Those In The Forest

Part 8: Iris

Reagan patted her stomach where her hoodie pocket was and frowned. She looked back at us.

          "Where's my phone?" She looked between us all.

          Her acceptance of all of this is strange. Why is she not freaking out? She had passed out literally after seeing us turn back into humans. I would think she would escape to the door and run, but she's just sitting there acting like everything is normal.

          "Hidden for now," I answered her.

          We took it because it kept buzzing, which was really annoying. We don't have phones because we have no need for them. If we want to talk to other packs, we just see them. We don't do anything that requires us to have them. TVs are the only social technology thing we have that connects us to humans.

           She sighed and threw her head back. "Why?"

          "Someone kept calling and texting you. Bryce. Who is that?" Hazel said with a snarl.

          Yeah, that was another reason it was hidden. It was best to hide it rather than break it every time we saw Bryce's name, asking where Reagan was and if she was sure she didn't want to go out.

          When we saw Reagan in the woods, we could smell something on her, something very enticing. We got closer to her and realized it was her own slick. My heart dropped at the thought she was with someone else. Seeing Bryce's name didn't help.

          Jealousy is not a great emotion when already riled up from finally seeing her again after a while.

          She glared at Hazel.

          "Is it a lover?" I asked finally. Her eyes shot over to me. I gritted my teeth when she didn't respond. Stubborn. "Are you intimate with her?"

          Reagan laughed, covering her mouth with her hand when she got too loud. I glanced over at Karina and Celia, who was looking at Reagan really confused. They are most likely having their own private conversation, trying to digest everything that is happening right now.

          "Are you?" Rose pressed through the bond.

          Reagan frowned when she heard it, most likely trying to figure out why she could hear us but not see our mouths move. She dropped her hand from her face. Her laughing came to a stop.

          Reagan remained quiet, not answering us at all. She looked down at the ground, and my heart sank. Is she intimate with someone named Bryce? Are they lovers?

          She finally looked back at us and started messing with the loose threads on her hoodie. "My sexual life is boring compared to seeing you four become humans in a matter of minutes after seeing you as humongous dogs." she laughed. "Or rather overgrown puppies."

          I had to fight to keep from growling at her. Ivy, Hazel, and Rose narrowed their eyes at her.

          "Stop calling us dogs!" Ivy snarled.

          She smirked at her. "Make me!"

          She knows she's pissing us off. She knows it will get a rise out of us. Why the fuck is she playing this game with literal animals?!

          "That is not a threat you want fulfilled while covered in your own arousal!" I growled. That was a first for me. I'm usually very composed. Ah, this human girl is going to be the death of me, I can already tell.

          She bared her teeth at us, very animal-like, considering she is a human. "I forgot, dogs have manners. You are just as I said before... overgrown puppies!"

          Rose lunged at her, and Ivy struggled to keep her held back. "Rose!" Karina growled out her name.

          She wasn't angry. We would have scented it. My eyes widened. Oh fuck! I moved to her, Hazel right behind me to hold Rose back. It seems Reagan has more power over us than I thought. Rose is just falling victim to it a lot faster. I could smell Rose's arousal. That's not good.

          We've been a complete wreck sexually since we saw Reagan. Her taunting us like this is going to set another one of us off, if not all.

          Rose snarled and clenched her fist together, finally easing up. Her eyes were no longer pretty blue but bright yellow.

          Reagan was just looking at her, smiling. She really is doing this on purpose. Why is this so shocking to me?

          We all stood back, needing to keep a bit of distance between us and her. Karina and Celia were just watching the entire thing in awe.

          Hazel grunted. "Oh, the joys of being mated to a stubborn human..."

          Reagan's eyes shot wide open. "Excuse me?!"

          I'm unsure what has shocked her more, the stubborn word or the mate one. Deep down, I feel like it was initially the stubborn part, but with her eyes shifting back and forth, I assume now it was the mate word that was confusing her.

          "Mates, love," Celia said finally. "I know this may be a bit... difficult to understand, but you live in a world with... very complex creatures." She closed her eyes and sighed before moving to sit on the coffee table in front of Reagan. "We are werewolves, and we are exceptional when it comes to our lovers. We mate like most animals, but it's more complex."

          Karina pointed to us. "Rose, who was mostly likely about to fuck you into the couch, is there." Rose looked down, ashamed. I reached over and grabbed her hand, squeezing it; Reagan caught the intimate gesture quickly. "Hazel, our greatest hunter apart from Rose, is there." Hazel smiled. "Ivy, our fastest of the pack there." I saw Ivy's chest swell. "And Iris, our smartest but also most stubborn. These are your mates. And because you all have met and come in contact, you can never live without each other. Because my Runts have gone against my orders, you and them will be in the most pain of your lives until you consummate your mating."

          She glared at us.

          Reagan just looked at us. Her expression was neutral. "Runts?" she asked casually.

          "Yes, in a pack, we have certain power balances. Celia, right in front of you and me, are the highest in power. We are called Elders; those under me, Avah and Lennox, are called Alphas. After that are Runts, it's not a bad term; it's actually an honor. Some packs are so big that some don't even have a title." Karina answered.

          Why is she asking about our leadership and not the fact that we are mates?

          Celia pulled her shirt to the side, exposing her mating tattoo. "Those who consummate their mating, like Karina and I, get mating tattoos. They appear after you... reach the finish line." She cleared her throat.

          I rolled my eyes.

          "You look my age. Why are you mated so young?" Reagan asked. "And why does yours look like crochet stitches?"

          "Whatever tattoo appears has a sentimental value to you and your mate. You don't fully get to pick what it is." Karina pointed out.

          Reagan looked at us. "So... we're all mates?" she pointed to us four.

          "Yes," Rose spoke up.

          "Why are you so calm about all of this?" I blurted out.

          She shrugged. "I'm an open-minded person. I feel like this isn't even the craziest thing that can happen in my life right now." She frowned and pointed to her head. "I can hear you all in my head. Why?"

          "It is a special ability shared between mates. It is so you feel closer to them." Hazel said after not speaking for a while.

          Reagan hummed.

          I don't know what that is supposed to mean. 

A/N: How are you all liking it so far?