Every Difference

Something was up, I was almost sure of it. Change was coming fast, threatening to rip apart the fragile life I'd managed to salvage over the past few years. I wanted to run screaming, but I hesitated throughout my shift, trying to act normally though I doubted the questionable patrons at the bar would have noticed my odd behaviour, even If I'd decided to dance an Irish jig on their heads. I soothed my fears by assuring myself that if I ran out every time I felt a little anxious I'd never have enough money to put food on the table.

Towards the end of my shift I began to smell something. It was difficult to get an exact read due to the ever present stench of stale cigarette smoke and sour beer but it sent the little hairs on the back of my neck on edge.

I tried not to look too obvious as I scanned the bar looking for someone that didn't belong there. As far as I could tell it was full of the same group of desperate man and woman that usually graced the bar night after night. No one looked out of place. Hell, I could probably name every person there by their first names.

I'm being paranoid, I told myself irritably. They can't find me; they don't care enough to try.

Of course the paranoia was a familiar feeling, one that had been honed to a fine edge over the years. I lived it every day, cringing at shadows, running from unfamiliar scents. I deplored my own skittishness but it was so inbred in by now that it had become just another part of my life. Since my dad had disappeared a few years back my sister and I had stayed close to the smaller towns, trying to blend in as much as we could. There was less chance of running into one of our own kind in the towns; they preferred to stay in places where they could lose themselves in huge crowds.

It had worked so far and between us we had managed to get jobs and rent a crappy apartment in the town slums. It wasn't a great life, hell it wasn't even an okay kind of life, but we were surviving and at the moment that was the best either of us could hope for. We were just waiting for our dad to find us. When that happened things would get better again, I just knew they would.

My newest job was in a smoky run down pub in the outskirts of the town. I got minimum wage and a mouth full of abuse from my boss and customers alike. The patrons didn't tip and they sure as hell didn't give a shit that I was just a guy trying to earn an honest buck. I hated it there but the truth was I didn't even have a high school diploma. No one was going to employ me for anything better.

The shift was a long one. The smell went away eventually but I couldn't stop thinking about it. The paranoia part of my brain refused to let it go. I considered calling Rebecca but I didn't want to needlessly upset her. She was sensitive, so much so that even the slightest inkling of trouble would set her off and she'd insist we move again. I didn't have enough money to start over. Best to just let it go, I decided.

"Shifts over kid." My boss called near midnight. There were a few bums left slumped in their chairs but apparently Jim was feeling kind tonight because he wasn't trying to make me get rid of them. I peeled off the dirty white apron and hung it warily on the back of the bar door. I felt dog tired and wanted nothing more than to have a shower and fall into bed "What wouldn't I give for a car." I mumbled grumpily as I unhooked my crappy bike from the fence behind the bar.

It was a warm night, humid in the worse possible way. I pressed my sleeve against my forehead to try and mop up some of the sweat as I siked myself up for the long bike ride home. It was pitch black, even the half moon was mostly hidden by the clouds. I didn't want to go out there, I suddenly realised. I couldn't explain the feeling that made me retreat back inside the bar. It wasn't exactly a relaxing ride through the lightless back roads that led to my flat but I had never been frightened about it before.

"You forget something?" Jim barked when he saw me.

I felt really, really stupid as I started fumbling for the right words. I ran my hands through my hair as I fidgeted. "Could I err, get a lift home?"

He stared at me for a really long time. "Your wheels fall off?" He eventually asked.

No, I'm just a chicken shit. "Something like that. You mind?"

"Guess not. Just don't make it a habit," He rubbed his huge grimy hands on his huge grimy stomach and finished locking the bar.

In the end I did kick out the last of the drunks. I closed the door on them, a little worried that at least of few of them would be stumbling home on foot. Something told me that it was not a good night to be out alone.

Fisher, an old guy that pretty much lived at the bar was milling about aimlessly outside. Jim growled, making him sound like an old grisly. "One night I'm just gonna leave him out here till morning. Come on old timer." He caught Fisher and all but stuffed him in the back seat. "Get in," He told me as he turned on the roaring engine

It was pouring down with rain by the time we were on the road. Thunder boomed and lightening streaked through the skies, momentarily lighting up the thickly packed trees that lined the back highways. I was very glad I'd asked for a lift because the last thing I wanted was to be riding my crappy bike through a storm.

