FMR (4 page)

line." MacDonald shrugged his big shoulders. "But that Derek fella

didn't have to get out of hand. He's the one who lost control, not me.

I tell ya, he's a loner – always has been, always will be."

"What if he wants to join our pack? Have you ever thought of

that?" Megan hotly asked before she'd even realized she'd spoken.

"Doesn't he deserve a chance? A sense of belonging?"

Megan glanced around the table, her senses on alert as she studied

the other pack members. Gazing over at her brother, she was

disappointed to find he was blocking his thoughts from everyone ...

including her. But what did she expect? She knew he was only trying

to stay neutral and impartial to the whole situation.

"He's too unpredictable, moon or no moon. Besides, he's not even

sure of his parentage, Megan. If ya ask me, he's nothing more than-

than a mutt!"

Megan slapped a hand down on the table in aggravation.

"MacDonald, you will not talk about Derek Lee like that! It's wrong!

It's unfair to judge him before you even get a chance to know him!"

Ray leaned close, laying a cool hand on her shoulder. "Meg, calm

down and lower your voice." The tone of his voice was gentle, but

held a note of warning. Her entire body quivered with anger. Her

outburst had sent a ripple of shock and uneasiness around the table.

"So, tell us, Megan," MacDonald leered, pushing his chair back

from the table and holding her gaze, "how well have you gotten to

know
him?"

That did it. Megan leapt to her feet as she gripped the edge of the

table for control, but her heart was pounding angrily, the wolf inside

her rippling under her skin. "You son of a bitch – how dare you!" she

growled. "I ought to – "

"Meg, no!" Ray swiftly rose and gripped her arm tight, whirling her

around to face him. Her anger lost its punch as she gazed up into her

brother's eyes. "Not here. Not now."

She inhaled deep, struggling on the inside to cool her demeanor.

Control. Breathe. Don't let him get to you. Stay calm, sis.
Megan

blinked, realizing it was not her own thoughts in her head, but Ray's.

"I-I'm going outside." She nodded, her voice quivering. "Excuse

me."

Megan barely remembered walking through the crowded diner and

stepping outside into the parking lot. "Damn him! How dare he think

that I – that we – oh!" She fumed, letting out another hiss of anger.

But it wasn't like we didn't want to.
A tiny smile tugged at the corners

of her mouth, recalling their kiss. She tried to shake the memory from

her head.

This moon's definitely got a hold on more of us than just Derek.

She let out a heavy sigh. Propping up against the side of her car, she

took a deep breath. She felt the autumn sun on her face and let the

coolness of the morning air quiet her thoughts, clearing away the

barrage of feelings that swirled inside her.

Only ten minutes had passed, but it felt like forever. She'd decided

to just wait outside, not go back into the diner. Her outburst had

drawn attention from a few of the other customers. She thought it best

to stay put. More than likely, the pack was finishing the meeting ...

without her.

Finally, the diner door swung open. Members of the pack filed out,

talking among themselves. A low growl escaped from under her

breath as she saw MacDonald exit the diner, but he wasn't even

looking in her direction. His shoulders were hunched, his face pale

and lips tightly drawn as he headed to his truck on the far side of the

gravel lot.

I wonder what all that's about?

Ray and fellow pack-mate, Bruce Taylor, came out the door,

heading toward her. Ray was chatting with Bruce as they drew closer.

She couldn't help overhearing what her brother was saying. "I'm glad

you spoke up when you did, Bruce. I felt MacDonald was holding

back on us, too. Thanks for letting us know." Her brother grinned,

patting the other man on the back.

The two men came to a halt in front of her. Ray turned his gaze to

Megan. "Hey, sis, are you doing okay now?"

Her heart nervously skipped a beat. "Uh, yeah, I'm feeling better."

She blushed, and then her curiosity got the best of her. "So what

happened in there after I left? What was MacDonald holding back

on?" Her eyes darted from Ray to Bruce, then back again to her

brother.

Bruce rubbed the back of his neck with a hand, a slow grin

spreading over his face. "Well, I should have spoken up before

MacDonald made his dig, Megan. Sorry. But I was waiting to see if

he did or not. Hard to tell with a guy like
him
." He gestured with his

head in the direction of MacDonald's truck as it pulled out of the

parking lot.

"What do you mean?" Megan raised an eyebrow in Bruce's

direction, folding her arms over her chest.

"I was off-duty that night and in the bar too. I overheard what was

said. MacDonald was drunk again. Derek was there asking a few

members about his chances of getting acceptance into the pack. That

was all. Then, MacDonald shot off his mouth, and basically said that

your family was full-blooded
sithech
. He also said there was no way

our pack would accept him ... especially you. After that, he insulted

Derek, calling him a Heinz-57 mutt."

Megan stared at him, speechless. Her mind was numb. She was

trying to comprehend what Bruce was saying. Ray wrapped his arm

around her shoulders.

"It seems like wolf-boy's fond of you, sis. I think he went off not

because dumb-ass MacDonald called him a mutt, but because he'd

struck a nerve when it came to you." Ray grinned down at her, giving

her a gentle, affectionate squeeze. "And it doesn't take any wolf-sense

to know you're having feelings for him, too. Right?"

Megan blushed again, her cheeks burning with color as butterflies

invaded her stomach.

"Whoa! That's between you guys." Bruce grinned over at them,

raising a hand. "I'd better get a move on. I go on duty at the police

station in a few hours and I don't want to be late. Y'all have a good

Halloween and be safe tonight, okay?"

