me it was stupid to go hunting with the weather reports the way they were, but I was stubborn and had to prove my worth as the new guy on the force. Big pissing contest about who could land the biggest Elk back at the station, and all. Well I stupidly went, and stupidly got lost only to be found by Michael, your uncle, on Pack Lands."

It wasn't hard to imagine a young George stumbling through the woods in a storm. I had seen old hunting pictures of him and my dad growing up and heard my father razz him enough about being hopeless with navigation, even after eight years in the Army.

George continued his story even as my thoughts strayed. "Apparently I should have had the urge to go back but staying in the abandon house on the property seemed a better option than weathering the storm.

"Michael about scared me to death when he came in that abandon structure, I almost shot him." He laughed. "He brought me back to his home. The storm seemed to ebb for us as we trekked back to the house and once there I sat at their kitchen table while your aunt made me tea and he spoke to your grandfather.

"Ten minutes later I was told a call was made and he could introduce me to who and what he was. Afterwards I was given a spell that keeps me from talking about what I know to anyone who doesn't know about that world. Even if that person belongs in it."

"So there is a pack out where you got lost? I'm surprised you weren't scared."

He let out a low chuckle. "Sorry dear, with the late hour and with me being so happy to talk to you about all this for the first time, I lost track with my story. I can't really explain it, but when they told me who they were it didn't seem that outlandish. I had seen odd stuff while in the military, as well as while hiking, so fear never came up, only an understanding. Your family was nice enough, so when they showed me their wolf side it wasn't really scary."

It was hard to imagine someone who was completely normal could accept werewolves, even seeing them first hand, and not be frightened. George must have seen some _real_ odd stuff or he was not an easily spooked individual. He continued to tell me about the pack as I thought on him seeing werewolves and being all macho about it.

"When I got lost out there your grandfather was the pack leader but when Korbin and Sean came to me with you, your uncle had became the leader. Unfortunately, the work related accident they told you of was a madman raiding the property and killing your grandfather and his successor, your father, as well as your mother. Sean knows the story best, ask him some time, but you should know that your uncle is the leader of the Snoqualmie Pack and his pack is the largest on the west coast."

Yay, more heavy news _._ Taking a deep breath I said, "So, not only am I one of a kind but I come from a huge pack of Werewolves? Do they all live out there where you got lost?"

"No, the pack doesn't live on Pack Lands, only the Alpha and his family do. The pack itself lives everywhere, all over Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana, though most of the pack resides within the state around the heart of the pack, your family's land, what they call Pack Lands. There is one of the Snoqualmie wolves on my force. Ted. You know him."

Swinging my legs off the edge of my bed, I began toeing one of my bras on the floor as I tried to picture the man he spoke of. A young man with light brown hair and hazel-brown eyes came to mind and I remembered he was always nice to me and quick with a smile. Even around town I had felt he was always too nice but just figured he was interested and didn't want to hit on the chief's surrogate niece.

"Well I'll be damned," I finally said.

George yawned on the other end of the line and I knew it was time to go. Another oddity was my ability to survive off little sleep if need be, even if I enjoyed sleeping past ten in the morning each day I found that I could survive well off of only two hours. The fact that it was nearing midnight was nothing to me, but everything to a wore-out police chief. Guess now I could chalk that up to me not being human. Maybe my vampire side?

Pushing aside my affirmation of my strange blood line I said, "I'll call you again after I get this sorted out. It's kind of exciting to know I have more family out there."

George let out a small laugh. "With how I hear the pack works, you now have a huge extended family over a hundred strong."

_That_ prospect was scarier than thinking I was part monster part Tinker Bell. Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I tried not to think on it. "This has been an interesting night for sure. Good night, Uncle George."

"Good night, Annie."

"Oh, wait. I almost forgot."

"What's that dear?" He sounded like he had years ago, before I turned into a hellion.

"That file, that Korbin left. What was in it?"

George let out a small laugh. "That was payment for keeping you out of legal trouble. Your uncle is a generous man, I would have done it without being paid and I told him as much. Korbin surprised me with it."

"What was it?" My curiosity peeked and I had to know what kind payment was sprung on my surrogate uncle by my biological uncle.

"You know that lake Ashley and I would fish at each summer?"

"Yeah?" There was no way I could forget it. Every time they came back Ash would go on and on about how he was going to buy it and live there someday. Even as a teen he would say it.

"You're uncle purchased the rights and is having a house built on it. It's in my name but it goes to Ashley when I pass."

Tears sprang to my eyes again. What a payment indeed. This uncle I had never met not only managed to find the best gift possible to pay George with for all the shit I put him through, but it was one that would literally keep on giving since Ash would have his dream home now. "Oh, wow. That's amazing. Ash is going to be thrilled."

"About him, Hun."

"Yeah," I said wiping the last tears away,

"Go easy on Ashley when you let him in on the secret. I can't say anything, not even about where I got the lake so I'm not even going to tell him until you let him know the truth."

"I know; I'll talk to him but it might take some time though. Maybe we can do that for Christmas."

We both laughed.

"And, Uncle George?"

"Yeah sweetie?"

"I'm sorry."

"Me too dear. Me too. Good night and I love you."

"Love you too," I said and touched my phones screen to end the call.
Chapter 4

### Bad Wolf

Once I had packed my clothing, laptop, camera, phone, and various chargers I felt almost jazzed. It was like some exciting adventure handed to me on a silver platter. One I could never imagine in all my life. My boots were practically tap-dancing down the stairs but they skidded to a halt as I rounded the corner. My luggage thunked to the floor but I had sense enough to not drop my camera and computer.

Right in the middle of my living room sat a huge wolf, and when I say huge, I mean _huge_. Twice the size of a normal wolf for sure. His brown and tan muzzle revealed sharp fangs as his lips lifted in a snarl, an action which had my breath catching in my throat. Beyond that massive head the rest of the wolf's body was covered in the same brown undercoat with sprinkles of grey.

The most interesting part of the wolf however, was his tail and how it waged while he growled at me. Looking back at his face, I saw something in the wolf's eyes. There was a hint there in his burnt-amber depths that gave away who and what he was. Korbin.

My new cousin's telling twinkle was there staring back at me, indicating the mischievous mood wolf-Korbin was in.

"What is going on?" Even though I knew the wolf had to be my cousin I still felt uneasy being around such a huge creature while it growled at me. "Does Korbin not recognize me when he is a wolf."

"So you know it's Korbin?"

My eyes darted to Sean before going back to the wolf. "Of course I know it's him. It's a wolf, you told me he is a wolf, and I spoke to George like he suggested. So, I know this is all legit. Now, is he going to eat me because I am a tasty lady or does he know it is me and is being his usual ass-face self?"

Sean chuckled before he stood. He swatted at Korbin and walked to the stairs. "He is being his usual ass-face self. He wanted the injuries you gave him gone so he decided to change. This show is just him being him."

As Sean joined me on the landing his words about Korbin healing had my thoughts trailing to how I had bit him earlier, and how I drew blood. There should have been an injury on him as well but I didn't see any bandage. He reached down to grab my bags and I snatched up his hand to inspect it. Sean stood still, almost like a statue as I looked it over before letting it go.

"Did you change into your animal form when I was upstairs too?"

Something crossed over his unnerving gaze before he looked at the hand I had inspected. Realization flashed in his eyes and he smiled as he bent to pick up my bags. "No, that is part of the vampire in me. I heal fast without having to change."

Wondering if my Vampire blood was why I healed quickly as well, I opened my mouth to ask but caught sight of wolf Korbin lifting his leg on my couch and said, "Oh hell no!"

After shoving my camera and computer at Sean, I ran down the stairs and to Korbin waving my hands and yelling shoo-shoo at the giant wolf, whose back came to my waist. It did no good though, he proceeded to piss on my couch.

"What the fuck Korbin?"

Sean's arm came round me and snatched me off my feet right as I was gearing up to kick the wolf in his furry ass. "Damn it Sean he is pissing on my couch. Let me go. Where's a newspaper at? You want to be a bad wolf I'll freaking spank your ass like some naughty little dog."

Some strange rasping sound came from the wolf as he dropped his leg, only a small puddle was left around the bottom of my couch, and as the rasping continued, and the wolf walked out of the room and into the kitchen, I realized it must be some kind of wolf laugh. That fucker was pissing on my couch while he laughed at me about it.

The arm around me loosened and I turned and gave Sean a light slap in the shoulder before going to the laundry room by the entry. Coming back out with some old dirty towels, I threw them on the urine as Korbin came out of my kitchen. His slacks were buttoned in place, but his undershirt was in the process of being pulling over the hard sculpted plains of his stomach while one hand held the rest of his suit. The idea of someone who was a Werewolf needing that much muscle was ludicrous to me, but it didn't stop me from walking over and punching him square in the jaw.

"Hey," he said rubbing where I hit him. "You don't want me having to change again, now do you? I could make your chair smell as nice as your couch." He started laughing as I began smacking his side and arms while I called him an ass.

Sean grabbed my hand and drew me away from him. "You're paying for a new couch, you dick," I said as I was led away.

Korbin laughed as he approached the spot he urinated on and threw on his shirt and jacket. It hung loosely around him while he began stepping on the towels trying to sop up his piss.

Flustered, I stomped my foot and grabbed my camera and laptop from the table where Sean had set them, and then left him to drag my bags of clothing and whatnot out to the car while Korbin cleaned up. They both knew the house well enough, so Korbin wouldn't have a problem putting the dirty towels in the wash when he was done and one of them could lock up. You know, since they had keys and all. Letting out a disgusted laugh, I exited the house.

The front door didn't even have a chance to touch the jam before Sean came darting out. The man rounded me as I advanced on the Suburban but my eyes stayed on my feet as I stomped across the lawn. The sound of a door opening indicated to me he was being a gentleman and I pursed my lips undecided on if I should take it as a kindness or be irritated he was coddling me.

Deciding there was no reason to be irritated with him, I let it go and breathed a sigh of relief as some of that unexpected calm came over me. Proud for getting a better handle on my anger, a smile asserted itself on my lips as I lifted my gaze and saw how much stuff was in, and on, the vehicle in front of me. Korbin wasn't kidding when he said he had the Suburban loaded down. The entire back and top was stacked to capacity with boxes and other moving containers. The only space clear was the second seat for me and my things, and the driver and passenger seats for them.

"I take it he's not planning on coming back."

Sean laughed as he put my luggage on the bench behind the driver's seat then came back around to the passenger side. "He has been ready to be back at home for a long time," he said before turning back to face me. A slight smile played on his lips and his duel colored eyes were almost hypnotic in the illumination coming from the street light above us.

Stepping closer without realizing I was doing so, I said, "Where is home?"

That giddy teen feeling started to creep in again but it wasn't as intense as when I first fully looked at him. However, as I breathed in his scent—the smell of pine and rain I had encountered when I bit him—I began to feel something under the giddy feeling. Something deep inside of me which stirred to life and I wasn't too sure what to make of it.

As I looked up at Sean lit by the streetlamp my hand grazed his where he held the door and I had a moment to wonder why he wasn't answering such a simple question, even though his eyes stayed intent on mine... or, were they traveling a little lower? The building warmth in me began to burn and threatened to spread out from my core and overtake my whole body as I waited for him to speak. Leaning further into him, my mouth parted to say something, curious if the sensation inside of me was related to what I was, when I heard a door slam.

"All clean and locked up tight." Korbin had keys jangling in his hand as he jogged up to us and I stepped back, swallowing past a pulse I hadn't known was trying to keep pace with hummingbirds. "I sprinkled a little baking soda around the spot, it will have to be vacuumed up when you return." He smiled and rubbed his other hand behind his head and looked at me. "Sorry, Annie. That was a douche move of me. If you need a new one I'll buy it for sure."

Happy Korbin hadn't noticed whatever happened between Sean and me, or to be more precise, what happened to me while Sean stood in silence, I elbowed past him and into the vehicle. "Damn right you will."

He was laughing as he shut my door and after I set the rest of my things on the seat by me, I glanced at Sean wondering if he had noticed my strange behavior. As he climbed into the passenger's seat he didn't look at me or say a word, so I had to assume he had noticed. Letting out a small sigh, I figured his reason for standing still during my zone-out was obvious; I must have made him uncomfortable.

Buckling in, I tried not to think about how I had acted like a moron and instead, thought more on the why. What the hell was up with me? It was like my mind blanked out as my body took control. My normal response to quiet conversation is not preparing to climb the person I'm speaking with while I stare slack jawed at him or her. Pulling my bottom lip between my teeth, I mulled over what I had done when the vehicle shifted.

Glancing up, I saw Korbin get in then caught sight of Sean in the interior light. He appeared to no longer be put off by what I had done and flashed me a smile. The low burn in me churned in response, and I realized it had never left. It sat in my gut curled up, waiting to be kindled.

Then it hit me. I was sexually attracted to Sean.

My heart hammered in my chest as the vehicle moved around me. It was like I was in some kind of bubble though, separate from the car's vibrations as it progressed down my sleeping street. It kept me separate from Sean and Korbin and their conversation they were having, which sounded like adults on Charlie Brown cartoons. My bubble kept me from reality and it had nothing to do with vampires, or werewolves or any other supernatural BS.

Korbin's voice penetrated my self-inflicted bubble as the car paused at a stop sign. "It's going to be a long ride. We're pretty deep in the mountains."

All I could do was nod at him as my bubble threatened to enveloped me again.

"He's a hog with the music so you have to deal with what he listens to." Sean voice found my ears and had a new edge to it. It was as though my epiphany brought it into relief, making it more than what it had been before.

"I've heard her taste, she won't complain." In my stupor I caught Korbin's eyes in the review mirror. The corner of his mouth turned up in a smile. "Much."

Blinking away some of the bubble of dumbfoundedness I said, "Whatever," and looked out the window.

It didn't matter what Korbin said, or what music he listened to, I wouldn't hear it anyways as the bubble took hold again. In a night of firsts, and strange events, one I never would have expected popped up out of nowhere, and true to form for me it took forever for me to even realize what it was. It's not like I was a complete idiot or anything, I knew what getting turned on felt like, I had just never experienced being turned on by something other than my imagination.

Glancing over at Sean, who was laughing at something Korbin had said, I felt a churning accompany the low burn, and my heart began to race. Okay, whatever I was feeling for Sean was way more intense than imagining some random man while I masturbated. Oh god... it was like those girls in high-school who would swoon over some guy or another. Ash always laughed when I said it sounded like a medical condition but by the way I was feeling my description was accurate.

Sean bantered with Korbin about Muddy Waters being far superior to Metallica and I tried hard not to listen, wishing the bubble would blot them out again. Instead it amplified Sean's voice into a _tee-hee_ inducing cadence while blotting almost everything else out. Every time he spoke I could feel the cursory thoughts of how smart and cute and blah, blah, blah he was in the back of my mind.

Groaning to myself, I caught sight of Sean looking my way and my stomach knotted up and threatened to vacate by way of my mouth. Smiling back the gut burn, I breathed a sigh of relief when he turned back to Korbin ready to respond to the other man's retort of "pussy" when Sean said he didn't care for Master of Puppets.

Looking back out the side-window I swallowed down the odd sensation and decided it wasn't so bad. Yes, it was similar to being ill, but it was a good kind of ill. Weird, I know but hell, it was all new to me. Chuckling to myself, I couldn't help but think out of everything I had learned that evening the strangest thing of all was that I could be attracted to someone.
Chapter 5

### Welcome Home

Outside my window trees and rock sped by through a flurry of snow, which was lit up by the occasional headlights as cars came up our side and traveled on. There weren't many on the road and though the snow was thick, having began falling soon after North Bend, my eyes were keen—I guess I knew why now—and I could see just fine in the near dark and through the swirling white. The route was one I knew well so that helped too. After my friends and I had all gotten our licenses we began taking road trips to the Columbia River in the summer, as well as to concerts at The Gorge, so traveling down I-90 and over the pass was a normal thing for me.

From what I had been told, I knew we would not be going so far as the Columbia, but I figured we would be going over the pass. As the banks of white shining under the abundant lights around Snoqualmie Pass came and then went, I started to wonder when we would exit. Of course, I didn't have a clue because as soon as I had realized I wanted to get into Sean's pants I clammed up and stayed that way the entire ride.

My new found silence wasn't due to the feelings themselves more for the fact I didn't want to give away my interest to my new found, jerk-face cousin. Deciding saying nothing at all the entire time might be just as suspect, and draw unwanted attention, I broke my speaking embargo.

"Are we exiting soon? You weren't kidding when you said it was deep in the mountains."

"She speaks!" Korbin's unnecessary outburst proved my silence hadn't gone unnoticed.

He turned down his latest selection of music—some god awful moody guy going on about a woman leaving him for dead that had me wanting to kill myself so I could be left for dead in his place—to tilt the mirror and look at me. "Soon. Once we exit it's another fifteen miles into the Cascades but the drive can seem longer with the road conditions."

Sean made a noise of disagreement. "The only reason it seems that way when you drive is because the passenger feels as though their life is in danger the entire time. So of course the drive feels infinitely longer."

The laugh that came out of me over Sean's statement was god awful and embarrassing to say the least, something like a "Hee-hee-hee, it can't be that bad Sean." The worst part of my dumb girl blurt out wasn't Sean's warm smile churning up things a little lower in me but Korbin's twinkle going into neutron star mode.

Lord, I was wrong. Keeping my mouth shut the whole time would have been better, but I realized my folly too late and could only shrink under the power of Korbin's knowledgeable gaze. Vowing to not do a thing but look out the window the remainder of the ride and not speak, or look at either Sean or Korbin, I crossed my arms over my chest and held fast to focusing on trees and darkness as we exited the freeway and turned on to a forest service road. Unfortunately, at that moment Sean had other plans and undid his belt to join me in the back. We were still on flat ground so there wasn't much danger, but the action still had my heart in my throat.

"What are you doing?" My tone was one of shock and not stupid teeny-bobber, thank god, as he shuffled my camera and laptop bags to the front passenger seat.

Korbin kept shooting us neutron glances, the pure threat of tease in his look was enough to crumple anyone but I tried to hold my ground, having already shrunk away once. Sean got situated and wasn't paying attention to Korbin, or me, so I took the chance to pass my cousin a bit of sign language in the form of my middle finger. All I got in return was a chuckle and, to my relief, he put his eyes back on the road.

Of course my small victory lasted only three seconds. When Korbin hit the typical winding, hilly part of forest service roads I realized why he had focused back on his driving, as well as the cause for Sean getting in the seat by me. The moment we hit the first bend I knew for certain death was upon me.

"Holy shit, you need to slow down. Making it there in one piece is preferable to making there in record time you know!"

My right hand was gripping the edge of the door so hard I swore I heard the plastic crack. Sean must have heard it too because he pried it, and my other hand stuck to the back passenger headrest, away to hold in his lap. He wasn't kidding about Korbin's driving, and it was nice of him to join me in the back to help me through the ride, but by doing so I had a whole other issue on my hands.

Looking down at those hands I tried not to think about the way his felt like a hot weight against my skin or how I would like that heat to be pressed to other parts of my body. Swallowing around the Sahara which was once my throat, I pulled my gaze from our clasped hands and brought them to his eyes only to see him watching me. There was an intensity there I had never seen on anyone before. My stomach lurched, and it had nothing to do with Korbin's driving.

"I know it seems hard to believe right now, but we'll be fine. He's driven this road thousands of times in countless of different vehicles. Look out the window what do you notice?"

It took me a moment to realize what he had said and, not wanting to look like a drooling idiot, I did as he suggested. The moment my eyes gazed beyond the glass I saw the edge of the road as we curved around a corner and the mere thought of going over was enough to almost make me lose my sandwiches. "All I see is a sheer drop waiting to collect my corpse after I plummet to my doom."

Looking back at Sean as he laughed I couldn't figure out, for the life of me, why he wanted me to see the exact amount of danger we were in as Korbin flew over what he said was Stampede Pass. One thing was certain though, I wasn't thinking about rubbing against Sean anymore.

"You know, your friend Ash was right, you should have taken drama."

My eyes went round, all thoughts of naughty business gone in a flash. Ash had teased me about taking drama one night when we had snuck out together. He had said it after I went on a, I will admit dramatic, tirade about how we couldn't be together. It was the first time he had proclaimed his love to me in more than a family like manner. It was an event I had thought no one but him and I knew of.

Pulling my hands out of Sean's I said, "How many of my secret moments have you witnessed?"

His eyes darted away from mine and I could have sworn I saw his skin flush in the dim light coming from the consol, but it was too dark for me to be sure. Instead of answering me Sean said, "Look out again, this time at the weather and the condition of the road itself."

Pursing my lips together, I did as he said but wasn't forgetting the question I had asked. This time when I looked out I noticed the snow was light even though we were switch-backing down the pass and heading toward a valley. As we came around the final corner and approached the bottom of the hill I saw an area with only a few scattered trees to the side of the road. The snow was falling in heavy swaths and pilling high around them as well as along the road.

My brows drew together as I contemplated the snow banks when we reached the bottom of the hill and began driving beside the tree sparse area. The flat and straight condition of the road allowed Korbin to increase his speed and I noticed the almost house size piles along the road appeared natural. Somehow the snow built up in perfect mounds but dissipated to nothing at the road. They just looked like massive dunes of snow swallowing up the occasional tree.

My view was blocked as the forest thickened so I turned back to Sean. "How is that possible?"

There was movement along my knee and I looked down to see the side of his leg wedge beneath it. I must have smooshed it when I turned to look out my window. My cheeks warmed as I pulled my leg back and moved away. Biting my lip, I prayed he hadn't noticed me flush the way I thought I had seen him blush earlier. There was no need to make the man embarrassed or uncomfortable again.

"There is a ward on the road that keeps it clear for pack members who travel it. If non-pack came through this time of year it would be impassable, but even if someone does get to pack lands there are precautions in place to scare them off."

What he said reminded me of George's story. "What about George? He told me of the time he was lost and stayed even though he should have wanted to leave."

The corner of Sean's mouth turned up in a half smile making my heart clench. "His case is rare. He's right, usually people do want to leave so bad they don't stick around. The area feels very uncomfortable to them. If they make it as far as the abandon homes on the property the area makes enough creepy noises to scare those people off. I guess in the storm there was enough natural noise to drown out the spell." He shrugged.

"What if that doesn't work though, like with George?" It wasn't hard to be drawn in, thinking about magic spells and wards.

"If someone does manage to avoid the wards in place then they are either turned away or welcomed by someone in the family. In either case, a spell is put on the person so they stay silent. They become a friend who remembers or someone who forgets all they had seen."

Nodding my agreement I thought about what George had said, and how it matched up with what Sean was telling me. Without warning the car lurched to the side and, being unprepared, I was sent into Sean's lap.

"Oops, sorry," came from Korbin, as well as a chuckle.

