The Mechanic's Mate Page 5

  As the cookies baked they discussed jobs within the pack and Kara gave a brief overview of wereanimal politics and the alpha’s responsibilities. Kara poured two glasses of wine Marek had gotten from the Coyote Ambassador from Napa Valley. Sadie wasn’t much of a drinker, but loved the dry oaky flavor of the valley red. With the second glass Kara poured them, her head became fuzzier and tongue freer. The drink may have allowed her to slip something out about how goofy she was for Domek, but Kara smirked, diverting their conversation to something much less embarrassing. Or not.

  “Now that you’re anesthetized, can we tackle your hair? Sorry, Sadie, this is gonna hurt.” She cringed.

  “Is it that bad?” Reaching up, she once again found herself stuck. “Well that’s just ducky!” Laughing hysterically, she struggled to extricate her fingers.

  Kara sat down next to her grabbing small bits of hair, pulling the strands away, helping free Sadie’s hand, while making it clear she had to make an effort to hold back her own laughter.

  A little more serious, Sadie said, “Do I look like a brush ape? Do we have to cut my hair off? Please say we don’t have to cut it. Dillinger! I’m half cut.” She glanced up at Kara and cracked a smile then both women started laughing again.

  “I think we can save it,” Kara said once she could stop laughing. Working sweet smelling cream in, she separated out pieces then combed them through with a careful stroke, stopping for another drink with every section. As the two of them chatted, Sadie continued following her intoxicated tangent of thoughts, hoping Kara followed while she, blessedly, removed all the dreadlocks.

  They celebrated with the second best chocolate chip cookies Sadie had ever eaten. They packed the treats up to take to the day care for their visit. Kara had pinpointed childcare, or pupcare in this case, the metalsmith, and the alpha’s office as possibilities for Sadie’s work tour. Downright serious when suggesting the alpha’s office, Sadie almost died of embarrassment. She said Sadie showed serious political or ambassador assignment interest, and her task oriented, diplomatic mind would be spectacular for the East Wing.

  “It’s such a fascinating job. My sister, Karel, is an ambassador to an Arctic Wolf pack in Alaska. At first, Domek had to force her to go, but now she loves it.” Sadie saw Kara’s eyes grow wistful. “She’s told me of so many amazing things out there, beyond the enclave.”

  While Kara finished up with Sadie’s hair, and her third glass of wine, Sadie’s second glass loosened more diesel-speak from her tongue. She giggled, slurring, “Well now I remember why I didn’t hit the gin jointss, thiss hooch has me half cut already, ossified even. I’ll ssoitently upchuck later.”

  Kara chortled hard, saying through gasping breaths, “I have no idea what you just said. You didn’t what, because the what has you what, and you’ll what?”

  This made Sadie giggle even harder. “I’m ssorry, my sslippery tongue lets the diessel sslide out. I wass ssaying that I remember why I didn’t go to the clubss. Thiss wine has me drunk already, sso Imma probably going to end up ssick.”

  Sadie proceeded to pass out on the couch. She heard Kara say something about checking on Dom’s progress. A hand eased through her now knot free hair with a whispered, “I like you, Sadie, and I can’t stand your life being tied to that monster.”

  Opening her eyes when the sofa shifted she saw Kara scratch a quick note and stick it on the door as she stumbled out. Sadie wanted to say something but was just too oiled.

  A book slamming down near his head startled Domek, and he realized he’d dozed off. Defensive instincts kicking in, he jumped up and grabbed the responsible person’s neck, throwing them against the table.

  “Um, Dom. It was a joke.” Kara grunted kicking up between his legs, aiming for a deathblow. He blocked her strike with his hand, less than an inch from her intended target. “Do you mind letting me up?”

  “Keep that shit up, and you could be standing on the unpleasant end of my wrath.” He pushed her foot back down, and sniffed. “Have you been drinking wine?” Letting Kara go, he turned and sat back down. “Why are you here?”

