Chapter Three
**Adult situation ahead! Please note all parties involved, including Gunnar- who started at seventeen- are eighteen.
Caleb's wife, Janey, was a saint. She was a full time mother to her own two boys, Ryan and Luke, and she was also an adopted mother to the entire motorcycle club. Everyone called her mom and she loved it. She'd always had a soft spot for her nephews, and she'd never approved of how Jody treated them. While her own husband was pretty firm with their own rowdy boys, they did not shrink in fear of him. They had a decent relationship with both parents even if they did occasionally drive them both crazy.
So when Gunnar came to live with them, Janey was more than welcoming. On a sunny Sunday morning, she made waffles for the boys and Gunnar. She could tell her nephew was feeling very strange about not being at church for once. The guilt gnawed at his gut, he had been abruptly disowned by his father and he was sure the church wouldn't want him back either. He worried that in doing so he'd somehow been rejected by God too; since birth he had been taught that acceptance and obedience of this being meant the difference in life and death. The slightest show of insubordination was cause for eternal damnation. Ryan and Luke went out after breakfast, probably to meet up with neighborhood friends.
"You okay, boy?" Caleb asked when they had left. "You could go out with them, have some fun, you know?"
"Yes, sir. I'm just thinking I guess," he looked up at Caleb for a moment, briefly studying his uncle. Caleb could have passed for a viking or a mountain man, Gunnar couldn't decide which. He was rugged and muscular, no nonsense type of guy. Jody had once been like that but the years had put a lot of weight on his frame, and he was more pudgy than anything. "What happened last night?"
Caleb looked around to find Janey had departed the room. He took a drink of coffee and looked back at Gunnar, his face impossible to read. "Has that happened before- going after your daddy like that?"
Gunnar looked away. "I've never done it before. Not like that, it never comes to blows. It's always been us arguing. And it always ends the same way-"
When his nephew's voice drifted away, Caleb understood. He nodded lightly, studying his coffee cup. "Do you understand why it happened?"
"Cause I'm sick of him beating on my brother, for one." Gunnar's voice rose. "I'm sick of all his long list of rules, his drinking, hittin' mama- and she won't do anything to stop him or protect us kids. Just--"
"Gunnar, has Jody never explained what you are, rather, what we are?" Caleb waved his hand between him and Gunnar, indicating he meant them.
"Someone said something about werewolves last night?" Gunnar cocked his head. "But that's impossible. Werewolves are demonic. No way I can be one. Or my dad."
"Your great grandpa was one, your great- great grandpa was one, but his mate was human, the gene just appears in the family without rhyme or reason. At least I've never seen any pattern to it." Caleb explained. He had the gene, his boys and Janey too. "Wolves naturally crave packs and that's how the motorcycle club came about. I don't know if your dad didn't get it, or if he's in denial. You're coming of age, boy. Those genes were bound to come out. Usually the full moon after your eighteenth birthday is when you'll fully shift for the first time. But until then, it's hell trying to control it."
Gunnar listened with peaked interest. No one had ever told him anything except werewolves were of the devil, nothing but hell hounds. He rubbed his face, "Oh boy, I can't wait."
"What are your plans?" Caleb finished the little coffee he had left. "For the future?"
"I guess not going back home. I need a new home, I graduate soon too. I just don't know." He shrugged.
"After your birthday," Caleb grinned at him, flashing teeth that were far whiter than most. "I'll take you to the club house with me. You can meet your own kind. Then you can decide, until then you're welcome here as long as you want."
"Can I join the club?" Gunnar asked, his brows raised in question.
"Don't see why not." Caleb stood up and put the dishes in the sink. "When you're of age, that is."
Gunnar sat in silence for a moment, then followed his uncle outside, "Uncle Caleb, how can you be sure I'm- that any of us are a werewolf? I mean, I've never seen you change into anything, I like being out in the sun and I love garlic."
"That's because I do it away from you, we like our privacy. And that's vampires you're thinking of." Caleb smiled sympathetically. How little Gunnar knew about the world astounded him.
