9.
King
W hen you said plane, I didn’t think you meant private jet. Julia’s voice resonates in my mind as we board the chartered aircraft.
It’s safer for you, I reply, scanning the spacious cabin for any signs of foul play. In case the government’s keeping watch. I sniff the air, laced with the faint smell of polished wood, leather, and jet fuel, then add, And I don’t like people.
She giggles under her breath uncontrollably, and the flight attendant gives her a funny look. I can feel the confusion radiating from her. The woman’s stare darts nervously to me. As I meet her eyes, she stiffens, quickly averting her gaze. Sure, she might have been told I’m just an abnormally oversized dog, but her instinct is screaming that there’s more to me. Fear means she knows there’s a threat, even if she doesn’t quite understand it. Being scared is a natural human reaction.
Except for Julia, who instead of being terrified, invited me to her bed.
She is quiet for the rest of the flight, blushing every time our eyes meet and quickly turning her face away, smiling coyly at herself. Of course, I know it’s because I’m currently pretending to be her fucking pet—as if anyone in their right mind could believe that. Especially, in broad daylight. The flight attendant is already side-eyeing me like I might tear up the cabin at any second.
I really shouldn’t have eaten her out the other day, not as a wolf. I can still recall the moment vividly—what started as playful teasing quickly escalated when I picked up on her eager responses. She seemed so into it, though, and I got too excited. The memory of her sweet taste, the way her body arched under my tongue… it’s enough to make my heart race even now. I hadn’t given much thought about switching between my forms before. To be honest, it doesn’t make a whole lot of difference to me which one I take. Yes, the sensations may differ a bit, but it’s still me and the same helpless obsession I have with her. However, for Julia, who’s only human despite the wolf gene she carries… I can imagine allowing me to indulge her in my animal form had to be a big deal.
She’s such a sexy little thing. I’m convinced she’d let me do just about anything I wanted with her.
When we touch down, a black SUV waits for us on the tarmac, windows tinted for privacy, and a bribed driver who’ll keep quiet. Just like the rest of the hired staff for today. I hop out of the plane first, my paws padding across the asphalt, as we make our way to the waiting vehicle.
A few of the ground crew members freeze when they see me. One of them pulls out his cell phone, sneaky but hesitant, clearly debating whether to snap a photo or maybe call animal control. I fix him with a low growl, and he quickly hides the device back in the pocket of his pants.
Once we’re settled in the back seat, Julia gives the driver directions to Meg’s place. He glances at me in the rearview mirror, eyebrows raised, but wisely keeps his mouth shut and we leave the airport.
I stare out the window as we weave through the traffic. It’s early afternoon, and the city hums with activity, sunlight glinting off high-rise buildings and bouncing off the water. Palm trees line the streets, their fronds swaying in the breeze, and I catch the scent of saltwater mingling with the fumes of car exhaust.
Julia’s fingers are drumming against her knee, her usual confidence tinged with nerves. She knows this visit is risky—but we don’t have a choice. Meg needs to know what she’s up against.
What if she doesn’t want to go with us? Her question floods my mind.
Well, I look her deep in the eyes. All we can do is tell her the truth. The choice is hers.
Does that happen often?
Unfortunately. I sigh. With male werewolves, it’s their instinct to join us. But human women, if not mated to any supernatural being, tend to refuse. And then, the government usually finds them.
I hope she’ll listen. She sounds worried, and I nuzzle her side to comfort her.
We eventually pull into a quiet, modest neighborhood, a small residential area far removed from the bustling beaches and tourist spots. We arrive at our destination and the SUV slows to a stop. Meg’s place is nestled in the middle of the cluster of single-family homes. It’s small, with faded blue paint, and seems to be made out of paper—more decorative than functional.
Julia looks over at me, and smooths down some of my fur, as if that’ll make me look any less like a wild beast.
While the driver is left waiting, we approach the front door, and Julia rings the bell, fixing her wig.
I hear the footsteps inside, and after a short moment, a tall, brown-haired woman opens. She has matching brown eyes, and sort of a sour look on her attractive face. Her sleeveless top reveals her tattoo-covered lean arms and tanned skin.
“Hello,” Julia greets her with a casualness that doesn’t quite match the gravity of our visit. “Meg, I assume?”
