Prologue

Hello to all of my awesome readers, both new and old. This is the edited version of Running with Wolves Ch. 00. For those of you who have been with me all the way up to my current chapter, 18, I want to thank you for all of your support. For those of you that read my original chapters but did not want to continue because of all of the errors, I understand, and ask that you give it another chance. I now have two editors, so mistakes are at a minimum. And for those of you that are reading this for the first time, thank you so very much for reading! I am excited to hear what you think about my story. Please enjoy and comment and vote or re-vote at the end. Enjoy!

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Dominic was not having a good day.

Nothing had gone right for him. Everything that could go wrong, had; ranging from crappy to shit-tastic to just downright infuriating. All rolled up into one giant shit storm of horrible.

First, everyone had been woken up by Penny screaming and crying. It wasn't her fault; she was just two months old and had an ear infection, but God can that kid scream. An echoing, all consuming, piercing scream only babies had the ability to expel from such a tiny body.

Her crying had started at around four in the morning, and everyone knew it wouldn't stop for at least an hour, so they decided they might as well get up for the day. Dominic's insomnia conditioned him to stay functioning on little sleep, but his body still didn't take it well.

Everyone was just starting to pull out clothes and discuss breakfast when Garrett started shouting something about 'the fucking water'. It is never a good sign when the most mellow, head-on-straight guy you know starts to yell and cuss.

Rushing out of their makeshift bedrooms, Dominic and the three others that had been with him came out to discover the entire bottom level of the vacant warehouse they had commandeered as their home had flooded. Garrett was standing on a crate, looking down at his soaked flannel pants.

From the smell alone they knew it was overflow from the man-made drainage creek behind the building. They hadn't noticed it before because it always smelled like bad water inside the warehouse.

The flooding was caused by an early winter storm, miles upstream. Someone must have left a door open, and now everything light enough was either floating in the water or drifting out into different areas of the abandoned facility. No one had thought the storm would affect them this far downstream. Except Lorena, apparently, who had walked around with a bitchy 'I knew this would happen' look on her face, yelling and accusing everyone that they must have been the ones at fault for this happening. Funny, Dominic distinctly remembered it being

her

turn to lock up.

Consequently, they had left all their supplies and furniture items downstairs for the night.

The group of friends, a word used loosely when it came to Lorena, set out to salvage what they could, but gathering everyone's belongings and cleaning off the contaminated water was going to be difficult, not to mention tedious. There wasn't much room in the upstairs offices they now used as bedrooms, so most everything that they didn't need to sleep and get up in the morning was stored downstairs. Just the time it was going to take to get everything dry and back into usable condition was going to make their lives a bitch.

The most concerning issue was the food. Their two-week supply had been left in paper bags and boxes on the floor from a late night shopping trip, and with only a tiny fridge to keep perishables, most of it was dry boxed food. What could be saved from the floodwater wouldn't last long, which meant going back to the city sooner than planned.

Lucky for them, Penny and Jared's medications had been up in the bedrooms, but when checked they were still running lower than Dominic expected. With it being so cold and dusty in the warehouse, Jared's asthma was getting worse and they were fighting to keep him from getting a bad case of pneumonia; another problem that needed to be fixed immediately.

It had taken over three hours of sloshing around in six inches of nasty, freezing water, in the dark, wearing pajamas, using only two tiny flashlights they had managed to find, and having to endure Lorena's incessant bitching, but by seven most of what they could find was put out onto the roof so it could be washed with a hose and dish soap and then dried in the sun. Only as the sun came up it became clear it would be overcast and not warm enough to get the stuff dry. They would be lucky if everything didn't reek of mildew after all the water it had taken.

Dominic had thought the day couldn't get any worse.

It continued to get worse.

Ben came back home around 7:30 after being gone in the city all night, informing Dominic that he had been fired from his under-the-table night job at a construction site. Something about the people being assholes and deserving it. Dominic had known Ben a long time. He knew Ben didn't do well with authority figures, but this was the worst possible thing he could have done at the worst possible time. They had even taken his last paycheck as compensation for the other guy's E.R. visit.

