Chapter 5 Of Wolf And Man

• "Humans."
• Lucas turned to his left at the lithe, reddish furred werewolf loping alongside him through the trees. "Are you sure, Katrina?"
• "Sniff for yourself. They're loitering around the parking lot." Katrina's nostrils flared and her eyes narrowed. "They have guns."
• Lucas slowed his pace, and his pack slowed to match his behind him. He sniffed here and there, smelling many things but filtering them mentally to focus on the parking lot where they had all parked their cars and shifted to wolf form. He had to fight through the constant haze of exhaust fumes and gas fumes and the acrid stench of oil from the asphalt before he found it; a group of humans standing in the lot, the unmistakable scent of their sweat and anxiety wafting through the air. And they did have guns. He could smell the oily metal that didn't match the scent of their own cars.
• He cursed to himself. The humans were most likely there to confront them about the civil war that was brewing. While most humans were content to let the werewolves sort out their own affairs, some were not so willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. Lucas preferred to talk, always, to prove to the humans that werewolves were not the mindless, rage filled killing machines they assumed they were, but that didn't always work out.
• It definitely wouldn't if Viktor and the rest of the old wolves had their way. If Lucas could smell them, then so could his father and the rest of his pack, and they wouldn't be so nice. Especially Rumsfeld. The old second was as much a mindless killing machine as he was a loyal valet. He wasn't cruel, nor did he hate humans, but if a threat even thought of harming Viktor, Rumsfeld would calmly bite its head off, wipe the blood from his uniform and serve drinks as if nothing had happened.
• "We could just avoid the humans," Katrina offered as Lucas stopped in a copse of trees. "Take back alleys and run around them."
• "We could. Father won't, and that's the issue." Lucas replied. He turned to the pack behind him, all eyes on him, ears alert as they looked to their alpha for answers. "We won't fight. Not unless absolutely necessary. Plan for an escape path for yourselves and take long routes home. I'll check in with everyone by dawn."
• "What if they attack us?"
• "Run if you can, fight back only to clear a path."
• "What if your father attacks us?" Another wolf asked.
• "Same answer," he said, seeing some wolves exchange doubtful glances. Lucas understood their concerns. Viktor may have agreed not to start shit in the temple of the Ordo Luna, but he had no such agreement in the parking lot of a state park. "Just keep your distance and if he makes a move, scatter. He's too prideful to chase you down if you run."
• Lucas turned and bounded off into the darkness again, and the rest of his pack split off into different directions, following their own routes home. Some stayed with him, notably Katrina. "Just in case you need us," she said. Lucas simply nodded. While he didn't want to endanger anyone else if he could, he felt reassured that he had Betas and Gammas that would follow him willingly into danger.
• Lucas and his pack arrived at the parking lot around the same time that Viktor did with his wolves, but he knew to the humans they all looked alike. There were about 15 of them, mostly men but two women as well, all of them holding various firearms, and they stood in a group on one side of the parking lot. Viktor and the rest of the old wolves snarled and bared their fangs, but Lucas head them off, bounding in front of them.
• "Father, stop. Let me talk to them."
• Viktor snarled. "They have guns, Lucas. Their intent is plain. I doubt they are interested in talking."
• "And what's your alternative? Cut them down and show the world we really are feral animals?"
• "Master Lucas," a deep, smooth voice that could only belong to Rumsfeld spoke from Viktor's right. Either in wolf or human form, for some reason, Rumsfeld's voice did not change. "I advise against it. These humans came with blood on their minds. Please, run away. Let me deal with them."
• "No," Lucas shook his head. "There may be a way to defuse this situation."
• "You're going to get yourself killed, pup," Viktor said.
• "And then you can have Eliza all to yourself, wouldn't you?"
• "I don't want you to die, Lucas."
• Lucas turned, growling. "Somehow, I don't believe you."
• He didn't wait for his father to answer. Nodding at Katrina and the rest of his pack, they approached the humans, claws sheathed. The humans simply stood where they were, guns trained on them. He noted their body language; most looked confident, as if sure of themselves, but a few seemed nervous, like they really didn't want to be there. Lucas thought he would focus on them, when a large, broad shouldered man with a shotgun over his shoulder stepped up to him.
• "Lucas Redclaw. What's up, dog?" The man turned to the other humans, who chuckled and snickered. "See what I did there?"