The woman nods slightly but narrows her eyes. “Do I know you?” She has a slight vocal fry that makes her voice sound smoky.
Julia shakes her head, undeterred. “No, but I promise you’re gonna want to hear me out.”
“Oh, really?” Meg’s tone drips with sarcasm, her nostrils flare, and I notice a small hoop ring in one of them.
“My name is Julia, and I’m here to help you.”
“Fascinating,” Meg continues her cynical pose. But as her gaze drops to me, her expression shifts from irritation to surprise. Her dark eyebrows shoot up and a shadow crosses her face while she takes in my wolf form beside Julia.
I lower my head a little, doing my best impression of a friendly dog—or a dog, any dog—but I can see she’s not at all convinced.
“Woah, that’s a huge fucking wolf!”
“Don’t worry about him. This won’t take long,” Julia insists, avoiding the subject.
“Look, lady. Whatever you’re selling, I’m not interested.” Meg closes the door, slamming it in Julia’s face before she manages to get a word in.
But she holds her ground. “You don’t live in the world you think you do. And you’re in danger, Meg.” Julia’s voice is level yet determined. “I know this sounds fucking crazy, but you’re not safe here. People— dangerous people —are looking for you, and they won’t stop until they find you.”
I prick my ears, tuning in to the sounds inside. Meg’s footsteps retreat, heavy and hurried. There’s the creak of a door, a rustling as she rummages for something, then a faint click that makes the fur along my spine stand on end.
Baby, step away from the door, I tell her, my voice rings urgency in her mind. She’s armed.
Julia takes a careful step back, lifting a brow. Aren’t you faster than a bullet?
Let’s not test it out today, shall we? I reply dryly, resisting the urge to roll my eyes.
A second later, Meg’s face appears at the edge of the cracked door, shotgun in hand, finger hovering near the trigger. My brave little Red doesn’t even flinch, though I can feel her anxiety spiking through the bond we share. It’s faint, but it’s there.
“I don’t know what the fuck you think this is, but I suggest you leave.” Meg snaps, her eyes blazing as she glares at Julia. “ Now .” She tightens her grip on the shotgun, though her fingers tremble slightly.
“Easy there, Florida.” Julia puts her hands up in a calming gesture, trying to defuse the tension. “It may seem like that to you right now, but I’m not the enemy here. I swear. If you give me five minutes—just five—I can explain everything.”
Meg opens her mouth, then shuts it, exhaling sharply through her nose. Her foot is still right by the door, ready to slam it shut, but something in Julia’s tone makes her hesitate. Her gaze slowly wavers, and finally, her shoulders drop as she steps back.
“Fine. Five minutes.” Her distrusting eyes dart to me. “But that… thing stays outside.”
“That thing is Alex, and he’s harmless. A good boy.” Julia gives me a wink.
I can’t help but huff in annoyance, flicking my tail, but I’ll let it slide this time. She should know better by now not to tease me.
Reluctantly, Meg lets me through with a wary look.
Her home is small but cozy, filled with well-loved furniture and the faint scent of citrus and old wood. We move into the living room, where Julia settles herself on the couch. I lay on the floor by her feet, keeping an eye on Meg, who takes a chair across from us, gun still in her hand.
“Thank you. I realize this is weird,” Julia begins softly, “but trust me, if there was any other way—”
Meg shifts in her seat uneasily. “Start talking.”
“Okay.” Julia takes a deep breath. “There are people in power who are searching for women like you, Meg. Women who carry a… particular gene.”
Meg’s eyes widen. “Gene? What are you even talking about?”
“It’s a rare mutation in your DNA,” Julia continues. “It links you to something ancient. A lineage of a sort that will be carried to your children, and later their children, and so on. You’re special, Meg.”
Meg laughs, but it’s a dry, humorless sound. “So I’m supposed to believe I’m some kind of… what, superhero?”
“Umm. No, not exactly.” Julia gives her a slight smile. “But it’s a supernatural type of thing.”
“Sure it is. And let me guess—you came to recruit me to the school for gifted children, huh?” Meg ridicules, then gives Julia a cold look. “I’m too old for this shit.”
“It’s nothing like that,” she responds, keeping her cool.
There’s a long pause. I can see Meg’s mind working, her gaze jumping between Julia and me, still trying to make sense of all this. She sighs and leans back, lowering the gun to her lap but keeping it within reach.
