Run With The Wolves
☾ IV ☽

I was able to leave my house for one hour. My dad wasn’t home and my mom was being nice to me. So I went to bring Ty’s homework to him.

It’s just that, I couldn’t get to the front steps.

There was a grey colored wolf cowering by a bush near the porch. It wined loudly as it trembled with fear. The shade of fur was different, darker, almost like coal. I didn’t recognize this one.

I walked slowly over to the terrified wolf. When my hand pet it’s fur, it looked to me abruptly.

“It’s okay.” I was quiet and I put my hands up so it could see that I wasn’t going to do anything wrong. “I won’t hurt you.” I said kindly.

It’s blue eyes continued to stare at me. My movements were slow like before because I didn’t want to frighten it even more. I let my hand press on the fur of it’s neck gently, and it closed it’s eyes in response.

The wolf was trembling. “You’re just scared aren’t you?”

It whined quietly, not soothed by my slow petting. I know if I tried to put my arms around it, they would get more frightened.

“Baron?” I heard a faint voice coming from behind the house. “Baron!” It was getting closer.

Leo was looking for his older brother.

“There you are.” He jogged over to us.

Since the past two weeks, Leo has grown much bigger. He’s even taller than me now. I was surprised to see that he just about towered over me. His shoulders were broader, his sweater showing that off.

He looks more like his brothers everyday.

“Oh, hey Gabriel.” he smiled widely at me.

I continued to rub Baron’s fur, and he nudged closer to me when I got the right spot. “He shifted?”

“Yep. First time, too.” Leo said. “We didn’t think it would happen. Now we think Cana’s next with the fever he has.”

I didn’t know Ty’s older brothers were sick. That’s not a good thing considering they haven’t had this problem before. They come home for a few weeks, and now this happens?

“How’s Orca?”

“He wants to stay and help. Channing is trying to kick him out.”

That’s not surprising.

Orca’s the oldest and he already has a family. If he were to shift now, he’d be tied down to the area. Channing is probably trying hard to get him out of here. I can’t imagine how his other brothers feels right now.

“Ty’s barely awake.” Leo whispered to me.

“I was just going to leave his homework for him.”

“Yeah.” Leo snorted, not believing me. Then he wrinkled his nose. “You smell...sort of metallic.”

“I don’t know what to do about that, Leo.” I walked by him and stepped over the large animal that was laying on the porch.

I’ve heard the comment before and now I’m convinced that I have to buy new soap or something. First Ty complained and now Leo. I’m sure I don’t smell anything. And I know they have a heightened sense of smell, but I don’t think that smell is coming from me.

I went up to Ty’s room quietly. He was laying in bed, groaning miserably because he was in pain. He was sweating and grimacing as his muscles tensed. He was trying to fight it though that was causing him more pain.

I sat beside him and pushed his hair out of his face. His eyes barely opened to look at me.

“Gab-”

I shushed him so he didn’t have to speak. He was already in so much pain, I didn’t want to make it worse for him. “You can go to sleep.”

“It hurts.” He whimpered.

It broke my heart to see him suffering. I wanted to make the pain go away so he wouldn’t have to deal with it. The more he fights it, the more it will hurt him.

We both know it.

I took his hand. “Come on.” I began to pull him out of bed. As much as I know he hates it, the only way to stop the pain is to go through the shift.

He groaned miserably again, almost like he was scared. That made my heart ache. Some days, it gets bad for him. He fights it so much and it makes it worse.

“I know...” I said quietly to him. “You’ll feel better.” I had to take him outside.

The cold air will make his body want to shift even more. And I know it will hurt, but only for a second more. Then he’ll be fine again.

He let me pull him downstairs. His weight was a lot to handle, even if he was just leaning on me. It took some work, and he tried to hold himself up, but I got him outside. We both felt the cold air and had different reactions to the sensation. Where I shivered and tensed up, he let out a relieved sigh.

He liked it.

That makes sense since his body was burning up. Anything cold would make him happy.

