The Pack

The Pack Chapter 2 -- Freedom

Let them tell you how to save them.

The forest around me was one I knew best. Since I was little I would play in the woods near my home. It was a very large forest with very little human contact and being in it made me feel at peace.

My mother thought it was strange, me being in the forest all the time, but I would always simply tell her, "I don't know why mom, I just feel alive in there... like its my special world no one can really touch."

She would always say the same thing as well, "It's just a forest, go play with your friends not with twigs and leaves." For me though the twigs and leaves were my friends even if they didn't know it.

My eye's opened slowly to see the sun light in the windows, it was a dream. It seems I was late for school again. I moved a little expecting to feel my dog shift too but what I felt wasn't a dog. I looked over.

There was a boy in my bed! Not just any boy but a hot one with red hair. He was slender like me but pale with freckles and made the cutest snoring sound. What was his name...?

Matthew...

It all came back so fast and I almost blacked out with pain. Oh god my mom is gone! Why? Why me? Silence was my answer. I began to sob quietly, though I guess not quietly enough. Those green eyes... He looked at me and knew I was in pain and he wanted so bad to take it all from me I could tell.

"Hi" he whispered to me.

"Hi" I said back in a sob like whisper.

"You're so beautiful you know that?"

"So are you." At that moment I felt a wall come down. I loved him even if we had just met.

A single tear fell from his eyes as he moved in to kiss me softly.

Our moment was shattered by the door. I swear if that fucking door opens again I'm going to rip it off its hinges. A woman walked in, she had on a plain dull brown suit with a scowl that matched. She had a bad air about her.

"Cody Masters?" I looked at her and started to shake, this wasn't good. "I'm Debra Franke, your case worker. I have spoken with your doctor and he said you will be fine to leave in a few days.

Because of your mothers death and the lack of any other family member the state has saw fit to place you into a foster home." I felt sheer and unimaginable horror at those words.

"Given light to your `situation' for being here in the first place the state feels it would be best for you to be relocated to another state. You will be given an appropriate amount of time here to finalize your mothers will and burial along with time to get any personal belonging that you would like to have from your home. I will return for you at the appropriate time and I'm sorry for the loss." And with that she left, the fucking bitch had no heart.

I almost didn't here the low growling that was coming from Matt, it was deep an animalistic. If I felt like kicking this woman he looked ready to rip her in half. As always I started to cry again. What else is new?

We laid together for a whole day in silence just watching each other's eyes. I could tell that the boy I loved was fighting a massive battle of will in his head. His eyes betrayed the calm domineer he wore. We slept all night peacefully in each others arms and when we woke up we resumed our watching of each other.

"What are you thinking?" I asked after a while.

"Well um... I was wondering if you wanted to come stay with me?" For the first time since I had known him he looked so scared.

"Don't you have to ask your parents or something, I mean I would to but that will never happen right?"

His eyes lit up, "Well it's kinda complicated to answer that because I don't have any parents to ask. Plus Justin did say if I wanted to invite you all I needed to do is have it cleared it with the others. Which is really simple." And with that he pulled out a cell phone and started to call.

"Hey Kiba! Its Matt, I had a question but first is everyone else there? Ok well I'm sure Justin told you guys about my hospital friend?" He blushed hard. "Yes he is cute... I don't think that's any of your business... SHUT UP! God you're such a perv I'm not asking him that.

So can I ask now? Ok so his mom died the other night and he is going to be taken by social services to another state or what ever so I was kinda wondering if I could bring him home to live with us. Yes I know... yes... of course all responsibility. Yes... if it comes to that it will be my task. Ok so it's cool then?"

While all this conversation is going on I'm at a total loss. Responsibility and task, what was he agreeing to... what was I agreeing to?

"Cool you're the best! NO you can't that's gross, god girl you're so dirty! By love you. Great we are given a green light."

I looked at him still a little lost. "Well what am I going to do about school and my clothes and the social worker? I don't want to loose you not now but I just can't leave there's all the legal stuff what about that?" I was desperate not to loose him I would take anything.

"Well, we will cross that bridge when we get to it but for now we are busting you out of here. Justin can be on his way with our truck. We can stop by your house to get as much as we can before they come looking for you" he said it so calmly but his eyes betrayed him, he was scared I wouldn't go.

This was happening so fast... my mom, Matt, everything and under it all I had a nagging feeling this was all meant to happen. In an odd way it was comforting to know that I would have him near me maybe more... I know I'm in love with him but is he with me?

"Matt-." he put is hand over my mouth and looked at me straight in the eyes, a tear... one single tear left his eyes and traveled down his cheek.

"Cody, I know I'm blunt and this is happening so fast for you but I really think I love you. I've never met another person who looks at me like you do. I know your still hurting inside from your mom and the asses that almost killed you but I want to be with you.

So I'm going to leave you to your thoughts. My feet are healed and I can head home now but I'll be back in morning and then if you want to come with me it would be cool if not I won't try and change your mind."

He got up and grabbed his personal stuff and started to leave but stopped near my bed. Tears were running down his face and showed no sign of stopping... God how I wanted to go hold him but I knew it would make our temporary goodbye hurt that much more.

Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a small sliver chain with a charm on it. He placed it on my bed and walked out without another word. For a moment I forgot about breathing the pain was so intense.

As my sobbing set in I reached for the chain he had left. It was a thin silver loop chain with tight links and a nickel sized paw shaped charm at the end. On the back I read "For My Heart".