"Rain came out of nowhere." Jim complained, frowning as he turned the wipers on full. I peered out of the window, making myself small as possible as I tried to avoid being crushed by Fisher.

"Maybe you should slow down." I suggested softly.

"Maybe you should shut up."

"Okay then."

"What the fuck was that?" Jim suddenly boomed. I looked up but all I could see was road and rain and a freaked out boss.

"What-" I began to ask, but then I saw it too. A huge black shape, highlighted as another streak of lightening momentarily lit up the sky.

I didn't scream because I didn't get the chance. A thousand images ran through my head, none of them good and then I was flying through the air. I heard the sound of twisted metal and the brief cries of man before my world turned upside down and the only sound was the over exerted truck engine.

Fisher was dead. The dumb bastard hadn't bothered to wear a seatbelt and his delicate skull had hit the windscreen with enough force to split it like an egg. I let out a strong groan as those dead eyes stared back at me. I'd never seen a dead person before and I decided there and then that I never wanted to relive the experience.

I struggled with my own belt, trying to pull it free but unable to control my shaking hands. My head hurt and blood was pouring into my right eye. "Shit," I breathed, over and over. "Shit, shit, shit..."

I smelled them then, close and feral. A moment later the car door was ripped open and pulled neatly from it hinges. I shrank back as big hands ripped the belt free from my waist and grabbed my arm. I was yanked out without much ceremony and deposited on the floor like a sack of potatoes.

"Fuck me." One of them said with a chuckle. "You weren't kidding about his colouring."

I was still for a few seconds as I tried to calm my rapid breathing. Now was not the time for a panic attack. Before anyone could put their hands on me I looked up, found a clear path and bolted.

No one was ever going to call me a fighter. I was too small and too squeamish to intimidate anyone. One thing I was very good at though was running. I dashed past one of the big ones, avoided his grasping hands and hurtled into the woods.

I could tell that I had surprised them. It was a full three seconds before I heard any of them give chase behind me. It got harder to run in the woods. Despite my better than human site even I wasn't totally aware of my footing. Any minuet I could trip over a branch or run face first into a tree. It didn't help that the blood was still streaming into my eye.

"Here." I heard one of them yell, so close to me that I almost fell there and then. How in the hell had he caught up to me so fast. Were some of them already waiting in the woods?

"Here."Another voice called from my right. A few more voices sang out, all of them close, surrounding me and effectively trapping me between them.

Perhaps if I had ever run with a pack before I would have recognised their tactics. They were boxing me in of course. I saw one of them a little ahead of me and the sight of him made me falter for just a second. It was enough to totally damn me as a dark shape raced towards me and barrelled into my back with enough force to completely knock me off my feet.

I hit the floor hard and I couldn't breathe. The force on top of me wasn't getting up, further constricting my air supply. I started thrashing wildly, trying to push him away.

"Mind off him Tom." I heard a voice say beside me, the tone deep and commanding. Even in my panic I registered the tone of an alpha and it made me want to crawl up inside myself and become invisible. Before the one called Tom climbed off me the alpha caught my upper arm in a solid grip. They weren't taking any chances that I would run again. He hauled me into a sitting position and his hands patted my back in a vain attempt to improve my breathing.

It took a while before I could breathe normally and by then I was really bricking it. I made the mistake of trying to shake off the Alpha's hold and he growled and yanked me to my feet. His free hand grabbed my other arm and he hoisted me up on my tip toes until we were face to face. He was probably in his mid thirties with chocolate coloured eyes and dark brown hair. From what I could tell in the dark light his skin was smooth and bronzed. He was a handsome man and as intimidating as hell because even on my tip toes I was still only level with the guy's square chin. "Not that I don't enjoy a good chase but that's enough for now. No more running, understand?" When I didn't say anything he shook me, just hard enough to make my teeth rattle. "You answer when your alpha asks something of you, understand."

I shook my head and stupidly tried to pull free of him. I got another shake and had I been human I'm sure my neck would have broke.

