Chapter 4

Lexi

I made a quick stop at the grocery store before going home. After putting all my things away I noticed I still had two hours before I had to get ready for work.  I've had a weird feeling since my run in with Aiden. And it followed me to the grocery store. I kept feeling like I was being watched but there was no one around. It made me feel restless. There was nothing I could do around the house to help calm me. The house was clean and all the laundry was done. I knew I couldn’t focus on studying but I needed to clear my mind. 

I grabbed my new coat and walked out onto my pack porch and grabbed a shovel. Maybe some physical work that I don’t have to think about will help. My porch isn’t very big. Just big enough for a built-in bench, a small grill and garden table for two. It didn’t take me more than ten minutes and my mind was still cluttered. It might have taken most people longer but for some reason I have been strong and faster than most people I know. It started in my early teens. It came in handy when I was on the track team but I also know I got some odd looks from people. I didn’t think I was very different but my grandma said it was a family trait and helped me learn how to control it so it didn’t freak people out. 

I remembered one time when I accidentally broke the door to the bathroom off. That was the first time my strength scared me.  I was worried that I could hurt someone so I worked with grandma every day to learn how to control it. But when I’m alone I let myself go from time to time. I understood why I had to hide parts of myself but I hated it. I even wore contacts for a while to dull my eyes. Those were the worst. They made my eyes itch and red. I asked many times why I was so different but my grandma would always tell me that I would know when the time was right but that I was special and destined for great things. 

Unfortunately that day didn’t come. My grandma passed away before she could tell me anything. The only thing she did say was on my eighteenth birthday. She said that it is getting closer to the time to tell me about myself. I’m almost twenty one and I still have no answers. And since there is no family left I don’t think I will ever get the answers. But I don’t need that on my mind on that either. Just more puzzles I don’t have all the pieces for. 

I put my shovel so it was leaning against the house by the  back door and sat down on the steps. I stared off into the woods about fifty feet from my house. It was one of the reasons I bought the house. I have always been drawn to the first even when I lived in Florida. When everyone I knew went to the beach I was much happier exploring the woods. It was a happy place for me to go when life got a little too much for me to handle. When  my parents died. When I had trouble in school. When I had trouble making friends. And when my grandma died I would go to the woods like it was calling to me and it made my worries easier to deal with.

I wish I could go there today but I’m worried I would lose track of time like I always did. So I sat with my face up to the sky and closed my eyes. I soaked up the sun's rays and tried to clear my mind. I breathe in the crisp air and blow it out. I feel myself relax. I do my best to block everything but the sounds of nature.  After a little while I’m not sure of the time I’m clear headed for now. I hear a twig snap which is weird because I shouldn’t be able to. I pop open my eyes and look at the edge of the woods. 

I see a wolf standing about twenty feet from me and it feels like it is looking at me. This one is different from the one I saw yesterday. This one has milk chocolate fur. I stand up but instead of backing up slowly and going into the house like a smart person would do I talk to it. “ Hey there, handsome. You startled me. Where did you come from?” He tilts his head and has his tongue hanging out and his ears pinned back. He looks goofy and I can’t help but giggle.

“ Well, it is nice to meet you but I need to get ready for work and I’m sure you need to get back home.” He lays down and whines a little bit. “ What’s wrong buddy. Don’t you want to go back home?” Yes, I have decided the wolf is a guy. And I’m still talking to it. I should be running but the funny thing is I don’t feel scared at all. “ You know what. I bet you are thirsty. With all this snow and ice I imagine getting water is hard. Stay there, I'll be back.”

I run inside and find a large old bowl I never use and fill it with water. When I get back outside I half expect the wolf to be gone but nope he is still sitting in the same spot. Like he listened to me. Weird. I step off the porch onto the ground. “ Here is the deal. You are going to stay there like a good wolfy. I’ll bring this a little closer to you.” He moves his head up and down and wags his tail. I laugh, “ I’ll take that as a yes.” 

I walk carefully towards him keeping my eyes on him in case he makes any sudden moves. But he just lays down putting his head on his paws. I stop a little more than halfway between the house and the wolf. I lay the water down firmly in the snow so it doesn’t fall over. When I stood back up I saw the wolf has belly crawled about a foot closer but still I felt no threat coming from him. “ You know, seeing you closer, you are kind of cute. And for some odd reason you are listening to me. I think. Or I have lost my mind. Hell, maybe a bit of both.” I shake my head and laugh.

“ I’m going back into the house. When I get on the steps you can get the water. You know I have to keep myself safe after all. When you are done go home or chase a rabbit or something. It isn’t safe for you so close to town. Someone one might try to shoot you or something. And I don’t want that to happen to you.” I said. Then I did something even stupider. I turned my back on him and walked back to the  porch. Strange thing is he never moved until I was standing on the porch. I know because I kept looking over my shoulder.

