Pack Gems by Kuro Kusai, WhiteWolf Aura (free ereaders TXT) 📖

A flying metal death trap.

Scratch that, an almost empty flying metal death strap. She could only spot a passenger here and there.

They finally made it to the seats Taylor had been leading them to. It was a big space. Build for comfort.

"Who'd we kill to afford this pimp lair?" she asked as she took a seat, heaving from the effort of walking.

"The boys pooled their remaining funds. Got us buisness class, they get coach."

"Sweet." Kaden replied as she closed her eyes. "Nothing like mooching."

"Dude, you ok?" Taylor's voice had a tinge of worry.

"...Why do you ask?"

"You feel like jello. It's like a wiggly Bond. It's kinda fun, but weird. What's up?"

"Hehe, jello. Nah, I feel high." She spoke more slowly, trying to grasp the words to communicate, "Everything's spinning and you sound miles away. Do not miss the stoner days."

"You were a stoner?"

"I have so many memories that are coming back to me its unreal, Tay. I remember being human."

Kaden said as she opened her chocolate eyes, turning to her friend, "The California douche bags knew more about me than I did. They probed and the more they talked about it, the more I remembered. But at that time I was so out of it, so numb, that it hadn't really mattered."

"Well, what do you remember?"

"....Shit I didn't want to."

"What kind of 'shit'?"

Memories flashed before her eyes as she tried to put pictures to the words they belonged to.

She took in a deep breath, closing her eyes, "I remember a dog, and I, uhh remember my old home…"

Her eyes scrunched together, "…I see, I think they're my parents...?"

Kaden's breathing became heavier, "…they're my family. I see people but I don't know who they are. Friends?" Sweat started to coat her brow as she delved deeper into her thoughts. "It's a picture of me in the newspaper."

She snapped opened her eyes, to find Taylor staring back at her, "They think I'm dead."

"Who's they?"

"My family," She responded as she leaned back against her seat and closed her tired eyes-- letting the numbness of the drugs to put her anxious mind to rest.

 

~ Taylor's POV ~

After some time and a few forced glasses of water later— Kaden came around.

Not enough to be fully healed but at least she was awake and actually talking in complete, comprehending sentences.

"Where are we?" Kaden's first words were rough and laced with sleep.

This surprised Taylor as she studied blank Kaden's face.

Had she no recollection of ever boarding the plane? ...Of her family?

"Plane. Going to Topeka."

"Ah." Kaden rubbed her head as if it ached.

She had to hand it to her, she rolled with the punches. Taylor would have hated waking up in a foreign place not knowing what was going on.

"Where are the guys?"

"Waiting to get on the plane, we have first class—prior seating. We get on first." Taylor repeated the explaination she had told her before, a little distrubed she wasn't remembering this.

"We're in first class?" Kaden sat up a little to take in the cabin surroundings.

"Yeah,"

Taylor looked out the window, watching the humans bustle about with all sorts of bags, unloading them off the cart and into the plane under-belly.

"Cool."Kaden finally mused, slumping back down in her reclined seat.

"Thirsty?"

"Strangely…no," She admitted.

Yeah, Taylor thought wryly, because I had to force a gallon past those lips while you were out.

"Miss, will you want another?" the stewardess loomed over them to ask Taylor while taking her empty glass.

"Yes please, that'd be great."

"What are you drinking?" Kaden asked, surely already catching a whiff of alcohol.

Mason would kill her when he got on but she had to soothe her wolf somehow.

It hated being enclosed somewhere for too long and even after her second glass she could feel it pacing and snarling in displeasure.

"Pinot Grigio."

Kaden stared at her for a heartbeat before declaring, "Actually, I'm parched. I'll have one too."

Taylor hid a smile by shaking her head, "I thought you might say that, here." She handed Kaden one of their many fake I.D.'s.Currently she was Donna Prinkle.

By Kaden's third glass, they were allowing the other passengers to board the plane.

Axel and Mason pushed past the other passengers in the narrow aisle, each trying to muscle past each other as well. It was comical to watch.

Akira and Daren must have actually waited in the line like civilized people because they weren't clambering toward them like both Alphas currently were.

Taylor licked the rim of her glass, reveling in the last few moments of alcoholic bliss before Mason rained on her parade.

"What are you drinking???" Mason demanded as if on cue.

"Wine. Want some?"

"You're supposed to be looking out for her!" Axel snarled.

Taylor turned to watch Kaden kick back a gulp, "She's not going anywhere."

"You know what we mean!' Mason cried exasperated.

"Relax. I'm not drunk…yet." Taylor rolled her eyes.

It was a shame Weres were so hard to get drunk—cost her an arm and a leg, not to mention the bartender thought she was a alcoholic.

"Hey!" Kaden protested as Axel fished the glass from her hand.

Taylor sighed. They weren't going to like this.

Bing!

She pressed the 'Call' button.

At once the stewardess came to their row, with some difficulty considering the boys were blocking people from passing and as a result, had built up quite a line.

"Yes?" the stewardess' eyes wandered to Mason and Axel questioningly before turning back to settle on Taylor.

"They're bothering us." Taylor shrugged simply.

