Masked SheWolf Page 3

  He sighs and visibly softens. "It's alright, Mickey. Your mother's right; you do know how to be careful. I should be showing you that I trust you, not doubting you."

  This makes me feel guilty about the college thing. "It's your job to worry, Dad. I understand that."

  He smiles at me, and everything's all right between us again.

  "And on a much brighter note," Nate interjects cheerily, "that was brilliant, Mickey!"

  "Genius!" Danny repeats.

  I smirk at them all, in my head already planning what I would do to them, next. A couple of seconds later, Connor comes racing into the kitchen, looking furious.

  "How the hell could you do something like that, Michael?!" he shouts.

  Not the least bit fazed, I simply shrug and say, "Next time, leave Burns out of War Day."

  Chapter 2

  Logan

  It’s the strangest feeling, to go somewhere unfamiliar, and yet still get a sense that you’re coming home. Then again, everything that matters happened here; this is where my parents met, where I was born, where I spent the first year of my life before they uprooted us all. Every significant moment of my existence started in this place that I’ve only heard stories about.

  Already, my throat is clogging up with the memories my parents must have had. I can see them with my mind’s eye taking a stroll around the park when they were my age, about to start a family. I can picture my dad pushing a toddler version of me on the swing as I laugh my heart out, and my mom sitting by the benches, watching us with a warm smile.

  Their presence is everywhere, and the nostalgia that comes with it hits me harder the closer we get to the house. The loss is still very fresh, and no matter where I go, it still stings.

  "Whoa," Reena whispers when the compound comes into view.

  I’m pretty amazed myself. It’s much bigger than our place in Maine, with more than enough personal space for all of us, and for the others coming in tomorrow, too. The most impressive thing about it, though, is the fifty years of history behind it, which shows in every brick of the wall surrounding it all.

  Inside, the grass surrounding the gravel road is overgrown and a vibrant green. Malcolm, our keeper, has apparently been taking good care of it in our absence. Identical two-story houses are spread around, about a dozen or so. There’s also the training center, the hospital, the school, and right behind the pack house, the playground for the younger members.

  In the center of the compound is where the pack house is built. I park right out in its driveway and get my suitcase shared with Reena out. I carry it effortlessly up the wide stone steps that lead to the entrance and drop it by the door so that I can get my keys out. Once in, I cough for a moment; dust has been settling for almost twenty years, and while Malcolm is responsible of maintaining the public spots in the compound as well as manning the gate, he’s not allowed in any of the houses.

  Ever piece of furniture is covered with sheets; in the living room, kitchen, dining room, game room, all nine bedrooms plus the three guest rooms. The building is four stories high with a basement and an attic; it has to be to contain this many rooms that would house the alpha and beta’s families. The pack house is by far the largest building, which is where I will be living from now on.

  "Welcome to our new home," I say with little enthusiasm.

  Reena detects my tone of voice, but she doesn’t comment on it, knowing that the eight werewolves following behind us would hear her no matter how low she whispers. She knows she has to wait till we’re alone to talk. It’s only when we get inside to our soundproofed room that she finally says what’s on her mind.

  "You know we really didn’t have to come here," she tells me for the second time.

  "He left me this task for a reason, Ree," I remind her. "I need to find out what it means."

  "I understand that," she assures me. "I just meant that you could have made a weekend project out of it or something. Or maybe sent out Cade to do it."

  "I have to do this myself," I insist. "Besides, I didn’t force anyone to come with me; the pack agreed. They’re strongest when they’re with their alpha. Everybody’s got ties here, anyway, so we’re not starting completely anew."

  A look of sadness crosses her eyes, and she averts her gaze. "I don’t. I have no one here. Not anywhere."

  I wrap my arm around her waist as a comforting gesture and pull her toward me. Then, I plant a light kiss on her forehead.

  "You have me," I point out, "and your family. So long as we’re with you, you won’t be alone, not anymore."