Aiden

I was sitting at the packhouse having dinner with the rest of my family when I saw Jesse walking in late. He is never late for dinner. Or any meal. The man eats constantly. He grabs a plate and loads it with a mountain of food from the buffet before sitting down. I shake my head. I’ll never understand how he can eat so much. Yes, we are wolves and require large amounts of food to keep us going but Jesse takes it to extremes. “ You're late.” I said to him. Jesse looks up from his plate “ Yea, went out for a run and lost track of time.” I nod at that. We all have done that a time or two. Our wolf takes control and we lose ourselves. 

But there is something else. I’m watching him through dinner and notice his  eyes will glaze over. He isn’t mind linking anyone since we are all here so he must be talking to his wolf. At one point Jesse gets aggravated and speaks out loud. “ I know. Will you give it a rest? I’m trying to eat.” We all stop and look at him. Jesse looks at us and blushes before rumbling “ Sorry.” “ Razor any idea what is going on with Jesse?” I asked. “ Not Jesse but Remus is excited about something.” Razor said. “ Do you know why?” I asked. “ No clue. But I have never heard him like this. But he isn’t talking to me right now. Remus keeps bugging Jesse.” Razor said.

I decide to just wait and see if Jesse tells me what is going on. All through dinner Jesse and Remus go back and forth. It is really bugging me. And Razor is right. I have never seen them act like this. I guess my dad has had enough. “ Jesse, what is going on with your wolf? I can feel his excitement from here.” dad said. Now that he has said something, so can I. That is  weird. 

Jesse bows his head “ Sorry Alpha. Remus won’t shut up.” “ Care to enlighten us?” dad asks but looks like he is trying not to laugh. “ I was out for a run when we felt something. Or Remus did.” Jesse said. “ What was it? A rogue?” dad asks suddenly on alert. Jesse shakes his head and looks at Jackson, Melissa and me. “ No Alpha. Emotions.” Jesse said. He looks at me and says “ Lexi’s emotions.” I sit up straight. “ What do you mean?” I asked. 

Jesse says he was running through the woods when he felt something. He followed the feeling and it led to Lexi’s house. “ What did you feel?” I asked. Was she afraid of something? Did someone hurt her? Why should I care? “ Frustration, confusion and sadness. Aiden I was five miles away when I felt it. The closer I got the more intense it felt.” Jesse said. “ And that has Remus excited?” I was curious why his wolf would be excited about that. Confused maybe because Remus shouldn’t have been able to feel anything. Especially at that distance.

Jesse shakes his head and smiles. “ No. Lexi saw Remus. It was like she sensed us. She even talked to him. He is excited because she talked to him.” “ Wait, she knows about us?” I asked. But how could she? “ No, I'm pretty sure she thought I was a regular wolf.”  Jesse said. “ Damn it Jesse. You need to be more careful. You probably scared the poor girl.” Jackson said. He is right. 

Jesse has a far off look on his face and leans back in his chair. “ But she wasn’t. You are right she should have run as soon as she saw me standing at the edge of the woods. She talked to Remus. She said we startled her. But then she called Remus handsome. She even gave him a bowl of water because she was worried that with the ground frozen we couldn’t get any. She even got about ten feet away from us but never showed any sign of fear.” Jesse said. He is silent for a minute before he says “ Now that I think about it. The longer I stayed the more her emotions seemed to calm down. Lexi was curious about me. A little nervous. But never afraid. And neither was Remus. He listened to her when she talked. I don’t get it. If she hadn’t said she was going to work and told Remus to be careful so he wouldn’t get shot I think he would have stayed the night to be near her.” Jesse said.

“ Who is this Lexi?” dad asks. We all explained how we met her at the diner. And how all our wolves are drawn to her but we can’t explain why. I leave out the part about her being my mate. I don’t want my dad to know I was paired with a worthless human. They explain how their wolves feel protective over Lexi but we don’t know why. “ Did you get her last name?” my  mom asks. What an odd question. We all shake our heads no. Why is that important? My parents share a look then turn to us. 

“ We need to talk to the elders. I’m sure they would know something. I need all of you to be present when we do.” my dad said. We all nod in agreement. Nothing like this has ever happened before so we need to know more. And maybe I can figure out how to reject her without her knowing what is going on. Razor growls at this but I know he  will get over it. I have already started keeping an eye out for any worthy she-wolves that would make a good Luna.

“ Then it is settled. I will call a meeting and I will go see this Lexi girl and see if I get any vibes off of her. I’ll talk to Patsy as well. Maybe she knows something about her that can help. This situation is strange indeed, ”dad said. With that we are all excused. I need to get my mind off of Lexi and this situation so I’m going to go to the gym. I don’t trust Razor not to try to after Lexi so I’m staying in tonight. 

There is nothing to do until we talk to the elders. Me, I'm staying away from that girl as much as possible. I don’t need her invading my senses. Razor wants to take control whenever she is near and it is getting harder to hold him back. I have never had that problem before and it pisses me off. I will not let this girl ruin my life.