Sean helped me right myself and I tried hard not to think of how his breath on the side of my face smelled of moss and clean earth, like the deep woods, or how if I turned my head just a little, our lips would touch. Sitting all the way up I glared at Korbin. It would have been clear to anyone what he was aiming for with his little stunt.

"Sorry," I said, tucking a loose curl behind my ear while trying hard to calm my pulse.

"No problem at all." His eyes were on Korbin and I had to wonder if the move irritated Sean as well.

"So how much further is it?" Ignoring my cousin was the best route to take. There was no need in making an awkward situation any worse by biting at his bait.

"If he can stay on the road we should be there in about ten minutes. Is there anything else you would like to know?" Sean's eyes came back to mine.

His question reminded me of the one he had side stepped earlier and I readied myself for answers to questions I wasn't sure I should ask, but needed to. "George had told me you two have watched over me my entire life and you both seem to know a great deal about me."

I could see his eyes dart to Korbin then back to me. Sean must have known where I was going with my statement.

"Have you witnessed everything, like _everything_ , everything?" He had to know what I was talking about.

There was one, and only one, time I had ever had sex and I wasn't even sure if it counted. It was a test to see if all the frustration and emotional issues I was having could be taken care of by getting rid of my virginity. At that time I was desperate, and I knew it was a long shot, but I was willing to try anything. In the end it was a hopeless and sad endeavor to fix a problem that was actually made worse by my poor choice. One which left me stomping across Tommy Millar's front yard with only my cowboy boots on while he threw my clothes out his trailer window and called me a crazy cunt.

He wasn't keen on me punching him in the face when he tried for more than I was willing to do. I won't go into more detail than that, but suffice it to say what he wanted was fairly alarming for someone's first time. The whole idea that one of them sat outside listening to the entire thing was a little more than mortifying.

"Um, well. We have been very good at our job in ensuring your safety so either one or both of us have been there at any given time throughout your life."

Sean's lame response was answer enough. He was there and had heard and or seen everything. The fact he was acting as though the situation had made him uncomfortable made the whole thing even more embarrassing for me.

"Oh for Christ's sake. You were there when I had sex, weren't you?" Sometimes pulling the Band-Aid off and getting it over with is better than ignoring the elephant in the room.

Korbin's choked laughter was audible over the crunch of frozen gravel and the call of Moody Blues low on the stereo, too low to really listen to other than a word here and there—I'm sure it was turned down so he could eavesdrop on our conversation.

"During that particular moment I was present, yes." Sean kept his eyes on his hands in his lap, but as soon as he admitted being witness to my horror they fixed on me. "I didn't watch or listen in while it happened, I only monitored your safety in the least intrusive way I could."

There was some kind of high pitch noise I equated to squelched laughter coming from Korbin in the front. He was acting as though he thought Sean's confession was the most comical thing he had ever witnessed. My humiliation over Sean having seen me stark naked—well, I did have boots on—after having horrible, horrible sex for the one and only time in my life had my cheeks flaming, and Korbin's poorly subdued laughter wasn't helping any.

However, it amazed me that even though I wanted to smash his nose against the steering wheel I didn't want to do it enough to actually follow through with the desire. Giving myself a mental pat on the back for ignoring him, I focused on not letting my utter humiliation over Sean witnessing that event show.

"Sorry you had to see that atrocity. I wish I hadn't been there myself." There was a small party going on in my head for how confident and collected I sounded.

Sean let out a small laugh so I joined him and decided a subject segue was in order.

"What about my trips to Hawaii?"

Ash was stationed there for a few years so I had been back a number of times to visit him. There were other trips as well, usually to visit Ash in other places. I drove to California for him and Las Vegas once for me. Almost went to New Orleans, but Ash was stationed in Texas so I went there instead. And, I can't forget my Mediterranean tour I went on. There was more I had done to fill my time than get into trouble after my folks had passed away, nefarious activities just happened to fill the majority of it. And, I can't say I didn't almost get into trouble when I vacationed too.

"Both of us went on all the trips you made." Sean continued while I thought of those various trips. He seemed at ease, his leg bent on the seat, angled towards me. A light smile played on his soft looking lips.

Averting my eyes to his slender hands I asked, "How did you two manage to stay hidden from me during all that?" I looked back at him as he answered, glad I could focus on sensible questions and not how I wanted to nibble that tender looking lower lip.

"We have spells for that as well. They allow us to make it so people see what we want them to see. How do you think Korbin loaded so much stuff on the SUV so quickly without anyone noticing?"

My eyebrows pursed together. "I hadn't really thought about it. I guess that's also how you lived by me all those years without me knowing."

He nodded as I chewed on my bottom lip, mulling over what he had said. It had me wondering about other odd incidents around me I had questioned, like when I moved Martha's lawn stuff. My eyes went round.

"Were you the ones who helped with Martha's stuff that one time? George said he took care of it but Martha just kept saying, 'Thank the stars for those nice young men.' It was you two, wasn't it?"

He smiled and nodded.

"I guess I should thank you for fixing that, and other stuff. George said you were there for all my freak outs. Hey, wait a minute." In true Annan fashion, I forgot something important that I had thought of in a fit of rage only to remember it hours later. As soon as I did, I felt like an idiot for forgetting about it in the first place. "Why did you two wait, why not get me earlier? All the clean up could have been avoided if you had just gotten me right after my folks died?" The verbalization of me being left alone when they were right there the whole time had the anger in me resurfacing, I could feel it rising, like my voice in octaves, as I spoke.

Korbin had gone silent in the front seat and Sean couldn't seem to decide if he wanted to look at me or the other man.

"One of you better answer me." The air in the vehicle felt hot as it entered my lungs in long, deep breaths. Breathing deep was the only thing I could think of doing to keep the storm of my anger at bay.

"We were hoping you would wait to talk to Mike about it." Sean sounded as though he was being careful, like he was talking to someone about to jump to their death.

"Why? Just tell me, now!" All the controlled breathing in the world couldn't hold back the desert like storm that my anger had became. Hot and full of emotional thunder and lightning.

"It was my dad's decision." Korbin cut in "There were circumstances surrounding your parents' death that deemed it necessary for you to stay away until the time you may be able to properly defend yourself. You are lucky we let you stay where we did and didn't hide you away in a facility after what happened."

"What circumstances? What happened? George said I would be safe." The storm inside me wavered and was faltering to fear in short bursts. My gut couldn't decide between fight or flight.

Korbin put the car into park and turned around. "George doesn't know everything, but he is right to think you would be safe coming back home. If you want more answers than that, there is someone who has most of them right out that door."

"What?"

There was a slight tremor throughout my body and it took me a moment to breathe past my flip-flopping feelings and pry my gaze away from Korbin, who sat watching me. Looking out the back passenger window I saw a huge log home. The wood was a rich amber color and seemed to glow in the exterior lights and snow surrounding it. It was like some winter dream, even the green tin roof was covered in white powder, and the lights around the property highlighted not only the home but the tall, snow-draped Douglas Firs surrounding it as well.

The house was able to stand up against those trees. It was a two story beauty with balconies on both levels, which wrapped around to the back of the home. Pillars, each made out of a single log, stood along the front façade and held the balcony and roof in place. They gave the home a look reminiscent of a plantation style house one would find in Louisiana, only done in stained timber.

The storm in me subsided and all my anger dissipated as I sat in wonder of the home surrounded by piles of snow but having only inches itself, touched by magic as it was, in the middle of the Cascades.

"Welcome home."

Korbin's asinine greeting should have grated on my nerves but I was too awestruck to care.

Getting out of the vehicle, I breathed deep of the much crisper air and let it chill my lungs. It was refreshing, and as I relished in the cool mountain breeze I looked around and saw an area which must have also been protected from the snow with the wards Sean told me of. It too was mostly clear of the white stuff and led to a large, four bay-door garage, also having only inches on it like the home, instead of the foot or more which covered everything else. The garage wasn't as glorious as the home, made out of corrugated metal and only a shade darker white than the snow, but it had the promise of holding a plethora of toys to play with in any mountain condition.

The SUV's doors opened and, turning back to it as Sean and Korbin began getting out, I noticed the warded road wound past the vehicle and through the forest. Deeper still, a light twinkled and for some reason it felt welcoming, as though it was drawing me to it.

"Ah, she's here!" A shrill woman's voice cut the peaceful night and my curiosity of the light in the woods was broken.

Turning back to face the house, I found what I was assuming was the source of the voice. A woman who looked to be shorter than me came bounding down from the wide porch, her ample breasts—larger than my full C cup—flounced as though she didn't wear a bra. It was hard not to stare as she made a beeline for me and not because of her distracting chest.

It seemed some of those aspects in me I found odd and tried to somewhat hide, like my immunity to the cold, was out for all to see on what George had called Pack Lands. The woman's thick ebony hair—as black as Korbin's but not quite as long as mine—fell around her bare shoulders, that's right, _bare_ shoulders.

It was hard not to let my shock show as she pulled me in for a hug in cut off shorts, a violet tank top, and brown slip on flats.

"We missed you so much." Her sapphire eyes sparkled with emotion as she took a small step back, my right hand still clasped in hers, and I realized Korbin and she shared the same eyes and hair, which had me assuming she was his mother.

"Uh, hi?" There wasn't more I could think to say to her as she held tight to my hand and looked at me as though I was a treasure.

She tittered then composed herself and let my hands go. "Sorry dear, I have just been so excited to see you again. It's been so many years since we have been able to spend time with you. When you started getting old enough to remember we thought it best to stay away." Some of my anger tickled at my insides as she kept talking. "I'm your aunt Abigail, but you can call me Aunt Gale." She extended her hand then made some dismissive noise and hugged me once more.

Her introduction as my aunt squelched the hint of anger. Realizing Korbin and Gale looked similar hadn't sparked the acknowledgement the woman also looked too young to be his mother, but that realization hit when she said she was my aunt. As soon as she said that, I had the notion she looked far too young to be the aunt George spoke of.

"Okay Gale, let the girl go." Whoever had spoken had saved me from being squeezed to death by the shorter woman, but the voice hadn't sounded like Korbin or Sean, both of whom stood by while I was being assaulted with love by the lady.

She let out another small laugh and let go of me. While I was being crushed by my supposed aunt I hadn't seen the man standing behind her approach us. As he pulled her in for a hug and kissed her on her cheek she closed her eyes and smiled, and I glanced over his strong features and coloring and knew he had to be my uncle, my blood. The photos Sean had shown me of my father looked too similar to the man in front of me for him to not be his brother.

The only problem I could see was the same one I had noticed with Gale. There was no way they could be as old as they should be. Neither of them had a speck of grey, or a hint of wrinkles. They both looked as though they were only a handful of years older than their own son, the same son who spun Gale in a hug as he told her how happy he was to be home.

"Welcome home, Annan." Korbin's father pulled me in for a hug while his wife doted on their grown child. "I'm sorry it couldn't have been sooner."

My anger stirred as the man, taller than my five-eight by at least five inches, stepped back.

Placing a hand on my cocked hip, I eyed him. "Why so late anyways? When I asked Sean he clammed up like I was a six year old asking if Santa was real and Korbin threw you under the bus. Is it true, you decided I should suffer alone because I was not strong enough to defend myself against some threat he wouldn't even tell me about? If so, that is some bullshit."

"A-nnan!" The resemblance to my mother's scold had me shutting my mouth instantly. All the anger disappeared and was replaced by the fear a child would hold when mom's rarely seen wrath was upon them.

"Sorry." The man in front of me raised an eyebrow over my mumbled apology.

"Holy cow, we should have had mom go get her." Korbin began chortling as his mother scolded him instead, saying it wasn't nice to tease me and that I hadn't had a mom around in a while.

As he snorted with laughter, and she went on about how he shouldn't be laughing, I shot icicles at him with my eyes, but dropped my glare when it was obvious he wouldn't see it. Besides, his mother's verbal berating was shaping up to have enough threat in it on its own.

The touch of a hand, light through my jacket, brought my attention to Sean who had stepped up beside me. When my eyes fell on him, I saw concern in his depths and drew in a deep breath as Mike started talking again.

"I'm sorry it wasn't sooner and I will explain why in a moment, but keep in mind what I have to say will upset you. Rest assured though, your best interest was in mind."

Nodding once, I didn't want to say anything, not liking the sound of him telling me I would be upset over what he had to say.

"I'm sure you have guessed by now, I'm your Uncle, my name is Michael. Did Korbin inform you of his relation to you?"

Letting out a snort, I crossed my arms and shifted away from Sean. "Yeah, he told me I was his cousin and by the way Gale just laid into him I can guess she is his mom. Besides, the family resemblance is obvious."

Mike nodded his head once and a smile drew out small crows-feet around his eyes that I would expect to see at all times on someone old enough to father a person Korbin's age. "Why don't we go in the house and I will explain some things before we turn in. I don't want us up too late, though. We have a long day planned tomorrow."

Wanting to groan over his comment about the long day, I drug my feet after him when he began walking towards the house and talked to me over his shoulder. "Are you hungry? My wife is the best cook in the world, it's one of the reasons I fell in love with her."

My stomach growled at the mere mention of anonymous home cooked food, and the whoop Korbin let out, as he unloaded his things from the Suburban, told me his stack of sandwiches had been about as adequate for him as my two were for me.

Gale strode up to me, leaving Korbin to his task. "How about some French toast before getting tucked into bed?" She planted a kiss on my cheek and continued on to the house, not waiting for an answer.

"Gale does make the best food, and there will be plenty for everyone since she is used to cooking for Weres." Sean's words were almost unheard. My attention was on Korbin as he ran with an unnatural speed to the garage.

"Where is the walking meat-wall going?"

Sean chuckled. "He's getting his truck out of the garage. Don't worry, he won't miss his mom's cooking. It's one of the best parts of coming home, for any of us."

"Any of us? How many people call this place home?" During the ups and downs of the night I had forgotten there could be more family than just Korbin and his folks, as well as Sean, who lived on Pack Lands. George had said it was my family's land, but I had never thought about how many people were included in that statement.

Sean let out another chuckle to my question and guided me up the stairs and into the massive log structure.
Chapter 6

### Shut up Sean

After eating the best French toast I had ever eaten in all the almost twenty-three years of my life, my belly was full and happy. My mind was full as well, but it didn't feel as good as my tummy.

In the hour or so it had taken Gale to cook, and us to eat her cooked French toast, I had been told about everything from a secret organization called the Supernatural Intelligence Agency my dead biological parents, as well as Korbin and Sean, worked for, to how the pack functions. Going from one to the other may seem like a strange path to follow, and that's because it was. It started with my parents working for the unknown branch of the government, so secret to humans even the President is on a need to know basis. To a story about Sean and Korbin working for the same place and their job of protecting me for over twenty years. They were deeded with the task because of their tie to me and because the man who killed my biological parents also vowed to end the last thing they had left in this world. Me.

The story had many twists and turns, including how the battle on Pack Lands made them strengthen and expand the protection wards, but ended with me full and reeling from information overload.

"So, to sum up: There is some psycho werewolf out there that was like my biological parents' arch nemesis or something. And, not only did he kill them but the old pack leader too, who was also your dad, and vowed to kill me as well. So that is why I was whisked away and why Korbin and Sean have been babysitting me my whole life. It's also the real reason I have been in hiding, off Pack Lands. A baby girl would be too obvious since they are never any born in the pack."

Pulling my bottom lip between my teeth I mulled over what I had said for a second then looked at Michael who was sipping his coffee. "Why hasn't this guy found me yet? Someone determined enough to storm Pack Lands, kill Raven and David, and take out a pack leader had to have gone looking for the child he vowed to kill."

"We tried to be misleading. We spread around the word that you had passed shortly after your parents died, but you are right. He did keep looking." Michael set his mug aside and his whole demeanor seemed to change, become more serious. "There is one last piece of information I need to tell you. It has to do with Greg and Sharron and your question about why you were left there after they died."

The mention of my adopted parents sparked my interest, and information overload be damned, I needed the last morsel he offered.

"He had found you but you weren't home." Michael took another drink of his coffee, maybe to give his words time to absorb and when they did my eyes went round. He set his mug back down and said what I had thought. "We have reason to believe he had a hand in their deaths."

"Sean and I found evidence of him after the explosion so we called out a professional." Korbin added his part to the new addition of the story of my life around a mouth full of French toast.

He finished his bite with gulps of milk and it was all I had in me not to be disgusted, after all I was interested in what he had to say about the most tragic event in my life. Plus, I wasn't as irritated with the man in general after I had found out _most_ of his over-done teasing was for show. He admitted it was his way of distracting me and keeping me from asking too many questions, but was sure to let me know he was the teasing kind. You know, for future reference.

After he was done with his milk he set his glass down and pushed it and his plate away before continuing. "A Mage came in and did a spell to see what had happened. The spell showed us Marcus in the living room area talking to your parents, looking at pictures of you, and generally acting friendly. At some point they all left and a few moments later there was the explosion."

Korbin shook his head and his eyes dropped in a mournful way. "For some reason we were unable see the area where the explosion occurred. The belief is, something in the explosion kept it from being detected, even magically. Whatever the reason, we weren't able to see what he did in the garage with them, but we know he was responsible. There is no other explanation."

Settling back in my chair, I ignored the prick of tears over finding out I was pretty much the cause of my parents' death. "So why leave me? I would think after what you saw, and with this 'coming of power' thing in me, you would want me here." Part of the long story included how Weres have a coming of age thing on their twenty-third birthday. It's called the coming of power because it's when a Werewolf has their first change. The reason my own oddities, or abilities as Mike called them, had been amping up was because my coming of power was to happen in a few short weeks.

"There was a spell placed on your folks." Mike's words had me pushing aside the fear that poked at me whenever I thought about what my coming birthday meant. "The spell was similar to what George has on him, it's the type used to divert information. If Marcus was ever to show up and you were not around, meaning Sean and Korbin would not be around, Greg and Sharron would have given him, or anyone else out of the ordinary, a story of you having passed.

"The story would change as you grew but any of them would have led him to Pack Lands. No matter what he did in your home the hope was he wouldn't return to it, but would instead start searching the Cascades."

Mike's words twisted the knife of guilt in my gut. They had done everything to protect me, even if that meant sacrificing those around me. My stomach knotted and for the first time in my life I felt sick. It was their fault my folks were gone just as much as it was mine.

"Our boss decided leaving you at home and adding more wards to you and the house would be the best route, until the time of your first change." Korbin throwing another person under the bus broke any calm that was left in me.

Not wanting to poke at the new guilt over my parents' death, instead I decided to poke at their shit choice in not preparing me for the inevitable turning-into-a-monster thing. "Nice Korbin, good of you to blame someone else again, and for future reference, having less than a month to prepare for something you previously thought was science-fiction is not awesome. In a case like this, if somehow there ever is another one of a kind supernatural child born out there, knowing what you are sooner is way better than later."

Letting out a sound of disgust, I shook my head. "I would have liked some preparation, someone to help me understand what was going on, hell even a quick 'Don't worry, you're not going crazy Annie,' would have been nice. And trying to tell me it was for my best interest because some crazy man wants to kill me and might come out here is bull. Let me ask you, did he ever show up?"

Korbin looked at his father, who shook his head. It was as though he couldn't even verbalize the mistake they had made.

Crossing my arms over my chest, I tried not to look too pissed off. "Just as I thought. He never once showed up and I sat there for almost six years going nuts for nothing."

"That's exactly what I've been telling them."

Looking over to Sean in the living room, I saw his two tone eyes on me and hoped the warming in my cheeks was hidden by my growing anger.

He was relaxing in a large brown leather chair by the massive twenty-five foot high river rock encrusted hearth, which was surrounded by windows just as high. From the front of the house the outdoor balconies had seemed to go all the way around the back but once inside you saw most of the open living room actually had ceilings that went to the top floor.

The second level was afforded the same view being that the hallway to the upper rooms had a banister instead of a wall on one side, allowing you to see out the massive windows. The only rooms which seemed to not get the view was the bathroom, laundry and office down the hall I had yet to venture in.

Looking out those massive windows and at the snow draped night I had to imagine in the summer when you could see the mountains and the Green River, which was supposed to flow behind the home, the whole seen must have been magnificent.

Having recovered from flushing over Sean simply looking at me—idiot—I brought my eyes back to my cousin and uncle. "At least Sean had my back. I bet Korbin could have cared less."

"Ha!" His outburst jarred me. "I complained more than him over the years and I complained during all of them, not just the last six or so."

"Only because you hated living in Puyallup." Sean seemed to be flush himself as he retorted to Korbin's jab.

"Either way, I still bitched a lot."

"Watch your mouth young man. I swear you have been away from home much longer than you should have been." Gale smacked Korbin on the back of his head as she gathered his empty plate and glass.

She looked the picture of a perfect homemaker with her pink with white polka-dot apron on and her bouncing black curls pulled back, even if she was old enough to be someone's great grandma and then some. When I inquired about how she managed to look so young the round of laughter I received was almost embarrassing. It seemed wereanimals were able to live for well over a millennia and that was something I had not expected.

Really though, I shouldn't have found any of it surprising, all things considered, but it was a bit disconcerting to discover my cousins—yeah there were two more, twin brothers at that—were all in their seventies, my aunt was over a hundred, and my uncle was over three hundred; not to mention the first guy I had ever lusted after was eighty-two.

That last one was the real hard nut to swallow.

Gale began cleaning the rest of the mess as she spoke. "We all wanted you home earlier but Cesair said there was no need to move you so soon. We had always planned on you coming during this time dear so it wasn't much of a deviation from the original plan. What happened to your parents was unfortunate, though. They were surely missed in the town, so many in the community attended their funeral."

"You were there?" It was rude to interrupt her, but that last part was a shocker.

"Of course we went. You would not have recognized us, and it hurt us that we could not go to you and comfort you, but Cesair—"

"Look." The one word was hard, stopping her not only in her talking but her cleaning as well.

The silence I had created was broken by the screech of my chair legs across the wooden floor as I stood. "I'm not going to lie, it is wonderful to know I have family and, though frightening, a little relieving to know what is going on with me, but some of what you have told me has been hard to accept. To hear how close you all were on that day—" Shaking my head I could feel the hot burn spreading inside me. "I need to go."

"You just got here." Gale was frozen—dishes stacked with utensils and fixings from our French toast in her hands—ready to burst into tears by the way her eyes swam in the light from the antler chandler above us.

Sean stood too, his eyes showing some kind of fear, as though I would dart. Looking to him first I continued. "I don't mean for good" —my eyes went to Gale— "but hearing that you all stood by while I fell apart wanting to crawl in that empty box they lowered in the ground for those god damn people in that town and die in it so there was some corpse worth visiting, and you didn't fucking come to me!" Gale flinched at my language. "And don't you say anything about my mouth right now, so help me I am keeping it together. I. Have. To. Go."

