Thomas’ place beside me was still warm when Mary came to wake me Saturday morning.
“You’re going to like what we get to do today,” she said, nudging my shoulder.
“If it’s collecting more reeds, forget it.” I’d never thought so many reeds would be needed for basket weaving.
“Nope. Winifred’s brought apples. Rilla and Ann are already in the kitchen. We’re making pies.”
I opened one eye to stare at her. “Do you even know what an apple pie is?”
She grinned down at me. “Winifred brought one already made. It was good. Thomas is trying to save you a piece.”
I tossed the covers off me and hurried to dress. Eating a pie was much more motivating than the idea of making one.
The five women worked together in the kitchen all day. It was a nice break from reed gathering, weaving, and laundry, and I decided we needed some diversity in our schedule. When Winifred left on Sunday, I mentioned my idea to Thomas and he agreed.
Monday and Tuesday, the women worked hard to make small pillows. I was good at stuffing them with the fluff and cutting even rectangles, but I left the sewing to Ann and Mary.
Wednesday, we tried our hand at homemade bread. The oven was a little touchy, and the loaves came out dark on the outside and still doughy in the middle. The following batch baked more evenly. It didn’t seem to matter either way. Werewolves weren’t picky eaters, and they devoured all the loaves.
That night, I contentedly fell asleep in Thomas’ arms, and he surprised me by staying in bed until I woke again. His awe and adoration flooded me as I slowly opened my eyes. I smiled sleepily.
“That’s a nice way to wake up,” I said.
He kissed my temple.
“Would you like to spend the day together?”
I nodded. How could I not? I loved having his undivided attention, and whether I wanted to acknowledge the passing time or not, we had less than two weeks until the rest of his pack returned.
“I’ll meet you in the kitchen.” He kissed my temple once more then left me to dress.
When I found him several minutes later, he was waiting beside the outer door with a bundle in his hands.
“What’s that?”
“Lunch,” he said with a grin.
He was learning.
He didn’t ask to carry me, but held out his hand. Together, we walked away from the buildings.
“Are we going anywhere particular?”
“Not really. I’m already where I want to be.”
And I knew he meant with me.
The next morning, I sat at the table, eating my last bites of oatmeal. As usual, I was one of the last ones awake. This morning, though, I noticed an unusual number of men still lingering outside. Thomas walked in through the open door and smiled at me.
I waited until he sat next to me to ask about the men.
“The man at the junkyard has no more work for them. He told them to come back in spring. Anton put the cash they’d earned on top of the food storage.”
What would the men do now to keep busy? Thomas seemed to read my mind.
“We’ll take what baskets we have and start picking from the garden,” he said.
I nodded and watched him stand to rejoin the men milling around outside. Besides the Mated men, Thomas always left someone he trusted behind whenever he left, so I wasn’t surprised when Gregory walked in with a grin.
As soon as the men left, Rilla and Ann started washing the dishes while Gregory, Mary, and I fetched the reeds and other supplies we’d need for the day. Then, we worked hard to make more baskets, mats, and small pillows. I mostly ran back and forth fetching whatever supplies they needed.
Twice a man returned with a full basket of vegetables to ask if we had another one complete. Both times, we were able to say yes thanks to Rilla’s amazing skill.
The men returned before dusk, with fish and two more filled baskets. Ann and Mary took the fish. The oven was hot and ready for them. Rice already steamed on the stove, along with a pot of mixed vegetables.
We were just clearing away our work from the tables when someone knocked on the door. Those men who stayed here, no longer knocked. The man closest to the door opened it. Outside I saw, three men, two woman, and two children.
“We heard families are welcome here,” one of the new men said.
“Come in. Please,” I said, stepping forward. “I’m Charlene. This is Thomas.” As soon as the door had opened, Thomas had been at my side.
“Welcome,” Thomas said. The two families stepped in.
I smiled at the older kids. “Would you like to see what we’ve done?”
It only took a few minutes to show them around. I did most of the talking. Thomas didn’t mind in the least. When the families selected their rooms, Mary brought the mats and pillows they’d need. I was so happy we had enough so that no one slept directly on the floor.
Saturday, Winifred brought more than just eggs and the usual supplies. She also had books and things to help the children learn to read.