I lay in bed all day and ignored anyone who came by. Even the food they brought me was ignored because I wasn't hungry for anything but him. The choice was made long before I passed out from exhaustion I was leaving with him and no one on this planet would stop me.

Morning came and I felt sicker than ever. The lack of food and tons of crying following a three month long coma can do that to you. Falling head over heels in love with someone you had just met was a strange feeling and made it all that much more unbearable.

I laid there for a while and thought about every choice that I had made to get me here and the loss of my mother and it was all crazy! What had I done to deserve all this pain and suffering but most of all, the boy with the green eyes...? I looked out the window to see the sky again, it was blue and bright as ever, but all I wanted to see was green.

The door opened and I felt a part of me snap just a little at the thought of someone invading my private time but I was greeted by a familiar smell. I turned to see him, and I started to cry he looked so scared it hurt to see him in pain.

"Hey you!" He said oddly chipper.

"Hi back." I said.

We had a moment of staring and a bit of unspoken communication. I was the first to break the silence, "I'm going with you." It was all I could make out before he embraced me so tight I thought he would crush my body in.

"Oh Cody I... I'm so happy!" He said now wearing his tears. "Justin is waiting for us outside but first we need to figure out how to sneak you past the nurses." He pulled out some clothes from his back pack and tossed them at me. "Here put these on so you can... um blend in."

He watched me and I turned red faced till he finally got the hint and turned. I giggled a little as I put on the pants, his pants. They smelled like him and I loved it. Brown pants and a blue shirt that said `Bad Puppy'. I really started to giggle.

"What?" he asked still turned.

"Nothing it's just a funny shirt. Ok I'm done." He turned and checked me out. What I saw in his eyes were love and lust, he thought I was hot I could tell.

"Now for the fun part of trying to get out of here, are you ok to walk for a bit?"

"Yeah its hurts a little but ill be fine to get to the parking lot." I lied. I was so tired and weak it really was the hardest thing I've ever had to do, my P.E. teacher would shit himself that the `sissy boy' was actually doing something physically challenging.

Out the door of my room the nurses didn't even notice us leave. I guess they were to busy with their paperwork to care. Just to make sure though, we were super careful about not attracting attention.

Finally outside I smelled the trees and air! My hair was blown around in the breeze, it felt so good. I saw Justin learning on an old pick-up looking kind of cute but nothing compared to my green eyed beauty.

"Hey there boyo, looks like your about to pass out! Matt, hurry and help him in so we can get out of here." Matt helped me into the truck; of course I was in the middle riding `bitch'. Matt held onto me tightly with our hands together as we pulled out.

"So where's your house Cody?" asked Justin.

"Um right down this road a few lights in, at the end make a left it's the first house on right." I said pointing at the road ahead.

As we drove there Justin had a look on his face that was hard to read. He looked almost disgusted. I followed the trail of his eyes to everyone walking on the street, all the people. Matt had a similar look but not as intense. Did they hate people for some reason? What was it that made them feel so much dislike? Of course the second they noticed me watching they changed there domineer.

As we pulled up to my house or what was left of it I started to cry hard. Our two story house burned to the frames all my stuff all my mothers stuff and my memories. OH GOD MY DOG! No...

I awoke and could feel Matt lying next to me but I was confused how we weren't in the truck, what happened? I heard the birds outside and hushed voices.

"Justin you and I both know Matt needs to give him the choice soon. It's coming on a full moon now and we have a lot to do if he chooses." from a female voice.

"I know it's just really hard on the poor kid his whole life just died he needs some time. He doesn't even know about us yet and I'm sure Matt will tell him but on his time when he is ready. Just help me keep the others in line... please." He sounded concerned and almost scared.

I wanted to hear more but Matt stirred and kissed me on my forehead, "Hello beautiful."

"Hello." I said starting to cry. "Why me Matt, please tell me why did this all happen? If you weren't here right now I would die from the pain. It hurts so badly." I pleaded.

He held me tight as we lay there eye to eye. I could stay this way forever, but my mind wondered around the room. It was wooden like a log cabin and just as cozy. Beside the night stand and a desk there wasn't much in the room. There weren't any posters or clothes and knickknacks found in a normal kid's bedroom.

He was playing with my hair when I got the idea to kiss him. It turned out to be a very deep and passionate one that lasted longer than normal. I was so preoccupied with our lips touching that I didn't notice someone else had come into the room. Suddenly our kiss was interrupted by my startled yelp, "AH! What the hell?" I said looking back as I did thought, I gasped.

A wolf like dog had put its cold nose on my foot which scared the crap out of me. That, in turn, sent it flying back in distress. As it backed into the wall it sort of shifted and changed into a small boy.

"LUIS NO!" screamed Matt but it was too late I saw what had happened I saw everything. My thoughts raced I didn't know what to say. I jumped off the bed shoving Matt's hands away, he was crying.

"Cody please I can explain," but I cut him short. I had totally lost at that point. I punched him in the face to get away. I was lost, scared, and I felt then it was only a matter of moments before I would die!

"GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME!" I screamed. As I stumbled back the boy, Luis, changed back into a wolf and ran off with his tail low... Hey look! THE DEEP END...

I was breathing so heavily I got light headed and everything turned hazy. Matt was coming towards me covered in tears and Justin was in the door way with a look of concern on his face and with that I passed out AGAIN.