  She leans into me, seeking the support only I have ever been able to give her. "Promise you won’t leave me the whole time we’re here?"

  The reason I came back is still a mystery to me. That’s why I can’t involve Reena in it, because I don’t want to put her in harm’s way in case it turns out to be more dangerous than it appears. But I still promise to stay with her anyway.

  After that, I immediately go find Cade, knowing he’s probably waiting for me in the office by now. I’m proved right moments later, when I open the door right outside my bedroom that leads to my dad’s old office. Like all the bedrooms in the house, it’s soundproofed, which is why I’ll be working on my dad’s project in there from now on.

  The few pictures I have seen of the office are too old. Right now, instead of being filled with books, the shelves are empty and dusty. The desk and chair are covered with white sheets, and the window behind them is in extreme need of cleaning. The entire room is, to be honest; it even smells like ash, for some reason.

  Cade is standing right by the window when I walk in, looking out at the view of the playground. He turns around when he hears me coming.

  "Is it me, or has this place always been this dusty?" he attempts to make light of the otherwise serious situation.

  Still, I manage a half smile. "We’ll get around to cleaning everything. Where’s Sadie?"

  "She’s getting everything ready for tomorrow," he tells me. "This is the first time she changes schools, so she’s a little nervous."

  "She’ll be fine," I assure him. Sadie is easily likeable; she’ll make new friends before any of us. "The U-Haul will be here any minute, and I’m sure the cleaning crew won’t be far behind. We should get going; I don’t want to stay out too late. The guys can help set up everything while we’re gone."

  Right before I’m about to leave, he takes two quick strides toward me, and grabs my arm from over the desk. "Wait," he says. "Before we go, I just got off the phone with your uncle Cliff. He said he's tried calling you but that your phone was off."

  I pull said phone out of my pocket and find that it is indeed off. "The battery must have died on the way." I was using it for music on the road, but I turned the radio off when we got to the first station, and I must have forgotten to unplug the AUX. Putting it back in, I face Cade again. "What did he say?"

  "Your dad signed a treaty with a pack eighteen years ago," he informs me. "Apparently, he allowed them to live on our land indefinitely. They’ll probably need a renewal from you, unless of course you don’t want them here anymore."

  Confused as to why he thought this is urgent, I frown. "O-kay... why did I need to know that before we leave?"

  Cade stares at me intently, conveying more meaning through that simple act than he does through words. "Because they’re a lone family."

  That’s when I finally get what he’s trying to say. "Are they on the list?"

  He shakes his head. "I checked. But maybe they’re still related somehow."

  I pause, deliberating what to do. "What are their numbers?"

  "Seven; two parents and five boys."

  My eyes widen with surprise. Quite the big family. "We’ll set up a meeting tomorrow. I’ll take care of it."

  Cades nods in agreement. "Okay."

  "Anything else I should know about them?"

  "That’s pretty much everything."

  "Then let’s get going."

  The closest address on the lis
t is half an hour away. With my urgency driving me, we get there in twenty minutes.

  The Mariners’ house is very neat and homely, with a tire swing out on the well cared for front lawn. It's like the one I dreamt of having as a kid. I almost start to imagine if my life will be like this when I marry Reena, and how our boys will be spending their time. It’s a nice imagery that delays my knocking on the front door for a good long minute.

  Then Cade pulls me out of my thoughts by literally pulling me toward the door and ringing the doorbell himself.

  "Just a minute!" a woman calls out from inside, a distinct Australian accent in her voice.

  There’s the sound of a child’s giggles, then footsteps, and then the door opens. A blonde woman in her mid thirties is standing there, holding a boy of about two years old in her arms. The baby is still laughing, his face all red from the exertion. He cuts it off once he sees strangers in front of him, but his smile remains and even widens.

  The woman smiles politely at us. "Can I help you?"

  "Mrs. Mariner?" I check.