"Answer me." He roared.

"Gently Daniel." Another voice said soothingly behind us. "He's terrified." I saw her approaching us cautiously. She reached out and placed her hand on Daniels shoulder. "He isn't challenging you, you can see that can't you?"

"One word." Daniel growled. "He just has to say yes."

"Will you give him to me?" She asked.

His hands tightened hard enough to make me cry out. "He is mine Lilith."

"I know that. I only want to hold him for you. "She traced her hand up and down the side of his arm. "You know you can trust me."

"No," I said, hating the catch in my voice. "I'm not yours, I'm not anyone's."

A suddenly amused growl. "No, someone has a prior claim?" His hand latched onto the back of my shirt, tearing it neatly in two as he bore by left shoulder. "I see no mark. You're unclaimed."

"Get off!" I hissed, twisting enough that I actually managed to break his hold. I grabbed the shredded remains of my shirt and tried to cover myself. I looked around wildly, feeling very much like a trapped animal. There were seven of them, three women and four men. They had me completely surrounded. Dark haired with amber coloured eyes and finely boned faces. All of them were of Native American decent, which meant their other forms would be big, dark and powerful. I shuddered slightly as I looked for a way to escape. They had me too closely pinned in. I wasn't going anywhere. "Is this it then? You're just going to take me, against my will?"

Daniel cocked his head to one side, studying me. "What did you think would happen? We can't just leave you out here?"

"Can't or won't?"

"Fine, we won't. You're one of us; you need to be part of a pack."

I laughed at him, I couldn't help it. "In case you failed to notice I'm very clearly not one of you."

Laughing at him was stupid. I saw his nostrils flair as he advanced on me, the look in his eyes furious. I backed away but there wasn't really anywhere for me to go with the others circling me. His hand latched onto the remains of my shirt and he pulled me close again. "This isn't a discussion; now promise me you won't run away again."

That was never going to happen. "No," I said softly.

I don't think anyone said no to him very often. "Shift." He hissed. "Now."

I just shook my head this time. The look in the other mans eyes spoke volumes. Would he kill me if I kept disobeying?

"Shift!" He screamed.

So I did, so quickly that the alpha barely had time to back away before I had changed and was racing away from him. I choose the smallest female to barge past and she wisely moved aside. It was maybe a minute later that I heard howling behind me. These American wolves took a hell of a long time to change. It was maybe the one and only advantage I had.

I raced through the woods, outdistancing them with surprising ease. I was a fast man but as a wolf I was lightning on legs. What now, I thought worryingly, do I try to lead them away from my sister or go to her and hope the relative business of the town would stop them from acting too boldly. I very much doubted that they could know about me without finding out about her as well. The image of them finding her alone decided me. I sprinted back towards our house.

Everything was happening so quickly I didn't have time to consider how rash and stupid I was being. All that mattered to me right now was that my sister didn't get ambushed alone. We were both screwed. It was obvious that they hadn't found us by accident. Loners were fair play for any pack.

I was exhausted by the time I finally reached the apartment. I shifted back to human and kicked the door in and started screaming Rachel's name. She came flying out, her ice blue eyes wild as she saw the panicked expression on my face.

"Nicolas?" She said, her voice almost pleading as tears began to well up in her eyes.

I rushed past her and quickly grabbed a pair of jeans and a jumper. I shoved them on, not bothering with shoes. I grabbed Rachel's hand and yanked her back outside. "Nicolas, what's going on?"

"Were, in the woods." I said, breathing heavily as we started running. I was taking her to the heart of the town, hoping the crowds would deter them long enough for us to steal a car and make our escape.

"Nicolas!" Rachel's scream startled me so badly that I stumbled. She ran into the back of me and the two of us went down in a tangle of limbs. Rachel cried out in pain and fear. I looked up, my heart hammering in my chest when my eyes fell on a pair dirty feet. I let out an undignified whimper and pressed back against Rachel. Sleek figures stepped out of the shadows, forming a tight circle around the two of us. Rachel grabbed my hand and pressed her face against my arm. I thought I might be sick.

