Running with Wolves Ch. 22

"What's wrong, Samantha?"

She sat down on the bed, her hands sliding against one another. She was nervous to tell him, but she had promised. "I'm thinking of moving in with the twins, permanently."

She knew he would be surprised, but the anger she feared never came. There was only a touch of sadness in his eyes. "You've been staying with them for a while now."

She nodded. "They are so good with Penny. They love her, really love her, and they say they love me too." Samantha felt her tears coming, no matter how hard she tried to keep them at bay.

"This is good."

Samantha's entire body jerked. "What?" He wasn't going to try and stop her? Tell her it was a bad idea? "But... They're werewolves. Something completely different form us. And if I stay with them I'll have to become one of them and I won't be allowed to leave the pack with you-"

"Samantha... Sammy." Dominic gave her his most loving smile as he used the nickname the twins had given her. "None of us are going to be leaving the pack."

He came to sit next to Samantha, who was too stunned to move other than follow him with her head. "We can't. Sol would fight it, and so would all of the wolves we are connected too. Besides, I can see the way all of you are with them. Flint and Garrett can barely keep it to themselves. They won't be able to stay away from each other for long, even if it is dangerous. I'm not so sure what's going on with Ben, but he has a Destined too, and if you are feeling anything like what I'm starting to feel for Misty, then how can I ask you to stay away. And anyway, this is something we all wanted for you; for you to find someone to love you and that amazing little girl of yours. We just got a bit more than we bargained for."

The tears were flowing freely now. Samantha knew she was being selfish, but she had known she would agree to stay with twins for a long time; she had just been waiting for Dominic to come back so she could get his permission. She needed that. She owed him that. The tears were now accompanied by laughter. "Thank you, Dominic. Thank you for giving me this."

He smiled and brought her into a sideways hug. They stayed sitting together for a long time, just thinking about their lives, bother past and future. It would take a lot for the group to come together, but they could do it. They had to.

"So," Samantha needed to get away from her more serious thoughts. She turned her focus onto Dominic's statement about him and Misty, "when did you decide you liked the Bitch-cicle?"

Dominic snorted out a laugh and shoved her sideways. "She is not a Bitch-cicle. She's just a leader who knows she wants to be a leader. I haven't fallen in love with her or anything. I just can't keep fighting this thing inside of me. That's what caused this whole mess. I'll let her in, and maybe with some time I can learn to like her."

Samantha nodded. "That's good."

"Speaking of letting people in, what are you going to do about Day?"

And, the good feeling was gone. Samantha's eye twitched as she thought of the punk that had snatched her baby away from her crib. "I need to talk about him with Thunder and Storm. I have some details, but we have been avoiding the subject."

"What do you know? Ben and Day told me the basics, but I have a feeling I didn't get the important stuff. Do we need to take him out?" Samantha knew that no matter what, Dominic would always be worried about Penny. It made her heart happy. So did knowing Dominic would help her hide the body, if it came to that.

"It was early. I hadn't gotten up yet 'cause she hadn't fussed. I woke up surprised, actually, that she had slept so long. When I didn't see her in her crib, I just assumed Jarod had her. He had been really possessive of her, which I still don't get."

Dominic's eyebrows scrunched together. "I know why." She waited for him to elaborate, but he just shook his head. "Something he told me a long time ago about his family. He needs to be the one to share that."

Samantha felt guilt come over her. It was probably a trauma from before he went into the system and met Dominic. Something that from the outside, they weren't able to recognize and understand. They really had been assholes. "When we figured out she was gone, everyone freaked out. Flint went and got Sol and Orion, who alerted the pack to search for her. I was running through the Den, trying to find her with everyone else. Thunder and Storm came and found me after a few hours of searching and told me they had found her with another pack member. When they told me who he was, they weren't happy at all. They wanted to kill Day for taking Penny."

"Not surprising." From his tone, Samantha knew Dominic would have been right there with them.

Samantha shook her head though. "It's more than his being older than her. That really isn't even the main issue. From what I've been told, Day won't feel any sexual attraction to her for a long time because she is a baby. He doesn't want her because of her age; he wants her for the same reason the twins want me. The problem is his family."

