CALL OF THE MOON

Chapter 10

I parked my truck and got out. Gilly’s bar had been in Castor for years. The little bar was built over a century ago and it was run down on the outside. On the inside, there was a wooden floor which part of it corralled off into a dance floor. There were tables here and there, and then the bar and the jukebox in the back.

Back in the day, I used to come here with the boys and play pool. I walked into the bar and a couple of people were staring at me. I wondered what that was all about as I made my way through the crowd to the bar.

After I got to the bar, I ordered a beer and waited for Corey to arrive, and I checked my watch. The time was a couple of minutes till nine, and I didn’t notice the man next to me until he spoke.

“Hey, I have never seen you in here before. Are you new in town?” Said a deep voice, and I looked at where the voice was coming from.

It was an older man sitting on the barstool next to me. I looked at the guy, baffled. I was only nineteen.

Evidently, the bartender would let some local teens come in and sneak a beer or two. I rolled my eyes and sipped the beer. It tasted gross, so I put it back on the counter. The guy behind the bar was a friend of my dad's. I saw him look at me, shake his head, and laugh. I smiled at him.

“Are you alone tonight?” The guy asked.

I looked at the guy. He looked old enough to be my dad. The guy got up from the stool and scooted closer to me. Suddenly, I felt a growl build in my chest. Luckily, my dad’s friend saw me and came over to me quickly.

“Hey Mike!” The bartender said as he approached me and the man.

The guy looked at him and smiled.

“Hey Milo. How about we get this beautiful young woman a drink?” The man said and then touched my arm.

Immediately, I backed away from the man, and I looked at my dad’s friend.

“Yeah Mike, she’s nineteen.”

The guy backed up immediately and looked at me apologetically.

“I’m so sorry, kid. Please forgive me.”

I looked at him, and I could tell he was telling the truth by the look of embarrassment on his face. The man reached into his pocket and handed me five hundred bucks.

“Please, don’t call the cops,” he said, mortified, shoved the money in my hand and left.

Slyly, I looked at my dad’s friend, and I pulled two hundred out of the wad of cash and put it in his tip jar.

“Sammy, you didn’t have to do that,” Milo said as he smiled.

I smiled back at him and leaned over the bar.

“You don’t have to let us in and play pool and have a cold one when we are underage,” I said as he smiled a knowing smile and left to go serve some others, waiting to get a beer.

I turned around and Corey was standing right behind me. Suddenly, I jumped and pushed him back. I looked at him and laughed, and Corey then gave a nod to the bartender. Milo looked at him and nodded back at him.

“Are you okay? I saw everything but your buddy got to you faster than I could,” he asked, and I nodded.

“Yeah. He didn’t realize my age,” I explained.

I felt bad for the guy. He could have stayed and found himself a woman around his age. Unfortunately, the guy was mortified about my age and left without a word. Corey nodded and touched my face gently. Jacob and Sam were standing behind him with three girls. One girl walked up to Corey and put her hand on his arm. She looked up at him innocently.

“Hey honey, who is she?” She asked.

I looked at her and then at him. He ignored the girl, shrugged her off of his arm and pulled me into his arms as he looked at me ravishingly.

“Who told you that you could just come back home and steal my heart?” Corey said as he squeezed my hips tightly.

I looked into his eyes and bit my lip. I felt a grumble from his chest and he dipped his head and kissed me. A song came on, and we swayed with the music.

“That is the love of his life,” I heard Jacob tell the girl.

I heard the girl scoff, and I wanted to snap at her, but I decided to ignore it.

“But what about what happened earlier?” I heard her ask.

What was she talking about? I wondered.

I looked up at Corey and then to Sam and Jacob, and I stopped swaying to the music as I looked at the three girls.

“I’m not sure what you girls thought, but all three men are taken,” I purred, and the three girls looked shocked.

“What?” they exclaimed.

I could sense Izzy and Carly were getting close to the bar. Sam and Jacob must have invited them too. Suspiciously, I looked at Corey.

“What happened earlier?” I asked as I looked at the three guys.

They all had distant looks in their eyes, and I felt Izzy strongly. She must be here now. I had the sudden notion to look at the entrance of the bar. I saw Izzy standing there, and she waved at me.

“Sammy, come on!” She yelled.

She was angry, I could tell. I looked at Corey, searching his eyes, but he, too, had a distant look in his eyes. I scoffed and headed to the door.

*****************

The cool breeze hit my hot skin as I walked outside. I followed Izzy over to her truck, where Carly was waiting for us. She was standing, propped against the truck, looking at her nails. Carly looked at me as we approached.

“Sammy, did you know the new pups were girls, before they went to go train them?” She asked when we reached her.

I shook my head. Izzy was staring at me, and I looked at her.

“Damn, Sammy, you look amazing!” She exclaimed.

Even Carly smiled and nodded. I smiled bashfully and curtsied.

“Thanks. You guys are the first to notice,” I said graciously.

