Peace and Quiet Ch. 02

He smiled. "Never a problem to help out someone, especially one of our former Armed Forces." I could smell he was genuine. He respected me a lot for serving the country. "Once you're settled, if you want to come by just give me a ring." As we got up to leave he handed me his card. "That way we know you're coming and won't catch me and Pat...busy." The grin he gave me said he was often busy with his mate. "I..." he stopped when his cell rang. "Talk to me, handsome," he said with a sort of lovesick puppy look. "Seriously? Today? Shit. Infect him and stab him in the head with a silver spoon. Or have Dyl do it." He tried upset but he was grinning. "Yeah, I'll go pick his ass up after I drop off Quint."

"I can walk," I said but he waved away the suggestion.

"Sure, love. See you soon." He hung up. "That was Pat. My best bud and bane of my life has decided to fly in for the weekend." I nodded. I knew those types of friends. "Love him to death."

"Death by silver spoon?" I asked with a smirk.

"Probably. He's still completely clueless I'm Lycan. Even after seven years." To that I nodded. Something told me that this friend was to remain clueless.

Jon dropped me off and then waved as he turned around to go to the airport again. I looked at the old house and saw it needed a lot of work. Mom would not keep up on something like the paint or the fence when she had other things to worry about. Dad wouldn't care enough since he was a holier than thou pious prick who believed Jesus would provide everything they needed, even if the house fell down. He would pray and it would be answered. This would be hard because last time I had seen my folks Dad had kicked me out for being gay. Told me not to come home while I was with that man.

I hiked up my bag and walked through the open gate. My old dog Sadie lifted her head and then came trotting up. She took a good long sniff of me and then her tail wagged. Guess she remembered me enough to not care about the rest. "Miss me?" I asked her and she barked.

"What you after, Sadie," came mom's voice from inside. When she came to the door she stopped and looked at me. "Quintin?"

"Hi mama." She came down the steps quickly and into my hug as I dropped my bags.

"My boy is home. You...you didn't bring that man here, did you?"

"I left him. Long story, but we're not together and if he comes calling, call the cops." Her eyes got big. "Long story. Papa home?"

"He's working. What did you do to your hair? You come inside and put your things up. I'll fix you something to eat, you must be famished." I smiled as mom led the way into the house.

"I'm fine. I had lunch with my new boss." I would be working mainly on the farm, but Jon had arranged for a part time job at the market.

"Already have a job? Well, that's one less thing for your father to complain about." I kissed her cheek and went upstairs to drop off my things. My room was exactly the same, even had the same Pokemon bed sheets. Being in the room brought back a host of good and bad thoughts.

"So I'll be working at the market," I said to my mom, even though she had made little noise coming up the stairs.

"That's nice. Quint?" I looked at her, seeing the concern in her eyes.

"I'm fine, mama. Amos wasn't the man I thought and I came home to start fresh."

"Wanna tell me?" She put her hand on my arm in concern.

I didn't want to, but I found myself telling her almost everything he ever did. When I got to my Lycanthropy I told a small lie. "He...gave me something I can't get rid of." Her body shrank. "I'm fine. Healthy even, but there ain't no getting rid of what I got from him. So, if I ever get a cut, let me deal with it."

"You're a brave man to tell me this, honey. You're father won't be so understanding."

"I know. Also found out I have an allergy to silver." She made a quirky face. "Makes me break out."

"Then I'll make sure you don't use your grandma's silverware." I chuckled and gave her a hug. "I'm glad you're home, baby."

"Me too."

I was up on the roof with some shingles when dad got home. I heard his truck coming down the road, but I just kept working as if I didn't dread the moment he realized the blond guy was his son. When I heard the door slam I could smell his aftershave on the slight breeze. "Lenore, who is that on the roof?" Ever the suspicious one. I turned and looked down at him with as blank a look as I could. I saw his face go from confusion to disbelief, shock to anger, and finally to resigned. "Is he with you?"

"No, Papa. I left him." He nodded and went inside. No welcome home, no happy to see you...didn't expect one really. At least he didn't yell at me to get off his property or tell me I was going to hell for my sins. I went back to work.

We stayed away from each other, mostly, unless we had to be in the same room. Then we didn't speak at all. Mama tried to get us to talk, and we would talk to her, but we never said a word to each other if we could help it. I knew it would be like this, so I was prepared. The biggest thing I was not prepared for was working in the market and the people I would have to be around. I was supposed to be the stock boy. I was, but I wasn't told I would also have to fill in as cashier when told.

"I was told you got some PTSD, or some thing wrong with you, so as to keep you from being around the customers too much," said the manager. It was a good cover story for a guy who needed some time to just get his feet back under him. "But the cashier called in sick, so you get to do it today." I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and nodded. "Good. Now get hopping."

I went out to the register and forced a smile on my face. "Hi there," I said cheerfully. Most of the time I got some polite conversation and others I got people who knew me from school years past.

