The Last Shewolf Ch. 07-11

It took most of the day to drive down to the Twin Cities from the North Shore. With the loss of Daylight Savings Time and the rapidly shortening days, it was well past dark by the time I found the clubhouse. It was a non-descript warehouse in an industrial area, surrounded by auto dealerships and repair facilities. Other than the address, the only label on the outside said "Northwoods Riders, PRIVATE PROPERTY, NO TRESSPASSING." I parked in the lot, which had a few dozen vehicles parked in it. The building had an office door at this end, farther down there were a few overhead garage-type doors. The whole building was surrounded by an eight-foot-tall chain link fence with razor wire on top, and the entry to the parking area had a gate that was open.

I turned off my truck and sat there for a moment; I had hours to figure out what to say to them, but still had no idea. How can I tell them what I'm running from without telling them my secrets? It doesn't matter what is going on, every werewolf knows that humans can't know of our existence. I will have to be careful to control my wolf.

I grabbed my purse, leaving my bag for now. I needed to talk to Viper before I go find a hotel room or something. I locked the truck behind me and walked to the red metal door. Knocking loudly, I waited only a few seconds before the door is opened and I'm pulled inside, squeezed breathless against a big chest. "Holy shit, DOC IS HERE!"

I'm spun around and when I am finally set down, I'm pulled into another broad chest, then another. I catch glimpses of the inside of the building as I go from man to man, the smell of their human and the leather of their biker cuts making me smile. Viper is the last to pick me up and spin me around, and he doesn't let me go. Instead, he lifts me under my knees and carries me to a table where another familiar face is sitting. "Hammer!" Viper lets me down to my feet and I go to give him a hug.

He smiles but doesn't get up, he doesn't have to. Two boys and a girl, aged between two and six, latch onto my legs as a blonde woman in a Harley Davidson T-shirt pulls me into her ample chest. "Thank you," she says as she starts bawling.

"You're Daddy's angel?" The little girl is about five, her little voice rises up to me, and the woman loosens her hold enough for me to kneel down to see them. I didn't even know he had kids or was married.

"I'm DeWalt, but my real name is Doctor Vivian," I said with a smile. "What is your name?"

"I'm Meghan, this is my big brother Carter and my little brother Cash," she said. She jumped into my arms, her little arms wrapping around my neck. "Daddy said you saved him. Thank you."

I picked her up with me. "I'm a Doctor, it's what I do," I said. Viper had pulled out a chair, so I sat down next to Hammer and shifted his daughter to my lap. He reached over and gave me a big hug. "How are you recovering?"

"Slow as hell," he said. "I'm still getting headaches and dizzy spells, and they won't let me drive or ride yet." His wife sat in his lap. "This is Teri, my wife, and you've met my children I see."

I bounced Meghan on my knee. "I see you told them about me."

He laughed a little. "I can barely remember anything after that damn deer jumped into my bike. The boys told me everything, though."

"You weren't really lucid when I got to you." I looked at his glass. "You're not drinking, are you?"

He shook his head. "Doctor's orders, no alcohol. Teri's got me drinking fruit juice. I can barely hold my head up in this place."

"But you have a head to hold up." I looked around the room, it looked like a nice bar with a bit of a family vibe, not what I had expected from the outside or from a biker club. There was a long bar on one side, a bunch of tables in the center, and darts and pool tables in the back. There was a walled-in area for the smaller children to play in, and arcade games and televisions around the room. Most of the men in the club had their women with them, many with children. I could see a pass-through to a kitchen, someone was cooking burgers and fries back there. "This place isn't quite what I expected."

Viper laughed, along with a couple of the guys. "What, you expected some dive biker bar, naked girls dancing on poles and sweetbutts under the table?" Teri smacked him, glaring at him for his language. "We're not that kind of club. We aren't outlaws, we are family men, veterans, men and women who just love to ride. We formed this club and built this bar because it's a good place for us all to hang out."

"Beer's cheaper than at a bar, too," Doc said as he sat down. "And as a private club, it doesn't have to shut down so early at night. The back area is storage, and a full motorcycle garage. Most of us do our own repairs, some of us do restorations. I sleep in an apartment, but I basically live here," he said.