The dark grey wolf turned to see Ty walking down the steps. Leo didn’t say anything either. Then Ty just fell in the snow with this content look on his face before he pressed further in the snow.

It took a few seconds, but I saw him shift slightly, rising up on his arms and legs as his muscles grew. His clothes tore and his body changed shape.

For once, I didn’t hear his muffled screams.

He just...shifted fluidly. It was like one motion.

A white wolf replaced the human body. He howled loudly and stretched a bit, getting used to his second nature. This part of him, he was getting used to. It seemed easier.

I wonder if he likes it now.

Not the whole getting sick part and desperately convincing himself that he can take it, but I wonder if he likes being free. Breaking out that part of him almost seems therapeutic now. When he changes back, he doesn’t get sick, he’s content.

He seems happy.

I know asking him about it will make him upset, so I won’t.

I just went over to him and rubbed his fur.

I’m glad that he’s okay.

So after begging my mom and telling her that I desperately needed to study for the SATs with Ty because he’s smart, she convinced my dad that it was okay for me to stay over Ty’s house despite it being a school night.

Ty was still in wolf form, playing with his brothers. Leo got bored so he shifted to play around. Jackie and Cina couldn’t hold out much longer so they shifted. They seemed care free right now.

Channing was sitting next to me, and he watched, too.

He was chillingly silent because Orca was sitting on the other side of him. Channing was not happy about that. His older brother was still here even after Baron and Cana shifted. Orca hadn’t said anything because Channing was in a bad mood.

I didn’t like sitting in the silence. It made me uncomfortable.

“So...” I wanted to start a conversation, but I could literally feel Channing’s disdain. “Do you have anymore stories, Orca?”

Channing got up abruptly. The last thing he wanted was a reason for his brother to stay here. I definitely made things worse by asking. We both turned back to see Channing go inside his house. That looming anger that was around him got much stronger.

“Don’t mind him.” Orca said kindly.

Out of all the Martin brothers, Orca is the nicest. There’s this calmness about him that makes things reassuring. It’s like I already have this sense of trust in him.

Maybe it’s an older brother thing.

Or maybe that’s just how he is.

He has his life together already. As the oldest Martin brother, he was able to leave and start a family of his own.

So why did he come back?

“He thinks I’ll change, too.”

“Considering that the other two did...” That’s a good reason to be a little worried.

Orca wasn’t.

“I’m not at that age anymore.” He said. “And even if I could, it wouldn’t last long. Channing still thinks it could happen, though.”

“I’d be worried, too.” I admitted.

Orca already has a life. Staying here longer will make things worse.

“My parents are getting old, Gabriel.” Orca sighed. “They can’t handle ten half breeds on their own.”

That’s why he’s staying.

“And as much as Channing is a good leader and capable older brother, someone has to be here to take care of him, too.”

I always say I feel bad for them, and I do. They’re just kids and they were trying to figure out the next part of their life. Now they have this to deal with.

I bet this hurts Channing the most. He’s been ready to leave. He was going to be with Candace. The fact that it’s not happening the way it planned must make him more upset.

“Let me tell you a story.” Orca saw that I was thinking too hard.

He wanted to distract me.

I liked the first story he told. The one about the vampires. I like the old legends I read in the books, too. I wonder what else he knows.

“At the beginning of the half breed existence, there were two different tribes, one led by the black wolf and one led by the white wolf.” He started.

Immediately I thought of Ty and Channing.

“The black wolf was a strong leader, often times terrifying, but it was clear he would do anything for his pack. The tribe that followed were a strong group of people as well. They were warriors and conquerors. Where the black wolf believed in family and wholeness, the white wolf led on the idea of individual freedom, believing that every person has their own destiny.” Orca told me as he watched the others play in the snow.

Ty wants his freedom. He doesn't like being told what to do. Channing is just trying to keep his family together, and Ty's making it difficult.

I didn't realize I was getting wrapped up in the story already. I was thinking about how Ty and Channing compared to the wolves that Orca was telling me about. I don't know if it was the story itself, or if it was how Orca told it to me. He's always so calm. The way he spoke, I could almost follow the movement of his voice. It was...nice.