My steps were calculated, I focused on each one as I made my way around the table, past the breakfast bar surrounding the open kitchen, and to the front door. "Tomorrow I will apologize for my behavior."

With my hand on the knob, I turned back to Gale who was under one of Mike's arms—the dishes set back on the table. She was crying but neither of them looked angry at me, more worried than anything.

"But, I'm sure you all will be apologizing to me for a very long time." With that, I turned the handle and opened the door to a blast of cold.

"Where will you go, we're miles from anyone else?" Mike's voice beat against the wind that had stirred up while we ate.

Stepping outside, I wrapped my arms around me and refused to look back. "I don't know, one of those abandon houses George told me of, one of the empty ones for pack you told me about. I don't care, just not here, not right now." With that, I shut the door hoping I hadn't slammed it as loud as it sounded like I had.

~

The snow had begun to fall with more vigor while we had talked and eaten so each step I took away from the house and toward the distant light I had seen through the trees seemed to get harder and harder as I went. It had to be close to three or four in the morning and the day's events were wearing on me, causing my battery to shut down.

Trudging like a moron, I started to reconsider my irritation at them for being responsible for my parents' death and leaving me alone after they were gone. After all, they kept blaming some person named Cesair. As the cold seeped in and pressed on me in an unfamiliar way I began to wonder if a bitchy half wolf, vampire-fairy woman could die of hypothermia, when lights flashed across the tree in front of me.

Turning back to look, I saw headlights crisscrossing through the trees. There was car well behind me traveling down the road I passed over now and again. When I stormed out of the house and saw the light once more I decided on a straight path through the woods, unsure of where the less snowed on road led to. It wasn't the smartest idea but I didn't want to chance losing sight of my destination.

Ignoring the vehicle—it was obvious someone from the house had followed me—I kept to my path. Eventually I could hear someone yelling my name as the lights drew closer. Soon I recognized the voice as Sean's and stopped when I came to the road again. The Suburban cut through the trees and stopped next to me before Sean came running around from the driver's side.

"You're lucky you aren't human, going out in the snow like this." He was shaking his head.

Crossing my arms over my chest, I took him in and tried not to be irritated. My pissed had cooled from the walk, but ramped up when I saw the car lights coming for me. Sean's comment had nudged at it, but his fallen features and worried eyes had me feeling more sad and tired than anything else.

"Where were you going? The abandon homes are the other way."

Still I didn't say a thing.

Sean didn't sigh, or seem irritated, he only continued in the same calm easy tone. "I can take you back to Mike and Gale's."

"No." Sean was the one person out of the lot I was the least pissed at. He had lived with my family for nearly fifty years but he still wasn't my family. He was also the strongest proponent of my early return to that family, even if Korbin claimed otherwise, so I couldn't fault him much.

Another piece of information I had discovered, which made it hard for me to be mad at him, was he swore to protect me to my dying mother. It was a fact that did put a damper on me lusting after him, considering his feelings towards me probably geared more on the paternal side than sexual. From what I had seen and heard so far he did keep by his word and had always been there to make sure I was okay, such as tracking me down in the snow.

"Where should I take you, then? Because, if I can help it, I'm not letting you walk any longer. The other homes Mike told you about would need the power turned on. Though they are maintained they are not heated unless in use. If you want to stay in one I will get it turned on and ready for you, but it will take some time to warm up."

He sighed at my scowl. "I could drive you to the next town and you could rent a hotel, or if you really want I will take you back home to Puyallup, give you our numbers, and stay back in the house across the street myself."

"How did you know which way I went?" My scowl hadn't been for what he was saying, it was more for the realization he had known which way I went.

"What?" Confusion was clear on his features, which were highlighted by the headlights.

"How did you know? Did you follow my tracks or is there some kind of locate-peeps magic spell crap around here or something?"

"Annan." He stepped closer to me and I couldn't help but notice how warm he felt. "I told you we strengthened the protection on you. One of the spells acts like a tracking device. I have the receiver."

My mouth fell open. "That's fucked up, you know."

Sean laughed and moved to the Suburban. "Personally, I find it convenient. Like when you go running off in the woods alone." He opened the passenger door.

"Whatever, real funny." It wasn't funny at all. Knowing I had been magically chipped like a supernatural pet had my back up again.

"This wouldn't be the first time I've had to use it. Now, are you going to get in, or stand out here and continue to be snowed on?"

Standing for a moment like a stubborn fool, I said, "I'll get in if you promise to remove my tracking chip spell thing."

He hesitated a moment. "I can't make that decision."

Turning on my heal, I stomped back the way I had come.

"Wait!"

Stopping my retreat, more because I actually had enough of walking in the snow and less because he wanted me to, I waited with my back to him.

"How about I let you talk to Ces herself and see if she will allow it. I don't like the idea much, I've needed to find you too many times when Korbin was slacking in guard duty and that spell was a life saver."

Turning around I narrowed my eyes and put my hands on my cocked hips. Sean's grin pulled at my insides, which irritated me since I wanted to be mad at him.

"But, I will call her and you can talk to her and her word is like the law with the Supes, quite literally."

Raising an eyebrow, I went back to him and the warm looking SUV. "What is she, queen supernatural bitch or something?" The idea that there was some super Supe—ha, ha—pulling all the strings seemed even more nuts than everything else.

"I would never use the word bitch to describe Cesair, ever. You'll know what I mean when you meet her."

One sculpted eyebrow of mine stayed arched, expressing my doubt to him.

"I can't explain it any better than that. Now please, get in and I will call her for you. I promise."

"You promise? Promises are easily broken you know."

"Not by me there not, when I promise it's an 'I cross my heart and hope to die' kind of thing. It's my _word_." Taking his offered hand, I climbed into the large SUV and as I buckled in he looked up at me. "And, when I make a promise to you, Annan, you can be damn sure I'll keep it."

The heavy door thumped close as I sat breathless over his comment. Breathing in, I tried to calm my beating heart before he got in the vehicle. To my amazement my anger had vanished. One moment it was there, the next it was not. The corner of my mouth turned up in a hidden smile as Sean got in. Even if the eighty-two year old half werecat half vampire—who vowed to protect me to my dying mother—never showed interest in me physically, my interest in him was at least a nice distraction.

"Where to, or do you want to call Cesair first."

A giant yawn came out of nowhere, up from my gut, and right out of my mouth. "Goodness, I had no idea I was that tired. I don't want to drive all the way to Puyallup and I honestly have no clue where I was going. I saw a light and was heading for that. I don't know what the light is, it could just be a shack for all I know, but that is where I was headed." As if my body wanted me to be ample sure I knew how wore out it was another yawn left my mouth.

"Okay, we'll go to the light. What about that call." He started fishing for his phone in his suit pocket as he started down the road.

"I trust you will keep your word. I'll do it in the morning." Letting my sudden tiredness overtake me I settled down for the short ride. "What is that light for, anyways?"

Pulling my eyes from windshield, and the light getting closer through the passing snow, I looked at Sean.

He glanced at me with a huge smile. "That light is for my front porch."

"Oh."

It was pretty coincidental the place I was headed to was to the home of the one person I could tolerate on stupid ass Pack Lands. My eyes went back to the light in question and I saw we were nearly to his home, a smaller version of Mike and Gale's place which looked more like a log rambler instead of a log plantation. Glancing back, I could see the distant glow of the home beyond night shrouded trees and swaths of snow.

"Hey, Annan?"

"Yeah?" My lids were heavy as I turned back and looked at him.

"Welcome home," he said mimicking the welcome Korbin had given me earlier.

He chuckled as he turned off the SUV.

Rolling my eyes I opened the door and said, "Shut up, Sean," before getting out.
Chapter 7

### Just a Nightmare

The smell of orchids and the drone of people shuffling, department store music, and the general murmur of many voices talking, found my senses before my eyes saw where I was. A loud cry of a child remedied that condition as I bolted upright and looked around.

Oh shit.

Eloquent? No, but it was always the first thought that came to me when I found myself dreaming of Hawaii. It didn't matter I hadn't had it in years, I knew what was to come and how it would all play out.

This time I was sitting on a bench by a Koi-pond in the Ala Moana Mall. Other times I was in my hotel, or at the beach, but it was always on the same day. My heart began racing as I stood and looked down at my body and saw what I knew would be there, the swimsuit and sarong I wore the last day of our senior trip. It was another consistency, my two piece suit and matching sarong in black with crimson hibiscus flowers, because that was what I was wearing our final day on the island before we went home.

Looking one way, then the other, I searched for the person who had purchased me the Hawaiian wrap—due to the fact it matched my suit so well—and found him coming out of a shop. Ash saw me and smiled. He waved and called out my name, as he always did when I found him in the dream. When I would get to him he would tell me it was time to go, we had to pack for the flight home, but I didn't want to go. I knew what would happen when I got there. A memory hit at the back of my mind and the name Sean flitted through. It was then I remembered, Sean and Korbin were with me on the trip.

Searching the crowd, passing Ash who grabbed at my arm, I called out to Sean, looking for him through the increasing sea of people. A mother moved out of my line of vision and there, staring at me mouth agape—probably because I was calling for him when I wasn't supposed to know of him at this time—was Sean. Yelling his name I went to run to him when a large man moved in front of me, blocking my view. Looking around him, I called Sean's name once more.

"Who's Sean?"

"Huh?" Turning to see Ash behind me, I looked around and saw we were at the airport, waiting to board the plane home.

"I said, come on. That's our flight. Did you get a hold of your mom yet?"

Shaking my head, he smiled and patted my arm, saying they were fine, before standing with his carryon. He and our friends, who had joined us on the trip, were chatting about missing the beaches and the good food as my eyes scanned the airport.

A flight attendant began calling rows, starting with first class, and I watched as the people boarded the plane, but neither Korbin nor Sean were in the crowd. I knew they had to be there, they had to. So I kept scanning. Standing on tip-toe I looked at what seemed to be an endless line of people behind me then a flash of blond caught my eye and I saw him, in sunglasses facing towards me.

Screaming out his name I pushed through the crowd, which was hell bent on shoving me towards the open door of the Jetway. Every time I moved forward an inch, they would push me back two. Finally I grabbed someone's luggage, ready to throw it in their face when another person yelled my name behind me.

"What!" I screamed.

"Jesus, I was just asking if anyone answered at home when you called." Ash seemed surprised and I looked down at my hand to see what I thought was the handle of rolling luggage was actually my steering wheel.

Bringing my eyes to the windshield, I knew it was too late, we were turning the corner, the car was edging around the crowd, the one that was outside my home as smoke and cinders floated up and away through the early evening air. We were finally there, the car stopped, I was out, everything seemed to occur in slow motion without me controlling it. People moved around me, dousing flames, Ash screamed my name and I saw his dad running, but not moving fast, towards us. But this time... this time I wasn't on the ground weeping, I was searching.

In the crowd of gawkers there to see my home burn, I found him. Sean was sobbing, being held back by Korbin who was talking to him low and fast. He hollered my name and reached out, gazing beyond where I was standing. Looking back to see what he was intent on, I saw myself on the ground clutching the grass around me and trying to crawl to the bodies being loaded in the ambulance.

Tears streamed down my face as I screamed _no_ over and again. George and Ash both held me but all I did was hit at them and curse, trying to break free. That's when the paramedics came and put a needle in my arm. Swinging out, I smacked the woman only to get another dose from her partner. In small increments I began to calm.

I couldn't look away from seeing me, watching what I did in that moment. Before in the dream I always _experienced_ the entire thing and when the second dose hit was when I would wake, screaming, sweating, in the night, clutching my sheets, only to realize it was dream. After that I would lash out at whatever was around me before crying myself back to sleep. It had been a few years since the dream had made an appearance and this time it was so different. The fear was still there, like a vice around my heart, but it was an old ache and nothing like before. I turned back to Sean to see he was finally calm, though his face was still wet with tears.

I couldn't help but call out to him, and when it seemed he looked towards me I made my way through the crowd to where he sat. Hollering to him once again, he stood and I reached out only to have my other wrist grabbed by someone behind me.

Before I could turn to see which one of my neighbors had a hold of my arm, a gruff voice stopped me and sent a chill down my spine. "I knew I could get you if I waited long enough."

The voice stoked the fear already in me and made it much worse than it had been when I was only reliving my parents' deaths. This fear was the kind that came when you knew you were in danger, even if you couldn't see it. It was an old fear which taught us to stay by the fire and watch out for what is in the night, because it could very well kill you.

Swallowing around a hard lump, I turned away from Sean's puzzled face to find out who was attached to the bone chilling voice, as well as the hand clutching tight to my wrist. As soon as I looked behind me my vision was filled with a huge undulating black shadow-like mist. The shapeless form towered over me and had no real substance, even though its grasp was firm. A scream tried to climb its way out my throat but got caught somewhere in the back, as screams sometimes do in dreams, and never made it out.

"There is no escaping, Annan. You will be mine," the black mist like form said, causing my insides to ice over.

The scream which struggled to emerge made it out and I began pulling at my arm swatting at the mist surrounding it. Smacking at the thing only seemed to cause it to spread and soon both my hands and arms were engulfed. Looking back at Sean, with a desperate plea I hollered his name over and over as I tried to pull free. There was a tingling at my feet and I looked down to see half of my legs were covered the way my hands were. Everywhere the mist touched my skin crawled and itched as though that place on my body was waking from being asleep.

While I struggled against the black mist, tears streamed down my cheeks and I screamed out—not words, just a long cry of fear—until my throat was raw. The mist surrounded my entire body at a slow pace leaving only my shoulders and head free from its grip. A pressure began to build at my abdomen, as though it was trying to enter me or become a part of me, and I wailed for Sean once more. The mist let out a low laugh, almost as if in triumph, while my cries tore on and on.

Sean's voice came in through the laughter, distant and somewhere behind me. Hearing him call my name I hollered out to him with new verve and felt hands press hard against my shoulders.

~

"Annan! Annan!" There was a pressure on my arms and in my not-yet-awake stupor I mumbled something incoherent before I heard the words, "Oh thank god."

My mind flickered over the last part of the dream I was having—the dark mist taking me over as I screamed out—when the bed shifted. A warm body pressed against my back and an arm came around my side and pulled me tight to what felt like a firm chest. Some of the fear I had felt in the dream seeped back as I wondered who was in bed with me. Trying not to think of how the mist pressed through my stomach in the spot where the mysterious hand rested, I opened my eyes telling myself it was just a nightmare.

Bland surroundings filled my vision—what I had called the log cabin version of my home when I had first seen it—and all the fear drained out of me, only to be replaced by a different kind of tension. There was no assailant from the dream in bed with me, but who _was_ with me wasn't going to help my frazzled nerves any.

Looking down I saw Sean's pale-haired arm around my side, his fingers massaging at my belly in a light way. It was a motion I was sure was meant to be comforting, but as my stomach churned under his hand all I could think was that the gentle stroking was anything but comforting.

Clearing my throat I said, "What's going on?"

There was a movement at the back of my head right before Sean responded. It felt as though his face had been resting against the crook of my neck, over my hair. "So many times you would wake screaming in the night and I could never help you." His body moved against me as he let out a short laugh and I tried to ignore how good it felt. "The first couple of weeks after you lost your parents, when you would cry out in your sleep... Korbin had to restrain me each and every time."

"It was just a nightmare."

My response was feeble because my mind was focused on what he said and had drifted to the nightmare in question. The pain I saw on his face when I lost my parents seemed so real and he _had_ vowed to protect me to my biological mother as she lay dying next to her already dead husband. My mind must have mashed that information together with what I had experienced of Sean so far. Getting a better understanding of why he was with me, all hope of ever finding out if I could enjoy sex seemed to fly out the window.

"You really take that promise to watch out for me seriously, don't you?"

His body moved with quiet laughter as he pulled me a little closer to him. The full length of him pressed against me through the quilt I was under, and my stomach flopped and rolled when I felt something hard push against my backside.

The condition it was in was unexpected, but I guess it shouldn't have been. He had to have been sleeping when I started screaming and, having slept at Ash's enough, I knew all about morning-wood. Part of me was hoping, of course, that there was more to it than just bodily function. Either way, it was rather alarming to feel it pressed hard against my left cheek and lower back.

Biting my lip, I tried to not to dwell on the obvious fact it felt much larger than the one and only penis I had ever seen in person, but as Sean answered my question, and paid no mind to the rigid nature of his dick, I had to assume it was an involuntary morning issue and nothing more.

"I do take it seriously, but regardless I never want to hear you scream like that. It breaks my heart. This time you weren't just screaming, you were screaming my name, calling for me to save you." His hand trailed a delicate path along my arm and I began to wonder if I was wrong about that body part of his sandwiched between us. "When I heard that, I came running. I was so relieved I could be here for you."

Ignoring the low burn of arousal building in me, I attempted to ignore his erection as well. After all, he was ignoring it. "Thank you, the end was creepy so I'm glad you woke me up, but it's no big deal. It wasn't like the old nightmares that would have me waking in fear and loneliness." Sean gave my shoulder a small squeeze and I swallowed down the desire wanting to flare up. "This was different, just a messed up nightmare from all the crap you guys filled my head with last night."

My voice sounded odd to me. Tight, like the rest of my body, which I was trying not to move, for fear I would grind against him or something. It was a difficult feat since his own body was a hot line burning against mine wherever he touched, even though there was a layer of blanket and clothing between us.

Someone should have burst in and given me an award for showing the restraint of a nun. All I wanted to do was gyrate my ass against his cock and see what happened. The way he was laying behind me coupled with the fact he was the first man I was ever sexually attracted to, he _was_ lucky I wasn't raping him.

God, was there something wrong with me?

Blinking away my thoughts I said again, "It was just a nightmare." My voice was strained and sounded as unsure as I felt with him laying behind me for too many heartbeats.

Something shifted behind me, yeah _that_ something, and I jumped up like an idiot teenager. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I faced away from him and toward the window which showcased the horrid early morning light hitting the snow.

Glancing at the nightstand my eyes shut. _Good god, did that clock say 7:42?_

Instead of commenting on the time or how I would like to see what his erection was all about, I stood and glanced at the bathroom. "Oh, well. I should take a shower. I'm guessing people around here get up early like you. Unless I woke you up earlier than normal with my screaming, that is."

A laugh escaped my lips as I looked behind me, but stopped short when I saw him lying across the bed with nothing but loose shorts on. There was a playful smile on his lips and a show of ease in his blue and yellow eyes. My own eyes trailed down his pale body, enjoying the sight of the smooth sculpted plains of his chest and abdomen, which had the lightest dusting of hair, so flaxen it was as if he had none at all.

As I stared—I'm sure with my mouth open, complete with droll rolling down my chin—he said, "You did, but I will never mind you waking me... for anything."

"I wouldn't want to be woken up if I had to deal with wood like that in the morning." The words flew out of my mouth, which I snapped shut, before I knew what they would be.

Turning back around, I was sure my face was multiple shades of red considering the amount of embarrassment I just forced upon myself. Taking a deep breath, I decided I should just leave while I still had some dignity. Sometimes, saying the first thing that pops into my head could be a real fucking pain in my ass.

Mortified, I shuffled my way around the bed and to the bathroom which connected the other guest bedroom in Sean's home to the one I was staying in, while I squeaked out a, "ha, ha just kidding." He didn't say a word to me, and I didn't dare look back at him splayed across the bed like a sensual morning snack as I shut the bathroom door.

Chapter 8

### Protectively Deceptive

Once my shower was over and had I washed away all the shame and embarrassment of tripping over my tongue, I exited the bathroom and saw Sean was no longer looking tasty on the bed. Though I was relieved to be able to dress alone I had to admit I was a little sad he wasn't waiting for me. Tucking the towel in above my breasts, I put my luggage on the bed and opened the cases to find what I needed.

Never sure how much to pack when I traveled, I tended to err on the side of more and ended up with three full bags of clothes, shoes, and whatever else I thought I would need. After digging in the third one I decided the routine would get old every morning, no matter how long I stayed—it was irritating on the first go round—so I utilized the closet and the large cream-toned wood dresser in the room, figuring Sean wouldn't mind me bunking in his house. After all, doing so would make his job of watching over me that much easier. At least, _that_ was the excuse I kept giving myself as I filled the drawers and hangers with my things.

Dressing while I put away my stuff, I ended in skinny jeans and a long dusty-hued brown sweatshirt. Popping my thumbs through the provided holes in the shirt, I pulled my hair into a loose pony tail before leaving the room. The door at the end of the hall, the one that led to the large master, was open and the light was off telling me Sean was not there.

Heading left, I found him sitting in a tawny colored chair reading a National Geographic. His styled hair said he had showered as well before putting on a snug ash colored v-neck t-shirt and dark loose fitting jeans. He looked away from the magazine and to me as I entered the room and a gentle smile alighted his lips.

"Will you be warm enough in that?" He leaned forward and set the periodical on the substantial walnut coffee table as he spoke.

"Sure." I shrugged. "We aren't going anywhere so I'll be plenty warm."

A small laugh left him as I sat in the chair on the other side of the table. "So what's _your_ plan, then?"

His question interrupted my curiosity over the rigid nature of the chair. It was as though the thing was brand new and never sat on. My brows pursed as I looked at him. "I don't have a plan. You're the one who brought me here."

"But you said we weren't going anywhere, so I figured you had some plans for the day I was unaware of." His smile looked teasing but I hadn't seen him in a teasing mood so I couldn't tell for sure.

Opting to ignore the little glimmer in his eye—not like the one Korbin would get, which was annoying—I sighed and slouched back in the chair. Bringing my feet up, I crossed them and sat Indian style before shimmying in the seat. The damn thing needed to be jumped on to soften it or something. "Man, I don't have any plans. All I know for sure is that I'm hungry."

"Why don't we go to the main house and get breakfast. Besides, I know your aunt and uncle have something in store."

Stopping my pursuit of finding a comfortable way to sit in the chair, I looked at Sean. While I was in the shower I remembered I was not happy with my new family, but when my eyes fell on him I became distracted by his mere presence—like now, with his elbow on the arm of his chair, chin in hand, fingers lightly touching his bottom lip—and forgot all about my family. Glancing away, I knew it would be hard to talk to the man if he looked like the cover of a romance novel all the time.

Licking my lips, I took in a deep breath before responding. "Right, Mike did say there was a big day planned."

Bringing my eyes back at Sean, I continued. "Honestly, I'm still not happy with him or Gale, even if I might owe them both an apology for the way I left things last night." Trying not to sound too bratty, I added. "The problem with that is: I don't really feel like giving them one right now."

Sean nodded but his eyes were distant in thought making me assume any snottiness from me went unnoticed. "Well I don't have any food here." He stood up, his heart wrenching smile in place. "How about I run down and grab something for you? It will only take a moment."

