Storiesonline.net ------- Fangs and Wings by PuffDragon Copyright© 2011 by PuffDragon ------- Description: How would you cope if you were one of the first people in the military to serve openly as a lycanthrope? How would you adapt to the military lifestyle while having to constantly fight the animal within? Willow Puckett has finished her initial flying training and is now entering a combat B-52 squadron. How does she cope with being the squadron’s only lycanthrope, a gruff partner, religious zealots, and an upcoming deployment? Codes: MF cons het were slow Mil ------- ------- Chapter 1 Willow Puckett pulled her truck to the side of the road just north of Fessenden, North Dakota. Her long auburn hair danced in the light breeze as she hopped out to check the bike on the trailer behind her. Grumbling about cheap stow straps she dutifully tightened them and gave the bike, an old worn Honda Shadow, an affectionate slap. She turned back to the truck, her nostrils wide, taking in every scent on the light breeze. The faint smell of prairie dogs and elk drifted over her nose and she felt the Wolf within stir. The Wolf wanted to run and hunt the prey it smelled so tantalizingly close. She had several hours more of driving so Willow's human side tightened down on Wolf. The next full moon was less than two weeks away and she could hold it together until then. Come the full moon she would let Wolf take over and run freely over open plains, but for now, she was traveling to a new home. She opened the door and jumped lightly from the side rail onto the seat. Inside her, the Wolf whined and she could feel the ghost of claws and fur trying to push out as she turned the key. She took a deep breath and exerted the control she'd learned through over a decade as a lycanthrope and two years of being a military officer. Satisfied that she could hold it together for a little while longer she drove on, unaware that at her destination three men were discussing her future. ------- "Well, that wraps up pre-deployment prep for another month, gents. Let's move on to the last issue." Colonel Michael Ames looked across the table at his subordinates. Colonel Greg Kraft, his Operations Group commander, sat across the table from him and Lieutenant Colonel Ron Stahl, the commander of the Wing's bomber squadron, sat on his left. Both men were in their late thirties, hair only beginning to grey from long hours spent keeping half of the nation's B-52 fleet trained and ready. Colonel Ames took a deep breath and looked around the room. His office was the center of power for Minot Air Force Base, any major decision made went through this office. He could normally entrust his subordinates with decisions, but there were days when he felt the need to delicately guide them in their choices. "The last issue at hand is our newest copilot." Col Ames's voice was calm, neutral. "The last class graduated this week, correct?" Col Kraft asked and Lt Col Stahl nodded. An air of tension drifted into the room and Col Ames suspected both men knew where he was going. "That's correct. Are either of you aware of the ... nature of the copilot being sent to us?" Col Kraft nodded but Lt Col Stahl's expression was politely curious. Col Ames drew a manila folder from his file rack and slid it to Lt Col Stahl. "That's First Lieutenant Will Puckett." Lt Col Stahl opened it to read the short bio. "Lycanthrope?" Stahl asked. "Werewolf, so your pretty standard variety." Col Ames answered briskly. "Does he have a paw-pal yet?" Stahl's brain worked quickly through the list of people in his squadron qualified to pair with a lycanthrope. "'Paw-pal?' I assume you mean Lycanthrope Liaison?" When Stahl nodded absently, Col Ames chuckled. "I guess I missed that bit of slang. No, Lt Puckett doesn't have a 'paw-pal' yet. Trained B-52 aviators with lycanthrope training are hard to come by." Kraft snorted but Ames continued. "I've got a good double handful of other personnel in the wing with the training. However, I was hoping you could fill in the gaps in my memory with the list of personnel in your squadron who can fill the role." Stahl was aware that Ames probably already knew the answer but told him anyway. "Sir, I've only got two men with the training. Lt Jason Adams finished his training this spring and is an ideal candidate. If I remember correctly Capt Jamison Grove also maintains a currency for it but it's been a few years since he completed training." "Capt Grove did the training to pair with his younger brother correct?" "Yes sir. His brother died in a car crash shortly after too." He paused. "I would recommend Lt Adams for this. Similar rank and Adams is a pilot as well." Col Ames steepled his fingers and rested his chin on them. "Lt Adams is married, is he not?" "Yes sir, just had a child a few months back as well." "We'll have to take him off our list of options then." Stahl gave him a blank look, so Ames tapped the bio again. Stahl flipped the page to find a picture of a young woman with dark auburn hair in service dress smiling for the camera. "Will is short for Willow. Lt Puckett is female. I will not allow a female lycanthrope to be paired with a married Lycanthrope Liaison." It was Col Kraft's turn to look confused. "Why not sir?" "These 'paw-pals' are always male because they are physically and mentally tough enough to restrain a Changed lycanthrope," he explained. "They are generally bound to their pair on a deep emotional level. Male-male pairs become very close friends, almost brothers. Male-female pairs inevitably end up as deeply attached sexual partners, so they must be picked carefully. You can see why I cannot allow a female lycanthrope to be paired with a married Lycanthrope Liaison." Kraft nodded. "It will have to be Capt Grove then. I hate to ask it of him though, after what he's been through." "I know Ron, it's a tough spot. However, if things don't work out we can probably send someone she likes to training. It's about a six week course so that's the longest you'd have to deal with it." "Deployment is only three months away. We're going to have to figure it out fast!" "That's why you're the best, Ron. I know you'll make it work," he smiled at both men. "Well gents, I think that wraps things up for this week. If there's anything that comes up, call. Otherwise, I'll see you next week." He slid Lt Puckett's bio to Stahl. Both men stood, shook hands with Col Ames, and left the room. Stahl and Kraft walked briskly down the hall and out the door. As soon as the door shut behind them, Kraft turned to Stahl. "Capt Grove puts on Major in a month doesn't he?" "Yes." Stahl's face was expressionless. "That's a pile of crap. Then you'll have a Major and a first lieutenant paired. They're going to have to be discreet." "You talk like their pairing like that is a foregone conclusion." Stahl reached his car but paused when he saw Kraft's face. "I know you haven't had to deal with lycanthropes before but trust me, it's a foregone conclusion. That bonding will be almost as strong as you and your wife. It's hard to shake that." "Roger, sir." "Just don't be surprised by things she does. There's a beast inside her, constantly trying to get out. She'll fight it every day and sometimes the beast wins." He shook his head. "Look, I'm not the superstitious type, but there's something a little off about those kids." "Anything specific I should look out for?" Stahl asked, trying to keep his tone neutral. "Well, she's a wolf variety so she'll be more energetic that most people. More apt to want to touch and smell everything and everyone she meets. Lupine behavior tendencies work well in the military though. She'll strive to make the