Claws (Rewritten)

Five

Caleb

We stayed at my father's house for a few hours, mulling over the previous year and discussing the hunters.

"As far as we know, there's none here. No suspicious behaviour, or anything. The whole area is quiet - even Aidan hasn't heard of or seen any hunters for months," My father told us. "That being said, they're awfully good at hiding when they want to, so watch yourselves."

"We will. I could do with a few more hunter-free months," I assured him. And I would do all I could to make sure things stayed that way. Hunters would always be an issue for people like us, but with any luck those that cross our path in the future won't be so hell-bent on torturing us with strange pendants and the supernatural equivalent of tear gas.

I decided to keep our travel plans out of conversation for now, and thankfully Markus caught on. After all, the last thing I wanted to do was worry them about something that wouldn't happen for months. I wasn't sure how they'd take it--my will to travel again. And, in all honesty, I didn't want to see that broken look in my father's eyes again. The look I caught a glimpse of before turning my back on him, my brother and the wolves and disappearing for a century.

Besides, we hadn't even spoken to the girls about it. Not that I was looking forward to their reaction - something was telling me that they'll convince us to drop out and travel for a year, and Markus needed little persuasion.

"Is it too late to go to the pack house, do you reckon?" I asked Markus, glancing out the window at the pitch black forest.

He frowned lightly, leaning back in his seat and following my gaze. "Pack house? No, it's like a hotel - open all hours of the day and night. Why, afraid I've forgotten something?"

Daniel laughed. "That's not difficult to imagine."

"I need to speak with Kaden, that's all," I dismissed, albeit a little suspiciously. Perhaps I was just being overly paranoid after last year. "It can wait, if you don't want to go."

My father watched me for a moment or two longer than usual. "Have you heard from Amelie?" He asked randomly.

The question caught me off guard, but I quickly recovered. "Last I heard she was heading north chasing a lead about her family," I informed him. That had been a few months ago, and there had been no sign of her since. In all honesty, I wasn't at all concerned for her. She'd managed a hundred years on her own just as I had, and I knew she could take care of herself. "Have you?"

He shook his head. "I was just wondering. You're a little...apprehensive."

"You both are," Daniel added, his gaze flickering between me and Markus.

Markus shrugged. "Pre-uni nerves. We should probably head back - we can go to the pack house some other time."

"You're not going to raid my kitchen?" My father asked, disbelief lining his voice as he stared at Markus.

The werewolf shrugged. "I'm not hungry."

His words were met with silence as my father and Daniel studied us both.

"Well, that's unusual," My brother commented in a stage-whisper.

"Incredibly."

"Hiding something, perhaps?"

"I think you may be onto something, there."

I stared at them both blankly before turning my attention on Markus. "Pack house another time?"

"Pack house another time," He agreed, standing up.

I went to get up, too, but stopped when Daniel asked, "What's up with you both?"