Gunnar frowned, "Well I don't want to eat hearts! Or be a cannibal. I've heard about that stuff!"
"That's skinwalkers and wendigos." Caleb explained. "We aren't any of those things. We turn into wolves, that's it. We do wolf shit. Simple as that."
"Have you ever met a vampire?" Gunnar asked hopefully.
"Not one that admitted it." Caleb shrugged. "Never met a Wendigo either. Meet a couple skinwalkers, good folks. Now go find your cousins and amuse yourself, no need to worry about all this right now. "
★
Monday when Gunnar arrived home from school, he walked in on Caleb and Janey talking by the kitchen sink. Tension was so high in the air it prickled his nerves. He stood tensely, on high alert. "Is everything okay?"
Caleb broke away from Janey and walked over to his nephew. Lightly he touched Gunnar's shoulder. "Your daddy's church got raided today. I been telling him snake handling ain't legal or right. He wouldn't listen."
"Is he in jail?" Gunnar put his book bag on the table, surprising himself with how little he cared.
"No, but he's got several charges on him now. They was over to the house about noon and they found the snakes in the basement. They took your brother, he's gone to live with your gramps and grandma. Dana wasn't home when it happened, so I don't know about her." Caleb felt Gunnar relax and offered a warm smile. "I know that's not the best news but at least you won't have to worry 'bout Bryan now. Dana will turn up if I know her."
"That's all I was worried about." Gunnar went to the fridge to look for a snack. "I wish mama would leave."
"She'd been offered help to leave many a'time. And she ain't took it." Caleb watched him pull out the pie from last night. "You can't save a person from drowning that don't know they're drowning."
"That's good advice," Gunnar said around a mouthful of cherry pie. He was immediately joined by his cousins who dove in on the pie as if starved.
"I don't think they feed 'em over there at that school. They come home damn starved half to death." Caleb told Janey before headed out to tend the garden behind the house.
With the worry of his little brother's safety off his mind, Gunnar relaxed. The last couple weeks of school passed quickly and he graduated in May, shortly after his eighteenth. The full moon had come and gone just before his birthday so he'd have to wait till the next one.
★
The full moon was a week away, and he was growing restless. Caleb assured him that it would be okay, he wouldn't let anything bad happen to him when he shifted. But Gunnar wasn't really worried about that, he was more afraid of hurting someone. He was under the impression werewolves went into instant blood lust.
Amy and he had dated regularly throughout the rest of the school year. She was starting to drop hints that she was ready to get married. But Gunnar's world had been turned upside down with this new knowledge, and he was no longer sure if he wanted to marry her anymore. It wasn't that he didn't love her. He did. But he no longer knew who he was and there was no way to explain to the girl that he was a werewolf and he no longer felt the pressure to get out of his father's home.
Caleb walked in on him hanging the kitchen phone up with a bang. "Leave the phone in one piece, would you?"
"I'm sorry, uncle Caleb. Amy is mad at me again. I don't even know what about." Gunnar ran his fingers through his long dark hair. "She was set on getting married right after high school but things have changed and--"
"You got plenty of time for that, kiddo. Look, what you need is some down time. Come out to the bar with me tonight. I think it's time." Caleb's usually hard to read face brightened mischievously.
Gunnar couldn't help but catch the excitement. "Alright. I've never been to a bar."
Gunnar's innocent, sheltered world was squashed. His eyes adjusted quickly and everything was a blur of flashing lasers and lights. The music blasted, vibrating the floor with heavy beats. Caleb showed him over to a table with some other bikers he didn't know.
"Gunnar, meet Rowan, Blaze, and Roman. They're about your age. Guys this is my nephew Gunnar. Think y'all can show him how to have fun in here?"
"You bet we can," Roman, already slightly tipsy, stood up and shook hands with Gunnar.
"Hell yeah," Rowan snickered. "Forgive me for not getting up. I'm drunk."
"Fucking light weight!" Blaze laughed, clapping Gunnar's shoulder. "What do you like to drink? It's on me."
Gunnar paused, he had no idea what he liked to drink. "I, uh, I don't really-"
"Hey man, it's cool. We were all first timers too." Roman spoke up. "Start him off with a beer. Matter of fact, bring four."
