The Ulfric of Magog sat at his desk, the nails of one hand biting into the mahogany as he read the letter.  The messenger stood just on the other side of the desk twitching nervously.  He had good reason to, the Ulfric had been known to eat the messengers of bad tidings, and this was bad tidings indeed. 

“Who sent this?” the Ulfric growled low when he had finished reading it.

“We don’t know, sir.  It came just as you see it, addressed to the Ulfric.  Anyone who knows you…” the messenger gulped, “well they wouldn’t exactly address it that way.”

“No they would not.  How did you come to be the one to bring it to me?”

“The others…” he looked downward, “they were all dominate to me.”

“Hrumph.” The Ulfric scanned over the paper again.  “Well it seems the people responsible for sending this do not know exactly who I am or it would have been delivered here instead of at headquarters.”

“That was the general consensus, sir.”

“Did you come directly here when it was delivered?”

“No sir.  There was some discussion over who would have to bring it, and then they told me to take my time, so I did.”

“Were you the only one to leave at the same time?”

“No Sir, a group of us went to a pub together, after a while I left, after someone else did first.”

The Ulfric grunted.  “Go back and stay there until late tonight, then go home.”

“Yes Sir,” the messenger bowed his head and literally backed out of the room. 

Once he was gone, the Ulfric picked up the phone and dialed a number from memory.  It was answered on the second ring.  A few moments later he placed the receiver back in the cradle.  A slow smile spread across his face as he pressed the button to the interoffice intercom.

“Michelle, two gentlemen will be here to see me shortly, send them in when they arrive.”

“Yes, Sir, Mr. Tanley.”

“Thank you.”

Now to decide how to go about finding the people responsible for this letter.  He held it up to his nose and sniffed, but too many people had handled it since the person who first wrote it.  He frowned.  He could not go to the police because that would cause more problems than it would solve.  Besides, then he would have to explain to his wife and son about his other life, and that was just not feasible at this time.  However, he could protect Jolen, it would just be trickier without him knowing all the facts.

 

A short while later they entered the office: Ishak, his second, and Iskender, his enforcer.  George looked the pair over and grinned as he stood to greet them.  He walked over to Ishak first and gave him a little hug, allowing the lesser ranking wolf to get a good whiff of his skin.  Then he did the same thing with Iskender, only the younger wolf not only sniffed as was custom, but licked as well.  George smiled as he pulled away, and didn’t admonish him. When their greetings were complete, George indicated the chairs and couch, “Have a seat, we need to talk.”

Ishak took the chair to the left while Iskender took the couch.  George took the remaining chair and sat facing them.  “Someone wants Jolen dead.”

“Jolen?  Why would he be a target?”

“My guess is because he’s my son.  I can’t imagine the boy has gotten himself into any trouble on his own.”

“Any idea of who would want to target him?”

“Not yet, I really don’t think the people who threated him knows who he is, only that I have a son.  The wording is off.”

“So what do you need us for?” Ishak asked.

“I want the two of you to protect Jolen, as of now you are both assigned as his bodyguards.”

“George, I can’t guard the both of you.”

“No, Ishak, you can’t.  I can survive a few weeks until we get to the bottom of this situation.”

“I would feel better if you had a body guard as well.”

“And how would I explain that to Nona?”

“Well, Sir, you are always getting odd cases.  What if one required you to have your personal assistant around a bit more than usual?”

“I don’t think Michelle would be of much use when it came to my safety.”

“Well, Michelle wouldn’t, but if you brought in Xan to act as your personal assistant just for this case…”

“Xan huh?”

“Yes Sir.”

George nodded as he thought.  “Xan will do nicely, and I’m officially opening a case file for us to be working on.  Iskender, you will be Loki, the son of the Ulfric.”

“I would be honored to be your son.” Iskender grinned.

“It’s pretend, Iskender,” Ishak growled.

“I know that,” the youngest member of the group pouted, “so what would I have to do?”

“I think I will have to take you into protective custody, and have you come live at my home for the duration of this case.”