  “Gaia put me on this earth to make your life hell. Oh, wait, you mean here, in the library, now?” She pushed herself up off the hard surface.

  “I swear to Gaia, if I wouldn’t lose my beta . . .” Domek grumbled and continued flipping through the book he’d used as a pillow just seconds ago.

  Kara sat down on Domek’s workspace, picked up one of the books, and opened it. “Find anything that will help yet?”

  “No. Now leave me alone.”

  “Huh. About as informative as some of the smutty romance novels I got from Layla the scrub.” Turning a few more pages, she came to a realization. “Nah, those stories at least make me horny, this just makes me sleepy.” Setting the book back down she sat and stared at him.

  He tried ignoring her, but after only moments of her wordless glaring Dom snapped. “Seriously, Kara, why are you here? Did Marek send you?”

  “Nope,” Kara said making a ‘popping’ sound as she over pronounced the P before starting a high-speed one-way conversation. “Just wanted to let you know Sadie’s awake again. Well, she had been . . . but thanks to the wine, I’m not so sure about now. She may need to learn to hold her wine. Did you know that you could be talking about one thing and then you’re discussing something else completely? That woman’s mind is all over the place! Oh and she’s going to eat me out of house and home. How long did Eridon starve her? It’s kinda concerning how she goes between whimpering with nightmares to humming your name with a smile while sleeping.” She glanced at his gaping mouth, rolling her eyes. “Yeah, so I might have watched her sleep. But I didn’t do it in a ‘creepy stalker’ kind of way, just a friendly ‘why would Gaia put her through this’ kind of way. I’ve often wondered, why our pack alpha insists on being such an unbearable ass. Did you know Sadie’s heart races and scent changes when anyone mentions your name? But then she gets all embarrassed, averting her eyes as though doing so will prevent anyone else from detecting how she feels. So cute.” The beta’s mate smirked and, without pausing to breathe, glanced at her wrist, sans watch, saying, “Full moon, I should get going. Marek will want his dinner soon”-winking at him-”and his dessert.” Hopping off the table, Kara sauntered out of the library.

  He had no genuine idea how Marek handled her. That woman is a damn whirling dervish. Sighing, he turned his gaze from Kara’s disappearing form back to the books that told him nothing. Not one of them mentioned an instance with an interrupted or rejected mating, nothing resembling Sadie’s situation. Maybe he should just give the research a break. Domek got up, stretched, and headed home frustrated and defeated.

  Chapter 7

  She woke mortified from sleeping until the following morning.

  Kara reassured her. “We know you went through a terrible ordeal, so get as much sleep as you need. But now it’s time for your Blue Wolf introduction.”

  Kara, as promised, took her on tour of the enclave. In the town’s center sat a large building shaped like an X. Each wing pointed in four compass directions. Pack members came and went through doors set into the northeast angle, which everyone considered the building’s front. Wide stones created a pathway leading from the entrance to the center of the village shops, where they circled an enormous fire pit. Pack celebrations, rituals, and even communal meals took place in the immense cobblestone circle. Kara explained to her that Blue Wolf members used any excuse to get together. Park benches along with picnic tables lay scattered throughout the grounds in random order. People bustled about everywhere, much like in Eureka. The vast difference of being greeted with a smile, instead of ignored. No one stared with curiosity; people came right out and introduced themselves.

  Sadie continued observing Blue Wolf through many introductions, welcomes, and at times even hugs. Most of the shops had walls enclosing three sid
es and top. Kara informed her that a front panel would enclose the small building during cooler or bad weather. Although flipped up, and laid on the roof today, the wall’s ominous size must take two to three men getting it there. The task would require one person lifting from the bottom and two on top pulling up with ropes.

  Sadie couldn't help but imagine machinery that would enable the shop owners to push a button that would move the heavy wall instead of using manual labor. Yes, the technology might not be necessary, but it would be helpful. Sadie would build them with gears or hydraulics she’d experimented with for limbs, like the monster's mecha. The contraption would be quieter but not remove all manual labor, just reduce the muscle needed. She filed the idea away, because she wanted to be an asset to her pack, not just part of it. This was a new start, a new life.