During breakfast, the kitchen was full of chatting women and laughing children. I stood back and enjoyed the moment. Thomas came up behind me and rested his hands on my shoulders, his satisfaction wrapping around me like a hug.
The next week was hectic, but in a good way. Basket’s full of produce from the garden hung from the rafters in the rooms just outside of the common room—the stove kept the room too warm for them to stay good for very long.
Cooking for the large group wasn’t difficult with so many helping hands. The vast quantities of food we consumed would have been concerning if not for the game that always appeared every day. The Mated men took turns going out with a few of the unMated to hunt larger game. Though we still had the occasional pheasant, we more often had deer, moose, or boar. The women worked together to butcher and cook whatever the men brought. However, when someone brought back a bear, I stepped out of the room to let Mary handle coordinating that meal. Thomas considerately brought me a jelly sandwich.
That Thursday, Grey returned to us as a new Elder. Thomas greeted him with an enthusiastic hug while I stood back. Grey didn’t seem to act any differently. When he finished hugging Thomas, he turned to me.
“Welcome to the family, Charlene.” Then he hugged me, too. It was much briefer than Thomas’ hug. “Will you introduce me to the families?”
His ever-present smile grew just a bit brighter when he saw the children, and Thomas’ words about what Grey had given up came back to me. Over the next few days, Grey mostly stayed near the families and children and left everything else to Thomas.
Tuesday marked the twenty-ninth day since Thomas had sent his pack out. Leif and Ann left with their daughter before lunch, and I couldn’t help the nervous worry that burrowed into my mind as I waved goodbye.
That night, it took hours before I fell asleep to the feel of Thomas’s fingers slowly running through my hair.
He woke me with a kiss to my cheek.
“I’m going downstairs now. I’d feel better if you came, too. The rest of the women will be with Winifred.”
“And Grey?”
“Outside, to keep an eye on things.”
“He won’t be able to help you, will he?”
Thomas shook his head.
“How many more do you think you can—”
He stopped my question with a kiss and shook his head again. It wasn’t something he ever wanted to talk about aloud. I understood why. Yet, it didn’t stop me from wanting to know. At what point tomorrow would I see him break?
He hadn’t pushed for anything more than I’d been willing to give, which I’d limited to kissing. Yet, I knew I could have helped ease his pack’s acceptance of me if I would have Mated him. I was still hoping there would be fewer who continued to oppose me, thus making mating unnecessary.
He kissed my forehead, stood, and held out his hand to help me stand. Then, he waited outside while I dressed and walked downstairs with me.
“Good luck,” I whispered before we entered the main room. He nodded and pushed the door open.
Mary was already at the table with Winifred. They were cracking all twelve dozen eggs into two pots. Several of the older children read books at a table with their parents.
I watched Thomas walk outside then took up a knife and started slicing onions. No one minded my sniffles.
Rilla pushed through the door with her son in tow a minute later. Her husband walked with them.
“How can I help?” she said.
“Can you start the sausage links?” I asked quietly. There were several wrapped packages waiting on one of the longer tables. Rilla retrieved them and started separating the links at the stove.
I listened to the sizzle and tried not to worry. Thomas was out there acting as the official welcoming party. Last night, Thomas had talked with Winifred and Grey. They’d decided to welcome everyone by showing them that living here could offer safety and a sense of community. Hence, the big breakfast.
I focused on the wills of those around me. They were easy to feel. I also sensed several men outside. I tried to look further, stretching out into the woods, but wasn’t able to detect more. So I sliced as I waited and added what I cut to a hot pot. Rilla poured the grease from the sausages into the skillet to help brown the onions. Soon, the room smelled divine and distracted me from my concentration.
Mary cleaned up the eggshells while Winifred brought over the pot of eggs and poured half the mixture in with the onions. She set the other pot on the stovetop behind the sausage then went back to the table. I carefully stirred the eggs in both pots and glanced at Rilla. Instead of moving the sausages around, she was looking over her shoulder. I did the same and saw Winifred sitting at the table. Her complete motionlessness alarmed me.
“Winifred?” As I spoke, I concentrated on the wills around me. I gasped at what I found. Over eighty people waited outside.
“Thomas,” I whispered. A wave of reassurance washed over me, and I exhaled in relief.
I glanced at the food again. This would be enough to feed eighty humans but not eighty werewolves.
