"Oh, fuck no." Butch rushed to his bedroom,
picked up the twelve-gauge shotgun and then raced to the room where
the men were. He threw open the door and pointed the gun.
A black wolf was on top of Charlie, snarling
and snapping behind him, over its shoulder, as Charlie fought to
get off the bed and away from the wolf.
"Roman! No!" Butch aimed the gun at
Roman.
"Butch!" Charlie yelled when he saw what was
going on. "No! It ain't Roman. Something's got him!"
Butch watched Charlie show his teeth,
cringing in pain.
"Butch…" Charlie cried, "I can't…I'm tryin'
but I can't."
"Can't?" Butch could not see what Roman was
snapping his jaws at, but Charlie was right. It was behind Roman,
not Charlie.
Confused at what was causing the chaos, Butch
lowered the gun and went to touch Roman. Something immediately
clawed his arm making him bleed.
Butch pulled back in alarm and aimed his gun
again. "Git off him! Ya hear me! I will shoot!"
A blow knocked Butch to his ass and the gun
fell to the floor.
Suddenly two wolves were in the room, and
Butch watched them both biting at something he could not see. He
backed up and dragged the shotgun with him. When he cocked it, he
realized nothing was inside the barrel. It was unloaded.
"She-it!" Butch held the muzzle and began
swinging the heavy wooden grip at the air. It hit something and he
heard a whelp of pain.
He was knocked to his bottom again and
something landed on him. It was so heavy, it pinned him to the wall
and the gun fell from his grip.
Butch fought back, punching and kicking at
the weight, and behind the invisible assailant both wolves were
attacking it and going crazy biting and tearing.
Suddenly the weight vanished from Butch's
body and he felt ice cold air whoosh by. The black wolf chased
whatever it was to the window and snapped and snarled at it until
it was exhausted.
Butch was in shock and sat still, looking at
the shotgun on the floor. The tan wolf curled into a ball and went
into spasms of pain as the black wolf sat on its haunches and
panted heavily.
"I have lost my mind." Butch blinked and
rubbed his injured arm.
Charlie blew out loud breaths of air and was
dripping sweat. He tried to sit up but the pain and dizziness was
strong. As he came around from the change, he saw Butch leaning
against the wall, holding his arm, and a black wolf, sitting under
the window, panting, its pink tongue dripping saliva.
"Roman." Charlie begged with his expression.
"Come back to us."
The big black wolf stood and shook out its
fur, again and again.
Charlie knew Roman was trying to change back
to human form. Suddenly the wolf dropped to the hardwood floor and
whelped in pain.
Unwilling to witness the transformation,
Charlie crawled over the floor to Butch who was watching, his eyes
wide, his jaw hanging open. "What happened, Butch?" Charlie held
Butch's hand and could see three red scratches down his forearm,
all beading blood.
"God!" Roman cried in pain, "Fuck!"
Butch said softly, "That is so fucking nasty.
Charlie, Roman needs ya more than I do."
Charlie looked over his shoulder at his
lover. Roman was in a fetal position shivering.
Charlie met Butch's eyes and felt on the
verge of tears. "I can't do this again, Butch. I can't."
"Ya have to, Charlie. For him." Butch tilted
his head over to Roman, who was pale and lying on the floor.
"Don't move," Charlie told Butch and made his
way across the room on his hands and knees to Roman. He caressed
Roman's hair and rubbed his shoulder. "I'm here. Roman, keep your
head about ya. Calm. Okay? Calm."
"He tried to fucking rape me." Roman showed
his teeth, shaking and pale from fear.
"Who did?" Butch sat up in alarm.
"Charlie?"
"No." Charlie shook his head at Butch and
tried to get Roman into an embrace. "Calm. Please. Hold me. Hold
me, Roman."
"Was it that guy?" Butch asked, scooting
closer.
Charlie looked back at Butch as he drew Roman
into an embrace. "What guy?"
"The…" Butch didn't answer, as if he were
afraid.
Roman asked, "Then you saw him too?"
"Yeah."
Charlie didn't believe Butch. "What'd he look
like?" He felt Roman's breathing soften and caressed his hair and
back lovingly.
"Big fucker. Dark hair. Muscular. Carryin' a
big ole sword."
Charlie lowered his head. "Yeah. That's him."
