Page 42 of Planet Wolf

Wearing the glasses, I set out to compose an email that might, I hoped, change things. My cousin wasn’t going to be the new leader after the Union left, but someone would be. Even from a distance, I could give them what they needed. Publicly.

I started composing my letter to an editor. Sometimes, the Silver newspaper could really make a difference and with a letter and proof like I had—they’d distribute it widely. Earth wouldn’t stay silent when confronted with this kind of damning evidence.

I hoped.

“Hey,” Alfie pushed in next to me on the other side. It was good that the chair was so big. He laid his head down like Carl had done. “Missed you in bed. Why did you wake him and not me?” He closed his eyes.

“I didn’t. He found me out here, too. I was awake, really awake, and I wanted to see the sun rise.”

He lifted his gaze. “That is very good news. Stay here a second.”

He jumped up, and Carl opened his eyes to complain, “Why are the two of you running around so much? It’s morning. Lie still and don’t move.”

“Don’t mind him,” Jadon said as he came out, holding their version of coffee. “He doesn’t like the morning. Do you think your early morning energy is maybe because of the vitamin Alfie fed you?”

“Yep.” Alfie slid past him and darted over to me, holding the pill in honey again. “Time for more. We can maybe give you some more before bed, too, if you’re handling it.”

I happily popped it in my mouth. It might become my favorite taste ever. “It’s so delicious.”

“It’s the honey. The vitamin is tasteless.” He stretched his arms over his head. “Are you guys sticking around an hour or so? I need a run. I need to shift.”

I wondered what that would be like. I’d spend my life watching them run off as Wolves, but at least I got to have views like I had this morning.

13

As the last car drove away from our home, I leaned against the door and waved. I never would’ve expected it, but I liked every member of the pack. Or maybe I should have expected it. I liked my guys, and they made all of those people—mostly men—their family. The three women in the pack were particularly wonderful. They invited me out, and one of them wanted to know all about Earth. She was convinced her true mates were there.

I had no idea how that would go for her. Earth men didn’t share as well as my mates. Also, they couldn’t scent her. How would that work? Would she let them know she scented them? We’d see what happened, and I hoped we could be friends.

Carl put his chin on my shoulder, watching them leave. “They loved you, all of them. I feel like you’ve given them a lot of hope, too. We’re all made for true matings, yet most of us will go through life without ever finding that pairing. Seeing you? It reminds them what they should be striving for.” He held up a cup with a honey candy on it. “Alfie asked me to give this to you.”

I took it and happily sucked on it. “This is my favorite food every day.”

“That’s because you’re getting what you need.” He kissed my cheek. “Alfie will probably start to add more to your diet, too. You kept down juice. That is good news, and we can try some other things, slowly. Before you know it, you’ll be able to eat whatever you like.”

That would be a fucking miracle. “I can’t imagine being able to just eat.”

I still had pain. I hadn’t woken up just fixed. My body hurt. I wasn’t going to think about going off my pills, maybe I never would. If I could eat, it would add to my quality of life in a way I wasn’t sure I could express, not even to myself. I didn’t have a clue what that would be like, as I honestly never experienced it before.

Alfie ran off earlier to go into town to get some supplies he needed. Apparently, he also wanted to visit somewhere called the Institute of Health. He hoped they’d have information he couldn’t access from his home computer because it was blocked by security features.

I yawned and Jadon came over to hold me from behind as Carl let go to step outside. “Going to patrol,” the latter informed me.

“Hey, I have a question.” I leaned back against the Alpha, and he kissed his mark on my neck.

“I’m shocked you only have one. As Carl told you, every single one of them loved you. What’s your question?”

I turned in his arms. “What are all of those people who just left going to do now?”

Jadon tilted his head and looked at me with a question in his gaze. He seemed to consider my concern for a moment before he spoke. “They’ll go back to their lives, return to their jobs, their homes, and visit their families. They’ll live the same as they did yesterday, but they’ll have something to dream about and work toward.”

I nodded, understanding what he meant. “I guess I meant more generally—what will they do right now? Will they go have fun? Attend parties? Bars? What do they do when they leave here tonight?”

Jadon’s arms tightened around me, and I leaned into his embrace. Did he understand what I was asking him? I wanted to know what they were doing, because I would never be able to do those things. As long as half the planet wanted to kill humans for being there, I couldn’t do anything like that. Maybe I’d be able to eat again, thanks to the vitamin I was taking, only I wouldn’t be able to even take my medication safely in public. What was the point of making me well if I had to live as I had before?

Jadon’s eyes softened as he looked down at me. I could tell he understood the true meaning behind my question. It hadn’t taken him long to catch on. “They’ll do what they always do, yes. Maybe they’ll go to bars or the theater or parties. As for us, we’ll make our own fun here. We’ll go on moonlit runs, have bonfires, and share stories. We’ll make our own memories and live in the moment.”

Well,theycould go on moonlit runs. I’d stay just as I was, in my human form. I could watch them on a moonlit run, though. He was used to thinking of everyone being just like him. It would never occur to him to think of me as other. I was afraid he’d get used to it very fast.