1

For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack.

Law of the Jungle - Rudyard Kipling

Lei narrowed her eyes on the chemistry formula that she was supposed to memorize by tonight but the pictures blurred together. She could already almost see the sneer on her chemistry teacher’s face. When a gust of wind made the bonfire in front of her dance, creating shadows against the tall, dense line of trees, she shuddered inside her favorite red coat and fixed her hood over her head. 

The woods went silent around her and she stared into the dark; experience telling her that something was out there. Something big with sharp teeth. 

She scowled, “If I get an F on this test, I blame you.”

Her ears caught a snort and a snuffle; the sound of something heavy, breathing from her left. From her eyes she caught the glint of amber eyes and the white mist of breath.

Spending a night deep in the woods wasn't Lei’s idea of fun, as was doing her homework by firelight. The same goes with sitting on a stretch of tarp, freezing her butt off. She was good outdoors and knew how to survive in the woods if she had to, and she knew this stretch of land like the back of her hand. But still, it wasn’t her idea of fun. Not really. 

But that’s what you do when your best friends are werewolves.

She heard the sound of bones snapping; small sounds of pain erupting behind her and winced. It’s been eight years since she found out what her boys were but she still couldn’t get use to those sounds. She put down the book on her lap and picked up the marshmallow she was roasting. 

Food always made her feel better.

She heard the sound of footsteps and knew he was doing it for her benefit because if he wanted to, he could sit down beside her without her ever hearing sound. 

“You’re not going to get an F.” Channing walked lazily into the circle of firelight, his fingers in his damp hair, sweeping it back from his face. Lei nibble on her marshmallow and admired the stretch of rippling muscles on his body. The boy moved with a confidence and awareness that made him beautiful to watch. It helped that he was beautifully formed, not even an ounce of excess flesh on his body. Not for the first time, Lei thought of using him in her art class as a nude model, he would be scandalous by the idea but—

Channing picked up a towel and turned, aiming a beatific smile that brightened his dark eyes. It was a smile that on somebody else’s face she would instantly distrust. But with Channing, what you see is what you get…except for the werewolf thing. “You’ve memorized that formula weeks ago. You just want to guilt us into doing you another favor.” 

She shrugged and hid her smile in a cup of hot cocoa from her thermos but a hand stole it from her hand. “Hey.”

Colin did a two-step to avoid her hands, gulped the chocolate and grinned at her. “We know all your evil ways, Lei.” He tossed her the cup seconds before catching the towel his twin threw at him. She was constantly amazed at how much they look like each other but could be so different. Rather than Channing’s confidence, Colin walked with a swagger and an arrogance that usually grated on other people’s nerves. Channing was well-liked even by the most difficult person but Colin was an acquired taste; they have to look through the mischievous dark eyes, the bravado and the crooked grin. Channing was a nurturer; Colin was usually brisk and rude. Channing looked at everybody with equal interest while Colin only looked at the people who interest him. 

Lei tried to slap their hands away from her marshmallows but failed and could only watch woefully as they—ha ha—wolf it down. 

She brightened when Channing shoved a thermos into her chilled hands and smelled chicken soup. He also opened a tin foil of still warm bread and handed her the biggest piece. Colin pulled a bright, wool throw out from his bag, brandished it about like it was a magician’s cape—making her grin—then wrapped it around her, his hands rubbing her arms. 

They did all of this without ceremony, without awkwardness, without expectation of gratitude. Through all their differences, both of them shared a quality that she really admired; both are fiercely loyal and once they love you, they’ll shower you with it. 

Lei watched with amusement as, like the seventeen year old boys they were—which made them five year olds in girl years—they started a towel war that she knew would soon draw blood if she didn’t stop it.

In the firelight, Lei saw a splatter of some sort of thick, dark liquid dripping on Channing's chin. The years she spent around them told her what it was without even asking. "You got a little something on your chin."

Channing lifted a hand, wiped blood from his skin and without even blinking, licked it. Lei thought about grimacing but she didn't really feel that odd anymore about watching her best friends lick blood off their own skin. After seeing them turn into wolves, other things seem to pale in comparison. But then again, she still gets confused over Colin's mindless hatred of clowns.

"Did I get it?" Channing asked, tilting his head so she could see his face.

She nodded. "So, what was the midnight snack?"

Colin grabbed a towel from his backpack and scrubbed his hair. "You don't want to know."

"Oh no, it's Bambi, isn't it? You guys ate Bambi."

Channing made a thinking sound. "Eh. It's not Bambi exactly--"

"No, don't tell me. I'm already half in mind to turn vegetarian."

Colin snorted. "Fat chance. You're as much a carnivore as we are. And toast me a marshmallow."

"Another thing that my mom blames on you by the way. And toast it yourself."

"God, that woman is just--"

"Careful. She's still my mother."

"We'll adopt you. You're already a part of the family anyway."

Colin hooked a towel around his neck and grinned. "Mom would love that. She always wanted a girl."

Channing ambled to his backpack, his bare feet moving soundlessly on the ground. "Or, you know, you could always marry Kai. You've always wanted to do that."

She sent them a bland look. "I was seven. And stupid."

"I resent that," said a voice that drifted from the darkness surrounding them.

Lei smirked."Which part? That I don't want to marry you or that I’d have to be stupid to even want to?"

"Both." Cailean, or Kai as Lei called him—her pet name for him since she couldn’t figure out how to say his name when they were first introduced—appeared in the circle, all lean grace and amused smile. He shared the same physical characteristic with his older brothers; dark hair, dark eyes, brown skin. His build was more slender than his brothers, his muscles still developing. He was also taller, much to his brothers’ dismay. 

Kai was quieter than the twins but compared to his two brothers who have more breadth and size, it’s Kai, with his solemn eyes and serious smile that people looked at with wary eyes. Even when they were little, the neighborhood bully knew not to mess around when Kai was near. 

It’s not like he looked menacing or acted like he was the toughest guy around; Kai didn’t need to throw his weight around to intimidate people. There was just something about him that told people to be very careful around him. 

At first, she thought it was because Kai was a werewolf but although normal humans, without knowing why, were generally wary around werewolves, they were wary and tentative when it came to Kai. Teachers mentioned it as charisma, a force of personality, but she knew the correct words for it; Alpha. 

Lei didn’t really get what it was since Kai was Kai to her, but she could see its effect on other people; they get nervous, and itchy, and sweaty. And they babble. A lot. 

Six or sixty, nobody was safe. 

Channing threw a damp towel at her. "Give it up, Lorelei. You're pack. There's no way out."

She threw the towel back with a little more force than necessary at the invoking of her full first name. She hated the name and the mythology surrounding it; sirens? Really? She felt like it was a joke and the joke was on her. "That's nice. Now, will all of you put on some clothes already?"

Channing already had sweats on but turn to both his brothers with a laugh. "Please note that she only told us to do so after she looked her fill."

Colin grinned and did a little shimmy. His shadow moved over them like a big winged creature. "Have a change of heart, Lei?"

Kai pulled on boxers and wiggled his eyebrows.

She rolled her eyes before giving in to a smirk. "Hey, lookin' ain't buyin'."

Copyright © 2012 by D.F. Jules

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