Adam did eat all the overcooked eggs without complaint, but he made me cook new ones for myself. I had a single slice of bacon and ended up giving the rest of my share to Nate-wolf. It was my apology for telling him I'd buy him kibble. I brought him some eggs, and well, couldn't not bring in a drink of water too. A big bowl of it. I did not do what my brain was begging me to do and write FIDO on the side with a marker though. I'd tempted that fate way too much already.

I was actually a lot more nervous about going to the pack house than I was letting on. I just kept trying to remind myself it was only bad memories that were stopping me, and Nate's house had to be better. Really, it wasn't even all bad memories. I had to focus on the fun memories with Timothy, not the ending with Milo.

A centering breath flew from my chest as I gathered some more clothes and toiletries for my suitcase. Adam was bringing me back in the mornings, but Nate still wanted me with the doctors overnight. Adam readily agreed after the mess he found me in in the middle of the night last night. He wouldn't listen when I told him I felt better. That and I had already told him before that one sting was enough to keep me up at night. Compound that by what, six plus, and add some stab wounds to my bicep, they were not taking no for an answer.

But I had to agree with them as I slid my hairbrush into a side pocket. I was aching and itching all over. Stings, scratches, and even the dumb claw marks. I pulled up my sleeve and looked at the gauze, internally shouting at Cassandra to trim her dang nails. The spots ablaze with pain by now, but I wasn't going to ask Adam if I needed stitches. I healed enough after my apple tree fall. I just might have to deal with these scarring too. I put my sleeve down and headed out of the bedroom, suitcase in tow.

As I walked to the kitchen to grab a glass of water, I spied Adam through the window placing blankets down in my truck bed. I walked outside to him.

"What you up to?"

"Is it okay if we take your truck? Then we can put Nate in the back."

A squished up ball of wolf fluff in Nate's sports car came to mind and I laughed. "Yeah, that's fine. Won't people we pass be a little freaked by a giant wolf in the back though?"

He shrugged and laid another blanket down, making a soft spot. "They'd probably just think he's a dog. We could close him in with a tarp if you're worried though."

"Whatever you think. You probably have more experience hauling wolves around than I do."

He grinned and jumped down expertly beside me. "Not that much. You ready to go?"

I looked out over the chickens free ranging. "I think I better gather the chickens back to the hen house if we aren't coming back tonight." I bumped his shoulder. "There's lots of wild animals in the woods."

His face went hard. "They're in the northern part of the valley now. But yes, I think that's wise."

I asked cautiously. "Are they still fighting?"

"Yes."

"How are they doing? Maybe you should go back and help now that Nate is awake?"

"No. They're fine. I'm to watch over you and him. I'll take you to the packhouse and then see if orders change."

"Okay," I said softly.

"Are you packed enough?"

I nodded.

"Then go do your chickens. I'll get Nate situated."

He turned and walked to the house. I bit my lip and then found my way through the watermelons to the chicken coop and opened the tiny shed beside it for treats. Half the chickens were already at my feet when they saw what door I was opening. "Well hello you all," I laughed. "In a hurry for... Treat-Treat-Treats!?" I yelled and chickens sprinted and flew back from every area of the garden. They followed as I stepped to the coop and threw the cupful of scratch and goodies inside for them. Each raced inside so I shut the door and locked it up.

I turned back to the house just in time to watch Adam's muscles flex with a giant wolf over his shoulder. I wanted to purr like a cat at the delicious sight. I mean, hey, I could appreciate the strain and art of movement from this far. That wouldn't break bro code for him. But I guess he noticed the stare. He hollered not looking, "Nate says you stop staring or you'll get tossed over his shoulder soon enough."

Nate thought I was staring at him being over Adam's shoulder like a chick. Oops. Wrong wolf. But at least he didn't think I was checking out his friend. Laughing, I started walking towards them, dodging watermelons. "I could take a picture instead?"

Nate's wolf head leaned up to gaze at me. I couldn't tell from this far, but I'd bet he was glaring. Man I needed werewolf eyes to see if he was. I giggled. Adam turned his head and smiled. "Probably should. This won't happen again in any of our lifetimes."

I fished my phone out of my pocket and held it up. They had left it and my purse on the counter. "Say cheese!" Nate's growl brought the phone back to my pocket. "I know, I know," I laughed but then gulped to myself. 'If you ever tell our secret, then your punishment is next!" That surely included any wolf photos found on my phone.

Adam carefully laid Nate-wolf down into the truck and then slammed closed the tailgate. He started clamping a tarp over all but the top two feet of the bed. I watched as he straightened everything out for a few moments, and then headed back inside to get my suitcase.

The honey frame was still on the counter, the last of it dripping into the container. I took a minute and dabbed some honey across my stings again. Then I dug around a cabinet for the lid. I figured the extra honey would be needed for both me and Nate. When I finally found the lid, I popped it on then took the spent frame outside to the garden and put it on the picnic table for the bees to clean thoroughly.

"Ready to go?" Adam appeared at my side.

"Oh wow," he startled me again. "Uh, yeah. I'll just go grab my bag."