  Off in the corner she glimpsed a smith's workshop, gravitating in its direction until Kara grabbed and pulled her toward another shop.

  “Uh, uh . . . this first. While I don't mind sharing my clothes, I think you need something of your own.” Adding under her breath, “I do enough mending of clothes torn off me, we'll have no clothes if they have to survive both alpha and beta.”

  Sadie looked at her, wide-eyed. “Do you really think that’s their master plan?

  Kara laughed. “Nah, I’m just joking Sadie.”“

  She was still chuckling when they approached a dress shop, gestured to the fabric-filled unit. An older woman, shorter than herself, came out greeting them. Plumper than most pack women she’d met so far, this matron had large chunks of gray streaks running through waves of hair piled atop her head. Sadie could almost imagine the wolf inside.

  “Sadie, this is Helena, our pack’s seamstress, best one ever.”

  “Oh, Kara, you make an old woman blush.” She inspected her with a quick sniff. “Ah, so the rumors are true, he did get his claws in you . . . but I sense you ripped them back out. Strong girl this one.” Nodding at Kara, she turned back to Sadie. “You'll be needing some clothes, huh.”

  “She does, Helena, a couple casual dresses, a party dress, and some work clothes. What do you have in stock?” Kara asked while stepping further in, flipping through the dresses hanging on racks.

  Helena gave Sadie a gentle push. “Well, go see what you like girl. I know what I’ve got is not as fancy as city clothes, but I can make you something later if you like. This will just start you off.”

  Kara walked up holding a dress. “Well, what do you think?”

  Sadie ran her hands over the fabric of the lovely day dress, searching for tags. “How much will this cost?”

  Helena laughed. “I think you forgot something in explaining how the pack works, Kara.”

  “Oh goddess, I'm sorry, Sadie. We live more communal here. Blue Wolf has money which we use when we can’t trade with other breeds for some reason, or with dieselheads.”

  “The pack provides what you need. You provide what you can.” Helena redirected her with a nod at the dress Kara held, saying, “I think that dress would suit you.”

  The yellow floral dress flowed in a lightweight chiffon fabric over white cotton, more feminine than what she tended to wear, but perfect for this new start. Trying it on in the back corner, hidden behind racks of clothes, she got undressed. Her diesel upbringing rose to the surface again with her reaction to their lack of changing rooms. Relief that just three of them stood in the shop couldn’t be prevented. As soon as Sadie pulled the dress on over her head, fastened its belt and stepped into clear view, their combined expressions told her she wanted this one without even facing a mirror.

  Heading behind racks again to take the dress off, Kara continued handing her more items. In the end, she chose two skirts and two ruffled blouses. Folding those nicely with the yellow dress, Sadie glanced up at Helena. “Can I also try on pants for work? One pair should suffice.”

  “Oh, I have some men’s pants . . . well, no.” She chuckled. “Boy’s pants would fit better. Sorry, none of our women have asked for pants. So would I be correct in assuming you’re looking to be Smitty’s new apprentice?”

  Sadie answered, “I’m a mechanic, but I also have metalsmithing skills.” Unsure of how well mechanics would be received. “I tried working in skirts. I pinned them back tighter because any loose fabric proved dangerous.” Being facetious, she added with a wink, “Obviously, a tight skirt has its own set of hazards.” She smiled. “My dad’s not large so I started wearing his pants initially, but pants have become more popular for women’s fashion in the city. Oh, that reminds me, I also need boots and a plain blouse as well . . . if getting them isn’t a problem, that is.”

  “Don’t be silly,” Kara and Helena said together.

  Helena continued, “We’ll have to get the pants from the boys’ clothes I have. You’ve seen our men here, haven’t you?” Mischief gleamed wild in her eyes. “We grow them big.”