Ray and Megan said their good-byes, watching in silence as Bruce

headed to his car. When he pulled out of the parking lot, Megan drew

a deep breath and glanced up into her big brother's eyes.

"I'm really glad Bruce spoke up, telling the pack exactly what

MacDonald said. I also had a funny feeling, but I thought it was my

own emotions getting in the way."

Ray chuckled, his arm sliding from around her shoulders. "Yeah,

remember Dad used to warn us about the October moon. He used to

say it was a 'bad moon risin'. Up until a few years ago, when I took

over as a pack leader, I never understood what he meant. It seems to

me that even MacDonald's petty envy over Derek's interest in joining

our pack was magnified by the moon the other night."

"Yeah." Megan nodded in agreement. "I can't believe he lashed out

at me, too. That was a nasty remark in front of the pack leaders. A

real low blow."

"Hmm, I think he also struck a nerve with you, sis."

"What do you mean?" she asked, but kept her thoughts carefully

guarded as she stared over at him.

"If I were you, I'd wait until after we get past this moon phase

before you and wolf-boy do anything rash. Please, promise me, Meg,

you'll play it cool. Okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be cool." She nodded, flashing him a reassuring smile.

"I promise."

After she left Ray in the diner parking lot, she drove over to her

house to pick up supplies for her and Derek. She'd also stopped off at

the local Target, purchasing him some warmer clothes before she

headed back to the cabin.

As she turned down the gravel road leading to the little hideaway in

the woods, her heart began to patter rapidly in her chest. She was

happy to be heading back to the quaint little cabin, returning to the

serenity of the forest ... and to Derek.

His entire body ached. He was grimy and sweaty, too. However,

lucky for him, nothing was broken thanks to the thick bedding of

fallen leaves coating the bottom of the hole. Derek had been the

prisoner of the large earthen crater all morning. He'd kept watch on

the sun's rays as they shifted angles, revealing to him the passage of

time. The morning seemed to have lasted an eternity.

The sides of the pitted crater were crumbly, difficult to climb in

either his human or his wolf form. Reluctantly, he finally gave in,

realizing he was stuck until Megan returned back to the cabin.

She should be back soon,
she promised.
Gazing up to the top of the

wide opening, his frustration mounted. Frustration and hunger. He

was anxious until he heard the sound of a car off in the distance.

Megan's back!
His heart soared with happiness, his nerves flooded

with relief.
She'll get me out of here!

Knowing his senses would be keener in wolf form, Derek

effortlessly transformed. Remembering how Megan mind-talked, he

wondered if it could be done, conveying messages over a distance.

Ah, what the hell ... it's worth a try.
Raising his nose to the sky, he

mentally strained, sending out a psychic message.
Meg! Megan! Can

you hear me? Meg! I need your help! Meg?

* * * *

the kitchen table. The cabin was quiet and empty. Derek was no

where in sight.
Now, where has he gone?
Maybe he's running off a bit

of sexual frustration.
She grinned at the thought
. Lord knows, I could

use a good run too!

Returning back outside to her car, she busied herself with the

remainder of the bags when something nudged at her mind. It was

like a mental poke. Listening to her instincts she stilled, holding her

breath, and concentrated on the sensation. But whatever it was went

silent. "Oh, that moon's now screwing with my mind too, damn it!"

she cursed, hefting the bags into her arms and heading toward the

cabin. "I swear, I can't wait until this moon waxes and – "

Oooooo!
A distant howl rolled through the woods. Megan stopped

dead in her tracks, the hairs on the back of her neck rising in response.

Oooooooo!
It was a call for help.

"Derek?" she yelled, depositing the bags swiftly onto the porch

before she jogged in the direction of the distressing call. "Derek,

where are you? I hear you! Keep howling!" she called out, stripping

out of her clothing as she transformed, then picked up her pace. In her

sithech
form, she dashed off into the thick, amber-shaded grove in

search of him.

Ooooooo!
His howl sounded strange, muffled, but unmistakable.

She hurried on all fours through the bed of fallen leaves with her keen

nose sniffing, seeking a clue to which direction to take.
Ah ha!
She

gloated, finding the trail tainted with his unmistakable scent. Megan

followed it deeper and deeper into the woods until she came to a

shaded glade.

Oooooo!
A howl arose from
a midsized hole in the ground.
Derek?

She slowed her pace and cautiously padded to the opening, gazing

over the edge into the leaf-lined pit. To her relief, a pair of amber

eyes glowed back at her from the bottom. The tawny-colored wolf let

out a soft whimper.

Derek! Are you okay?
she mentally conveyed, her heart racing

against her ribcage.

Yes, I'm okay. Be careful. Those leaves around the edges are slick.

How long have you been down there? Can't you get out in human

form?
she inquired, padding easily around the rim of the earthen-

cavity, pondering the situation. Derek transformed and stood upright,

naked and dirty at the bottom of the pit with a frown on his face.

"I've been waiting for you to return all day. I tried to climb out, but

the dirt is too flakey and loose. I won't be able to climb out unless I

have something sturdy to grab onto."

She could sense his frustration. He shrugged his shoulders, looking

as helpless as a baby wolf pup. Her heart ached with desperation and

longing.

Don't worry ... I have an idea. I'll be right back!
She turned and

scampered back in the direction of the cabin as fast as her limbs could