squadron feel like a pack. Make her see you, as the Alpha and she'll fall in line easy enough. How long has Voss been your executive officer?" "Just shy of a year now," he answered quietly as his brain worked through Colonel Kraft's comments. Stahl suspected that Kraft didn't like having lycanthropes in the military but DoD policy tied his hands. "Maybe consider picking her up as the next exec. She'll be the most fiercely loyal exec you'll ever see and it'll keep the girl under your watchful eye." Stahl gave a thoughtful nod of his head. "Yes, sir." He nodded to Col Kraft, hopped into his car, and headed to his building. ------- Chapter 2 Minot's operational bomber squadron resided in the PRIDE building. Long ago, in the era of Strategic Air Command, everything had an acronym, even PRIDE. However, years passed until everyone who knew what "PRIDE" stood for had retired. Now the new lieutenants chuckled over the name and no one knew why anyone would call a building "PRIDE." Stahl parked and walked swiftly into the aging building. He wondered how to broach the subject of being a paw-pal with Capt Grove. He was his trusted third in command, a spot shared by three men. However, the squadron knew him as gruff, a little cold, and lacking in empathy for screw-ups. Stahl shook his head. He figured the best method was to be upfront and he hoped that Lt Will Puckett was smart and thick-skinned. "Good afternoon, Beth, Bender." Stahl greeted his secretary and executive officer, Captain Justin Voss. "Anything on the schedule for this afternoon?" "No sir." Beth told him. "Good. I'll be meeting with Capt Grove for the next few minutes. Also, could you track me down a calendar with the phases of the moon on it?" She looked at him, confused but nodded and Capt Voss gave him an odd look. "Thanks!" Stahl stepped into his office and closed the front door. He walked towards that back of the room and poked his head out the back door. As it did almost every time, he startled the three men occupying the next room. They gave him slightly exasperated grins. Good, he thought, glad I'm interrupting something. "Clean, you got a moment?" Capt Grove's callsign was Clean due to his striking resemblance to the Mr. Clean character on detergent bottles. He stood 5'10" and 210 pounds of muscle, shaved bald. His blond hair started thinning in college so rather than clinging to wisps of hair, he succumbed to the inevitable and shaved it off. He had blue eyes, like Mr. Clean, but unlike the friendly detergent hawker, he had a cool and piercing stare. "Sure thing boss." He stood, raising his bulk out of his chair with more grace than one would expect from someone so big. Clean settled himself quickly into the chair opposite Lt Col Stahl. "We aren't here to talk about the weather are we, sir?" he asked without preamble. "No." Clean had a knack of throwing people off guard by going directly to the point. Lt Col Stahl paused a moment to compose his thoughts. "When was the last time you re-hacked your Lycanthrope Liaison training?" Clean's eyes narrowed slightly and he answered cautiously, "Three months ago. Does this have anything to do with the class that's arriving this week?" "You are as astute as always, unnervingly so." Stahl let out a rushed breath. "Yes. Lt Will Puckett, a new copilot, should be arriving tonight or tomorrow. Lt Puckett is a wolf variety lycanthrope and I'd like you to-" "No." "No?" Stahl's eyebrows rose. "No sir, Lt Adams is trained as well. Please, don't ask this of me." "Capt Grove, Lt Puckett is a lycanthrope and I'd like you to pair with her," he paused, "because Lt Adams cannot." He let the weight of his words sink in. "I just need you to get her through the first months. Then I can better assess who we can send to training to be her paw-pal." "I..." he floundered helplessly. "Sir, I can't do this." Clean shook his head and looked at the floor. "Please, Jamie. It'll be a few months at most, and then I'll get her out of your hair." He chuckled, "Or scalp, whatever." "She's what? Twenty four, maybe twenty five?" Stahl nodded. "And a first lieutenant? Yes, I'm sure she'll be thrilled to have an old man, about to pin on major, keeping tabs on her." Stahl listened and nodded. "That may be true but neither of you has much of a choice. I don't have another Liaison I can pair with her." His mouth quirked in a half grin. "Does it help that she's pretty?" Clean gave him a blank stare. "Fine. Give it six weeks, and then I'll have someone I can get into training. Deal?" "Six weeks? And the deployment?" "We can go one person short while they train if we have to." Clean's eyes narrowed. He knew how hard it would be to go out even one person short but he trusted Lt Col Stahl. "Deal." Stahl nodded and the meeting was over. Clean left out the back door while Stahl went to the front. Beth was on the phone, nodding and scribbling down a note. "One moment please," she told the person on the other end of the line. "Any luck tracking down a calendar?" Stahl asked her and Bender when she put her hand over the phone and held it away from her ear. They both nodded. "Yes, I should have it to you tomorrow morning. Also, there is a Lt Puckett on the phone. She says she just checked in to the base hotel and would like to know if she should come in-process today or tomorrow?" Stahl checked his watch. "It's only 2:30, there should be enough people around to get her started today." Beth repeated that then hung up after getting a response. "She'll be in as soon as she unloads her bike." "Bike?" Beth shrugged. "Ok then. Thanks, Beth." Stahl went back into his office contemplating how this newest wrench in the gears was going to affect the upcoming deployment. Stahl spent the next half hour waging war on his never ending emails when he realized he'd left Lt Puckett's bio in his car. Grabbing his leather jacket, he headed back out into the brisk spring air. As soon as the door opened, he could hear an engine roaring. It wasn't the high whine of a jet engine but the low throaty grumble of a four-stroke. Someone roared past him on two wheels with red metal and chrome. His gaze followed the bike as he headed to his car. He snagged the file, flipping it open for a quick glance, and then looked back at the motorcycle rider. He watched them kill the engine and slide one leg over the bike. His suspicion was confirmed when the rider pulled off her helmet revealing a head of dark auburn hair. She twirled her hair swiftly into a neat bun and started walking towards the door. He watched as she sniffed the air around her, taking in her surroundings. "Lt Puckett?" He asked once she was within a few feet of him. She tensed and her fingers curled into what was unmistakably a claw before she spotted him behind his car. She relaxed and snapped him a quick salute. "Guilty as charged, sir." Her mouth quirked into the same mischievous grin he'd seen in her official photo. "I'm Lt Col Stahl, squadron commander here." "Pleasure to meet you sir. I was just coming to get in-processed." "Well then, follow me." He led her through the maze of hallways to the squadron's area noting that she sniffed delicately every time they passed someone. "This is the operational squadron." He said as he opened the main door. She stepped in and stopped just inside the door, sniffing again. Her brows furrowed. "Sir, I was told here weren't any other lycanthropes in this squadron?" "No, but there are a few in the Wing. That may be who you, ah, smell?" "Yes, sir." She smiled and tapped her nose. "The nose knows." They continued to his office, pausing in the lobby so he could introduce his secretary and exec. "This is Beth," he gestured to his secretary who