“You can’t be serious.” Iskender gasped.

“I can be, and you will behave around my wife and son, neither are wolfkin and I don’t expect them to find out about my association with the pack.”

“Yes, sir, although I don’t understand why you haven’t told your mate about your esteemed position.  I would think she would be honored.”

“It is none of your concern, Loki.  You are a frightened young man in need of a safe place to stay, remember?”

“Oh I’ll remember all right.” Iskender winked.

“And my position, sir?”

“You Ishak, will be Loki’s bodyguard.  Between the two of you, I expect a close eye kept on Jolen.  We do not know where this threat is coming from.  Suspect everyone, keep your eyes and ears open for any possible clues, and above all, his life before yours.”

“Yes, Sir.” Ishak nodded once.

“That goes for you too Iskender.  His life before yours.”

“Of course, Sir, I wouldn’t dream of it any other way.”

“Good, then I expect to see the two of you back here in an hour, you with an overnight bag, Iskender.  Ishak, you will be coming and going.”

Both men nodded and they stood, George watched them leave, then he moved back to his desk to open the case file with enough information that it appeared Loki’s father had hired him to keep his boy safe.

 

Fifty-six minutes later, Iskender returned with a medium sized duffel.  Two minutes after he arrived, Ishak arrived with a slightly smaller one.  George directed Michelle to have them wait in the lobby; he would be out shortly.

 

The drive home was quiet.  Ishak drove his own vehicle, but Iskender, in his role as the protected one, rode with George.  Iskender, in his role as Loki, had on earphones and was looking disinterestedly out the window.  George mentally went over the cover story they had agreed upon.  He did not like to deceive his wife like this, but he did not know what the terrorist might know about him.  It could be nothing, a hoax, just to see what he would do.  It was a shame he could not go to the police.  He did not feel confident they would keep his lycanthropic status to themselves.  Soon he was pulling into his driveway and then his garage.  Ishak pulled into the driveway behind him and George waited until the young man had entered the garage before closing the door.  Once it was secure, the three entered the house from the garage entrance. 

 

Nona was home, cooking dinner, he had called earlier to let her know he was bringing guests home.  It was not all that unusual in his duties as a lawyer for the civil liberties union, although usually the dinner guests would be leaving after the meal.  He did not have to guess how she felt about having company.  Her anger radiated off her like heat waves.  He stepped up behind her and buried his nose in the hair behind her ear, then kissed her gently on her neck above the pulse. 

“Honey, this is Loki and Ishak, they will be joining us tonight.”

“Of course.  Pleased to meet you.” Nona smiled at the two and George watched her interaction with them.  Loki looked like teenager in his baggy clothing but Ishak wore what could be called business casual in most offices.  “I am sorry I cannot greet you properly, but as you can see,” she held up her flour covered hands.

“It’s all right, Mrs. Tanley.  We thank you for your welcome.  You have a beautiful home.” Ishak was courteous as he looked around.  The kitchen looked as if it had come from a designer’s studio the way everything was laid out and perfect even while she was baking.  Something good was adding a pleasing aroma to the atmosphere.

“Hey, is your son home?” Loki asked. “Mr. Tanley said I could meet him while you all talked.  You know the old get the kid out of the room routine.”

“Yes, Jolen is upstairs in his room,” Nona quirked an eyebrow at her husband.  “I’m sure he would be pleased to entertain you while we talk.”

Loki looked around, “Um, where is the stairs?”

George picked up Loki’s bag and nodded to Ishak, “I’ll show you, Loki, get you both settled in and all.”

“Thanks, this whole mess has me in knots you know.”

“I understand son.  It will be just fine.”  George led the two of them to the front hall and up the stairs, pointing out which rooms were which, giving them the general layout of the house. Dropping Ishak off in the guest room at the head of the stairs, they headed on to the only door that sported a ‘keep out’ poster on the door.  “And this is Jolen’s room.”  He knocked once then opened the door.  Jolen was as expected, sitting at his desk, on the computer.

