The Pack - On the Run

Jonah threw his hands up placatingly and backed off, focusing his sight on the floor while exposing his bare neck to Louis.

Mikey started to tremble next to me, and I automatically side-hugged him, though, truthfully, I didn’t pay much attention to the seven-year-old at that very moment. My focus was solely on Louis, whose eyes turned so light gray they almost seemed white.

Eery. Wolf-like. Terrifying.

It was the first time I had seen the guy so out of it, and it creeped me out.

“Sorry, bro, I didn’t know. I was only joking around,” Jonah mumbled, staring hard at the floor, his hands not even an inch lower.

Louis closed his eyes, and he gripped the bridge of his nose, exhaling softly.

“Go,” Was all he said, his voice an octave lower and gruff.

Bone-chilling.

Jonah needn’t have been told twice. He scrammed, almost tripping over his very two feet as they tried to keep up with how fast his brain pushed him to escape. It would have been funny, but was freaking unnerving instead.

A tense silence fell upon us, disrupted only by the receding sound of Jonah’s shuffling feet.

The silence lasted for a minute or two before Louis cleared his throat and glanced at me from the side. His eyes, thank God, returned to their regular mercury silver.

“Sorry 'bout that,” he said sheepishly, his cheeks tinted with light pink.

“What was it even about?” I asked, my voice weirdly faint. I gulped, trying to get rid of the ball that had got stuck in my throat.

“Just some guy’s stuff, nothing to worry about,” Louis brushed me off. It didn’t seem that way, but I kept my thoughts to myself. “Anyway, I’ll leave you to unpack. Dinner will be served around six. Jonah is cooking, so it should even be edible.”

“Right, dinner, thanks,” I said, creasing my brows.

Louis shoved his hand through his hair. “Anyway, I'll see you around.” He suddenly said, backing away.

“...Yeah, see ya,” I murmured, watching him leave throug the doors.

He clearly seemed to be in a rush.

I shook my head, trying to shrug off the pang that suddenly stabbed my chest.

[*]

~ LOUIS ~

“Jonah, a word?” Louis knocked lightly at the open doors leading to his brother’s kingdom.

As usual, the interior of Jonah’s room looked as though it was taken straight out of Dante’s Inferno. Clothes, books, games, and trash were scattered literally everywhere - mainly, however, on the floor. And if he peeked under the pup’s bed, Louis was sure he would find jazz mags above many other things he preferred not to think about in relation to his brother.

Or touch.

Normally, it was his job to motivate the kid to clean. And he managed just fine without having to abuse his position as the more dominant wolf, older brother, or Enforcer. But Louis had been so fucking busy lately with the bodies popping out like toasts near their border that he had no time or heart to go after the teenager. Well, clearly, he needed to.

“Yeah, wazzup?” Jonah asked, pulling Louis out of his musings.

The younger boy paused a game and immediately stood up from the floor he had been sitting on while venting on the pad. Louis knew Jonah didn’t appreciate his older brother looming above him - his wolf felt vulnerable in such a position, especially while confronting a bigger predator. And usually, Louis’ wolf would do everything to soothe the kid. Right now, though, it wasn’t exactly the case. Regardless, Louis needed his wolf to stop taunting his bro. He felt guilty enough for treating Jonah so harshly only a while ago.

“Look, I’m sorry,” Louis sighed, leaning on the frame. He was embarrassed of his outburst, not that he would admit it out loud. After all, he rarely lost control like that anymore, and it bothered him.

“Look, bro, I’m happy for you and all, but you should have just told me she’s your mate before going apeshit on me. I wouldn't have made such jokes,” Jonah mumbled, shoving his hands in his jean pockets.

Louis jolted in surprise, his eyes going wide with shock. He snapped his gaze to his brother, earning himself a hearty laugh.

“Don’t tell me you haven't realized?” Jonah shook his head, still laughing. “You’re really dumb for somebody who lived half of a century, ya know?”