rose and offered her hand as Lt Puckett paused sniffing again lightly. "Pleased to meet you." "And this is Capt Jason Voss, my exec. He goes by 'Bender'." Will's eyes widened and she stared at Bender then her eyes darted back to Stahl. "I thought-" She stopped when she caught Bender's expression. "Nice to meet you, Capt Voss." "You can call me Bender." He shook her hand, squeezing it gently. She could see his nostrils flare as they both discreetly smelled the air. Her eyes narrowed and they stared at each other. Oblivious to their silent exchange, Stahl continued, "If you'll leave your paperwork with Beth, she can start your in-processing. First, however, I'd like you to meet someone else. Come on into my office." Stahl closed the front door to his office and gestured for her to sit. Ducking his head out the back door, he called to Capt Grove, "Clean? Come in here a moment. "This is Capt Grove, my assistant director of operations and your Lycanthrope Liaison for the next few weeks." Will looked up from her seat at the man in front of her. She gave him a hesitant smile, which slowly fell as they made eye contact. He loomed over her, which caused the Wolf in her to want to growl, but worse, his neutral facial expression bordered on angry. She stood and offered her hand to cover the feeling of unease she had. He gave her hand the briefest shake then dropped it. "Pleasure to meet you." His voice was flat, his face expressionless. She gave him another quick smile to cover her disappointment. She'd come up hoping, expecting even, to be paired with someone she liked but her first impression was that this man had no personality. From everything she'd heard, paw-pals were young, full of energy, and enjoyed the company of their lycanthrope. This man regarded her as if she was a chore, a sack of trash to be taken out. "Well, Clean if you don't mind, I'll let you show Lt Puckett around so she can get checked in." Clean nodded and walked out the front door. Will followed after him assuming he meant for her to follow. When she got to the front office, she cast one darting glance at Bender. His eyes tracked her as she walked out of the office. She sniffed once more, almost certain that he was the lycanthrope she smelled earlier. Shaking her head as to why he wouldn't let anyone know what he was and how he could possibly cover it she continued after Clean. She could only wonder how many other lycanthropes could be hiding in plain sight and what made them feel like they had to? ------- Chapter 3 "That should be that last bit of paperwork to sign. I would expect that you'll get paid for the move in the next five to ten business days," the finance troop told Will. "Thanks," she said half-heartedly and went back into the hallway. Clean stood leaning against the hallway, silently watching her exit. "That should be the last thing." She gave him another friendly smile, hoping to break his gloomy demeanor by sheer force of personality. He simply nodded and started walking back towards the squadron's area. Exasperated, Will struggled to contain a sigh. She had spent almost all afternoon following this burley little man. Well, not little, he was only an inch or so shorter than her, she conceded mentally; but she wondered if somehow this man hated lycanthropes but couldn't fathom why he would be a paw-pal if he did. She considered some of the people whom she'd met who hated lycanthropes. Generally, they held extremely fundamental religious beliefs and believed lycanthropes to be demons in human form. Will shuddered thinking of some of the horrible and violent hate crimes that had happened. It took a lot to kill a lycanthrope, but torturing one could go on for days longer than a normal human could take. Intellectually, she was aware that this was one of the main reasons people opposed lycanthropes serving openly in the military. There had been fear that, despite the fact that they possessed skills that far surpassed normal humans, other troops wouldn't accept lycanthropes into the various military units. They also argued that you couldn't house them in the same barracks, as if just being next to a lycanthrope would turn you into one. Will held back another sigh and reevaluated Clean. He didn't seem menacing but this silent treatment bothered her, it was rude and disconcerting. Lycanthrope training touted how close pairs were, just another thing they over exaggerated Willow thought bitterly. Ahead of her Clean brooded silently as he walked. Lt Col Stahl hadn't been joking, she was easy on the eyes, but Clean didn't want to be suckered into being her paw-pal simply because she was pretty. He'd spent most of the afternoon trying to mentally list who he could introduce her to that might make a good candidate for the Lycanthrope Liaison program. It had strenuous physical requirements and each candidate had to pass a psychological evaluation to prove that they could be trusted in the program. He'd heard that when the program was in its infancy some people had snuck in for the sole purpose of harming their paw-pal while they were vulnerable. His list of names was disturbingly short as he reached the squadron's door. He opened the door and held it for her. Behind him, Will watched him silently. He gestured for her to enter and saw her shoulders sag slightly. He sighed because he recognized the body language. His brother had done that same thing, whenever he was upset and expecting a reprimand. She scooted past him into the front of the commander's office. She smiled at Beth and eyed Bender as she handed over the paperwork. "I think that's everything, ma'am," she told Beth. "Looks like it," Beth said smiling back. Clean saw her shoulders lift slightly at Beth's friendly smile. He sighed internally, he could tell he was botching this already just from her body language. Clean wandered to Bender's desk and sat down on the corner. "Well, it's almost the close of business. You might as well head on back to billeting. Training flight can start you up tomorrow," Beth told Will. "Training? I just finished ma'am." Beth laughed lightly but Bender answered. "Yes, that's true, but you still have to finish the deployment prep. You're qualified to fly the jet. You aren't qualified to go into combat." "Oh." Clean watched her eye Bender again and started to wonder if they wouldn't make a good pair until he saw, her nostrils flare and eyes narrow slightly. "Well, I guess I'll head back to my room then." A round of looks went through the room. Beth looked at Clean and nodded at Will trying to say 'Take her to dinner!' while Bender and Will stared each other down. Clean watched their exchange, oblivious to Beth, with a nagging suspicion growing. "Capt Voss, can I ask you something outside, please?" Will's voice cut through the brief silence. "Uh, sure." He stood, grabbing his ID from the computer, and strode into the hallway. "What can I help you with?" "No, outside, outside," Will insisted. They turned and walked to the exterior doors with Clean watching them silently from the doorway. "Any idea what that was about?" Beth asked him. Clean knew she loved nothing more than a good rumor and snorted. "I might," he answered vaguely, hoping that she'd leave it be. Outside, Will turned to Bender, staring more intently than she had in the office. Bender watched her take a deep breath. Nervous, he took a step backward. Will's hand shot out snatched a handful of his flightsuit and pulled him close. Nose almost to his throat, she inhaled. He watched her auburn lashes flutter as she breathed. Will's mind sorted through the scent he gave off. The strongest smell she got was deodorant and cologne but buried underneath was