“You’re not the only one who has it.” Julia continues, and I stay down, letting her handle it. “But you’re one of the very few, which makes it that much more important to them to find all the carriers.”
“And who are they , huh?” she asks, running her hand through her long, messy hair. “Some cult? The government? The Illuminati? Please! Do you even hear how insane this sounds?”
“All of the above, I guess.” Julia remains calm. “And yes, it sounds made up, but you have to trust me on this. They think of people like you as property. As tools. You’re valuable to them, Meg, but not in a way that would make your life safe. I need you to hear me when I say it—the moment you’re on their radar, they won’t stop until they have you.” She leans forward, a slight edge creeping into her voice. “We’re the only ones who can help.”
Meg scoffs. “And I’m supposed to believe you … why, exactly? You show up at my house out of nowhere, with a pet wolf the size of a horse, and tell me I have some sort of magical gene? I don’t even know who you are. For all I know, you could be some—”
Julia cuts in gently. “You’re adopted, aren’t you?”
Meg freezes, her eyes narrowing. “How the hell do you know that? Have you been stalking me, you psycho?”
Julia gives her a sad, understanding smile. “You’ve probably spent most of your life wondering where you come from, who your parents were, why they left you, and if there was something more to it than you were told.”
Meg’s jaw tightens, and for a brief moment, the suspicion in her gaze shifts to something rawer, something vulnerable. But she shuts it down, her expression hardening again, her fingers tapping irritably on the arm of her chair. “Oh, the nerve on you! You think you can manipulate me by talking about my parents? You don’t know anything about me.”
“You’re right. But I do know what it’s like to grow up with questions. I know what it’s like to feel different, even when you can’t explain why. And I know that some part of you has been looking for answers—whether you admit it or not.”
I watch Meg closely, and I can sense her defenses cracking, bit by bit, but she’s not going to make this easy for us. She gives a hollow laugh again, shaking her head. “That’s it. I’m calling the cops.”
“If you call them, Meg, you’ll be handing yourself over to the very people who want to find you.”
“But why in the hell should I trust you? ”
Julia looks at her, her voice almost a whisper when she says, “Because I’m just like you.”
Meg rolls her eyes, but there’s an underlying curiosity in her now. “Right. And I suppose you’re going to show me the proof?”
“I don’t have a lab report, if that’s what you’re asking,” Julia replies gently. “But I’m a granddaughter of Nancy Carter, a former U.S. senator. You can fact-check that.” She snarks. “I also dated a son of the current West Virginia governor. They tried to capture me and force me into this experimental… um, breeding program run by the secret government agencies and funded by the world elites.”
“Oh God. You’re one of those crazy tin foil flat-earthers, aren’t you?”
I laugh on the inside. Can’t wait for her to meet Satan , I tell Julia, and she bites her bottom lip not to crack up.
Meg rubs her temples, letting out a frustrated sigh. “I really don’t have time for this. I have a night shift at the bar, and I’d like to take a nap before, so…” her words trail off as she stands up, pointing to the door. “Bye, bye now.”
“It’s all real.” Julia isn’t giving up.
“You’re unbelievable! What does it take to get rid of you?” Meg complains but pulls out her phone and focuses her attention on the screen. “Nancy Carter passed away from cancer a few months ago. But you do look like her granddaughter… minus the bad wig, of course. Red suits you better.” She concludes, then returns to her research. “Governor’s Simmons eldest son, Dean, dies after a tragic bear attack during a hike,” she reads out loud, looking up at Julia suspiciously.
A bear? I sneer. Oh, he wishes it was a bear!
“Sure, that.” Julia shrugs.
Meg’s eyes pan over to me and her face loses some color when she realizes. “I see.”
“You deserve a choice in what happens to you, Meg. A chance to live freely, without being hunted. And we just want to protect you.”
“We?” Meg catches Julia’s slip-up.
Julia glances at me, and I nod slightly, urging her to go on. This is the moment of truth. “This lineage…. Um, the gene mutation is…” she stumbles on her words before she finally exclaims, “Werewolves are real!”
There is a prolonged silence in the room while the weight of the revelation sinks in.
Finally, Meg’s eyes zero in on me. “Prove it,” she challenges.
I give Julia a look.