“Hey son, I have a favor to ask you.”

“Sure, pop.”

“Loki here needs a place to lay low for a while, do you mind if he bunks in with you?”

“What about the guest room?”

“It’s occupied.”

“Oh. Um… sure I guess it will be all right.”

“Fine, fine, you two boys get to know each other, your mother will be calling you down for dinner shortly.”

“Yes sir.”

 

George left the two of them alone and went back down to speak to Nona.  He knew Ishak would stay out of the way until he had spoken to his wife.  “Loki and Ishak will be staying with us a bit longer than dinner,” he stated bluntly as he walked back into the kitchen.

“I figured that when they brought overnight bags.  Who are they?”

“Loki is the son of a client of mine, and Ishak is his bodyguard.  The case is getting rather heated and there has been some trouble.  His family thought it would be better if he were here instead of there.”

“Could you send him to a safe house?”

“Are you saying our house isn’t safe?”

“I’m saying I don’t have time to baby sit one of your client’s kids.”

“You won’t have to, that is Ishak’s job.”

“I would rather he didn’t stay here, George, what if trouble comes looking for him and Jolen gets caught up in the middle of it.”

“Would I purposefully put our son in danger?” George asked her softly.

“No. I don’t guess you would, but I still don’t like it.”

“It’s not forever, a week or two at the most, not likely to cause much trouble at all in that time.”

“Two weeks?  That’s when the gala is.”

“I know, and the case should be over by then.”

“Fine. Fine. Out by the gala,” Nona sighed, “now get out of my kitchen so I can finish preparing dinner.”

George laughed.  “I’ll be in my office if you need me,” then he walked out leaving Nona beating the dough into submission.

 

 

Once George left, Loki stood just inside the door and waited to see what Jolen would do.  It didn’t take him but a few seconds to look up and scowl.  “Close the door.  You can put your stuff on the bed for now. I’ll have to drag out the cot, unless you like sleeping on the floor.”

“Whatever, don’t want to disrupt your life too much, dude.”  Loki plunked his bag down on the bed and sat down beside it.  “So what do you do for fun around here?”

“Study.”

“Study?  Senior?”

“Freshman.”

“You look a little old to be a freshman,” Loki laughed and laid back on the bed.

“In college, asshole.”

“So what are you studying?” Loki asked as he rolled over to lay on his belly.

“Stuff,” Jolen said bluntly.

“Oh, I like to study stuff too.” He looked around the room trying to get a feel for his charge and noticed there was quite a bit of artwork on the walls, most of it unsigned.  “Like your art dude.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.  That the stuff you studying?”

“No.”

“Oh.  Well I like it anyway.” Loki grinned at Jolen, who sighed and closed his book.

“Thank you.  Did anyone ever tell you that you talk too much?”

“Yep.  Annoying as hell ain’t it?” Loki grinned.

“So what brings you to be bunking in my bedroom?”

“The parentals.  Trouble on the home front so I get tucked away safe, you know how it is, right?”

“What about school?”

Loki shrugged.  “Nothing but a thing.  Living is better than readin’, writin’, and ‘rithmatic.”

“Not according to my folks.”

“Really?  Your old man seems fantastic.”

“Yeah if you’re not his kid.  For the past several years I’ve heard nothing from him but study hard, get an education and join me in the family business.  I didn’t know the civil liberties union could be considered a ‘family’ business.”

“So you’re going to be a lawyer?”

“Looks that way.”

“What do you want to do?”

“Nothing, it’s not important.”

“Dude, of course it’s important.  ‘Family’ business is what got me here with you,” Loki grinned.  “So you like to draw?”

Jolen nodded then stretched as he stood up.  “Ma’s gonna be calling dinner soon, might as well get that cot set up now.”

“Whatever you say dude, it’s your room.” Loki followed him out, watching him carefully.  Jolen intrigued him, but he couldn’t figure out why.  George would have told him if his charge was wolfkin, so it couldn’t be that… or did he not yet know?  It was worth investigating.  Together they managed to wrestle the extra bedding into Jolen’s room, then with a little rearranging, got it all set up.

