~*~
Being around a pack was difficult for Bex, her trauma making her afraid of not only them but herself. Delia was trying to help, but there was only so much she could do. It helped to know that the older woman had stopped the man that had taken her entire family from her, but not enough to stop the nightmares that plagued her.
And then there was Andy. A boy only a little older than herself but there because of her. She had taken his entire life away, stolen him from his family, and the guilt of that weighed heavily on her as well. Enough so that she tried her best to avoid him.
Andy was watching her again and Ari had nudged him sharply and told him to just go talk to the girl already, that it would do them both some good.
Swallowing back his nerves, Andy jogged over to Bex and offered a small, almost anxious smile.
"Hi. Uh, Rebecca, right?" he greeted, trying to choose his words carefully so as not to make things worse.
"Bex," she corrected quickly, having never been overly fond of being called by her full name. Her family had always just called her Bex and it was the name she wanted to continue with.
"Bex. Hi. I'm...Andy." He paused a little at the name, still getting used to it. As far as he was concerned, Pryce was dead and could stay dead. He was Andy now and this was where he needed to be.
"Andy. I-I'm sorry. For what I did to you," she mumbled, blue eyes shining with tears and a renewed sense of fear.
"No, no, no, I startled you," he countered softly, trying to calm her back down. He had been sent to kill her so, as far as he was concerned, none of this had been her fault. "You biting me kind of got me out of a really bad situation."
His assurances helped a little, but there was still that baseline terror. She had been warned of hunters and what she could remember of the day they had met, he seemed like he was supposed to be one. It made her wonder if he had had much choice in the matter.
"How bad?"
Andy winced at the question, but it was a fair enough one to ask given his own words. "Abusive and that might be putting it lightly," he admitted, rubbing his hands over his arms. It was a nervous habit of his own, one that his dad had tried to beat out of him but had never quite managed.
"Is...is that why you hesitated? I remember you had a gun." Her voice was soft, the look on her face screaming that she desperately needed to know that he had not wanted to hurt her, that he hadn't had an actual choice.
He nodded, hating that she had to ask but understanding the need for it. He had never wanted to be that person, had never had the stomach for it. The only reason he hadn't tried to run before was because he had Frey and V to look after. It still weighed heavily on him that he had abandoned them both and he could only hope that they would find a way to make it out of that hell alive.
"I never wanted to hurt anyone. And then I saw how young you were, Christ, you're just a kid, and I just... I couldn't. And then you started to shift and you bit me and I get it, I would have probably done the same in your shoes, and it was like a sign. So I faked my death and took off. Del found me a couple of weeks later. She had been looking for you and she found me and brought me here. I was honestly terrified that my family would have gotten to you first."
That admission helped more than anything and Bex took a step forward, putting her trust in him in that moment. If he hadn't wanted to hurt her then, she was fairly certain the same could be said now.
The moment she moved closer, he was pulling her into a hug, wanting nothing more than to protect her. He didn't know how to be anything other than a protector and she needed someone to look out for her. As far as he was concerned, it was his job to keep her safe after he had put her life in danger.
"I won't let anything happen to you, I promise.
The contact had her stiffening for a moment before the warmth of the hug settled into her bones and she wrapped her arms around his waist, clinging as she buried her face against his chest, needing that feeling of safety.
He was the first person there that had made her feel safe.
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It was hard, being there. His entire life, he had been raised and trained to hate everyone in a place like this and yet, here he was, at their mercy. He was a kid still, in all sense of the word, and he was so utterly lost.Â
Most of his family he was fine being without. His dad and Atticus especially he was relieved to get the hell away from, but he missed V and Frey. Without him there, who would protect them?Â
He had considered asking for help, seeing there was anything that could be done to rescue either of them, but it would mean putting the very people that were already taking a risk by giving him a safe place in harmâs way. The thought of having their blood on his hands was more than Andy could stand.
Ari didnât particularly like the idea of having some hunter kid around, but Bex had panicked at the idea of him being kicked out. The girl blamed herself since she had been the one to bite him even though he had tried to make it clear that he wasnât going to hurt her. He had cried when Del had brought Bex home because he had been terrified that his family had caught up to the girl.Â
It had been the defining moment for Ari, proof that maybe he wasnât all that bad.
âYou look like shit,â she commented as she dropped down beside him, following his gaze to where Bex was. He had kept a close eye on the younger wolf since she had shown up and it was almost endearing.
âYouâre kind of rude, has anyone ever told you that?â he countered, dragging his attention to Ari and squinting at her. He was used to cruelty, but her brand of blunt commentary was simply that; blunt with no real malice behind it.Â
âEveryone. Constantly. Doesnât change the fact that you look like you havenât slept since Del brought Bex here.â Arkos told her that she was crossing the line into rudeness at least once a week, but it never stopped her. If her daddy breaking her jaw wasnât enough to make her mind her tongue, she doubted anything would be. Â
âWhat an astute observation,â he muttered, glancing away. She was right, he really hadnât been sleeping, but that wasnât her business. Not that he thought being told that would deter her. No, if anything, he figured she would push more. He had caught on pretty quickly to how her brain worked in the short time he had been with the pack.
