White Wolf Rising [Completed]

Part 22: Big Brother

As he crawled to his feet the last bit of his joints crackled. Slowly he walked clutching his full belly across the dark field, the other cows run from him. Knowing all to well that he was dangerous, inhuman.

Trying to stick to the shadows Caleb made it to his car, thankful his parents weren't home. He grabbed pants out of the packed duffle bag he had luckily placed there when he planned on staying with Freddie. Obviously his plans had changed.

He grabbed the tattered shirt from the gravel below his bare feet. Using the hose near his mothers garden he splashed him self, using the shirt to wash away the thick blood from his face.

"Hello little brother." A voice called behind him.

Caleb gasped turning around. A man stood a few feet away from him resting his elbow on a wooden fence post. He had dark brown hair almost black, shined like liquid against the glow of the moon, small strands hanging down around his eyes. 6'3 he stood, arms thick, built like a boxer. His eyes were pale blue and looked disturbingly familiar. A small half smile spread across his lips.

"Charlie?" Caleb blinked staring a the strange man that didn't seem like a stranger at all.

"Caleb."

Was he really standing here? Was this really him? Caleb didn't know how he would feel the moment he laid eyes on his brother. Until this moment. His eyes found themselves welling up with tears once more. There was no anger, there was no animosity. There was only his brother.

Caleb limped over to his brother and threw his arms around him. "Charlie you are alive."

"In the flesh." He smiled putting his arms around Caleb.

Embracing him deeply, he buried his head in his shoulder. "Where have you been?"

"Here and there."

"Are you alright?" Caleb asked putting his hands on his cheeks getting a good look at the man that stood before him. He looked like his real father.

"So, you know what our parents did?" He hissed releasing him.

Caleb stared into the eyes of a ghost. "Yes. Sheriff Dan- our Father told me. Today."

"He is not my father." Charlie spat, but quickly recovered with a sly smile. "I will be taking care of him soon."

"Charlie where have you been? You left me. You..." Caleb wiped tears from his eyes and hugged his brother again this time pulling back so that he didn't smother him. "I missed you."

"My story is a long one little brother. But the quick simple version is, I found other wolves. They took me in and cared for me. Taught me how to be strong. Unafraid of the beast that our Mother tried to kill."

"What?"

"She kept me so doped up on sedatives and tranquilizers that I could barely function. She tried to kill me." Charlies eyes darkened as he looked away from him.

Caleb shook his head in disgust, he did not agree with his mothers actions and he understood Charlies angry towards her. "You're here now. That's all that matters."

"You're right. And with my return comes a lesson. A lesson our elders must learn. And I am here to teach them the error of their wicked ways." Charlies eyes flickered with the light showing the wolf underneath.

"Charlie, The Sheriff said the wolf- your wolf took over. That the real Charlie was gone. Are you really my brother?"

Holding out his arms with a smug smile he replied, "Who else could be this dashing but Charles Talley, the one and only. The original." Then with a menacing whisper he continued, "Don't believe everything your parents tell you."