Wren was exhausted. His shouldn’t be. He’d slept the entire night snuggled up with Jackson, but he was. Kia left to go get the others and Wren slipped away to take another bath. The water was hot. Almost too hot, but it had been so long since he’d been able to enjoy just soaking in the tub.The soothing scent of lavender drifted in the steam. Wren sank down so the only part of him exposed to the air was from his nose up. He was sore all over. His stomach hurt where the other wolf had managed to land a good hit. Images from the day before flashed through his mind. The metallic scent, and taste of blood. The other wolf, so young and new to fighting.He didn’t like that he hurt someone. He didn’t like what he’d done at all… But he was happy he’d done it. A part of him that he hadn’t realized was unsettled, calmed down. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d cried. The last time he’d felt safe enough

They split off from Jackson at the staircase. Kia hummed to herself as they walked. Wren was busy listening to Jackson’s slow steps walking away from him. Kia’s humming stopped and Wren glanced down at her. She had her head tilted slightly, then she sighed. “You won’t ask and Jackson won’t talk about it without prompting,” she said. “So, if you want, I’ll fill you in.”“Talk about what?”Kia’s smile was sad. “His mom.”Oh. He hesitated. If it wasn’t something Jackson would talk about… “No. Jackson can talk about it with me when he wants to.” He tried to make his refusal gentle.Kia looked surprised, then a warm smile lit up her face. “All right,” she agreed. “But I am going to tell you about his dad because the most he ever says is that his dad was different before his mom died.”Wren paused. Kia was waiting for him t

Jackson drove first. Wren sat in the front seat next to him. The rest were crammed in the backseat. Sue-Sue slept on Charlene’s lap. Margaret was in the middle. The new wolf sat next to Margaret. When Jackson glanced in the rearview mirror, he could see Margaret attempting to give him as much space as she could in the tight quarters. Kia was scrunched into the floorboards at Charlene’s feet. At first, Jackson could hear her as she moved around, but eventually she seemed to have found a comfortable enough position to get some sleep.Which was good because Jackson drove through the night. At the first gas station, Jackson purchased some cheap flannel scarves that hung by the register. All of the wolves had obvious tan lines on their neck. Any of them going inside was dangerous so Jackson tried to target only rest areas along the interstate, places where they could use the bathrooms without worrying over an employee noticing something off and reporting them.S

Grandma Rose had a holiday tree lit up in the front window when they pulled in. The multi-colored lights twinkled merrily behind the frosted glass. The house smelled like chicken noodle soup and cookies. She greeted Grandpa Frank with a kiss, then stepped back so everyone could traipse inside. Charlene was carrying Sue-Sue in her arms. The sky in the east was just beginning to brighten.“Cows need taken care of before I get to sleep,” Grandpa Frank told them as he headed straight out the back door. Jackson watched him go.“Kia.” Grandma’s voice warbled. “Oh, my sweet girl. You’ve gotten so big.”Jackson grinned at that. Kia was fairly short, but she was taller than Grandma.“Grandma!” Kia threw her arms around Grandma Rose. Her shoulders shook as she buried her face into Grandma’s shoulder. “Grandma, I’m free. I’m free.” Her voice broke on the last word and the entir

Jackson was oddly nervous as they got ready for the night. He’d spent almost every day since he’d purchased Wren right by Wren’s side. Why he’d be nervous for what they had already acknowledged made no sense.But he was. He found himself almost breathless as they pulled into the botanical gardens. They walked in, side by side, elbows brushing occasionally and sending a shock of awareness through Jackson every time. The lights had just opened so they beat the crowd and were some of the first in for the night. Jackson smiled up at Wren and ignored the way his heart sped up when Wren grinned back.He also ignored the way Wren’s eyes flicked down to his chest.They stepped out into a snowy, quite literal ‘Winter Wonderland,’ as the little sign proclaimed. Small twinkle lights blinked merrily at them from every tree and bush. They hung like diamonds from branches. Instrumental versions of holiday songs played softly from hidd