âWhenever my dad comes around, I stop sleeping. Itâs not for lack of trying, but the nightmares get to be too much,â she confessed as she watched Del work with Bex on control. âYou and that pup being around are a trigger for Delia too. Her granddaddyâs the one that bit Bex. That girl was the only survivor in her family. Itâs why her controlâs shit. Sheâs terrified of what she is.â
Andy hadnât expected Ari to go through that line of thought and he looked back up at her, confused. âWhat does this have to do with anything?â
Her eyes rolled at the question. So much for trying to not steamroll into things. âIâm saying youâre not the only one here with trauma and nightmares. A lot of us here are damaged as shit and thereâs no reason to be ashamed of it. Youâre family fucking sucks, they sent you to murder an actual child and you didnât. You went against everything your daddy literally beat into you and you saved that little girl. Donât be so goddamn hard on yourself, okay?â
âYou should be a motivational speaker.â The joke was dry, deadpan, and maybe not funny, but it seemed to make her laugh.Â
âWhat schools do you know that want a werewolf dropping in to tell all the little kids that bad shit happens to everyone? Think Iâd be causing some trauma there,â she countered, nudging him with her elbow. âSeriously though, this might be exactly where you need to be. And, I mean, no one hereâs going to try to eat you or anything stupid like that.â
He didnât respond, letting the silence stretch between the two of them for a few minutes. Arkos had done his best to make him feel welcome here, but Ariâs immediate refusal to coddle him or treat him any differently from the rest of the pack worked so much better than that. He wasnât sure if it was because they were closer in age or something else, but he was glad she was the one reaching out.Â
âThanks,â he mumbled, nudging her back lightly. âYouâre kind of an ass, but in a good way.â
It had been a couple of months, but Pryce was still looking over his shoulder at every turn. It came as no surprise when the woman showed up, all attitude and snarls and scarred neck, talking of a pack and him being a threat to their safety by being on his own.
Eventually, Pryce caved. He was sixteen, living on the streets, and he was just so tired of looking over his shoulder at every turn. A little peace sounded nice. Even if he was still afraid his parents would find him and slaughter anyone that tried to help him, he just wanted to sleep indoors again.
He agreed, but only on the condition of being able to change his name entirely. He didnât want to be who he was, after all, he had done his best to make sure that kid was dead.
Delia had merely shrugged at that and guided him him across state lines, keeping to back roads and woods, filling him in about the pack and the sorts they had there. She even told him about her old pack and why she was out looking for a certain stray that had led her to him.
It took a couple of days, and by the time they reached her pack, the boy had chewed the skin around his nails until they were raw. He had heard of alphaâs and most shifters knew his family name, so meeting the person in charge of keeping the pack safe from his familyâs kind was a truly terrifying thing.
âThis the boy you called in about?â Arkos asked, giving him a questioning look before returning his attention to Delia.
The tracker nodded and took a step closer to the door, knowing Arkos liked to do these meetings in private. He didnât like his opinion to be swayed.
When he gave her a nod, she slipped out and closed the door, leaving the boy to his fate and panic.
âSit.â
There was no real choice in that tone and Pryce sat, wide eyes staring up at him with terror. âI didnât mean to end up here,â he burst out, wanting to make it known that he hadnât wanted to end up in the situation he was in. âI didnât mean to get bit, but I just... I couldnât kill some innocent kid because my parents wanted me to. She was just a kid,â he rambled, his breathing coming in short, quick gasps.
Arkos held up a hand, silencing him. âNo on is on trial here. Delia says you would prefer to be called Andy over your given name?â
He nodded, knowing his heart was beating too fast and his eyes were flickering in color.
âEasy enough. Fudging paperwork isnât something weâre new to. If you are looking for a place to stay, we can give it a chance, but you must be willing to protect this pack. This place is my home and I would be taking you into my family. I donât want my family hurt.â
Andy was quiet, the panic giving way to something he thought could be hope. It was a feeling he hadnât had in too long to remember. âWait, so, I can stay? Even just for a little while?â He had to be hearing this wrong. What kind of pack would take in a boy that had been trained as a hunter his entire life?
âSo long as you are not here to harm my family. This place could be good for you,â he answered, offering a genuine smile. âCome along, you need to know where things are and weâll get you some lodging set up. Delia has offered to take you in for a few night, just to get you settled before we get a more permanent lodging for you ready.â
âThank you...â The words were soft, but Andy made no move to get up. He needed a moment to get control of himself, to put his emotions back under a mask. Cruelty and violence he knew well, but kindness... The only person that had ever been sweet to him couldnât really be in his life anymore. But it had to be better this way. He couldnât have taken her with him, he knew that, but that didnât settle the guilt in his stomach.
âCome. You need a proper meal and a good rest.â
At the added urging, Andy took a deep breath and nodded before following the alpha out of the office, determined to not screw up the only shot he really had at something close to a home and a fresh start.
It was supposed to be his first solo hunt. She was young, newly turned. They always waited for the first shift. No use in wasting bullets if changing killed them anyway.
