Chapter Text
“You are still an Asshole, Black!” Paul grumbles as he gets into a button-down for the official dinner to announce Embry as part of the family.
“I told you to wear gloves. You chose not to wear them to pick the Stinging Nettles. Next time, I will Alpha order you to not hear you whine about it.” I flip him off.
“That shit hurt!” Paul flexes his hand.
“Seth’s less of a baby than you are, Lahote.” Embry snarks.
Embry had set Seth to help Paul gather the Nettles. Seth remembered his gloves and tried not to bust out laughing at Paul’s whining. Paul assumed wolf healing would take care of the pain. Our healing removed the damage, but it didn’t make it not hurt.
“Dude, quit your bitchin. I was digging in the flower beds all over the Rez! I had little old ladies ogling me!” Quil had to get into the fun.
“I know that is why you wore the extra tight shorts for them to see.” Embry snickers.
“I had a growth spurt!” Quill tries to tug his shorts down. We all laugh at him trying. I couldn’t help it. Quill’s shorts were creeping into male stripper territory. There was no way to make them any longer.
“Bro, if the ancestors didn’t want people to lust for wolves, the ancestors shouldn’t make the wolves so hot.” Seth flushes at Quill’s words. Paul suddenly straightens up with a smile. Rachel barrels into the room. She taps at her empty wrist in the universal symbol of it is time. Rachel rolls her eyes at Lahote, who is puffing his chest out. Dude, her brothers are just as big as you.
“Dad is out in the truck, ready to go.” Yea. I was trying to forget we were to meet Charlie at the border before the party at First Beach. Doctor Tulukaruq had brought this fancy note from Charlie to Dad. I thought it was weird, but the Doc said it was a formality that had to be observed. Charlie couldn’t call Dad until formal relations were opened. Essentially, he was an ambassador without a portfolio. At our blank looks, Tulukaruq explained Charlie was more than a citizen but less than an official of the two (yes, two!) courts. Charlie Swann, who was one of the most informal men I knew, had to observe some sort of protocol. I asked why Bella didn't have to observe it. Some more crap about her status in dispute due to marrying the leech.
“Thanks, Rach.” Embry smiles. The pack and quite a few of the tribe go out to the waiting cars. The drive to the border takes no time and all of the time. My hands are sweating. I am nervous about seeing Charlie. I have never been nervous about Charlie in my life. We pass the markers for the entrance to La Push and keep going.
“Um, Dad, shouldn’t we wait here?”
“No, son.” My father’s face is tense.
“The true border for your tribe ends at a point up the road,” Doc explains as he flips on the lights. The sun is going down. The road is empty, and a shadow seems lengthened. It is just empty. I blink.
There just ahead are two men on the road. One is Charlie. The setting sun and the headlights make Charlie seem to glow. The figure next to him ripples in shadow as Charlie goes brighter as I watch. It is the Robin Goodfellow guy. He and Charlie are wearing capes and boots of the darkest black. Charlie is wearing a doublet with half moons and suns in purple. Robin’s is a deep blue with the same half-moons as Charlie's. They should look ridiculous standing in the middle of a highway. Instead, I feel a shiver of fear run through me. They both are smiling, and their teeth look sharp. I fight the urge to growl.
The Doc pulls to the side of the road. I hop out to grab Dad's chair.