But one guy stood out from all of them. He was massive. Like bigger than Jessup massive. I ain't never seen anyone that big in my life. He had to be seven feet tall and his arms had to be close to twenty-five inches around. A strawberry blonde, hazel eyed giant who looked about eighteen in the face. A very handsome face, almost too perfect. He had the same shoulder to waist ratio of one of them comic book heroes. When he saw me his eyes narrowed a bit like he was taking my measure. He wasn't Lycan, I could tell that much, but he sure seemed to know I was one. "Howdy," I said as he put his purchases on the counter.

"Who are you? I've never seen you around the town before." His voice was deep, but not too deep, and resonated like huge bells.

Blunt and to the point. "I'm Quintin. Just moved back from the south. Folks live just out of town." The answer didn't seem to satisfy him at all.

"I'm gonna keep my eye on you. If you're trouble, you'll answer to me." With that he paid for his things and left. I got a chill up my spine that as strong as I was, he would still be stronger than me. I had done nothing to him, said nothing bad to him, yet he seemed to hate me on first sight. The rest of the shift was iffy because of that one meeting. Then I got to actually stock the shelves and clocked out after eleven.

My dad was waiting up when I got home. "Coming in late?"

"I was at work."

"The market closes at nine." I heard the accusations in his voice.

"I stock shelves, Papa. That means I'm there after the customers." I walked past him and up to my room where I shut the door. What a horrid way to end the day. Something clicked in my mind and I grabbed my phone and dialed a number.

"Lone Wolf house," came Brigid's voice. She sounded a bit tired, then I remembered it the Wolf was in the next time zone east.

"It's Quint. I made it home okay."

I swear I could hear her mood improve. "Great to hear it. You know Zeke has been on cloud nine since you left. I thought he would have been more upset. He...is tapping his foot and glaring at me. I think he wants to talk to you."

I chuckled. "You are an evil man, Quintin." I couldn't help but laugh.

"Found it?"

"Uh, yeah. You set it as my background on my phone." I could hear him walking through the house, probably to his room. When I heard his door shut his growled softly. "That was the sexiest picture I have ever seen." I had left a picture of me in my underwear flexing for him and the caption "something to remember me by" at the bottom.

"I owed you at least that for pulling my ass out of the fire. Never did get a chance to thank you."

"Trust me, that picture was thanks enough. I may get carpal tunnel, but it will be worth it." I laughed into my pillow. Here was something I could do to end my days. I missed him. "So you all settled at home?"

"Yeah. Mama was glad to see me. Papa...well, he wasn't thrilled but he didn't tell me to leave." I told him about my day and about the guy at the market.

"He sounds hot." He was probably salivating.

"He was good looking, but did he give me the creeps." We talked for a few more minutes before I went to bed. Being in a much better mood, I fell asleep quickly.

Twice more that week I saw that big guy. Each time he was glaring holes in my head. One time he was in line with a well built man who, when he got close enough, smelled of Lunais blood. He was a bit shorter than average but built like a truck. Good looking, but then I was coming to see that most Lycans were at least decent if not hot. I didn't give my normal happy smile, I just kept my head down.

"You must be new in town," said the older man with the giant.

"Yeah. Just moved back." The guy got the hint that I was not wanting to talk and said nothing else.

On their way out, the giant said, "That's the one I was telling you about. I don't trust him." Out of the corner of my eye I saw the man look back at me.

"He's harmless. If you push him you may find trouble, but I see nothing to worry about." The giant went to open his mouth but closed it when the man raised a brow. "He's probably had enough stress in his life, so don't go adding to it."

"Fine, but I'm keeping an eye him." They got into their truck and drove off.

The second time I was just leaving the store after work and he was standing across the street and looking right at me. I averted my eyes and hurried home. Thankfully he didn't follow me, but this guy was seriously giving me the creeps. The worst part was he was so...hot. I mean it was intimidating, and I had my fill of intimidating relationships, but I could not help but feel attracted to him. Which scared me. I called Zeke, which was a nightly thing for me. If nothing else I could be in a better mood just listening to him natter on.

It was the next day when I saw the guy across the street from the house that I really got freaked out. My dad was at work and Mama was in the laundry room. "Mama, can I borrow your car?"

"Bring it back in one piece," she said and I could hear her smile. She always said that to me.

I jumped in the car and was out of there before that guy could even think to follow. I drove, following directions I had been given, and came to the camp. While I knew I was supposed to call ahead, this was getting to be too much for me. I did stop on the road about a mile away. "This is Jon."

"Jon, it's Quintin. I'm dropping by."

"Cool. Travis is here, Pat's in the shower, and Dylan is in town, but you're welcome to come say hi." I hung up and drove. When I pulled in I saw Jon and a very good looking gentleman in his later years seated at the picnic table.