To that, Dominic nodded. "He's Lark's brother."

"Not just that. His father is considered a full blown traitor to the pack. That runs deep for anyone, but I think it's a lot worse here. I don't know. I don't like the idea of him being Destineds with Penny at all, but if he is a threat to the pack too? Storm has even alluded to the idea that the pack may excommunicate them completely. It's pretty sad, actually."

Samantha hated the fact she actually felt bad for Day, but the morning he took her, something had struck a chord with her. She had seen the way he had begged Sol not to take Penny away from him. How his mother had been crying and pleading that her Alphas not take another family member away form her. Had she not been so violently angry, Samantha may have even felt sorry for them. She really needed to talk with the twins again.

"So, are you going to let them mark you? Turn you all hairy like Misty did me?" Dominic was trying to make his words light, but she could still hear his fear.

"I'm going to wait a while longer before I let them bite me, I think. I'm not quite ready for that, but they won't mind. As long as I let them mark me with their scent again they should be okay with it." Glancing at the clock on the wall, Samantha stood to her feet. "I need to go. Penny needs to be fed and I need to have that talk." When Dominic stood up too, she hugged him tight around his middle. "I love you, Dom. I so glad you're back."

He hugged her back tightly. "Me too."

They went back into the sitting room and she said her goodbyes to everyone. Garrett and Flint both hugged her, though Flint was surprised when she offered it. Ben had been reluctant, but gave in because he really did want the affection. She whispered to him that everything would work out alright, and he had planted a quick kiss on her forehead in response. Misty had waved, and Samantha was glad it was only that. She really did not like Misty.

Samantha knew the path she had to take through the Alpha Wing pretty well, so she left on her own. When she made her way through the halls and to the main door, she spotted Fog standing off to the side, looking peeved and gloomy as always. Thunder had told her it was because he thought that "the human group" didn't deserve guest status and an embassy within their Den. He was apparently very old fashioned in his thinking because he had been raised by his very old grandparents.

Remembering what Garrett had said about being caught and Sol's tenuous hold over the man, Samantha stopped briefly and sized Fog up. She knew that at her height of 5'4" and curvy build, she was no threat to his large stature and thick muscle, but that had never stopped her before. She just needed to find an in.

She walked right up to Fog, who had enough ego to stand at his fully height and stare directly into her eyes in challenge. She knew enough about domestic wolves and had learned enough about the werewolves to know he was asserting his dominance with his challenge, but she was no wolf, and she would not be intimidated by him.

"I know what you saw." Samantha could see the disgust in his eyes as she reminded him of Garrett and Flint in the hallway.

"They are disgusting and wrong. They are a threat to this Den in a way you could not possibly understand, and I will do everything in my power to purge their threat from my home."

Samantha had to fight to keep her cool. Instead, she reminded herself she had the upper hand. "You may believe that backward shit, and you may try to even do something about it. But I know what you've been ordered to do, so for the time being, there isn't anything you can do about it." She smirked at his sneer before dropping her smile and glaring directly back into his glowing eyes. "But let me make one thing clear. Those two are my friends, and I'll never let you get away with hurting them."

Fog burst into a deep, superior laugh. "And what is a puny human girl like you going to do about it?"

The glare never went away, but the smile did come back. "Oh, I wouldn't be able to take anyone like you on. You aren't nearly my size. But I do know two Betas that are just dying for me to let them sink their teeth into my neck, and I'm sure that killing you for hurting me is by far not beyond their willing capability." Her smile widened as fear crept into his eyes.

"They would not dare. I am acting for the good of the pack." He didn't sound so sure, and she knew she had him.

