Mercenary Wolf

Ch 19 Birthday Party

I didn't have to ask where the house was, my hacker was renting from me. I had bought of a number of small houses to use as safe houses for some of our security gigs. I paused at the door though. Technically it was my house, but the werewolf had made it his lair, him and his kid.

A kid similar in looks but younger than the Little Wolf answered the door. "Uncle?" he called over his shoulder. It took me aback, let me tell you. Fierce Black Wolf being called Uncle. I hadn't thought about extended family. Someone called out something, and the kid motioned me in.

I could hear noises from the kitchen and some shouting out back before someone hollered out to be quiet so they wouldn't wake him. Considering Black Wolf was on the couch with my hacker, I assumed it was the Little Wolf that was sleeping, though I couldn't figure out why the kid would be taking so sound a nap at this time of the day!

I was invited over to the couch by the Black Wolf.

"You ever play any of these games?"

"Yeah, on occasion," I told him as my hacker vacated the couch for me.

I coulda wished he hadn't. It meant I was now practically obligated to join the werewolf on what was more of an oversized loveseat than a couch. It was barely big enough for us two grown men, which put me closer than I was comfortable with next to... he was just a guy, I reminded myself; a guy I had ticked off last night. I'm over this, I told myself. It was just, the thought of this now being a werewolf lair, with who knew how many of the beasts... people.... around me...

I plopped myself down as if I didn't have a care in the world, while hoping I didn't break out in a sweat. I fingered through the small stack of games on the coffee table, grabbing some combat video game I at least had some experience with.

"So, Uncle?" I asked with a glance at the kid who'd opened the door.

The Black Wolf just gave an affirming grunt. My hacker seemed to get along with the kid, who was obviously related on Little Wolf's Native American mother's side of the family. They stayed standing behind the couch, making comments on what was happening on the screen. It was oddly comforting, my hacker having my back, not leaving me alone with the werewolf that had so severely affected me.

It wasn't easy, sitting there pretending to be oh, so, nonchalant; as if I played video games with a werewolf every day. Keep on mission, I told myself. No different than being in some other country, trying to make deals with over-zealous belligerent asses pointing rifles in your face. You ignore the threat, act unconcerned. I'd done it dozens of times. I kept telling myself how this was no different. I didn't even turn around when I heard someone shout out to Little Wolf.

There were more shouts, marking the kid's passage through the house out to the back. Eventually he came back, joining our audience at the back of the tiny couch.

"You two keep it up I'm gonna have you conjugating verbs," the Black Wolf suddenly growled out, startling me.

"What?"
"What?"

Little Wolf and his cousin said it at the same time, with the same wounded innocence inflection. The Black Wolf just shook his head at the two.

"Watch out for those two together Mac."

His words made me nervous. I didn't like not knowing what they had done, that made Black Wolf bark at them. I also couldn't help wondering what them two kids as wolves would act like.