“Thank god!” said Gina. “I think I could eat a whole cow at this point.”
“Where would you put it?” asked Meg thinking about how she was hungry, but didn’t have room for a big meal.
“I wouldn’t have room. But I’d gnaw on it all day long,” she said with a giggle as they started to eat.
Luc came back with his own plate and joined them. Forty minutes later, everyone had been fed. Jeff got up and started talking.
“Hey everyone! Glad to see you. This picnic should have happened ages ago, but as we all know this has been one hellish summer. A bower has been set up for the people to chill out in while the rest of us go for a run. As your doctor,” he started and had to pause because everyone started to laugh.
“As your doctor, I suggest waiting a few minutes before you go off running. There is plenty of food and dessert left. Some of the parents have opted to babysit so that others may run or relax. There is a tent off to one side with genealogy information with a new list of people related to Brian Davy, also known as Buster to some of us. He died a few months ago and shed some light on such families as Ginny’s and Luc’s. There are also plenty of baskets and bags for clothing on the other side of the pavilion. Enjoy yourselves and watch out for traffic!” Jeff finished.
People began to move. Some stripped off where they stood while others at least got out of sight. Within minutes, there were wolves everywhere. Nose bumps, tails wagging and hijinks.
“Meg, I’ll be back in just a bit,” said Luc as he pulled off his shirt.
“Luc, go run. Really run. It’s been way too long for you especially. I’ll be fine,” said Meg as she kissed him.
Luc smiled and dropped his jeans to the ground. He put them in a bag next to Meg’s feet and then shifted.
Wolf sniffed his mate. “Smells okay,” he thought. “Pups okay.” Wolf rubbed his head against his mate, licked her face and headed for the trees.
“Gaaaah! That is the only thing I don’t like,” said Meg to Gina as she wiped slobber off of her face.
Gina laughed. “I shift and I don’t like it in this form,” she giggled. That made both of them laugh. “Shall we move over to that bower Jeff talked about?” she suggested.
“Sounds good. I’ll be there right after I visit the little blue house in the forest,” said Meg heading for the porta potty.
*
Wolf ran hard. “Too long,” he thought. He ran up behind a pair of wolves. The female smelled of Ginny’s perfume, but he’d know her anywhere. He nipped at her heels. The bigger wolf running with her grinned as the she wolf tried to turn herself inside out to bite Wolf. The three of them tumbled in the undergrowth.
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.