My Say

7

A week had passed since the message first appeared. I had finally gotten around to asking about Greg, it has surprised me that Monica hadn't asked. D had seen Andrew torn apart and Charles had been carted off. Greg's fate was unknown.

"Uh, Monica if you ever wanna talk." This was hard, how did you say 'Sorry your boyfriend might have been killed by a mythological beast or taken for unknown reasons'?

"Do you think we can check the woods for some woodwart? I would like to collect some before it gets any colder, it's great for colds." She wants avoidance? I can do that. I wondered if Mark would go in my place.

"Sure let me tell..."

D came running out of the house scaring the bejuse out of me. "Something's coming up the hill, we need to get inside. NOW." D grabbed a food basket and Monica and I grabbed the other baskets as we all hightailed it back inside.

"What's going on?" Craig was covered in grease and dirt, he'd found the workshop and claimed it for his own. Neither Nick, he's an electronics guy, nor Mark, he's a woodsman, felt the need to put up an argument.

"We have unknowns inbound. Help me brace the door, guys the windows. D and Nick go check the cameras we need to know who and where." We had practiced this once, but like setting up camp we moved into our positions as if we had done this for years.

From down stairs D hollered up, "Two girls, teens. I don't see what's chasing them but they look terrified."

"No"

"I didn't say"

"Yes"

"Yes"

"This is not up for debate"

"I vote yes", two voices floated up the stairs.

Craig ran his hands through his hair. "We need to think this through".

"What if it was one of us?" Nell asked. We all stared at him.

"What if she was your daughter", Nan whispered?

That broke him, "Fine but we will discuss this before this happens again." Stomping down the stairs to keep an eye on the girl's progress.

"Are we going to get them or just let them come to us?" Mark asked, chewing on his thumb nail.

"We wait. I want to know what is out there before I risk our lives." Craig was our military commander and so we waited.

"Just make sure you're loaded before they hit the porch. We might need to take something out." This was my nightmare scenario, finding the beasts on the porch.

No one arrived that night, when asked the guys said they veered off the path that led up here. I didn't ask for details. It was another three weeks before we had another alert, this one was of the four legged variety.

"Rom, I need you at the big oak, now." The whisper came through my earpiece. We all wore them, it was the easiest way for us to communicate when we were spread out.

Fearing the worst I didn't respond, instead picked up the double barrel shotgun resting by the door and headed out. I already had the Baretta from earlier on my leg and a Smith & Wesson under my arm. Creeping around I located Monica to the left of the oak. 'You OK', I signed. Nick had been teaching us for just these moments.

Her answer was to point to the 6 wolves sniffing around the creek. A novice wouldn't see these weren't your average timber wolves, but I could. They were at least a quarter bigger, paid too much attention to the lead wolf, and spent too much time scoping out the area. No these were our enemies. I was above them and the wind was blowing towards me. It was time to study the enemy.

Motioning her to return to the cabin, I indicated I was staying. She wanted to argue but we both knew it was too good an opportunity to learn about them. Imagine my surprise when they began to shift. "I can feel it. My mate was here." The male seemed agitated, he kept sniffing the air and walking in a circle. Near were Nan and Nell had gathered the crayfish.

"Matt, what is it you smell", the largest male asked?

"That's just it. I don't smell anything out of the ordinary. It's more of a feeling." He pulls at his hair and then abruptly sits down. "It's like she has no scent but I know she was here." He looks up at his friends as they mull the problem over.

"Do you think they are using a blocker?" A dark skinned male rumbles out.

"Yeah, like a human hunter would do", Another injected? "When they deer hunt."

"Do you think they know we track by scent?" The questions bounced around.

"Matt do you feel her around now", The large male asked? The others seemed to have closed ranks around him. Supporting him.

"She's not here", depression was deep in his voice.

"Don't worry, your mate will be found. Did your Alpha not promise you your futures?" The group, I might as well call them pack, the pack howled in approval of this decree.

I took the opportunity to sneak away. Never had I been so thankful for Monica and her natural ways. Her scent blocker was going to save us all.

Tonight I would warn everyone to make sure you wore the blocker.