Dawn Reclaimed

"Claire! You have to give me a chance to explain!" Grant charged down the stairs. Catching her sleeve with his fingers just as she turned to leave.

Claire jerked back her arm away, tugging out of Grant's grip on her sleeve. "Explain what? That I'm the only one with a firm grip on reality? I already know that! Nash, thank you for your hospitality. But, I don't think I'll be back." Her scowl bounced between Nash and Grant. The two of them were truly unbelievable. Who knew what kinds of dangerous situations they'd put themselves and their family into in the past. Maybe, that's why the family had pulled up stakes and moved here to the middle of nowhere in the first place. The whole damn family was probably on the lam.

Grant had a checkered history. All she'd ever done was try to be understanding and sympathetic. Claire could not believe she'd been the one to encourage him to come back to this insane asylum in the first place. He would have been better off without them. The way everyone here was so lean and fit, the home schooling, and the isolation from society made sense. Nash was training his family to be vigilantes of justice. Her baby might have been raised up to be the next generation. And poor Mouse, how deep was she in? "Get some therapy, for God's sake."

Claire pulled the heavy oak front door open and pushed past the screen door, slapping it against the siding. It might have been a nice day outside, not that she cared to notice the sun shining or the warm air chasing away the coolness of the morning. She was too pissed to care. The soles of her tennis shoes crunched against the gravel as she stormed to her car. Her hands were trembling so badly she couldn't keep a hold of her keys, purse, and the bundle of dirty clothes tucked under her arm all at the same time. Her burden tumbled to the ground. Her purse thumped against her thigh as it slid off her shoulder. And her keys landed in the dewy grass.

"Tell her," Nash said quietly. Telling Claire the truth might be a huge mistake. Her knowledge of what they were could endanger the pack. But, there was no other way to make her understand. She thought Grant was crazy. And in the reality of her world, he would be certifiable. Nash didn't know if Claire could handle the truth of the real world that coexisted around her. But, she was a part of that world now. The sooner she knew and accepted it, the better.

"Claire!" Grant shouted. He stepped off the porch finishing the job Claire had started. Unbuttoning the rest of the buttons, he pulled his shirt off his shoulders and dropped it onto the ground. "I'll explain everything to you. I promise."

Claire didn't bother glancing behind her over her shoulder as the heavy fall of Grant's footsteps crunched across the gravel. She didn't give a damn what he had to say. She could care less about his promises. They didn't mean shit. These people were seriously screwed up. She just wanted to find her keys and go home. Forget about this madhouse and the family inside of it. Forget about Grant. She found her eyes and shook the wet dew from them. Scooping up her clothes, she stood. And without a backward glance or a pause, she thrust out her chin and walked to her car.



Chapter 41

Marianne was in the garage with her older brother, Tristen. In between fetching tools and being his slave, doing what he called 'learning' about engine repair. She wasn't really interested in cars. Engines were greasy and dirty, and the smell of gasoline and exhaust burned her nose. But, her grandfather insisted everyone know something about everything. In her opinion, not that anyone had ever bothered to ask, engine repair ranked right up there in terms of importance with algebra. If her car broke down, she'd have someone fix it. To her, engine repair was just another thing on a very long list of things to learn. But, to her brother, fixing cars was a religion. And this old, rusted out hunk of junk was his shrine.

The pretty layer of frost that blanketed everything earlier this morning had melted away. Leaving the grass wet with a layer of dew sparkling in the sunlight. The garage was dim and cool with the lingering chill of morning quickly warming from the breeze. It was a beautiful day without a cloud in the sky. And she was stuck in here indoors in a stinky garage with her even stinkier brother.

Tristen though, wasn't as bad as Daniel. At least, most of the time, Tristen was nice to her. He'd grown out of that brooding teenager stage and was patiently waiting for manhood to finally come. Unfortunately, just as he stopped being a grumbling, zit-faced teenager, her middle brother, Daniel, had stepped up to take his place. Marianne couldn't decide if she was looking forward to becoming a teenager or not. Oh, she wanted her woman's body with boobs and curves. But, she could do without the attitude and general angst that clouded everything that came along with them.