"Maybe for yours, but not for mine. And I doubt Madam Alpha Sol would do much to stop them, seeing as how you would have to go against her explicit orders not to tell anyone. She way even leave you to rot next to that traitor, Lark, for such an act of disobedience. I wonder how well your family would fare, being labeled as related to a traitor. I know Day and his mother aren't doing so well." Seeing the fear grow to terror, Samantha waited just long enough for her threat to sink in, before giving him her most pleasant smile. "But that won't happen, because you're going to be a wonderfully good pack member, and follow the orders you have been given by your leader, right? That way, my friends and your family stay safe, I don't have to ask a very awkward request of my Destineds, and you get to keep your throat where it is!" She reached out and patted his twice on the chest. "You have a good day now." Samantha turned on her heel and went back into the Alpha Wing, taking the sharp right in the direction of her daughter and babysitters. Her hands began to shake; she hoped his fear was enough to keep him in line.

It took her the entire way back to gather her wits and calm her shaking hands. Storm and Thunder would not be pleased she had confronted Fog, but as much as she was beginning to care for them, she had her loyalties. That would never change.

Seeing the now familiar door come into view, she took one last deep breath and slapped her best smile on her face. She entered confidently, only to melt as the room came into view.

Storm was on their new couch, his feet propped up and head slouched back over the arm rest, snoring lightly as Penny snuggled into his neck. She was squirming a bit, so his hands instinctively moved to keep her up on his chest. Thunder was there in the kitchen, nursing a beer as he checked the crock pot Samantha had started that morning.

"Hey." Thunder's voice was low, so as not to disturb the two sleeping on the couch.

Samantha walked over and placed a lingering kiss on his lips. She could taste the bitter beer and sweet barbeque sauce from the cooking dinner. "Hey." She wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head on his chest so she could listen to his heart beat.

Thunder's arms wrapped themselves around her, stroking the length of her hair all the way to her mid back. "How did it go?"

"I talked to Dominic." She heard the beating under her heat skip once, then pick up its pace.

"What did he say?"

She turned her head so she was looking straight up with her chin resting on him. She smiled as she locked her green eyes with his hazel gold. "He's going to have us join Fiver Rivers."

"YES!" Thunder smacked his bottle down on the counter and lifted Samantha squealing up into a spinning hug. His enthusiasm woke Storm, who turned to see his brother swinging their Destined back and forth while she laughed and kicked.

"What's going on?" He sat silently for a moment, his head tilted slightly to the left. "Really?!" He had obviously listened in on his brother's thoughts.

Thunder laughed and put Samantha down, only to surprise her by tipping her back into a deep dipping kiss. His tongue engaged her in a slow but powerful dance, leaving her light headed and flushed. "W-wow." He brought her back up, pulling her back against him so that Storm could come and give her a similarly passionate kiss. When he pulled back, it was only Thunders arms wrapped tightly around her shoulders that kept her wobbly knees from giving out. "Wow... You two are something else."

They both laughed, brilliant grins lighting up their faces. Both brothers continued to pepper her skin with pecks and little licks. They could have stayed standing sharing touches and kisses for hours, but a little gurgle brought their attention down to the plump little package cradled in between them. Penny was munching on her own fist, her bright blue eyes locked on her mother. "Oh, I'm sorry, is it time for tummy time?" Samantha reached out at took her daughter, lifting her to sniff at her bottom. "After a diaper change."

The rest of the morning was relatively calm. After play time, Penny munched on little bits of banana for lunch, then filled up on breast milk. After she woke up from her last nap, Samantha and the twins curled up on the couch together while Penny sat in front of them in a bouncer, watching T.V. and talking about the different ways they could rearrange the living room space. So far all they had was a comfy couch they had ordered online and the pack had brought from the city, and the television was sitting on an old side table. They spent the rest of the afternoon like that.

Their routine as of late had become very pedestrian, something that Samantha had always dreamed about. Storm and Thunder were perfect, showing her their desire and care for her without pushing her to do things she was not ready for emotionally, and they adored Penny. They were starting to build something here that resembled what she had with Dominic and the others.

There was another side to all of this, though. Storm and Thunder had been incredibly open with her about their life, their past, and their family. Cascade and Thorne, their parents, had come down from their new home a few halls away to meet her and Penny. They were very nice, if a bit closed off. All in all, they had been more interested in Penny than her. Their siblings had come as well, two sisters and a brother, but they left after only a little while. Samantha had been worried they had felt uncomfortable with her, but Storm assured her it was not their discomfort with her, but with him and Thunder. Any wolf would feel uncomfortable hanging around an unmarked human Destined while her two powerful wolf Destines stood nearby.

