Adjusting - 11. Chapter 10 - Fun

Breakfast was slightly awkward. Brian was glaring at Jude and me, making me shrink back in my seat whenever our eyes connected. Jude was snarfing down his oatmeal and berries like they would disappear if he didn't get them in his mouth fast enough. Alex was avoiding my eyes, most likely feeling guilty for what happened last night. And Alpha was staring at all of us, his eyes switching between the four of us at regular intervals.

The dining room was silent and filled with tension so strong you'd need a chainsaw to cut through it. It was Maria who cooked, and she sat on Alpha John's right-hand side, as regal and attention-demanding as her other half, yet also exuding warmth and kindness that made her obviously loved by the wolves in her pack. She seemed to be the only one in the room impervious to the unpleasant atmosphere, chattering on to her mate and sons about one thing or another. After a few minutes of this, Maria seemed to give up and change tactics. She abruptly stopped talking--I'm pretty sure her one-sided conversation had either been about the orphaned wolves in a neighboring pack or about her newest purchase: purple, leopard spotted socks--and faced Jude with a smiling face.

"So, Jude, right?" she asked with her smile beaming.

Jude quickly swallowed and nodded. "Yes ma'am."

"Oh, none of that," Maria said with a wave of her hand. "Call me Maria. Ma'am makes me feel old."

Jude blushed slightly and gave her a soft smile. "Yes, Maria."

"There, isn't that better?" the woman said as she tucked her hair behind her ear.

Before Jude could answer the rhetorical question, Maria continued.

"What do you like to do in your spare time, Jude?"

The young teen pushed away his now-empty plate before dropping his hands into his lap and staring down at them. "I don't know. I was kind of left out at my other pack."

"Oh, dear," Maria said, her entire body radiating with sympathy and affection.

She looked at Jude with sad eyes for a moment before straightening up with a small humph and casting her eyes on her sons and me. "You three bring Jude here out to play. I have to talk to John for a moment."

Despite the three of us all being grown men, we hastily jumped up and brought Jude with us into the backyard to 'play', not wanted to go against Mama Bear when one of her cubs was upset.

There were still a few picnic tables outside from the barbeque, along with the wicker furniture set Brian, Maria, and Alpha John had been sitting in when I first arrived. Other than that, the yard was bare.

Brian immediately huffed his annoyance and went over to the outdoor furniture. He plopped down in one of the chairs, propped his feet up on the little coffee table, and seemed to fall asleep.

"Glad to know my dear brother is so excited to hang out with me," Alex said drily.

His eyes still closed, Brian flashed us the bird before going back to ignoring us. I stifled a laugh, but Jude wasn’t able to. He let out a small giggle and I smiled at him. Suddenly an idea came to me and I turned to Alex.

“Alex,” I said, my eyes probably lighting up with excitement, “let’s do some training with Jude. You teach us combat, and I’ll teach you guys stealth.”

An (ironically) wolfish grin appeared on his face and he looked toward Jude. “Would you like that, pup?” he asked.

Jude blushed and nodded with a slight smile.

“Alright,” Alex said, clapping and then rubbing his hands together. “Combat first. Shift.”

I saw Jude shedding his clothes quickly and turned my head away from him before sprinting into the woods. With the cover of the trees, I took off my clothing, folded it up, and shifted. Once on all fours, I shook out my fur and stretched, happy to be using this form again. After being a rogue for so long, I was used to being in this form more than my human one. At times, this form felt more natural. I swiftly ran back into the clearing, my mood brightening and my tail pointed toward the sky.

I glanced over at Jude to see the sandy-brown wolf all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. I inwardly smiled at the pup, happy to see him looking considerably better than the first time I saw his wolf form.

I turned towards a loud bark to see Alex standing on four paws, his body strong and upright. He looked exactly like an Alpha, and I thought again about what a shame it was that he wouldn't be Alpha, or even Beta.

I went over and sat on my haunches, Jude sitting next to me. When we were both sitting, Alex circled us for a moment before coming over to me and lightly nipping at my thigh to tell me to get up. I quickly got up and complied, following Alex a few yards away from Jude; far enough to not accidentally involve the boy in our fight but close enough so he could see everything that was happening.