“Pull the sausages off,” I said nudging Rilla, “and start chopping them.” Rilla quickly brought the pot to the table. I opened the wood door and threw a few more pieces of wood in, bringing the bright bed of coals to flames that licked the metal stovetop. I moved the eggs to the far side.
“Mary, could you bring that water over here, please?” I said, closing the door. We’d set a pot on the hook in the fireplace in preparation of the dishes we’d need to do.
I went to the supply cabinet and pulled out a bag of rice as Mary carried the water over.
“Mary, can you chop some more onion. About two handfuls.”
I added a generous portion of rice to the already steaming water on the stove. As soon as Mary had the onion chopped, I had her throw it in, too. I stirred the eggs again. They were cooking faster now. I handed the spoon to Mary and went to help Rilla finish cutting up the sausage.
We worked in silence, each of us glancing at Winifred who’d not once spoken. By the time the food was done, my stomach was twitchy with nerves. I made up plates for the kids. The parents didn’t eat, just hovered close.
Having the families present for the breakfast had been a debate. Winifred had worried about their safety. Everyone had, really. But, we’d agreed their presence was part of what we wanted to show those coming to join us. So the parents stayed close and trusted Winifred to keep their children safe.
“We’re ready,” I said, touching Winifred’s shoulder.
She reached up and patted my hand. “I hope you are.”
The door opened at that moment, and Thomas walked in. He looked tired and annoyed. When he stepped aside, the first of too many newcomers poured through the door. Many glanced at the women and children. I tried to gauge their reactions but was soon too busy.
Each man took a plate and stood by the stove. They waited patiently as I scooped a portion of eggs and rice mixed with sausage onto their plate. Those who sat down first ate quickly then brought their dishes to the sink and filed out. Mary and Rilla washed and dried everything, and brought it back to the stove.
It seemed to be a never-ending loop for a while; but, finally, I saw the last man step through the door. I stopped conserving the scoops and generously fed those remaining in line. It didn’t take the room long to empty after that. After the final newcomer left, one of the Mated men closed the door and the tension eased from the room.
Looking around at the mess, I realized I’d never fed Thomas. I scraped what was left into a single pot, covered it, then went to help with the dishes. With so many hands to help, the room was quickly back in order; and the families returned to their rooms.
I went to the window and looked out. The men milled around the yard. Grey and Thomas walked among them. Many stopped Thomas to talk to him.
I glanced at Winifred and found her watching me. Mary was standing by her side.
“Can you tell us what’s happening?” I asked.
“They’re discussing you now.”
“Me?”
“They scented the Claim.”
I moved away from the window and went to Winifred.
“Is it bad?”
“Not as bad as you imagined, but worse than we’d hoped for. There are several who are willing to accept you as one of us now that they know a Claim is possible. However, the majority are still against you, saying you’re too human. They need to know you’re not, Charlene.”
Mary gave Winifred a puzzled look.
“Not what?”
“Not too human,” I said.
I wasn’t stupid. After Winifred’s and Thomas’ talks about protecting me, about how important I was to their future, and about how they weren’t concerned about my ability, I’d figured it might come to this. That she would want me to reveal my secret to everyone in an effort to win their support and keep me here.
“They will try to use me,” I said.
Winifred shook her head.
“It would expose us. I would never allow that.”
“Then they’ll tell someone to try to get rid of me.”
“I’ll forbid that as well. Revealing you would reveal us.”
“Please, Winifred,” I begged. “Don’t do this.”
“I won’t. You and Thomas will. Show them what you can do.”
“It doesn’t work like that. I can’t just use my ability to show it off any more than you can use yours for personal gain.”
She was quiet for a moment. Sounds exploded outside. Growls, howls, snarls, and barking.
“Save him,” Winifred said, standing.
I knew what she’d done. She wasn’t trying to force me; she was giving me a valid reason to use my powers. Regardless of her reasons, I was angry. I ran to the door and threw it open. Bodies clogged the way. I screamed at them to let me through. Body by body, I pushed my way to the writhing mass.
Winifred, what have you done?
Thomas, the man, twisted and dodged attacks from the five wolves around him. They all moved incredibly fast. Each jump, each pass they made, left a mark somewhere on Thomas. There were just too many of them for him to combat or defend.