something more wild. She caught the scent of musk and fur hiding under the surface. "You are the other lycanthrope I smelled," she told him bluntly, as she released him. Shock and fear registered on his face. "Why does the commander think that he doesn't have any other lycanthropes in the squadron?" "You ... you can smell that?" He stammered. "Yes. You can't smell other lycanthropes?" "No." "Have you ever been walking down a hallway and caught a sort of ... musky scent? Like fur and musk ... and it makes the Wolf inside want nothing more than to go run?" "Oh god." A shudder rippled through him. "That's what that is? I thought I was just going crazy from this!" Will gave him a sympathetic look. "How long have you been a werewolf?" "Two years. Two very long years." "Never met another lycanthrope, huh?" He nodded. "It's ok. I've seen this before, people infected without a support network. But why didn't you tell anyone? You're in the military; they could have gotten you help. You could have gotten a Liaison to ease the transition. Hell, there's a whole chat network on the Air Forces' own damn webpage for us. Twenty-four seven help!" "I know, I know. I just..." his voice trailed off. "Look, I know you just came up from the South and you've seen some of the crazy bible-thumpers down there. It's like that everywhere. The military is a very conservative group of people. I just..." his shoulders sagged and he looked at the ground. Despite outranking her, the Wolf within him recognized her as the stronger of the two. "I didn't want to be a statistic." "Alright, I can see that." She sighed, "I've been a werewolf for over a decade now, I grew up like this. I can understand that it's got to be a pretty drastic change. I'll try to help you but you need to come clean to the boss." "I know. I'm in for a world of shit." He continued to look at the ground. Even though his human side didn't know it, the Wolf in him took on the posture of a subservient wolf. He didn't look her in the eye, his Wolf afraid to challenge her dominance. "Just explain why. I don't know him that well yet, but he seems like he'd be sympathetic." She reached up for his chin, lifting his face to meet her eyes. She gave him a warm, human, smile. "It'll be ok." "Yes and no. We deal with nukes; they hold us to a higher standard when medical issues come up. This isn't going to look good for me." "Lt Puckett?" Clean's voice cut through their chatter. Will turned to see him standing at the top of the stairs. She let go of Bender's chin. "You couldn't warn me that he was right behind us?" Will whispered to Bender who gave a small laugh. "Getting the full Clean treatment already, huh?" he whispered back. She shot him a querying look but he nodded to Clean. "Sorry Clean, just something between us girls." Bender told him and laughed. "Well, if you two girls are done gossiping I need to speak to Lt Puckett." Bender started up the stairs, giving Clean a friendly thump on the back as he passed. "I know you just got settled in and probably don't have much in the way of food ... uhm, would you like to go grab something? I can tell you about the area and fill you in on what to expect from the upcoming deployment." Will would have sworn that he looked like a school boy asking out his crush but figured he'd been put up to it by either Beth or Lt Col Stahl. "Sure. If you don't mind sir, I need a little bit though. Unpacking clothes, take a shower, that kind of stuff." "You don't need to call me sir yet. I don't put on major for a few more weeks," he gave her a small smile. Her eyes snapped to his, this was the first time she'd seen him smile. "Anyway, sounds good. I need to go home and change anyway. What room are you in? I'll pick you up in an hour or so." "First billeting building as you head north, third door down. Just look for the big red bike, that'll be me." He nodded and strode off. Will shook her head and walked to her bike. She couldn't seem to make up her mind about him. He wasn't an openly expressive person but she had seen a small crack in his cool demeanor there. She hoped that he'd loosen up outside of work and she could widen that crack. ------- Chapter 4 An hour later, Clean got out of his car to see Will lying on her back next to her bike. Her hair tied back by a bandana and wearing a set of dirty coveralls. As he strode up to her, he saw her give her screwdriver a quick turn then her eyes widen as she saw him approach. "Sorry, sorry!" she told him as squatted down beside her. "The dress code in Minot is considerably lax, but you're going to need to clean up a bit," he told her, slightly annoyed. "No, its ok, I've got clean clothes on underneath. I just needed to tighten the screw to one of my pipes and didn't want to get dirty." She sat up quickly, throwing her tools in a small bag. He held out his hand and yanked her to her feet. Will took in his neat appearance: clean white button down shirt over a pair of faded but clean blue jeans and black boots. He looked like the picture of the clean cut, red blooded American man. Yummy! "Give me two minutes to ditch the coveralls and wash my hands then we can go." Clean nodded and followed her into the small temporary living area. As she disappeared into the bedroom at the back, he peered around the spartan living room. Piled on the couch were several bags and a laptop had been unpacked on the tiny single person table. He noted that a few framed photos lovingly placed on the table by the door. One showed a much younger Will hugging a woman who, judging by the same auburn hair was probably her mother in front of a lake. Behind them, jagged stony fingers rose up through the trees. "Custer State Park in 2004," Will's voice said right behind him. He turned to see that she'd changed in the promised two minutes. She now wore tight dark jeans and black button down shirt, almost his photonegative. Her hair, now unbound, hung in loose waves past her shoulders. "We went right before I left for school. It holds a lot of memories for me, good and bad." "Oh?" "I'll tell you over dinner. Ready?" He gave her a nod. Willow was surprised when he held the door to both her room and his car for her. After the rude, silent treatment she'd gotten all day, she didn't expect such courtesy. A brief shimmer of hope that they could at least be friends washed over her as they headed towards town. Maybe it wasn't what she hoped for but it was better than nothing. "It's about twenty minutes from base to downtown," Clean explained as he drove. "A bit of a hike, but worth it to be closer to restaurants, movies, and the like." "You drove forty minutes round trip and still had time to shower and shave?" Will asked him. His head jerked in surprise. "How did you know I showered and shaved?" "The smell of your soap and aftershave are stronger now that when I met you this afternoon." He looked at her and she tapped her nose. "Better sense of smell." "Yeah, I guess I forgot." "Known many Weres?" She saw him stiffen at the question. "No, just one." Silence stretched on as Willow hoped he would elaborate. When he didn't, she didn't press, letting the silence settle around them as she watched the flat grasslands roll past them. "With all this grassland, is there much big game around here?" She asked, finally breaking the silence. "Not much. Mostly moose, big horned sheep if you can find the little bastards, and deer. As for small game, there are prairie dogs, pheasant, and geese." "Hmm," she responded thoughtfully. "Not bad." "Hunter?" "Only on four feet." "Oh, right." He paused. "Well, if memory serves, it's inadvisable to take down the moose here solo on four feet. Or, so I've been told." "I'll keep that in