What Walks Among Us (book one)

That's Not My Name

I stared at Leo, and slowly hid Chip under the blanket, she woke up for a second before curling back asleep.

"Leo is a wolf, not technically your traditional dog," Sam started, and handed the leash to Cody for Cody to hold, "he's well trained but no one else at camp has a cat, and so we weren't sure how he would act around one, also we're not sure how Chip will act around him. So we wanted to know if it would be an issue between the two pets, so that we'd be able to cage one or the other up, so that there are no fights," he walked over to me and knelt in front of me, "He's also a great zombie killer," he smiled at me.

I bit my lip, "He won't eat Chip?"

Sam schooled his face, trying not to laugh at my question, "Well, no, but I do worry he'll forget his training and try to chase her around. Or that Chip just doesn't like dogs and would try to claw at him and get in a fight she most likely wouldn't survive."

I frowned, thinking it over, I glanced at Leo, the wolf and without looking away from Leo I spoke to Sam, "Well, what kind of special training does he have?"

Sam backed up to sit on the coffee table, resting his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands together as he spoke, "Well, after he smells a person and learns their name, he knows from me whether this person is bad, or good."

"He doesn't need to see the person to know if they are good or bad?"

Sam shook his head, "No a wolves scent is very heightened and complex, I would try to explain it but I'm assuming you would only bedazzle me with even more questions," he paused and threw me a playful wink and matching grin, I blushed, "so he doesn't have to see someone. Sometimes he just recognizes if a person is bad without my help, or guidance."

"What would he do if I was bad?"

Sam smiled, "Don't worry, he would have already done it. He probably would have bared his teeth and growled, protecting whatever thing is at the top of his list. He doesn't have a pact and so he thinks of me as his pack. The way wolves work is if they are the beta their main job is to protect the alpha, and his mate, and any pups the alpha may have. That is the role of all of the pack, basically. But taken the alpha family out of the equation and all male wolves would sooner save a female rather than a brother," he paused and glanced over at Leo, "so if we were in danger Leo would try to save you first, because you are female, and then he would move on to me. And then anyone else he could help."

I nodded softly, playing with my blanket, Cody cleared his throat and gave us a look, "Yes, wolves are fascinating beings, and yada yada, but can we get back to the task at hand? Sam, you can geek out and tell her all about it in a little bit," Cody said, not rudely... but more blunt than anything.

Sam rolled his eyes and looked at me, his hands out, "Can I see Chip?"

I was quiet for a moment before recognizing that this would happen eventually, might as well get it out of the way. I picked Chip up and handed her over to Sam, he grinned at me and stood.

"Stay here, Sunshine," he said.

I did as I was told and watched as he walked over into Leo, he started introducing Leo to Chip, like Chip was a person. Chip woke up and stretches out a little in Sam's hands before she tried to crawl up his shirt, Sam laughed and pulled her away from his shirt, unhooking her claws from the material of his shirt with car, before setting her on the ground, facing Leo.

It was then that I noticed just how big Leo was compared to Chip. He was at least 160lbs and he was about two and a half feet tall. Compared to Chip's ten pound and a half a foot tall. But Leo got down so that he was laying down, he sniffed at Chip, and then to my surprise he licked her face. I was torn between running over and picking her up, and laughing at the sight.

Both of the boys chose the later option and I watched as Chip mewed and sniffed around Leo, who held perfectly still. She climbed up on his back and proceeded to try and go to sleep. I smiled and relaxed.

Cody grunted, a slight smile curving his cheek, "I think Leo made a friend," he said.

Sam sat back and started petting Leo, he looked over at me, "You ready to come meet him?" he asked.

I nodded and untangled myself from all of the blankets While Cody walked over to help me to Leo. It wasn't until Cody was lifting me up that I realized how bad this was. They were going to find out that I had been lying to them. I had to tell Leo my real name otherwise he wouldn't know to protect me if I needed it... It was either tell the truth now or never stop lying. My name would forever be Debby and it would be because I was so paranoid that I had lied about something as simple as my name.

I was nervous as Cody set me down next to Sam, Sam looked over and smiled at me, before grabbed my hand and moving it so that Leo could sniff.

"Go ahead," Sam murmured, "introduce yourself."

I swallowed the lump in my throat and made sure not to look at either of the boys as I spoke, "Hi Leo," I paused as Leo looked up at me. I was surprised with the amount of intelligence in his eyes, "I'm..." I knew I was stalling, I needed to get this out.

"I'm Kodi" I breathed.

It was quiet for a second, and then Leo licked my cheek. I wiped off the slobber with the hem of my shirt as I kept my eyes down on the ground, not wanting to see the confusion on their faces. I lifted my eyes enough to just look at Chip, she was sleeping on top of Leo's back and Leo was taking great care not to move and let her fall off of his back. Sam sat back on his knees, I could see him in my peripheral vision.

"huh," Cody said.

I frowned and looked up at him, "What?"

He cracked a little bit of  smile, "I thought you changed your name to Debby? It's a weird name to pick for yourself, I think you look more like a Selena if you were to change your name.. how come you went back to being Kodi?"

When I looked at Sam he had the same baffled expression.

They thought I had simply changed my name to Debby. They thought that I- wait, wait just a moment. How did they know Debby wasn't really my name? It was probably Mabel. I thought of some creative ways I could get back at her but I knew I would never do any of them. Not without something ten times worse happening to me in return.

I bowed my head. Man, this was even worse than them figuring out I was lying to them- because they knew it wasn't my real name and now they're going to feel even more betrayed because they had thought I was just trying to be a new me or something like that.

I wanted to yell, or eat chocolate, or, yeah no chocolate sounds really really good right now.

"No," I said, my voice wavering a little bit, "actually that's not it. I uhm," I looked at Leo and he blinked up and me before rolling onto his side, Chip fell off his back and onto her feet before stretching out while Leo stood and walked to the living room, "I didn't really "change my name" I just didn't tell you guys my name."

I looked up and met Sam's eyes, he appeared confused, "Why not?"

"Well, because I thought you guys were some sex slave dealers and I just,"I shrugged and pushed a strand of hair out of my face, "didn't want you to know my name, and by the time we got here and I started trusting you guys it was a little late to mention my name wasn't Debby."

Cody shook his head while Sam chuckled, "Sunshine, I don't know whether to be offended of what our first impression left you thinking of us, or honored that you're starting to trust us," Sam grinned at me.

I smiled faintly in return, "Wait," I said and put my hands out as if to pause the conversation, "how did you guys know my name wasn't Debby?"

Sam glanced at Cody, Cody pursed his lips before answering, "Your name is on the tag of your grab bag- which by the way I should go grab so that you have it, all of your stuff is still in it," he stood up, "Sam you look at her knee again while I grab it, I think she's ready to walk around and you know, see the place."

I sat there a little stunned at the fact that they had known even before they asked, that my name was Kodi. They didn't blink, call me out, or even mention anything being amiss. They simply chose to let it be, and to trust.

"Come on miss Kodi, let's get you back to the couch so I can look at your leg."