Sapphire Bones

Drown

"I have to report this to the humans and I want you in the room with me when I do," I said. Penelope nodded and hurried past Ethel and me without a response. My sister and I exchanged a look, hers being more aligned with the blue weight that fell around us. I followed Penelope back into the house. We headed up the stairs toward my office where she took a seat in front of the large desk in the middle of the room. I sat in my chair and settled for a moment. After my mother finished moving around uncomfortably and wiping her dry cheeks with her hands, I spoke up. The mascara stains were blurred from her incessant wiping with the side of her hands. The distinct vines that branched off and decorated her cheeks were a shadowy mess that covered most her cheeks and jawline.

"I'm sorry about Ryan."

My mother cracked a smile at the edges of her lips but she refused to look up at me. "It was inevitable," she shook her head. "Humans and Lycans aren't meant to be together. Humans just aren't accepting of other species'."

"You don't have to explain it to me," I offered the most sympathy I could muster but even when giving my best effort it fell short of what was needed. My father's illness on top of an already raging riff between pack members didn't help inter-pack relations. And that only hardened me further. My mother fell silent and looked back at her hands splayed gently in her lap atop the fluffy robe around her. Tears pricked at her eyes but she wiped them away before any had a chance to fall down the already hideous trail of mascara stains. When I knew she wasn't going to say anything else I grabbed the office telephone and clicked the number '6' speed dial. The phone rang a few times until a woman picked up on the other line. While my attention stayed on listening to the other line, I kept my eyes on Penelope. She spared a couple of glances my way, however, they never lasted longer than a second or two. Curiosity on top of the mounting sadness that consumed Penelope brought upon a multitude of ticks and twitches she couldn't control.

"US Department of Inter-Species Affairs," a shallow voice came over the line. "Do you have an extension?"

"Extension five, please," I answered her and the phone went dead for a moment before the soft lullaby of piano started up. My fingers tapped lazily on the desk while I watched my mother sit motionless in front of me. If I didn't know any better, I would've sworn she was a statue but her rising and falling chest helped keep me at ease that she wasn't trying to asphyxiate herself.

The piano music went silent and a new voice came over the phone. "James Martin, may I ask who's calling?"

"It's Alpha Edwards from Emerald Pack," I said curtly.

"What can I do for you, Alpha Edwards?" He asked with something just short of a temper.

"I need to report a human with knowledge of Lycan existence," I answered. I put my hand on the phone mic. "Mom, what's Ryan's last name?"

"Barron," she choked out.

"Ryan Barron just left Emerald territory. He knows of our existence."

"And he's human?"

"Yes, my mother's mate," I said. "He rejected her when she told him what she was, and he left."

"I appreciate the information; we will have a unit dispatched to your area in the next half hour to debrief him on what he needs to know and to keep quiet."

"Thank you," I said and hung up the phone before James Martin could say anything else. I didn't bother asking how they were going to find him; they always found who they were looking for no matter how well hidden their target tried to be. Ryan would be a mouse in the governments game. How they managed to keep the humans quiet about our existence, however, would forever remain a mystery. We didn't ask, and they never told us. The task was just done and we were never informed of an update after the fact.