As if I had agreed, he began walking to the door. The smile on his face looked as though he felt proud of his idea. Jumping up on the chair I hopped over it, dashed in front of him, and shoved him back a step.

"Hold up buddy." His eyes went round before his lips quirked at the corner. "I didn't say, 'No problem Sean, trot on off and fetch that.' now did I?"

He laughed and said, "No."

"Alright. Seriously, I don't need you running off to get crap for me. Okay?"

"Sure, Annie."

When he used my pet name with a hint of warm laughter in it my heart clenched. Following him back to the chairs we were sitting in, I breathed around the knot in my chest and heaved a sigh of relief that it dissipated by the time I faced him again.

Groaning to myself over sitting in the stiff chair once more I said, "I take it from the out-of-the-box state of your furniture and the lack of food in your home you aren't here often are you?" Smacking myself in the head I shook it. "Derr, watching over me. Of course you're not here."

Sean rested an ankle on a knee and seemed at ease in the horrid chair. A laugh escaped him as he sat back. "You're right, this furniture hasn't been used, but the stuff before it was the same way. I replace them as styles change but I don't use them often." He shrugged. "I've always been like that."

A lame reply of "oh" left me. Glancing at the table between us I felt stupid for forgetting the reason Sean wasn't at his home much. His vow to watch over me and all.

"My room is a different story. I'm much like you in that respect." My eyebrow rose as I looked back at him, and he smiled. "When I am home I live in my bedroom. My bed gets so much use I have no choice but to replace it every now and again."

Bringing my knees up I tried to hide the slight blush in my cheeks as I made a sad attempt to not think on how he would _use_ his bed. Images of him nude, making love to women over the years, learning things I could only dream of, ran through my mind no matter how hard I tried to shove them away.

Sean started laughing and the blush spread, heating up my neck and around my entire face until I was certain I was blazing red. "Oh goodness, Annan, I didn't mean that kind of use." He stood. "Come on," he said before walking to the hall.

Standing up, I followed, not sure what he was doing and worried my heart would beat straight out of my chest as he entered his room and flicked on the light. It was all I had in me to not pant as my mind put me in place of the anonymous women in my head who had sex with Sean on his bed.

Him and me rolling in his sheets, our sweaty bodies caressing each other and wanting more as the snow raged outside, played through my mind, but as soon as I crossed the threshold and was in his just-as-drab-as-the-rest-of-the-house room the dream vanished.

His bed was a disheveled mess of white blankets and pillows with scattered clothing on top. Next to it a small fridge acted as a nightstand, holding a clock, lamp, and half drank glass of water. Opposite the bed, hanging on the wall, was the TV I had noticed was missing from the living room the night before, having chalked that up to some hide-the-TV spell or something. The whole room screamed, "I'm a bachelor and don't have women over. Ever."

"See, I pretty much live in here when I am home so the only furniture that is ever used, sat on or otherwise, is my bed."

"Do you at least have food in that small fridge?" My voice sounded whinier than I had intended.

"No, but if there was food in the house it would be found in there." He turned the light off and we returned to the living room. "I tend to eat most meals at the main house if I am on Pack Lands so keeping a lot of food here isn't necessary."

Talk of food—and my lingering dream of the large stainless steel fridge in the open concept kitchen being full—had my stomach growling, which only made Sean laugh again.

"Well, we need to feed you before your stomach starts digesting itself. Are you sure you don't want to go to..."

Crossing my arms over my chest, I glared at him making him laugh even more as he put his hands up.

"Okay, okay. No Mike and Gale. I guess that leaves only one option."

"What?" I asked, as I uncrossed my arms.

"Get some shoes on. You'll have to wait to eat while we drive there, but at least the food is good."

Giving Sean a questioning look, I returned to the guest room to put on weather appropriate boots and a long thick knitted scarf before following him out of his house and into the early winter morning.

~

"Not as good as what we ate last night, but it works." Setting my fork down on the empty plate, which recently held a Belgian waffle with strawberries and whipped cream, I sat back. "So." My eyes fell on Sean who sat across the table from me in the diner we were at. The murmur of a small morning crowd had combined with the clank of silverware while we ate and talked. "Now that I have gotten some food in me, answer my question. Why did we come here?"

"Anything else Sean-Paul?" Our waitress—in a place like that you don't call them servers—Amy held a demeanor which seemed years older than what her lean blond appearance hinted at, even if the diner's uniform of brown slacks and orange shirt with a matching brown collar caused her look a smidge older.

"No thanks, Amy. How's Ricky doing these days?" Sean's grin was the kind a person gave to someone they were friendly too, but not really friends with.

Even though Sean and Amy obviously knew each other, the whole time we were at the diner she hadn't stayed at our table long enough to chat, unless you count taking our order. Stranger still, when she first saw us in her section her eyes were like saucers. From then on anytime she was near us she acted all fidgety and strange.

Her gaze flitted to me again before settling on Sean as she filled his coffee mug, even though we were clearly done and he hadn't asked for more. "He's gone off to Germany to teach. The university here doesn't really have what he wants any more. Harold's family is still there so he's having a wonderful time."

She shifted the coffee pot to her left hand so she could take my empty plate with her right, her blue eyes, muddled with gray, stayed on me for the first time. They held something in them I couldn't decipher. "Is there anything more I can do for you, Annan?" Her voice hitched a little as she said my name.

"No thanks, Amy." It was hard not to sound apprehensive with the way she was behaving.

She nodded, her smile much wider than it should have been, and walked away, glancing back now and again. With our odd, yet bubbly, distraction gone I leaned forward. "And why is she acting like I'm Bigfoot or some shit."

Instead of answering me Sean said, "Come on, let's get out of here."

He got up and dropped three twenties—well over what was due—on the table before guiding me out of the booth. Thanking Amy as we walked out of the diner, we stepped out onto the sidewalk, which ran along the main road in Cle Elm, and made our way to the parking lot on the side of the building. The wind was harsh against my cheeks, stinging my nose a little, and I had to think people who were chilled by the cold must be miserable.

Glancing around the lot as we walked across it, I could see there was room for plenty more cars. Though there were a few, and a few tables full in the café, most people who were out for breakfast probably opted for a drive through joint since even getting out of your car in the freezing cold wind to walk indoors seemed not worth it for a meal.

However, Sean went straight for the place when we got in town. He kept saying we were getting food, but as I nagged him to stop at the Burger King or McDonald's when they passed by, not for the weather but for my growling gut, he just shook his head. Not that I'm complaining, the waffle I had was way better than anything we could grab in a drive through. His actions were just curious.

"We came here," he began as he fished for his keys in his light jacket, "so you could see that our kind live normal lives like everyone else but even so, you are something special."

The doors clicked as they unlocked before Sean reached for the passenger handle and opened it for me. "What does that mean exactly?" What he said was cryptic, as usual, and though I could assume I knew what he meant, I wanted to be sure.

He closed the door behind me before he went to his side and got in. "Amy in there?" He nodded to the diner.

"Yeah what about her?" I asked as he started the SUV.

"She's a wolf. Her husband changed her after their last son was born, over fifty years ago. Amy is in her eighties, and you know that guy that came over asking about Mike and how the new event was going while trying not to look at you?" He glanced at me before pulling out on the road and amid the nonexistent traffic.

I nodded still mulling over how, like Gale, Amy was youthful yet a senior citizen, and then some.

"His name is Eustis, but Korbin likes to call him The Baron."

"What, why?"

The strange comment made me forget about sexy grandmas to ponder the man he spoke of and why Korbin might call him that. He didn't seem special in any way, other than his skin which was paler than expected, even for Washington. Nothing about the guy would have warranted a name like that from Korbin. He was of average height, weight, build, with slicked-back, dark hair that matched his dark eyes and older suit. He wasn't unattractive but not striking either, just some guy.

Sean looked at me then back to the road as we made our way south and to the Safeway in town. He had said earlier that if I want to hovel at his home he needed food to sustain me, but we would get it _after_ breakfast.

"Long before coming here, and being granted rights to live so close to pack lands, Eustis was a lord. He was seduced by a woman who wanted his land holdings and that woman turned him into a vampire to gain them."

"That guy was a vampire!" It sounded as though there was more to the story but my shock over the plain guy being a vampire was too much.

Twisting around, as though I would be able to see through the buildings and back into the restaurant to catch a glimpse of him, I looked back to where we had come from. Trying not to laugh, I wondered if the place was named Sunrise Diner as a joke or something. Facing out the front again, a smile over the thought spread my lips.

Sean chuckled. "Yes, Korbin thinks he's funny by calling him The Baron. He owns the restaurant and—"

"Wait," I interrupted. "How the hell can he walk around in the sun, shouldn't he go _poof_ up in smoke, or ash, or some shit?"

Sean breathed a laugh out as he shook his head. "There is more to the supernatural world than what we told last night. Eventually you will learn it all, but you have plenty of time since you won't be aging anymore."

That comment had me choking off any snide remark about me needing to learn stuff that could have been taught to me from birth if I hadn't been shuffled away and put in hiding.

_I won't age anymore_...

Fighting the urge to dwell on my immortality, I focused on Sean instead as he spoke.

"Eustis is old enough to walk in the sun. It takes a long time, about a hundred years, but vampires are able to go out during the day again. Of course, even though he is older than Mike, he still thought you were something special."

All I could do was nod in agreement as I listened to him. The whole ordeal made me feel like Justin Bieber had nothing on me when it came to fandom.

"I'm sure you can gather that Amy is a pack member so that is why she was on pins and needles even more than Eustis. Amy shouldn't be as jumpy at the pack meeting, the new event Eustis was asking about. He had inquired on it before under the guise of catering but I think he was really interested in seeing you."

The words _pack meeting_ kept bouncing around my head like a jittery squirrel. With how large George told me the pack was, and Sean's introduction to how special I was—so special people practically wanted to rub on me like supernatural catnip—being at a meeting full of fans that could put the Bieb's and the Beetle's fans to shame sounded downright frightening.

"What do you mean pack meeting? How many people, or Weres or whatever, are there going to be at this thing? And, are they going to be acting like Amy and that lame ass vampire?" Words sputtered out of my mouth, hardly thought of before said.

Sean snickered as he pulled into a parking spot and turned off the vehicle. "I don't think I would be calling Eustis lame, though Korbin would find it funny."

"Yeah, whatever, on to huge pack of fan-boys and girls," I said, waving his remark away.

He held the keys in his hands as he looked at me. His eyes were even and calm. "The entire pack should be there, they all want to meet you and not all will be invited to your birthday for your first change."

The words "first change" didn't help my anxiety and I blessed what god or goddess there was that I was not beating Sean to hell or tearing up his car with rage. Breathing through the dread of this new information, I was thankful that at least the anger was at bay. The absence of my anger alone kept me listening as Sean continued, but his words came out slow, I assumed because he too was expecting the fury to rise in me.

"I can see that their behavior will be unwelcome if they were to act as though... you are what you are."

My eyes narrowed some.

"I'm sorry, Annan, you _are_ special. One of a kind." I raised an eyebrow and he laughed. "I know that sounds very cliché, but it is true. All of the pack wants to meet you and will be here the day after tomorrow to do just that."

"The day after tomorrow!"

"I'm sorry!" Sean's eyes were wide so I sat back taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry," he said again. "The family had planned to show you around today, introduce you to what it's like to be a Were, _then_ tell you about the pack meeting."

"Jesus." Closing my eyes I shook my head before looking back at him, the large cab suddenly felt very cramped and warm in the cool December day. "After seeing what it will be like around someone from the pack today—well, I guess Gale did kind of go overboard—but anyways, I'm glad I didn't learn about it _at_ the pack meeting. It was good you gave some introduction so I can be prepared." The fear in me subsided as I spoke. "Maybe you can put out an APB, though, for the other people, or wolves, or whatever, that they shouldn't fawn all over me. Just be cool, and nice, or something."

Sitting back I groaned.

"Well, I guess it's a good thing you got so upset with Gale and Mike." Sean's joke fell flat and so did my gaze when my eyes found him.

"You know" — I tried real hard not to sound too sarcastic— "if I had grown up in the pack this wouldn't have been such a big deal and I wouldn't have had to be mad at Mike and Gale at all. Hell, by now I would probably be calling them mom and dad along with Korbin, and his brothers I have yet to meet."

Sean drew in a deep breath before letting it out, I guess I didn't try hard enough at the sarcasm and came off a little bitchy.

"Annan, let me ask you. Did you have a bad childhood? From what I remember, it was pretty great. Actually, it was downright story book perfect until your parents died, _and yes_ " —he cut off my opening mouth, which snapped shut smartly— "it is a tragedy you were not allowed to be with your family after that event, but the person you should really direct that anger too is Cesair. Mike may have agreed with what she said but like I told you last night, her word is like the law."

For a moment I thought on what he said, then nodded my agreement while I stated as much, and the feeling in the vehicle went down. He was right, my childhood was awesome, all except the loss of my parents, and if I should be mad at this Cesair person then I guess I should give her a good bitching.

Hey, wait...

Sean's smile had returned when he opened his door, but a thought had crept back into my mind. When he came around to my side and opened my door for me I had my own smile in place, though mine was a little on the side if evil.

"Actually," I began as I hopped down. "I do want to call her, you know, to get that thing removed so I'm not tracked like a freaking Pomeranian anymore."

There was a slight flinch to Sean's eyes before he nodded and shut my door for me. He didn't say a word as we began walking across the icy, salt-coated lot to the supermarket, but his silence spoke volumes to me. It said, he also remembered what he had told me but was hoping I had forgotten.

Of course, I didn't know him well enough to make that call for certain, but I still I tucked away the knowledge that it seemed when it came to me, and Sean's protection of me, he was capable of being deceptive if he felt it was for the best, even if doing so went against something I wanted.
Chapter 9

### Get Used To It

Once the shopping was done we headed back to Sean's. The Suburban was loaded down with enough food to sustain two normal people for a few weeks. For Sean and me it would be more like a week and some change. Lucky for us, he had unpacked the vehicle after I passed out the night before so there was enough room for all the food.

As we made our way back to his place I felt confident in the plan him and I had bartered over while shopping. I would get to talk to this Cesair person, see about the spells on me, and sometime before dinner I agreed to see my family and put aside my anger at them. Sean was confident I would have no anger towards Mike and Gale after talking to his boss. _That_ was yet to be seen.

Navigating the drive back to Pack Lands didn't instill terror the way it had the night before, I was guessing that was due to the fact Sean was driving. Without a madman behind the wheel it was quite pleasant. This time I noticed we went up then back down a switchback with the Pack Lands being nestled in the valley holding the headwaters of the Green River.

I was even able to see the abandon homes George had told me about. There were two still standing, which looked sad and ready to be renovated, and an old barn of sorts that was all but gone. Thick snow covered everything and gave the place an ethereal look that had me itching to get out and explore with my camera.

"So did anyone ever live in those homes?" I asked as we passed them by, heading to the inhabited part of pack lands.

"Yeah, other pack members once had, but by the 1940's the rest of the pack had moved elsewhere. What's left is what was most recently built and became a good place to set the wards we... told you of." The last of what he said was slow as though he was distracted. "Oh, crap."

"What?" I asked, turning back around from watching the houses disappear in a blanket of snow behind us.

"Uh, well you know that deal we made?"

"The one about calling your boss?" My eyes narrowed.

"Not the calling her deal."

He glanced at me as we bumped over the icy road, his eyes holding an apology. "I think we might have to move up when you go back to the main house."

"Why?" That one word held a hint irritation.

"Well, because I just saw a vehicle's rear-end curve around a corner ahead of us and it belongs to one of your other cousins." He wasn't looking at me anymore. Instead, he was intent on the road and driving slower than need be.

Drawing in a breath, I let it, and any irritation that was building, out. "So what does that have to do with anything?"

"Well we are going to drive right by them and I think the twins would be a little hurt if all you did was wave as we passed by."

Chewing on my lip, I understood why he had slowed down. He was giving me time to decide if we stopped or if I was a bitch and did exactly what he said.

"Shit."

"Thank you, Annan, it won't be so bad." He sounded relieved.

"So you take _shit_ as my agreement to stop?"

His eyes were near panic stricken when they fell upon me and I had a feeling Sean was a little sensitive to how others felt. By that, I mean he didn't want to hurt other people's feelings if he could avoid it.

Sighing, I shook my head. "Fine, yes, you freaking baby don't start crying on me or anything."

Pursing his lips, he turned back to the road and sped back up. "You sound just like Korbin."

Ouch, guess I deserved that.

~

My other cousins looked more like their dad, and in turn me, than Korbin. The twins shared their mom's skin tone, though, so they were lighter than Korbin and their father. The one thing that was different than their mother and father were their eyes. Both of them sported a silver-gray I was told was inherited from our grandfather. They also didn't favor the weights like their older brother and had a build similar to that of their dad and Sean, fit yet lean.

"I still can't believe we have a born female Were in the family. It's unprecedented!" Will kept saying the same line, like he was stuck in a loop or something.

There was no hiding the exasperated sigh that left me as I slouched back in the cushy chair. We had stayed way longer than I had wanted—I even mustered up the damn apology so we didn't have to come back later—and when I said something about the food in the Suburban, hoping that would prompt our exit, Korbin had that damn twinkle in his eye and suggested putting the cold stuff outside so we could visit longer.

Fucking ass.

He had to know I wanted out, wanted none of the questions, or bonding, or whatever the fuck it was they wanted me to do with them. All I wanted was lunch and a movie back at Sean's.

"I'm sorry. I know I've said that a lot, it's just—"

"Yeah, yeah I get it, I'm some big freaking whatever and every damn Supe will want a piece of me," I said out loud then added under my breath, "not like I fucking have to like it though."

"Annan!" Gale's constant complaining over my mouth was starting to grate on my nerves as well. This was time number four since we had gotten there and I was over it.

"Look. Please, Aunt Gale. I get that too. You don't like it." Standing I started heading for the door. "Since I'm not comfortable with this shit, and you are obviously not comfortable with me, why don't I make it easy on us and go."

When I reached for the handle a hand grabbed my arm and I turned to see Sean standing behind me.

"I'm sorry, Annan. I don't mean to be terse." Gale was somewhere beyond him, in the living room, but my eyes were on Sean's duel gaze. The pleading I saw there held me fast.

"And," —Gale kept talking as Sean's eyes held me— "I know you have become accustom to the way you speak—"

Shaking off Sean, I turned to Gale, interrupting her. "No, it's not that I have become accustom to it. This is me. This is the me that lived alone with not a single one of you around, except Korbin and Sean, and that was in secret. You, dear Aunt Gale, need to become accustom to me and how I am."

Shaking my head, I let out a disgusted laugh and turned to Sean. "This is why I didn't want to come back until after I spoke to Cesair. The hurt, the anger, it's still focused on them" —I pointed to Gale and Mike, flanked by their kids — "and I can't do this until it goes somewhere else."

"And what if it doesn't?" Korbin's voice struck a chord in me and I couldn't get why he was picking at me at such a time.

Flexing my hand around the door knob I had not let go of I said, "Look, I want to be perfectly clear to everyone here. You made these decisions about my life without my knowledge because you thought it was best." Sean moved as though he was going to speak so I cut him off with a glare. "Or, as you all claim, because Cesair thought it was best."

Facing the rest of them I continued. "What you need to understand now is that, as a result of those decisions, I ended up like this. This is who I am now. A crazy ball of anger and frustration that fucking cusses, a lot, and now because you all made me this way you all need to deal with it."

Opening the door I added, "Oh, and get the word out. Tell everyone not to be all fan-stupid-crazy like you all have been, and how that chick was at the diner." All eyes went to Sean before coming back to me. "I'm telling you right now, if everyone starts fawning over me the day after tomorrow at this pack meeting thing, I'm out. I don't care if I turn into a wolf, or fairy, or vampire or what the fuck ever."

Looking at each of them one last time I wanted to be sure they understood how serious I was. "I will be done, out, and gone. Forever."

Exiting the house I felt increments better as the cold air surrounded me. "I want to cash in on that phone call now, Sean," I said before I stepped away leaving the door open. Sean wouldn't be far behind.

The snow crunched under my boots as I made my way back to the Suburban to load the cold groceries back inside. As I did, I heard steps come up behind me and turned to give Sean an earful, only to be surprised by Will.

"I'm really sorry, Annan. I had no idea."

Shaking my head, I put a hand to it. "It's okay, or not." Dropping my hand, I looked back at my cousin. "Honestly, I don't know if it is or not. I just know I'm already tired of it."

His smile was warm, what you would expect to see on a family member. "Either way, in this instance I am to blame. I wanted to apologize because..." He furrowed his brow a moment before going on. "You know how you said you are you and we should deal with it."

He laughed as I nodded.

"I wouldn't exactly put it that way, Annan. I'd say your personality is something we should more... get used to. Well, at any rate, this is me. Being inquisitive is who I am. You know how I told you I work at the University?"

When I was first introduced to the twins I was told Will, or William, was a professor at U-Dub and his brother Geoff, or Geoffrey, restored old cars and sold them all over the world. The two had just gotten back from delivering a Christmas gift to some rich guy, for his son, in Arizona. Will had joined his brother since he had taken the fall quarter off to have time for my return. Having learned this already, I nodded.

"The reason I work there is because I am what my brothers call a nerd." He laughed again and this time it was hard not to smile at his warmth. "And they're right about that. I can't help being excited by meeting you, even if you weren't family. Your very existence is exciting. You should have seen how excited I was when they got the first video evidence of giant squids."

There was no way to stop the choked laugh that left me. "So I'm like a giant squid to you?"

Will started laughing once more. "Yeah, in a way, I guess. You are more exciting, though, and family of course. I just hope you understand that I will be like this with you for a while. I'll try not to be all starry-eyed around you, or ask too many questions, and I'll understand if you ever have a need to cuss at me when I slip."

His comment had me laughing and shaking my head before going back to putting the groceries away, which he started helping me with. "Will, I don't think I would ever cuss at you for your interest. Not after this nice explanation. But I do have a dirty ass mouth so you will have to get used to hearing it when you're being inquisitive around me."

"Hell, I don't have a problem with that, even though mom is going to take issue with it forever." He motioned behind him with his head.

He set the last bag in the SUV and I shut the back. "Yeah, well she better get used to it," I said before looking at him again. "What is her problem with it anyways? I hear Korbin cuss and she just gives him a shushing, I do it and it's like the wrath of God coming down on me."

"It's because you are a girl."

"That's really sexist you know."

He started laughing. "Yeah I do, but mom is from a different time when women were ladies and didn't do that kind of thing."

His statement had me pausing a moment. I was so busy demanding that everyone get used to how I was that I never stopped to consider how they were. Letting out a small laugh I understood why Will had came out, with his sensible way of talking and telling me about his behavior and how I may have to get used to it, he inadvertently made me realize I have to do the rest for all of them. If I was asking for it from them, even if I had a damned good reason, I should expect it of myself too.

