Beyond

Raven

I chickened out.

Can you blame me?

It's a lot to meet your mum's entire family especially after a nine-hour flight from England to America. I guess I could have waited for the baggage with Conner, but I thought I would be confident enough to just walk up with her. I chickened out right as she was shifting to human. I just couldn't. but she understood and let me stay in the trees until she met all of the kids from the pack.

She was not even halfway down the street when they noticed her. A woman, who must have been my mum's old best friend, stood up and ran over to her. My thoughts were confirmed that she was at least a shifter. She was much faster than an average human. I watched the woman wrap her arms around my mother and my mum hugged her back. An older man who must be my uncle came next. It just proved how a family is supposed to be. No matter how long they are apart they're still family. I guess my family. 

I summon the courage and take to the air before shifting mid-flight. Having too much speed, needing to run to stop myself. Standing in front of them they are even more intimidating. 

"Raven. This is the pack. Jake, Saundra, Willow, Apollo, Amber, Matt, Thomas, and Lucy. Guys. This is Raven." My mum took a breath. "My daughter."

Time seemed to stand still. My normally very confident mum now stood awkwardly in front of her family.

Jake wrapped me up in his arms and I realized that this family I am being forced to join are quite the huggers. "Sorry," He said. "I just am so happy to have not only my sister back but also my niece!"

"Are you guys all shifters?" I asked. 

"Let's talk about that inside." Jake's wife Saundra said and opened the door to the house closest to us.

The room we walked into was large much like the rest of the house. It had two full couches and matching armchair aimed at a large TV that seemed to not be used often. I was quickly distracted by all of the pictures on the wall. There was only six of them up there leading me to believe Ambers was in her parent's house. The oldest, Matt was on the top although he only had four school pictures. When his pictures stopped my mum's started she had a few from before the pack and Seth but still didn't have nearly as many as the "normal" kid. So Matt and my mum covered the top layer. Below that was Apollo all though he had seven from middle and high school he also had three from his seven college years of becoming a teacher. The twins and their matching pictures next plus one of Thomas in his military uniform. Last but far from least was Willows 13 pictures from kindergarten to senior year. 

There are very few things that scare me. Silence, rejection, and most of all being discovered. I was at the end of the hall on the far side when a younger boy I hadn't seen outside scared me.

"So you are a shifter?" he said. It made me jump and shift. I wasn't thinking. I flew out of the house and into the trees. (10/18/18)