CHAPTER 14

Damn I look good.

He didn’t. Almost every inch of exposed skin was covered in first aid bandages carefully applied by Cynthia. At least his clothes fit now. He’d taken a cycling outfit from one of the bikers, leather jacket, check; sturdy jeans, check; badass biker boots, double check. He clomped on the wooden walkway and sifted through the remaining motorcycles to see which matched the keys he took as a trophy from Mutt. Once he found it, he fell in love. It wasn’t just an infatuation sort of deal, it was true love.

The old bike was well taken care of, sporting a matte black finish on the gas tank and fenders. The wide rawhide brown seat had custom engraved stitching that simply read ‘Mutt’. The chromed engine looked beefy and polished. He fit the key in the ignition and cranked the kick start, letting the beast roar to life. He thought he was in heaven but the second he laid eyes on Cynthia leaving the bar, he realized things could only get better.

Her hips twisted seductively while she walked. Her simple red tube top hugged against her small boobs, her leather jacket looked comfortable and billowed open. Her long slender legs were just barely covered by leather pants that fit her like a glove, and hid inside her riding boots.

“I look like an idiot,” she said.

And the award for hottest girlfriend in the world goes to …

Alex had to wipe away a smear of drool that formed at the corner of his mouth. And, he now regretted finding tighter fitting clothing as he readjusted his erection.

“I think you look nice,” he said, gulping back his attraction.

She rolled her eyes but Alex could see a smile forming. She knew she was hot and wasn’t afraid to show it. With her new riding boots she stomped down the stairs, zipping the jacket up as far as it would go to protect against the cold night air.

“Do you know how to ride one of these?” Cynthia asked, throwing a leg over the bike behind Alex.

“I think I can manage,” he replied.

He carefully inched his way from the parking lot and twisted the throttle, eliciting a howl from the engine. Cynthia wrapped her slender arms around his waist to hold herself in place.

“Be careful now,” Cynthia said, “The engine from this bike might just take your place.”

With a quick laugh, Alex rode the throttle and the bike peeled from the dirt lot, out onto the open road. The single light at the front provided a hint of illumination so Alex had to rely on his heightened senses to guide him. The sound from the exhaust overpowered his sense of hearing and deafened him to everything else. He liked it. It gave him time to think. He’d become numb to everything going on around him, even Cynthia holding him tightly couldn’t distract him. What the hell is happening to me? His wolf was anxious; scratching and pawing at the edge of his mind.

What the hell was that back there?

Ever since the first attack by the bears all those months ago, he’d felt useless. He couldn’t even protect his sister from one measly bear. Cynthia. All he wanted to do was protect her, but he could barely control himself when he snapped at Otto’s bar. It took every piece of him to hold it together long enough to regain his humanity. What would happen if he lost it again?

His mind wandered to his youth. His father only had harsh words and punishment for all the times Alex had fucked up. Thinking about it made him subconsciously grit his teeth. Dammit dad, why couldn’t you have just taken the time to teach instead of scold? Why couldn’t he have learned to control his wolf better?

Alex didn’t have anything to say to Cynthia. Besides, it would have been pointless anyway as the motorcycle made it impossible to hear a damn thing.

From out of nowhere, another engine bellowed out behind them, then another, and another. Soon they were surrounded on all sides by large bikers. Their jackets were different from the one he’d taken, were these guys part of a different gang? Alex wasn’t interested in finding out.

Not now, just leave us the hell alone.

Alex could already feel his strength start to surge. His mind was beginning to succumb to the instinctual urge to fight and survive. Amid the lurid smoke of the motorcycles he smelled something familiar, these bikers were wolves.

Wolf bikers?

The largest of the group seemed so damn familiar. A bushy beard with short cropped hair, hell even the motorcycle seemed like something he’d seen before, but he couldn’t place where. The giant of a man looked the pair up and down then gestured with one finger for them to pull over to the side of the road. Alex’s curiosity itched. The rage that began to consume him dissipated by the time the bike came to a stop on a grassy patch beside the otherwise empty street.

The band of new bikers pulled over and settled their bikes to form a semi-circle around Cynthia and Alex.

“You’re shifters,” Alex said, surprised.

“Took you long enough to find out,” The giant man guffawed.

He stood behind the gathered men and towered over them all by more than a head in height; he pushed past the group with slow plodding steps. Alex’s instincts were on alert but he didn’t feel any hostility from the wolves. The light from the surrounding motorcycles cast a halo around him and his shadow crawled over the assembled crowd.

“Why the hell are you wearing that jacket?” he said with a gruff voice. “Ain’t no wolf on these mountains that would be caught dead in that.”

“It was either this or freeze,” Cynthia said.

“Pipe down, Pup. I’m talkin’ to your man,” he replied.

“Pup?!” she shouted. Alex grabbed her by the arm to hold her still. He’d seen her mad with rage before and her getting pissy was the last thing they needed right now.

Here we go again.

Cynthia didn’t seem to care that he was, well, four times her size.

“Where you headed?” he asked.

“Night Runner den,” Alex answered, still holding Cynthia at bay.

“What the hell is a Night Runner?” he asked.