• Lucas cursed mentally. Jack Fisher. Maybe his father was right. Of all the humans he could have met tonight, it had to be the one whose hatred of werewolves knew no bounds. Jack often spoke passionately at anti-werewolf rallies and posted vile anti-werewolf sentiment online, claiming that he believed absolutely no human was safe in their presence. And by the way he held that shotgun, he looked like he was prepared to put that belief into practice.
• "Go on home, Fisher." Lucas said, trying to project confidence into his voice as he looked down at the man. He was as tall as his father, easily, and he towered over the human in his wolf form. "Let's not start anything we'll regret."
• Jack was one of the few humans who wasn't intimidated by a seven foot tall wolf man at all, and simply smiled and nodded at Lucas' right. "Daddy feel the same way?"
• Lucas turned, and his heart sank. Viktor, Rumsfeld and the rest of the Redclaws had approached, and they had their claws out and fangs bared, ready for a fight. If they even said the wrong thing, or moved too quickly...
• "Jack Fisher," Viktor said. "Why am I not surprised?"
• "Viktor Redclaw," Jack nodded, tipping his cap. "Guess the family's all here. Good. Saves us the trouble of hunting you animals down."
• "Go home, Fisher. Go home, all of you," Lucas said, looking at the humans who didn't seem so sure of themselves. "This night hasn't turned out as you expected, did it? What did Fisher tell you?"
• "Don't listen to it," Jack shouted. "All it tells are lies."
• "He told you we're just savage animals, didn't he?" Lucas pressed on. "That we'd just attack you without reason. Well, we're not, and we won't. All we want is to go home, so let's all do that."
• "Yeah, right! You can lie all you want, but you're all a bunch of savage animals," a smaller human said. "We've got video of you animals fighting in the streets. People are afraid! What have you got to say for yourselves?"
• Lucas turned to Viktor, who only stared impassively. He could feel the tension from Rumsfeld and his wolves; he needed to get them away before it snapped.
• "You know, when people have a family feud," Jack said, pacing between Lucas and Viktor, "We just keep it to ourselves. We don't fight in the streets, we don't spill no blood. Why? Because," he stared right into Lucas' eyes and sneered, "We aren't animals."
• It would be so easy, Lucas thought, to just open his mouth and bite this man's hate filled head off. He restrained himself, saying, "We regret that. Truly, we do. You don't have to believe us, but you don't have to point your guns at us tonight. Come talk to us. Come talk to me. Let us explain how we can help."
• Jack sneered and stepped close to Lucas. "There's only one way you can help us. And that's by going extinct. So how about it, dog? You gonna make us kill you all?"
• Lucas sighed. He didn't want to lose control. But he was losing his temper. "Keep pushing, Fisher. It'll be your own grave you're digging."
• "Yes, Mister Fisher," Rumsfeld said, on all fours and ready to pounce. Despite his feral appearance, his voice remained as level and gentlemanly as if he were announcing dinner. "Keep pushing. Give me a reason to bite your head off."
• "We can say it was self defence," Viktor chuckled. "So...who wants to die first?"
• "Father..." Lucas said, but he saw that Viktor's intimidation was working. Several of the humans, especially those who kept quiet and seemed unsure, were shrinking back from him, looking less confident than before. Some, however, had raised their guns and aimed them at the wolves.
• "Drop your gun, Fisher," Viktor said.
• "Make me," Jack replied.
• "I will." Viktor snarled, then howled. "Rumsfeld!"
• "Stop!" Lucas roared.
• And suddenly there was the bang of a gun, and one of Redclaw pack wolves screamed, falling to the ground, blood oozing from a hole in their shoulder. Rumsfeld leapt forward, biting down, and a human's arm disappeared in a shower of blood and gore, his gun clattering to the ground.
• And then all hell broke loose.
• "Scatter!" Lucas called to his pack. "Run!"
• Katrina howled, calling the pack to follow her as she led them down a side alley, away from the parking lot. The Redclaw pack followed, some helping the injured one up and slinging them over their shoulders as they ran away. Rumsfeld covered their escape, clawing at humans who were aiming at the fleeing wolves and distracting them, allowing the others to escape.
• "So much for talking, pup," Viktor said as he turned down a side alley. Without waiting for a response, he howled, a long keening wail that summoned the Redclaws to him. "Let's get out of here."
• "Dammit," Lucas said, looking back at the parking lot and Jack Fisher, standing alone and shaking in his boots. Lucas had no sympathy for the man. "We could have talked it out."
• "Keep lying to yourself, pup." Viktor said. He bounded down the alley, followed by his pack. Lucas shook his head and ran after them into the night.