At eight thirty pm on New Year’s Eve, the whole Bay Street gang landed in Ellie’s apartment, where she was hosting a party for her pack. Ellie had invited them weeks prior and all of them accepted – because of their mates, inability to refuse free booze or the fact that from tonight until the end of reparations, they were barred from the building that was the centre of their world. Half of them low-key expected something fancy and proper, like Ellie seemed to be – maybe a dinner with red wine and thick napkins. Instead, it looked rather...chill.
Ellie had dragged her coffee table to the corner and it was loaded with every alcohol imaginable from champagne to prosecco to 40% vodka. There were mixers somewhere between the bottles but not nearly enough – it looked like half the guests would be getting smashes tonight. The party was strictly for pack – and for mates – which made it intimate and relaxed. Fritz’s sub-pack was lounging around, eating and wrestling on the couch. Dom
Ellie’s condo was absolutely trashed and, mid-afternoon when she finally woke up, it seemed like everyone cleared out in time to avoid cleaning, claiming hangovers and work. Ellie walked through the livingroom in her loose t-shirt and sleeping shorts, rubbing her messy, un-brushed red hair and assessing the damage. There were crushed plastic cups and spilled liquids on the usually glossy floor; crisp crumbs, wrappers and haribos were strewn across the room; decorations somehow managed to migrate from the walls and windows to drape over couches and other furniture. Ellie yawned and stretched, preparing herself for a couple hours of cleaning. Coffee first, though. She ventured into her spotless modern kitchen and was surprised to find her mate still there. Val sat on the stainless steel counter in a t-shirt and ripped jeans, drinking coffee from one of Ellie’s oversized white cups, staring into space, ‘’hey,’’
Diego did as Ellie said. He went home and slept. He set alarm clocks on his phone to wake him up after only a couple of hours. But as soon as he collapsed in Jamie’s bed, and inhaled his scent, his nerves were calmed and he was out like a light. He slept straight through the day and awoke after sun down. ‘’Shit,’’ Diego scrambled out of bed in the dark, groggy and confused. It took him a couple of minutes to gather his thoughts. He forced himself to take a few deep breaths before hopping in the shower. He scrubbed himself down, brushed his teeth, changed his clothes and left his house. Ellie had been right. Diego felt much stronger and more determined when he walked out onto the streets, now that he had all of his energy back. He tried to catch Jamie’s scent, but it wasn’t anywhere around the house. So Diego set out, walking around all the places he thought Jamie might be. He went to the last building on Bay Street first. There were building materials strewn all over
The day of the duel crept up on Ellie like a thief in the night. The 12thof January had come out of nowhere. One moment, Ellie was working her ass off at the matchmaking company and coming home with Val, who slept in her bed. They were growing closer. The pack was going on runs; she was helping Fritz’s kids find jobs. All was as it was supposed to be. And then on the 12th, Ellie woke up and realised it could all be over tonight. Val, as if sensing her mate’s feelings, stirred. Ellie watched her wake up; took in the way she stretched and yawned, then slithered fully under her covers and scratched the multitude of curls atop her head. Finally, without looking at her mate, she said, ‘’today’s the day.’’ Ellie sighed. Today, she didn’t want to be the alpha. She wanted to stay in bed with Val, and just talk. Grow closer. Become better friends, a
48 hours after the fight, Gus and Alex were back in Alex’s hostel room. They were fresh after sex, lying on top of the covers in just their underwear. Gus was splayed atop his mate, tracing patterns into his chest. Alex had his arm thrown over Gus and was dozing off a little. Gus was deep in thought. Now that the New Year was well and truly underway, the date of Alex’s dispatch was creeping up on them. Gus knew how much Alex wanted to be a proper soldier and he’d never try to cap his dreams. But it hurt, every time Gus thought about it. How in less than six months, Alex would be gone, for years on end. How they wouldn’t be able to do this – lay together and soak in each other’s presence – all the time anymore. Gus buried his face in Alex’s chest and listened to his steady heartbeat. There was another thing plaguing his mind. An idea that had blossomed a while ago and had since been flitting around his head. S
On the night of the full moon, Gus rolled up to Alex’s hotel to find that he wasn’t there. Deciding that he was probably still at the run, Gus sat on the edge of his mate’s bed. He tapped his fingers on the covers, looking around, trying to find something to entertain himself with while he waited. He eventually dumped himself backwards on the bed and stared at the ceiling. Soon bored, Gus sat up and sighed. He didn’t have a phone to call Alex with and, even if he was human, he was still getting pretty hot and bothered, knowing that he’d get to touch Alex all over tonight, and be touched in return. They hadn’t really had the time to be close recently, what with the fight and all the help Ellie needed with securing her territory. Finally, unable to just sit there and try to think about something else than Alex taking him into his arms and holding him through the whole night, Gus got up and walked to his closet.
Buster woke up feeling sore all over. He wondered briefly if he’d gotten beat up again at a dodgy job. But then it all came crashing back – the movie, the drive, him triggering Gideon into a full-moon state, getting home, that strange need that took over everything else, the kiss...and then nothing. He groaned and opened his eyes, feeling the covers of Gideon’s bed slide all over his naked body. Gideon himself was sitting up, the covers pooling around his knees and waist. He was chewing his thumb, his green eyes nervous and worried. He didn’t even glance down at Buster when he stirred and Buster had the sinking, cold feeling that there was a lot of regret going through Gideon. They’d screwed up, again. Buster rolled onto his side, his back to Gideon. He was doing what he best did with all his problems: running away from them. ‘’It’s fifty.’’ ‘’What?’’ Gideon glanced down at Buster, curling in the covers, wanting to disappear. ‘’Fifty quid. For
For two weeks straights, Jed argued with the council and the rest of the pack plotted. When finally an ultimatum of money – one hundred thousand – and a date of exactly one month were granted, everyone got to work. It was a huge amount of money and a very short time; the pack was being set up to fail but everyone was determined to save the last building on Bay Street. For the humans, it wasn’t the first or last time they had to fight for something in their lives and their fire fuelled their mates. During the first days of March came the raves, and they were glorious. *~*~* ‘’Glitter ball,’’ Fritz said distastefully, brushing a handful of glitter off his shoulder, ‘’nice.’’ ‘’It works,’’ Val called over the music, turning gracefully from the makeshift bar. Losing the building meant also losing the Crypt. But even without a venue, the Bay St
Jed whistled, impressed, ‘’you’ve really outdone yourselves this time.’’ The rolling hills, between the city and the forest, were blazing with light and blasting with music. Art and Jamie, on either side of Jed, admired the view with unhidden pride. Their ‘faerie rave’ was by far their most successful rave and they had been organising those for a week and a half straight. The hills were overtaken by party-goers in bright clothes; boys in neon jackets and masks and girls with glitter and flower crowns. The Crypt’s gear had been put to good use. The grass and trees danced with neon lights and speakers pulsed music over the open space. There were small bonfires started here and there, surrounded with bricks and rocks for safety. They had been a bitch to build for Jamie and Art but it was worth it for the effect. From where the three of them stood, the whole thing looked like some wild dance of the faerie hunt. ‘’Right,’’ Jamie said, ‘’time to get to work.’’ They