"Sorry to just drop in, but I've had someone following me." Jon's welcoming grin fell away and the other man, a Lupus by his smell, turned. He looked very familiar to me, but I couldn't place it.

"Travis Andrews, this is Quintin Marshall." My eyes widened a bit and then man smiled kindly as he shook my hand. I had just shaken the hand of the Former Leader of the largest pack on the east coast.

"Welcome home, Quintin. Tell us of this person." I described him perfectly and they were trying to suppress grins.

"What?"

"Your stalker...is he walking up the road now?" I looked back and I know I squeaked out something. He was staring right at me, right in the eyes. I shrunk back. They laughed at me. "That's Dylan, the pack enforcer. My son." I looked back at him. "Dylan, didn't Pat tell you to stop pestering Quintin?"

The giant, who I now realized was a Solaris, looked a bit red now. He looked at me and flushed even more red. "He said something like that."

"Son, Quintin is the one I told you might need help from someone following him. Stalking him. Hunting him." Jon's tone was just a bit reprimanding, but not harshly so.

"So I messed up?" he asked and I could see he was young. He rubbed the back of his neck and looked at me. "I am sorry. You were new in town and they told me to keep an eye on anyone I didn't know." His handsome face was red from embarrassment.

"You are seriously creepy, you know that?" Jon and Travis just laughed.

"Yeah, been that way most of my life." He stuck out his huge hand. "I won't bother you like that again, especially since you're the one I'm supposed to help out if you need it." I looked at it and shook his hand. Mine was dwarfed. When I touched him I felt a surge of power shoot up my arm and we both jumped back like we were shocked. Travis and Jon looked mildly concerned.

"Ah, our mystery man has come by." I was jolted out of my trance. It was the man who was with the enforcer...who I now realized was the mate to the Leader. "My name is Patrick. You must be Quint." I nodded dumbly and rubbed my hand against my leg to get feeling back in it. "Did I eavesdrop correctly?"

Jon kissed him. "You did. Dyl was stalking the guy who is not to be stalked." The color rose higher into Dylan's cheeks.

"Yeah, yeah, Dad, laugh it up. Like you never made a mistake."

"I've made plenty. You don't do it very often, but when you do, little dude, you really fuck up." Dylan laughed and looked down. God he was gorgeous when he blushed. I stamped that thought down as soon as I thought it. I did not need someone who both scared the shit outta me and made me want to jump in his lap to know I felt that way. "So, since the problem seems to have solved itself, do you want to stay for lunch? Pat makes a great sandwich."

"I couldn't impose, Alpha," I started, "sorry, Jon." That was something I would have to work on.

"It's no imposition," said Patrick. "We share the meal making around here. Jon cooks breakfast, I do lunch and Dylan does dinner. If either my dad or Jon's are here, they chip in with pretty much anything."

The Alpha cooked? Wasn't that the job of the mate? But Pat cooked too and so did the enforcer. I really wasn't ready for such a strange place. Amos...Amos told me a bunch of shit by the look of things 'round here. "Another time," I said, looking at the enforcer out of the corner of my eye. "Mama probably has lunch made and waiting."

"Sounds like life is pretty good so far?" Jon asked and I nodded. "Awesome. You're welcome here anytime and if you ever get around to telling the folks, and they don't take it too badly, bring them by too." He stuck out his hand and I shook it.

"I doubt you'll be seeing Papa. If he kicked me out for dating a guy, wonder what he would do if he found out I get all hairy at night."

"Might be a personal question, but can you change outside the moon? I've heard the cats can do it more often. I know Dyl can, but he's Solaris and doesn't count."

"I can only change at night, but I can do it any night." I smelled Alpha Andrews get a bit jealous. "But heck, what is a lynx like me going to do? Take down an angry Pomeranian?" I smiled to let them know I wasn't really putting myself down. A lynx the size of a pony was not small. I might not match the other guys present, but I'm glad I was a good size.

"Heaven forbid," Dylan said with a smile. "I would hate to face down even one. It would kill me...by getting stuck in my throat." I couldn't help it. I had to laugh.

Back at home I was getting ready for work and thinking about what life had been and what it was now. I mean I had changed so much when I left that shitstain. I'd walked half way across the US, met some really good people and was now in a new pack territory in my old home. If only Amos had stayed in the past this would have been a very good life to be living. Yeah, Papa wasn't too thrilled about having me back home since he still knew I liked guys, but I wasn't dating.

That of course led me to the pack enforcer. He was by far the most amazing creature I had ever met. Tall, gorgeous, scary as shit, built like a tank...a big blonde scary tank of walking sex. And what was that thing when I touched him? Felt like I got shocked. I heard of the spark of attraction, but nothing like this. It was creepy. And didn't he say he had been creepy most of his life? What was that supposed to mean? I knew one thing, I was not too keen to see him again, hot or not.