Crying Wolf - 7. Chapter 7

Skye

“Are you really sure about this?”

Jane leads him back to the front door, walking slowly beside him.

“No, I am not, but instinct tells me this is what I need to do. You’re not going?”

Sable curls sway as she shakes her head.

“Arisa is leading this. I will be staying behind to protect and lead the pack in the event of an emergency. Leeds cannot be left unguarded. As far as I know, besides Arisa there is Liz, Noah, James, and now you. This is an information gathering mission, not a raid.”

Jane opens the door, preceding Skye outside to walk him to the wrought iron gate.

“Watch each other's backs out there. Come home safe.”

On impulse, Skye wraps her in a tight hug when they reach the end of the stone path. Of course she was worried, even if her impassive features usually won’t show it.

“The pack will always take care of their own. I promise to behave and follow Arisa’s directions. If this is what it takes to get answers… Even so I would never put others in danger for my curiosity. This is the only family I have left.”

Her arms return his embrace, placing a sisterly kiss against his blonde locks.

“You know she likes to bite off more than she can chew. Not like you are the only stubborn one…”

“Ha ha ha. Glad I can be a source of amusement, though.”

“We worry about you. Arisa sees a lot of herself in you and it makes her want to hover.”

“That is actually a terrifying thought.”

Jane’s hand playfully smacks his shoulder before shutting the gate between them.

“Think about things until it’s time to go. You know no one will think less if you change your mind. Stubborn will only get you so far.”

With a little wave, Jane turns on her heel and retreats back towards the manor. Standing alone on the street, Skye sets off with heavy thoughts.

“Should have known… Goddamn it.”

Returning to his house to muddle and worry in the dark sounds like a terrible time, and instead he heads towards the Wall. Groceries and visiting McGregor’s shop are forgotten for the moment.

In wolf.

A shudder shakes his body, having nothing to do with the autumnal chill. And here the day started off so brightly… chock full of hope for the future. He should have known life was just waiting to sucker punch him.

“It’s not like you can’t do it.”

‘I don’t want to. It always feels so wrong having to cede control to that creature.’

“Can it be any different than the full moon?”

‘Not like I have a choice, but can I do it of my own free will?’

Here on the very edge of the city there is no one around to hear his mad ramblings to himself. Skye can almost imagine a worn path where his feet have so often trod out his troubles. Nothing had ever compared to this, though…

“Calm down. Think of this rationally, lad. You wanted answers? Here’s your chance handed to you on a platter. YOU went to HER and volunteered. Your pack leader needs someone she can trust at her back. Are you capable of not fucking it up and getting the lot of you killed?”

For hours he circles Leeds perimeter, arguing with himself back and forth. No matter how much time and distance he passed, the ramifications of the situation didn’t just disappear. It wasn’t long before signs of dusk crept in from the west.

“Time’s running out, lad.”

‘Put your money where your mouth is.’

Tsk.

Skye takes one last look at the burnt orange rays creeping over the Wall, a long breath exhaling from his body.

“Hope this works…”

He is unsure what exactly to expect since the full moon forcing him to change was the only experience he had. Though it made his stomach ill, he brought forth the image in his mind of honeyed golden fur covering his body. Lavender eyes closing, Skye could feel something happening. The squelching sound of distorting muscles accompanies the sickening pop of bones as he falls forward to land on the stones beneath his feet.

Barely able to part his lids, the street is shaking in front of him and a hacking sound issues forth from his maw. Fighting hard, he manages to somehow keep the remains of his breakfast inside the bowels of his stomach.

‘Hard part done… I think. See? Now get a hold of yourself before you embarrass yourself in front of the Alpha.’

Drawing in even calming breaths, he opens wide his lavender gaze. Four golden paws dance beneath him, eager to run… anywhere. Anxiety wracks him and Skye doesn’t think it will be going anywhere soon, but there is something wholly different.

Usually, there is an overwhelming sense of the beast to the point that he feels as though he’s ceased to exist. On tenterhooks he waits for that maddening loss of self… Long minutes pass and he remains solely ‘him’, a sad quaking wolf on shaking paws.

Where he should really feel relieved, Skye instead is filled with a sense of betrayal. All these years he’d lived in fear of the ravening monster who couldn’t wait to steal his control. What was with this pitiful creature?

‘One paw in front of the other now…’

He had to fight this.

If he didn’t have himself under control by the time he made it back to the manor then Arisa would assuredly make him stay. She would never allow him to jeopardize the safety of the others.

Although he knew dusk was claiming the sky, the world was as bright as day. A soft chuff escapes him as an array of scents assaults his sensitive nose. Skye could only imagine what a cacophony they would be if it were a normal modern working city. As it was, he could tell exactly the direction of the communal farm and from elsewhere floated the aroma of fresh baked loaves of bread.

‘Move your ass and quit stalling. If you take any longer then it will all be for nothing and she will leave without you.’

Run. Run. Run.

The urge is deafening… a reminder that the beast is not absent, simply subdued. Breaking into motion, he zigs and zags his way through the corridors of the city. In a distant recess of his mind, he can tell where other members of the pack are by the individual smells.

Running makes him happy.

Is that a new baby goat born?

Skye shakes his head, doing his damndest to dislodge the distractions.

‘This is not a fucking pleasure trip. You aren’t supposed to be enjoying any of this, you’re doing it because you have to. Now hurry up.’

It’s not far ahead now, the manor house, and he can sense Arisa and the others who are gathered and ready to go. He needed to move his ass. Breaking free from an adjoining alleyway, he watches Arisa’s head turn in his direction.

His Alpha was magnificent and entirely comfortable in her wolf body, shaking a steel grey ruff in disbelief and Skye stopped to stand beside her. Raising his head, he bared his throat before her as a sign of submission and respect.

“Skye, you are really coming with us?”

Liz, a striking black wolf with grey points sidles up to sniff him, tail wagging with alacrity. Her words came out on what sounded like a low growl, but it was obvious that at least she was used to attempting speech in this form.

Nodding silently, he turns to greet the other two. Noah, a grey wolf who was a few shades darker than Arisa, and James who was as red as the ginger curls he usually had. Everyone appeared to be excited to see him… in wolf form no less. After so long, people usually got used to…accepting even of the beasts that lived with us all, but he was one of the particularly resistant ones.

“We’re heading out the north gate. I’ll be on point, Liz you are on flank. Skye, you stay mid with the boys. I hope we won’t run into any dodgy situations, but keep your guard up at all times. Soft paws, everyone. This is recon first and foremost.”

“Yes, Alpha.”

The rest chorus in answer and Skye nods his head in understanding. As a collective unit they take to the streets, heading to the upper reaches of the city. Aside from their footfalls on the stones, they are surprisingly quiet. There is something pleasant about running shoulder to shoulder with his pack mates, but also something alarming.

‘You are not supposed to be enjoying this…’