  "Yes," she confirms. The baby squirms in her arms and tries to hide his face in her neck. The jerking movement almost causes her to drop him. "Jace, love, stay still. Let mummy talk to the nice men, alright?"

  Unease starts to settle in the pit of my stomach. I’ve obviously caught her at a very bad time, and I don’t want to take her away from her son, but I do need some answers.

  "My name is Logan, and this is Cade. I’m sorry to come so suddenly and without notice, but I think you knew my father, Cameron Underwood," I start by saying, making it sound like a question.

  Her face lights up with recognition. "Yes! Cameron! That’s right. How is he? It’s been years!"

  "Um," I hesitate, not knowing how to answer that. "Is it okay if we come in and talk to you and your husband? There are some things I can tell you, and others I need to know from you."

  "Of course, dear, of course," she immediately agrees. "Come on in."

  Mrs. Mariner leads us into the living room, and my eyes are almost immediately assaulted by the bright flowery patterns on the couches. Cade and I exchange looks. I can tell he’s just as taken aback by the decor as I am, but he shrugs it off as quickly as I do.

  "My husband isn’t here right now, but he should be back any moment with our son Jake," she lets us know. "They play softball together every Sunday. It’s a great father-son bonding time."

  I don’t say anything. My father and I never played softball, so I can’t really relate to this kind of relationship. The way she talks about her family is very affectionate. You can almost feel the "all-American-family" air in their very house. Never mind the fact that she's clearly not American.

  Cade and I sit down next to each other while Mrs. Mariner faces us on the opposite couch, with Jace in her lap. He squirms until she turns him around, and he stares at us with round eyes that make me uncomfortable for some reason.

  "Now. How can I help you?" she asks.

  Better get right to the point; I’m feeling very ill-at-ease in here. "How well did you know my father?"

  "Not very well, to be honest," she answers. "My husband used to be in his pack before he met me when he was on a business trip in Australia, but he and Cameron weren’t really that close. It was a more of a formal relationship between them. Cameron is a very private man."

  I almost correct her, but I can’t.

  "You said the last time you saw him was how many years ago?" Cade steps in.

  Mrs. Mariner frowns, deep in thought. "Let’s see, it must have been... eight or nine years ago? I remember that Jake was two, so it must have been that long ago."

  Now we’re getting somewhere. "Do you remember what happened then?"

  There is an urgency in my voice that finally makes her realize this is more than just a casual visit. Suspicion flashes across her previously friendly face.

  "What’s this about?" she demands.

  Her heartbeat accelerates, and her arms tighten around her baby, as she just now begins to realize that she has let two werewolves into her home, unprotected. I don’t want to frighten her, so I try to keep my own anxiety in check.

  "Mrs. Mariner, the truth is..." I hesitate, forcing the words out, "my father passed away a couple years ago."

  Seconds later, her body relaxes again, and the pity I’ve grown used to seeing on people appears on her face. "Oh, I’m so sorry for your loss. He was a great man."

  I swallow hard and wordlessly nod my thanks at her condolences. "I’m here because I’m trying to retrace his final steps, and one of the things he left behind was a list of names and addresses. Yours was the closest. Do you know why he would have done that?"

  Almost instantly, fear fills her eyes, and she holds her son close once again. Her grip is too tight, though, and he starts crying. Babies crying are usually an annoyance for werewolves, especially with our strong hearing, but they’re tolerable. This little guy’s scream, however, is particularly high pitched. Cade and I automatically wince and cover our ears.

  Mrs. Mariner composes herself and starts rocking her baby until he calms down a little, and his crying dies down to a low whimpering.

  "I’m sorry, I can’t help you," she says in a desperate manner. "You need to leave."

  Her reaction is completely unexpected. Whatever it is that the list means, I didn’t think it would be that serious. Now I need to know even more than before, and I can’t leave without getting at least some information, but I also don’t want to force Mrs. Mariner to talk to me. She’s already too terrified; I don’t want to add to that.

