Without Reservations

shooting you so you’d come home. But then you replaced me.” He glared at Chay. “With this…this…injun. Really, Keaton, your taste is deplorable.”
    Keaton growled. His whole body tensed, readying for attack. His hands shifted.
    Chay stepped in front of him just as he charged.
    Jonathon pulled the trigger.
    Keaton screamed.
    Ouch. Chay staggered back. That bastard shot him.
    A blur of white fur streaked past the gazebo, launching itself at Jonathon as Keaton’s arms wrapped around Chay. The gun went flying.
    Jonathon tried to shift, his eyes and teeth changing instantly, but the wolf didn’t give him the chance.
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    Keaton turned to Chay, his eyes wide. “Where are you hit?”
    Chay glanced down at his side.
    Keaton’s eyes followed. Bit ripped his jacket and shirt.
    “Damn it, Bit. We just bought those.”
    Keaton’s hands shifted to claws. “Deep breath. I gotta get it out. If it’s silver it could kill you.” He sliced his nails into Chay’s side, digging in.
    This time it was Chay who screamed. Fuck, he was woozy. That hurt, bad. Chay blinked the tears back and tried to focus on anything but what Bit was doing.
    The wolf bit into Jonathon’s neck, blood flying everywhere, covering the pale fur. He jerked his head back and forth, tearing the man’s skin.
    Jake, Joe, Remi, Howard and his Betas, all still in human form, came running into the garden from the direction of the house, the same direction the white wolf had come from.
    “Got it.” Bit gasped and suddenly the pain from Chay’s side receded into a dull ache.
    Chay’s eyes met his father’s. Joe looked worried.
    Chay’s brain was a little on the foggy side. From the pain he supposed. His eyes shifted and then Bit shoved his wrist against Chay’s mouth. Chay staggered and his knees hit the ground.
    Keaton stood over him. “Drink.”
    Chay drank.
    The wound closed and Keaton opened it up again, pressing it back to Chay’s mouth. By the third time, Chay felt much better. He could think again. The ache in his side was gone completely. He pushed Bit’s wrist away and looked down at his side. It was healed.
    Oh shit .
    He’d been so dazed he’d forgotten about Jonathon. Chay spotted the gun lying on the grass. He ran down the gazebo steps and grabbed the gun. He glanced around, finding the white wolf and Jonathon.
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    Without Reservations
    Jonathon lay lifeless and pale in a huge puddle of blood. The large wolf still growled and shook the mangled flesh denying it a chance to heal.
    Howard walked up to the wolf, placing a hand on its shoulder.
    “Aubrey, let go. He’s dead.”
    The blood-splattered wolf released Jonathon’s neck, turned toward the house and left.
    Wow. Aubrey hadn’t been responsible for Keaton’s accidents? Man.
    Chay felt like a…well he felt like an ass. Make that an ignorant, slightly confused ass.
    They all stood staring at the limp body for the longest time.
    “Chayton? Are you all right?” Joe asked.
    Chay frowned. “Where the hell were all of you? Bit could have been shot. You guys suck as a rescue squad. You’re all fired.”
    Bit took the gun, opened the revolver and dumped the bullets into his hand. “Silver. Glad I got that out of you.” He touched Chay’s arm. “How do you feel?”
    “I’m fine. I guess we owe Aubrey an apology and a thank you.”
    Joe nodded. “Indeed you do. Aubrey talked to us all before we came out here.” He shot a sheepish glance toward Jonathon’s lifeless body.
    “That is why we were late. Apparently, Aubrey came to find Keaton as a surprise for his parents.”
    “The night Remi was attacked, it was Aubrey who ran Jonathon off.”
    Jake held out his hand to Keaton, silently asking for the gun and bullets.
    “He said he was going for a run, he went back by your house and heard Remi scream. He chased Jonathon all the way to the rez. He recognized Jonathon’s scent. Aubrey thought Remi was already dead, so he kept after Jonathon.”
    Keaton handed over the gun and ammo. “But why didn’t he come back and tell us what was going on?”
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    Howard shrugged. “He tried. He didn’t have a phone number. He followed Jonathon all the way back to his hotel and watched him, by then all of you were already on a plane headed here.”
    “But why the change of heart? Aubrey hates me,” Keaton said.
    Howard shook his head. “No he doesn’t, Son. We all