Derick's POV
I awoke and stretched then fell to the floor with a start. Slowly I got up and looked around in my sleepy confusion.
'This definitely isn't my bed or bedroom. Where the fuck…' Memories of the BBQ came back to my sleepy mind as I pushed myself up into a sitting position and I yawned. 'When the fuck did I shift?' I looked down as I realized I was in wolf form. Quickly I shifted and grunted as I grabbed the tattered remains of my boxers. 'Where are my clothes?' I had fallen asleep in the hot tub but vaguely remember my brother, Dean and Lisa dragging me to bed.
"Wait, no… Lisa went home… but..." I remembered snuggling into Lisa's lap. My cheeks began to flush. "Oh… Dam." I had been way too exhausted to even think straight.
Suddenly extreme pressure began to build in my lower body. I really needed to find a bathroom urgently. I peeked out the room and the light made my eyes hurt. Hesitantly I looked around and pulled the door wide. To my relief there was a bathroom next door and I darted inside. The bright light in the bathroom with the white walls made my head throb and I had to close my eyes, but I didn't need to see to know what I was doing.
The relief of getting to a toilet was magical. I don't ever remember having to empty so much out before and at this rate I was nervous I'd block the toilet. I flushed the toilet and wondered where the kids were and where my phone was. With no other option I tried to mind link to Mathew.
'Dam." He was out of reach. Jenny too. Those of my pack that were close enough to mind link wouldn't know what I needed. Finally, I finished my business but a hunger now took hold.
"Dam it all…" I hissed and frowned. I also smelt terrible. Looking into the shower I could see someone had hung up a wash bag from the shower with my usual shampoo and body wash. I flushed the toilet again and opened the window before turning the shower on and getting washed up.
As the water washed over me I felt like a new man. I don't remember the last time I slept so well. A sad thought passed my mind and I shoved it away.
'No, I'll not think about her…' I looked to the window and the bright light. 'It must be noon.' I quickly finished washing in the small shower and really missed the space in my shower at home as I kept hitting my arms off the walls or shower door.
I looked around awkwardly. I didn't have clothes. I grabbed a towel then wrapped it around my waist feeling it was a little too small. With nowhere else to go I followed the smell of the food downstairs. I looked around and saw that Danica was feeding a very happy baby that giggled and squeaked as she ate.
'Wish Maggy was like that.' I looked around and realized that the boys were nowhere to be seen and their scent had faded.
"You're finally awake." I turned as Danica looked at me. "Better eat something before those stomach growls start a fight." I could feel my face getting warm. My stomach rumbled again even louder than before and she pointed to the oven. "There's some pizza re-heating in the oven." She looked at her watch.
'She wears a watch. Who wears a watch anymore?' I open the oven and smile.
"How'd you know what I like on a pizza?" she went back to feeding the baby.
"Mathew bought them but you were still asleep so I kept them for lunch today. I had to fight with Kaden and Aden because they were going to eat them." I froze something about the way she spoke rang alarm bells.
"How long was I asleep?" She waited until I had put the pizzas onto a wooden board.
"It's mid-day Monday." I shot her a startled glance.
"What happened to Sunday?" I asked before I could stop myself. She laughed.
"It happened, you just slept through it." She must have seen the panic on my face. "Don't worry Mathew took the boys back to the packhouse and they should be in school now while Jenny is looking after Lilly.
"Where's Maggy?" I couldn't hide the panic in my voice then saw the disbelief on her face.
"Right here." She pointed to the baby and I couldn't help walking over and sniffing at her. Maggy was never this noisy and alive.
"Holy crap?" My senses went into overdrive as something slipped from my waist. "What happened while I was asleep?" My little Maggy was like a new child that giggled at my touch and slapped her hands on the baby seat wanting to be fed. There was no trace of the sick little thing I had to hover around just encase she drowned on her own drool because she couldn't sit up on her own.
I looked up and my breath caught in my throat as I realized I was really close to Danica. Her eyes were sparkling green and her lips seemed to draw me in. I placed a hand to the table to steady myself but I couldn't look away. She seemed rather annoyed as she met my gaze with determination that sent shivers down my back.
"A lot of things happened… But you should talk to Mathew about it." She raised her eyebrow as she looked away then took another spoonful of the green stuff I think was peas and fed it to Maggy. "You seem to have lost your towel." I froze.
"I wondered why it felt breezy in here…" I looked around then grabbed the towel from the floor and wrapped it around myself.
'Dam it! I must seem like the worse dad and alpha ever!' She cleared her throat.
"The pizza's getting cold." I nodded and pulled out one of the seats and sat down before starting to eat.
"So… I was asleep for a whole day?" She nodded and did the airplane with some chicken mush.
"Yep, Jenny thought it was for the best to just let you sleep." She wiped away the food that had spilt from Maggy's face. "Although, you were sleeping so soundly I doubt we would've been able to wake you." I nodded but I could hardly take my eyes off her. I saw the sent blocker still on.
"I don't mean to be rude but why are you wearing a scent blocker?" She shrugged.
"It's a city thing." I nodded.
"What's that supposed to mean?" She offered Maggy the orange stuff.
"There's a lot of dangerous rogues in the city along with other unfriendly things. It's better to go unnoticed." I nodded.
"Makes sense… But you don't have to wear it here." She nodded but made no move to remove it and simply fed Maggy.
'She won't even look at me.' I twisted uncomfortably. My wolf was paceing and his thoughts were wild. 'Will you settle?' He shook his head.
'No, she's different… outsider… a possible threat or something else… made us feel weird…' I grabbed another slice of pizza.
'She's the half-wolf that saved the boys. We invited her into the pack.' He didn't seem to settle.
'I can't get a sniff of her… Bite her!' he leaped to the front of my mind and made me wince. I placed a hand on my forehead and pushed him back. Danica was looking at me her eyes hard.
"Is there a problem?" I shook my head then wiped my nose as little traces of blood rolled over my lip.
"No, no problem. Just a sudden headache." I stuffed more pizza in my mouth. She looked around as a phone rang.
"I'll get it." She stood up and walked to the deck then brought in my trousers. "Seems to be yours." She dropped the trousers on the table next to me as she kept her distance. I pulled the phone out of my pocket and sighed.
"Mathew" I said as I answered.
"About time you woke up. We need to talk." I nodded and pulled my wolf back hard as he tried to take control.
"Yeah, definitely. Are you on your way?"
"Yeah, about twenty minutes away buy car." I felt relieved but my wolf was getting wild as Danica began to change Maggy's diaper. With a shake of my head I forced him back but kept a watchful look over Maggy as I placed my phone away.
"So… what do you do for work?" I asked to try and calm my wolf. She shrugged slightly and gave me a little glance that made me shudder slightly and my wolf run circles.
"I'm a student mostly. But I work for Rodger stuff like looking over paperwork, accounting among other things." I nodded.
"What are you studying?" I bit into my pizza as she placed Maggy back into her high seat and began to tidy up the mess.
"Bachelors of Accounting and forensics science. With a focus on crime scene investigation and evidence interpretation." I felt a lump in my throat as I choked on the mouthful of pizza." She handed me a can of cola.
"Two Bachelors at once?" She nodded.
"I'll be finishing them this year. I just need to finish my thesis in forensics and it'll be complete." I nodded and cracked open the can as I watched her washing her hands not sure what else to ask.