“Do you know how long you will be staying?”

“Week, maybe two.” Loki shrugged.

“Will your folks be checking on you?”

“Nope, that’s what Ishak is for.  He’s to keep an eye on me.”

“Ishak?”

“My body guard.  He’s bunking in the guest room, which is why I’m bunking in here with you.”

“You don’t sound very happy to have him around.”

“I’m not, he’s worse than my parents.  Where ya going?  What ya doing?  Annoying.”

“Can’t you just tell him to bugger off?”

“Dude! Ishak is like six foot tall and two-thirty if he’s an ounce and I bet there isn’t any fat on him anywhere.  He scares me shit less, not only that but I think he’s one of them lycanthropes, but I can’t prove it.”  Loki tested the waters and was surprised at the waves of fear rolling off Jolen at the mention of Ishak possibly being wolfkin.

“And he’s staying here?  In the house?” Jolen’s voice wavered a little as he asked.

“Yeah, dude.”

“Does my father know he might be a lycanthrope?”

“I don’t know, I mean, they contracted him, you know.” Loki moved over close to Jolen who was shaking, “What are you so afraid of?”

“He can’t be, pop wouldn’t do that to me, he knows…” Jolen trailed off as he looked at Loki his eyes wide with his fear.

“Knows what?”

“Nothing, it’s nothing.”

Loki reached over and wrapped one arm around Jolen.  “Look dude it’s all right.  We all have our hang-ups.  Now, why don’t you tell me what bugs you out so much about Ishak maybe going furry once a month.”

“It’s not natural.  How can he stand it?”  Jolen turned his body in toward Loki and buried his face in Loki’s neck. 

“If he’s a ‘thrope it is natural for him, other than that, I don’t know how he can or can not stand it, only that it’s not as bad as you seem to think, dude.”  Loki stroked Jolen’s back and hair, which was a little long and unruly.  Then he leaned in and sniffed him searching for his true scent.  He was shocked to find Jolen smelled of paint thinner and oil, of something sweet he could not place, and under it all Loki scented wolfkin.  It was sleeping, but there.  Loki had to refrain from kissing Jolen’s neck.

“You sound like you approve of lycanthropes.”

“I don’t approve or disapprove dude, they just are, you know, like you and I just are.”

“Well I disapprove.  They should not be allowed to live.  They’re murderers, all of them.” Jolen said bitterly.

The door opened and Ishak poked his head in, “Mrs. Tanley says dinner is ready,” then he left again, leaving the door slightly ajar. Loki held Jolen as he trembled some more just from the sight of Ishak.

“It’s not like he’s going to eat you or anything.  He’s here to protect me, come on and lets go see what your mom has fixed for dinner.”

Jolen nodded.  Loki moved him forward and he walked.  This worried Loki.  What had traumatized the Ulfric’s son so terribly that he was terrified of wolfkin?

 

Dinner itself went rather smoothly, with polite talk over good food.  As soon as he had finished, Jolen excused himself with the excuse that Loki’s arrival had interrupted his study time and he needed to finish.  Loki understood his real reason, he did not want to be anywhere near Ishak.  George and Ishak retired to George’s office to ‘discuss some details of the case’, which left Loki alone with Mrs. Tanley, who began to clear the table. 

“Need some help with that?” Loki asked as he picked up his dish.

“Oh.  You don’t have to, you are a guest after all.” 

“It’s all right Mrs. Tanley, my family would be upset if they found out I was so rude as to not help a lady such as yourself.”

“Such as myself huh?”

Loki grinned at her and carried the dishes into the kitchen.  “Yes m’am, you know, wife of an excellent lawyer and all.”

Nona smiled stiffly at him, and Loki was sure he had struck a nerve with the woman. 

“So, tell me about your family, Loki. What is it that brings you here?”

