"So, that's the gist of it," I said as I turned around the beer can in my hands.

"Whatever, we'll just continue with trying to learn about and spot wolf traps," Fred said. "If the other wolves aren't open to that just because I'm involved, then well. Their loss. I'm an awesome teacher."

Tasha laughed and raised her beer in agreement.

"So, what are you gonna do now?" Creek asked, scratching his upper arm.

I shrugged. "Nothing. I said I was open to Frank's group, but the rest didn't seem very interested in any kind of contact, so there won't be any."

"Did you storm off dramatically?" River asked from his position in the soft leaning chair. I usually opted for that seat when I visited Fred and Cal's, but he had gotten to it first.

Bastard.

"I wouldn't say it was dramatic," I tried but yeah, I did. I was angry and nervous and anxious and maybe I had overreacted but after last year, I was not really open to giving people that many chances. I wasn't going to get all invested if someone was going to have a problem with Abel and me. Not to mention my friends. I wasn't going to do anything to jeopardise them. And I told River that.

"But is it really jeopardising if it's just one asshole being an asshole? Like let him be an asshole as long as it's only words." River shrugged carelessly.

"No. Fuck that. I did all of this as a courtesy to Frank. I'm not gonna go out of my way to accommodate anyone who doesn't even have the common decency to not be an asshole," I growled back, making Abel grab my hand. I wasn't sure if he had some supernatural power to feel whenever I was close to getting too riled up, but he definitely had a power to make me calm the fuck down again.

"You're really in liberal arts, huh," River said and rolled his eyes.

"Uh, so am I," Fred said, tipping her chin up.

"It shows. On both of you. Sometimes shit is going to take a while. Sometimes people aren't going to use the right terminology nor are they going to say nice things, but you have to get over your little feelings and see the greater picture: someone's out there, hunting wolves. Who knows when it's going to escalate to more than wolf traps. Maybe it'll be open season on wolves. But nah, let's not have any kind of allegiance with other wolves because they said bad words."

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes, clenching Abel's hand in mine.

"River," I said with a voice I didn't recognise. It was way deeper than my regular voice. "I am not doing anything to jeopardise my family. If that is an issue to you, you're welcome to leave."

"It's not about that-"

"River, just shut up already," Tasha interrupted. "What is it you're not getting? Gael doesn't think this is a good idea. Because exposing all of these people, you included, to a pack of wolves who hates the way we do things here? You don't see the literal fucking danger in that?"

"I do but-"

"Nah I don't think you do," Abel said then. "You don't know shit about the history of this town. You don't know how fragile this whole system is. How easily it can get corrupted if someone thinks another kind is after them. If a pack of wolves came here with bad intentions... Everything Gael has worked for would be lost. You're coming into a town that was inherently hostile to wolves before Gael came along. They're warming up to there being five of yous here now." Abel tipped his head to the side. "You're not seeing the bigger picture either. You're so desperate for other wolves to come here, not realising, there's not only five of you. There're the vampires. There're the banshees. There're the witches. There're the griffins. We're all in one group. No 'us against you'. You need to realise that."

River pressed his lips together, his jaw clenching and unclenching.

"I know it can be really hard to adapt to," Creek said then, so much softer than any of us had been speaking so far. "But there is a reason why Gael is including us in what happens with the other wolves. We're here for you too. Just like Gael was here for the community last year. As he continues to be here for the community."

"No yeah... You're right. Sorry I keep forgetting," River grimaced and rubbed his eyes.
"It's also not just about bad words," I said then, after having taken another deep, calming breath. "Last year it started with words and ended with Abel having to break my arm and Fred's education in jeopardy. Never again. And I don't give a shit if it's vampires or wolves or whatever the fuck else. I'm just not gonna risk anything." I looked over at Meera. She had been silent through all of this, and she was the genuine victim in this whole mess.

"What do you think?" I asked.

She bit down on her lip, staring down at her mug in her hands. She had gotten a cup of tea, but it had long gone cold, and she had barely touched it.

"I wanna feel safe," she said with a small voice.

I nodded, sending her a supportive smile when she finally looked up. "If you have any ideas, I'm more than willing to hear them."

She nodded a bit too. "I don't think bringing in someone who has flat out said they're against the way we do things is a good thing. I like the way we do things." She smiled a little at Cal. Ever since meeting they had become really good friends. Meera was one of the only ones who was allowed to do more than have a quick look into Cal's workshop. Cal was basically teaching Meera her craft and the way the wolves were integrating into the community here... It just made me ridiculously happy.

We're running. Enjoying the crisp wind running through our fur. He isshowing me a great place he had visited when we first got here. We had come such a long way, he and I. He was still in control, but I could come with suggestions, just like when we were in my body.

We stop by a creek and put our paws in the crystal-clear water, cooling them down. I look up the moment I smell another wolf. It's a familiar smell, and I tell the wolf it's Samuel. The much larger wolf comes out between the trees and has a drink too from the creek. Tasha is quick to join us too.

This was a test to see how lucid they both were during the shift. We had planned on being here around this time, by this creek, during the full moon. And whether they were actually lucid or if their wolves had listened in was now the big question. But we could meet up. It wasn't me running around the woods looking for them anymore.

We could run together.