Revolting

Chapter Twenty Two - Sucker Heath

Hannah was happy. I can't even remember the last time I saw her like this, smiling, laughing, being playful. It was amazing to see how she was transforming her entire being. Her eyes were brighter, her skin had lost that sallow look, and her cheeks were pink and healthy. The ugly scar down the side of her face couldn't hide her beauty. She'd even put on some weight, although that may have been due as much to the delicacies, she kept hauling home in that basket as it was to her emotional state.

I had to face the fact that it was the pack that had put a smile back on her face.

She spent as much time over there now as she did with me. I tried not to be jealous, but I couldn't help the sadness that was creeping in my heart. I was losing my sister, and I knew it. I felt like it was always on the edge of the conversation, I was always waiting for the moment when she would tell me she wanted to stay with Rebel Moon.

And then what would I do? She had been my reason to live for so long. If I lost her, I would be totally alone, and I would surely go insane. Not just because of the grievous loss of my sister, but because that's what happens to rogues who are alone too long. Their human self gets weak, the wolf takes over, things get out of balance, and the werewolf becomes feral.

I was nearly healed now. The wound in my shoulder had closed, and my strength was returning day by day. It was only my wolf that was still too weak to shift. Our proximity to Rebel Moon was offering us some safety, it was offering Hannah safety. Until I could fully shift, until I was able to protect her, I remained in her homey little camp. But how long could I stay here? How long before someone less friendly found us? How long before another hunter with poisoned arrows came after us?

As though my thoughts had willed her to materialize, Hannah came dancing into the camp, her arms heavy laden with firewood. She dumped the arm load out next to the fire, and brushed the bits of bark and dirt from her arms. She turned and smiled at me, "Hey. You are up."

"Yeah," I said, rubbing at my shoulder. "I went down to the river for a shower."

She nodded approvingly, her watchful eyes scanning over my body. When had she become sooo... motherly? As though she were the one who must take care of me, instead of me taking care of her? I shook my head at the thought. "Did you just come from the pack?"

"Yes," she said unapologetically. She went most mornings to help the omega in the garden, and sometimes even to help in the kitchen. She insisted they weren't forcing her to do anything, but that she wanted to help, and she was eager to learn. "Today we made strawberry muffins, with strawberries from the garden."

I made a pouty face, "And you didn't bring me one?"

She pulled a face at me, and then pulled the shoulder bag around her body that I hadn't noticed she was wearing. She opened the flap and produced a muffin in a zip lock baggie. The pastry was still warm, and the bag was cloudy with condensation. I felt my mouth water and my stomach grumble in anticipation. She held it out, just beyond my reach. "But you can't have it unless you make a deal."

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I narrowed my eyes at her suspiciously. "What kind of deal?"

"They want to talk to you."

I stiffened. "Who wants to talk to me? About what?"

She swung the baggy slightly. "The Alpha and the Luna, and the Beta too. They didn't say exactly, but I think they want to know about the attack, about who shot you, and the poisoned arrow."

"What can I tell them that they don't already know?" I growled, making a lunge for the bag. But she was fast, and leapt away from me like a deer.

"I don't know," she said airily. "But they want you to come. Tonight. They have invited us for dinner."

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"Dinner?" I glared at her. "You want me to go eat dinner in a pack house."

She crossed her arms over her thin chest, doing her best to look fierce, and utterly failing. "Yes, yes I do."

For a moment we glared at each other across the short distance. This stubborn, willful side of Hannah was new. And inconvenient. But I was feeling kind of proud of her at the same time. She blinked at me and gave me her sweetest expression. "Please?" she whispered, "For me."

And just like that I melted like butter. "Fine," I grumbled. "Give me the damned muffin."

She broke into a wide, toothy grin, and tossed me the baggy happily. "You are the best, Heath."

"Yeah yeah." I'm a sucker, that's what I am. I opened the package and took out the still warm muffin, and took a deep appreciative sniff. There are some things that you just can't cook over a campfire, and our trips into human settlements were so few and far between... baked goods were a rare luxury. I sank my teeth into the muffin and moaned in ecstasy.

As if my moan had reminded her of something, Hannah made a comment, almost like she was talking to herself. "I hope the Beta will be there this time. Wait till you see him. He's so handsome." She was looking a little moon-eyed as she fed another log into the fire. Uh oh.