  Sadie laughed. “That’s an understatement.” She heated at the thought of Blue Wolf’s biggest one, her alpha.

  Helena rummaged through piles of clothes, pulling out brown wool pants, a plain white shirt, and suspenders. “Let me see your feet.” She glanced down, chuckling. “It’s clear you’re a made werewolf with those tiny little things. I’ll find you shoes then leave them with Smitty. Oh, here.” She added a bandana on the stack of clothes. “For your hair.” Grabbing a tape measurer next, she said, “I like trying new things, so let me see about making you some women’s pants.”

  The seamstress took detailed notes as Sadie described women’s pant style in Eureka. Meanwhile, Kara stuffed the clothes in a burlap sack, throwing it over her shoulder. Calling goodbyes, she stumbled while being pulled back out toward the smith’s workshop.

  “Hi, Smitty, this is your new smith, Sadie.”

  An older man pulled off his leather gloves, slid his goggles up atop his head, and reached out to shake her hand. Deep laugh lines wrinkled the corners of his light blue eyes when he smiled. He had some soot smeared not only on his face, but also his clothes. The old man and workshop reminded Sadie of home.

  “So you’re the smith and you’re named Smitty?”

  He laughed explaining, “No, I’m Fennon. My mom named me after my father. She always called me Little Finn. But then I grew about five feet right before my first shift. My nickname didn’t fit anymore so friends took to calling me Smith since I was apprenticing here. Everyone just started calling me Smitty after a bit.”

  He led her into the shop motioning toward a workbench. “I cleared out this area for you, will it be enough for now?” He appeared almost embarrassed, adding, “I can clear out more space for you tonight too, if it’s not enough.”

  Sadie’s face lit up. “No, this bench is perfect.”

  Kara cut in, “Okay, Sadie, we still have more to see, and you have your first full moon tonight . . . I think I need to get you out of here before I have to drag you out.” Clutching one hand, she drug her out anyway, heading up the stone pathway. “Okay, now on to central command.”

  They dropped off the pup’s cookies as Kara explained, “This is our childcare center, it’s attached to all core functions. In Blue Wolf, children are the heart of our pack, so we keep them here for protection. Four different halls of our system branch out from this central location. Alpha and Military Central use the East Wing, south holds an immense library, go west for Ambassador Central. North is the dreaded Alpha Maternal. The she-beasts there deal with youngling education and training.” Kara also warned that most pack members feared the maternal wing, especially the men.

  Sadie loved every area she visited and every pack member she met. Her heart warmed by how these people accepted a woman considered different by city standards. The pack judged by a person’s quality of character, not just as someone who chose a career working with machines, a new experience for her. She spent the day meeting every pack mem
ber possible, in addition to learning every position possible.

  By the tour’s end, her first shift to the wolf harkened. She could sense the change coming. It pulled soul deep, and nothing else in her life even compared. Focus became nonexistent. The struggle became obvious enough that Kara made her wait for Domek in their home.

  Chapter 8

  The moon would be full tonight. Domek took a break from packing to scratch at his arms. Like always, his skin itched and bones ached announcing the coming shift. Although the sun perched high right now, it couldn’t hide the goddess’ most influential lunar phase waiting nearby for its turn at him, at his kind. The pending change had to be exerting even more force on Sadie.

  He remembered his first shift. It happened just after puberty. The excruciating act of bones breaking themselves, only to find they hurt even more when reknitting into the wolf’s skeletal structure. And the muscles, oh how he hated the muscles stretching beyond what any brain believed capable, setting off another set of pain signals.

  Oh god, and the fire ants biting at my skin when the wolf’s coat breaks the surface. Domek wished he could protect Sadie from having to go through this, but the shift’s inevitable agony couldn’t be circumvented, by anyone. She needed to be pushed past any boundary of pain her human mind had imposed on her. How else would she know the limits of being a werewolf. The extremes would prepare her for the natural sexual appetites that came with being a wolf.