Smiling I gave my head a quick shake before pulling Will in for a hug. "Thank you, and sorry," I said before stepping back.

"Anytime, cousin."

"Holy Jesus! I was wrong, Will should have gone, not Mom."

Korbin was lucky all I did was roll my eyes at him.

"If I had, I wouldn't have pissed on her couch, Korbin." Will winked at me.

"You did what!?"

Gale's raised voice pulled a smile from me and had me grateful Korbin must have told his brothers what he had done. Everyone had come out behind him, I guess they figured it was safe after Will survived the encounter, and the sight of Gale laying into Korbin for what he did to my couch warmed my heart.

It wouldn't be too hard to get used to Gale's old ways and watch my mouth if I was rewarded now and again with the sight of Korbin getting scolded like a six year old. My smile spread as I watched him hunch his shoulders and mumble, "yes mom" and "sorry mom," as she told him he would apologize by getting me a new couch and by cleaning my entire house. It was a sweet sight indeed.
Chapter 10

### Fairy/Vampire/Alien...What?

"That's the last of it." Sean closed the door to the cupboard he was stocking. His kitchen full of all we had gotten and ready to feed us while I was on Pack Lands.

Even though I had made nicey-nice and apologized—again—for how I acted I had still wanted to go back to Sean's, and not just because I wanted to have sex with him, which wasn't on my mind at all... honest.

It wasn't until after my family and I patched things up that I noticed my rage hadn't once peaked. Even when I stormed out of the house it was more out of frustration than anger and the only thing I could equate the new level of control to was the mush feelings I had for Sean. They had to have tamped down the grr-arg whenever he was around.

Since I chalked up my budding control over my rage to being interested in Sean it was a no brainer to stay with him. What struck me as odd was how my family acted as though my choice was natural. There was not a single argument from any of them about staying with him. Not even after I fumbled through the excuse that my stuff was already unpacked, and it would be easier to leave it where it was, and blah, blah, blah.

My family's odd acceptance of my choice to sleep under Sean's roof instead of their massive one—I learned the night before the house had six rooms, most of which were for guests—showed me that Korbin knew I had the hots for Sean, and that he spread that information to the whole family. Why else would Gale's eyes light-up like I said I was pregnant when I told her I wanted to stay at the guy's place? It was weird.

Deciding there was nothing I could do about it—I would worry about Korbin and his meddling later—I shut the fridge door and faced Sean. "Yep, all filled up and ready to feed us."

The room was silent for two seconds too long.

"So—" I began.

Sean's tongue darted across his bottom lip right before he smiled. The saliva caught in the light and gave his full lip a kissable sheen, which distracted me from what I was saying.

"So what?" he asked.

Blinking away the thought of nibbling on that piece of glazed flesh, I looked away trying to remember what it was I was about to say. "Oh, right." Looking back at him I added, "the call."

Something flickered in his eyes, and once again I had to wonder if he was hoping I would forget to ask on it. "Right, the call." His words were flat. Disappointment was more than apparent in them.

Sean went to his room, I was guessing for privacy, though if I wanted to listen in I'm sure I could have since my hearing was so excellent. Unless of course there was an anti-eavesdropping spell on the place or some crap. Rolling my eyes over the thought I went into the living room to wait for him but as I sat down on the chair I was reminded of how hard it was. Sighing louder than I needed to, I got up to fetch a comforter from the room I was staying in.

"—wasn't told not to."

_Oh, I guess there wasn't a spell to keep me from listening in_. My lips quirked.

Sean's voice could be heard on the other side of his closed door and me being me I couldn't help but listen in. Crossing through the Jack-and-Jill bathroom, I entered the other bedroom. It was right on the other side of Sean's room and, just as I had thought, I could hear him even better in there.

"You can tell her no."

Unfortunately, I could not hear the person on the other end.

Sean let out a deep sigh. "I don't like it. I—"

There was a pause.

"Fine."

He didn't say any more but instead I heard a shuffling noise. It sounded as though he was going to leave his room so I dashed, I was hoping in a very quiet way, through the bathroom and back to the other room. Grabbing the quilt off the bed I opened the door right as Sean was passing by.

He gave me a speculative look before handing the phone to me. Without saying a word, I took it and the blanket to the chair. Propping the phone under my ear, I said hello as I folded the comforter and placed it on the hard seat.

"It is so nice to speak with you at last, Annan." Cesair's voice was nothing like I had heard before, it was as though somehow birdsong and bells were interwoven with each syllable. It was hard to hold my resolve and stay focused on why I wanted to speak to her, but I managed.

"So are you going to take the spells off me, or what?"

"My, so direct, so like your mother." The way she had said _mother_ pulled something in my heart that I couldn't explain.

Settling in on the more comfortable chair thanks to the blanket, I watched Sean take the other seat. His eyes stayed on me as I spoke. "So are you going to do it or not?"

"Oh, Annan. You are such a delight. I will be right there." The phone went dead.

"What the hell?" Pulling it away from my ear I handed it to Sean when the front door opened.

"Oh this is much better indeed." That melodious voice was even more intense in person.

My mouth fell open but Sean looked un-phased as he put his phone on the table in front of him. Time seemed to slow as I turned and saw... I honestly don't know what I could call Cesair, I saw _Cesair_. Golden, shining, like an angle or dream. I _saw_ Cesair.

Standing up, staring at her like a fool, I could not believe there was anything on earth as amazing as what I was seeing. She stood taller than me with hair that looked like spun gold and eyes I swore were molten gold, the irises seemed to swirl as though filled with the liquid metal. Even her waif like body had a sheen of gold wherever it showed from under her sheer white gown.

In a moment I blinked my eyes and somehow she seemed to fade. She was still beautiful—her features would put any model to shame—and golden, but she wasn't shining and worship inducing any more. Sinking back down to the chair, I watched as she walked around the table to sit on the edge of the couch near me. She was full of smiles as she gathered my hands in her soft, warm ones.

"Annan. I cannot express my joy over this union."

"Say what?"

Her laugh was like the rest of her voice only the sound of bells and song was more apparent when the words weren't there to muddle it up. "She is just wonderful," Cesair said to Sean who smiled in return.

Facing me again, I tried to not think of how jarring her smile was when seeing it full on. "Your Sean here is not happy with your wish to have the spells and wards on you removed which allow you to be traced and monitored, as well as protected."

My eyes flitted to Sean before falling back on Cesair. "Sean isn't _my Sean_ and I don't give two shits if he is happy about it or not. I'm not too happy with the fact my whole life has been a lie."

"Oh goodness," she squeezed the hands I had forgotten were in hers. "You are so much like your mother. It warms my heart to have you with us once again."

Pulling my hands from hers, I remembered the other reason I wanted to call Sean's boss, who seemed to know my biological mother rather well. "Why didn't I come back sooner? Everyone here keeps saying it was your idea."

Some emotion crossed the woman's perfect features, her golden eyes moved away a moment before coming to mine again. "I had dueled with what to do when your second parents passed. Either decision would have had... consequences. I felt the choice to leave you was best and I am very sorry the pain it has caused, and will cause, you and your family." She took my hands in hers again. "Believe me, Annan, you are very important to me."

"Yeah, you and everyone else."

She looked back to Sean a moment before facing me again. "What you are and why you matter varies from person to person. Some people care about you deeply and not because you are a born female Were. Though this is an interesting event, I look more on the fact you are your mother's daughter and our kind often birth females. So this supposed uniqueness is not the reason you are special to me."

My heart wanted to lurch out of my chest. "Raven and I are like you? You're a fae?" There was no hiding my surprise and I had to wonder if my biological mother would have first looked like a goddess to me when I saw her, or if her vampire side would have toned it down. From my experience I didn't make people want to worship me upon viewing. "Is that why you were all shining when you walked in, because you are a fae?" I blurted out.

Sean let out a short laugh but closed his mouth when I shot him a glare.

"In a way yes, but fae is such a broad term and not all Fae look like you or me. Right now as you see me I am using glamour to minimize my appearance. I can seem even more human if need be. When I first came in, you saw the real me."

"Awesome." Chewing on my lip a second I mulled over a thought. "Does that mean I will be able to do the same thing? Could Raven?"

Sean moved in his chair and I glanced over to see him sitting up, seeming intent on what I asked.

"To be quite honest, I am not sure. Unlike you or your mother, I am full blooded. Your mother did not appear with the glow known to our kind, but she could use glamour to modify her appearance. With your lineage however, anything is possible. You could have powers such as our kind, abilities of a vampire, and or, that of a were. Your family is sure you are going to change into a wolf on your twenty-third birthday, but I cannot be as sure as them. Only time will tell."

"What?" Letting go of Cesair's hands again I point a finger at Sean. "You all told me I was changing, just like every other born werewolf, on my next birthday. But, you also said her word is like law. So if she is unsure why is everyone else so damn sure?" My voice was raising and I didn't care. For the first time since I had met Sean I was angry at him.

Cesair touched my leg. "Do not be mad at Sean, none of what has happened is his fault. Ever since you were a teen he has said we should let you know, we should let the lie end before you became too old to forgive them. Never point a finger of blame at this man. He has nothing but the best for you in mind."

She took my hands in hers again, seeming to not want to let them go for long, and I looked back at Sean to see his face flushed. Those pink cheeks—his skin would probably never turn full crimson under that cream colored hue—had me wondering why what she said would embarrass him, since he did look embarrassed. If anything he should have been happy. Cesair had his back.

Looking at Cesair again I took a deep breath and let it out. "Okay. My family had said pretty much the same thing so I guess I shouldn't be angry with him. But why would everyone be so sure I'm going to be a wolf? I was told the reason they had to wait until now was because of the change. After it came I could hold my own, or at least be able to better protect myself if Marcus came here looking for me."

Cesair nodded as though she had known this information. "That is all true. If you change on your birthday you would be strong enough to better protect yourself, more so than in this current, weaker state. Your family's certainty in this change is understandable. Your physiology thus far has mimicked that of a Were. Even your recent heightened emotions and appetite, your increase in strength and speed, these all follow the same pattern of a born Were approaching his first change."

Her explanation only seemed to confuse me more. Furrowing my brow, I dropped my eyes to our joined hands. "But, than how come you are not as sure as them if all signs point to wolf?" My emerald gaze met her golden one again. "You know what they say: If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck—"

"It must be a duck," she finished for me. Drawing in a deep breath the feeling in the room changed, it even felt as though Sean was on edge across the other side of the table. "The problem with that Annan is if you draw blood from the duck and it shows up as cat, what do you call it?"

Once again her explanation didn't help. "What do you mean? Be very clear with me on this, I'm getting tired of everyone speaking cryptically around me."

She nodded and continued. "I've been monitoring your DNA ever since birth."

My brow came together and I tried to pull away. It wasn't pleasant to know I was being watched in every way possible.

She squeezed my hands, stopping my retreat. "Don't be alarmed, I do the same for any of our blood." Her words relaxed me, at least in this instance my monitoring was a normal thing. "What I am finding in not only you, but with anyone who has our blood, is the Aos Si blood grows stronger over time, it somehow mutates to make up more of the carrier's DNA."

What she called us had me confused even more. "I thought we were fae. What is ess-she?"

Cesair gave me a warm smile, one I would expect on my grandmother, even though I never had one—both my parents' parents passed before I came along. "Like I said, fae is a broad term. It encompasses all who came from Faerie."

"Is Fae-ree the same as Fairy?" I couldn't help but interrupt; she kept saying things as though I knew what they were and I tended to get distracted by lack of information.

Her hands squeezed mine again. "Annan, there is so much to tell you about who you are. It is a good thing you are immortal." Her bell like laughter filled the room and I couldn't help but glance at Sean who continued to sit in silence, still intent on what Cesair was telling me. "What I said is the correct pronunciation. Humans have a tendency to muddle words over time. All fae come from Faerie, but our kind, the Aos Si, have ruled in Faerie ever since there was a Faerie."

"The Aos Si?"

She nodded, her ever present smile in place. "There is a very long story to how our kind came to Earth but for now, I believe our Aos Si blood is strong when one of our kind mates with one of the various supernatural beings, or even humans, because all of them stemmed from our kind eons ago."

Pulling my hands away at last, I rubbed my forehead with one while I processed what she had said. A small twinge behind my right eye told me I was getting a slight headache for the first time ever. "So what you are telling me is that all supernatural creatures, by which I'm guessing you mean vampires, wereanimals, and probably witches too—"

"That is a human term, they prefer to call themselves Mages."

Dropping my hand I looked at her as she sat with perfect posture, her legs together under her dress and hands on her knees, seeming to wait for me to continue. Those molten eyes were on me and sparkled with something that looked a lot like pride.

"Okay, Mages."

"And don't forget shape-shifters, they are also classified under Earthly Supernatural Creatures." She stated the last part as though it was some kind of important label.

"Alright, so, shape-shifters and Weres—we can get into the difference between _those_ two later" —I shook my head— "mages, and vampires. These are the supernatural creatures on Earth." She nodded in agreement, so I continued. "And humans are humans, no special anything about them, right?"

"Oh, not necessarily. Humans were a different kind of mutation from the Aos Si and some still carry a bit of the magic laced DNA in them. If it is strong enough they end up as mediums, or physics, and the like."

Blinking my eyes twice in a slow and methodic way, trying to clear the building pleasure in my skull I recognized now as information overload, I slouched back and finished. "Right, whatever. To recap, humans, and special humans, and all Earthly Supernatural Creatures are somehow descended from the ruling class of fae, called the Aos Si, but there are other fae from fae-ree, what I've known as Fairy, who are not Supes or some kind of human. Right?"

She clapped her hands together lightly a few times. "Yes, exactly!"

"And for that reason anyone who is human or Supe that gets knocked-up by someone who is Aos Si—"

"Or those who have a strong Aos Si side, like your mother who was half."

"Right, or those whose blood is already high on the Aos Si side, end up having their DNA reflect even stronger on the Aos Si side and you believe this happens because of the combined heritage."

"Perfectly stated. I knew you would understand."

Sitting up, I let out a short laugh. "I wouldn't exactly say I understand, I think I still need a flow chart to track the information I've been getting, but it seems to make my question clear. My family thinks I'm going to change on my birthday because I've shown the same signs that normal werechildren show, even though no females have been born before, but you are unsure because my blood is showing stronger on the Aos Si side." Chewing on my lip a moment I added, "I guess that makes sense, if vampires and Weres originally came from the Aos Si then their DNA should be stronger, right?"

Cesair nodded. "This is true, however, like I said it gets stronger with time. It mutates. The closer you are getting to what your family thinks will be your first change the stronger your Aos Si DNA is becoming. It's almost as though your change will bring about your true Aos Si nature. That is only a speculation of course, since nothing like this has been observed before."

Not really looking at her, or anything for that matter, I nodded. "That makes sense I guess. At least I have some understanding of what is going on with me." Looking back at Cesair I had one last question, other than getting the wards off me, which I still hadn't forgotten about. "What is Faerie? You say our kind came to Earth from Faerie eons ago but from the stories I read Faerie is part of Earth, it's some kind of hidden realm but still Earth, only you make it sound like it's not."

"You are correct. As I said, humans tend to muddle information over time." She let out another tinkling laugh. "Faerie is a different planet dear."

Closing my eyes I had almost wished I hadn't asked. "Great so not only am I a vampire/wolf/elf like thing but I'm also an alien."

"Well dear where did you think we would have come from? As I told you, there is a lot you have to learn about yourself, as well as the world you are a part of." She laughed again. "Make that worlds, you are a part of."

That had my interest peaking once more. "You mean I can go there, like actual factual different planet, go there?"

Cesair's song like laughter filled the air once more. "Well of course, dear. After all you are practically my granddaughter."

Looking at Sean his eyes were just as wide as mine. Apparently that piece of information had been hidden from him as well.

"Oh, don't be so surprised Sean-Paul. You know Raven was very secretive about herself. Only her David knew the truth. Yes, I raised your mother. She is not exactly my blood, but when I found her many centuries ago I took her in and raised her as my daughter here on Earth. She had been back to Faerie, so you too, granddaughter, shall go."

The whole idea this goddess like creature was family too—as an adopted child myself I wasn't going to split hairs on _that_ fact—and that I was going to see a whole other world, where I technically came from, had me in awe. Of course, that is until I thought of something else.

"Hey. Why didn't I just go to you to be raised and if there was this Faerie place, why couldn't I go there to grow up instead of having to stay on Earth and live as a human?"

What I said made some emotion cross Cesair's face, it almost looked like fright, before she composed herself. "That option never entered my mind. What I do here, and my work on Faerie, is too dangerous. When I found your mother she was a teen and had full Aos Si powers so taking her in was not difficult, and Faerie is a very different world than Earth. It is not one I would ever choose for a child to be raised on again, and surely not one who was almost as fragile as a human child."

There was a heartbeat of silence but she didn't seem want to say anymore so I decided to leave it at that and get back to the real issue at hand. "Okay, now that all of that is cleared up. From what you have said I would think that when my change of some kind comes around I should theoretically be stronger than anyone here on pack lands because of my increasing Aos Si side in my blood." Another one of those _hold on one sec_ thoughts popped in my head. "Wait, how have you been able to get my blood to find that out?" Going to the doctor wasn't something I had done since well before my parents had passed and I couldn't recall volunteering any blood.

Her lips pursed together a moment. "Without going into more detail, after your parent's were gone I was still able to check it monthly."

My eyes shot to Sean, ready to accuse him of worse than hearing me have sex. Just thinking about him or Korbin rummaging through my trash for their boss, even if she was my grandmother, had my hackles up.

Cesair laughed. "No dear, I would gather what I needed on my own. Sean and your family did not know about me tracking your DNA."

Sean's eyes came to mine, shock clear in his two toned depths, before we both turned back to Cesair. "Alright. That is what I get for asking, huh? Any-who, you know for sure this is happening so I should be stronger than them right? I would assume the Aos Si would be stronger since their blood started it all... You know, someday I need to hear the story of how vampires and werewolves, and even humans, came from what people think are fairies."

Sean laughed with Cesair and said, "I wouldn't mind hearing that story myself."

She nodded her head. "Not today though, but granddaughter, you are correct. You have the potential to be much stronger than anyone in the pack. As you are now if you were to compare your abilities to a pack member of the same age you would be stronger and faster."

Glancing at Sean I couldn't help but think it was convenient he and my family had left that part out, something both him and Korbin ought to know from watching me all the time. Looking back at Cesair I finished. "So if I'm going to be stronger than the average Were, and already am from what you say, then there should be no issue with removing all those damn spells and wards or whatever."

Sean seemed to tense up. Cesair didn't look too comfortable with my statement either.

"You are right, Annan, but I still do not like removing them."

Opening my mouth to protest she put up a hand, stopping me.

"However, you are fully able to make your own decisions now."

Smiling, I couldn't help but doing a quick fist pump of triumph.

"Just remember." Her serious voice had me stopping my giddy internal high-fives. "If something happens, if someone comes for you, taking off all these spells and wards will make it that much harder for us to protect you, or find you. I would hate to think what would happen if we were unable to collect you in a timely manner."

Her features looked shadowed and I could swear I saw her skin goose-pimple before she shook it off. Her eyes came to mine and that serious tone was reflected in her golden gaze. "Promise me you will stay close to Sean, or someone in the family. Be at least within ear shot at all times until your birthday comes. Do not fool yourself granddaughter, the dangers in our world are very real and they can befall you."

Nodding my head, I tried not to dwell on how ominous her warning sounded. She stood so I did as well, our hands coming together as though they were supposed to. Her eyes looked down on mine a moment and the air around us seemed to vibrate or hold electricity in it, as though some storm was building between us, and then dissipated as she drew me in for a hug.

"What you have asked for is complete. Stay safe, Annan." She pulled out of the hug but still held my shoulders. "And remember, whatever happens I'll be looking out for you."

She stepped away from me and towards the front door. It was then I noticed her bare feet, the toenails glistening a pearlescent white as she walked. The middle toe of each foot had a golden ring wrapped around them and the light fabric of her dressed moved around those painted digits as she walked to the door. She stopped before opening it and turned back to face Sean.

"I'm going to speak with Michael about putting that portal back up. It will take some time to gather what is needed for setting it again." Her eyes fell on me a moment before going back to him. "In the meantime stay safe, and remember your promise, Sean."

Out of the corner of my eye I caught Sean nod and tried not to roll my eyes. It was nice of Cesair to remind him of his sworn duty and all. However, my annoyance was minimal compared to my curiosity of what the hell a portal was. Before I could ask though, not like I really wanted to, considering Cesair's odd explanations, she said her goodbyes to us and exited the warm house. Snow wrapped around her in swirls and the door shut behind her on its own as she stepped out.

"Okay I know us not-normal-like folks are slightly immune to the cold, but come on, she was barefoot."

Sean laughed before walking around me and to the curtained window. "Cesair isn't going to walk there." He opened the drapes to show that in fact, she was nowhere to be seen. He turned back to me. "You know how she talked about the portal?"

I nodded as we sat back down in our respective chairs. "Yeah, what are those anyways?"

Sean's smile was small as he sat but it still pulled at my heart. "They are kind of like magical doors. Cesair has the rare talent of being able to open one at will around her, she doesn't need a physical one set up. I don't know everything about her ability, or its limitations, but I do know it is why she was bare foot and why she arrived here so fast. She can travel wherever she wishes in a couple of steps, but she has said there are limitations. Right now, though, I'm sure she is enjoying a cup of tea and talking to Mike about setting up the portal on Pack Lands."

That seemed like a cool power to have and had me wondering if I would be lucky enough to gain it or something just as cool. "So if she does put it up, we could go wherever we wanted if we used it? How does it work?"

Sean laughed. "Man, I really wish everyone would have listened to me and let you come home sooner. It's going to be like an endless study in all things other-worldly for you for the next twenty years." He laughed again. "Honestly, it could be longer than that since she seems to know even more than I or anyone else does. At any rate, there are going to be a lot of moments of explanation I see in your near future."

My stomach decided to rear its ugly head and growled loudly as a way to punctuate his sentence, which of course made him laugh.

"But first, why don't we break in my kitchen and make us some lunch. I'm sure between the two of us we should get a half decent meal.
Chapter 11

### Keep Your Thoughts to Yourself

Sean ended up a much better cook than he led on to and in the end we both had grilled Panini, what he made, and basil-tomato soup, what I made from a can. In addition to discovering his modesty over his cooking skills I had also learned that the portals him and Cesair spoke of could only bring the user to another portal. In addition, anyone could use them, Supe or otherwise, once they were in place as long as they had what was needed to open them.

