Silver Claws

4. Observance is the Best Teacher

My skin was crawling.

I felt chills running over my body, my wolf and I were agitated. Neither of us understood, and though we were back in the pack house I still sensed my family was vulnerable. There were eyes on me, somehow we were being watched.

When Ryan had finally calmed down, the information he gave us was scattered. Ramblings about Shiny, who he said could fly and was very shy, never showing their human side.

He was certain that the wolf who took him was a she. Something that shocked all of us. It wasn't uncommon for a she-wolf to be a warrior, but she-wolves themselves were uncommon. For every female there were thirty males. It was part of why my family had panicked when I didn't find my mate. It was a very real possibility that like many others, I would have to wait fifty years or more to find a mate; or even worse, I would die never having one at all. We were supposed to find them quickly, Alphas especially.

Our lifespans were much longer than humans, and our aging slowed significantly once we reached our thirties. I could be stuck with a five hundred year life alone.

I shook myself out of my thoughts. Why was I even thinking about mates right now? I had bigger things to worry about.

Mostly a flying wolf named shiny, that Ryan said could quack. For the hundredth time I glanced over the top of his head for any bumps. I wanted to swoop down and smell his hair, his kidnapper's scent was all over him.

"And we were in this cave we flew to! It was so cool, it was just like that movie with the dragon. Except she wouldn't do a dragon." He shoved another cookie into his mouth, crumbs spilling down his fresh shirt and on the burgundy sofa. My dad was inhaling the scent off his old shirt before passing it to me.

When I raised it to my face and inhaled, my exhale came out as a rumble. The smell off the shirt was wild, earth and the outdoors. I could smell Ryan, but there was something else. It smelled like salty ocean air and sand, like Ryan had been dipped into the sea and rolled on a beach. It was heavenly.

"Logan?" Trevor looked at me, his eyebrows raised. My eyes snapped to his and I growled softly. What the hell?

"Did you go to the beach?" I asked, my words muffled by the little shirt still clutched to my face. My body began to shake slightly, and I didn't understand why.

"No just the ocean. She got fish from the water though! I watched her dive and catch them!"

Dad shook his head. "That's unusual. I've never heard of a wolf diving to catch fish."

"Oh she was doing the bird to catch them." Ryan said matter-of-factly, he was examining two cookies at once before shoving them both in his mouth.

"Ryan." Mom admonished, "Don't do that, you'll choke." She began to wipe his face, grooming him as mother wolves often do.

"Adrean honey, I think he is in need of a bath." Dad said softly, looking over his youngest son. While Ryan was in need of a bath, I knew that wasn't why he wanted Mom and him out of the room.

"Okay." Her words edged, Mom did not appreciate her dismissal.

When they were both up stairs He turned to us, and gestured for Trevor, Reed and I to sit. We had all been hovering around Ryan's seat on the couch since he sat down with the plate of cookies. Trevor sat first, then Reed. I walked to the side of the couch and leaned against it with my arms crossed, looking into my father's eyes daringly. I was far too agitated to comply with him out of respect right now, a part of me still angry with him. My nature wouldn't allow me to have my head lower than his now--- an Alpha trait.