“I’m not really sure.  There I was minding my own business, and the next thing I know I get a phone call telling me to come home.  When I arrive, I’m told I’m going into protective custody.  Ishak shows up and away we go.  Of course no one tells me anything, it’s not like I have a life or a job or anything.”

“A young man your age?  Are you a student?”

“No m’am more like a delinquent,” he winked at her.

“So your parents are well off?”

“I wouldn’t call them well off, but my family is sort of high profile.”

“Would I have seen them before?”

“I’m sure you may have, but Mr. Tanley told me I really couldn’t talk about my family, you know, cause of the case.”

“Of course, of course.”  Nona nodded her head and started to wash the dishes.

“George does a lot of cases with lycanthropes, would that be part of your situation?”

Loki nearly dropped the dish he was rinsing, “I really shouldn’t talk about it, Mrs. Tanley.”

“You’re not talking about it, I am,” she looked at him and smiled.  It was a very predatory smile for someone who was not supposed to be wolfkin. “It does have something to do with one of his lycanthrope cases, doesn’t it?”

“I really can’t say.” Loki did his best to make himself sound as if he were pleading for her to stop questioning him.

“Well, lets talk about you then… have you been infected with the lycanthrope virus?”

Loki looked at her oddly; lycanthropy was not a virus, although that was one of the most common misconceptions.  He decided to answer her question, and not what she meant to ask, “No m’am, I’ve not been infected with any virus like that.”

She quirked up one eyebrow and smiled at him.  Loki smiled back, trying to keep his face neutral.  Something in his gut told him that this was one dangerous woman and he wondered if he and Ishak were going to be safe with her.

“So how do you feel about a lycanthrope case tearing you away from your life?”

“I think it’s just plain stupid.  If my family would just go to the police…” Loki looked at her then blushed and returned to rinsing the dishes.

“Why wouldn’t they go to the police, Loki?”

“I don’t know.  Really I do not, it is just that, well, this is just plain stupid, penning me up here with Ishak to make sure I stay alive.  No one will tell me anything, and once again it’s because of some big family secret that they think I’m not mature enough to handle.” Loki put down the dishes, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have… I will go up to Jolen’s room now.  Really, I’m sorry,” said Loki as he retreated from the kitchen.

“Loki, wait.  I’m just asking because of Jolen,” she sighed.  “He is so fragile these days.”

“Fragile?” Loki asked returning to stand near her. 

“Yes, he has been sick off and on all his life,” Nona made eye contact with Loki who did not look away, “I was hoping you would know how to go about getting him infected with the lycanthrope virus so that he could be strong.”

Loki blushed.

“You do know how don’t you?” Nona pressed, “A way to get him around someone with the virus so that he can catch it.”

“I’m not so sure that would be good for him, Mrs. Tanley.”

“But he’s very sick.”

“He doesn’t look sick,” Loki hedged.

“It’s inside him, eating him from the inside out.  We… that is Mr. Tanley and I, haven’t even told him how bad he really is.  If you know how to help him, you’ve just got to.”

“I’ll have to think about this,” Loki furrowed his brow, “I mean, you are asking a lot, you know?”

“I know, Loki, this is very difficult for you.  You go think about it, but don’t take too long, he needs to be infected soon or he could die.”

“How soon?”

“Soon enough he would change on the next full moon.”

Loki whistled, “that soon?”

Nona nodded.

“I’ll have to give this some serious thought,” Loki promised, and then he backed out of the room, not wanting to take his eyes off Nona Tanley.  She was even more dangerous than she first seemed.

 

After leaving the kitchen, Loki wandered around the house, poking around and just getting a feel for the type of woman Nona was.  He was not sure what he should do about her wanting Jolen to be wolfkin, he already was wolfkin, just unawakened.  Loki considered what he knew about the Ulfric too, and why he might have waited so long to awaken his own son.  Then again with Nona as his wife, he could see why the awakening had been postponed.  It would have been so much simpler to do it when Jolen was going through puberty like he had been awakened.  Loki sighed, why was nothing ever as simple as it seemed?