My hands curled into fists. I could so easily stop them all as I’d done before. But I wasn’t sure about Winifred. Her will wasn’t like the rest, and now there were two Elders. My gaze shifted to Grey. He remained focused on his brother.
Thomas grunted as one of the wolves clamped down on his arm. I felt his pain. It surged through our connection and stole my breath. A bite to the arm shouldn’t feel—Thomas turned, and I saw the wolf hanging from his back.
Get off him.
I hadn’t realized I’d grabbed my will until the body of the wolf jerked away from Thomas. I hit him again and again, beating him until he loosened his hold. Then, I swung out at the ones still circling Thomas. Two flew into the crowd.
The evened odds gave Thomas a chance. Lightning fast, he reached out and caught one of the two remaining wolves.
“Enough,” I said as Thomas grasped the wolf’s throat. Thomas hesitated a second then opened his hand. The wolf yipped and fell to the ground.
Thomas glared at the remaining wolf, almost daring it to attack, while I eyed Thomas’ cuts and bruises. At least, they hadn’t ripped his ear, again. I didn’t want to pick out any more stitches. The wolf finally looked away. Satisfaction coursed through me, then Thomas’ tired gaze met mine.
I gave him a worried frown. When I’d asked him a month ago what he’d needed, his answer had been correct. Cooperation.
I turned to address the men around us.
“If you want to behave like animals, then society will continue to treat you like animals. You will be hunted down and killed. Maybe you can accept that but look through that door,” I said, pointing toward Mary and Rilla, who’d rejoined us.
“They don’t want to accept that. They are willing to change to give the next generation a chance.”
“A chance for what?” one of the men said. I turned, trying to find the voice in the crowd but couldn’t.
“A chance to survive.”
“There aren’t enough Mates. You’re promising the impossible,” the voice said again. I recognized it. It was the man who’d attacked me then later joined Thomas’ pack.
“Aren’t there?” asked Winifred, stepping out. “You sensed Charlene was a possibility when you first arrived here. Her desire to change things upset you, and you’ve refused to see her as what she is. A potential Mate. I’ve listened to your concerns. She’s too human. She’s too weak. Did she look too human or too weak just now? She stopped this fight, not me. Not Grey.”
The men stared at me, and I struggled not to look away. Fear and shame dug into my belly. Hands settled on my shoulders, and a wave of reassurance washed over me.
“We Elders have spoken with her and have watched the changes she’s made. We believe she is the future of our race. We can’t force you to accept her, but we will not let you harm her or drive her away for as long as her existence continues to benefit us.”
I sensed her will split at the same time I sensed Grey’s. They worked together to touch every wolf. Numerous strands whipped out of the clearing, fading from what I could feel, only to return moments later with the rest. They’d spoken a command to all of their kind, not just those here.
I reached up and placed my hand on top of Thomas’. He leaned forward and kissed the back of my head.
“Your race can be something great,” I said, “but it will take cooperation and hard work. The things we do today will impact tomorrow and the future of your people. What future do you want? More fighting amongst yourselves?”
“I want a future where my son has hope of a Mate,” Rilla said from behind me. “I want a safe place to live until I give birth to this next one.” She patted her still flat stomach.
The tension in the crowd seemed to break after that. Many of the men shifted position to study Rilla, and I wondered how many were hoping she carried a girl. Her husband stood behind her, a protective hand on her waist.
Thomas’ hand dropped to my back, and he nudged me toward the door.
“Wait, what about the new members?”
At the sound of the familiar voice, I stopped moving. I wanted to reach out and grab the man by his throat. Instead, I took a calming breath.
“Recall our deal. He will accept new members the day after you return. That’s tomorrow. Today, give yourselves time to get to know one another.”
I kept walking forward, glad that Thomas stayed with me.
“I have warm water in there for you,” Mary said to Thomas as she walked out of the tub room.
I moved to step aside since he was still behind me, but he wouldn’t let me. His hand stayed firmly on my back as he steered me toward the tub room.
I twisted to give him a look.
“I can’t reach my back,” he said softly. With a sigh, I willingly went with him.
A chair waited near the washbowl. He sat sideways so I had full access to his front and back. I wet the cloth and started with the marks between his shoulders. Several of the gashes worried me. These weren’t small, clean cuts but jagged tears. All of them had stopped bleeding already, though. So I gently washed away the blood. When the water was dirty, I left the tub room to empty the bowl and fill it with more.