When I asked Sean if he had ever used one he couldn't contain the shudder that ran through his body as he described what sounded like warm jell-o molesting you. His rather unpleasant explanation and had me wondering about Cesair using them all the time. Either she was stranger than I imagined or he was exaggerating on what it felt liked.

By the time we had finished our sandwiches and conversation, an air of awkward silence befell the house. As I stared at the blank wall above the hearth and wished, once again, for the nice distracting TV that was in Sean's room, I began thinking about—like every other time I thought of the TV and where it was—what we could do in his room together. And, those thoughts had nothing to do with watching the living room's missing television. Hence, awkward silence.

Biting my bottom lip, I tried to push aside the visions of our tussled hair and sweaty bodies wrapped in his bed sheets as we had amazing sex. _What the hell was I thinking?_ Coming here and staying with Sean alone was a stupid ass idea. _Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid_.

"Well now that we are done—"

Sean's sudden break in the silence had me jumping and yelping like an idiot. I guess staring blankly at a wall while I thought on how much I wanted to screw him, and how dumb I was for not realizing that is all I would think about while staying alone with him, was a bad idea. He was snickering as he gathered empty dishes from the coffee table and brought them into the kitchen.

"It gets a little quiet here, sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." The dishes clattered as he placed them in the sink, after which he washed his hands. "I thought we might go out. I can show you Pack Lands and..."

His sentence trailed off as he rejoined me in the living room, this time sitting where Cesair had been when she was over. He gathered my hands in his, like she had done, and when I saw his gaze it seemed his eyes searched mine, for what I couldn't say. The intimacy of the moment had my heart trying to beat through my chest, my throat choking off any sound, and my brain turning to mush.

"Annan?"

All I could do was nod and hope I wasn't drooling or otherwise looking like an idiot.

"You know how you saw Korbin?"

No drool? Check, and nod. Good.

"I was hoping, as long as it's not too frightening for you." He gave my hands a light squeeze and at last my brain came back and began absorbing what he was saying as he continued. "I wanted to know if you would like to see me."

It took a moment for what he was asking to register, but when it did my heart slowed since it dawned on me he wasn't talking about anything sexual. "Are you asking if I want to see your Were form, like I saw Korbin's?"

His smile of perfect white teeth was jarring and ramped my heart back up. "If it wouldn't be too scary for you. I thought, with as curious as you are about everything, you might want to see what I look like. Your family are all wolves, and though larger than regular wolves, they still look like a wolf. My form is unique. I'm the only albino werejaguar I've ever heard of, so, like you, I'm one of a kind."

He let out a small laugh as I thought about what it would be like to see the guy I want to get freaky with as a fuzzy animal. It was hard to say, both instance of me wanting to have relations with a dude and of me being around one who could turn into an animal were new and unusual, so I had no way to guess how I would take them together.

As I mulled over his proposition he went on. "I have heard of a pride that has a bitten female werelion who is albino when she changes, but she was an albino before being bitten so it would be expected." He laughed again breaking me from my thoughts, which were distracted while he spoke.

Bringing my eyes to him, he looked away before scooting back, letting go of my hands. "I would understand if something like that would be too much for you, though."

Shaking my head, I cleared away my thoughts and tried to get my pulse to calm down. Which was much easier with him no longer holding my hands.

"No, no, no. I mean, it's... I don't want to say odd or that I would be scared." Letting out a short laugh I tried to formulate a response that wasn't: Hey I'm interested in seeing you as a big kitty, I'm just worried I won't want to fuck you once I do. Another small laugh escaped me at the thought of saying exactly that.

Instead I told him, "I think it might be a little strange at first, it was when Korbin did it, but I won't be scared. At least I don't think I'll be scared."

His eyes came back to mine and relief was apparent in his two-toned depths. He stood up and walked around the table to the front of the fireplace where he proceeded to remove his shirt. As it fell to the floor, I tried not to slobber on myself while I stared at the soft rippling plains of his chest and thought about how much I wanted to rub on him like the kitty he was about to become. His hands went to his belt and with each pass through a loop my pulse kicked up a beat.

"Uh, what are you doing?"

Sean stopped, his belt wound in a circle round his hand, and looked at me, "Oh, sorry. When we change we have to be nude, it's either impossible to get out of your clothes or you destroy them trying to."

A low chuckle left him and I thought of how Korbin had gone into my kitchen to change back to a human. Knowing now why he had gone in there, I was thankful I hadn't seen him naked. Of course, that also meant I was about to get the full-Monty from Sean, as I had assumed.

"If you are uncomfortable I can go in the other room first. Though, you are going to have to become accustom to seeing naked people." He shrugged one bare shoulder. "It's normal business with wereanimals. Besides, I thought you might want to see the entire process, what the actual change looks like."

_Oh, I want to see the entire process alright_ , I thought to myself but out loud I said, "It's fine. If I have to get used to it I guess non-family first would be preferable. I couldn't imagine getting doctrine into this part of Were life by Korbin or the twins."

The giggle that left me—yes giggle, not laugh—sounded as ridiculous as my tone of voice, I just prayed the idiotic explanation I gave him didn't sound as stumbled through as it felt. Of course, it would've been a miracle if it was coherent sounding. While I was speaking I was trying very hard to not think about how I wanted to see the thing I had felt against my backside that morning. Even if the moment was suited up to be not sensual in any way, all I could think was: _naked, naked, naked._

His cheeks flushed a light pink and I had to wonder if I had sounded all lustful and stupid, but that curiosity faded as he gave me a nod and turned around, giving me nothing but his rear-end.

Darn, I guess I wasn't going to get the whole enchilada after all.

My disappointment trickled away as his pants came off. Because, though I wasn't going to get to see the whole package, I really did enjoy the sight of his slim waist tapering below his boxer-shorts to strong, tawny-haired legs. When his thumbs hooked the band of the gray, cotton undergarment covering his taut rear end I understood for the first time what it meant to be waiting with bated breath, because, oh lordy, did my breath bate.

Biting my lip, I relished the sight of his perfect ass as it came into view, complete with dimples just above his cheeks. Imagining what it would be like to sink my teeth into the soft flesh around those dimples, I felt a pull from deep within me I had never felt before. It was much stronger than any previous arousal for Sean I had experienced, and blew any self inflected kind out of the water. It was as though my insides smoldered and came to life in a whole new way. A way I had never known existed.

As if without choice or thought I stood to go to Sean, but as I did something happened to his skin. It began to ripple and change. The strange fluid like contortions his skin was making had me stopping my advance to watch, mesmerized by what was happening. Under his skin, which still rolled as though it held an internal tide, his muscles and bones began to shift and move, lengthen and grow larger. Stepping back, I was struck by how his body changed, how the white, gray, and silver fur burst from his skin as he went to all fours, but he didn't once cry out in pain.

Finally his body settled and his tail grew with the last of his fur, and as his huge feline head turned to me I saw apprehension in Sean's blue and yellow cat eyes. Wanting to clear that concern away, I took one step, then another, and went to him. Reaching out, I wanted to touch his massive face but wasn't sure if he would want that. As soon as he pushed against my hand, like you would expect a beloved house cat to do, and closed his eyes, I knew he didn't mind. With my fingers in his lavish fur, I trailed my hand along his neck before wrapping both my arms around him as I went to my knees.

He was larger than cats of his type I had seen in zoos and on TV but not by a lot, and he was smaller than Korbin for sure. His fur though, oh my god, it was so soft. Hands down the softest thing I had ever felt, and as I rubbed my check across all that grey and white luxuriousness—which smelled richly of Sean's scent—I heard a low rumble come from him.

Pulling back, I kept my hands in all that thick, warm fur and looked in his eyes, ones you would expect to see in a large cat but with the same color and intelligence of the man I had grown so fond of.

"Are you purring?"

His large head met mine as he nudged me with the top of it—by my guess it was some kind of cat answer—but in the back of my mind I heard his voice. "As if I wouldn't purr while you're touching me."

There was no denying the voice was Sean's, but I couldn't figure out how he could talk to me—setting aside what was said all together—unless it was some other pack shit everyone forgot to mention. "Did you just think at me?"

"What?" Sean's voice said in my head.

"Seriously, why can I hear you? Is that normal?" Dropping my hands I stood and started pacing, feeling some agitation creeping in.

"You can hear me?" Sean sounded confused, even though his mouth didn't move, but by the look on his cat face my thought was dead on.

My laugh sounded a tad hysterical. "I take it I'm not supposed to be able to hear you. Isn't that just fucking awesome." Slumping in a chair I tried not to be pissy. Sean _was_ just as shocked as me. "Well, isn't that great, more one of a kind bullshit for me. Yippie!"

Rolling my eyes I placed my head in my hand and rested my elbow on the arm of the chair. Sean's feet appeared from under the edge of my fingers and I lifted my hand to look at him from under it.

He sat near the arm of the chair, his eyes intent on me. "Weres in animal form can communicate with each other with our minds if we want to, but never to one who is in human form and not before their first change. What is one of a kind for you is that you can hear me while in human form and before your change."

His eyes stayed on mine as he mind-spoke, or whatever the hell it was called, and let me tell you, having a giant albino jaguar stare at you while it talked telepathically is some weird ass shit.

Drawing in a deep breath I dropped my hand. "So, what does that mean? Do we say anything to my family?"

"Annan, we have to tell them _."_ Even in my own mind I could hear the shock in his voice. "If people change at the meeting and you can hear what they think at you, it could get very strange and uncomfortable. More than what you are ready for."

"Right I hadn't thought about that." God, I couldn't imagine how awful hearing all those thoughts would be if they didn't know to keep a lid on it.

"Hey, why didn't I hear Korbin when he changed?"

It seemed as though his face pursed in confusion before I heard his voice. "I'm not sure. Either he didn't think anything at you, or it has to do with the wards and spells which were removed from you."

My mind mulled over what he had said and I had the stupid notion of why I had never asked what the difference between a ward and a spell was when Sean stood and walked back to his clothes. My question dissipated as his tail ringed in circles of gray and sliver flicked past me and I felt a yearning to reach out and grab it. Placing my left hand on the other I held it, concerned I would reach out to him uncontrollably, much like when I stood to touch him when he had taken his clothes off.

Shaking my head once, I watched as Sean sat by his clothes and thought, _Man I need to get a handle on that before I start groping you or something_.

"Groping who?" Sean's voice said to me.

Closing my eyes, I tried to purge every thought from my head. "So, I guess you can hear my thoughts too, wonderful."

Sean turned to me, somehow making his cat face look inquisitive. "Think something else at me."

"I'm a freaking moron," I thought at him.

A rasping like noise similar to what I heard in Korbin, which I had deduced as a laugh, came from Sean. "I wouldn't say you are a moron, but you should watch what you think at us when we are in animal form as well. Just like you shouldn't hear my thoughts, I shouldn't be able to hear yours. No one in human form can project thoughts to those in animal form." He let out another rasp of laughter. "At least when I am in human form we can't hear each other's thoughts."

"Thank god," I said a little too loud and relieved like before sitting back.

Sean rasped out another laugh as his fur started to ripple the way his skin had. Standing up, I watched as his tail receded and the fur flowed back in. His body contorted and changed until a fully nude man stood in front of me.

My throat turned parched in one wrenching heart beat as the unexpected sight of his flaccid manhood came into view. Forcing my eyes to travel up and away from the thick hanging member—surrounded by an outcropping of hair that looked softer than it should be—the view above and to his quirked smile didn't help the state of my insides any better.

Licking my dry lips, I stood motionless as he gathered his clothes. With an armload of garments he walked toward me and it was near impossible to keep my eyes on his face. When he stepped up to me his body radiated against mine, a heat that was amplified by his hand as it came up and around my head, to tangle in my hair behind my left ear. Not knowing what he was doing, why his eyes held some knowledge and heat in them, I stood dumbfounded as he planted an electrifying kiss on my lips.

Before I could respond to the unexpected kiss he moved to my ear. "I'll call Mike. We may need to postpone our day out but I'll make it up to you." His voice was different, as though it was coated in a sweet liquid which had me wanting to press my lips to his again and drink it down.

There was no time to do such a thing, though. As I stood there in a state of bewilderment and desire he sauntered away from me and to his bedroom. Blinking at my wavered surroundings I tried to regain my footing but gave up and slid into the chair behind me.

My heart thundered in my chest as a million questions buzzed around my head but all that came out was a whisper of, "What the hell was that?"
Chapter 12

### I Outed Myself

When the man who left me in a panting puddle emerged, fully dressed, from his room he was all business. He had finished talking with Mike and told me my uncle had insisted we go to their house and explain the circumstances. By that time Cesair was long gone, but Mike said he would tell her about my new developments when they saw each other next, which was the day after the pack meeting.

Once we were done telling them about my new found ability I had to assume the news was just the ruse my family needed to get me back at their place for a huge dinner. Of course, I could've been wrong. Gale could have very well been the kind of person who cooked all day, every day, and the prime rib in the oven and bags of potatoes and broccoli ready to be prepped, as well as the fresh bread which was near done in the convection oven, were normal everyday occurrences.

By the time we were finished explaining, in a cagey sort of way that did not hint at any interest passed between Sean and I—the kiss was not spoke of at all—Gale had started insisting dinner was only a couple hours away and we should stay and eat with them.

"I'm leaving that up to Annan." Sean looked at me but there was no way to read his face and discern what he was trying to say without Korbin getting suspicious. My cousin had been searing daggers into us since we had arrived and I assumed it was because he sensed something was amiss.

Glancing at the ass I couldn't help but cringe as he stared, in a calculated way, at Sean while he sipped a steaming mug of hot cocoa. Yeah, he didn't look too bad ass with whip cream on his lip but somehow he still caused that gut churning feeling to rise in me which said he was up to no good.

Korbin's eyes fell on mine and I realized everyone was waiting for me to answer. "Oh." I looked at Gale in the kitchen, who had a purple checkered apron on this time, and smiled. "Sorry. Sure, yeah I love prime rib." Turning back to Sean, as Gale went on about how wonderful it was and how I needed to help her, I saw something cross his features, but before I could question it I was snatched up by the strong unexpected grip of my aunt.

Once in the homey kitchen, reminiscent of a country cottage but in a modern way, she let go of my arm and opened a deep drawer I could see was filled with various aprons and began rummaging through it.

"Let's get something on you so we don't muss up your lovely clothes. I just adore that sweatshirt you are wearing, normally they are so boxy and unflattering but that one fits just right. I especially like its longer length. It's sexy yet conservative, you'll have to tell me where you got it." Gale turned to me with a cream apron, complete with little yellow flowers scattered across it, in her hands. "Here, this one will work nicely, turn please."

With wide eyes, I turned and lifted my hair as instructed and saw Korbin had drug Sean to the living room and was talking to him in a serious way. That is, I thought it was serious until he glanced at me and I saw his eyes were full of what feared was in him earlier—mischief. The two of them had the room to themselves, with the twins and their dad out gathering wood for the fire, so I could only guess at what Korbin was up too. Sean wasn't much help; all I could see of him was the back of his head and shoulders above the leather sofa, and from what I could gather he was in disagreement over what Korbin was saying, considering the fact his head would shake back and forth every few seconds.

A whole bunch of _no's_ with Korbin's twinkle in place, equaled all kinds of no-good in my book, but there was nothing I could do about it as Gale turned me to a bag of potatoes and handed me a peeler.

God, you have to be kidding me. Potato pealing? Hmm.

"Can't Korbin do this?" I said with a potato in one hand, the peeler in the other, and a plan to get Korbin away from Sean in place.

Her dark brows furrowed over sapphire eyes. "Every part of cooking is important, Annan."

Glancing at Korbin, I saw he was still wheedling Sean. "Well, yeah but I have peeled potatoes so consider that part of the lesson done. This is more menial kitchen work." Worried my plan was slipping away when she gave me a stern look, I plastered a sheepish smile on my lips. "Maybe you could teach me how to make a pie, you know, for desert? I've never done that and it would be fun to learn."

Gale lit up like in an instant, thrilled at my suggestion. "What a wonderful idea!" She turned to the pantry and went inside the small room before returning with flour, sugar, and a bag full of apples in her arms. "I was going to make apple pie tomorrow, but tonight will be perfect.

Korbin!"

Her maternal holler at Korbin had me jumping as she shoved pie ingredients in my arms. She motioned me to a free portion of pale granite countertop as she threw a white waist apron to her son—at least I wasn't the only one who was forced to wear one—and told him he was on potato duty. Korbin shot me a glare as he got up and came to the kitchen. Of course he didn't come alone. As he stood, he grabbed Sean's arm and forced the other man to join him in the kitchen as well.

Once at the potato station Korbin gave him a nice pink apron to wear then instructed him to help peel as Sean tied it in place. My lip quirked at the sight of Sean in a more feminine apron than mine or Gale's, which I was sure was chosen on purpose by my meddling cousin, as he peeled potatoes. His eyes came to mine and I had to figure he didn't care the slightest bit about the garment's feminine quality, because all I saw in his striking gaze was relief.

~

After dinner I was remorse to learn in the Anderson household, those who cooked were the same who cleaned. My guess was, Gale believed cooking was a full service ordeal. When I was growing up it was always the opposite, the cook rested as the eaters cleaned. Dad and I were always happy to clean as long as mom did the cooking and I was pretty sure she was happy about that deal as well.

The deal in this house was one I wasn't too happy with. Why was it if I did the work, I had to clean up? Having to clean up after I had helped to cook wasn't the worst of it though. For some reason Korbin had insisted his mother and Sean relax while him and I did _all_ the cleaning. With my hands deep in sudsy water washing what hadn't fit in the dishwasher, I glared at him as he rinsed and dried before putting them away.

"Hey that pie you made wasn't half bad, no one died." He dried the empty pie pan which held the non-death inducing pie. The fact the pie pan needed washing indicated to me the pie was more than just half bad.

"I'm sure you have your mother to thank for that, not me." The mashed-potato pot clattered as I dropped it in the empty side of the sink, which covered up me calling him an ass under my breath.

He still heard me, though, and let out a small laugh. "That may be but, _you better get used to it_." The last part was said in a snotty voice and I knew he was making fun of me.

"Whatever, at least you admit to it."

"Speaking of admitting to things." His tone said he was waiting for a segue such as this.

Looking at him I dropped the last dish in his side and pulled the drain in mine. "What? Just out with it. You were all over Sean earlier. So what is it?"

"You want me to just pull the Band-Aid off, huh?"

Man, I would have loved to smack that damn sardonic smile off his face, but instead of whacking him one, and glad I was still tamping down my anger, I started scrubbing the sink instead.

"Well, let's get this over with. What is it you need to say, or ask, or that I am supposed to admit?" The words were as quiet as I could make them. He must have cornered us in the kitchen alone so we could talk in private about whatever it was he was hinting at.

"How have things been at Sean's?"

Giving him a puzzled look—that was not the question I was expecting—I moved to the dirty counter, still coated in flour and dough. "Fine, not bad. It's pretty comfortable there now with food to eat. I've got no complaints, really."

"So," —he continued as he sanitized the cook top— "how did you take him changing. Did you get to see the whole thing?"

Focusing on the crusted counter before me I refused to show him my face, which was hidden by a sheet of hair. "He showed me the actual process, yes, but we already told you that. We said I saw what the change looks like."

"That's not what I meant. I'm saying did you see the _whole_ thing?"

Getting irritated with him at last, I slapped the sponge down as light as I could and turned to Korbin. "God, Korbin. Do you want me to say I saw him naked? Yes I did. Wow, big deal. Now can we finish cleaning?"

The look on his face said, "no, we cannot finish cleaning," and I was glad I had told him off in a near whispered voice. No one else needed to hear my admission. Groaning to myself I turned back to the counter and began scrubbing with more force.

"That's it. Nothing else happened? Was this before or after he changed?"

"After, not like it matters." Scrub and ignore, Annan, scrub and ignore.

"He changed back, you got a good look, then he got dressed and called it a day. That's it?"

Glad that the truth was close enough to the lie I was about to tell I turned to him and said, "Yes, that is pretty much what happened. The fact I could hear his thoughts and he could hear mine was shocking enough I didn't really think to add to that by trying to screw him when he was naked. Sorry to disappoint you."

Korbin's face pulled together in a strange way. It took me a second to register he was surprised or confused and not about to tease me for what I had said.

"Why would _you_ think of doing that? I was curious if Sean made his move when he was in the buff."

His words hit me like a hammer to the gut. It was hard to not feel like a moron since I had never considered the idea that Sean had verbalized any interest in me. After he kissed me I had assumed his interest sparked the moment he found out I was interested in him. Maybe him in my bed that morning was more than what I had thought it was.

Pushing out the thought, I turned back to the counter and shut my mouth, scrubbing like crazy and pissed I outed myself to the one person I would never want to out myself to, even if I had thought he already knew.

Fuck, the depths of my stupidity had no bounds.

"Oh-ho-ho-ho." At least his jubilation was quiet and he wasn't spreading the good news. "This is great. Wow, so are you two going to get hitched now?"

Shooting him daggers with my gaze, I saw his thick eyebrows wiggle at me. "Just, shut up okay. And, no we are not, _going to get hitched_." I couldn't keep the snotty two-year-old voice from popping up. Finished with the scrubbing, I tossed the sponge in the sink and snatched the sanitizing wipes from him.

Korbin propped himself against the edge by the sink and folded his arms across his chest. He had a smirk plastered to his face and it was just asking to be punched off. "So, are you saying he's good enough for screwing but not for marrying? If so I have to tell you, I take issue with you using him like that. Even if we are family."

The tube of wipes hit the counter a little harder than I intended, but a quick glance at the front room showed me that everyone was still busy chatting about the upcoming pack meeting and the calls to pack members I had requested.

Looking back at my irritating cousin I said, "Look, just because I feel something for him doesn't mean I hear wedding bells." Poking a finger in his chest, I dropped my voice even lower. "You know damn well this has never happened before, so just fucking keep a lid on it and let it go."

The smile on his face said he was going to do everything _but_ that. Unfortunately, Gale's voice from the living room, asking if everything was fine with us, cut our conversation short. I guess me getting in his face and jabbing him in his chest over and again warranted their attention.

It was fine though, I was done, the damage was done, and I wanted to get out of the house before the storm of Korbin whirled through and told everyone his side of what happened with Sean and me today.

Chapter 13

### A-fucking-mazing

The drive back to Sean's was quiet, the tension palatable in the air the whole ride back. There was no way for me to be sure why Sean was tense, but what I had said to Korbin and what I was imagining he had done after we left, had me on edge. Oh, and let's not forget about that kiss Sean and I had shared before we had skittered off to Mike and Gale's. Sean acted as though it hadn't happened the whole time we were there which had me wondering if he was having second thoughts. After all, being attracted to someone you watched grow up had to be strange even if it wasn't a new thing for him.