There were pictures on the walls of Jolen growing up with family and friends, sports group shots, and even a shelf with several trophies on it right in the living room.  It seemed Jolen had played football, baseball, soccer, and even participated on the swim team at different times in his youth.  Loki touched one of the trophies.  He did not have anything like this growing up among the wolfkin.  Maybe in slowing Jolen’s awakening, George was doing him a favor. He gave him a normal enough childhood.  Loki tried to remember the time before he lived with the wolfkin, there was a house and he did have parents, but that was so long ago.  His uncles came for him when he was still a child and the memories stopped there.  He was standing there searching a photograph for Jolen when he heard steps come up behind him.

“See anything interesting?” Jolen asked.

“Yes.  Do you still play any of these sports?”

“Not really, I didn’t have the time when I got older, and now, well there aren’t many organized sports teams for non-professional adults.  However I still swim.”

“You do? Where?”

“In the pool, in the back.”

“Ah, I never learned to swim.”

“It’s not deep, not likely you would drown or anything.”

“Dude, are you asking me if I would like to take a dip with you?”

“Well only if you want.” Jolen walked away.

“Hey, wait up, I do want.  I mean, it’s just that I don’t have a swim suit or anything.”

“So swim in your underwear.” Jolen shrugged.

“Dude, I don’t wear underwear.” Loki grinned rakishly.

“I might be able to find a pair of trunks for you to wear, although you look bigger than me and smaller than pop.”

“Thank you.”  Loki followed Jolen up to find a pair of swimming trunks.  It turned out that Jolen had several pair, so Loki had a few to choose from to find the best fit.  When he came out of the bathroom, Jolen was waiting for him, wrapped in a towel.  Jolen handed him a towel and then led the way down stairs and out the back.  Loki was not sure what was going on with him, he seemed friendly one minute then standoffish the next.  Maybe he really was sick like Nona claimed, but if that were true, then why hadn’t George said anything to him about it?  The pool was in fact in the back; way in the back inside its own fenced enclosure and little house.  Loki had not realized that George lived on such a large piece of property. 

“Over there somewhere in the trees is where the national park starts, we get wild animals in the yard all the time, especially deer.  I think my parents put the pool way back here because it was more private.”

Loki listened to Jolen talk as they walked.  It made sense that the Ulfric lived near the forest.

“Pop knows almost all the park rangers.  They sometimes come over to let us know something is going on that we need to be aware of.”

They had arrived at the pool; Jolen unwrapped his towel from his waist and tossed it over a chair.  Loki could not help but to be surprised at the tiny swimsuit Jolen sported, nor how well it fit.  Before he could toss his towel in a chair, Jolen was in the water.  Loki followed him in a little more cautiously and together they frolicked for a while.

“We were looking for you,” came a voice from by the fence after they had been in the pool for about half an hour.

Loki looked over and saw George and Ishak standing there.  Jolen had grinned when he heard the voice, but froze when he saw Ishak. 

“Well, you found us,” Loki replied for the both of them. “Jolen was showing me what there was to do for fun around here.”

“Did he show you the game room?  It’s a much safer place for you to be.” Ishak said bluntly.

“No, he didn’t.  Don’t you think I’m safe in his company?”

George looked at Ishak then shrugged.  “They are still on the property, and I trust them to stay safe as possible.”

“You don’t think there is the possibility of a kidnapping?”

“It’s possible, but they can’t know he’s here yet.”

“This is true.” Ishak agreed, “but I will have to accompany you out here if you come out again.”

Loki sighed, “Of course, can’t go anywhere without my babysitter.”

“That’s bodyguard to you, young man.”

Loki laughed and poked Jolen in the side.  “What do you think — baby sitter or body guard?”

Jolen looked at Ishak and in a cold voice responded, “It doesn’t matter either way he’s a pain the ass.”

Loki laughed, “I don’t think my new roommate likes you, Ishak.”