“The Night Howlers and the Moon Runners got together recently. Renamed themselves the Night Runners,” said one of the other bikers. Alex just nodded.

“Why the hell did nobody tell me that?” he asked. He looked over the other bikers and was met with shrugs. Then he rubbed at the side of his face with his hand out of frustration. In time he returned to face Alex. “You’re quite a ways from home, kiddo.”

Holy shit!

Alex remembered where he’d seen the man before. The photograph. The one Miss Bannon showed him just a couple days ago. He didn’t make much of it but he looked just like the man she’d said was Cynthia’s father.

“Bruce?” Alex asked in disbelief.

“What did you say?” He asked, surprised.

“Bruce. That’s your name isn’t it?” Alex repeated. The giant leaned down to get eye to eye with Alex. His leather cracked and strained against the movement.

“Where did you hear that name,” he asked.

Alex wasn’t sure he should answer, but he’d already dug the hole.

“Miss Bannon from back home had a picture. She showed a guy in the photo that looked a lot like you and said your name was Bruce.”

“Damn, that old hag. Is still alive?” he said, “I half expected she’d be dead by now.” He laughed loudly, and Alex joined in awkwardly. “Yeah, my name is Bruce. But everyone that knows me calls me Crunch.”

Cynthia reached out and slapped Crunch across the face. Everyone went silent and Alex freaked out.

What the hell are you doing, Cyn!?

Crunch rubbed at his cheek and leaned in close to Cynthia.

“What the hell was that for?” he asked, flaring his nostrils.

“I promised myself if I ever met my deadbeat father I would slap some sense into him,” she slapped him on the other cheek. Alex cringed at the thought of Crunch fighting back.

“Cynthia?” he asked, getting a better look at her. The bikers all looked around in confusion.

“You’re damn right it’s Cynthia,” before she could continue, tears formed at the corners of her eyes. Even the stoic Crunch was getting a little misty eyed. He stood there, contemplating.

“I deserved that.”

His meaty arms wrapped around her and Cynthia disappeared between them. She tried to resist at first but it was pointless, he was too big and strong. Alex started to worry she’d be crushed. Only once she was free from the hug was Alex able to exhale.

“Why the hell are you out here?” Crunch asked.

“It’s a long story,” Cynthia said. Crunch turned and stared down Alex, who felt small under the weight of the man’s gaze.

“You better be taking care of my daughter, Cynthia,” he said with the most intimidating voice Alex had ever heard. “You better show her some respect, because if you don’t,” he stopped talking and just flexed his fist. It wasn’t hard to understand the gesture.

Alex opened his mouth to speak but before he could say a word Crunch interrupted, “It’s late, follow us.” He returned to his bike which groaned under his weight, “I’ll put you two up for the night.”

“Come on, Alex,” she said, “Let’s get out of here. We don’t need his help.”

I mean, it wouldn’t hurt.

Still, he respected her enough to let go of his own opinion and do what she asked. Plus it wasn’t really his place to butt in. Alex saddled himself on the motorcycle, Cynthia was already waiting.

“Where are you goin’?” Crunch asked.

“Home,” Cynthia stated.

Crunch grunted and a plume of hot breath in the form of smoke erupted from his mouth. His eyes narrowed and his frustration grew. He climbed off his bike and began to walk toward them.

“You two pissed off a lot of people in that bar and they’re goin’ to be lookin’ for you,” he barked, “You don’t come with us and they’ll find you and make sure you don’t see sunrise tomorrow.”

How did he know about the bar?

Cynthia hopped off the bike and stamped right up to meet him, squaring her face just in front of his. She was tiny but it was clear she inherited her father’s commanding aura.

“Where were you all the other times I’ve been in danger? What about those times I cried and blamed myself for you not being around to protect me and my grandma? I’ve made it this far without your help; I think I can last one more night.” She shouted, “You’re not my dad.”

It was clear that her words had struck deep. Cynthia’s sharp tongue had sliced past his defenses and Crunch tried his best to avoid her stare; his shoulders slumped and he breathed out a sigh. Cynthia seemed to be just as taken aback by her comment as he was.

“Fine,” he said, “Go.”

Cynthia relaxed her posture and crossed her arms. Alex cranked the kick start and the chopper thumped rhythmically in the middle of the crowd. But, Cynthia stood and stared at the defeated Crunch. When she turned to join Alex, it was clear that she was holding back all of her tears.

“I understand if you don’t want to talk to me, there’s a lot that needs to be discussed. I just don’t want to see you get hurt, there are some hunters in the area. I get it, you hate me for not being there, but for both of your sakes, please think hard about my offer,” Crunch said in a last attempt at negotiating.

Cynthia saddled herself on the thumping motorbike and rested and bit back her tears.

“Fine,” she said, reluctantly, “but only for one night.”

Crunch picked himself up. It was very unlikely that any of his biker buddies had seen him act like that before. Alex smirked at seeing such a big man lose himself to one little girl. Cynthia’s hand squeezed Alex’s thigh.

“Don’t leave me,” she said, upset and emotional.

“I never will.”

The band of motorcycles tore down the road. Alex found an odd calm in the new pack he’d found. It was a feeling he believed he could get used to, in time.