Izzy rolled her eyes. I turned around and Corey, Jacob, and Sam had come out of the bar, and the three pups followed them. Izzy glared at Sam.

“Really, Sam?” She growled.

Carly looked at Jacob sadly, and tears rolled down her cheeks.

What happened earlier that was making everyone go crazy? I wondered as I looked at everyone.

“How could you?” she asked as her voice cracked.

Even my heart broke. I turned my attention to the three new pups.

“What’s really going on?” I asked one girl as I glared at her and studied her.

One of the other girls laughed, and my head snapped toward her.

“Don’t you get it, or are you really that dumb?” Asked one of the girls, and Corey walked away from them and came towards me.

He saw the flash of anger in my eyes, and my eyes flickered back to the girl. He stopped in his tracks.

“I guess I am that dumb. Why don’t you educate me,” I growled.

Two of the girls backed up, but the one who was talking to me stood her ground, and the girl smiled at me.

“Isn’t it obvious? In with the new, out with the old,” the girl said, and my eyebrows shot down in anger as I cracked my neck.

Izzy and Carly stood at my flanks.

“What makes you think you could ever replace us?” growled Carly.

Izzy stretched out her arms and cracked her knuckles.

"We can speak to each other in our minds. That means we are connected?" Said one of the other girls sarcastically.

Carly and Izzy laughed.

"What?" Asked Carly.

"Only true mates can speak to each other through the mind,” said the third girl.

Carly, Izzy, and I burst out laughing and doubled over.

"What is so funny?" Asked girl number two.

"Yeah, what's so funny?" Copied girl number one as she sneered at me.

Izzy, Carly, and I looked at each other and nodded.

“Sorry honey. You three are the dumb ones! We can all talk to each other through our minds. We just can’t have pups like you running around,” purred Izzy, and one of the other girls ran forward.

“You can’t do anything to us! Alpha orders hold high above all of our heads, and we are protected!” Girl number two screeched.

I snickered as Izzy let out a hysterical laugh, and even Carly giggled.

“Try us!” Growled Carly, and the three of us took a step forward, then a second step.

“Enough!” Growled Sam, loudly.

I still took another step forward and stood in front of the girl's face. Izzy and Carly couldn't move any further after Sam growled, but I could.

“Sammy!” He growled even louder.

I smirked at him, and I then looked at the girl.

“Let me educate you on a little something, you dumb girl. Alpha orders do not hold over my head. I am different. You try to pull this s**t again, and I will rip you to shreds, myself. This is my family! You stay back there with your little friends where you belong,” I sneered.

Immediately, she bowed her head and backed away to her friends, and everyone’s mouth dropped open. They looked like they were all a little frightened.

“What next?” I asked as I rubbed my hands together.

Carly stood in front of me, her eyes wide.

“How do you have the control gene?” She asked me, and I looked at her in question.

“That what?” I asked.

Izzy walked up to me and put her hand on my arm.

“You made the little runt obey you, and Sam’s commands didn’t affect you,” said Izzy gently, and I looked at her, confused.

I have a gene in my body that defies the Alpha gene? I thought as a rush of excitement washed over me.

Excitedly, I smiled and laughed as I couldn’t contain myself. Corey walked over to me and put his arms around me. I was no longer angry with him.

“She is different. She is advanced. She is a natural at everything that we have had to learn over and over again,” stated Corey.

I looked up at him and smiled. Sam grabbed Izzy and yanked her close.

“I would never trade you in,” he said to her and kissed her all over her face until she was laughing. I laughed too. Carly and Jacob stood by each other, and Carly slipped her hand into Jacobs.

“If you ever try...”

Jacob cut her off by kissing her.

“Here to stay,” he said and brushed her cheek with his hand. Sam looked at everyone.

“We will start training at five a.m. If there is any protesting, complaining or anything of that nature, we will strip you of your pack rights, and you will be an outcast, out of the family and off the reservation. Do I make myself clear?” He stated.

Everyone nodded in agreement and the three girls left.

“See ya in the morning, bro,” said Sam. Corey and I watched as Sam, Izzy, Carly and Jacob got in their cars and left. We watched them leave, and I then looked up at Corey as I crossed my arms over my chest.

“What did happen earlier?”

He looked at me. He knew I would understand when I joined him in training the new cubs. It’s rare to have female wolves. However, they do turn, but boys are more dominant. He sighed.

“So, you see, when females turn, they get possessive. Like you, for instance. You saw me talking with my cousin and got angry. My cousin is a flirt, and I would never.”

He made a face, and I laughed.

“Females have a stronger urge to find their mate than males do. Also, when they turn, they think we are supposed to mate with them. We will work with each individual, and they seem to get attached real quickly,” Corey explained, and I nodded in understanding.

I understood, but I was going to make those cubs understand. They don’t mate with mated wolves, and I looked at Corey and smiled. Lovingly, I took him by the hand, and we headed to my truck. We got in and drove to my house.