Ben getting that job had been something they could count on for steady income. It had been just enough to get them by with the other odd jobs they could get, but now that was gone and with two people sick, one being a new baby that needed a lot of supplies anyway, the 'rent' being due in a few days, and a recent lack of odd jobs, they were going to have to resort to far less desirable and way more dangerous forms of acquiring income. This was a big blow to everybody.

"If someone can look after Penny, I can go into the city and get us some cash. It's been long enough for me to go back without having to worry." Samantha, nicknamed 'Blue' while on the street, and Penny's mother, looked somber at the idea of having to go out on the street again, but determined. The group had done a lot for her in the short time she had been with them, and she wanted to do her part to give back.

Dominic was having none of that. "No, you need to stay with Penny. We don't have formula and it would be too long before you got back to her. I'll go, it's no problem." Walking over to where she was sitting on the dry steps to the upstairs, Dominic stroked Penny's soft black haired head as she laid on her mom's swollen chest feeding. He smirked and teased her in a light tone. "And as much as we love having this little potato around, I don't think we want to do anything to risk another one right now." Samantha looked thoroughly relieved and utterly guilty all at once.

"No way." Ben dropped an armload of soggy clothing and towels into a bin, turning to look at Dominic. "It's my fault we're in this bind. I'll go."

Dominic snapped at him. "And do what, Ben? You can't pick, you can't scam, and you can't handle what I do. Besides," Ben had opened his mouth to try and argue' "I need you here. We were able to get the lighter stuff out, but Garrett and I couldn't lift the big stuff up the stairs to the roof, and there's a chance the Grinch will try to collect early like he did last month. You are the only one that can scare him into giving us the few extra days. We need you here, more than you don't want me out there."

Ben ground his teeth as he clenched his fists, but finally gave in, grunting "Fine." in agreement.

Lorena, having bailed on the clean up after Ben arrived, suddenly appeared at the top of the steps. "Well, I'm coming with you. This place smells like shit, and I need to meet up with a friend anyway." That was an instant red flag.

Dominic eyed her wearily. "What friend?"

"The fuck do you care?" She was overly defensive; another flag.

"Because we live together and if you've started up again you know the rules. Don't you remember what happened last time you wanted to meet up with a 'friend'?" Jarod's arm was still out of whack from her struggles as she came down from some bad shrooms.

Lorena snorted, rolling her eyes. "Look, I'm just meeting up with Trevor. We ran into each other last time I was in the city, and we got to talking. He has a new place and wants to get back together, so I'm going to stay with him. Is that alright with you, Dad?"

Dominic glared at her.

'I swear she may be older than me, but she acts like she was younger than Samantha,

' he thought. She knew he hated when she called him that. "I'm not your dad: I don't care where you stay. And if you want to go back to that ass wipe then go ahead, I won't try to talk you out of it again. But if you are leaving then you owe us for all the stuff you're taking," he leaned to look around her, spotting an extra bag next to her stuff. "And your share of the rent. Just because you're leaving a few days before it's due doesn't mean you get off for the past three weeks."

Again with the eye roll, but she nodded and went to grab her stuff. "Look, I appreciate you letting me stay with you and getting me clean, again, but I'm good now." Garrett snorted, which made Samantha hide a giggle behind her hand. Lorena glared at him. "Once we get to the city, I'll pay what I owe and you won't have to worry about me anymore."

Ben just shook his head and walked off to go start picking up the heavy furniture with Garrett. "Just don't come crying back to us when he gets you strung out again." And that was the end of the teary goodbyes.

The two left not long after that, hopping into an old lemon of a pick-up truck they used to travel to the city and back. It took four tries to get the engine to turn over before it spluttered to life. They had wanted to get a new car for a long time, but this was all they could afford. Even if it was a gas-guzzler, it was better than walking miles down the road to the nearest bus stop.

