Learning to Bow

Collateral Damage

I woke up to a strange weight on my chest. I yawned loudly, and peering through half lidded eyes came face to face with a wet snout. A wolf extending the length of my body was spread out over my blankets and me, shielding me from the world.

"Jack?" I questioned tiredly. Jack's eyes opened briefly, surprisingly me again with the vibrant brown hue. His chest rumbled with contempt. "Jack, get off me." I said with a groan. Jack rolled over to the wall side of my bed and extended his body in a long stretch.

I pulled off the covers and rolled to a sitting position, stretching my tired limbs as well.

A knock sounded at the door.

"Come in," I called. The door opened and Cassidy walked in clean, clothed and definitely human. I felt the pang of disappointment when I realized that meant Jack was changing back soon. Jack yipped happily and Cassidy smiled.

"I need you two to come downstairs," Cassidy said, "The council is helping us decipher the issue with the Solomon pack." Her smile sobered, returning to the familiar seriousness that's been adorned everyone's faces for the last 36 hours. "Jaha is here," she added, staring at me intensely. I felt fear well up, but I knew what Cassidy was trying to convey to me. I nodded to her.

"We need their help." I said. Cassidy nodded, probably relieved that I understood. I didn't want to bow down to the council, but I didn't want any of the Willis's to get hurt either. I sighed. I'm not apart of the family, but they've stuck their neck out further for me than anyone else. Jack pressed his snout into side. I turned back to him and patted him on the head, immediately reprimanding myself for the slip-up. Maybe it was back if he goes back to being a human.

I lifted myself from the bed and gathered some clothes from the closet. "Jack, I need to change," I said. Jack obediently jumped off the bed and out of my room. Cassidy sent me a serious look and closed the door behind herself.

Quickly changing, I headed down the stairs to meet Jaha.

"We have a breach with the Solomon Pack's treaty," Jaha said, his tone leveled and neutral as he brought a mug of black coffee to his lips, "a presumably dead human," He added and took a sip and stared at me. "What's next?" Dread filled me. Presumably dead. All Tim had done was help me that one day.

His eyebrows raised in an arrogant manner. I was sitting across the kitchen table looking feeble, along with a wolf Jack, Clarissa and James. The rest of the foster kids were either out and about or on the second story doing their best to eavesdrop. Jack, sitting on his hind legs directly to my left on a chair, responded with a non-threatening bark.

"Jack's right," James said for him, "Ara is not at fault for this."

"Either way," Jaha challenged with a pointed look, "Something needs to be done." James nodded in agreement. I bit my lip.

"We'll turn over the evidence to your men," James said to Jaha, "My son found a wooden casing with a silver bullet inside." I shot a confused look towards James. This was news to me. "Burned his hand when he opened it."

"What's that about?" I interjected.

"That's very interesting," Jaha said, ignoring my question. Annoyance welled up in my gut, and I sent a glare at Jaha. "I'll definitely take this up with the investigation team on our side. But we may be dealing with a ploy that can threaten our claim on these lands." I didn't give a shit about these lands or their territory.

"What about Tim?" I interjected. "What if he's not dead. Will you save him?" Jaha sent a dark expression my way, answering my question.

"I have little interest in your human friend. He may be of more value dead." Jaha said. I felt a flash of fury and rose to my feet. Cassidy stood as well, obviously trying to quell my rage. "Touchy subject I see. Perhaps your story of knowing him for only that night was a lie?" Cassidy grabbed my arm but I yanked it away.