Pack.
That was going to take some time to get used to. I was actually a member of a wolf pack. After leaving my birth pack years ago, I never thought I'd join another pack and yet here I was, second-in-command.
Did life get any stranger than this?
I brought up the tracking app on my cell phone and then set it in the recharging holder attached to the handlebars of my bike. I preferred being as hands free as possible while riding.
"Get the door," I told Gunny as I climbed onto my motorcycle. If all of us intended to stay here long term, we seriously needed to consider building a garage instead of storing our bikes in the barn.
Once the door was open, I started my motorcycle and drove out of the barn. I waited in the driveway for Gunny to join me and then headed out for the main road.
I didn't drive too fast because I wanted to have a little distance between Ajag and us. It wasn't time for him to know I was following him. I also needed space so I could be prepared in case he stopped.
It was dark before Ajag finally pulled off the highway. We'd driven nearly all the way across the state. I'd have to look at a map, but I was pretty sure we weren't far from the Idaho state border.
I was actually surprised Ajag hadn't pulled over before this, especially considering he was driving with a small child in the car. Maybe he had been hoping to put as much distance between him and the ranch as possible.
That thought actually made my chest tighten.
I pulled into a bar a couple of miles from the motel Ajag had stopped at. I drove my bike around back before finding a parking spot. I didn't know much about this small town, but hopefully no one would mess with my motorcycle if it was parked back here.
Gunny parked his bike next to mine, turned off the engine, and then gave me a long look. "Beer?"
I grunted as I grabbed my cell phone, stuck it in my jacket pocket, and then swung my leg over the bike. I wasn't sure a beer was going to cut it, but I also didn't want something heavier. I needed to keep my wits about me right now.
Food would be good.
I paused just inside the door of the bar and looked around. It was basically a roadside bar just like any other roadside bar. It was clean and homey, but didn't have a lot of character.
I quickly scoped out the few patrons inside the place, looking for anything I needed to be wary of. When I found them all to be human, I made my way over to a booth near the back and sat down.
We weren't in anyone's territory as far as I knew, but that could change. Maybe I should send Ajag a map of all the shifter packs and their territories? He seemed to want to avoid them, but did he know where they were all located?
After ordering a beer and a burger, I sat back and watched the people moving about the bar. More people were coming in as the night went on, the music becoming louder and livelier.
"You going to check on them tonight?"
I grunted at Gunny for asking a stupid question. Of course I was going to check on Ajag and Sy. I was just waiting for more darkness. I needed to give Ajag and Sy time to settle into their motel room before I went sneaking around. I also needed to make sure there were less people on the streets.
No sense getting spotted.
"We should book a room at the same motel Ajag is staying at," Gunny stated.
"He'll spot us."
I was sure of it.
"He'll spot two motorcycles," Gunny clarified. "That does not mean he will spot us. Besides, it will make it easier for you to keep an eye on them if we're sleeping in the same place."
True, but I still felt Ajag would spot us. He might not have seen our motorcycles, but he wasn't stupid by any means. I'm sure he heard them a time or two while at the ranch.
"Go book us a room, but make sure he doesn't see you."
I did not want Ajag to know we were following him. At least, not yet. I'm sure that eventually he'd figure it out. Like I said, he wasn't stupid. I just wanted to keep him from him for a little longer.
Ajag was in the "flight" part of "fight or flight". He was running even if he really didn't want to. I'd seen the desire to stay in his eyes back at the ranch. I knew he didn't want to leave, but he was running scared at the moment. I needed to wait until he calmed down before letting him know I was following him.
I continued to scan the room while I waited for Gunny to go book us a room for the night. I'm sure there would be other nights when we were sleeping under the stars in our fur.