Lorena was quiet during the ride, which should have clued in Dominic that something was wrong. Lorena was a con artist, a fast talker. She could talk an Eskimo out of his fur coat during a blizzard if she wanted, or get out of any situation as long as her mouth was free to move, and sometimes even when it wasn't. She never quit talking except when she didn't want to be noticed. She was hiding something, but Dominic was too preoccupied with trying to figure out what needed to get done over the next few days while he stayed in the city.

In the end it all came down to money. Once they had that, everything else could be resolved. Dominic began making calls, getting a feel for who he could get to meet up with him, and writing down times and locations. Doing all of this while driving down a windy, pot-filled road wasn't easy, but he refused to let Lorena drive. One time was enough.

The drive from the warehouse was a pretty one, Dominic would give it that. The building they now occupied was actually one of about four buildings that had been built years ago to support a small airstrip. Some guy had wanted to open up a private shipping company, but with the economy and bigger companies as competition it went belly up fast. Now, the only people who knew it even existed were Dominic, his group, and a maintenance worker that let them stay there for $500 a month. It was secluded, right on the edge of a private nature preserve, and with it being so cheap compared to what they could find in the city, the band of friends had agreed the safety this place offered was worth the five hour drive into the nearby city. All they had to do was make sure they had enough gas stored in the bed of the truck and they were good to go.

Dominic was just getting done with his fifth confirmation when the city came into view.

"All right sweetheart, I'll see you tonight." Dominic snapped his pre-paid cell phone shut, sighing as he thumped his head against the headrest. It was going to be a long day, but as long as no one cancelled, it would be worth it.

Pulling onto the main freeway into the city, he considered the complications that could arise if this trip didn't go well. The Grinch, that's what they called the maintenance guy that let them stay in the warehouse because he was always grouchy and taking everything they had, har har, would be coming in a few days to collect his money. If they didn't have it, he would call the cops and say some vandals had moved in and they would be either kicked out or arrested. Being on the streets this time of year could be a death sentence to both Jarod and the baby, but there weren't many safe places to stay that were cheap. Less than a few actually. This trip had to go well.

As they were getting into downtown and into heavier traffic, Lorena reached into her bag. "Here." She hadn't waited for him to even park the car before shoving a wad of cash into his hand. "Good luck." She was out the door before he could say a word. The light turned green at that same time she got out, so he couldn't get out to talk to her. She was a bitch, but even she didn't deserve what Trevor was going to convince her to do. Misery loves company, and meth addicts are nothing but miserable.

The last Dominic saw of Lorena was her backpack weaving through the standing cars and onto the busy sidewalk.

The rest of the day was spent turning tricks with customers that had been established over the years by both Garrett and Dominic. It wasn't pleasant work, especially with some of the freakier ones that liked to play rough. One client even decided he didn't want to pay the full amount, bullshitting how he didn't think Dominic was into it enough and that maybe he would pay up after another round. Normally Dominic would have snapped the guys nose out of place and demanded payment before telling the guy to never call again, but there was a chance he would actually not pay and Dominic was too desperate for the cash to risk it.

So he just stood there and allowed a man over twice his age to continue to caress him from behind. He began dragging his dirty callused hands down from Dominic's slender shoulders, moving to his sides, down and across his waist, pushing his fingers into Dominic's unbuttoned jeans and stroking against his soft length.

They were standing in front of the by-the-hour motel's full-length mirror, giving Dominic a clear view of what the man was doing to him. How one of his hands was moving inside his pants, trying to stimulate his limp member, while the other ran circles over Dominic's chest and nipples; even how his greasy hair brushed against Dominic's shoulder as he licked and kissed at his neck.

Dominic also looked at himself, noticing the way his black bangs hung slightly over his hollow blue eyes as he made sounds of pleasure that from years of practice sounded real. He sighed and gasped and begged for more, saying that it felt so good and making the sleazy man groan in pleasure.