Gunnar sat down across from Roman and beside Rowan. He realized, rather suddenly, that they were twins. He didn't know what to say to start a conversation. But luckily, he didn't have to. The lights slowed for a moment, he heard a crackle as the DJ spoke over the music.
"Please welcome to the stage, Lillith." The DJ squawked.
The name Lilith caught Gunnar's ear, and he turned around abruptly. Excitement ripped through the club and he felt it. On the stage, gracefully gliding around the silver pole that ran from stage to ceiling was a dark haired girl. It was then Gunnar realized this was a strip club, and that was exactly what he thought Lilith would look like.
Lilith was petite, but her curves threatened to burst the seams of her black leather corset and her leather daisy dukes. Her hair was tied into a high ponytail, and her eyes- they appeared to him as a luminous golden color. She'd been a dancer for a year now, and she couldn't complain. It beat a nine to five, she loved the attention most of the time. Gunnar realized he was holding his breath but he didn't know why. Blaze returned with drinks but Gunnar didn't see him, he was entranced by Lilith.
"She's fine, ain't she?" Rowan snickered. "Go on up closer, get you a good look. She don't bite."
"Hell she don't!" Roman drank the entire beer in a long swallow.
"Okay, yeah, but you won't mind." Rowan told Gunnar. "Hey, you ain't a virgin are you? Caleb said your daddy was his preacher brother. I know how he is."
Gunnar met Rowan's eyes and he saw something familiar there. "You do?"
Rowan jerked his head towards Roman. "Our parents tried that church out. Wasn't for us, my mama left and took us with her cause she refused to let daddy treat her or us like shit. But, you never answered."
"No," Gunnar tried the beer at last and found it wasn't bad. "I've had a girlfriend for a while now. I'm not quite that innocent."
The three watched him stand and walk toward the stage where Lilith was dancing. Well, rather, where Lilith was on her knees suggestively moving as if riding something. She sensed Gunnar and turned her glowing gold eyes on him, her right eyebrow flicked up with interest. With an audible sound she ran her hands along her sides, up to cup her ample breasts. Her hips never lost their rhythmic thrusting except to occasionally thrust in a circle. The men by the stage tossed bills at her, the smell of arousal thick now, nearly suffocating.
Gunnar realized that he was picking up on her scent, singling it out amongst the crowd of horny males. He was one of those horny males. She pulled on the tiny string that held the corset tight, exposing her breasts that were cupped in a delicate lacy bra that only held them from underneath. Her nipples were pierced with bars and suddenly his pants were uncomfortably tight with his arousal. Gunnar took another drink from his beer to steady himself and then went to the front of the stage.
He only had two fives in his pocket, but he flung them onto the stage. Lilith met his gaze with her own, a smile playing on her ruby lips. She snatched her shorts off. They were tear-away, they had Velcro on the side, but she did it so fast and so easily it startled Gunnar a bit. Then she gracefully turned over, raising her ass high, legs spread. The scent of her washed over Gunnar, the males around him roared and another wave of money hit the stage. She started to move, bouncing up and down as she looked back over her shoulder, a grin teasing the crowd for more money. Lilith moved her knees up and continued the same riding motion with her back to the audience, making her round cheeks bounce hypnotically.
When her set was over, and it didn't last long enough for Gunnar, he went back to the table with the other three. He'd been under the impression that strippers dance nude, so he was surprised when she stopped in just a thong and open front bra. He put the empty bottle on the table and grinned. "She's good."
"Yeah," Blaze agreed. "Lotta good girls here but be careful. They charge for everything and they'll play like they really like you to get more money."
Gunnar laughed, "Well, they can try but I'm broke. Gave her my last."
The other three fell into a conversation about girls they knew, but Gunnar couldn't help but think what his father would say if he knew he was here. He'd be furious, Gunnar thought. Which made it all the more sweet. But he still felt guilt creeping up on him, telling him he didn't belong here, that this was all wrong. Sighing, he played with his bottle and wished he had another.