He followed to the kitchen and grabbed the suitcase before my hand even lifted for it.

"Ooh, what a gentleman," I cooed.

He hid a pleased smile.

I grabbed the honey container and followed him to the truck. He opened the passenger side and waited for me to catch up while he situated my suitcase inside and then helped me up into the seat.

"If you gave me directions I could drive. You didn't get much sleep this morning."

"I can drive. I got enough."

He probably was feeling well enough to drive. The fresh eggs that morning, even overcooked, would still have some strength benefits.

"Sorry about the early wake up."

He laughed. "To have Nate think I caught you, uh, undressed, was well worth it."

I smiled at the growl coming from the back.

He then closed my door and came around to the driver's side.

He started the noisy engine and pulled away. I got a heavy feeling as we pulled away and watched until every spot of my grandparent's property was engulfed in trees.

When we were finally to the main road, I turned to Adam. "What's your pack's name?"

He gave me a sidelong glance. "We're called Lone Raine."

"Lone Raine," I echoed. "That has good music to it. I like it. Lone Raine... Lone Raine...Lone Raine..."

He smirked as I continued.

"Where is it? How far away?"

"Up the mountains about an hour away, past the fish hatchery, on the other side of the town. Closer to the city."

I nodded trying to picture a map in my head, but I didn't know where the hatchery was.

Now that they knew I was aware of them, the questions I'd never been able to ask kept tumbling out. "Does your people all live in the packhouse?"

"We're a little more spread out than traditional. We still have a few families at the packhouse. It's mostly the unmated, but we do use it for all the entertaining and meal gatherings."

I pondered that for a minute as I stared at the passing trees. I tried to imagine what it would be like next to Milo's. Milo's packhouse was a large building, giant apartment complex even, where families each basically had their own rooms. Some bigger houses for the upper-level wolves were separate around the area. Milo and Timothy had one full mansion of their own. There was a dining hall, but still a lot of them ate separately. How many would be at Nate's pack house if they all always came to meal gatherings?

"You know so much about us." Adam's trepid thoughts brought me back to the present. "Packhouses. Wolfbane and silver. The link. You weren't even shocked when I brought Nate in wolf form last night. Nate's wondering how you know so much about werewolves."

I looked over to Adam, a sly smile on my face. "Is he now? Just Nate?" I peeked through the back window to the truck bed, but I could only see a snout sneaking out from beyond the tarp. "You guys saw me with Timothy right?"

"Yeah, about that." He turned to me curious. "How do you know Timothy?"

I sighed and looked back out the passenger window, noticing the turn into town. "We were just playground friends. My grandparents took me to the playground every week. Him and his family were always there too. We just got to be really good friends." A sad smile to the passing homes.

"That's it?" He asked unconvinced.

"Yeah," another sigh.

"Figures he'd be able to get away with telling someone the secret."

My jaw tightened and any movements stilled. 'If you ever tell our secret, then your punishment is next!' "Yeah." I tried to relax.

We quieted as we passed through town. Beyond the road to the diner, then the movie theater and soda shop. We passed by a bunch of homes and then a gas station and were again going out of town. I watched out the front, seeing the hills change into forest in the distance.

Adam filled the quiet. "I don't get why Milo would bring Timothy to a human playground though."

I looked away and shrugged. Absentmindedly I started biting and playing with my nails.

He was quiet again, later turning to a dirt road that's sign read: Fish Hatchery One Mile.

As we passed the hatchery and into the trees, he wondered, "You two are pretty far apart in age though, right?"

"Six years." I nodded.

"How did you get to be friends with that much age distance?"

"I don't know. I just saw him every week. It was Tuesdays at lunchtime," I remembered. "A kid you saw every week was your friend, no matter the age. When I got older then I saw him as my little brother. Didn't want to stop seeing him."

They were sweet memories.

We both quieted as the greenery passed for minutes more. The coloring was so brilliant and beautiful. The way the sun filtered through patches alighting the forest floor was breathtaking. I could imagine wolves racing through the woods and smiled, letting the images run alongside my truck. I imagined Nate's dark black wolf out in front.

Alpha. Leader.

My thoughts stopped abruptly as we came upon a large gate, two dark haired young men standing at attention to each side. As we got closer, they bowed their heads and opened the gate. Adam pulled through without a word.

It was getting real.

I was going to a packhouse. Again.

I kept trying to remind myself one scary memory of Milo attacking his wife did not equal what would happen to me now.

But in time mini cabins came into view every so often and my lip was getting bitten harder and harder.

Though I saw no wolves present at any of them, they felt unmistakable as part of Nate's pack. My heartrate picked up.

This wouldn't be like Milo's. This wouldn't be like Milo's.

I started playing with my nails again.

"Did you ever go to Timothy's packhouse?" Adam asked.

"Yes," I said delicately, my body tense as I watched out the window.

After a few more houses and a bit more panic, I continued soft-spoken. "But it didn't end well."

He didn't press for details.

But I knew he was coming up with his own conclusions when his fingers tightened around the steering wheel.