The soft light of dawn was working its way over the horizon when Jack and Everett finally pulled into a farm on the outskirts of Lubbock.  A couple of hundred feet away an old barn cast dark and creeping shadows, casting a spooky kind of vibe across the fields that surrounded them.  It was a shame that Everett and Jack were all that went bump in the night, and the only thing in that barn was a little girl who had no idea how to handle what she'd managed to become.

It could have been an easy call, at least it would have had they been there alone. Just in and out and on the road back home.  However, a couple of locals had made it their business to either protect the girl or trap her, one, and they lingered outside the weathered wood of the structure clumped in an entirely unhelpful group. 

Unfolding himself from the prison of the SUV, Everett managed a good stretch, before shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans and heading their direction. 

"Y'all called for a cleanup?"  For Everett this part never got old, being able to do what other packs couldn't, being able to take care of the ones that were difficult, and who normally were beyond reach.  His pride evident in the long, confident strides he made, strutting onto their territory as though it were his own. 

His question and his actions hit the nerve he'd intended them to. Three separate sets of shoulders straightened as chins jutted upward at the verbal affront.  Wolves were so damned predictable, Everett's little victory causing a smile to slice sharp and condescending across his face. 

Jack, either able to smell the forthcoming tension or just with really good timing, came around the vehicle then, ruffling his hair and offering a lopsided and friendly smile. 

"Hi."   There was a professional tone to the doctor's voice that Everett had never heard before.  "I'm Dr. Carter and this is Everett Grayson.  We're here from Sky Ranch about the girl."

"We know why you're here."   The rag-tag group had a pecking order, and the one who spoke was from somewhere in the middle. He was average height and average in appearance and just average in everything.  So much so that he bored Everett, leaving the dark-headed wolf to focus on the other two.

"Ah, yeah."   Jack rubbed at the back of his neck sheepishly.  "I guess you would."  He cleared his throat, coughing into his hand.  "How is she doing?"

Everett didn't bother to wait for an answer.  "She got a name?"  His words were laced with condescension and venom.  "Or do you just go around letting your people cause all sorts of problems without taking the time to find out basics about the people whose lives you screw up?"

Jack didn't rank high on the scale, he certainly was far lower than Everett as far as dominance, but the look he shot the other wolf at that moment was a surprisingly stern one.  Apparently, he was of the opinion that Everett should keep his mouth shut.

Too bad Everett had never been good at managing that. 

"I mean, what's this?"  Everett barely paid mind to anyone, though, and Jack certainly wasn't going to start being someone to tell him what to do. "Five calls in just as many years?"  Walking toward them he made a tsking sound of disappointment.

"Her name's Kelsey."  The voice came from the back, closest to the barn, it's owner stepping out of the shadows and wringing his hands. "This isn't, it isn't like that.  It isn't like the others."

It wasn't unusual for wolves to be nervous around Everett, he inspired that sort of response and enjoyed it.  But this kid was more frustrated and sad than panicked, and Ev figured out pretty quick the reason why. 

"She yours?"  Everett asked, jaw tightening as he did so.  Teenagers had no place being turned.  They made bad choices and those choices always ended up messing with someone else. Like deciding you loved the girl you'd been necking with so much you should be together forever.

"Yeah."  He was scrawny and toe-headed and was obviously love-sick over this Kelsey girl.  Which probably made his wolf feel that making her one of them, was the best idea ever.  "At least, she was."

"Yeah."  Everett echoed.  "You don't really hear about many girls gettin' over their boyfriend using them as a chew toy."  With another look at the kid and an absolute lack of empathy at his stupidity, Everett turned his attention back to the rest of the group. "You really need to keep your young ones in line, we can't keep bailing you out of this mess."  He kicked at the dirt, digging the pointed toe of his boot into the soil. "We'll run out of damned room."

"Girl's still in the barn." Came the bit off interruption from the third one.  "We haven't been able to get near her.  Don't see why you think you're going to be able to do any better."  He wasn't the alpha, there was too much doubt and posturing in his tone, but maybe he was their Next.  Or possibly their Enforcer, just like Everett.

Or not like Everett.  Everett was good at his job.

"Don't you worry your pretty head about that."  Everett drawled, tossing a wink at the guy before turning back to Jack.  "You got the paperwork?"

Confusion showed on the doctor's face before realization flooded in behind. "Oh. Yes!"  Jogging back to the SUV he went to the back seat, pulling out an embossed file that was filled with all the enrollment papers for the minor they were about to transport over state lines.

"Katie's."  Shooting a look at Everett, who was obviously a bad influence, Jack shook his head, cleared his throat, and started again. "Katherine has everything you need here.  You said you could get the parents' permission?"

"Yeah, we already talked to her folks."  The not Next but maybe Enforcer replied in that same annoyed coolness.

"Good.  These have the course catalogs, scholarship award letter, and other various forms which will need to be filled out.  Have them notarized, please, and back to us within forty-eight hours."  The beach-haired man handed the file over to the other pack's enforcer before taking a step back. 

"If there's anything they want to send to her, just contact us." He continued.  "She'll be given everything she needs up at the school.  Visitation can be arranged at any time, and the grounds are always open."  

Jack was rolling through the need-to-knows and Everett was getting more and more restless with each passing second.  Through the scent of all of them gathered there he could smell her, that sharp and acrid tang of fear being dragged down by the stink of exhaustion. 

"You got this, doc?"  Everett asked, quite suddenly, interrupting the steady flow of information coming out of Jack's mouth.  "She's been alone with these yokels long enough." 

A flash of irritation had sparked across Jack's features, but it vanished as quickly as it had appeared.  "Yeah."  He nodded, the corner of his mouth curving ever so slightly as he did so.  "You shout if you need me."

"Will  do, doc."  Everett rolled his shoulders as he headed toward the barn.  "Will do."