Page 41 of Fighting Furry

“It's good for our pack and it's good for you,” he said. “You need to bond with them.”

It seemed crazy to me, to go to a party when the pack was threatened, to walk away from an opponent. But I'd never been part of a team, not really, and I had to trust that Axel knew his pack and what they needed. I'd trust him that night, but the next day, I'd talk some sense into him and the others.

“Is that guy's name really Alpha?” I asked.

He snorted. “I never met his parents, so I can't say for sure, but if anyone would legally change their name to Alpha, it would be him.”

“He doesn't look like a werewolf.” When Axel raised his brows, I shrugged. “It's just that all the wolves I've seen have been healthy, fit, and that guy…His eyes were bloodshot and his skin was sort of yellow and he smelled like alcohol and something else, something…” I tried to put my finger on it, but I hadn't been a wolf long enough.

“Sickness,” he said. “I've never spent that much time with the guy, but the only way he could maintain that state would be to do nothing but drink straight liqueur from the moment he wakes up until the moment he passes. I'd imagine he kills his liver every day and it heals when he shifts or while he sleeps.”

“He's an alcoholic?”

He shrugged. “Maybe. Another theory is that he hates vamps and no vamp wants tainted blood. Feeding on sick people can make them sick, just like eating bad meat can make us sick.”

“Why doesn't he just fight off the vamps?”

“He's dominant, but just barely. He's probably not strong enough to fight them off physically.”

“He practically kills himself on a daily basis instead? That makes no sense.”

“I guess he thinks vampire obsession is a fate worse than death. I can't say he's wrong.”

***

The barn was about a mile from Axel's house. We walked through the woods and up a single, well-worn, dirt trail to a flat, open area, I heard the music before I saw the barn. It wasn't a small, red building, it was another warehouse-like structure, like Axel's studio/gym. Only it was the size of an aircraft hangar, maybe two aircraft hangars tacked together.

The front was wide open to the elements, so we could see the interior was well-lit and people were dancing, or standing around in groups chatting, or sitting on couches with plates of food on their laps.

I was social by nature, but this was a whole town of people I'd never met in human form. A town of people that was also my new pack, a pack I was responsible for protecting. But, as I looked over the people, I wasn't overwhelmed or worried, I was excited. I felt an odd sort of bond to the people in the enormous barn.

Axel paused at the edge of the party and turned me to face him. He scanned my face. “You ready for this?”

I wasn't nervous until that moment. “Why wouldn't I be?”

He grinned. “Just remember, the best answer is usually no.”

I stuck my hands on my hips and glared at him. “What does that mean? Why are you acting weird?”

His smile slipped. “And don't forget, you belong to me.”

“What? I don't belong to anyone, you big idiot. The only person I belong to is—”

He grabbed my hips and pulled me tight against him. He pressed his lips to mine and kissed me until I'd forgotten where we were and I was two seconds away from stripping down and jumping on for a ride.

Just as suddenly as he'd started kissing me, he stopped. “You're mine. And you're the starburst, don't let anyone give you any shit.”

He slipped away and got lost in the crowd before I could argue. I huffed. He could say I was his all he wanted, but saying it didn't make it true.

I stepped into the bright light and headed straight for the food tables. I grabbed a plate and filled it with fruit, chips and dip, macaroni and cheese, sliders, and chicken wings. My pack knew how to do things right. I carried my loaded plate toward an empty couch, but a tiny lady with graying hair stepped into my path. I'd never seen her before, didn't know her name, but I somehow knew it was going to be a while before I got to sit and eat.

“Julie Jacobs,” she said. “I'm Esther. It's lovely to meet you.”

“Nice to meet—”

“Axel says you're our starburst. I'm not quite sure how someone who beats people to a pulp for a living will make a good starburst, but Axel says you're kind and loyal and will look out for the wellbeing of us all.”

My cheeks warmed. I'd never been good with compliments and I tended to agree with Esther about me being a poor choice for the starburst. “Well, I—”

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