Pryce knew she was young, but he wasnât expecting a girl closer in age to his little sister. Pale eyes stared up at him terror clear as she moved away from him.
He had always had his doubts about the family business, but they really wanted him to murder a child? Someone that had never actually hurt anyone else? Someone that reminded him of his sister?
The gun started to shake and it took Pryce longer than he wanted to admit to realize it was his hands that were no longer steady. Slowly, he lowered his piece and took a step forward, his free hand reaching out to her.
He hadnât realized she was starting to shift. The absolute horror of her age had taken away all of his years of training in one swift moment.
Just as quickly as he had chicken out, the tiny ginger girl was lunging at his hand and clamping her teeth down.
The gun fell to the floor with a loud thud and the girl finished her shift and bolted. The last thing he saw was a flash of fur before he looked down at his bleeding hand. She had broken the skin. He was dead. It didnât matter if he survived the change or not, his parents would murder him.
He needed to get out of there, to make a run for it, but how the hell could he manage? They were accustomed to tracking monsters.
Of course, he could just do the honorable thing and put a bullet in himself. Pryce knelt and picked the piece back up, the metal cold and gleaming in his hands. He knew he should just do it, to get it over with, but he couldnât.
One hand slid through his hair, the panic settling deep into his bones.
And then it hit him. If he faked his death. Sure, the kid would be a target for the rest of her life, but she was already wearing that bullseye to start with. He tested the weight of the gun before taking a few deep breaths and shooting himself in the arm. He needed the blood. He needed to make the place look like someone had been hurt and dragged off. If there was enough blood and no body, it would be case closed.
He had forgotten how badly getting shot hurt. His mind had blacked out, intentionally buried the memory as deeply as he could. For a long moment, Pryce just sat on the ground, stunned and blinking back tears.
Once his body adjusted to the agony, he stood, trying to ignore the way everything was swimming, and tried to make as big of a mess as he could manage. It was closer to the new moon, so he knew he had a few weeks before he had to worry about actually shifting, but that didnât mean his body wasnât going to be a mess until then.
He could never be sure that he made enough of a mess, but it was the best he could do. With one last look around and a pang of guilt, he dug the bullet from his flesh and left it there, as well as the gun, and bolted.
His last thought was of his sister and how he hoped she wouldnât hate him forever.
Andy had found home, in a man whom she could never feel she truly deserved.
Sat in the passenger seat of a rust bucket they'd both picked up on the highway, found at the side of the road unattended and with her supreme lock-picking skills and hot-wiring had them up on the road in no time. He'd been hitch-hiking, just had she when they'd met on opposite sides of the road many months ago. Every day they'd walk a little more, both on opposite sides and would converse over the dusty trails in which their feet would take them. She was running, he was seeking. Maybe it was the fact that he'd been offered over a dozen lifts in the past month by girls on roadtrips or hefty blokes in need of a little help on their way across work that made her slightly jealous; people wanted him, that much was sure and with the kind eyes he saw the world in, why wouldn't they?
Andy was harsh; it hadn't been a tough life, but it hadn't been easy and in search of new leads, she'd set out alone. At first they'd all called, offered to find her and bring her home.. but they never understood. She didn't want her old life. She didn't need money throwing at her when there was no love behind their gestures. She needed something real to hold on to and as the superficial mask began to slip, she could only see the ugly truth remaining. That was where he was different though. He'd not been raised with all that much money, survived on a loving family and friends that would jump for him at any given notice. You could tell by the love he held and the hope he cherished. Much like Yin and Yang, he could only see the brighter side of life and at first, his optimism had been unnerving and slightly aggravating.. but the farther they walked together, the more comforting she found it.
It was in the last few weeks she'd crossed the road. Approached the stranger she knew all too well and continued to walk by his side; the closer they became with their words, the warmer she felt by his side. They'd hitch-hike together, claiming couple status if the other was refused and chose to carry on in each other's company from then on in. Late-night diners and seedy motels, she'd use her father's investments and he'd scrape by with the little he had. Sometimes they went hungry, not because Andy couldn't feed herself, but because he'd all-out refuse to take her money and so in guilt, she learned to not eat just as he did. It was silly really and within the next few weeks with the weight dropping from his frame, she'd practically pinned him down and force-fed him. Andy was convinced it was what friends did, but the label she put on their friendship didn't quite emphasise how much he meant to her.Â
The night they found the Jeep was perhaps one of the best nights of her life. He'd stood by and watched, amazed, as the small blonde had become consumed with fixing the vehicle. With the little water they'd got, she poured into the radiators and within a matter of minutes, the dirty old lurcher was hobbling to life. Sure, the front left tire was flat, one of the brake lights were smashed in and the driver window was stuck open.. but it was a blessing from walking on hot coals all day with their feet sore and throbbing. They took it in turns - rarely sleep had been a friend and even in the motels they'd managed to come by on the cheap, they were too wired thinking of how to survive the next day for slumber. Her legs on the dash in the warm sunlight of May, breeze from the window flowing through the air, her spirits had never felt more lifted than here with him. Free, whatever they wanted to do whenever they wanted.Â
Andy was sure she'd have missed him even if they'd have never met.
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