Ishak shrugged and sat down in one of the several chairs available.  “Doesn’t matter what you think or what he likes, you are stuck with me.”

Jolen pulled himself out of the pool and picked up his towel.  “Well I’m not,” he said and walked off toward the house.

 

Loki watched Jolen go, unsure if he should follow.  Once Jolen was out of earshot he spoke softly to George and Ishak.  “He doesn’t like wolfkin and he suspects you are one, Ishak.”

George sighed.  “I was afraid of this, follow him at least in the house, Ishak, I need to speak to Iskender anyway.”

“If he’s afraid of me, how am I to watch him?”

“From a distance if necessary.  Just don’t frighten him any more than he already is.”

“Yes Sir.” Ishak nodded his head once and followed after Jolen.

“So, how are you and Jolen getting along?”

“Well enough I suppose.  He doesn’t think I’m wolfkin, but he does think I’m younger than I am, which is fine.”

George nodded.  “Yes, if he believes you are closer to his age that is fine.  I just don’t know how to protect him any more than I am.”

“Sir, I don’t believe he is safe even here.”

“What do you mean?” George asked concerned.

“Well…” Loki went on to explain about his conversation with Nona as he climbed out of the pool and sat in a chair to dry off.

“So she wants you to infect him with the lycanthrope virus?”

“Basically.  Is there a reason he hasn’t had his awakening yet?”

“You see how he is fearful of wolfkin, I was hoping to bring him over slowly.”

“If he were awakened it would help protect him.  However I don’t trust your wife, Sir, she makes my hackles rise.”

“What would you suggest we do then to protect him?”

“Awaken him.”

George was quiet for a long time, and then he said, “Do it.  Let my wife think you are following her directions, and do it.”

“Me Sir?” Loki asked surprised.

“Yes, you.  You do know how to do it don’t you?”

Loki nodded.  He did know, every wolfkin knew how to awaken another.  “He will hate me, Sir.”

“Better you than me,” George said bluntly as he stood up. “I expect to see signs soon.”

“Yes, Sir.” Loki replied unhappy with the results of this conversation.

“Come on, can’t have you out here by yourself if you are supposed to be under my protection,” George started walking back toward the house, and Loki followed, considering how he was going to survive Jolen’s awakening.

 

Once they were back inside, George sent Loki up to Jolen’s room and then went looking for Ishak.  He found him in the game room, alone.  “Ishak, come into my office would you please.”

Ishak followed George into the office and sat down in the chair he occupied earlier that evening.  “What’s up?”

“Loki will be assisting Jolen in his awakening.  You are to watch from a distance and allow this to happen, but if anything goes wrong, I want you there.”

“Iskender is young for assisting an awakening.”

“I know, that is why I want you nearby.  Jolen already suspects that you are wolfkin, and he will not trust you.  He does not suspect Iskender yet, and when he does, it will be too late.  I want you to encourage their delinquency.”

“But Sir, what about the threat?”

“He will be harder to harm if he is awakened, besides that, he will be better able to defend himself once he is awakened.”

“He will have no control for a while.”

“I know, but he should be fine.  I need this to happen Ishak, and if you can’t allow it, then I can find someone to replace you.”

“Yes Sir.”

“That’s all, enjoy your evening,” George dismissed him.

“Thank you Sir,” Ishak stood and left the office heading back down to the game room.  He had quite a bit of thinking to do.  Jolen seemed to him to be a spoiled man child and awaking him before he was ready would be detrimental to his health, and to the health of those around him.  Furthermore, the boy seemed to dislike him just because he was wolfkin.  He would have to help him to get over that if his awakening were to go well.  But the most disconcerting thing was how Mrs. Tanley did not know her husband was wolfkin nor did she know that her son was terrified of wolfkin.  What had happened to traumatize the boy so badly?  Problems, nothing but problems and no answers; Ishak finished his game and went back upstairs to the guest room.  It was not very late, but if he were going to be prowling the property in the middle of the night, then he better get to sleep now.

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