Bear Naked 4: The Sons of Garm

Chapter 34

Jonathan rose early the next morning. He had gone to the party last night, but he'd come back early. He wasn't interested in drinking, or trying to get laid, like Tanner.

He should have stayed. He should have made it his mission to watch over Brianna, until she was ready to come home. If she wanted to party again, and he doubted very much it would happen soon, he would. He'd tell her that later.

He took a run through the woods before coming back and taking a shower in the makeshift shower area. He heard a couple of men, Fleischer's by scent, talking about the party. His ears pricked as he listened, especially when they mentioned "the cute blond" but they appeared to be talking about some Jaeger woman and nothing they said indicated they'd been in on the assault on Brianna.

As he came back, he saw the slave girl, Myrna, lurking around their pavilion. His face scrunched. He felt... he didn't know what to feel, to be honest. Erica was a fool to think she could save this woman. She had spent years in Fenrir's keeping and god only knew what she'd endured. But Erica was right, too, Myrna was a person. You didn't just give up on people.

"Erica is probably still asleep," Jonathan said to her. "We were up late. I will see."

"If it pleases, sir," Myrna said. "I seek you this morning. I...I have information. About your sister."

Arthur walked past them, looking into the pavilion to see who was awake.

"Father?" Jonathan said. He felt a lump in his throat. He swallowed it as Arthur turned and looked at him expectantly. "You should hear this, too." Dad cocked an eyebrow. "You won't want to," Jonathan warned. "But you should."

Dad said nothing but followed Jonathan and Myrna as they went to her camp site. She found a seat on a fallen log and Jonathan sat next to her. Dad stayed standing, his foot tapping impatiently. "What is this about?" he prompted.

"She's here. Grace." Jonathan said.

"Grace?" Dad's eyes went wide, fear and some other emotion, sorrow, guilt, maybe, showed for a split second. Then they narrowed again. "Grace? Not possible."

"It's true. I don't know how, or why, but I saw her."

"And?" he asked, impatient.

Jonathan looked to Myrna. "Koby Fleischer owns her."

"Owns?" Dad echoed.

Myrna nodded. "She left her kind. She doesn't say why. But she didn't like it, not being part of wolf society. Human society, it's hard in ways wolves don't realize, or so she says. Had problems, drugs and just rough living. They'd don't care for their own, humans. She was miserable.

"She tried to join some renegades, wild wolves looking to build a new tribe in the neutral land. 'Was a mistake.' Horrible people. Started trafficking her. In Chicago. Then Saint Louis. All over the neutral land and even in other's territory when they could, in Vegas under the Jaeger's nose.

"Tried their luck in Nashville. That was a big mistake. Don't try to sneak under Fleischer noses. It don't end well."

"And then?"

Fleischer's found them. Killed the lot. Most of the women, too. She, she begged for her life. Wouldn't have worked but she was kin, you know. When they found out whose," she glanced up at Arthur. "They decided she might be worth something alive after all."

Jonathan felt a heaviness in his chest, emotions he couldn't quite wrap his head around.

Dad simply nodded, turned and walked off, back towards his own camp.

Rage boiled in Jonathan. He rushed after his father. "Father!"

Dad pulled up short and turned back to face him. "What?"

Jonathan froze, staring daggers at his dad. He'd never confronted the man before. But then again, he'd never been this angry. "That's it? You just found out your daughter is here, a victim of trafficking and you just walk away?"

"What else am I supposed to do?" Dad demanded. "What, Jonathan?"

"I don't know, something," Jonathan barked. "Anything. How about have a feeling for a change?"

"A feeling?" Dad snorted. "Really. You want feelings?"

Jonathan blushed, looking down.

"Okay, fine, here's a feeling for you," Dad raged, coming close and poking a finger at Jonathan's chest. "I wasn't an easy father. I know that. I bent you. All of you. Marcie, Bridget, you, Grace. I bent you hard to my will. And it worked. Look at you. Marcie, alpha of a strong pack. Bridget, alpha of a strong pack. And you. You."

Jonathan braced for what was coming, but was completely shocked by what Dad said next.

"You don't think I see it? I may not have last year, or the year before." He jabbed his finger at the pavilion for emphasis. "But that is the best wolf our tribe has produced in more than a generation. I can lead. Jameson can lead. Aaron, even. But that boy inspires! And you, you are his right hand. He will lead our tribe. And you will be his guiding hand. Always.

"So there it is, three children to be proud of. And then..." he waved his hand in the air. "One I bent too far. Broke."

There was a long uncomfortable silence. Dad broke it first. "It worked. Three times, it worked. Don't expect some big apology about the one that didn't." He strode off, leaving Jonathan feeling more conflicted then ever.