  "Mrs. Mariner," I plead with her. "This is really important. Please, isn’t there something you can do?"

  She falters, torn between her obvious fear of something I don’t even understand and her wish to help me. She doesn’t break eye contact with me for a good long moment, nor do I, hoping I can persuade her this way. Finally, she sighs and shakes her head.

  "I’m sorry, I really can’t say," she repeats regretfully. I start to sag in defeat, until she speaks again. "But... my husband might be able to do something for you."

  Thank God, I think with relief.

  "Okay," I agree, "we’ll wait for him."

  She frantically shakes her head. "No, not today. Come back next week."

  I’ll take what I can get.

  "Thank you Mrs. Mariner," I gratefully tell her.

  She doesn’t reply and instead ushers Cade and I out. I don’t understand any of it, but I know now’s not the time to push for answers, so I let her. Once we’re out the door, she quickly shuts it in our faces. For a minute, Cade and I just stand there staring at it, trying to process what just happened.

  Then I turn to him. "What the hell was my dad doing?"

  He sighs morosely. "I don’t know man, but it doesn’t sound like it was anything good."

  I look back at the house once. "Whatever it is, I’m going to find out. I have to."

  "I’m right there with you," he promises. "Do you want to check another name off the list before we go home?"

  Home, I repeat in disbelief. This is home now.

  "No," I reply. "I want to go through it one name at a time. Besides, I have a feeling this is the reaction we’re going to be having from most of them, so we might as well learn to deal with it the first time around."

  With that, we walk back to the car, silently planning our next move.

  Chapter 3

  Michael

  "Shotgun!" Nate shouts the second Connor grabs his keys, running straight to the front door.

  There is a wave of complaint from the rest of us followed by some very colorful objections.

  "No fair, you're the last one to be dropped off!" Danny points out, his voice the loudest above all. "It should be between Mickey and me, and you can fight with Mason after we get off."

  "In that case, shotgun!" I yell hurriedly and take off running to Connor's black Audi.

  "I'm next," Mason seconds immediately, which starts up a fight betwe
en him and Nathan.

  In the meantime, Daniel has caught me by the leg and we're trampling over each other to get to the front seat. He holds my arm to keep me back but I trip him and he lets go. Then he grabs my ankle and pulls, but I'm expecting that and I give him a good kick before I fall down.

  Then I shoot out of his grasp when he goes to grab whatever part of him I injured. Seconds later, I yank the door open and jump in next to Connor, locking it behind me. Mason and Nathan are already in the backseat fighting.

  "So are we going or what?" I yell so that Danny can hear me and hurry up. "I don't want to be late like last time."

  "Don't look at me; that was Nate's fault," Connor defends himself.

  "Hey, you're the one who turned off my alarm clock!" Nate complains.

  Connor just shrugs. "You made me the target; I had to retaliate. You should have expected something like that. I just wish Mom hadn't made me go back for you; that would have been such a better plan."

  "When I get my own car-" he starts.

  "You're a terrible driver, man; even Mickey's got more of a shot at getting a car before you do, and he's been waiting for less than you have," Mase puts in before he can continue.

  "I might just get my own car," Nate goes on, obviously dreaming.

  "For that to happen, you need money," I point out, "and to get money, you have to actually maintain a job position."

  "Hey, waitering is harder than it looks, alright?"

  "That’s not even a word, dumbass," Con mocks.

  That's when Danny finally makes it to the car and opens the door.

  "Dude, you broke my nose!" he complains. He groans as he puts it back into place.

  Well, that takes care of my vengeance against my twin. Two more to go.

  "Oh please," I scoff. "You're a werewolf; you'll live."

  "This won't heal for another hour!"

  "You better not bleed on my car or I swear I'll make you walk," Connor threatens as he pulls out of our driveway.

  The drive to my and Danny's school is not a very long one, but it always feels like it, mostly because we never shut up and almost always talk at the same time. It's a very interesting brotherly-bonding experience.