Snake set a tall beer and a huge burger with a mound of fries in front of me, giving me a hug before he went back behind the bar. It smelled amazing. "Eat up, girl, we all had dinner earlier," Teri said. "Did you drive straight down here?"

I nodded as I took a bite, a little shocked as the liquid lava of melted cheese almost burned my tongue. I looked at the burger, the cheese was coming from the inside! Hammer noticed my puzzled look. "It's called a Juicy Lucy, it started in a bar near the airport. You put the cheese inside two thin patties, squeeze the edges together then cook it. The cheese melts and stays inside."

"It's damn good," I said. Big, too, had to be over a half pound. It didn't matter, I almost inhaled the dinner, I was so hungry. Gas station food was not to be trusted, so I hadn't eaten much all day.

I enjoyed the night a lot, it reminded me of my home Pack; the atmosphere, how much everyone cared for each other and their families. The place started to empty out as the wives started taking tired children home, and I'd had way too many beers placed in front of me. Hammer's kids gave me another hug before Teri took them home, as Meghan told everyone that she was going to be a doctor someday just like me. I smiled as they left. "I need to use the bathroom," I said.

"Back there," Hammer said, pointing to the doorway past the pool tables. "And when you get back, you can tell us why you showed up here all of the sudden." My heart dropped as I got up, I was going to have to tell them something. I went back, taking my time and washing up. I looked in the mirror, asking myself if I was all right putting them in danger by my presence.

I didn't really have a choice. I'd give them enough to understand I needed protection without being clear on why.

When I came back out, Viper was waiting for me. "Come on, this seems like something best handled in church," he said. He led me down a hallway past the kitchen and his office to a large conference room with couple dozen chairs around it. All of the chairs except two were filled by club members, wearing their distinctive cuts with the emblem of a wolf howling to the moon, pines in the background, while riding a motorcycle. He pulled my chair out before I sat, then sat next to me. "I got the feeling this isn't a social call," he said.

"You're right," I said. "I wouldn't leave my home, my job and my friends behind and just show up here on a whim." I started to tear up a little, I hadn't really processed my emotions from this morning on the drive. My wolf was hurt by the rejection and the uncertainty. Viper noticed I was breaking down and pulled me into his lap, his big arms holding me while I tried to get control of myself again.

I wiped my eyes, then looked up again, not wanting to leave his comfort. He reminded me of my father, he was strong and supportive. "I got in trouble back home," I finally said. "I live apart from others, you probably saw that," I said.

"Yeah, we were wondering why you took us to what was clearly a guest house when it was supposed to be your home," Dagger said. "Your real home is farther back?"

"Yes, in the compound," I said. "I grew up in the Way, my parents were members. You'd call it a cult, but I didn't know any different. Everyone I knew was like that, and until I went to college I didn't know better. They don't trust others, and they needed a doctor. They paid for my education, and in return I signed a contract to live at the compound and provide medical care for ten years after graduation."

"These guys, they aren't dangerous, are they?" Hammer was leaning forward.

"I never thought so, but I was never close to the leadership. I ran the clinic, worked relief shifts in some local towns to earn my own money. I figured I'd do my time, then leave." I looked at my hands. "I guess Clark had other plans."

"This Clark guy, he runs the place?"

"Yes. He's the spiritual and family leader, you could say. Everyone does what he says. If you don't, you might be punished, even exiled. Nobody who has been kicked out has ever been heard from again. I did some searching on the Internet, they were all found dead somewhere, the death blamed on accidental causes."

Viper pulled me a little closer. "Why did you stay?"

"I had a contract, I had a job, and they pretty much left me alone," I said. "There are good people there, too."

Snake tapped his finger on the table. "What happened today to change things?"

I put my arms over Viper's, needing the comfort. "Clark's wife was pregnant, and it went bad. They brought her to the clinic this morning, while Clark was in town doing some business. They... they both died. There was nothing I could do." I let a few tears go. "Clark blamed me for their deaths, for his son not making it. Said I was of the devil and couldn't be trusted, that I should be 'purified' before I poisoned his flock and caused more damage."

"Fucking bastard," Hammer said. "Did he hurt you?"