Her red lipsticked lips formed an 'o' before she turned with resolve to face the troublesome males, both of whom were sputtering in outrage, "Sirs, I need you to return to your seats. You're not in first class are you?"

"Er, no but—"

"Then please find your seats."

With that said the lady literally pushed them along, cheers from the backed up line erupted.

Kaden laughed beside her but all Taylor could think of was her ultimate demise as soon as she stepped off the plane and wasn't under the protection of the 5'4 stewardess dressed in a dark blue skirt and vest.

Ugh. Oh well, might as well enjoy it.

"Barten—Er, stewardess? More wine, please."

A few hours later, they were on the ground, in the terminal getting scolded just like she predicted.The beauty of it?She was too buzzed to care.

"I can't believe this, you were too drunk!' Mason chaisted.

"Not true…I was sober when I denied it that last time…" Taylor tried to defend herself at the same time she watched the floor lurch.

Really. They shouldn't use a checker pattern.

"Oh good god! She's smashed too." Axel steadied Kaden.

"It'll wear off by the time we get to his den." Taylor assured them with a slur.

"Argh, let's go." Mason gripped her by the arm and pulled her along.

Taylor noted that Axel had simply picked Kaden up in favor of pulling her arm out of her socket. She supposed Mason was still a wee bit mad for sicing the stewardess on them.

When he stopped and let go of her, she was aware of the world violently deciding it was going to tilt to the left.

"Woah!" Mason grabbed her shoulders and bought her against him.

The automatic doors to the street opened letting the air blow through and carried the scent of new wolves. Taylor couldn't help but snap to attention and snarl.

It was a habit ingrained in her mind from having to constantly watch their backs.

'It's fine, they're mine." Axel assured.

"Hey there, boss man." One of the new wolves strolled through the doors, hands in his pocket.

He had a on a charcoal silk shirt with embossed copper diesel buttons.

He had a lean build like most Weres. He was slouching but if Taylor had to guess he was about 6'2, his hair adding on to his height because it was gelled into short spikes which were frosted at the tips making his fair blonde hair seem to have golden lances through it.

Turning his ice blue eyes on Taylor, she suddenly wished she hadn't drank as he seemed to size her up like prey.

He smirked and Taylor could feel Mason's chest rumble a silent warning.

He turned away before either Taylor or Mason could snap and instead addressed Kaden,

"And this must be the stray our Alpha picked up,"

Fire snapped in Kaden's eyes, "I'm not a stray, you dumb mutt."

He had the audacity to laugh, "Nice to meet you Kaden, I've heard the stories. I'm Connor."

He introduced himself to no one in particular.

"Please excuse Connor," a wolf Taylor hadn't seen come in, stepped forward, "I'm Jordan. I usually keep him more civil but I was arguing who had to stay in the car."

Taylor studied the new wolf.

He was African American paired with dark warm skin tones and dark eyes.His voice was deep and had a slight southern dialect.

He had buzzed hair and a baggy green shirt and black jeans. He was quite the opposite of the blue-eyed angel with designer clothes and a foul mouth.

"Shut up, Jordan. You don't deal with shit." Connor's tone was malice but his body language was lucid.

Obviously they did this alot.

"I deal with you all the damn time. I'd have to say I disagree." Jordan sneered.

"This is the cream of the crop pedigree you sent to pick us up?" Akira, who had just returned with Daren from trying to find some kind of coffee to snap them out of their buzz, remarked snidely.

Both of Axel's wolves turned to snarl at them, their fight forgotten now that they had a common enemy.

"Enough!" Axel and Mason both snapped and all wolves froze.

"I assume you brought separate cars?" Mason asked with a long sigh tacked on the end.

"Yes," Axel had no doubt this wasn't going to happen, separate cars were necessary, "Kaden and I will go with Jordan and you and Taylor will go with Connor."

"There's no need. Take him with you, I have Akira and Daren. I just need a driver."

"Plus I don't like him." Taylor felt it had to be said, maybe had she been a bit more sober she wouldn't have spoken.

Ice blue eyes met hers, "Babe, I can assure you, you'll get over that quick." His eyes raked over her body not bothering to hide the hunger.

Taylor bared her teeth and Mason glanced to an amused Axel, "Keep that one on a short leash or you'll have to find a new third."

Axel glanced at Mason and whatever he saw there must have convinced him, "Connor, you're riding with us."

Daren snorted behind her in a satisfied manner making Taylor let out a laugh because she hadn't realized they had been posturing behind her back-- promising death.

They had the decency to look sheepish before Akira took the front and Daren flanked behind.

Mason led her more gently after Kaden and Axel.

Taylor briefly wondered if Kaden would mind riding with those strange wolves.

She supposed if they got out of line, Axel could handle it.

She would've thought Kaden would handle it…but at the moment…well, alcohol is a bitch.

Chapter 19: Compromising Car Rides

~Taylor's POV~

"Come on." Mason led her to a shiny silver parked car.

Taylor didn't know much about cars, but she knew enough to recognize a Mercedes when she saw one. The car looked out of place surrounded by all the tacky yellow buses and taxis.

A lone guy stood with his back to the wind, clutching his coat at that the collar. When he saw them approach, it was obvious that he was a lower ranking wolf. He dropped his