***********

The house was dark and my dad wasn’t home yet. I sighed and shook my head. This meant that my dad was still next door, he was drunk, and I would have to go and get him home. I looked at Corey.

“Come on,” I mumbled, and we headed over next door. We knocked on the door, and we heard Jamie say,

“Come in.”

We walked inside and I was right. He and Libby were drunk, and he was in the middle of one of his hunting stories.

“Dad!” He stopped and looked at me.

He grinned at me as he stood next to the Bannerson’s fireplace using the mantel for balance. His shirt was half untucked, and he had pizza sauce down the front of it. I put my hand to my face and shook my head. I told him don’t get too drunk, and now look at him, he is three sheets to the wind. I really couldn’t take my father anywhere.

“Sammy! Corey!” My dad exclaimed, and then he looked at what I was wearing.

Judging by the look on his face, he wasn't too happy. I looked down at my clothes, and I realized I had forgotten to change out of my dress.

“What are you wearing?” He asked, and I rolled my eyes.

“A dress and you’re drunk!” I said, annoyed.

This was so embarrassing. My dad stumbled a little, and Corey walked over to him.

“Come on, Mr. Wilcox. I’ll help you.”

My dad looked at Corey and smiled.

"Corey, son. It's good to see you,” he said as he put his arm around Corey's shoulders.

"Yeah, it's good to see you, too. Come on, let's get you home," Corey said as he wrapped an arm around my dad. He looked at Libby.

“I guess that is my queue, Miss Libby. It was a pleasure. Maybe we will get together again, and soon.”

Libby smiled and blushed. I rolled my eyes again. Please don't tell me my father is going to hook up with the neighbor, and if he does, please don't let me know about it. I pleaded in my mind.

“Did I ever tell you that I hoped you were the one to fall for my daughter?” My dad said to Corey as if it were just them in the room.

I shook my head in embarrassment as they stumbled past me. Politely, I turned to Libby.

“Thanks for putting up with him. He can be a bit much at times,” I said, as I felt embarrassed and my cheeks were burning. Libby smiled at me.

“No problem dear, he was an absolute delight. Thank you for dinner,” she said, and I nodded.

“You’re welcome.”

“Sammy?” I looked up and saw Jamie staring at me from the top of the stairs.

I smiled politely.

Why was he staring at me like that? It started to make me feel a little uncomfortable.

“Hi.”

“Wow, you look beautiful,” he said, as his eyes lit up.

Bravely, I just kept the same smile on my face, trying hard not to make a face.

“Thank you,” I said.

“Thank you for dinner. We will do it again sometime. Our treat.”

“Sounds great,” I said.

“Are you staying?” He asked as he looked me up and down.

I crossed my arms over my chest.

Hell no, I wasn’t staying! I wish Corey was here, so he could beat the crap out of Jamie right now. I thought as I shifted my weight.

“No, I just came to pick up my dad,” I said, and then headed out the door.

“Bye dear,” said Libby.

I went out the door fast as I waved to her.

“Come by anytime,” Jamie called after me.

I didn’t turn around, I just power walked back to my house. Jamie really creeped me out, and all I wanted to do was be in Corey’s arms right now. I walked into the house and I shut and locked the door.

My dad passed out on the couch, snoring. His shoes were already off, and he was covered with a blanket.

Corey, I thought as I smiled. He was such a good guy. I smiled and headed upstairs to my room. I closed my door and turned around.

“Damn, what’s your name? Do you want to stay with me tonight?” He said and dramatically bit his lip.

I snorted and then busted out laughing. He looked at me and smiled widely. Corey pulled me close and flipped on the radio. We swayed to the music for a little while, in complete, comfortable silence. He then picked me up, and I wrapped my legs around him.

My skirt inched up my body, revealing my black boy shorts, and he wrapped his arms around me and kissed me. Gracefully, he spun me around, but his foot got caught on my jeans that I had thrown on the floor, and we tumbled on the bed. Corey rose above me as he dipped his head and kissed me hard. I kissed him back as my hands roamed all over his upper body.

He laid on his side and his hands roamed up my back and over my stomach as he then dipped his tongue in my mouth and his hand roamed over my breast. I moaned and kissed him deeper as I felt a tingling sensation in my core. He then grabbed my breast a little harder and squeezed. It felt good, but I didn’t want to go too far just yet. I pulled back and looked into his eyes, and I gently moved his hand away from my breast and placed it on my waist.

“I don’t want to take things too fast, Corey,” I said seriously, and he searched my eyes and sighed.

He then looked at me and smiled.

“Okay.”

I smiled back at him and kissed him. Gently, he kissed me back, and then he pulled his head back and looked at me.

“Do you love me?” Corey asked seriously, and I looked at him thoughtfully.

“Yes, Corey. I love you,” I said as I placed my hand on his cheek.

“I love you,” he said as he held my eyes, and I smiled.

He kissed me gently, and we spent the night in each other's arms.