He tried to get Roman to function, cupping his jaw and seeing
Roman's faraway gaze. "Babe. Let's wash up. Okay?"
Roman slowly reached for the bed, trying to
stand.
"When did ya see him, Butch?" Charlie helped
Roman to his feet and made sure he was steady.
"Yesterday. In the reflection of my mirror."
Butch looked down at his arm.
Roman took notice. He held Butch's wrist and
inspected the scratches. "That bastard do that?"
"Yeah. Did you take the rounds out of my
shotgun or did he?"
Charlie said, "Ya can't shoot him, Butch. So
stop pointin' guns, okay? All you'll do is kill me or Roman, or put
a hole through the house." He gestured to the bathroom. "We all
need to wash up, and you need to tend that." He escorted both men
to the master bathroom.
Once Charlie started the shower, he nudged
Roman to it. "Go. Clean up. Let me disinfect Butch's arm."
"Let me shower first, Charlie. I was headed
that way when I heard the commotion." Butch looked at his arm
closely. "An' where's our food. Damn. I'm starved."
"It's been crazy here, boy." Charlie gave him
a look of exasperation. "Go. Git cleaned up. Then I'll figure
somethin' out."
"Okay." Butch left the bathroom.
Charlie stepped inside the bathtub behind
Roman as he wetted down, sliding the shower door shut. He watched
Roman wash his hair and they swapped spots. Roman appeared slow and
exhausted.
"You okay?" Charlie tried to keep his
emotions capped, but he was terrified.
Roman's top lip curled. "No. I'm not."
"Hush. Keep calm. I can't put up with this. I
can't." Charlie forced himself to function and wash himself.
Roman snarled and clenched his fists. "He
tried to fucking rape me."
"Alpha male, Roman. Of course he tried."
Charlie rinsed off and moved so Roman could get at the showerhead
and do the same.
"No one forces me to do anything."
Charlie could see Roman's green eyes begin to
glow. "You calm down right now. Ya hear me? I can see yer gettin'
yerself into a state. Now quit it."
Roman closed his eyes and let the hot water
run over him.
Charlie felt sick and had no idea how they
were going to fix this mess…again.
Roman shut off the water and rolled back the
sliding door. He handed Charlie a towel and took one for
himself.
"We need to fight him as men, not beasts."
Charlie stepped out of the tub, rubbing the towel over his head and
back.
"He wasn't a man. He was a fucking wolf."
Charlie stopped what he was doing. "He…he was
a wolf when you were a man?"
"Yes!"
Charlie held up his hand to stop Roman's
rage. "Okay. Calm down. Okay." He could see it took all of Roman's
inner strength to not blow up and become canine. "I didn't see a
thing. I swear. All I felt was you land on me like a ton o'
bricks."
"I couldn't see him either. But I smelled and
felt him." Roman shivered, rubbing the towel up and down his arms
and legs.
"Where on earth did he come from?" Charlie
tossed the towel over the shower door.
"Earth? He didn't come from earth. He came
from hell." Roman draped the towel over the rack and left the
bathroom.
Charlie stood still, chills washing over his
spine at the comment.
~
After his shower, Butch used peroxide to dab
the three scratches on his arm. They weren't deep but they
burned.
He heard the men's voices as they walked down
the hall. Butch tossed the cotton puff into the trash and dressed
in clean clothing. Once he was ready, he met them in the kitchen,
Charlie opening cupboards and taking out canned soup.
"Did you call Vernon?" Roman asked, making a
fresh pot of coffee.
"About?" Butch ran his hand over his damp
hair.
"We're headed there tomorrow." Roman filled
the carafe with water.
"Tomorrow? I thought you said Thursday. When
did you change yer mind? Did you call the day workers, Charlie? Do
they know?"
"No. I have to do that." Charlie opened up
three cans of chicken soup.
"Then ya have to do that before I call
Vernon. If we can't get someone to keep an eye on the place for a
week, then…"
"We have to go, Butch." Roman sat at the
kitchen table while the coffee brewed and Charlie heated up the
soup.
"I know. Believe me." Butch sat across from
him. "That's where this whole thing started. I know it's why you
need to be there as soon as ya can."
"If it started there," Charlie asked, "Then
why are we bein' haunted here?"
All three men exchanged glances.
Butch knew none of them had an answer.
