Truce and Lies

Chapter 21: family again

I woke up in my bed in the early morning, though with the snow piled high outside my window it could have been any time of night. My schedule had been all turned around in the last couple of days.

I showered and then stared at my selection of clothes, deciding to wear one of my dress shirts with jeans, no tie. Stefa had called last night, but I hadn't picked it up, choosing to text her instead. I couldn't talk to her yet; I was still upset and needed to time to cool off.

The house was quiet as I ascended the stairs, but I hadn't been as quiet as I thought because I was met in the kitchen by Mel, coffee mug in hand.

"Tea?" she inquired.

"Do we still have blueberry?"

She found me a mug and poured me a cup. I took it with a nod of thanks, but we didn't speak. Before everything, Mel and I would sometimes get up early to talk. I always had questions about being human and Mel would answer kindly. Mel sipped her coffee, and I wondered how she was taking everything that happened to her. She had a pack of werewolves that she was now in charge of. She turned into a wolf once a month and not a year ago, the strangest thing about her life was me.

With these thoughts in mind, I was a little remorseful about my behavior yesterday.

"I'm sorry," I said finally.

Mel laughed. "For what?"

"For not calling," I said. "For everything yesterday. I was upset and took it out on everyone."

"You don't seem thrilled to be here," she agreed. "What can we do?"

I stared into the steam of my tea, having nothing to suggest or offer. It wasn't her fault I was upset about being here.

"Grant once told me that Stefa's love for me didn't change what she was," I told her. "I guess, I thought that it would change her. But I think she changed me more than the other way around."

"We love you as you are, Conor," Mel said. "If you stay with us, if you stay with Stefa, I don't care. Obviously I want you home, but that's for selfish reasons. I want you to stay safe." She wiped a tear from her eye. "You saw Susie Lynn yesterday. She missed you so much."

"I missed her," I admitted.

She smiled at me. "Then be here, at least for a time," she suggested. "Spend Christmas with us. You can always go back with Stefa. But it would mean a lot to the pack if you were here."

"I'll be here until summer," I replied. "And probably beyond, depending on the news."

"News?"

"I think Stefa might..." I sighed. "I think she might be embroiling herself in a war that I don't want a part in. I don't want to run from hunters for the rest of my life. I don't want the pack to be in danger because of me. It's bad enough that Peter wants Grant to go with him, but I will try and stay here happily."

"Peter wants Grant again? After everything that happened?"

"Hunters are bad at hunting vampires," I agreed. "Grant is the best of both. I told Peter that only Grant is allowed to go; I'm hoping that's enough to convince Grant to stay."

"It's not really your call," Mel observed.

"No?" I scoffed. "I cannot believe that you let Aidan go. After what I told you about the hunters? How they used Stefa against me? Injected me with silver? Peter would keep Grant safe, sure, but who would stop them if they took Aidan? What if they had locked him up for attacking that woman, Tish?"

Mel grimaced and nodded. "You have a point," she conceded. "But Ralph and I are still in charge, Conor. We can handle it."

"You didn't last time."