“Tendra, come on, we’re going shopping.”
“What?”
“Shopping, clothes for you and Tim. You can’t wear that same outfit another day, neither can Tim wear his. I’m taking you shopping.”
“You could take us home. We have all our belongings there.”
“You won’t be stepping one foot over that threshold again.”
“You promised I could go back in a month.”
“Only if you still refuse to be my mate!”
“I have no money for new clothes.”
“I will provide for you, come on.”
He was getting frustrated, he didn’t want her where the memories were and he especially didn’t want her to witness the dragging out and degradation her father would go through. The silver chains would take his strength, so much so he wouldn’t be able to even stand up on his own feet, he would be crawling while they dragged him. The silver would not burn enough to scar him but it wouldn’t be completely pain free. He wasn’t taking chance that Tendra act like a child and feel for her father. He didn’t want her to try to stop the punishment her father deserved. He wasn’t letting her go back.
Just as she was about to protest further he grabbed her wrist and pulled her along, letting out a little unintentional growl.
“What about Tim?!”
“Look behind you.” She turned her head and found Ashton pulling a coat on Tim and picking him up quickly to bring him over to them. “Tim is coming with us, Ashton just wanted to put him in a coat.”
“Why do they have children’s clothes?”
“Nancy and Ashton can’t have children. We aren’t really sure why, They have tried for years now and no luck. Nancy’s sister had a little boy but Rachel got depression and she couldn’t take care of herself let alone a little boy so Nancy stepped in. They had no children of their own so they raised Nico from him being three to being five. Rachel was getting a lot of help though, Nancy and Ashton made sure she had counselling, saw the doctor and ate properly and all that. Anyway she got better earlier this year, so they let Nico go back home now it’s safe for him.”
“I bet that was hard for Nancy.”
“Yes it was. She stayed in the house for three weeks but they took Nico in knowing they were only caring for him while his mum got better, it was never a permanent thing, they were only helping out, but still two years is a long time and they grew attached.”
“Do they still see him?”
“Of course. Rachel owes to them her life and that of her son. She has them over for dinner three times a week and lets them take Nico out on trips during school holidays.”
Little shoulders suddenly wedged between the two of them, pushing them apart, leaving room for a little body and the grinning face of Tim, whose cheeks were rosy red and his eyes sparkling. Tendra could tell he was dying to tell her all about his night, his breakfast and his new clothes. They looked shop bought.
“Are the clothes new?”
“Probably. Nico’s return was very sudden. Rachel got better and one day came for him. She was better so they had no reason to say no, but they were always buying him things and I think they still do, it’s a habit they got into and they see him often still.”
Their conversation was quiet. Low key due to Tim being there but he was too busy turning his head left and right and watching as birds took flight from trees and the trees themselves were started to dwindle down as they were getting to the outskirts. He lifted up his hands and took hold of Tendra’s hand and then to both their surprises, Tim took hold of Rays.
“Nancy makes good breakfast doesn’t she Tendra?”
“She certainly does.”
“We’re going shopping aren’t we?”
“Yes. We’re going shopping.”
“Can I get new shoes?” He asked.
“We’ll have to see Tim, I don’t have much money.”
“You have plenty of money.” Ray cut in. “Spend what you need.” He cast a glance down at Tim’s shoes and found them a little ragged; they were worn and stained on the sides. He then looked to Tendra’s feet and stopped abruptly. She wasn’t wearing any. He thought back to her walk into the forest to introduce herself. She had been bare foot then, she had ran home with none on her, and he had stupidly forgotten she wore none.
“You aren’t wearing shoes.”
“I wasn’t exactly in a position to get any when you took me from my home.”
“You make it sound like I dragged you out.”
“No, you carried me.”
She didn’t sound angry at him so he said no more. Still he worried about her going with nothing on her feet. He had no car, he had intended to walk into the town as it wasn’t too long a distance but now he was changing his mind.
“Come on.” She walked forward and Tim holding her hand was pulled along as well. He had no choice but to carry on, worrying that her bare feet walking along the shopping centre wouldn’t be too good. But he vowed the first thing he would buy would be her shoes. And Tim some as well.
Ashton gathered all the wolves that had not been on night patrol.
“Listen up guys I have something to tell you. Turner is currently asleep; he ended up being woken up last night by Alpha and delivered some bad news. He did not sleep tonight and so in the steed of both Alpha and Beta I am here to tell you. Just before lunch, Turner will be back and we will all report to him, he will take everything from there.”
And so he told them what Ray had told him. Their faces were something to see. They ranged from frowns to full out offense to outrage. Their faces going hard and serious. Their muscles bulged in their arms as they started to get prepared for what was being asked of them.
The patrols were set, the preparation put in place and Ashton was left to make sure the homes furthest from Alpha were still occupied and no one was as of yet hurt. As he made his way through the forest alone he remembered how he had kissed Nancy that very morning, he always did, and when he saw in her hand the little blue sweater she had knitted for a child they hoped one day to have of their own, he understood her pain. Tim was everything she wanted – wanted as biological. But that was, for some reason, not happening and she was coming to terms with it. Dressing Tim in the clothes she hoped one day to put on her own child.
He found a coat that he had bought for Nico a while ago but had not managed to give to him. He had put the coat on the little lad trying to come to terms with never being a father himself. He was scouting the forest as he went; watching for slight changes in the wind, the way the trees moved, the sounds of the other animals. The quiet that meant that something dangerous was coming. There was nothing. Everything was perfect. The trees moved the animals went about their business. He had no warning. Like he saw, nothing seemed off. But when claws sank into back and he let lose a human scream that turned into a wolf howl he knew he would not see the night.
His knees gave out and he crashed to the floor. Face first into the dirt and foliage. He breathed in soil particles and the pungent smell of herbs that grew at the base of trees and the likes. He closed his eyes due to pain, blood lose and probably other related things to do with his attack. He never saw his attacker but on closing his eyes he knew it could only be from the Sanguis pack. Only they had the ability to stand infront of someone’s open eyes and remain invisible. He had been caught, and he hadn’t even managed to warn the Alpha; they were already coming for her.