Dominic knew just how to push this guy's buttons. He had known Gary, a 47-year-old married mechanic and father of 3, for about six months. His parents had been extremely religious, and he had suppressed his sexual desires long enough to marry and have children with a woman. Gary held no attraction for his wife, but fortunately for him she was also raised by borderline cult type parents and was brought up to believe sex was only for when one wanted children. It was one of the main reasons he married her. And it was why every few weeks, when it was just too much to take, Gary would leave his job an hour or two early and seek out someone that was more fitting of his preferences, before going home to claim a late night's work to his wife and children.

In truth, Dominic didn't care about any of this information. Clients like these tended to try and explain their actions to the people they paid for. It made them feel less guilty when they rationalized it.

But none of that mattered to Dominic. He just focused on the thought that he and his friends desperately needed this money, and that it would be over soon. He just had to keep concentrating on reacting positively as Gary began grinding against his ass, slamming their bodies against the mirror to gain more friction, and when he pushed Dominic to his knees so he could shove his dirty, short cock into his mouth. Gary wasn't gentle while he face-fucked Dominic, few ever were. All he wanted was to get his fulfillment and leave before his wife noticed the time. Thankfully, he was too sensitive to last for very long.

By the end of the meeting there was almost enough cash to top off the rent money and start to replace some of the food. The day had seemed to finally be looking up.

It was nine o'clock at night by the time Gary was finished, and Dominic was exhausted and sore. He had one more client to see; a big spender since her boyfriend liked to watch, which was extra, and Gary had forked over his payment and even threw in an extra 20$ so Dominic decided he could splurge a bit and grab a small, cheap cup of coffee down the street.

Exiting the old coffee shop, he had taken all of two sips when it happened. The shit cherry to top off the piece of crap sundae that was this day.

As Dominic was walking down the dimly lit street, blowing on the hot coffee to make it drinkable, a blur of blond came flying around the corner, smashing into him and consequently smashing the cup against his chest. The boiling liquid poured out over Dominic's entire front, from his chin to his waist, burning his skin and staining the light grey long sleeve shirt he wore.

"What the hell?!" Dominic jumped back and stood there with a mostly empty cup of coffee in one hand, the other holding the steaming shirt away from his body. He was royally pissed. "Were you not watching where you were going!? God damn this hurts!"

As Dominic continued to try and flick his shirt out to cool down the coffee, he waited for some sort of response. An apology, maybe an offer to buy a new cup or a clean shirt. Anything. When nothing came, he glanced up.

What he saw, at any other time, would have taken his breath away. The blond he had spotted turned out to be shiny silver-blond hair, waving down around a delicately featured face with large, light hazel eyes above an upturned nose and pouty pink lips. Her clothes, which didn't have a spot of coffee on them, damn it all, consisted of a cream colored tailored pea coat with a flared skirt underneath. Upon closer inspection, they looked to be name brand, which meant expensive. Great, some posh city girl. Well at least she should have the cash to replace his coffee.

As he stood there taking her in, Dominic realized she was just staring at him like he had four eyes and an extra arm. She hadn't moved since she ran into him, but more importantly she still hadn't said anything. No apology, no offer to help; no response to the situation at all. Not even a "Watch where you're going!" followed by her stomping off. She just stared with her pouty pink lips parted in shock. Maybe the lights were on but no one was home? What the hell did it even matter? He was now burned, in pain, and late to top it all off. This day really could not get any worse.

After another beat, Dominic decided it wasn't worth it. She was probably crazy or something and would just freak out when she came out of whatever trance she was in. "Look, just watch where the hell you're going next time, alright?" Not wanting to be even more late, he side stepped the wide eyed klutz and continued on his way. "Fucking entitled rich brats." He grumbled too quietly for her to hear.

Dominic could have sworn he heard an indignant-sounding growl behind him.