HSDWM, a fanfiction

Chapter 13

I took my time following behind him, pondering what he'd said. Did he really hate himself that much? What could possibly have happened to make him think he was poison?

Alpha Xavier was already finishing up at the counter by the time I caught up with him. A bell on the door chimed as I walked in and the attendant, Paul according to the name embossed on his shirt, greeted me saying he'd be with me in a moment.

Xavier slid his wallet into his pocket saying, "She's with me."

I asked if there was a bathroom, and Paul handed me a key attached to a stick, saying there was one behind the shop.

"Ash, wait for me," Xavier said.

I frowned, but stood by the door, shifting my weight to either foot as I watched out the window. Holding the stick, I felt a familiar pattern along the length of it, and looking at it I was surprised to find what appeared to be tooth markings. Like the sharp teeth of an animal, not the grinding teeth of a human.

In the faint window reflection I saw another guy, short beefy build, sporting a long scraggly beard and wearing a ball cap, come through the door behind the counter. I watched him speak with Paul as they both took interest in something behind the counter.

A minute later Paul ripped the guide paper off the print out and handed Xavier the white top sheet of paper, while ball cap guy took the yellow middle sheet of paper. Paul held the final pink sheet of paper and reached for a binder.

"'Bout two miles Northeast, that right," the ball cap guy asked Xavier.

"That's right," Xavier answered. He watched the ball cap guy shuffle back through the door behind the counter, before turning from the counter. He nudged my arm, "Let's go."

As we walked around the outside of the building I asked, "Is there a reason you made me wait? I'm bursting."

"There are wolves in the shop area. I don't know how close we are to their territory, so I don't want you wandering off alone around here."

"You were happy enough to leave me alone back there," I scoffed.

"I was wrong to do that. I shouldn't have left you alone, no matter what I was feeling. I'm sorry. That won't happen again," Alpha Xavier took the key from me and unlocked the door to the bathroom, turning on the light and peering into the simple room before letting me step inside.

So he does know how to apologize. Interesting.

Stepping inside the grimy room, my nose wrinkled at the stench of body excretions.  I quickly used the toilet, touching as few surfaces as possible, and washing my hands twice at the sink.

Alpha Xavier was standing right outside the door when I came back out.

"You don't need to use the toilet?"

He smirked and pointed to the tree line. "Perks of being a man."

I grimaced, then shrugged. It was probably cleaner than the toilet I just squatted over.

Back inside the station Alpha Xavier handed the key back to Paul and we sat down in the waiting area.

About twenty minutes later I was asking Alpha Xavier to buy me a water when the tow truck returned with Alpha Xavier's car, and Raven and Jenna.

Ball cap guy let Raven and Jenna out of his truck near the customer entrance before pulling the car around to the garage. The door chimed as Raven opened the door for Jenna.

She bee lined straight to Alpha Xavier, who was at the counter purchasing waters for each of us. She was speaking too low for me to hear her words, but I could tell by her body language and tone of her voice she wasn't happy.

Raven walked over to where I was sitting and stood beside me with his hands in his pockets. "How you doin'?"

"Just great. How was the wait?"

"Oh, you know."

Jenna followed Alpha Xavier back toward us. He handed Raven and I each a water and gestured for Jenna to choose a seat. She glared at me and huffed as she took the seat next to mine.

I quickly opened my water bottle and chugged to keep myself from gagging on her overbearing scent.

After awhile Alpha Xavier was called back into the shop. He gestured for me to accompany him, so I followed and peered around at the tools and machinery.

Paul led us to Alpha Xaviers car. The hood was propped open and there was a mechanic bent over the engine wiping something with a rag. He glanced at me as he began to talk with Alpha Xavier about the issues with the engine. Not knowing anything about car engines, and not interested to learn, I zoned out their conversation and just looked around the garage.

I was brought back to reality when Alpha Xavier nudged my elbow as he was asking the mechanic how long the repairs would take.

"I don't have that particular part, so I have to order it. Now, it'll take a few days for it to get here. You got a place to stay?"

"I was hoping it could be fixed by this afternoon," Xavier said. "We're kind of on a tight schedule."

The mechanic, whose name was Corey according to the name on his shirt, peered around the shop before saying in a low voice, "I know you're wolves. It's too late to pick that part up and get it here today, but I'll send one of the boys into the town over tonight and he can be back tomorrow early morning with one, and I can get you on your way by tomorrow before we close. My pack runs a motel and restaurant just off the territory. I'll get our Alpha on the horn right now, get you set up."

Alpha Xavier nodded, "We can do that. Thank you for helping us out."

"Sure thing. Go on back out to the lobby and I'll make the call and take you over there myself come lunch break."

"Thank you," I said. Mechanic Corey smiled and nodded at me.

Back in the lobby Alpha Xavier and I found Jenna and Raven pointedly ignoring each other. Jenna, one elegant leg crossed over the other, was flipping through a magazine while Raven was standing beside her peering out the window. He turned to face us as we approached them.

Raven asked, "Fuel pump?"

"Regulator," Alpha Xavier said, "and they don't have the part, but he's sending one of his guys to get one today. He said he can have us back on the road by tomorrow afternoon."

Jenna looked up from her magazine. I was surprised they'd have a home and garden magazine in a place like this. I figured it'd be all cars and motorcycles.

She said, "Tomorrow? I was hoping we could get away from here tonight. Where are we going to stay?"

"There's a wolf run hotel not far from here," Alpha Xavier said. "Apparently it's just outside their territory."

Raven nodded, "Sure. Any packs around here are probably used to catering to a wide variety of travelers through the area. It's sparsely populated so it might be the packs main form of revenue."

Jenna asked, "But what kind of hotel is it? I don't want to stay in a dump."

"I don't know," Alpha Xavier shrugged, "I haven't seen it, but it has a restaurant, so that's two of our needs met while we wait for the car to be repaired."