She hadn't gotten her first period yet. And it wasn't like she could ask her grandpa or her dad, and definitely not her brothers about such things. She was too embarrassed to ask her aunts or Nana. And she'd thought Claire, being a nurse, was her best bet to talk to about it. There were questions the Internet couldn't answer. She didn't need cold, clinical explanations. She found plenty of those. She needed understanding and female bonding. Tonight after supper, she had plans to sneak Claire off somewhere, just the two of them, and ask.

Marianne dropped the assortment of wrenches clutched in her fist and trotted to the open garage door to investigate the shouting. Fights weren't all that uncommon and her grandfather quickly settled them before they got out of hand. Wolves could be destructive and dangerous. But, their anger was a short-lived thing. A spark quickly burned out before it set fire. Grudges didn't happen in the Pack. Dissension in the members led to trouble in a Pack mentality. Any fight her grandfather as Pack Master couldn't prevent was simply left to play out amongst the wolves involved. The Pack did not gang up on a lone wolf. Fights were usually one on one, wolf to wolf. Oh, the Pack would defend if a wolf got too high and mighty and turned its anger to them. But, typically, the fight was resolved before then. She stood at the garage door, clutching the wooden frame tightly with her fingers.

Tristen pushed the creeper from underneath his car. He had invested his life savings in the thing and his heart and soul into fixing up the rusted hunk of metal that was at one time a '69 Camaro. Five years and a tow across the country later and the damned thing still didn't run. His twenty-first birthday was fast approaching and so was the time of his shift. He could feel it coming in the very depths of his bones. His wolf prowled the edges of his mind and the power of him rippled beneath his skin. He didn't have much time left to wait. He had to get the car done before the shift hit him and he had to take on the responsibilities of a full member of the pack. He wanted it. Wanted to finally be seen as an adult. But, there was just so much more he still wanted to do. Finish the car. And maybe, see the world before he had to leave it behind. "Hey Mouse, where you goin'?"

His kid sister ignored him completely. Spilling tools he'd left her in charge of on the concrete floor and ran out of the garage. He'd kept a close eye on her and his younger brother ever since his mother died. He'd never really gotten to be the big brother to them he'd wanted to be. At the age of twelve, he'd had to take the place of his father instead. His father wasn't dead. But, he might as well be. Ever since their mom died. His father had closed himself off to everyone, including them. Something Tristen had never forgiven him for. Despite being surrounded by family, each member trying to fill his dad's place in their lives. His brother, sister, and the damn, impossible to fix, hunk of junk were all that he had in the world. "Mouse!" He hefted his body up from the creeper and wiped his hands on his jeans. Getting up to see what all the fuss was about.

"Aunt Claire! Where are you going? I thought you were going to stay with us tonight?" Marianne trotted at full speed through the front yard to Claire. She dove for Claire and wrapped her arms tightly and desperately around her waist. "Aren't you going to stay the night with us?" Her lips trembled as she looked up and saw the damp tracks of tears trailing down Claire's cheeks. Her anger flared at the sight of tears. What did Grant do to mess this up? If Claire left and never came back, Marianne vowed to never forgive him.

Claire stopped long enough to give Mouse a tight squeeze. The little girl clung tightly despite Claire's best attempts to pry her arms free. "Mouse, please let go." Claire tried to use her most compassionate and calm voice. The one she used before she sank a needle into a kid's arm to deliver a painful injection. Her voice was filled with compassion. But, it lacked any measure of calm. She sounded frantic and heartbroken. "Mouse... Marianne, I can't stay tonight."

"But, you said you would. You're breaking your promise. That's telling a lie! You can't lie to me!" Marianne hung on for dear life, locking her fingers together around Claire's waist. Burying her face into Claire's softness, surrounded by the musk of Pack and the clean scent of laundry detergent on Claire's clothes, she tried hard not to cry. Marianne had a very narrow view of lies and truths. And when an adult didn't do something they said they were going to do. In her opinion it was the same as lying. Claire tried to shake her off. But, that just made Marianne cling to her even tighter.

Claire worried about what would happen to Mouse and the other kids being raised in the house. Would the family suck them in and hold them under? Prevent them from having lives of their own as a sacrifice for this insane vigilante cause? Claire hoped for Mouse's sake she would be able to find her way out. Before Nash and his crazy ideas got her killed. If she thought it would do any good, she'd call her friend at Child Protective Services to come investigate the family. But, on the outside, everything appeared so normal and ordinary. She didn't have a case to make against Nash without any proof. "Mouse, I'm sorry. This has nothing to do with you. The reason I'm leaving isn't your fault. It's...mine."