mind." She watched as the city of Minot passed by her. "Uhm, the next full moon is in nine days, I'm not sure how that will work out if I don't have a place yet. I was hoping to buy something with a little land so I could just stay there but I doubt I can close between now and then. Are there any places people recommend?" "I don't really know. I, uh, didn't find out you were coming until this morning. Honestly, I don't think Colonel Stahl knew until then too. I'll ask around tomorrow but if all else fails the main Lycanthrope Liaison is in the Chaplain's office, you can ask him." "What? The Chaplain's office?" She stared at him, startled. "Yeah, not ideal I know, but all of the morale and welfare issues come out of there and that's what Minot AFB classifies paw-pals as." "Man, I haven't had good dealing with the Chaplains. Most of them are ... well, a little superstitious. I mean, no one's tried to shoot me with a silver bullet or anything, but ... they aren't exactly the friendliest types." Clean pulled into the parking lot of an old train station. Age showed on the rounded corners of its stony face but careful maintenance kept it running. His courteous side resurfaced as he let her out of the car and helped her step across a few patches of ice, still hanging on late into the brisk Minot spring. She tried not to laugh because her superior agility surpassed his and she was very unlikely to slip. She did appreciate the strength in the arm he held out for her, the muscles smooth and firm under her light grasp. A flare of lust shot through her but she mercilessly squashed it. This close to the full moon sex tended to be closer to her conscious thought than other times. "I think you'll like this place," he told her as the hostess settled them in their seats. Will took in the crisp, clean white table cloth, trendy silverware, and modern art flare. She smiled appreciatively. "They pull from local meat markets and serve almost every type of game North Dakota offers." "Oh!" Will smiled and turned to her menu. "I thought you might like to sample everything before, you know, you head out." "How thoughtful." The menu boasted roast pheasant, duck, elk, and lamb as well as the standard chicken, pork, and steak. "No 'chicken or beef' here." Clean gave her an expressionless stare until he caught the joke. He gave a bare smile, "Indeed." The conversation turned to what other dining options Minot offered as they waited for their appetizers. Once the appetizers arrived, conversation shifted to the local housing market. "Well, since they found oil here a year ago, housing has been tight," Clean told her, then bit neatly into a strip of fried pheasant. "If you don't mind me asking, sir, what part of town do you live in?" "First off, if it's just you and me you can call me Clean, not sir. Or, hell, Jamie if you want. I don't think they're going to be able to get you another paw-pal before deployment so you're stuck with me for a little while." Will nodded, not making eye contact, her shoulders drooping almost imperceptibly. Clean caught the unspoken disappointment and sighed. "Look," he resisted the urge to call her 'kid', "I'm not as mean as I seem. I'm sorry, I just didn't ever expect to be paired after ... well, I just didn't." Will watched the flow of his facial features and made a guess. "She died, didn't she?" "Who?" "The girl you were going to pair with." "No. It wasn't a girl. It was a guy." "Oh." Her mouth hung open as her brain caught on, "Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't-" "No! Not like that! God, I'm screwing this one." He scrubbed his face with his hand. "It's not like that; I trained so I could pair with my younger brother." "Oh." "Yeah, he got bitten in college. Rather than give up his ROTC scholarship he opted to come in as an openly serving Were, like you." "That's a brave choice." "When I found out, I started training so I could partner with him. One, male paw-pals are like brothers anyway, so why not actually be brothers? Two, since I was already a trained aviator he had a better shot, almost guaranteed that he would be as well. Since his grades weren't stellar it was about the only way that was going to happen." He gave a wiry smile. "What happened?" His smile faded. "He was killed in a car accident just two months before graduation. I had just finished Liaison training." "But, we're a pretty hardy bunch. Car accidents are rarely fatal." "Yes, but he was nearly decapitated in the crashed. He bled out before his body could repair itself." Will nodded. Fire, decapitation, and complete blood loss were the few things that were fatal to lycanthropes. Most wounds healed quickly enough that while they would kill a normal human a lycanthrope would only be in considerable pain. "I'm very sorry for your loss." She covered his hand with hers and squeezed. "It's been three years now, it still hurts. I keep up with the training in his honor, since it's mostly computer based, but I never thought I'd actually pair someone. I'll admit, I was ... I think I still might be a little resistant to it." Willow looked at him, then glanced around the restaurant, confused. "So, we're here because..." she let the question trail off. "I know. Weird. Look, I wasn't sure I wanted to be paired with you but I'm willing to give it a shot until someone better comes along for you. Colonel Stahl is asking this of me and I can't let him down." Willow leaned back in her chair. She felt like she'd been punched in the gut. None of this was about her, she realized sadly. He was only doing it because he wanted to stay in his boss's good favor. Her shoulder's sagged and she sank in on herself. Clean took one look at her and dropped his fork. "Damn, I'm sorry, that didn't come out right. This isn't your fault-" "Yeah, yeah, 'it's not you, it's me' I've heard that before," she said with a bitter smile, "usually after he finds out I'm a lycanthrope." "No! Damn it," he hit the table with his hands flat, fingers splayed. "It's not like that." She gave him look that said she didn't believe one word. "I'm sorry; this is coming out all wrong. I don't know you well enough yet, so I can't make a call as to whether it's worth either of our time trying to make our partnership work or if we should immediately try to find someone who can train to be with you before we deploy." He sighed, "I'm hurt by my brother's loss, and it scares me to think of a loss like that again; especially in the face of a deployment, where the chances of losing someone are so much higher." He rubbed his temples. "God Willow, that's possibly the longest and most emotionally in-depth conversation I've had with anyone in this squadron. Ever." He shook his head, "You know, this might just work out yet, you're getting to me already." For a second time Willow sat stunned by what he said. 