The wolves ran. Some in packs, others alone. They hunted and chased the wildlife in the area. All of them stayed clear of the triple chain link fence where the real wolves and those shifters who’d lost their minds lay. A few wolves curled up and slept in the leaf mold on the forest floor. Most of them ran, played and a few mated. One sat picking cactus out of a front paw and another one scared a skunk. He rolled and tried to scratch his face off to get rid of the stench. The rest of the wolves steered clear of him as he ran alone.
As darkness fell, some returned to the picnic area. While some remained on four legs, others shifted back. People felt their loved ones snuggle next to them as they slept in tents or the bower.
Others stayed out to run under the moonlight. On the top of a hill, Wolf sat and howled. He waited, and in the distance another howl answered him. A few minutes later Wolf heard a third howl as it passed along the hilltops. Soon others joined him and they all howled their throaty song.
Wolf returned near dawn. He’d had a very long run and was tired when he got back. He snuffed his mate and their pups. “Safe,” he thought. His mate’s belly moved as he nudged her over just a bit so he could lay down beside her. Wolf put his nose against her belly and felt the pups move. “Soon,” he thought.
Meg woke up briefly when Luc came in. He hadn’t shifted back, and while it was good to feel his furry body next to hers, he was hot. She turned so that her back was to him and went back to sleep.
*
George and Angie left the airport terminal after dropping Sam off. They headed to Ginny’s house to pick up a load of furniture and clothes. Ginny and Patrick were waiting for them to help load the truck. In fact, there was a moving truck in the driveway.
“What the hell?” said George under his breath.
“I don’t know,” said Angie. They both got out of the truck and walked over to where Ginny and Patrick were standing with grins on their faces.
“What’s with the truck?” asked George pointing to the moving van.
“Sam called and suggested that we have everything ready for you,” said Patrick. “So, Luc, Cal, Peter, Kevin, Ginny and I loaded up everything from Angies storage unit and all of your stuff and we’re just waiting for you.”
“So that’s why she was smiling so much when we said we were on our way here,” said George.
“Yes. You pulled a few on her and it was her turn to do it to you. That way you’d be back up to the B&B faster too,” said Ginny.
“Unky Geworge! Unky Geworge!” cried Sara and her brothers as they mobbed him at the knees.
George picked Sara and Joe up and hugged them while Ivan snuggled with Angie.
“And how our my three favorite wolf pups?” George asked.
“We wants to come visits you!” said Sara. The two boys nodded.
“When we have all the construction done, Unky Pattie and Awnty Ginny will bring you up,” said Angie mimicking the children’s names for Patrick and Ginny.
“Yeah!!!!” the three of them said and then wiggled out of their arms and back inside.
“You know, I miss them and yet I don’t!” said George.
“Oh yeah. We had the big seasonal picnic a few weeks ago and while it was good to run, it took some of us three hours to round up the pup pack that decided to go ‘splorin’,” said Patrick. The adults watching the children hadn’t seen Sara, the boys and a handful of their friends creep out. Patrick and Luc had finally found them down by the river. No one was hurt, but they all got a long lecture on how to stay safe. Patrick swore he had more gray hair from that than anything else.
“Feel good to shift?” George asked noticing that they both looked more relaxed than the last time he’d seen them.
“Damn right!” said Ginny. “You?”
“Yes. Two days after we buried Buster I went for a long run. Those fast shifts back and forth wear you out far more than one big shift. Plus, I’d had to act feeble. Now however, I go for a run about twice a week. And, we reinforced the floor in the back bedroom of the B&B. I will enjoy my bed tonight. I can shift and not worry about it snapping like a toothpick,” said George.
That made everyone laugh.
“‘Solda is watching the kids and we’re going to go up with you to unpack. Cal and Kevin are already on their way. Luc was going to come, but Meg isn’t feeling up to the trip,” said Ginny.
“How much longer does she have?” asked Angie.
“Well, she passed the seven month marker, and the doctor said every day is a bonus from this point on. The twins are huge. So, she nibbles, moves around as best she can and ‘Solda helps around the house. The nursery is finished and if Luc gets any more twitchy, Jeff is going to sedate him,” said Ginny.
Angie laughed. “Are you going to ride up with me?” she asked Ginny.
“Sure. Let’s go and leave these two to drive the big truck,” said Ginny.
Angie got the keys from George, kissed him and got in the truck. They were on the highway in twenty minutes.
*
George and Patrick pulled up to the gates of the B&B around sunset. They got out of the cab to find Angie, Ginny, Cal, Kevin and some others eating barbecue and drinking beer.
“I hope you saved us some,” said George.
“Plenty on the grill and beer in the fridge,” said Angie.
“Hope the meat isn’t too overdone,” said Patrick.
“It isn’t. Sheriff Dobbs called us about ten minutes ago and said he saw you make the turn. That’s when we put your steaks on. They should just be ready,” said Ginny.
George and Patrick ate and after a beer, they began to unload the truck. The last thing out was George’s bed. The frame was massive and instead of empty space under the box spring, there were slats with an inch between each one.