Opening the Cage (12 page)

“Canyon.” He begged a kiss, fingers finding Riana’s ruff.

It’s all right.
Canyon soothed him, rocking all of them now.

Sorry
. He and Riana spoke together.

“No.” Canyon rumbled the word out loud. “No one did anything wrong.”

“You would like the socks.” He wiggled his toes, then nuzzled Canyon’s jaw, licking his chin his thanks.

“Would she?” Canyon hugged him close. “They’re very warm.”

“They are.” He nodded. “Can we really go outside? Whenever we want to?”

“You can.” Little kisses dropped on his chin, his shoulder. Canyon kept stroking Riana’s fur, the motions mesmerizing. “I want to introduce you to the pack, of course. So they know who you are.”

Riana burrowed in closer, shivered.
April’s gone. She was good pack, good to me. My sister.

I’m sorry, love.
Canyon kissed the top of Riana’s fuzzy head, so gently.
Russet loved her. He always talked about her.

She took care of me, until…
Her voice trailed off.

Wend hugged her tight. “April was Russet’s lady. He died, early on. Right after the first bite, when the monster was newly born.”

“Granite took his place, then.” Canyon smiled a little. “Granite is here, at Mesa’s house. He's my friend.”

Russet betrayed her.
Riana’s voice was sharp-edged, raw.

Betrayed who?

April. He betrayed her. He let them take me, hurt me. He let them cage me.
Wend could feel Riana’s sorrow, her worry, her loss. He’d been free, many times, to explore, but Riana, she’d been kept in that house, then in the cage.

“I can't believe a Guardian, someone sworn to hurt the Pack would let anyone hurt you.” Canyon sounded so sure.

Riana growled, fur bristling.
She told him about me. They came in the night. They stole me and put me in a cage, and he watched.

Canyon looked at him, and Wend shrugged. “The Alpha brought her, with the witch, to me, to the cages. Russet fought with him. I could hear. They fought about her, but…”

He knew he and Riana weren’t like the rest. They weren’t Pack.

A low growl sounded again, but it was from Canyon, not Riana. “Damn it, I knew Russet; he was a good man. Why would he do that? Why would he betray you?”

We’re bad. Poison. We hurt the Pack.
Wend had heard the witch say the words now coming from Riana’s mind, over and over.

It wasn’t true, though. “It’s not true. We changed.”

Wend wiggled his fingers at her. His human fingers. The witch had said they were freaks, that they couldn’t shift. What else had been lies?

“You’re Pack to me. That’s what matters.” Canyon's touch was gentle, careful. “I will fight to defend you, I swear it.”

You won’t let anyone change your mind?

Wend watched Canyon, but their mate just stared.

“Never. No one will. My Pack.”

Wend nodded. “Yours.”

“If you want to see anyone from your Pack, just tell me. You can make them understand. I will make them understand.” Canyon settled a little more, shifting to get them all comfortable.

“I don’t know.” He leaned close, whispered. “They don’t know about us.”

“They?” Canyon raised a brow.

“No one. That we’re like you. It’s a secret.”

“Like me? Like me, what?”

“Like this.” He motioned to his human body.

“Oh.” Canyon seemed to ponder that. “Well, my Pack is good. They can know.”

He nodded, leaned harder. Riana snorted, pulled away, growled softly.

What?
Canyon’s voice didn’t come aloud this time.

He was April’s. He hated us. He hated us so much he hurt her. Granite will hate us, too. They all hate us.

How can he hate you, if he doesn't know you? They are scared, without an Alpha, lost.”
Canyon frowned, shook his head, then spoke aloud. “Granite is my friend, Riana. We’ll talk to him, make him explain to the rest of the Pack.”

Riana harrumphed and slipped off Canyon’s lap, crawled under the bed and curled up into a ball.

“I don’t think she’s going to meet anyone.” Wend would. He liked greetings.

“She will. She just needs to get used to the idea.” Canyon smiled for him. “You seem to have gotten out more.”

“She lived in a home. I was the pet, hmm? I can’t hurt anyone.” He touched Canyon’s lips. “Once It came, they kept me away, too. Close to her. But they never let us touch.”

Once the Alpha had discovered what Riana’s blood could do.

“No, I bet they didn’t.” Stroking his back, Canyon sighed. “It’s different now.”

“I hope so.” He didn’t like making Canyon sad, so he kissed Canyon’s jaw. “Show me your Pack.”

“Okay, love. Riana, you can come, too, if you want. You don’t have to change.”

Wend felt Riana’s fear, her worry, and she pushed farther into the shadows, even giving a warning growl.

“Hush, now.” Canyon bent to peer at Riana. “You don’t have to. You don’t have to hide, either. You can sleep on the bed.”

He heard Riana’s tail thump, once, and he grabbed Canyon’s arm. Out.

Outside.

He wanted to see.

Canyon put the slippers over his soft socks and led him outside, where the chill in the air didn’t seem so bad with the clothes on. Really, it was almost like fur. Almost.

The snow was falling, and there were cubs, tussling and playing, their tiny growls on the air. It was like a story. He watched, waited to see what to do, what the others did.

Mostly people and wolves just moved past them, like they had stuff to do. Some waved at them. It was an old lady who came forward, though, to grab Canyon’s arms and kiss his cheeks.

She smelled a little bit like a witch.

Not a lot, but a little.

She had pretty, twinkly eyes, and a grand smile, like she knew there was bad stuff out there but had to smile anyway, just because life was good. Wend liked her.

She touched his arm. “You’re Wend.”

“Yep.” He wiggled a little, just the barest bit unnerved.

“Welcome to the pack. I’m Minnie.” She was so warm, her hand touching his arm seeming to heat his skin.