'You're getting to me already' he'd said. Did that mean he liked her? He'd finally called her by her first name, which struck her as more familiar than he was with most people. She finally started to think that they might be able to bond like all her Liaison classes described. "Ok, back to our pervious topic of conversation. Housing here is tight. With the oil boom there aren't any apartments to be had between here and Bismarck, and unless you're willing to pay top dollar for bottom dollar houses you'll have a hard time finding one of those as well." He pinned her with a stare. Inside, Wolf squirmed as she saw his stare as a challenge for dominance. Willow rolled her shoulders trying to calm the Wolf but held his gaze. He gave her the barest of nods when she returned his stare in full. "Do you have a lot of household goods?" "What? I mean, no. I lived in the dorms so I don't have any furniture, just some clothes, a computer, a few tools, and the bike. Everything I own is either in my truck or in my billeting room." "Good. Come live with me." It wasn't a request. "I'm sorry?" "Deployment is only about three months away, so even if you found a place you'd live there a few months then be paying high dollar for your things to hold down the carpet. You can stay in my place until we leave so we can see if things work out. It'll help me keep a close eye on you while you settle in; then, if things don't work out you can move your stuff out after we deploy." When she hesitated he added, "I'll even let you keep your bike in the garage during deployment." "How many rooms?" "Three bedrooms and two bathrooms; so, you'd have your own bedroom and bathroom. There's also a living room, dining room, a big kitchen, and a basement." "How much is rent? Utilities?" The temptation of finding a little bit of permanence so soon was tempting. Inside the Wolf wanted to howl with joy that she'd be able to start establishing a home. "We'll call it four hundred for rent and one hundred for utilities. Since you're getting almost fourteen hundred a month from Uncle Sam, it's a pretty good deal." "Let me see it first, but I think we've got a deal." She gave him a tentative smile. When dinner had started, she didn't know where she stood with him. She still wasn't sure but things seemed to be moving in a good direction. Friends for now, and if things didn't work out as partners at least her things and her bike were safely stored for the deployment. ------- Chapter 5 "So this is the kitchen. Wine?" He asked as they strolled past a floor to ceiling, dark wooden wine rack. "Uhm, sure. Red, if you don't mind." He pulled a bottle off the rack and turned to grab a corkscrew. Willow glanced around at his home. After dinner, he'd insisted on giving her a tour, stating that he probably wouldn't have time in the next few days. They'd finished their drinks and headed over, Will feeling a stab of anticipation. She'd seen the homes her male friends lived in and worried about what she might be agreeing to. Pizza boxes usually littered the floors, garbage overflowing its bins, and dirty clothes were often strewn about the entire house. Clean's house matched his callsign, every counter was free of clutter and crumbs. His furnishings, while not new, were well kept and tidy. A few pieces spoke of his good taste in simple, classic elements. The wine rack, for instance, was a sturdy affair finished in a dark mahogany color. It was full from top to bottom with a range of simple table wines up to rare vintages Willow had only heard of in magazines. By the time, he returned with two full glasses she was certain she could live here. She took a sip, "Hmm. Nice. Gnarly Roots Merlot?" "Wow, good call." "Snuck a peak at the label, it's one of my favorites." "Well, there's about half a case left in the basement." He sipped and motioned for her to follow him through the rest of the house. "Living room, dining room," he pointed out as they wandered down the hallway, "office. This would be your bathroom," he flipped the light switch. The room was a soft, buttery yellow with cream tile. To some people yellow might seem like an odd choice but, as Willow took in the large frosted windows, she knew it would make for a cheerful shower in the morning. "This would be your bedroom," Clean told her as he flipped the switch to the room across the hall. The walls were a deep hunter green accented by light oak trim. Willow stepped into the room, taking in the large bay windows and queen sized bed decorated with a hunter and cream quilt. "The closet?" She asked as she stepped up to the door. "Yes. It's got a few of my uniforms in there right now but I can move those to the office." She nodded and pulled the door open. While not a clothes horse, she appreciated the walk in closet for all the varied uniforms they had. "I think you've got yourself a deal here, mister," she told him with a smile. "Sounds good. I'll grab a copy of the key for you." He glanced at his watch. "Good grief, it's almost eleven already." "Really?" She checked her own watch. "Whoa. Uhm, rather than make you drive round trip to drop me off and come back, I can just crash in here tonight. I mean, if that's cool?" "Might as well, you'll probably move in tomorrow anyway. Allows me a little more sleep too." He paused, looking slightly uncomfortable and embarrassed. "Uhm, how long until the next full moon?" "Not for another nine days. Oh," she paused shocked by the question and his forethought. "Uhm, I take it you spent some time around your brother close to a full moon?" She blushed. "Yeah," Clean looked down and scuffed his toe against the carpet, "he was a little hard to control on those nights. He'd find some girl at a bar and next thing I know, I'm in the parking lot watching my truck rocking. Little bastard never even made it home." "Well, I'm not that bad. I mean, I can control myself, but I'm not unaware of what you're talking about." She looked at him until her stare brought his eyes up, "I promise, I'll stay in my room tonight if that's what you're worried about." The flush on Clean's cheeks extended past the collar of his shirt and up past his eyebrows. "Yeah, cool. I mean, you know, we just met and all. It could just make things awkward. You know. At work." Willow held his glaze a moment longer, just long enough for the Wolf to cringe for challenging a superior, then she broke out into a fit of giggles. Clean's flush deepened as she waved her hand at him still overcome by laughter. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, sir! The look, on your face!" She said when she finally calmed down. "I'm not some sex crazed nutcase just because it's a full moon." She smiled at him. "Oh?" Clean gave her a disbelieving look. "Yes," she smiled at him again. "Look, men love stories of nymphos, I think that one or two of us," she put a hand on her chest to indicate female werewolves, "have given the rest a bad rep. And men want to believe the stories they hear." "So my brother?" "Was a college-aged, red-blooded, American male. I'd guess his antics would have been similar even if he wasn't a lycanthrope." "Hmm," he stared hard at the wall beside Willow. "I guess my brother and I ... I mean, the age difference, he was six year younger than me, you know. I guess I kind of forgot what it was like being in college." Clean rubbed his arm uncomfortably. Willow quirked an eyebrow and looked at him closely again. "This really bothers you, doesn't it?" "Well, I'm just not used to talking about sex so openly with someone I don't know all that well. Especially a female subordinate." "Ahh and now we're back to why you want to dump me on someone a little more suitable." Clean gave her a panicked look. She looked at him searchingly. "You don't want to get in trouble with the boss so you have to take me on as a paw-pal but knowing how paw-pals work, you also know where this is likely to end up, which will also annoy the boss?" She asked. He nodded dropping his eyes from her again. Inside, the Wolf read it as a sign of submission. Willow rolled her shoulders. His words didn't make her uncomfortable but having a superior acting like a subordinate to the Wolf made things more complicated. "Ok stop." Clean's head snapped up. "This is going really badly right now. You're body language is driving the Wolf nuts. Do you realize that you're mimicking submissive behavior right now? Geez, even if we don't sleep together how am I supposed to follow you if you keep acting like a scolded pup?" That stung Clean's pride, burning