Lupine

3.

"That man is a monster."

Anders racked the set of weights he'd been using and turned to look at what Lev was referring to. Across the room their Beta pressed a cool 350 pounds. To the naked eye, he barely appeared to struggle but Anders could hear the other's heart pumping hard and fast his reps grew.

Lev continued without needing a proper response from Anders. He was happy to have the man's attention at all. "I've heard that he can rip a man in half with his bare hands."

He said it like a question.

"I suppose he could."

That answer didn't appear to satisfy Lev. "Oh come on man, you have to know. You've always been a member of this pack," he wined quietly.

"What I do know is that he can probably hear everything we're saying." Anders smirked when his fellow guardian jerked around to look at Aniel who racked his bar and sat up to wave at the two of them.

Lev flushed and waived back. Both of the other men began to laugh in earnest, garnering chuckles from of a few other guardians who'd caught a bit of the conversation. Anders knew they'd snippets at most but watched as Lev gathered his towel and fled the room.

"A bit mean, doncha' think?" called Macy from across the room. "You could've spared him the embarrassment."

A large arm swung around her shoulder as her mate pulled her into a sweaty hug. Kennedy grinned as she squirmed. "Where's the fun in that? Kid oughta know sooner than later."

Anders didn't bother reply, finishing racking his weights and wiping down the bench while other guardians joined the bickering. Their newest pack member was still learning the dynamic of the shifters of Corral Peak so he couldn't give Lev too much shit,

Ever since Lev had mated into the pack a few months prior, he'd stuck to Ander like glue. Anders rarely let anyone too close, but even the guardian couldn't resist the almost magnetic pull of their newest pack member.

He left the basement two steps at a time and entered the main floor of the community house. Something felt off as Anders passed through but as he listened the chatter in the kitchen and someone pacing upstairs, he couldn't pinpoint what it was. A rare quiet moment in the usually bustling building.

Snow was falling quietly outside before melting on contact with the heated streets. The midday sun was high above their valley casting the little town in a snow reflected glow. He could hear some children screaming with joy and turned to see them chasing an adult wolf around the street. A normal day in the neighborhood.

Yeah.

Right.

Only a week had passes since the Alpha dropped the bomb about the murders out east and while no more news has arrived to spur immediate concern, that hadn't stopped everyone from being on edge. All single and elderly members of the pack had been moved into the apartments behind the community house and a mandate was issued to travel in groups of three or more—all while a pack member was always watching the news twenty-four seven.

Anders stride stuttered as the realization hit. The television has been off when he left. He walked faster.

That thought stuck with him as he left the center of town, stepping into the snow and through the trees to his cottage. It was just close enough to stay connected yet far enough away that it was quiet. The walk was short, but his sneakers were soaked when he finally stepped inside. He pulled them off and set them neatly in front of the heater. In the kitchen, he prepped a few plates of leftoverd and set three spots at his table, frowning when it wobbled, before adding another plate at the last minute.