“The two tribes did not get along, but they stayed out of each other’s way for the most part. If they crossed paths, they wouldn’t fight. The wolves were not as considerate of each other. Their packs fought constantly for control, and it’s always been told that the white wolf was lucky to make it out alive after every battle.” He laughed to himself. “As much as he was a fighter, the black wolf had more skill and power.”

“They didn’t kill each other, did they?”

“Of course not.” He laughed harder. “Eventually, the two tribes made a treaty and taught the wolves to obey the terms. That didn’t solve all the problems, but it was a good start.”

Well, at least there’s some peace to the story. I still had this lingering feeling that the wolves would constantly fight. It was reminding me of Ty and Channing because that’s all it is right now. They aren’t getting along.

Orca let out a soft sigh. “They were supposed to protect each other. It took a long time, but they became family. So, for a while, there was peace. Until there was a love interest.” Orca looked at me. I had this feeling like he was alluding to me. “And just like that, the white wolf was blinded. Nothing could come between him and his love. He would rather die than be separated.”

My heart sank in my chest. I know what I was thinking, and if I was right, then wherever this was going wasn’t good.

“A war broke out between another tribe that tried to invade. The white wolf was more concerned with protecting his love than fighting. Of course the black wolf couldn’t fathom just saving one life over a whole family.”

I looked down at my hands, slightly nervous of what he was telling me.

“The white wolf died.” He said quietly.

That hurt.

“True, he saved his love, but still he had to sacrifice himself for it. The black wolf, however, did not take that lightly. As much as he disagreed with the white wolf, they were still family at that point, so it was no surprise that the entire pack fought to avenge his death.”

I didn’t like this story. He had to be telling me this for a reason. The way I shifted uncomfortably, he had to know I wasn’t into this one.

“Ty and Channing have conflicting views.” Orca started after a moment of silence. “Considering the legends, it’s not surprising.”

Was he concerned?

“I have to admit that I do side with Channing, however.”

That hurt worse. There was this tear in my chest, one that almost made me depressed. Orca didn’t have to explain his words to me, I know what he meant.

“I don’t want to come between them.”

“You can’t help that.” Orca was considerate and he sounded like he meant it, too. He wasn’t blaming me. “Neither can Ty. He’s probably drowning in his emotions for you.” Despite how reassuring he sound, it still didn’t feel good. “Legends are legends for a reason.” he shrugged.

“It seems pretty true.”

“I hope I didn’t scare you, Gabriel.” he laughed quietly. Too late for that. I was definitely terrified. “I doubt that something terrible will happen between them.”

Yeah, well I don’t feel the same.

Channing can fight and believe it or not, so can Ty. I’m worried they might really hurt each other.

“Be gentle with Ty. A heartbreak would kill him.” He was kind when he told me that.

I know Orca means well. He's just so polite about everything, and I know he wants to make sure nothing bad happens to Ty. I don't want anything to happen either. It just makes me think that Ty and I need to figure out what's going on.

As I thought about him, the white wolf came over to me, and gently rested his head on my lap. I wonder if he could tell I was a little sad. Though, now that he's here, I wasn't feeling all that terrible. My hands moved in his fur gently.

I was laying in bed with Ty. His fever returned but he wasn’t in pain like he was earlier. I had my head resting on his chest, and I just listened to his heart beat. His arm was around me, and he kept me close.

“Orca told me a story.” I said quietly.

“He does that.” Ty sighed. “He loves it when someone listens to him talk."

"He's good at telling stories."

All I could think about was the story he told me today. I don't know if I should mention it to Ty. Maybe he's already heard it before. I didn't want to bring up our relationship issues right now, especially while he's still not feeling well.

"You know, if you don't do well on your SAT's, you're never coming over again." Ty said.

"I got a book from the new kid." I sighed. I haven't used the book yet and I should. My exam is in a couple weeks.

"What new kid?"

