It's A Hoot (mxm)

Chapter 28

They drove back to Miller Town, taking the winding road to Pop's place. The familiar fields were a welcome sight. They swayed and rustled in the winter breeze. It was hard to believe that it still hadn't snowed. The cold of the oncoming season was mounting up, delayed by unseen forces.

On their way through town, Toren saw the decorations that had been put up, reminding him of the upcoming winter festival. It was nice to see people still going about their daily lives, despite the eerie darkness that seemed to be hovering over the small town. They needed the festival.

Yips and howls of glee ripped through the air. The grass parted as three excited wolves came bounding through the fields, escorting them down the driveway.
The boys made Toren smile. Seeing them was like getting a shot of their energy, which they had in abundance. Always so spry and ready.

Landon was standing on the front porch, leaning against a post, his hands shoved in his pockets. His gaze swept across the truck, and there was an unusual curve to his mouth. He was frowning, displeased with something. An expression the cheerie young man hardly ever wore.

Pops was the first to approach it after they all had clambered from the truck. "What is it?" He asked, his voice drowning out as Taz, Onry, and Gray nearly knocked both Michael and Toren off their feet.

Taz gave Toren a big, gross, wet kiss on his chin and cheek, then darted around his legs. He could just barely make out Landon's response over the excited yips and whines.

"Nothing," Landon had tried to play it off, but Pops persisted until he released a drawn-out sigh. "I have to repeat a class. Don't worry about it, it's not important right now."

Toren looked up at him, their eyes meeting briefly before Landon's turned away, an inkling of shame hidden in them.

Pops folded his arms across his chest. "Well, what's the class?"

Landon pursed his lips, but something interrupted him. His head jerked up, and his attention was on the driveway. It was like Pops' place was turning into central city at all the activity. Taz was the only one to dart off to see who was coming. The other two were content with just planting themselves between Toren and Michael.

While he wondered who it might be as well, there was something more important than that. "Where's Autumn?"

Landon and Pops both looked at him in question, their confusion drawing out the realization that they didn't know the boy's name. So he clarified, "The rabbit."

"He's inside, asleep." Landon jabbed a thumb over his shoulder.

"Why did you call him Autumn?" Michael asked from beside him.

"That's his name," he stated with a dismissive shrug.

"He shifted?" Pops all but exclaimed. And when he got a nod, he was happy. He didn't smile, but there was a light to his expression. "I was worried he never would. Did he say anything else?"

Toren thought back on his interaction with the little rabbit and shook his head. "Nothing much." Nothing noteworthy, perhaps, would've been better to say, but Pops accepted it.

"That's a start."

The hum of a motor picked up. A trail of dust growing closer. The shine of metal glimmered, and a shape became a silhouette, and that silhouette became a motorcycle. It wasn't the black matte paint trimmed in red nor the leather jacket and sleek helmet. Toren simply knew that the man riding the bike was Alexander. From his built frame to the way he hunched over the bike, down to the presence he emitted. He was quick to park the motorcycle and kick out the stand, all too eager to tug the helmet off and flash them all a toothy grin.