"No. One of the women called, warned me he and some other men were coming for me. I grabbed what I could and jumped in my truck. I barely made it out," I said. "I didn't know where else to go. They have friends, people in law enforcement. If they find me, they'll drag me back there, even kill me." I broke down completely, thankful for those drama classes in college I had taken.

"You're safe here," Viper said as he hugged me. "There are a couple guest rooms upstairs, Snake can show you. Get some sleep and we'll talk tomorrow," he said.

"Before I go, I move that Doc be granted the protection of our club. I won't see her hurt," Snake said.

"Seconded," Hammer said.

"All in favor?" Everyone raised their hands. Viper set me on my feet. "Doctor Vivian DelMara is under the protection of this club. Snake, show her the way." Everyone stood, and I hugged Viper and all the others before I let Snake lead me out. As the door closed, I could hear Viper talking about what he wanted the others to do.

The upstairs was clean and functional, the guest room was small but had its own bathroom and shower. I cleaned up and got into bed, letting my emotions go as I thought about everything I had lost today.

And everything I had gained.

Ch. 8

I didn't wake up until the sun hit my eyes the next morning. I instantly regretted not closing the blind last night, thinking I could have slept another hour or so, but then the smell hit me.

Bacon.

For the record, I've never been one of those women from the mattress commercials. You know, the annoying bitches who wake up with a smile on their face, perfect hair and makeup? I look more like the survivor of the Zombie Apocalypse. I made my way to the bathroom, washing the crusty sleep out of my eyes and the tear streaks off my face. I pulled my hair back into a ponytail, put on some scent-free antiperspirant, and dug through my bag for my boot cut jeans and a flannel shirt.

This was as fresh as I got in the morning.

I went out into the hall and followed the smell downstairs. Snake called to me from the kitchen, he was already getting the breakfast buffet ready. "Wow, you planning on feeding an army this morning?"

"I saw you eat that burger last night, Doc. I figured you weren't the bagel and coffee type."

I laughed as I sat at the bar next to Viper, who had a platter of pancakes and bacon. "Good morning, Viper."

"Morning. You sleep all right?"

"I'm fine, the room is great. I'll find a hotel today."

"NO." He turned to me. "If people are looking for you, you can't leave a paper trail to a hotel, or be out there where someone might see you. We said we would keep you safe, and we will. Part of that is that we need you to stay close, out of sight, and that means staying here."

"I don't want to bother..."

"You won't. This club is a family, you're part of the family. All we ask of you is that help out around here like everyone else."

"How?"

"We have a rotation for cleanup, upstairs and downstairs. Doc's old lady, Kelly, she'll be in this morning, she does day care here for all the kids."

"The clubhouse is a day care?"

"Sure, that's why we do breakfast. It's easier for the members to bring their kids here to eat breakfast, and we can provide it cheaper than they can get day care elsewhere. There's always some brothers around, either here or in the garage, if you need help. It's all licensed, we have rooms upstairs devoted just to the day care you didn't see."

"Damn." The Pack could learn a few things from these guys. I went and grabbed a juice from the buffet, and Snake dropped off my plate before going back to continue making food. By the time I was done eating, a half-dozen moms had come in with their children, and they were eating breakfast at the tables. I was greeted by all, introduced to the ones I hadn't met last night. I might take a while to get the names straight, there were so many. "I don't mind pulling my share around here, but I do need to do my job and keep my qualifications up."

"I think it would be a good idea to NOT do anything until things settle down a little, Doc. This Clark guy, he knows you're a Doctor, that's an obvious way to track you down. Is there a way to change the name on your medical license? "

I thought about it, it wasn't common, most female doctors kept their maiden names because it was their professional name. "I think so, I'd have to talk to the medical board. Maybe they would let me if I can state there is a threat to me if my name is used."

"Worth a shot." He got up and put his dishes in the trays on the bus cart Snake had set behind the bar, then he took mine. "I have to get to work, feel free to explore around here or help out wherever. We'll talk more tonight." He gave me a hug before pulling on his tie and suit jacket from the hanger by the door.

"You look awful corporate, Mr. President," I teased.

"Corporate camouflage, Doc. That's all it is." He pulled on an overcoat and left.