“She asked for it,” she says, her voice laced with excitement.
I step back, giving myself enough room, then let go. My body begins to shift, my bones cracking and muscles expanding, and everything happens in just a blink of an eye for them. I rise to my full height, towering over both of them with my ears scraping the ceiling, my fangs exposed in a low, rumbling snarl.
Meg only stares—wide-eyed, her face frozen in sheer horror. The color drains completely from her warm skin, then she lets out a strangled scream and faints, collapsing to the floor in a heap.
“Damn it.” Julia exhales, leaning over to check her pulse. Next, she secures her head and elevates her legs.
I crouch on my haunches next to her as she hovers over Meg. “See?” I say, unable to hide the smirk. “This is a normal reaction.”
Julia rolls her eyes with an exaggerated sigh. “Oh, shut up.”
I can’t resist poking at her a little more, my tone as innocent as possible. “You didn’t even put up a fight.”
She scoffs, looking affronted. “Excuse me—I threw my vibe at you and ran.”
“Hardly a defense,” I counter, an even wider grin spreading across my face. “It’s not like you were at the very least trying to resist.”
She narrows her eyes, glaring. “I was petrified , thank you very much.”
“You were aroused ,” I tease, leaning in close.
Her mouth falls open in shock, cheeks flushing as she hisses, “Because you watched me play with myself! Who does that?”
“No, I don’t think that was it.” I shrug, still smirking. “I think you just really wanted that wolf cock to claim your pretty little pus—”
She slaps a hand over my muzzle. “Now is the time for this?” she whispers, acting scandalized, but her lips twitch as she tries not to laugh. “I can’t believe you’re actually complaining. Was I too easy for you?”
I chuckle, pulling her hand away. “All I’m saying is, I barely got to enjoy the chase. It was over before it even began.”
“I’m so sorry my fat ass couldn’t outrun your superhuman speed. Imagine that!”
“Oh, but I love your fat ass,” I murmur, leaning even closer, brushing my snout against her cheek.
She shoves me away. “Say one more word, and you’ll see the real beast unleashed,” she threatens, but she’s smiling bashfully now, and I know I’ve won this round.
Before I get a chance to retort, Meg stirs, a soft groan escaping her lips as she begins to come around.
Julia instantly snaps back to focus, her expression serious as she whispers, “Shift back, and stay quiet.”
I obey and slip again into my wolf form, lying down with my head resting on my paws, trying to appear non-threatening.
Julia kneels next to Meg, gently patting her shoulder. “Meg? Hey, can you hear me?”
Meg’s eyelids flutter open, her gaze unfocused and confused. “W-what… what happened?” She rubs her eyes, her voice weak and a little shaky.
Julia gives her a small reassuring smile. “You fainted, that’s all. You’re safe, I promise.” She helps her sit up slowly.
Meg glances around, and as her eyes settle on me, she flinches, instinctively pulling back. Offering her the most innocent look I can muster, I make myself as small as possible.
“This can’t be happening,” she mutters more to herself, her face still etched with fear.
“Yeah, I know it’s a lot to take in.” Julia brushes a stray hair from Meg’s forehead. “I told you. You don’t live in the world you think you do. But we’re here to help you understand it.”
“So, am I some kind of wolf?”
“No, you’re mostly human.” Julia puts a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Women don’t shift, but we are carriers.”
Meg stares at me a little longer, her expression wavers, slowly shifting from fear to reluctant acceptance. She then lets out a shaky breath and finally says, “I want to learn more.”
Giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze, Julia assures her. “We’ll answer all your questions but not here. It’s not safe.”
“Not here?” Meg echoes. “This might be a trap for all I know.”
“If we wanted to harm you, you’d be dead by now. Have you seen what sharp claws he has? There’s no reason for me to waste my time trying to convince you other than me actually caring about you.”
Meg swallows. “How do you want to do this then?”
“We have a driver waiting for us outside and a private jet that will take us up North to the Canadian border. If you don’t like what you hear, we will fly you back. But if you decide to take a leap of faith, we have a safe place for you where they won’t find you. Please, grab a few things to bring with you, just in case.”
Meg’s gaze flickers between the two of us, wary and hesitant, though I can see the smallest crack in her wall of resistance. It’s only an inkling of trust, but for now, that’s good enough. She’s a step closer to freedom.