The alpha crouched down in front of us and smiled faintly. "You're ours now." He said, the words stealing the breath from my lungs. "No more running, no more scrounging like animals. You take your place with us and we'll keep you safe."

"We don't want to go with you!" Rachel cried. "Leave us alone, we were doing fine on our own!"I squeezed her hand shook my head at her but she wasn't looking at me. "You leave us alone! You hear me, leave us alone!" She was screaming the last part.

He reached out for her and I instinctively bared my teeth at him. I saw his eyebrows rise and the small upturn at the corner of his mouth. "Shut her up." He said to me, "And get up, both of you. We're leaving."

"Fire!" Rachel suddenly screamed. "Fire, FIRE!"

Clever girl. People came running when they heard fire. I took up the call in seconds. "Fire!" I bellowed.

Her higher voice rang out in the deserted street. "Fire!"

Lights were being switched on and curtains were being pulled back. There were seven naked people around us and there wasn't anywhere for them to hide.

I felt a moment of grim superiority until I was hoisted up and thrown over a big shoulder. They were going to kidnap us, in front of so many witnesses?

"Stop!" I heard people yelling behind us.

"They've grabbed those kids, someone call the police."

But of course no one did and with the crappy police department that operated in the town there was very little they could do to help us. I kicked and punched but whoever was carrying me didn't seem to notice. I caught a glimpse of Rachel; her eyes closed tightly as the one called Rose carried her much smaller frame with ease.

We were back in the woods in no time. I saw a large black van, stylish with blacked out windows and hubcaps that probably cost more than our flat. I realised we were about to be forced inside.

"Little shit." The one holding me pronounced just before he dropped me on my ass. I found myself caught in Daniels hot gaze and wondered if he intended to rip my throat out. "You fucking so much as move without my say so and I'll break her fucking arm."

Her arm? I shook my head for a second, not understanding. It dawned on me pretty quickly though when the alpha grabbed Rachel's arm and threw her down beside me. "Same goes for you." He said menacingly to Rachel. "You try to run away again and I hurt him." He pointed his finger at. "I'm done trying to be nice. You two little idiots just endangered us all."

Rachel spat at him and true to his word he pulled back his big fist and backhanded me. It was a shock, being him that hard. I could feel blood pouring down into my mouth. At least my head had stopped bleeding. I didn't think he had broken my nose but it hurt like hell. Good job he hadn't clenched his fist. "Fuck." I groaned.

Rachel pulled me close, her eyes wild as she inspected my face. "Nicolas, are you okay?"

I nodded my head but honestly I wasn't okay, and neither was she.

******

"Rachel," I whispered softly, reaching for her hand and stroking it gently. "You have to calm down. They're going to hurt us if you make them angry."

"No!" She growled at me, "No, we can't go with them Nicolas. Not after what they did to us last time! You promised me!"

I was getting desperate. I could feel the atmosphere changing around us. They were already charged up from the hunt.

"Please Rachel," The catch in my voice was enough to make her look at me. "We don't have a choice, not right now. We need to do what they say."

I had to credit the way she managed to pull herself together so quickly. We stood up together, our hands tightly intertwined. I could feel her shaking and I was certain they could smell our fear but outwardly I think we both looked relatively calm. I was careful not to look at anyone as they swarmed around us. I'd just about had enough for one night and I was honestly petrified that he'd do as he'd promised and break Rachel's arm. They forced us into the van.

"In," A male said at my right, his deep amber eyes watchful as we both climbed inside. Rachel sat in the very back next to the window and I sat beside her. There was another seat beside me but thankfully no one tried to sit there.

When everyone was seated the van pulled off. I put my arm around Rachel and she pressed into me. Between us we had gone through some serious shit in our lives and lately things seemed to be going from bad to worse. I tried to figure out exactly where I had gone wrong. I had been so certain that we were safe, out in the country where no one ever came. How had it all gone so terribly wrong?

"This is all happening too quickly." Rachel whispered to me, her voice trembling as she gripped my arm. "I can't believe I was beginning to think we were safe."

What could I say to her? That I was sorry, that I should have taken better care of her.

"I want out!" she suddenly cried. She tried to jump up but I caught her wrist and dragged her back down.