Brothersong (Green Creek 4)

Sure enough, his ears twitched.

“Fine. Stay out there. I’ll just be in here, eating your rabbits.”

He turned his head, flashing violet eyes in warning.

“What are you gonna do about it? Come in and roll in my stuff some more? Yeah, that’s right. I saw your wolf hair all over the shit in my bag. What’s that about, you nosy fucker?”

He turned away again.

Fine. Two could play at that game.

There was a large rod next to the fireplace. The metal was blackened. It was a spit. I picked it up and grimaced as I looked toward the rabbits. “You can do this. No big deal. You’ve eaten these things raw before.”

The rabbit, though skinned and drained of blood, was slimy and wet, the flesh cold. I heard the crunch of bones as I shoved the spit through it, causing my stomach to twist. I gagged when the edge of the spit poked through the rabbit’s neck, the end glistening wetly. I could have shifted (and most likely eaten it as it was), but I stayed human, hoping to get a reaction out of Gavin.

I didn’t have to wait for long.

I skewered the second rabbit before putting them over the fire, locking the spit in place on the latches on either side of the fireplace. There was an old crank on the side of the fireplace, and I twisted it, causing the rabbit to spin.

The smell of cooking flesh was rank and wild.

I heard an angry growl from outside the door.

“Guess you’re gonna have to shift back, huh? Opposable thumbs, a feat in evolution that—”

The door opened.

He dropped back down on his paws, wearing a look that could only be described as smug. He came inside and, without looking away from me, raised one of his back legs and kicked it against the door, slamming it shut.

I wasn’t impressed. “Oh, so you figured out how to work a door. Good for you. I’ve never been prouder. Seriously. It’s—what the fuck!”

He stood next to me and shook, spraying me with the water on his fur. I tried to shove him away, spitting out a mouthful of wet wolf, but he snapped at my fingers. And then he pushed his gigantic head against my shoulder, knocking me away from the fire. With a snort, he sat down where I’d been sitting, staring at the rabbit.

“Petty bitch,” I mumbled, pulling myself up. I wiped the water from my face and flicked it at him. He side-eyed me hard but otherwise didn’t react. “Keep it up, dude. See how far it gets you. And don’t act like those fucking rabbits weren’t for me. They were fresh. You caught them and skinned them while I was passed out. And do we even need to talk about how you obviously pulled a silver bullet out of my leg? Because we could do that too. I know you, man. This bullshit act you’ve got going on isn’t going to fly with me. Do us both a favor and knock it off. It’ll make things easier.”

He turned his head away pointedly.

I narrowed my eyes. “So that’s how it’s gonna be, huh? Fine. Be that way. See if I care.”

He stiffened when I crawled toward him. He growled in warning when I sat next to him, only inches between us. I reached up and turned the crank, spinning the cooking meat.

“You got me wet,” I reminded him. “I’m going to sit in front of the fire until I dry off and the rabbit is done. Plenty of room if you’d like to move somewhere else.” There wasn’t, in fact, plenty of room. Given his size while shifted, the cabin felt smaller than it had when I’d first woken up. “Or you can go back outside.”

He didn’t move, still keeping his head away from me.

I sighed. “Whatever. You do you. But I’m telling you now, we’re gonna have a goddamn conversation, and we’re gonna do it soon. You’re going to shift when we do, because I expect you to participate. I deserve answers, one way or another.”

He turned his head slowly to look at me.

I was relieved, thinking I was getting through to him.

I should have known better.

He sneezed in my face.

I fell back, shrieking as I rubbed my face. “Why are you like this!”

His tail thumped against the floor.