Louis smiled crookedly.

Maybe he really was.

[*]

~ JOSIE ~

It was Piri-Piri chicken for dinner - served with turmeric spiced fried rice and salad, and fish and chips for Mikey.

The mood was bearable, mainly because Jonah was such a freewheeler it was hard to stay on edge with him around. So, after the first awkward ten minutes, I started to relax and, in no time, found myself laughing at the teenager’s antics.

But then Jack had to ruin it all.

“So, I’ve heard you’re looking for a job, and you want to go full-time. What about school?” He asked, watching me intently from the head of the table.

“Dad...” Louis opposed softly from where he was seated on the right side of his father.

When we came for dinner, I was somehow tricked into sitting next to Louis with Mikey opposite me, and Jonah squeezed between his father and the seven-year-old. It seemed Rosalynd was normally around with some other... people. But today, she had a meeting, and the rest wasn’t invited because Jack didn’t want to make me or Mikey any more uncomfortable than we already were.

Yet, I sure as hell felt uncomfortable now.

My stomach dropped as I glanced at Jack, placing my fork back down on my plate. I had actually lost my appetite.

“Well, I kinda probably dropped out last week anyway, with our sudden road trip and whatnot. And I need to take care of Mikey now,” I explained, catching out of the corner of my eye Louis nodding slightly at Jonah.

The younger boy swiftly stood up and waved Mikey to follow after him, “Come Munchkin. Let’s play something.”

“What? Wait - ” I protested as Mikey enthusiastically slid off his chair. Louis’ hand landed on my tight, stopping me in my tracks. My eyes automatically went to his silver orbs, my brow raised in question as the warmth spread from his hand up my leg to my, well, southern regions.

I tried to ignore the feeling, but I might have just tried to quench a forest fire with a bottle of water. My abdomen squeezed in pleasure as my heart rate picked up, beating a hundred miles per hour. I bit the inside of my cheek, and Louis’ eyes darkened with...

Jack cleared his throat, snapping me back to reality. Shit. My cheeks turned crimson red, possibly blending with all the freckles littering my face as I hastily shoved Louis’ hand off my tight, much to his dissatisfaction and my relief.

Stupid hormones.

“Is this your, what, sophomore year?” Louis’ father asked without missing a beat, although his eyes were sparkling with amusement. It actually made him look the most human I had seen him since our first encounter.

“Senior, actually,” I corrected, and he nodded to himself.

“It’s decided then. You’ll finish school. And if you want to earn some pocket money, you can work part-time either after your classes or on the weekends,” Jack stood up, finishing the discussion.

Well, breaking news, it was far from over.

I pushed my chair back, immediately up on my own two feet, gritting my teeth. “Look, I appreciate your concern, but Mum has just dumped us on you, and I don’t want to trouble you for longer than necessary.”

I need money. Me and Mikey need a way out. We must find the people with the cure and leave. Maybe move to the South Pole while we’re at it, as far away from werewolves and other freaks of nature as humanly possible. And soon.

Jack smiled, seemingly seeing through my ruse. “Don’t worry, Josie. You two won’t squeeze our budget. We won’t even feel it.”

“B-But-” I tried once more, and once again, I felt Louis’ hand. This time, however, on my fisted hand. He started to draw small circles inside my wrist with his thumb, teasing me and distracting me enough that I lost my momentum.

“Anything else, Josie?” Jack rose his brows at me.

“No, sir,” I mumbled, exhaling softly.

“Good. You’ll start coming Monday. Rosalynd has already made all the necessary arrangements, so you don’t have to worry about anything. And Jonah will help you find your way around the school. The bus leaves at 7:45,” Louis’ father informed me. “Good night to you two.”

I clenched my teeth, trying not to explode with frustration. Next time, I would be sure to stay away from Louis when talking to his dad.

Better yet, I would just completely stay away from him.

Anyway, it was time for Plan-B.