Forgotten Wolf

13 Figure it Out

The night's restless and the following day pointless. I'm not ready to deal with the attack and whatever the rez people are yet. Not knowing who Grandmother is sending only makes it worse.

I decide to make a fancier dinner than I should have, only to keep myself busy and distracted. I do all the prep work on the double-baked loaded potatoes, stuffed mushrooms, and set the steak to marinate.

Even a long, hot shower fails to quell my nerves. I opt for comfortable clothes, flowy yoga pants with a green scoop-neck top while keeping my hair simple with an off-the-shoulder braid. A vehicle pulling into the driveway brings me out of my thoughts and I head out to see who's here.

My chest tightens as Xavier exits the driver's seat of the red charger, but immediately I relax as he circles to the passenger side to open the door for Claire. She smiles at him, taking his hand as she gets out. He handles and looks at her like she is the most precious thing in the world to him. I realize the only times I've really ever seen any sort of emotion from him is in her presence; the rest of the time, he plays the strong, silent type.

His eyes land on me, and he steps in front of Claire.

"Relax, dear. You're not going to hurt me, are you, Jess?" Her warm gaze lingers on me for a moment before shifting to him. She snakes her arm around him and slides against his side, like two puzzle pieces, fitting together perfectly. I nod, feeling my cheeks heat.

He wraps his big arm around her shoulders, drawing her tightly to his side, and resting his face in the crook of her neck for a moment. That simple action instantly calms him before he returns his attention to me. I turn and head to the patio set, taking a seat on the far side. They take a seat, side by side, across from me, and the silence is awkward even for me.

"I wasn't sure who she would send."

Claire laughs and tucks her hair behind her ear. "Yeah, I was a bit surprised when she approached us, but given the circumstances, it made sense."

Xavier keeps a close eye on me, clearly not trusting me."You have some questions, I imagine."

Understatement of the century!

"We'll answer any we can," he trails off, rubbing his chin. "Actually, I have a few for you afterwards." That earns him a jab from Claire and a pointed look.

I let out a nervous laugh and shift my gaze to the house before focusing on him. "Beer? I feel like I'm gonna need a drink or two by the time we are done." He nods. I turn to Claire, waiting for her choice.

"I'll have whatever you're having." Her smile manages to take the edge off a hair as I head to the house.

I return a moment later with a beer for him and a couple of whiskey mixed drinks for us. I also set some veggies and dip out, putting the spicy one in front of Xavier.

"I don't even know how to start," I admit.

"How about at the beginning?" Claire suggests, eyes soft, locked on mine. I nod sheepishly. "Just keep in mind, what we are doesn't change who we are." She pauses, letting her words sink in.

Claire takes a sip and settles into her seat, turning her full attention to me. "We are normal people with an extraordinary gift, our wolves." I feel a little like a child listening to a bedtime story. "I won't overwhelm you with all the history, but I will tell you all I can about our pack."

I subconsciously scrunch my face at the last part.

"You and the rest of the outside world look at our community as a private reservation, but it's actually a large stretch of territory owned and protected by our pack. There are many throughout the world. Some border populated areas like ours, but most prefer more remote locations."