Werewolf at Heart Ch. 06

Jason looked at Emile, and then turned back to Carly. "Is she a werewolf, too?" His whisper wasn't all that quiet. Emile smiled, reassuringly, wondering just how Jason had managed to reach that particular conclusion.

Carly answered, "Yes, Miss Emile is a werewolf." It pained her to admit it, but she was finding it harder to deny the mounting evidence of a secret preternatural community living among them.

"If she's a werewolf, then why is she so sad? If I were a werewolf, I wouldn't be sad. I would be happy, because wolves can play like dogs, and if I were a dog, I wouldn't have to go to school. And so I would be happy." Turning back to Emile, he asked, "Did someone kill your mom and dad, too? That's what makes me sad."

"Not my mom and dad," She answered, "But my husband and baby. I loved them very much. It's okay to be sad and miss them and to think about them. But it's also good to keep living and be happy." Emile was paraphrasing what Jack had been saying for weeks now. She felt the rightness in the words.

"Come on," she said, reaching for Jason's hand. Pulling him over to the couch, he snuggled into her side. He was a child of her heart, if not her body. "Why don't you tell me your secret, and then we can talk about your mom and dad. And if your aunt says it's alright, I'll even tell you all about being a werewolf."

Carly nodded, too tired for words. If she was going down this rabbit hole, at least she wasn't going to go it alone.

Emile and Jason chatted and played games throughout the afternoon. She had listened to what he had to say about being a wizard, and wondered at how Carly seemed to keep tripping over the supernatural world. Most people could happily live their lives knowing nothing of werewolves and wizards, vampires and witches, and all things fey. They knew nothing of the secret world, would never know anything. And here was Carly, surrounded by werewolves and wizards. Emile wondered but tucked that thought away, and challenged Jason to another game of Trouble. It just seemed fitting.

They played until Caleb screamed, and Emile followed Jason's needless directions for changing and feeding him. Emile and Jason played Sorry and traded stories while Caleb played with stuffies and gnawed on books in his pack and play. It was an enjoyable way to spend the afternoon. Before long, it was creeping to dinnertime and Carly still hadn't reappeared. She and Jason fixed spaghetti and meat sauce, garlic bread, and a salad before waking Carly from her nap.

After dinner, Carly sent Jason to clean his room and bathe, and the adults finally were able to talk. Carly poured a glass of wine for herself and Emile, and settled into the couch.

"I was half convinced I had hallucinated werewolves, until Jason pulled his disappearing trick on me this morning." Carly said, taking a long sip of wine.

"I was just as convinced that werewolves didn't exist, until I turned into one. The murderer that day, I saw him shift, felt his claws and teeth sink into my body, and I still thought it was some sort of bad acid trip. Even when the pack was patching me up instead of sending me to a hospital, I didn't want to believe. And then I was a wolf, and I found it hard to argue with my senses," Emile offered, hoping Carly would understand and accept the truth.

"I know why you didn't tell me. I don't blame you, really. I'm not sure you could have told me you were a werewolf in a way that would make me believe," it was as close to an apology as Carly could manage for the things she had said last night.

"I wish I had told you," Emile admitted. "It wasn't fair to keep you in the dark. especially when Blake got involved with you. I figured he'd tell you, but he never did."

"I don't want to talk about it, or him." Carly said. "It's different with you, because you really are my family. You were the one to celebrate my successes, and eat my Thanksgiving turkey, and you've just been part of my life."

"I think I've always kind of thought of you as pack," Emile replied, "You give my wolf someone to follow, all these years. And you protected me all those years, mostly from myself, even without knowing my past. Somehow, you instinctively knew when I needed someone. You'd stop by and watch a movie with me or talk or just hang around my house. You were my anchor, keeping me sane."

Carly shrugged, embarrassed. "I could tell you were depressed, and I worried about you. I work with high school kids, I could see the signs. You needed me, and I was there."

"You make me feel safe. You're one of the few who do. There's you, and Jack now, and I thought the Alpha, too. But he's done you wrong, so I'll take your side. Because someone needs to. The other werewolves remind me of what I am, and what it has cost me." Emile said softly.

"I'm almost prepared to walk away from Blake, but I don't think I'm ready to give up on us. Sometimes, you just have to accept the weirdness that comes with friends," Carly answered.

"I think you need to give Blake a second chance," Emile said, thinking of how the Alpha was acting last night when Carly left.

"I think he needs to fall face-first into a cactus," Carly retorted, "with both his hands tied behind his back."

"He made mistakes. And he needs to answer for them," Emile allowed, "There are good people and bad people, just like there are good werewolves and bad ones. Good wizards, and bad ones. Blake, his pack, they are some of the good ones. They aren't perfect, but they try to keep the pack happy and healthy. Blake does what he can for all of us, even me. He took me in, helped me heal, and then gave me the space I needed. Jack's taught me a lot these past few weeks, about how the pack runs. Blake's a good leader, and he cares. That's part of what makes the pack so great. But Jason is going to need an experienced wizard to train him, when he comes of age. And Blake can help you find the right person. He has the connections to make sure Jason and Caleb are trained in the right way, without cruelty, learning to use his talents to make the world better instead of worse."

"If he is who you say he is, he'll help regardless of if I give him a second chance or not."

"But would you be happy?" Emile asked.

Carly sighed. "I like him, I do. But I don't know if I can trust him. He says the right things, and does the right things, but it doesn't feel genuine. Like he's playing me to get what he wants. And I always give him what he wants."

Emile thought about it, knowing that neither of them would be happy if they couldn't work it out. She wasn't sure that Carly was wrong, but maybe she wasn't entirely right. "You've got to talk to him, at least. You can't leave it the way it is. Talk to him, tell him how you feel, let him explain himself. If you don't like what he says, I'll have your back. I can petition another pack, we can move. But we'll have to take Jack along, too. I've grown fond of my domineering man."

Carly thought about it as she finished her glass of wine. "I can see the sense in what you're saying. I don't think I want to talk to him right now, and I don't think this is a conversation that should be had over the phone. It's report week, with all sorts of workshops and trainings for teachers. Pass along a message for me. Tell him I'll be there Saturday morning, that I'll leave the kids with the sitter. Tell him whatever else you want, but leave out Jason's little revelation for now. I need to handle that."

Emile smiled. Carly had just given her permission to speak her mind to the Alpha, and she was going to take full advantage of it.