Once we were about five feet away from each other, Alex crouched down into an attacking mode and I hastily mirrored him. We began to circle each other and my heart began beating faster in anticipation. Old memories of confrontations between other rogues or pack members attacking me started to swirl in my mind. I shook my head in a desperate attempt to clear them from my thoughts. He feinted toward me and the memories forced themselves upon me, taking me back to when every fight was a fight for my life.

Shaking with fear, I shot towards the wolf with jaws that bite and claws that catch. I aimed for his hind legs. If I bit hard enough into the muscle, he would be unable to chase after me.

Just when my teeth were about to sink into his flesh, the wolf shoved his paws into my side, knocking me over. I begin kicking with all of my legs, claws out to hopefully catch on his skin. The wolf is strong, though, and grasped my neck in his jaw, growling loudly. I continue fighting with all I have until I feel him break the skin. I immediately stop and lay still, panting heavily, my fear growing rapidly.

The wolf surprised me when he released my neck and stepped back. When he shifted into his human form, my memories faded away and I was once again in control.

I hastily shifted into my human form to explain myself. It was only after I was standing on two legs again did I realize that I didn’t go back into the woods before shifting to human form.

My cheeks burning red at them seeing my scars, I sprinted into the woods, embarrassed and fearful at what they might say. I knew that Alex didn’t care, but Jude was beginning to take on a little brother role in my life. I didn’t want him to be disappointed in me. I yanked on my clothes, fighting off the tears.

“Adrian?”

I whipped around to see Jude standing in front of me, shifting his weight several times and twiddling his thumbs with his eyes downcast. His eyes flashed up for a moment, less than a second. But it was enough for me to see the worry in those wide, blue orbs.

“I’m okay, Jude. Just a nightmare from the past.”

Jude chewed on his bottom lip before lifting his head completely so his soft baby blues could meet my own electric ones.

“Are you sure?”

“Positive,” I said, giving him a smile and trying to be convincing about it.

Jude returned the smile and we went back into the clearing to see an anxious dark brown wolf pacing. He must have heard our return because his head whipped towards us before he bounded forward. In a moment, he was in front of us, his head cocked and his eyes mirroring Jude’s earlier concern.

“I’m fine Alex. Just an old memory.”

I could tell that he doubted me and I sighed.

“Look, no more combat, alright? But at least let me teach you two how to sneak.”

After a moment of hesitation, the wolf nodded its big head and I sighed again, this time in relief.

“Shift into your wolf again,” I told Jude.

Jude immediately complied, taking off his few clothes again and falling down to the ground, soon on all fours once more. I prayed to whatever gods that were still listening to me before beginning the improvised lesson that I wouldn’t have anymore flashbacks.

***

“Alright, the key is the shadows. You have to not only use them, but be them. You can’t just be quiet; you have to be silent like the shadows. You can’t only be hard to see; you have to be invisible like the shadows. And, like the shadows, you have to make anyone and anything around you believe that no one is there, only the shadows.”

After my mini-lecture, I began showing them how to creep past both people in wolf and human forms, during the day or at night. I was shocked when I glanced up at the sky and realized by the sun that it was afternoon, most likely either 2 or 3 ‘o clock.

“I think that’s enough training for today, you guys,” I said to the two wolves sitting beside me. A second later, they had been replaced with two very naked people. I blushed and mumbled some excuse before going inside. I found myself walking into the kitchen and grabbing an apple, leaning against the countertop as I ate it and thought about today. After my small panic attack, I had actually had a lot of fun with Alex and Jude. Jude was a natural sneak; I thought we had lost him for a moment before he leapt out of the trees and tackled me to the ground. I had erupted in laughter as he licked my cheek like a puppy. Alex, on the other hand, couldn’t be stealthy to save his life. Each time I saw him, he would freeze as though he though the T-Rex would just pass him by if he didn’t move. It had made me giggle every time he did it.

“Adrian.”

Brian’s sharp voice broke through my happy reminiscence and I glanced towards him, scared at the tone of his voice.

“What is it?” I asked quietly.

“Rogues have crossed the border, and are coming nearer. We think they’re going to attack.”

I must be a special kind of idiot to think that I could have some happiness in my life.