The Dying Wolf

Chapter 9

I nodded and tried to make as much conversation as possible, "Did you ever find your brother last night?" 

She swallowed and nodded, "Yea, we came to bed last night at like 2 am. It was rather odd." 

"Yea." I thought back to Montavius, "I know what you mean." 

"How's Alpha treating you?" She asked. 

I was actually surprised that he was treating me much nicer than earlier. Letting me sleep in his bed, sticking up for me, "He's treating me great actually."

She smiled happily, "Great." 

I could hear another pair of footsteps, and in came Tyson. He rubbed his own eyes and he was also carrying a little girl who held a white stuffed bunny. I recognized that bunny anywhere. That was the girl I saw in the ally with the bully. She wasn't even awake yet as she rubbed her own eyes while clutching--What was that bunny's name again? Mrs.Bunny? That might be it. The little girl mumbled, "Ty...w-where's Uncle R?" She had to be no older than six. 

Tyson went over to the stove where all the food was placed and started making two plates as he answered, "Uncle R had to leave early this morning. Don't worry, he'll be back around lunch time." The little girl laid her head on Tyson's shoulder when her sweet blue eyes landed on me. 

It must've taken her a moment to recognize me until she said something, "You're the lady who helped me get back Mrs.Bunny. Ty! That's the lady I was talking to you about." 

All eyes were on me, this was awkward. Kris asked me, "You helped Avery get her bunny back?" 

 I nodded. Somehow I had just become a hero to them. "Yea. She seemed really upset so I decided to help her." 

Tyson brought Avery and her plate and sat them both next to Kris as he went and made his own plate, "Thanks a lot. She's had that bunny ever since she was two." Kris rubbed her hair and Avery giggled as she started eating from her plate. 

"Why is the lady here, Krissy?" She asked. 

Kristy gave Avery a napkin and put it on her lap, "Well, we're probably gonna see Tavyra a lot more often now." Avery simple went to her food as she played in her seat. Kristy turned to me and explained, "Avery's Rufus' niece. She's lived with us since she was a baby. We all take an effort to look after her." I nodded. 

I wanted to ask what happened to her parents, but this was probably a bad time and place. A multitude of things could've happened. Avery might not even know. Tyson returned with his plate and sat across from Kristy. He was shoveling food into his mouth faster than Kristy could ask him questions, "Why'd you come in so late anyway?"

"Hmm?" I think Tyson was playing the dumb game, "Oh, uh...Zan needed me to run an errand." He simply kept shoving food into his mouth.

"At 1 am?" She asked. He nodded, not making eye contact with her. "Is there something going on that no one's told me about? Alpha and Rufus had to leave early and you're acting all weird." 

Tyson actually took a moment to catch his breath, "Zan went with Rufus?" 

Kris rolled her eyes, "Yea, dum dum. Even I knew that." She just lazily went back to eating her food. Rather annoyed I should say. Tyson did seem a bit nervous and fidgety. Everything about this morning was weird. There was 'Tavius, and now Tyson? I feel like I was missing something.

 As we were all eating in silence, we heard the front door open. Avery was the only person who could poke her head out of the kitchen to see who it was. She gasped and jumped from her chair to run to them, "Uncle R!" 

I checked the time on my phone. It was only 9.30. It was nowhere near 12. We all stood up from the table and went to follow Avery. Rufus had picked up Avery and twirled her around. Then I saw Zannic. He looked tired and my heart went out for him. I went over and hugged him. At first the gesture seemed awkward, but then I felt his arms wrap about me too. "Hey, I thought you said this afternoon?" I asked him. 

He looked down at me and I could see smiles in his eyes, "We got back a little early." I hugged him more. His scent of outdoors and natural scent was kind of growing on me. Then came in an older guy. Zannic looked kinda of like him besides the brush of white in his hair and the grey in his eyes. They both stood at about the same height and had the same muscular build. And both pairs of eyes were simply looking at me. Except the grey-eyed man was much more intimidating. 

They all came in the house and hugs and words were exchanged. Rufus, Kristy, and Tyson had wondered away from the rest of us. I was silently pleading that they'd come back because I could feel the awkwardness stabbing into me. Zannic turned to the older man, "This is Tavyra." I gave a simple smile for him to not get on his bad side, but he didn't move or crack a smile. He simply looked me up and down a couple more times. "Tavyra, This is my father." I could've guess it was his father, but hearing those words shook my core even more. Because if Zannic was Alpha without him around, then this is--

 "Alpha Zane."