Grey and Gregory sat at the table near the door. Rilla and Mary sat at the smaller table near the stove. They were in the process of butchering a deer. I saw Rilla snitch a piece. Mary caught me gagging and grinned.
I retreated to the tub room again and closed the door behind me. Thomas was in the same spot, but his eyes were closed. I wanted to hug him.
“Save your pity,” he said softly. “These scratches aren’t worth it.”
“It’s not pity, its compassion,” I said as I set the bowl down. I rewet the cloth and moved to stand between his legs. His eyes opened then.
“Can’t you tell the difference between the two?” I asked as I pressed the cloth to a small gash caked with blood. I had to wipe at it several times in order to clean it. He grunted.
“Nope. Not with you.”
“Baby,” I said. I made to move away from him, and his arms snaked around my waist.
“Show me some compassion.” His head was tilted up just slightly so he could meet my gaze. I stepped closer, set the cloth on his shoulder, and cupped his face in my hands. His eyes closed, and he exhaled slowly.
I kissed the scratch on his chin first, then the one on his cheek. The one just above his eyebrow got two. I gently kissed the other side just because. Then the tiny split on his upper lip caught my eye. I lowered my mouth to his and kissed it gently.
My compassion ended there. The second kiss I pressed to his lips was hunger. And he understood. His arms wrapped around me, and he stole my breath as he took over.
When we finally broke apart, my chest heaved from lack of air. His lips were red and looked more abused than they had when we’d walked in here.
“I think I should finish cleaning you up,” I whispered. I took the cold cloth from his shoulder and went to rinse it.
“I like when you’re compassionate.”
I grinned stupidly at the pink water, then cleared my throat and forced a more serious expression on my face before I turned around again.
“I’m sure you do.” I handed him the cloth. “I think you can do the rest. I’m going to go help cook.”
He grinned at me.
“One of these days you’ll stop running.”
I was afraid he might be right.
The men remained outside until lunch was ready. Before Winifred let anyone in, she asked Rilla, Mary, and I to eat first and leave the room. She said the men were too tense and with two of us unMated and Rilla pregnant, it would be best if we weren’t there.
After we ate, we escaped upstairs to my room with Grey standing outside our door as a guard. Rilla and Mary wove mats while I watched and handed them their next reeds. When Grey opened our door to tell us the men had cleared out, we went downstairs to clean up. Only, everything was already done. Gregory and Thomas were setting the last stack of dry dishes to the side.
The outside door opened and two men entered, carrying two wild boar.
“Thought we’d need a head start on the next meal,” Thomas said when I glanced at him.
“I think I’ll try to weave,” I said, stepping aside.
After Mary, Rilla, and I ate dinner, Rilla’s husband came to take her and their son to their room. Gregory came in next, holding out his hand for Mary. With a grin and a wave at me, Mary left with him.
Grey, who’d eaten with us, winked at me.
“You get me tonight,” he said with a smile.
I smiled back and followed him upstairs, and he left me at the door with a goodnight. I rarely saw him without a smile. He didn’t seem the least bit upset about what he’d given up to be an Elder. I still felt for him, though. He’d entertained Rilla’s little one most of the time we were together. I could see he liked children. I hoped that by staying here, he’d have a chance to raise little ones, even if they weren’t his own.
Long after I’d gone to bed, my door opened. I still had the lamp lit, so I looked up and watched Thomas silently walk in.
“Why aren’t you sleeping?” he said softly.
“I couldn’t. I was waiting for you. What took so long?”
He smiled at me, blew out the lamp, and sat on the edge of the mattress. His fingers combed through my hair.
“A lot of the men wanted to talk to me. Some, I think, wanted to know what kind of leader I might be if they decided to join tomorrow. Some were just curious about you. Where did you come from? Are there any others like you? Things like that.” He lay down next to me. “I think they were disappointed to hear you’re one of a kind, so far.”
I rolled on my side and laid my head on his shoulder.
“Tomorrow…” I didn’t say anything else. I didn’t know if it was all right to speak my questions aloud.
“Don’t worry so much,” he said softly. His arm wrapped around me, and he pulled me close.
How could I not worry? Tomorrow would determine my fate.