Marianne was not stupid and she was not so easily fooled by the calm in Claire's voice. There was an underlying tone in Claire's reassuring words, hinting at the finality of her goodbye. "You're not coming back are you?"

Claire shook her head. The child had heard enough lies in her life. And Claire was not about to add to them. She just hoped Mouse got out in time to save herself. "I'm so sorry." Finally, Mouse released her hold and dropped her arms, sniffling softly. Claire would do anything to avoid the downfall of a little girl's tears. Crouching on her knees, she gave Mouse one last desperate hug before handing her over to her brother. "I wish I could stay." Shrinking beneath the protective glare from Mouse's older brother, she gave her a quick peck on the top of her head and watched as he guided her up the walkway. Mouse would never forgive her for what she considered abandoning her. Claire would never forgive herself for it either. But, there was nothing she could do.

"Take Mouse inside," Nash ordered Tristen. Someday Mouse would transform. He wanted Mouse to embrace her wolf for the beautiful creature it was. Not to be frightened by Claire's reaction to the wolf. To Mouse, Claire represented the outside world. And she didn't need to see the fright and shock on Claire's face when Grant showed her the truth of the real world.

Tristen wrapped his arm around Mouse's shoulders and guided her through the front door. This was a bad situation only about to get worse. Mouse was still crying softly to herself and trying valiantly to hide it. The protective big brother in him wanted to grab Claire by the shoulders and shake some sense into her. Mouse just wanted someone to be close to. And she'd latched onto Claire out of sheer desperation for a connection. Grant never should have involved himself with an outsider. They didn't belong in their world. Claire would reject Grant. It wouldn't matter what he said or what he did. In the end they'd both end up getting hurt. And they'd hurt other people in the process. It was unfair and cruel. But, it was the way things worked in Claire's world of outsiders. "Come on. I'll challenge you to a video game. I might even let you win."

Marianne sniveled, "I never win." Even though Claire stood in the driveway, lingering in her indecision. She was leaving, for good. Tristen's hand on her shoulder was warm and reassuring. Marianne felt the pang of loss over her mother. Claire's rejection of her family hurt. But, in the pain of things she could not change. She realized what she'd been doing. She liked Claire. She wanted them to be friends. But, she'd also tried to put Claire in a place Claire could never fit. She'd been using Claire unfairly. Using her to fill the void only a mom could fill.

"Claire, I have something to show you. It's not going to be easy for you to understand. But, I need for you to try," Grant said. He approached Claire slowly. Ancient power swirled around him as he called to his wolf. She reacted as if she felt the energy rising in concentric rings around him. Tears stained her cheeks. Her eyes were wide and filled with anger and fear. Her bottom lip quivered slightly as she turned toward the sound of his voice. He dropped his shirt onto the ground and reached for the buckle of his belt. "I beg of you, Claire. Please, have an open mind. Try. For me."

Claire gripped the car keys tightly in her fist. Grant was undressed from the waist up and working to unbuckle his belt. An expression of dread and fear pulled his lips into a tight grimace. "What are you doing?" He didn't answer as he unzipped his jeans and pulled them down his thighs. His body was a thing of rare beauty. And although she was terrified her pulse kicked up a beat at the sight of him. Unblinking, Grant kept his dark eyes locked on hers almost holding her captive with the intensity of his stare. With the lithe grace she'd come to expect, he kicked his boots free from his feet and stepped out of his jeans. He stood before her naked, unabashed with the sunlight streaming down on his skin. The whole world seemed to stop spinning. There was no birdsong, no breath of wind, and no whisper of sound. She didn't understand what was going on. Her mind raced in time with her frantic heartbeat. He stood there in the driveway, out in the open. Naked as the day he was born. But, that wasn't what frightened her. Something about him was changing before her very eyes. He was still him. Yet, he wasn't. "What. Are. You. Doing?"

The power of his wolf was sweeping him away. He had seconds before the shift took him to the place of spirit and his wolf took control. Gritting his molars to restrain the energy pouring through him, he whispered, "I'm sorry Claire." And then he was no more. In a burst of pain, his wolf bolted down the metaphysical pathway that linked them together and claimed the body they shared.