I helped Kelly get all the kids cleaned up from breakfast and up the stairs. They had a nice setup, a play room with a classroom area on one side. I stayed until the kids were into their morning routine, then went back downstairs to help Snake. I started loading the dishes into the big dishwasher. "You know what you're doing there, Doc?"

"Not my first rodeo, Snake." I pushed the tray in and closed the door while I loaded the next tray. He was busy wiping down the grill and the countertops. "How did you get your nickname?"

"I keep them," he said. "I started with a corn snake when I was a kid. I love picking them up, and so over in Iraq when everyone else was freaking out, I was picking them up and checking them out. I'm kind of weird that way." He pulled up the back of his shirt, he had an intricate tattoo of snakes going up his back. "Oh, and my dick is long and thin, like a..."

"Got it," I said. "I can't believe you guys stuck me with my nickname."

"DeWalt? Hell, that's a cool one. Guaranteed to get people to ask you the story, and it's a great one. Brain surgery at night on a two-lane road with your portable drill? Epic."

I snickered. "Yeah, if they ask. The rest probably figure it's something that goes with a sex toy."

"That works too."

I laughed even harder. "Shit, until six weeks ago I was a virgin. I finally decided I needed Mr. Right Now more than Mr. Right."

Snake whistled as I moved the tray out and put the next one in. "Damn, girl. One ride on the back of a Harley and those panties are drrrrrr-OPPING!" We both cracked up, and I had a great time helping him with the cleanup. When we were done, he grabbed a couple Cokes out of the cooler and we went back out front. "So, are you free for the day?"

"Pretty much, why?"

"It's going to get up to forty-five today, that's enough to ride."

"You want me to ride on a motorcycle with you. In THIS weather."

"No, I want to teach you how to ride. I'm certified, I can give you a Motorcycle Safety Course and then you can go down to the license office this afternoon and get your endorsement. That is, unless you want to ride bitch your whole time here."

"Oh, I'm riding. I've been wanting to go back out since that night."

"Good. I want to see you at the table someday, and if you can't ride, you can't vote. Come on." He led me down the stairs, there was a storage room down there. "We keep extra gear around, stuff people have outgrown or replaced. Let's find you a helmet and some leathers, you're bound to hit the road at least once today."

"Great," I said with a groan. "Get me some pads, too." Ten minutes later, we'd found a full-face helmet that fit me, along with a set of chaps and a thick motorcycle jacket.

We went back upstairs and out to the garage, where he led me over to an old Honda motorcycle. "We use this to teach riders, it's light and nobody cares if a rice-burner gets scratched or dented," he said. He spent the next twenty minutes with me going over how the bike worked and what the controls were. When he was done, he opened the door and had me fire it up and drive it out. I squealed a little as it took off, it had more power than I thought. I managed to steer and stop it pretty much where he wanted, which made me happy.

The next four hours were tough. I had to learn how to steer, shift, and use the clutch. I'd never had a manual transmission vehicle in my life, so the clutch was the hardest to figure out, along with remembering which direction the shifter needed to go. Second hardest was slow speed maneuvering, I tipped over three times doing that. I learned quickly, he said, and I passed the test after lunch. I parked the bike, jumped off and hugged him. "THANK YOU so much, Snake! I can get my own motorcycle now!"

"You can, Doc. And we can get you some decent gear that fits, you're WAY too hot to be wearing that stuff." I offered to buy him lunch and rode on the back of his Harley downtown for lunch at Mickey's Diner. On the way home, he took me to the place of my dreams. Saint Paul Harley Davidson!

Two hours later, I had a full set of leathers, T-shirts galore, a bandana, a new helmet and a hell of a decision to make. I couldn't decide which motorcycle I wanted, an XLH Sportster or a Softtail. Snake had his own opinions, but I thought I'd run it by a few people who might know things. He did say that it was better to learn on a smaller bike before moving to a larger one, and that seemed like good advice. We got back in time for dinner, and I walked in to a full house that erupted in cheers at my outfit and the motorcycle license I had in my hand. I moved among my friends, laughing and drinking as I told them about my day and asked for advice on motorcycles. "You know, DeWalt, I think you're going to be just fine here," Doc said.

"Just don't take any shit from these guys," Kelly said with a laugh.

"And don't make any plans for Christmas week," Viper said. "You're coming with us."

I looked at them quizzically. "Where?"