In contrast, Samantha had not been very forthcoming with her past. Every so often, something would trigger her; the way Thunder came up behind her, Storm dropping a plate too roughly in the sink, even at night when one of them had slipped into her room and touched her on the side when she was half asleep. That had not been a good night.

But that wasn't going to be the last of it, and she knew it. She was fucked up on a deep level, and though Dominic and the others had helped her through a lot, it hadn't gone away; it wouldn't go away, at least not all the way. They needed to know that before they went any further. They were going to have to hear about her past, and only after that would she believe they had everything they needed to truly decide if they wanted her.

"Sammy?" Samantha felt a hand reach out and touch her shoulder. She flinched, spinning her head to see Storm's surprised eyes above her. She smiled self-consciously up at him, letting out an awkward little laugh.

"Sorry, I guess I zoned out there for a second. Did you ask me something?"

He let it go, but there was still just a trace of worry in his eyes. "Dinner is ready." Sure enough, Thunder had gotten up and already opened the beeping crock pot to check the pork.

Samantha popped up, a little too eager. "Oh, I'll get it." She was stopped by a hand around her wrist. Before she could protest, she was tugged down into Storm's lap. "Storm! Let me up!" Her words were separated by burst of giggles. His long fingers were digging into her soft sides, pinching her most sensitive spots. All she could do against his strength was wriggle and kick her feet. "Stop! Please stop! I'm going to pee!"

Finally, after one or two more pinches to her sides and legs, Storm finally ceased his attack. He wrapped her fully against his body with one arm wrapped around her waist and the other around her shoulders. His lips pressed to the top of her shoulder in a lingering kiss. "Whatever it was that was bothering you, please tell us. We can't fix it if you don't let us in."

Samantha turned on his lap, seeing both he and his brother were watching her with the same expression of care and concern. She nodded. "Tonight. We'll talk after dinner." She leaned in and kissed the light pink scar on Storm's neck, the only lasting evidence of his ordeal. She pushed those memories aside; now was not the time for it.

Dinner went well. Thunder and Storm were excited about the pulled pork, even though she knew they were used to much more elaborate and professional quality meals. She wasn't the best cook, but she enjoyed watching them scarf down three sandwiches each with large helpings of mashed potatoes and cooked veggies. Penny didn't like the broccoli, but she loved the BBQ cauliflower and cereal with more breast milk to finish off.

As they were finishing up putting away the rest of their meal, there was a knock on the door. Both men instantly stood straight with their eyes fixed on it. They never looked at one another, silently deciding that it would be Storm who placed himself protectively between Samantha and the door by casually leaning next to her by the sink, and Thunder who answered it. They did that whenever someone came to the door, even though they knew it was safe in the Den. Until she was marked, they had made it clear they would be taking no chances; ever.

"Hey, Thunder." The voice of a female Samantha did not know drifted through the open door. They talked quietly for a moment as Samantha continued rinsing the dishes and placing them in the dishwasher. She tried to listen in, but the running water was too loud. She turned it off just as the conversation was ending. "... let you know if anything changes. He's a pain in the ass to keep track of."

He let out a contemplative huff. "Put someone on him permanently. We need to be able to find him quickly. Don't approach; part of the agreement was to leave him be."

They said their goodbyes without much ceremony. Once the door was closed and Thunder turned back around, the brothers noticed that Samantha had stopped and was watching them. "Who was that?"

Storm turned the water back on and continued with the dishes. "One of the wolves in charge of finding Jarod."

Thunder stopped by Penny's chair, petting her black hair tenderly. "He keeps slipping away. We don't have that many wolves who live full time on the city, so they can't have eyes on him 24/7."

Samantha felt her heart skip a beat. "Oh." Her guilt reared its ugly head. Jarod shouldn't be in the city, not by himself and not in the state he must be in. "When are we going to go get him?"