through his embarrassment. He squared his shoulders, stood up straighter, and looked her levelly in the eye. "Better?" "Yes, thank you." "So, we have some interpersonal issues to sort out if this works out for the long term," he told her. Hope flared in her again, unbidden. Ruthlessly, she squashed it. "Yes. You need to act like an Alpha male and I'll keep the conversation away from sex. We keep things professional at work and just friendly at home, nothing more. Deal?" She grasped for her human side and put her hand out. "And if things shift?" "Geez, shouldn't I be worried about the girly relationship stuff?" She asked with a smile. He hesitated briefly then smiled back. "Ok, deal. We'll take the rest as it comes." He shook her hand. "Nine days until the full moon, I promise to keep my paws to myself." She took a deep breath, "You own this place, right?" "Uhm, yes?" "Ok, just wanted to make sure you didn't have a landlord with a 'no pets' policy. I tend to be Wolf more than just at the full moon." "Really? That's a bit unusual isn't it?" He paused, "You know, let's grab another glass of wine, and sit down. I have a feeling this conversation is going to go on for a bit." "Ok." She snagged the bottle from the kitchen and followed him into his living room. His couch was worn but comfortably squishy as she sat down. "So, you tend to be in Wolf more often than others?" He prompted her after refilling her glass. "Yes. I realize that newer lycanthropes tend to change only at the full moon, preferring to stay human as often as possible. But as we age and become more comfortable with ourselves holding your human mind while Wolf becomes easier." She sipped her wine, "Newbies either feel scared of the animal side and stay away from it or they dive into it full force. The ones who embrace the animal side don't last long. Many find that they change over one day and never come back. The Wolf subsumes their personality and that's it." "And you?" "I've been a lycanthrope for over a decade now. While the process of coming to terms with the Wolf is sometimes, difficult it's not impossible and I've achieved a high degree of control over it. My body becomes lupine but my mind stays almost wholly human." "But not completely?" "No, not completely. There are still instincts that kick in. Fight or flight is hard to overcome but I've managed to overcome even that. I'd have to or I couldn't be here." "The stress of flying combat?" "I'm not much use as a pilot if I Wolf out every time I get scared." Clean mused on that, wondering if his brother would have had the mental strength to cope. "You have an amazing degree of control on yourself for someone so young." "Thank you, I think so too." Clean laughed, "And a hearty helping of arrogance too!" "I'd call it confidence, but so do most young pilots, don't you think?" "Touché. So if you have such control, why change so often?" "Number one, because I can. It helps me maintain control. Number two," she ticked off on her fingers, "it's easier to work out on four feet rather than on two." "Really?" "A cardiovascular workout is a cardiovascular workout. A lycanthropes body responds in either form. I have the option of running on two feet or four but I find it easier to spread my weight across four feet. Less wear and tear on the joints." "Probably lighter that way too." "Actually, no. Law of conservation of mass ... a 160 pound woman is still a 160 pound wolf. It's how you can pick out a werewolf from a real wolf, we're much bigger!" "Huh, I guess I never saw my brother change." "There are some people who have a good degree of control over it and it's really pretty to watch, they just seem to glide between forms. I'm sort of clumsy and usually just sit down to shift. But anyway, back to running and why I go wolfy more often. I find I'm less afraid of muggers and rapists when I run as a Wolf." "I guess I never thought of that. I mean, if you got attacked, you could still change over, right?" "Sure, but why invite trouble? As a wolf, I attract less attention and am unlikely to be attacked in the first place. However, a woman by herself might be attacked and then murdered for being a lycanthrope if she changed in the middle of a mugging. So, why push my luck?" Clean nodded. "Planning on hanging out around the house in your furry pajamas much?" "Furry pajamas?" She laughed, "That's a new one! And possibly, yes. If it bothers you though, I won't." "A term my brother used to use. And no, I suppose it doesn't bother me so long as you don't shed." "Geez, you've never lived with a woman before have you?" She tousled her hair, "I think I shed more as a girl than a Wolf!" Clean laughed, "Got it." He glanced at his watch, "Crap, it's almost midnight. I need some shuteye before tomorrow. Sorry, I'm not the best host ever." "No worries, sir." "Ok, that's the last time you call me 'sir' at home. Professional at work, friends at home, right?" "Got it, Clean," she smiled at him. Clean looked away quickly. Her smile caused him to feel like he'd been kicked in the guts. It brightened the room, made his insides dance, and stirred up feelings he had no right to feel. "Well, good night then. I'll be leaving around seven; I'll drop you off at your hotel room so you can get changed for work then." ------- Chapter 6 A week later Clean sat in his office musing over his new roommate. After they had hashed things out the first evening, things had gone very smoothly. She'd moved the few possessions she had into her room the next morning and was back into work that afternoon. He'd asked around discreetly and found out that she'd gone straight into Training Flight and started studying for her first flight. Amazing, the average new aviator took this time settling into a house and had to be forced into studying. It's like they thought they didn't forget anything while they took a month of from flying to move! Clean shook his head. Fortunately, Willow was standing out amongst her classmates for being studious. He'd tried to be on her first flight today to assess how she did but the day before another instructor had gotten sick and training put him on that flight instead. By the time they landed, it was too late in the day for him to get put back on her sortie so he'd missed out. He glanced at his clock again. They should have landed almost an hour ago, he certainly could hear any engines running from his office, so she should be coming back in for debrief soon. "Clean, got a moment?" Lt Col Stahl poked his head into Clean's office. "Sure," he nodded and followed the colonel into his office. They sat at the same small table they'd been at when he'd introduced Clean to Willow. "I know Lt Puckett and Bender aren't back yet but I wanted to run this by you first. I'm thinking about giving Bender a new job and putting Lt Puckett in as my exec. What do you think?" Clean took a deep breath, "I'd like to see how her first flight went." "I know, I know. But, if it goes well, and Bender was on there so he should be able to give me a good report on it, then I think she'd be a good fit. She'll be where both of us can keep an eye on her and an eye out for her." Stahl looked a little unsettled. "An eye out for her?" "Yes, I've heard rumors of some mumbling and grumbling about letting her fly," he looked at Clean's passive face. "Some people don't think that her type should have access to nuclear weapons." Clean's expression hardened. "And how do you feel about it, sir?" "I approved her orders to come up here fully knowing what job she would be doing. If she can do the job and do it well then I feel no differently about her than any other aviator in this squadron." Clean nodded. "Look, everything