“Minnie.” He whined softly, nodded. “I’m new.”

“I know.” Her hand left his arm and she raised it to cup his cheek with her palm. “Like a babe. It’s good to meet you, though.”

Something about her eased him, bone deep, and he smiled. “Good. Canyon brought me. He gave me socks.”

“He did, didn’t he?” She tucked his arm into hers and tugged him along. “I knit socks.”

“You make socks?”

She didn’t smell mean. She smelled like yummy food and cloth and flowers.

The last witch they’d known was mean.

“I do. I make them for everyone. Are you hungry?”

“Canyon fed us today.”

“Well, we eat more than one meal around here. Have you ever had pie?”

His head tilted and he reached for Canyon with his heart, sorting through memories and no, no he hadn’t. “No. Canyon likes pie.”

“He does. He ate a whole pumpkin pie one year, sneaking off to the pantry as a little wolf thief. He was so sick.”

Wend chuckled. “Pumpkin pie.”

He could try that. He could. With the cream.

“Hey! It was spicy. I like spicy.” Canyon chuckled, trailing behind them.

“What’s spicy?”

“Um.” Canyon made this noise that sounded like pure confusion.

Minnie just laughed. “It makes your tongue tingle.”

“Oh. Oh! Like Riana!” He chuffed happily. “I like spicy, too.”

Very much.

Canyon snorted. “Riana is more like electricity.”

“And when do I get to meet her, Canyon?”

“When she’s ready. She’s scared.”

Yes. Yes, she had a right to be. She always got bit.

Always.

“Well, Junie and I are looking forward to it.” Minnie led them into a building that was warm and bright and smelled like so many good things it made him dizzy. So many good things.

“Mmm. Pie.” Canyon caught him when he staggered away from Minnie, holding him close.

“Canyon.” He blinked up, a little bit scared. “We’re okay? It’s okay?”

“We are very okay. You’ve just never had this many smells, huh?”

Wend loved that, how Canyon knew him, just like Riana. He nodded, nuzzled Canyon’s jaw.

“Well, come sit. We’ll have a tasting.”

Canyon drew him down into a chair, both of them sitting together as Minnie dished up plates with so many things. Before it was put in front of them, another female came in, another witch.

“Hey, Granny. Canyon, love.” She kissed Canyon’s temple. “We missed you.”

“Hey, Junie-girl.”

Oh. Oh! This one smelled like Canyon, smiled like him. This was his sister. He’d talked about her.

Junie smiled at him. “You’re Wend. I’m Juniper.”

He reached out, hugged her. Sisters were good. This one was very good. She loved her brothers, and she thought it was so neat that he was one of the two, but she didn’t think he was a freak.

You’re not a freak, love
. Canyon’s voice was so soft, so gentle. So good to him. Canyon was a good Alpha.

I’m not an Alpha, love. I’m a second.

Wend tilted his head. No. No, that wasn’t right. Canyon felt like an Alpha.

Canyon smiled when Junie touched his shoulder. “We should eat, huh?”

“I like to eat.” He looked at Junie. “Did you know you can eat more than once a day here?”

“I did! We all have to run hard sometimes to work it off.” She sat, and Minnie handed out full plates.

Wend touched the plate. Riana should see this. Riana should come be with them.

“We’ll take her a plate, love.”

“Please.” He met Canyon’s eyes. “It’s all different.”

“I bet it is.”

Wend could feel that Canyon couldn’t really know, but he could feel for them, could want to make things better.

He grinned, then he sniffed. Meat. Sweet. Good.

Food.

Good food.

He scarfed the food down, moaning over the flavors. When he looked up, they were all watching him, but everyone was smiling, so he wasn’t doing anything bad.

“Good.” He licked his lips. “So good. Thank you.”

He was polite. Nice. A good dog.

“You’re welcome, honey. I’m so glad you’re here.” Minnie was sweet.

“I…”

The door opened and a face he barely recognized appeared, the man limping in, moving slowly.

Granite.
Canyon sounded fond. Relaxed
.

Ah. Canyon's friend. Still, he ducked his head, hiding in Canyon’s shadow.
Don’t see me. Don’t see me. Don’t see me.

“Hey. Something smells good.” Granite smiled, but he looked tired, sounded hoarse.

“It is.” Minnie smiled, and he reached out for Riana and she was there, inside him.

Don’t see me. Don’t see me. Don’t see me.

No one ever looked toward him. No one but Canyon. Canyon, though, he hugged Wend tight, and didn’t flinch when Riana’s voice came loud.

Wend?

Riana. Stay there.

Everyone moved around, fed Granite, and no one saw him.

He’s not going to hurt you.
Canyon petted him, easing him.

You can see me?
He thought Canyon had to, and it was good.

Of course I can, love.

Wend smiled.
They can’t.

Canyon glanced around. Frowned.

Minnie looked at Canyon. “What’s wrong, son?”

“Nothing.” Canyon had his back.

She tilted her head, chirruped softly.

“I think Wend is afraid of Granite.”

“Where did Wend…” Minnie shook her head, then stared. “Oh. I…How odd.”

She saw him now. Wend curled into Canyon, who squeezed him. “It’s okay.”

He nodded. It only worked if people weren’t looking.

Granite was looking now, eyes sharp. “Where did you come from?”

“The mountains.”

Granite raised a brow. “No. There’s no way we would have left someone behind. There’s no way there’s a Pack member I don’t know.”

What did he say to that? “Okay. Then I came from somewhere else.”

“Granite, stop.” Canyon scowled. “We need to talk, but not now.”

Wend shivered, head ducking. He needed to go away. He needed to see Riana, make sure she was safe. Warm. Hidden.

“What? I would have known if he belonged with us.” Granite growled. “I knew my Pack.”