A light hand fell on his shoulder and when he looked, Lilith was standing beside him. She was dressed now, but her hair was tousled. Her scent was mixed with the smell of perfume. She smiled, "You're new?"
"Yeah," Gunnar said, standing up to talk to her as he'd always been taught. "My name's Gunnar."
"Caleb is your uncle, right?" She asked gently. When he nodded, she licked her lips softly. "Did you like the show?"
Gunnar nodded yes to both things. He didn't know what to say. Lilith made him lose track of his thoughts. "I wish I had more cash, you deserved it."
"Hey, you want a dance? Like in the back?" Lilith asked suddenly. She wasn't sure what her attraction to this boy was yet, but she wanted to explore it.
"I'm out of cash-"
"It's on the house," Lilith grabbed his hand and pulled him along behind her through the crowded bar to the small back room. These rooms were in the back hallway between the bathrooms and dressing room, this is where private dances took place.
The room was purple, well the walls were. The only light source came from floor lamps in each back corner, but the bulbs were red which seemed to cast odd and exaggerated shadows everywhere. In the center of the room was a chair shaped like a woman's stiletto shoe, covered in red leopard print cloth. Gunnar wasn't nervous, to his surprise. Lilith put him at ease somehow.
"Sit," she pointed at the chair. While he took a seat, she turned on some music, then moved back in front of him. "You're not supposed to touch but if you want to, that's okay. I don't think you'll be a problem."
He smiled shyly, "Well, I try not to be. I've never done this before."
"I bet there's a lot you haven't done before," Lilith balanced herself on his shoulders, straddling his lap.
The music picked up in tempo and she pressed her breasts closer to his face, so close he could smell her and feel her warmth. She planted her feet and moved over his lap smoothly. The heat from her core cut through the skimpy outfit and he felt it gliding over his thighs and his manhood, which was starting to harden involuntarily. Lilith arched her back, letting the only black locks of her hair stream down her back and brush the tops of his legs.
Gunnar's mouth went dry, he wasn't expecting his body to react in such a way. She seemed to twist him up like a pretzel without even trying. He thought of Amy, but she had never done anything like this to him. Lilith switched positions, tearing off the tearaway shorts and reaching down to brace her hands on the floor, lifting her ass for him again. Gunnar wasn't ready for the onslaught of lust that washed over him. This position drove all male wolves to distraction.
Her ass was full, smooth and in this position spread just enough to show off the smooth heart of her femininity, barely covered by the veil of red thong. The scent of her arousal made him hard, his member pulsed with need in his tight jeans. The imprint of it was visible and she seemed to notice. Lilith arched again, this time her back to Gunnar, she leaned back against his chest and wrapped her arm around his neck, gliding her heat over his. She could tell he was about to be done for.
Gunnar grabbed her hips, but not roughly. She smiled lightly as he guided her over him. "You're good at this, aren't you?"
"I've been told that." She felt him shudder under her and go stiff, so she slowed down. This time she turned to face him, finding he was flushed from the sudden climax. "I bet you aren't bad either. You're so young. Have you shifted yet?"
He shook his head, "There ain't been a full moon yet. There will be next week, my uncle says I'll switch then."
"Will you be the next alpha?" Lilith asked, sitting on his lap now, tracing his strong jaw. She found Gunnar handsome, he had a strong face, not boyish like others his age. He seemed hardened by life already. His eyes were deep and dark, brooding almost, very intelligent. She knew he was young but she could tell he was strong and cunning.
"Alpha?" Gunnar asked, his hand absently running the length of her thigh. "Fuck if I know. I just got here. I didn't know anything about this until a couple weeks ago. Uncle Caleb still hasn't explained it all."
Lilith smiled knowingly, "Well, if I were the betting kind, I'd bet you're gonna figure this out real quick. You definitely have it in you. Well, we better get back out there. Promise you'll come back and see me real soon?"
Gunnar watched her stand, there was a sudden chill where she had been. "You bet I will. Every chance I get and I'll try to have some cash."
Lilith placed a chaste kids on his forehead, "Don't worry about it, honey. Money ain't everything."