17 Ch 17 Dad’s Visi (1/2)

I called dad. He was excited when I told him I'd met a wolf. I wondered how excited he'd be after I told him everything about the new wolf.

I gave him the mile marker to stop at and told him to sniff around, that he'd figure more out that way than I could describe with words. I didn't want to go into detail over the phone, preferring to fill him in face to face.  I also told him about my date.

I didn't tell him about the fight club. I knew it would come up though.

Work was still good. My sleep wasn't. I kept an ear open. Any noise had me up. I didn't know if Lone Wolf would come back and bring company.

I understood now why you didn't give out your home address. What if Lone Wolf told his alpha about me? What if the creep came and bit Derrick? I'd never forgive myself.

I set myself up some rules. If I ever met another werewolf, I wouldn't let them know where I lived. I'd keep them away from the reservation.

I lay in the dark while my thoughts ran rampant. Dad was due in early this morning before I left for work. I had the whole weekend with him. My stomach was knotted with stress. I had avoided the beer all week so that he wouldn't be able to smell it on me. I'd cleaned the house. Laundry was caught up, bedding was fresh, kitchen had groceries.

My mind kept churning. I was still sickened by the thought of what Lone Wolf must have gone through to get him to the point of piddling on himself like that. I couldn't imagine treating someone so badly they would get to that point. Dad had warned me. The possibility of bad guy werewolves existed.

Sleep eluded me. I slipped out the window. I wasn't in the mood for a run, so I just nosed around the neighborhood.

I heard dad's truck before I saw it. I ran over to the road he was on and led him in. It was good to see him smiling. I ran back to my window, shifting even as I went through. I was out the front door as he was getting out of the truck. I laughed at the elk in the back of the truck.

”Stopped for a snack?”

”Shut up and help me get it in the house.”

He grabbed the tarp while I went in and moved the kitchen table out of the way. I knew the routine. I helped him spread the tarp on kitchen floor before we went out for the elk. I don't know how he got it to the truck by himself.

I pulled out my knife to help. We worked in silence. I thought about bringing up Lone Wolf but figured dad didn't want to talk about him while Derrick was in the house.

Dad had brought freezer bags. I hoped Derrick didn't mind elk. We were going to be eating it for awhile!

Derrick got as far as the kitchen door as dad was rolling up the hide. The fridge was full of bigger cuts that dad said he would slice down during the day.

”Oh, coffee, let me put a pot on for you Derrick.”

”Um, I think I'll grab my coffee out this morning.”

”Mind if I put a pot on for dad? Dad, this is Derrick. Derrick, my dad.”

Dad only nodded. He didn't think Derrick would appreciate a bloody handshake.

”Mr. Wolcott.”

”Call me Randall.”

Derrick nodded, didn't say anything else, still trying to take in the kitchen. The tarp was folded over the pile of bones.

Dad just grinned at him. ”Don't worry, kitchen will be back to normal soon. And freezer will be full.”

”Mighty hunter, remember?” I said with a grin that matched dad's.

I laughed at Derrick's expression.

”Um, think you can call Mac and see if it's ok if I stop by with my dad tonight?”

”Sure. See you at work.”

Once Derrick was gone, dad had his hand on my arm.

”We have a lot to talk about. Those woods stunk of fear...”

”I know,” I interrupted him.

I filled him in on what the guy had told me about royals and omegas. I told him about how the guy I dubbed Lone Wolf had dropped to his knees and repeatedly piddled. I didn't understand any of it. I gave dad a lot to think about when I headed to work.

Derrick was full of questions I couldn't answer, except the elk. That was easy to explain as long as he didn't ask how dad killed it. He handed me his phone when he had Mac on the line.

”Hey Mac. Listen, my dad's in town for the weekend. Is it okay with you if I bring my dad over tonight? He can, uh, tell you more about your friend than I can, and do more to help, I think.”

I could tell he didn't like it. I think he agreed because of my implied promise that dad could tell him what I had not.

Derrick and I pulled into our drive together. The truck bed was clean. The hide was rolled in the back of it. There was no sign of my dad. I couldn't help wondering what he'd done with the bones.

The kitchen was clean, the freezer was full, and there was a pan of already cooked barbecue tips on the stove top. I grabbed a piece. Dad's growl came from the kitchen door. Derrick jumped but I laughed. Dad was wearing the shorts from the shed.

”Potatoes are in the oven keeping warm.”

Dad came in, grabbed the tips from me. It felt good having him here. He snuck in a hug and I didn't mind leaning against him for a second.

We worked in relative silence getting dinner ready.

Derrick seemed a bit uncomfortable seeing Dad in shorts and bare feet and muscles rippling here and there, and I couldn't blame him. I doubt he'd make fun of my dad being a language teacher again.

”Dad, Mac gave the ok for you to come with us to the gym. Lone Wolf is an old friend of his. Mac doesn't know what's going on with Lone Wolf. The gym isn't traditional, and Mac just asks that it stays private.”

I focused on the food for a minute so I didn't have to look at dad. I didn't want to go into all the stuff I wasn't telling him. I ate enough, but not so much I'd feel heavy.

Dad just humphed and asked about my girlfriend. I looked up, grinning stupidly.

”I saw her for a bit Wednesday during her break. I thought she had a bit of oriental in her, found out she's Hawaiian.”

”You pack what I bought for you?”

Mortified! ”All good Dad.”

When he started to say something else I actually growled a little. ”Dad!”

Dad just laughed, smirking. I shook my head, sighing deeply.

Derrick didn't say anything but I think his estimation of my dad just went up a peg. I was glad when we headed out to the gym, Dad riding behind me.

Dad was growling before I even had the bike turned off. Yeah, the place stank of testosterone. Since it hadn't rained all week, the outside odors from the fights still lingered. I didn't say anything as I took off my helmet and headed in.