I've seen and heard so far tells me that she's already smarter than most of our combat qualified copilots so all that remains to be seen is how she performs in the jet. She's an asset and I won't let her be a liability. That's why I'd like her in the front office." "Seems like sound logic to me." "Good. Bender shouldn't be too upset. I'm going to put him in charge of Training Flight so; he'll be directly under you." Stahl took a deep breath and ran his hand through his hair. "Bender's going on leave in a few days, when he gets back I'll have him start training her up." "That should work out well. The full moon is coming up so Will will be unavailable the next couple days as well." Stahl gave him a small smile. "Will, huh?" "Sorry sir, Lt Puckett." "Clean, it's ok, really. You live with her; you're bound to become close. In your case, I can overlook a little familiarity." "Yes, sir," he said blandly. "How are things working out so far?" Clean cleared his throat, trying to figure out what Stahl meant. Did he mean how was she as a roommate? Or more? He decided to go with the safe answer. "She's a very tidy roommate. Quiet too. So, no problems to speak of." "And how does she feel about you as a Liaison?" "I think she was hesitant at first, we both were, but she doesn't seem to have any problems with it. You'd have to ask her." Stahl seemed mildly disappointed by his answer. "Very well." He looked at his clock. "They should be back in here shortly, I'll ask her when she's done debriefing." Across the building Willow and her crew had just finished their debrief and were wrapping up the loose ends. "That's it for today, thanks for the hard work everyone." Will's pilot told them all as they packed up. "Puckett, can I have a word with you before you run off for the night?" Bender asked her. Will finished zipping her backpack and nodded, "Sure." "We can head back to the front office; Beth should have gone home for the night." He held the door for her. "Good flying today, unlike my student." He rolled his eyes. "Smart kid, just had a bad flight." "Thanks." She smiled. "So, what's up?" "Not yet, let's get to my office first." "It's about two days from now isn't it?" He nodded. She gave a deep sniff. "You're office won't work then," she told him. He gave her a quizzical look. "If I'm right, Colonel Stahl and Clean are in Stahl's office." Bender gave the air a quick sniff, eyebrows furrowed. "Huh." "Still working it all out, huh?" "Yeah." "It'll come in time, there's a lot I can teach you too." They stopped at Bender's office and looked in. From the doorway, both could see Clean and Stahl in his office. "Ok, we can go back to debrief or the bar or something." "Lt Puckett!" Stahl's voice boomed through to the hallway. Willow scurried back to the doorway. "Sir?" "Thanks, Clean. We'll talk more later. Lt Puckett, if you don't mind, I'd like a word with you." "No problem sir, but I smell like a Buff right now." She glanced at Bender. "After," he told her quietly and went to his desk. She nodded and went into Stahl's office. "You may shut the door, if you'd like." Willow cursed to herself, knowing it was never good to talk to the boss with the door closed. "I just wanted to see how your first flight went?" "Well enough, sir. Knocking the rust off after some time off traveling but the knowledge is still there." Stahl nodded, "Good to hear. How are things working out with Clean?" She gave a small snort, "Fine, sir. He's a good roommate but other than that I haven't really needed him in a Liaison capacity yet." "Understandable. The full moon is in two days, yes?" She nodded, "Will he be accompanying you?" "Uhm, probably not, sir. I'm planning on going to Teddy Roosevelt State Park early that day to give it a look on two feet first. I doubt he'll be able to be gone for two days." "Alright, but if you find that you want him here I can let him go for those two days." She nodded. "I'd like to talk to you about Captain Voss, Bender." Willow sat up straighter in her chair, afraid that Bender's secret was out already and that's what he'd wanted to talk to her about. "Yes?" "I'm going to be moving him over to lead Training Flight and I'd like you to take over his job." She stared at him unable to tell if Bender had spoken to him. "It'd be some long days sometimes but it's a rewarding job." "Sure, sir." "I know it's very early to start you in a job but I think you'll be fine." "Yes, sir." "Bender should be coming back from leave about the time you get back from the full moon, so I'll have him start training you then. Sound good?" Will decided that Stahl had no idea still. With Bender taking leave on the same days she was gone for the moon she had no idea how he had not yet figured it out. "Sure. That sounds great, sir." "Well, go ahead, I'm sure you want dinner and a shower. I'm sure Clean will be along shortly as well." He raised his voice on the last part to be sure Clean could hear him in the next room over. "Roger, sir." She smiled at him and left. Outside, Bender was still hunched over his computer but he gave every indication that he'd been listening closely. "Come on, let's go talk." "How does he not know? How have you not told him?" She asked as soon as they were safely behind the door of a briefing room. "I just can't. I just..." "You don't have the balls." She stared him down. The Wolf inside him cringed and cowered before her. He hung his head. "Yes." "You have to tell him when you get back. At this point its damage control to tell him before he figures it out!" "I know," he said, dejected. She let her posture sag, trying to calm her body language. Bender may be a good officer but he was a born pack Beta. "Look, once you're out in the open we can start getting you acquainted with the local pack if there is one." He shook his head, "No, I'm the only lupine here. Well, other than you. There's a werecougar in the maintenance squadron, and a lynx or something in the logistics group. But no other wolves." "Well, then we'll make our own pack." Bender's head picked up slightly. "You and me, I guess we can kinda adopt Clean. What do you say?" She smiled at him, carefully keeping her lips over her teeth. "Yeah, that'll work." "You're going to need a paw-pal yourself, but you can borrow Clean if you need him for now." She gave him a friendly pat on the back. "As you get more comfortable with it you'll feel stronger as a wolf, I won't scare you as much." "You don't-" "Yes, I do, or you wouldn't try to curl up on yourself every time we talk." "Oh." "It'll get better. Now," she changed tracks, "where are you going for 'leave'?" "Montana. I bought some land for hunting out there when I first got up here. Now it's where I change." "Nice. I'll be down at Teddy Roosevelt. Maybe next month we can go together, get this pack thing worked out." "That will probably be the last chance before deployment. Which reminds me, we need to find somewhere to go on Guam." Willow pondered it a moment. "I don't know it nearly well enough. I'll kick it around with Clean tonight." Bender took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "Going to tell him tonight?" She asked quietly, her eyes full of sympathy. "Yeah." "It'll be ok. I think he'll understand." "Thanks," he took one more deep breath. "Well, I'll let you go for the night. Tell Clean I said 'hi'." They walked quietly to Bender's office. "Good luck," she said quietly. "Thanks." Bender squared his shoulders and tapped on the frame of Stahl's office door. "Sir, may I speak to you for a moment?" ------- Incomplete and Inactive ------- Posted: 2011-02-03 Last Modified: 2011-06-05 / 09:42:34 am Version: 1.10 ------- http://storiesonline.net/ -------