"I forgot you don't come to school anymore." I moved up a bit. "There's this new guy, Henri. He's all bright and out going." I said and felt Ty shift beside me.

I knew he wasn't going to like Henri. That description was already enough to cause him stress.

"That one day at the library, he took the last prep book, so he went out and bought one to give to me. He gave me a prep book, so...I have it." I shrugged.

"You have to use it, Gabriel-"

"I will." I laid down next to him. "The day before my exam."

I added and Ty did not like my comment.

However, he didn't turn over when he didn't want to keep talking to me. I felt his hand hold mine gently. His skin was hot to the touch, but that's not unusual even if he does have a fever.

I moved closer to him again and he moved his arm around me.

It's always nice to spend the night with him. We're usually together, more often than not, so I was used to this.

I wanted to tell him I loved him, but he had already drifted off to sleep so he probably wouldn't hear me.

Ty, Leo, and Channing were the only ones who made it out of bed today. Their other brothers weren't doing so well. It's still winter, but Channing had hopes that this would only last for another week before they get a break from the torture.

I could tell he didn't sleep last night.

He had dark circles under his eyes. He looked more rigid than normal. I know Channing has this unpleasant aura around him, but today he was not in a good mood.

"Do you smell that?" Leo asked as he looked around in the parking lot.

Obviously I couldn't smell anything unusual.

But I looked around, too, like I would be able to see something. There were other students walking into school, but that was about it. Yet, when I glanced up to Ty, his eyes were bright blue. He opened his mouth when he felt his teeth growing. There was a confused expression on his face because he didn't know what was happening.

Neither did Channing.

His eyes were blue as well. So were Leo's.

"What's wrong?" I asked quickly.

"I don't know." Channing was the one to answer. "There's something here that's not supposed to be here." he said, in a warning tone.

I didn't realize that Ty had let go of my hand. When I turned around, I saw that he was running off in a different direction. Immediately, I knew that he couldn't hold it, that he only had seconds to get away before he shifted.

"I can't..." There was a low growl coming from Leo's chest. "I gotta go, Channing."

Channing didn't stop either of them from taking off.

He kept his eyes towards the school. He was convinced that there was something there that shouldn't be. His eyes were narrowed as he watched. Whatever it was, it was definitely a threat. It was something bad enough to bring their instincts out.

He had more control than his younger brothers.

But even that wasn't good enough.

He turned around and walked in the other direction, the way his brothers went. He wasn't running in a quick haste, but I knew that he wouldn't be able to handle it either.

If there was a dangerous threat, Ty wouldn't have left me.

So I guess it's a wolf thing.

I couldn't exactly follow them. I sighed quietly to myself. As weird as it is, it's not that surprising anymore. It just seems like another day. And it was. I had to get to class.

I walked inside by myself and went to my locker. The first person to find me today was Henri, which wasn't odd. Until...when I looked up at him, I saw him wrinkle his nose.

I am so tired of people doing that around me!

"Hey!" He suddenly just smiled. "Do you have pets?" he was abrupt when he asked his question.

I can't say that I'm hanging around werewolves.

"I'm...outside a lot...?" I just didn't know how to answer. Something was wrong but I couldn't describe it for some reason.

"You seem like a dog person." he continued to smile at me.

There was something about him that made me...not get irritated or upset by his comment. I think he was trying to tell me that I smell like dog this morning, and honestly that would not be surprising.

In a sense.

I think.

I was going to say something, but I had this foggy feeling in my mind. It was like I wasn't in control and I couldn't speak. Henri continued to smile at me, and I guess that meant nothing was wrong with me, at least from his point of view. I just felt a little slow.

"Uh..." It took a second for me to collect my thoughts, but I was finally able to. "I do like animals so..."

"Everyone seems to say that." he laughed. "Anyway, I don't want to make you late for class. I'll see you later." he said before walking off, another person shouting across the hall to get his attention.

I was staring off in his direction, trying to figure out what happened. I know I got a concussion a few months ago, but I shouldn't be feeling fuzzy like this.

Maybe I'm just getting a bit sick.

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