After we pulled into Sean's drive and were out of the close quarters of the Suburban some of my edginess was gone, but I still couldn't decide what to focus on: Korbin telling everyone I was hot for Sean or the fact Sean was acting more tepid as of late.

Deciding it was best to not think of either, we entered his house and closed off the cold December air behind us. Sean apologized, again, for not having a TV in the living room as he set about making a fire in the hearth. Telling him, _again_ , it was alright, I watched him as I removed my boots and socks before getting comfortable in the blanket covered chair I was becoming accustomed to sitting in.

My thoughts eased as I sat back and watched a man I was attracted to do something rugged. It was nice and warmed some part in me, deep in my core. Sure my uncle and cousins built a fire earlier but it wasn't the same as watching Sean entice the tinder to catch and light, then add more wood to bring more life to the heat.

"What were you and Korbin arguing about?" Sean asked still facing the fire, coaxing it to spark and flame with the rod iron poker.

Pushing aside thoughts of screwing him in front of the fire on the thick cream rug covering most of the hard-wood living room floor, I thought instead of how I didn't want to reveal the implications of Korbin and my conversation. "Nothing really, he was just being him."

He poked at the fire again and nodded, a noise of agreement coming from him. Throwing on another log he set the fire poker aside and sat on the couch near me. The feeling around him had changed and I had to wonder if he knew how he looked to me as he started the fire, a fire that now lit his eyes in a carnal way.

His hands found mine and one stayed there while the other traveled up my arm, blazing a trail of heat. "You seemed rather agitated, was he able to weasel it out of you?"

Trying to not go stupid over the feeling of his hands on me I asked, "Weasel what out of me?"

Sean smiled as his thumb caressed my neck before his hand stopped in my hair. "You know" —his body moved to the edge of the couch as he leaned forward, bringing his mouth a breath away from mine— "did you tell him I kissed you?"

He moved to my cheek and let out a throaty chuckle against my skin which had me wondering if he was trying to seduce me, because, boy it was working. "No." Teeth pressed into my lobe and my voice hitched as I blurted out "I inadvertently told him I was interested in—" There was no way I could say the rest.

"Interested in what, Annan?"

My voice caught around a lump in my throat as his tongue replaced his teeth on my ear. Swallowing past that lump, I focused on speaking. "In you. I told him I didn't try to screw you, but he didn't even know I wanted to." The confession came out on a whisper.

He breathed another laugh against my skin. "Now we both know."

Sean must have been waiting for confirmation in my desire because my words impacted him in a lethal way. He began to kiss a line across my jaw to my mouth and when our lips met his other hand traveled around to my back to pull me to him. My lips parted as I made contact with the cushion of the couch, which I discovered was far more comfortable than the chairs, and I let him in relishing in the first real kiss I had ever had with a man.

As I brought my arms around him we fused together, swept up by need and longing. My moans flowed into him as our tongues moved and caressed one another, tasting each other for the first time. Sean's kiss was like candy and his natural scent of the forest mixed with it to make a heady combination, one which had me pulsing with desire.

A low rumble emanated from him as his hand traveled under my shirt and up my back. The feeling of fingers on my skin electrified me and had me leaning away so I could remove the piece of clothing. It was tossed to the floor and forgotten before I crushed my mouth to his again. As I did both of his hands came back around me and to the band of my bra. Sean unhooked it in one quick motion and tossed it aside to join the sweater on the floor. All I could think of was how I wanted more of the man in my arms. How I needed more of him.

He broke from the kiss and moved down my neck and collarbone to end at my chest. A lust filled growl left Sean as he started to suckle and lick at one breast while he teased the other's nipple. An overwhelming sensation ran through me and I cried out his name as I grasped his shoulders. He switched breasts, groaning out his own need as he lapped at the second one but still kept the other nipple taught. Every pinch, pull, lick, or suck sent a new ripple of pleasure down my body to catch at my sex, and I thought I might cum from him lapping at my breasts alone.

My eyes closed to the sight of Sean, his hair tousled about him as he licked and devoured my nipple. The vision of him at my chest pulled a low moan out of me and made me wonder what would happen when we actually began having sex. As though he could hear my thoughts, and wished to answer them, he came back to my lips and lowered me to the couch before removing his shirt.

There was no time to think, or to wonder at what was happening. My need was so great, the longing to be taken by Sean was so much, I ran my hands across his smooth skin while he used his own to unbutton my pants. Brining my fingers to where his were undoing my zipper, I helped him pull my jeans off and I let my underwear go with them, ready for what was next. Once I was nude he sat up and peered down at me, the heat of us being together and the fire blazing on the other side of the room colored his skin and his features, and made him look feral.

"God. You are beautiful, Annan." While Sean spoke his fingers sent shivers across my skin as they trailed down my side and along my hip to the curve of my inner thigh.

He brought his other hand down and spread my legs, bringing one off the edge of the couch before kneeling down between them. Realizing what he was about to do, I was happy I was the kind of girl that, sex or no sex, liked to keep that area trimmed and looking nice, but as he spread the shaven folds to find my sensitive kernel, all rational thought left my head.

There was no way I could have known how glorious it would feel to have someone's mouth down there. As he licked and sucked and probed me with his tongue it was all I had in me to not buck and kick him, or to flail off the couch all together. Digging my fingers into the side and the top of the couch I held on and let out groan after groan as he consumed my cunt.

His tongue made circles around my core building me up only to pull away and find my opening, licking as deep as it would go. The noises his mouth pulled from me were joined by ones from him at my sex and the added sensation of his groan vibrating through me had me shaking uncontrollably. His tongue found my clit once more and when his smooth digits pressed inside my aching hole I came in an instant, screaming and quivering while he pushed on and on without stopping.

"Oh, god! Sean. Fuck, fucking!" It seemed there was no controlling the words that left my mouth so I tried to clamp it shut as he laughed and came up from my used sex.

He wiped his face and brought his hands to his pants. Once there, he undid them before standing up and letting them fall to the floor. In one swift motion he removed his boxer briefs and my mouth began to salivate at the unexpected sight of him.

If I thought seeing him flaccid was amazing, seeing him hard and ready was down right mind blowing. Before I knew what I was doing, I went to it. Grabbing his rigid shaft between my hands, I reveled in the mixture of hard and soft flesh. Never having enjoyed a dick before, I took a moment to enjoy the one in my hands. Bringing my lips to the tip, I tasted the fluid there and pondered its salty clean flavor. What I had done I thought was a simple gesture, but it must have been more because it pulled a deep moan from Sean.

Looking up at him, I saw his heated cerulean and sunflower eyes on me, and that watchful gaze didn't leave as I brought my lips to his cock again. This time instead of tasting the tip I swallowed his hard length and observed his reaction. His eyes clouded and became unfocused before they closed, and my name left his lips in the form of a groan as he reached out to grab the back of the couch.

Focusing on his hard length in my hands, I closed my eyes and brought it in and out of my mouth at an even pace, but wasn't sure if what I was doing was right. Though, for some reason it felt right, somehow natural to me.

Drawing him down my throat, I was surprised I could bring my lips to his base with ease before I pulled him out again, and by the sounds Sean was making I had to think he was surprised as well. As I sucked on him, I pressed my tongue against his length, loving the way the flesh responded to the added pressure. After a few passes, I stayed at the head which made him moan and knot a hand in my hair. He seemed to enjoy it so much I began to suck and lick around the tip while I ran my tongue against the hole where the salty fluid had been.

"Oh, Annan. You need to stop. Stop." Sean was out of breath as he pulled me away from him before lowering me back down.

Wiping my face as he had done, I felt satisfied in his response and couldn't help but smile. Masturbating was never like this and the one time I tried to have sex with someone else was so different it shouldn't have even been worth mentioning. Sean lowered himself down above me and my stomach lurched when I felt his hardness press against my pussy. Both of our sexes were wet from each other's saliva and the combined moisture was almost unbearable. He pressed his lips to mine in a tender kiss and our mouths moved together in a gentle way as he moved his hips, positioning his tip at my opening.

As I moaned out his name he slipped inside me, making my body shudder. The feeling was so amazing. Every inch, every ripple of flesh, was felt as he entered in a calculated way, as though he didn't want to hurt me. With as large as he was, I was guessing he could have done some damage if he had slammed it in, but whatever his reason for the carful pace, I was glad for it. Feeling the full length of him fill me up increment by increment had to have been the best thing I had ever felt in my entire life.

Bringing my legs around his waist, Sean began a steady rhythm as he watched me below him. His eyes stayed on mine as his pace increased, and my first full orgasm built. A surreal sensation swept over me just before an orgasm wrecked my body and sent me over the edge.

The one I had from Sean giving me oral paled in comparison to the one I had from our first union as he pushed past my constricting muscles. On the heels of the first I could feel another build and my mind fogged as it edged closer. The second one rolled through me like a warm wave and with each pass he made along my inner walls another smaller wave followed it.

Somewhere in a haze of orgasmic bliss I felt Sean speed up and his breathing increase. As he thrust in me a few more times my name ripped from his lips to fill the air. Somehow his cock inside me felt larger and hotter as he came and the sensation of his orgasm pulled yet another from me. After twitching for a moment with Sean slack between my legs, bent over and resting on my chest, my own legs finally loosened and fell. He stretched his body out and the feeling of him leaving my pussy sent another pulse through my core.

Drawing in the air around me, I breathed around my rapid heartbeat and felt Sean's head move on my chest with the motion as I blew out. A light coating of sweat on my skin chilled in a strange sensation as my breath rolled over my nude body. The fog of what we had just done cleared with the cooling of my skin and the realization that I had real sex for the first time dawned on me. And, it was A-fucking-mazing. My body shook with a light laughter and I felt Sean move against me again. Looking down, I saw his eyes on mine.

"What's so funny?"

Chuckling I said, "Nothing, I guess I'm just feeling a little giddy. I'll be a downright lunatic if sex with you is always like this."

His head turned to my breast and he began nuzzling one as he said, "Well then, let's see how crazy we can make you tonight."

Before I could ask him if he could really go at it another time I felt him harden against my leg seconds before he pushed into me. My climax instantly built as Sean started moving in me once more. His perfect smile was in place as he held my legs in his hands. Looking up at him, I thought he might very well make me crazy if he could do what I never thought any man could.

Even in my lack of experience I had never heard of a guy getting hard again like that after having sex. As another orgasm rolled through me and sent me into a blissful fog once more I had to wonder what else there was to learn about Supes and if all of it would be so fucking awesome.

### Chapter 14

Chosen Mate

Snow fell in light patters across my cheek only to melt against my warm skin. The fog of my breath surrounded me as I called out my pleasure with my back pressed against the rough bark of a Douglas Fir. Its branches loomed high above us only to be lost to swirls of white. Sean came up from my breasts to kiss me, even deeper than he had the night before. He moaned against my mouth as he pulled away with his dazzling smile in place. He looked like some sort of winter god standing nude in the flurries with his creamy skin, pale hair, and teeth as white as the snow coated forest around us. The only real color on him was his mystifying eyes.

Reaching out to pull him close, wanting to ward off a chill I could not feel but thought should be there, he drew away from me as his right lip quirked higher. "Try and catch me," he said before his skin began to ripple and change.

The beautiful cat version of Sean formed in front of me just before he tore off through the snow. Stepping forward to follow him, I noticed I had no shoes on and was just as nude as Sean. Puzzling over how I hadn't noticed I was naked until that moment, as well as on how I couldn't feel the snow and ice around me, I saw Sean dart behind a tree and disappear from my sight.

"You have to be faster than that to catch me." His voice wafted through my mind, as though his distance from me made a difference in its strength.

Smiling, I pushed aside my curiosity as I pushed away from the tree, only to be stopped. Looking back, I saw a black fog rolling down the dark tree bark and over my hand, locking it in place. In an instant I realized I was in a dream, and not a dream I had ever had before. But I knew that fog, it was the same one from the dream I had the first night at Sean's.

"I've waited too long, there is no escape." The fog's whispers found my ears as it advanced down my arm at a slow pace.

Turning away from it, a scream bubbled up from within me and broke the peace of the dream. As each scream, each call for Sean tore from me the serene wonderland changed and morphed. The playful snow became a full out blizzard until there was nothing but white fury, a deafening noise that ate up my voice.

It was utter chaos.

Closing my eyes, I curled into fetal position and covered my head with my free arm, not daring to look at the black fog that held me. Seeing it or fighting it only helped it envelope me in the last dream and I wouldn't give it that kind of power in this one.

Tears became ice on my cheeks as I cried and cried while the dream raged around me. The whole time my hand was held high above my head by a force I would not give strength with its acknowledgment. Wanting nothing more than to wake up, wishing Sean would wake me up, anyone would wake me up, I called out to him hoping the nightmare would end.

"Annan!" Sean's voice hit my dream like a hammer pulling me from sleep in less than a second.

He began rubbing my side, asking if I was okay while I loosened my stiff body. My breath fogged as I moved out of fetal position and sat up. My limbs wanted to hang on to the dream. They didn't want to relax as I took in the room around me and remembered I had fallen asleep with Sean in his bed.

"You're like ice. How is that even possible?" Sean's concern was clear in every word.

"Weird dream. There was a storm." My eyes fell on his and I could see the same worry there I had heard when he spoke. "I've always had really vivid dreams, but you should know that." Pursing my brows I bit my lip, an idea forming in the back of my mind. "Could the dreams somehow be linked to being part Aos Si or vampire?"

Sean closed his eyes and exhaled. When he opened them again I saw the same smile that made me think he was a winter god in my dream.

Taking my hands, he held them in his as he rubbed the back of one. "Sorry, I was so worried it seems I was being irrational. You're probably right, it's more than likely an ability stemming from the vampire blood in you, or even Aos Si from what Ces said." He shook his head while laughing lightly. "I was stupid not to think of it. Some vampires can enter or control dreams. Not all can, but it is possible for that gift to arise. Maybe your Aos Si blood is enhancing something like that. Next time we see Ces we can ask if it was an ability of your mother's. It seems, there was a lot I didn't know about her after all."

Though he laughed, he sounded a little sad by what he said about my mom. Either way, his explanation eased some of my concern. It was reassuring to know there was a reason to why I had always had realistic dreams. One time, Ash and I had shared a dream and he thought it meant we were soul mates or some crap. It would have been nice to have the answer of being part vampire to backup my claim that there was no possible way the shared dream meant we were supposed to be together.

Shaking off my thoughts, I smiled and squeezed Sean's hands. "Well, whatever the reason, thank you for saving me again."

Sean leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on my lips before putting his forehead to mine. "I will always be there to save you."

His words pulled something from deep within me. It was some kind of yearning which brought my arms up around him and had me pressing my lips to his once more. Sean must have felt the same need. His own arms came around my body and he let me melt into the kiss. He helped to erase any lingering memories of the dream through sighs and touches. After having screwed for hours the previous night it should have been impossible to enjoy more that morning, but I found it was exactly what I needed.

~

When Sean suggested we go to Mike and Gale's for breakfast it would be mild to say I was more than reluctant. Hell, I was downright fearful. The thought of Korbin having told everyone I felt the same way about Sean as he felt for me—by now I would have to assume they all knew about his interest in me—and my near inability keep my hands off of Sean had me scared shitless. It all added up to me not wanting to be anywhere near my family.

"Annan, it will be fine." His warm lips on mine pulled at my sex and told me it would be anything but fine.

Stepping back, I shook my head. "See it will not be fine. You can't even give me a small kiss without me getting all..." Motioning to my lady parts, I made a kind of mush like noise.

Sean replied by laughing.

"I'm serious. They're all werewolves so they're going to know when I'm all... you know, horny all the time, and that will be more than a little embarrassing."

Sean laughed again, but not in a mean way, which caused my cheeks to warm. "Annan, how would they know that?"

Shrugging, I crossed my arms. "I don't know, smell or something, Maybe they will notice my increasing heartbeat. I've read that stuff in books before."

He chuckled, bringing my eyes back to him. "That was science fiction and not at all how Weres work, Annan. They wouldn't readily know if you were aroused. Maybe if they changed, your scent and heart rate might be noticeable, but as a human it's not obvious."

He stepped forward and touched my cheek. His eyes were lit with need the way they had been the previous night and my cheeks blazed in response. "However, anyone could see the way you look at me or the heat I bring you just by looking at you. So, I can see why you are worried." He kissed me again, curling my toes and making my pussy ready for him. "We will just have to be careful."

Sean stepped away leaving my body chilled by the lack of his presence, and wanting more of him. "Though, I have to say I would not care if they knew we have come together."

The way he said "come together" made it sound as though it was important, more than just two people screwing. Trying to hide my curiosity, I let out a short laugh and said, "Well, I'm not as open as you. We just had sex, a lot of sex yes, but it's the first time I've ever really done that. So yeah, I don't want them knowing about it." Korbin's questions about marrying Sean rang in my mind and I had to wonder if the man himself assumed the same thing.

Deciding not to be too blunt, I said, "It's not like we got married and are spreading the good news or something, we just screwed a bunch is all."

Sean's eyes fell. It was as though I had actually denied him some kind of proposal. "It may not be marriage in the sense of the human world but we told you about finding your mate, how you know when it happens."

My pulse sped but not in a good way. His words made me feel trapped. When my family described the mate thing to me it caused a chill to run down my spine. The whole idea there was some force that brought two people together and you had no choice in the matter seemed frightening to me. Mike and Gale made it seem as though it was the most amazing thing in the world as they told their mushy story of love at first sight. Some folks might like that, but not me, not someone who wasn't even attracted to anyone—even though the desire to be attracted to _someone_ was there—until two days ago. Forever with the first man in history I wanted to fuck sounded downright terrifying.

"I didn't sign up for that." My heart wanted to join the words as they left my mouth.

Sean came back to me, bringing my hands in his, and though they were comforting and warm I did not want to molest him. What he had said halted all that clinging need in me. "Can't you feel it Annan?" His eyes were pleading, swimming in unshed tears. "I know you can feel the draw we have for each other. I felt it as soon as you were of age, and I knew, I knew you were the one for me."

Letting go of his hands, I stepped back. What he said was like a slap to the face. "By 'of age,' you mean when I became a woman, when I started menstruating?"

He nodded, a look of shock on his face.

"You have thought I was your mate since I was sixteen? Did you tell my parents? Did you tell them your intentions?" The idea that I had started my period and he got the sudden urge to fuck me was a little disturbing.

Something that looked like shame crossed his features. "I didn't tell your mother and father, they wouldn't have understood, but I did tell your family. They were happy to know you were my chosen and would be thrilled now to know we have—"

"Don't even say it." Holding up a hand, I interrupted him and took a deep breath. Hoping what I had to say wouldn't make him upset, but too shocked to really care if it did, I let it out. "I'll admit, Sean, I feel a deep desire to be with you, that is true, but I saw this same kind of thing with girls in high school."

Letting out a disgusted laugh, I shook my head. "Hell, I still see it in women my age. I can't imagine what it would be like if that deep lustful I-can't-keep-my-hands-off-you passion they felt sealed the deal if they acted upon it. So many girls would be stuck with the wrong guy."

Sean opened his mouth but shut it when I shot him a glare.

"I'm not saying you are the wrong guy, but you are the first. What happens if my attraction has something to do with you being part vampire, or something? What happens if I'm around other Supes and I find some attraction to them? It could be I needed to be among my own kind to have that experience when I was a teen, one that all the other teenagers had." The thought that I did know the werewolf officer George had told me about flitted through my mind—I wasn't attracted to him after all—but I didn't see fit to remind Sean of him.

As he stood in front of me he looked surprised, I guess the fact I hadn't fallen all over him, professing my love was too much for the man or something.

"Tell me something, Sean. Is my experience with sex what happened to you? Did you not feel any attraction to any other woman before me?"

Sean's face turned such a dark pink when he looked away I had to wonder what woman had come to mind to make him blush like that.

"No, you are right. I have had other lovers and have felt love for another." His eyes fell on me again, looking defeated.

"See."

"But what I felt before was nothing like this, Annan." He sounded desperate and it was pissing me off.

Shaking my head, I turned around and walked toward the door. "Maybe not for you Sean, but to me this seems no different than what I saw in high school, what I read in every romance novel, or watched on countless Lifetime movies. It's an intense passion, yes, but I just can't be sure I'm your chosen mate."

Opening the door, I heard Sean ask, "Why?" An edge of pleading was in his voice.

Looking back at him I said, "Because right now, for the first time since I met you, saying that shit makes me want to punch you in the face," and walked out into the cool morning.

### Chapter 15

### Creepy

The run to my family's house wasn't too bad. Unlike my first night there, I stuck to the road's less snowed on terrain and was able keep a good speed. The snowfall was light and didn't sting my face as I ran as fast as I could, trying to stay ahead of Sean, whom I was sure would follow in the Suburban.

Cutting through the trees, I entered a large clearing and slowed my pace to see if I could hear the vehicle. There was no sound other than my feet hitting the ground, so as I made my way through the open area and entered the line of trees once more, I looked behind me to see if there was any sign of the huge SUV. There was none, and I had a moment to wonder if Sean was not being his normal over protective self when I slammed into something which let out an oaf.

My ass hit the ground and snow came up around me, chilling my neck as it melted under my hair. Rolling over I got to my knees to get my footing, and find out what I had hit, when hands came around my waist and lifted me off the ground.

Letting out a yelp, I spun around and saw an unfamiliar face. A sun worn face scattered with freckles which matched his ginger hair he had peeking from under a dusty baseball cap. His thin lips cracked into a smile and I took a small step back.

The man's muddled brown eyes went round. "Whoa now, sorry there. Didn't mean to scare ya." The stranger had a southern edge to his voice which was almost a drawl.

"Who the hell are you?" I asked taking another step away from the man who looked like he should be working on something dirty in the desert or on a farm in his old boots, worn jeans, and faded shirt, not standing in the middle of my family's land.

He took off his beaten cap and held it against his stomach as he doubled over in laughter, more than I thought necessary for my question. "Yer uncle did say you were a blunt gal." He straitened and put his hand out after placing his cap back on. "My name's Mitchell. Gonna be stayin' here at one of the house for the meetin' tomorrow."

Taking his offered hand, I gave it a firm squeeze and shook. His eyes never left mine as he said, "It's nice to finally meet you, Annan."

The way he spoke my name sent a chill down my spine, but not in a pleasant way. This was more like someone had walked over my grave or something. Releasing his hand, I tried to not wipe away the feeling of it against my palm on my jeans as I took yet another small step back. There was something defiantly off about the guy.

"Nice to meet you too. Sorry I slammed into you like that," I said, hiding my unease.

"No problem at all. I saw you coming at the last second and had a minute to brace myself. What are ya runnin' from?"

Letting out a laugh, I hoped didn't sound too anxious, I decided my personal business was none of his. "Not from, to. I'm starving and Aunt Gale's cooking is calling my name." With that, I gave him a salute and started walking away. The first sounds of the SUV's engine cut through the trees and I almost started to run when I heard Mitchell speak.