"Charlie, ya want me to call the boys?"
"I got it. Here, stir the soup." He handed
Butch the spoon.
"Yer gonna have to pay them a lot. Ya know
that." Butch took over watching the simmering soup.
"I know." Charlie blew out a loud exhale and
left the room.
Once he did, Butch gazed at Roman, who was
staring into space. "Sorry I didn't tell ya I saw that guy."
Roman came around from his daydream. "It's
okay."
"I thought I was imaginin' him. Ya know?"
Butch sniffed the chicken noodle soup as it warmed.
"Yes. I know."
"Who is he? Do you even have a rough
idea?"
"He said he's an alpha."
"An alpha…wolf?"
"Yes. I assume so."
Butch thought about it as Roman stood to pour
himself a cup of coffee. "What's he got to do with you and Charlie?
I don't git it."
"Neither do I." Roman held up his cup. "Can I
get you one?"
"No. Thanks." Butch stirred the soup and it
started to steam in the pot.
Charlie's voice was heard, asking for the
crew to work extra. He was giving it the hard sell since it was the
week before Christmas. Butch frowned and looked at his arm again.
He had the sleeve on his left side rolled up so it didn't rub the
raw skin. "I can't believe we have to shell out so much money all
because of this… 'alpha'."
"Why? Do you want to stay here?"
Butch looked back at Roman who was standing
behind him. "No. I want to go with you. See Vernon and Connie.
Y'all are the only family I have."
Roman sipped the hot coffee then seemed to
catch sight of the wound on Butch's arm. He set the cup down on the
counter and reached for Butch's hand.
Butch stopped stirring the soup and gave it
to Roman, tingles washing over him as they touched.
"I'm sorry." Roman shook his head.
"Wasn't you."
"Was because of me. Thanks for defending
me."
"Always will."
Roman met Butch's gaze and they locked
stares. "I don't deserve your loyalty."
"I'll decide that." Butch held onto Roman's
hand as well.
"Butch, you know me and Charlie—"
Charlie came back in the room and handed
Butch the phone. "I made him an offer he couldn't refuse."
Butch's hand was released so he took the
phone. "I don't even want to know how much that was."
"You don't." Charlie took over the stirring
of the soup.
Butch looked back at Roman, met his concerned
expression and dialed Vernon's number, leaving the room.
~
"He's in love with you real bad, Roman."
Charlie shut off the burner and began ladling the soup into
bowls.
"I know." Roman picked up his coffee mug and
sat at the table.
"I feel rotten. I do." Charlie placed three
servings on the table and took out rolls from the breadbox. "You
want a sandwich too?"
"No. Thanks. Make one for Butch. He's always
hungry."
Charlie smiled as he took ham and cheese out
of the fridge. "Growin' boy."
"Twenty-fucking-one." Roman blew on the soup
as he ate it.
"Ya got ten years on him." Charlie spread
mayonnaise on the roll and stacked it with meat.
"Shut up."
Charlie chuckled.
"Okay," Butch said as he returned. "All set
with Vernon. They're excited."
"They will be, until they have two wolves on
their ranch." Charlie's smile faded. "I made ya a sandwich
too."
"Good. I'm starved." Butch sat down and began
eating.
"We have to get packed. I want to leave as
early as possible tomorrow morning." Roman sipped his coffee.
"Hey." Butch chewed his sandwich and
swallowed before he said, "What if that thing…that guy…hurts our
animals while we're gone. Charlie, did you say anythin' to our boys
about a threat?"
Charlie stared at his soup as he stirred it,
seeing the steam curl. "No. I didn't. What was I going to say? I'd
scare them off."
"What if we come back here and they're all
slaughtered?" Butch sat up, alarmed.
Roman held his cup in both hands. "They are
after us. Not the horses."
"You say that, then we find a goat cut up on
our ranch." Butch stuffed another bite of the sandwich into his
mouth.
"Oh, Christ." Charlie rubbed his face in
frustration. "I don't know what to do about it, Butch. I really
don't."
"I'll talk to Nick," Roman said, "Maybe he
can do something."
"We need to tell the local sheriff." Butch
finished the sandwich and began eating the soup, slurping the
noodles off the large spoon.
"If we do that," Charlie replied, "We have to
explain about why we didn't report the damn goat, and burned the
evidence."