A strong hand came to rest on Claire's shoulder, locking her in place, forcing her to face Grant. She bucked and twisted in resistance. But couldn't break free from Nash's grip. He dragged her back, holding her back to his chest. She remembered every move Mack had taught her in self-defense class. Nash was incredibly strong, pinning her to him. His voice was calm, almost a hush, whispering in her ear. "Claire, it will be okay."

Nash held Claire against his chest. His hand gripped her shoulder as the other wrapped around her waist, restraining her in case she tried to run. Running would be a very bad idea. Grant's wolf would give chase. And although his wolf was no more capable of harming her than Grant was, accidents happened. Holding her tightly, he did his best to calm her. Taking on her weight with his muscles, if she should faint. The sound of her heartbeat pounded in his ears and the acrid scent of her fear burned his nose. "Claire, be still," he ordered as she struggled in his arms.

"What will be okay?" Claire's body trembled. Nash's arms were strong around her. His grip hard, like steel, unbreakable. A small sound of terror choked in the back of her throat as Grant dropped to his knees and his body began to stiffen and contort. She thought he was having a seizure. His limbs twisted in unnatural angles and his breaths were labored and panting. A strangled cry of pain escaped his grimacing lips. "Grant!" Her first thought was of him. She doubled her efforts to escape Nash's hold. But, he was too strong. No matter how pissed off at Grant she was. She wasn't just going to stand here and watch him die. "Somebody call 911!"

Nash wrestled Claire to the ground and pinned her beneath his bulk. The ancient power of the wolf prickled against his skin. Terrified as she was, her main concern was for Grant. And to Nash, that spoke highly of her character. Somebody else might run away. Not Claire, she wanted to run toward. She wanted to help. Claire clawed at the gravel with her fingers, trying to get to Grant. He clamped his hand over her mouth to silence her screams. In a minute she'd understand things a little better. She'd know Grant wasn't dying. And she'd be introduced into their world in the rudest way possible. The truth crammed down her throat.

Claire could hardly breathe with Nash's weight on top of her and his hand over her mouth, holding back her cries for help. The white rock beneath her bit into her palms as she struggled to get close enough to help Grant. Nash held her in place. She watched helplessly as Grant's body contorted. She'd seen a lot of seizures. But, she'd never seen one quite like this before. A scream lodged in her throat as hair, no...not hair began to sprout from his pores to cover his body. The air was thick with the sound of muscles ripping, the sickening crunch of bones breaking, and tendons snapping. Grant's hands shortened, his fingernails lengthened and fingers curled into claws. His legs twisted and bent. His face shifted, his teeth growing longer and sharper and his nose turning in to a muzzle. His ears grew into points covered with brown fur. There was the deafening sound of his spine cracking into position. And the heavy, labored panting of a dog broke the silence.

The whole process took less than a minute. But, to Claire it might have well been hours. She stilled beneath Nash's weight, staring at the wolf...at Grant in disbelief, awe, and amazement. Grant...no the wolf was about the size of a Great Dane in height. But, without any of the lean features of the breed, the wolf twice a Great Dane's breadth, with a deep broad chest and layers of muscles, built for speed and the chase, and the kill. The wolf had almost human eyes in an eerie shade of tawny golden-brown. She was speechless as the wolf...Grant hefted his weight from the ground and stood on four legs. The wolf shook that massive head of his and stretched, yawning widely with a gaping maw filled with sharp, white teeth. He lifted his nose, snuffling at the air. His leathery black nose worked furiously, the nostrils widening to identify the scents around him. Flexing his paws, his claws dug into the gravel. Nash spoke softly in a language Claire had never heard before, but Grant...the wolf seemed to understand.

Slowly, Nash lifted his hands from Claire's body and backed away. A wolf was a wolf. Grant had control over the beast. But, it was best to not to risk confrontation. Grant and the wolf shared a common thread of awareness. Claire was in no danger from the wolf. But, he was. The wolf might react out of that part of himself that was pure instinct. Attack him to defend Claire. Nash looked down to the ground in submission and took very small, measured steps away from Claire. Leaving her crouched and trembling on the ground. "Don't be afraid, Claire. He won't hurt you. Grant is in there, seeing you, watching you, loving you through the wolf's eyes."