"Funny not seeing Sean with you, I hadn't expected that, seems kind of dangerous." His words sent those icy fingers down my back again.

Deciding to give him no response, I gave in to the urge to run instead and beat a hasty retreat, not just away from Sean but from the weird pack member as well. From over my shoulder I heard the strange guy one last time, his voice finding my ears through the thickening forest.

"I'll be seein' you later," he said, and I thought it sounded an awful lot like a threat.

~

Though it was almost ten, Gale had a full spread ready when I arrived. The twins had already eaten and were nowhere in sight but Mike and Korbin were still at the table. Mike with coffee and a paper and Korbin with food and more food. The three remaining family members puzzled at my lone appearance, but didn't say a word, and Korbin looked ready to burst with questions when Sean walked in minutes later, doing what could only be described as sulking. Ignoring Korbin's stares at Sean and me—on other sides of the table and not talking to one another—I tried to keep a constant flow of food in my mouth so as not to answer any questions with more than a nod or shake of the head.

Gale kept wanting to know how I was adjusting, and if we had everything we needed at Sean's, and if it was comfortable for me there, and whatever else that told me she wanted to know if we had "come-together" as Sean put it. Just thinking the term sent a shudder of fear through my body, which reminded me of the odd pack member who creeped me out.

Setting my fork down, I leaned back and grabbed my mug of coffee, inhaling the scent of hazelnut and cream before taking a sip. "Hey, Uncle Mike," I said after setting the coffee back down.

He looked at me from over the paper in his hands.

"I met Mitchell this morning. I didn't know pack was showing up already."

He set the paper aside and picked his own mug up before leaning back. "Yeah, he got here around five this morning. There are a few others coming today but he will be the only one staying on Pack Lands. Sorry we didn't tell you about him, Hun. I completely forgot and I didn't want to call you when he got here considering how early it was."

Five would have been just before my nightmare, so he might have saved me from the whole ordeal if he had called, but I decided to keep that info to myself. "It's okay. I didn't expect to run into anyone like I did, it was kind of a surprise. He's a bit of a creepy guy."

"You can say that again." Korbin laughed as he pushed his plate aside.

"Korbin, be nice." His mother scolded him as she collected our dishes.

"What? She's right," he said to her then looked at me. "Of course that is probably because he lives alone at the far edge of the pack's territory. The only reason he came in early was so he could go to Seattle to get some things he can't get out where he is. You probably ran into him as he was heading there."

Thinking of the odd way I literally ran into the guy, I didn't recall seeing a vehicle around but there was a house down the drive we were near so maybe he was out for a walk or something before leaving.

"Well I didn't see a car anywhere, but it's nice to know you are keeping tabs on more people than just me around here."

Korbin let out a laugh. "He told us he was showing up early when we called him yesterday. You know, all those calls out to everyone for little Miss Princess. I was here all night helping dad with that. He didn't say when he would be here but I guess he decided to drop his stuff off before going to the city considering how early it was."

Korbin's snotty attitude grated on my nerves but I had to suck it up since he was helping his dad with exactly what I had asked for.

"You probably won't see him again until tomorrow." Mike pulled my attention to him as I drank from my mug. "He is somewhat of a recluse, but has been a valued member of the pack longer than Sean, even if he wasn't adopted as family the way Sean was."

Sean smiled at my uncle's kind remark but it didn't touch his eyes and I had a moment of guilt for putting the hurt in them that kept his smile away. Even if I was upset about some stupid mate business I still didn't like Sean being wounded by me. Okay, okay sure I _did_ want to punch him earlier, but I wasn't heated over the matter anymore and he was still in pain over it, and that didn't seem right to me.

"So..." The one drawn out word told me Korbin's mood had turned back to its usual flavor. "Why were you out running alone this morning? Did you and Sean have a lover's quarrel?" His wriggling eyebrows were the worst of it.

Rolling my eyes, I said, "No, we did not have a _lover's quarrel_."

"Lover's spat than."

"Korbin, be nice to your cousin." The lightness in Gale's voice, and Mike's chuckles around the lip of his mug, told me Gale's poor attempt at help was all I was going to get from either of them.

"God, Korbin! No, there was no lover's spat either. You have to be _lover's_ for that."

"Oh, my apologies. I thought you two had come together."

Silence seemed the best option, so I sipped my coffee and ignored him.

Not wanting to let it go, he said, "Something _is_ different. My guess was that you _had_ come together. Guess not." Korbin gave a shrug.

"I really hate that term," I said to myself as I stood and left the table for the living room. The sound of Korbin's laughter and Gale's reprimands accompanied my short walk. Running into a creepy reclusive pack member was hands down better than dealing with Korbin's antics, any day of the week.
Chapter 16

### Hallmark Moment

"I'd like to come here each season and do this." Lifting my camera, I took another shot of the snow-covered, abandoned home.

The structure was dilapidated by time, but was still holding its ground. Mike told me the spell that warded non-pack members away also helped to keep the buildings in the condition they sat in. Some weathering occurred, but not what one would expect for homes sitting the middle of the Cascades.

"That would be lovely, Annan. It would be neat to see them together, to see the change of season on the land." Gale sounded reminiscent and I wondered if she was thinking about her childhood in Kansas.

Everyone, including Geoff and Will, took the day to show me around Pack Lands. After I had finished eating I had found out the twins were prepping snowmobiles for all of us while I stuffed my face and avoided Korbin. During my time with them exploring Pack Lands I learned more about the personal lives of my family and less of the oh-my-god-you-are-a-werewolf stuff.

It was nice. I found out Gale once lived in Kansas on a farm with her eight brothers before she met Mike. She was the oldest of all the children and when her mom passed—the youngest child only seven at the time—the home responsibilities fell to her. They had already told me about how Mike whisked her away from family servitude when I learned about the mate business, but I hadn't heard how she missed her family after she left, especially the little ones who were ten and eleven at the time.

Other than hearing family stories I saw some other homes on pack lands including Korbin, Will, and Geoff's homes. Geoff had a garage nearly as big as the one by the main house for rehabbing cars. He was excited about the new portal. With it, he could transport cars close to where they needed to be without having to put time consuming protection spells on them first. There weren't a lot of details about the spells, and I didn't ask for clarification after how long the explanation of a tool I misnamed in his shop took. After that lecture I figured any questions about protecting the cars was best left a mystery.

Geoff's look-alike's place was the opposite of his. The only car at Will's was his jeep and instead of a man cave home like his brother, his house was stuffed full of old books and antiques of every kind. There were shelves stacked with scrolls—freaking _scrolls_ people—and statues of goddesses, and "Don't touch that for the love of god, I still don't know what the antidote for the poison is!" thing that looked like a snake with dripping fangs coiled upon itself ready to strike. Needless to say I didn't try to touch anything else. All the walls, the tables, everything was covered with something. He was like some kind of rare artifact hoarder, a term which caused Korbin to burst out laughing.

Of course Korbin's house had me laughing _my_ ass off. It was crammed full of gaming equipment the way his brother's was stuffed full of musty artifacts. Entering Korbin's house was like entering some kind of science fiction show or something. There was one wall that held six screens he told me, "could run sixty accounts on WoW with no problem," while his eyes sparkled like a six year old on Christmas morning. I was struck dumb, literally speechless—other than the peals of laughter—in discovering the annoying meat wall was an MMO nerd. _That_ was priceless.

Shaking away the memory, and the small laugh which wanted to creep up every time I thought of Korbin's favorite hobby—even lifting took second place—I let my camera fall around my neck and strode around the house. The snow wasn't eating me the way it had when I stormed out of my aunt and uncle's house on the first night. After I had trudged through it like a dumb ass—Sean had let them in on that secret—they had asked Cesair to change the wards so pack could walk through heavy snow with more ease, in case I wanted to leave the beaten path again or whatever.

As I approached a huge towering maple buried almost four feet deep in snow behind the two standing homes, I brought my camera to my eye and had to say a word of thanks my family had thought of bringing me to the place. Small things like that were making my new found life somewhat easier to accept. Letting my camera fall again I caught Sean out of the corner of my eye, still moping after almost five hours, and I let out a sigh. Some things, I was still struggling with.

Glancing over at my cousins and their folks, all talking about what to have for an early dinner since it was well past lunch, I walked over to Sean wanting to sort things out. The mate thing was still off the table, for now, but I didn't want him pouting forever while I tried to figure out a whole new me before settling down and starting a whole new life. Hell, even if I thought I was still a human I wouldn't do that right now. Pushing the thought out of my head, I smiled at Sean as he looked to me.

"Hey." Okay, that was a lame start but I'm not used to apologizing for hurting a guy's feelings... well, other than Ash, but that's different.

"Hey." His response was just as exciting.

Uncrossing my arms and sighing, I started again. "Look Sean. We have to figure this out."

"You might have some things to figure out but I'm pretty set in what I know."

His stubbornness irked me and I felt proud I didn't let it push at my anger. "If you are going to be stubborn, I can be stubborn too and we will just call this an impasse. I'll get my stuff and bring it to Mike and Gale's when we get back." Turning on my heal, I decided walking away was better than letting my irritation boil up.

"Wait." The one word sounded panic stricken as it hit my back.

Turning around to face him, I crossed my arms again and cocked a hip. "What?"

"I'm sorry. I'm just hurt." He ran a hand through his hair and shook his head before bringing his eyes to mine. The fear mixed with pain I saw there had me relaxing my stance, ready to listen. "Annan, I shouldn't expect you to accept this and it was wrong of me to assume you would. I know how I feel and I know you feel something for me, when you never have before."

My brows knitted together and I opened my mouth but he stepped forward and grabbed my hands, stopping any words from coming.

"I'm not trying to convince you of anything, just let me talk."

Nodding, I stood and ignored his warm hands on mine.

"Now, for me I would like to think what we have is the mate bond but" —he pulled in a deep breath which fogged between us as he let it out— "there has never been a born female Were, so you could be right."

The ice inside of me that tried to block his presence melted and I smiled at him.

He returned my smile and continued. "But, even though you might not be my mate, even if this is something else, it is _something_." He squeezed my hands as he brought them up and placed his lips against my knuckles, his eyes refusing to leave mine.

"I'm trying to tell you, Annan, that I don't care what it is. I want to be with you. If that means only for now or forever, I'll take it. Any time with you is like heaven so I don't want to throw away some just because I can't have it all."

Trying to hold back tears over such sweet sentiment I threw my arms around him, practically crushing my camera between us. "You fucking ass, why do you have to be so damn understanding."

Sean laughed against my hair. "Because I know you so well and I love you so much."

Pushing away from him, I searched his two toned eyes. "You really do don't you?"

He nodded.

Stepping back, I took the open hand he offered as we walked over to my family, looking like a damn hallmark greeting. "You really would do anything for me, wouldn't you?"

His hand squeezed mine tight in a protective way. "Absolutely anything, Annan. I would lay my life down for you if I had to, or even worse, give you to another man if you truly loved him more." His hand squeezed mine again, but this time it felt more possessive than protective and I had to wonder what could be inside a person that would make them think dying to protect someone was preferable to living without them.

~

Back at the main house—all the "awes" and teasing out of the way over Sean and me—we found another surprise for the day. Two more pack members. My apprehension was cleared in seconds of meeting the two, Scott and Raymond. At first I thought they might be good friends, they were different shades of well dressed late twenty-something Seattleites—Ray with dusty blond hair and silver eyes and Scott with near jet black hair and just as dark eyes—but as soon as they started talking you could tell they were a different type of Seattleite all together.

"Oh my god, so I know we should have called."

"Super sorry," Scott added to Ray's statement, who just nodded.

"But we couldn't wait! And we knew," Raymond continued.

"Just knew you would let us fan-girl for at least one day if you met us," Scott finished.

One thing was for sure, these two were a pair I would let fan-girl all day long. They reminded me of a friend I had who moved off to New York after high school. He was a year older so he missed my melt down, and I lost touch with him because of it. There were some people in high school who were put off by his flamboyance, others ignored it or said he was doing it to get attention. To me it was just part of Charlie's personality and he was endearing, much like with Scott and Ray.

"Well, you were right, you can fan-girl away but only because you are so awesome and sweet. I hope there are more pack like you guys." That had them roaring with laughter.

I'm sure they were laughing for the fact there probably weren't any other gay pack members, something Sean clued me in was taboo, like bringing a non wolf into a wolf pack, but I was serious, I hoped there were more nice pack like them. They had told me numerous stories of their business downtown helping budding artists and musicians after they saw my camera bags and asked to look at my shots. They even inquired about putting my work up, but I didn't agree to anything... yet.

"See, I knew once you met us we would all be friends and when your uncle called us and said to tone it down we thought," Ray looked at Scott.

"We knew, there was no way to tone all this fabulousness down."

"Mmm-hmm." Ray nodded his agreement with his husband.

"It's okay guys. Honestly you should have been the first pack to ease me into meeting pack."

Everyone around the table laughed with us. We all had coffee, hot cocoa, or chai and were awaiting the casseroles Gale had made, what she called an easy throw-together dinner. Whatever she called it, it smelled delicious and was necessary considering Mitchell was invited to dinner as well.

Scott and Ray told me Mitch was alright. They said he was always nice to them when he was around, so I figured I would give the guy another go and try not be too creeped out by him. From what Sean said, being gay in a wolf pack was harder than being gay and living next door the Westboro Baptist Church, so anyone that was that accepting was okay in my book.

"When you agree to it, we'll get your work up now that we know about it. I guess they didn't tell us about your talent because they were worried we would 'accidentally' run into you just to get some photos. Photographs from the only born female Were, who happens to also be talented? We would be all over that!" Scott patted my hand. "I was serious when I said those shots were amazing."

His praise was nice and the fact he mentioned my uniqueness hadn't irritated me at all.

"What shots?" Mitchell said as he entered the house, I guess it was "mi casa es su casa" for Mike and Gale's where pack was concerned.

"Oh, we found out Annan has an eye for detail when it comes to photography." Scott stood and shook Mitchell's hand.

"Oh good, I thought I was going to have to brush up on my rifle skills." Mitchell laughed as he shook Ray's hand and accepted a mug of coffee offered by Gale before sitting across from me.

"Nope, but if you want to feel competitive you could always take up the camera," Scott said before drinking his chai.

"Nah, that ain't my kind of shootin'. You ever shoot a gun, Annan?"

Taking a quick drink of my own chai I reminded myself to not get the creeps. "Yeah, my dad used to take me hunting but I haven't gone since I was fifteen."

Mitch leaned back and took off his cap, putting it on his knee. "Yep, well, y'all could come out to my property. I got moose, elk, even some antelope out there. You could hunt all you want. Maybe even a bear if yer lucky."

The warm invitation eased some of the weirdo feeling he gave off. "Thanks, I might take you up on that offer."

Sean's hand gave my knee a light squeeze and I glanced at him. His smile relaxed me even more and I gave him a smile of my own as my uncle started talking about the hunting we could do on Pack Lands and how we should organize time for both areas. Mitch was all for the idea and the room began to fill with sounds of dinner being dished up and talk of organizing a pack hunting meet.
Chapter 17

### Bye, Bye, Bye

Even though Gale called dinner a "quickly thrown together mess" it was still wonderful and everyone told her as much. After another great meal and the good company of the few pack and my family, I started to think this whole ordeal was going to be fine after all. Looking over at Sean, who managed to get Gale to allow him do the dishes, I was also feeling like him and I were going to be fine as well.

Sean pushed his hand in the water and used it to squirt Korbin, who was critiquing his Pyrex washing skill, and I had to smile. Hell, I had to admit if I _was_ stuck with him and no one else, I would be happy. As though he could hear my thoughts, like when he was a big kitty, he looked at me with his blue and yellow eyes and smiled before turning back to the sink. Shit, a girl could do worse.

Seeing Gale haul a bag from the trash I hopped up to grab it, figuring that if I was getting so damn comfy I might as well get off my ass and start acting like family.

"Oh, thanks dear. Here, set that there. You can take the recycling out." Gale handed me another can with no bag but piled full of recyclable items.

"Sure. Where are we going?"

Before she could answer, Mitch came over and grabbed the sack of trash. "I can show ya where it is. I should be headin' back to my cabin anyways. Need to organize all that stuff I bought in Seattle today." He took the bag from Gale who gave the man a hug and told him she would see him bright and early in the morning. He had offered to help set up for the meeting at the Lodge, a building on Pack Lands they were saving to show me until the following day.

"I'll be right back," I said to Sean while I followed Mitch.

Sean gave me a sudsy wave as I hurried after the other man. As usual, there was a cool wind blowing but this time it caused the the hairs on my arms to raise and made me shiver some as the door clicked closed.

"Hey, I guess I must be feeling the cold or something, maybe I should have put on a coat." Chuckling to myself, I tried to ignore the way he seemed to walk away from the house as if he was on a mission, all lightheartedness in him gone.

"Yeah, maybe," Mitch said as I stepped up beside him while we crossed the frozen yard and made our way to the garage. "But it's alright; you don't need a coat."

Figuring he was referring to the fact I was a werewolf hybrid thing, I just nodded as we got to the cans and deposited our load.

"It's pretty warm where you're going," he said as he grabbed my arm.

"What?" was all I managed to get out before I felt a sting above his hand and realized he had injected me with something.

As my world wavered around me he said, "You are mine now, I've waited so long for you," and he turned to an amorphous blob of black. There was just enough time for me to internally kick myself for having the tracking spells removed before the blackness his form had become ate everything else in my vision and I passed out.

###

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Read on for an excerpt from Book Two ~ Taken

### Pronunciation of Names

Puyallup ~ Pew-all-up

Snoqualmie ~ Snow-qwal-me

Cesair ~ Kes-air

Marine Corps ~ Marine Core (the ps is silent)

Aos Si ~ ess shee

### Preview of Taken

"I don't know how we didn't know!" Sean's voice was frantic. Worse than that, it boomed through my mind and seemed to echo off the walls of my skull. It wasn't hard for me to discern that my new love interest sounded all wrong.

Trying to blink my eyes, I found that I couldn't see a thing, but before I could panic over being blind another voice echoed in my head.

"How come we didn't know he was planning that?" Korbin sounded strange as well. Just like with Sean, something was off.

"Shut up Korbin!" Anger and fear rolled through me as Sean's voice rolled around my head once more. For some reason it felt as though his words were my own thoughts.

"I can't find anything this way. He had to have taken the main road out." That sounded like Scott but I had no idea what he was talking about.

"Fuck! I can't get a scent. Nothing! It's like they disappeared." As Sean spoke my fear increased, even though I didn't know what I was scared of.

"Sean. Cesair wants you at the house. She came as soon as we called her."

Gale sounded odd too but she wasn't as loud as Sean, or even Korbin and Scott for that matter. She sounded much further away and some feeling in me told me she wasn't finished speaking so I waited, though it didn't feel as though it was me waiting. For some reason it was as though my body felt it even though my mind didn't match up.

"She said it's too late, they're already gone. We need to try something else."

There was a sharp tearing at my chest as Gale spoke and I tried to grab at it, only to realize I couldn't move. Panic seeped in an increment at a time as I began to wonder why I was paralyzed and blind—opening my mouth, I tried to speak but nothing came out—or able to make a sound.

Wondering why my panicked thoughts weren't accompanied by a panicked feeling, a burning and tearing sensation spread throughout me instead. It felt as though some animal was clawing at my heart and as I puzzled over such an unknown feeling a scream cut the air.

Through the pain, I felt myself calling out the hurt I was experiencing, but the sound that was leaving me was one I had never made before. It was the sound of a large cat, one ready to attack or who is gravely wounded, but before I had a chance to wonder what was happening, the blackness which held my eyes covered my ears and my world went silent and numb.

~

For the first time in my life I had a headache. When I had found out that I was not only part werewolf, part vampire, and part fae but that all of those stemmed from aliens, I had thought the information overload gave me a headache. What was pounding behind my eyes and causing my stomach to lurch and real with each bump I went over was showing me how wrong I had been before. This headache reminded me of the ones my mom would sometimes complain about when dad came home reeking of turpentine—which was often, considering his hobby was building furniture—and she would have to take an Excedrin, and then a nap.

The thoughts of my deceased parents faded as the vehicle I was in hit another bump and my cheek slammed into something metal. My eyes flashed open and I spotted a dirty, rust-coated bucket near me. Scrambling to my knees, I grabbed the nasty thing and retched up everything in my stomach, another first for me. After heaving out every last drop I had in me, I sat back and spit in the bucket as I absorbed my surroundings with a heavy pit in my gut.

Where I was, for lack of a better term, was in a cage. It seemed to be built into a box van, but it was a cage none the less. The thing consisted of a metal floor about four by four feet with bars surrounding it that were about the same in height and connected to a matching metal roof. It was pretty much a cube with the far end being a barred door one could open after opening the van doors. Looking around, I saw the damn thing held nothing but me and a bucket full of vomit, so I had to assume it was constructed for the purpose of taking me.

"Well now, you seem to have metabolized that pretty fast."

At the sound of his voice an unexpected laughter erupted out of me. Clamping my mouth shut with my left hand I leaned my head against one of the thick bars. Oh fucking la-te-da, I was right. Mitchell—the supposed safe pack member, who had been pack longer than my main squeeze, Sean—was not only creepy, he was downright scary.

The memory of us taking the trash out to the garage flitted through my mind. That was when he did it, when he injected me with some crap then took me from my family. Fuck, sometimes I really hated being right.

"Ain't you got somethin' to say?"

Dropping my hand, I looked at his sun beaten features in the review mirror as he tilted it down to look at me.

"All I can say is: You are fucking dead." It would have been nice to throw my barf bucket at him for added effect, but I didn't want to chance splash-back when it hit the bars.

Mitchell chuckled to himself and his dirt brown eyes held my emerald ones as he pulled to the side of the road. All I could see out of the windshield was darkness and the tops of low bushes illuminated by the headlights. There didn't seem to be anything else around us, no houses or streetlights, just shrubbery and us in a van. He put it in park and grabbed a riffle I hadn't noticed on the ground between the driver and passenger seats. Before I had a chance to react, he lifted the thing, aimed it and shot me.

My right shoulder was hit and I expected to see blood gushing out from the force of the impact, but instead I saw a small hypodermic needle with fluff on the end. Grabbing it, I threw the thing down just as the cage began to waver.

Pushing at the bucket, I shoved it toward him and spilled puke across the bottom of the cage as I tried to scream, "Did you dart me?" Instead it came out sounding something more like, "ha-wa-ho-a?" And, with the last bit of effort I had in me, I tried to pass out anywhere but in my own barf.

###

To find out what happens to Annan, please purchase a copy of _Taken: Book 2_ and _Changes: Book 3_ of the _Annan Werewolf Series_

