The large cabin encircled by the forest has me in awe. Their house is almost the size of a mansion, and the shop next to it looks like the size of my house. I definitely was not expecting this when Rhett said for us to go to his place. I half-expected a run-down shack because of the reputation that surrounds the Dixons.
I was wrong—about a lot of things.
The inside of the house is even better than the outside. It's nothing elegant, but it has a home-like feel to it. Blue curtains drape along the large windows, allowing the moonlight to shine through. A large, grey couch sits in the middle of the living area with a large, flat screen television hanging on the wall. You can definitely tell it's overrun by boys though because of the pizza boxes and clothes scattered across the ground.
Everyone made themselves comfortable on the large, wrap-around couch, and Rhett motioned for me to sit. I decided to sit next to my brother, where I felt the safest. To my surprise, there's more people here than I thought. The one, tan wolf that followed Rhett and Sawyer morphed into Parker, the guy I saw handing Rhett something in the parking lot a couple weeks ago. Two more guys also appeared in the room when we walked in, and among them, I recognize a guy named Owen from school. He's one of the guys that also hangs around Rhett. The other guy appears to be in his mid-twenties, but I've never seen him before.
The dark-brown wolf that stayed by my side on the walk here still remains in wolf form, which makes me more curious on who it is. He seems to know me though by the way he stays close to me. I eye him curiously until a tall, dark-haired man walks in from upstairs.
"Rhett, what's this? What is she doing here?" The older man demands with surprise contouring his chiseled features.
"Dad," Rhett acknowledged him. "She was almost attacked by that Vargulf. Sawyer got to him first and was injured, but she saw him."
So, that's Jason Dixon. He doesn't look like a bad guy. In fact, he isn't bad looking either. I can see where Rhett gets his looks from.
"She saw him?" Jason lifted his eyebrows in a quizzical fashion.
Sawyer cleared his throat, "She knows."
Rhett's dad looked from Sawyer to Rhett, and then looked at me. His green eyes watched me curiously. He seems to know me even though I've never met him before.
"Knows what exactly?"
I shift uncomfortably under his gaze, but then stop myself. I had to show them I wasn't afraid or weirded out. I had to appear strong.
"That you all are werewolves," I reply for the boys, not breaking eye contact.
An amused smile breaks out across Jason's face.
"Aw, that..."
"Yeah, so I think it's time for that explanation," I cut him off and looked to Rhett.
Instead of explaining, a small smirk much like his father's grows on his lips. He looks down at his knees and then looks up at me through his long eyelashes before turning to Sawyer.
"She's not gonna give up, is she?"
Sawyer chuckles, "No, she's not. Once Rae has somethin' on her mind, there's no stopping her."
Rhett's green eyes remained trained on me while he tapped his foot.
"Yeah, so get talkin', darlin'," I ordered in a teasing tone while I made myself comfortable on the couch.
I wasn't going anywhere without answers. He needed to understand that. Rhett scoffed and shook his head slightly.
"You heard the lady, son. You better get talkin'. Who knows what she'll do if you keep her waiting much longer," Rhett's dad chimed in before making his way upstairs.
He made a small whistling sound, which caused Parker, Owen, and the older guy to follow him back upstairs, probably to give us some privacy. The wolf next to me stayed by my side though. He didn't look like he was going anywhere.
"I think it's really your brother's story to tell."
Sawyer sighs at Rhett's comment and grunts as he sits up more. I could tell he was still in bad shape, so I touch his wrist to tell him it was okay.
He shook his head at me, "It's fine, Rae. I'll be healed completely in another hour or so."
I raise my eyebrows, and he takes that as a sign to continue.
"After I told you to leave me alone at the creek, I went into the forest by myself to blow off steam. I found a large tree and just sat under it for awhile until I heard a growl and bushes moving near me. It freaked me out, so I ran back towards the creek, but I didn't pay attention on which way I came from. I was runnin' in the wrong way and towards this direction. What I also didn't realize is that what I was running from was a lot faster than me and wasn't just a regular animal. It jumped on me from behind and bit my thigh... All I remember is screamin' from the pain, and then a wolf came out of nowhere and attacked that Vargulf before I passed out. I woke up here a few hours later and felt completely different; I was a werewolf."
"Wait, isn't that the thing that tried to attack me? What is that? Isn't it another werewolf?" I questioned him.
Rhett answered me instead of Sawyer, "Yes. It's a werewolf, but it's one that has lost complete touch with humanity and can't function normally. It turns only on a full moon."
I scratch the top of my head and lean forward, clasping my hands together solemnly.
"I heard screamin' that night...when I went into the woods alone because I saw Rhett there..."
Rhett looked genuinely surprised at my words and his brows furrowed. I don't think he knew that I saw him that night.
After learning what happened to my brother, I feel guilty because the yelling I heard before Wesley found me was him being attacked. I heard what happened to him that night.
"I-I didn't know that it was you, Sawyer," I tried to explain as tears spilled over my eyelashes. "If I had, I would've done somethin'. I shouldn't have fought with you...I'm so sorry.."
Strong arms were suddenly around my body and my face was pushed into the nape of his neck. My tears soaked through the clean shirt Rhett gave him when we got here. All the emotions I've been holding in from everything finally was breaking through the surface.
"Rae, don't cry, and don't blame yourself. It's my fault. You tried to talk to me about everythin', and I pushed you away because I'm so stubborn. I didn't understand Rhett and was just being protective of you because of...dad. I let my ignorance cloud my judgement," Sawyer explained as he held onto my shoulders and wiped the tears from my eyes.
"So you don't hate me...?" I asked, hopeful.
Sawyer let out a small laugh, "What?! No, I could never hate my baby sister."
"But, you've been actin' like you hate me since our fight."
Sawyer looked to Rhett and sighed before he looked back to me. He ran his dirty fingers through his hair.
"I—It was..."
Rhett interjected, "I told him that he had to push you guys away and keep his distance for your protection. Being a new wolf, Sawyer is unpredictable and can't control his emotions like you saw today at school. I've been tryin' to teach him."
My lips parted slightly as I eyed Rhett, and a small sigh left my lips. I was relieved because I understood why Rhett had him do that. I was also grateful because I don't know what I would've done if Sawyer lost control and hurt my mom or Gigi.
"Oh..uh.. Well, thanks," I nod to Rhett and then address my brother. "I just don't understand why you didn't just tell me. We tell each other everything. I thought I lost you... I didn't understand why you went from hatin' Rhett to suddenly being a part of his group."
Sawyer scratched his head uncomfortably, most likely me mentioning him hating his mentor.
"Rae, there were things I didn't understand before—things that I'm still tryin' to come to terms with. I only hated him because I blamed the Dixons for dad dying, but that's not the truth. I know that now, and I got to know Rhett. He's not a bad guy like everyone makes him out to be."
I stand up and walk to the window, where I look at the night sky. The moonlight illuminates the trees surrounding the property. I lean onto the window seal with my hands and just stare at the shadows casted across the ground.
"Sawyer, I've always known that they didn't kill dad. I've told you that multiple times, but you needed someone to blame...." I trailed off.
I take a deep breath and wonder what really happened to him. I've always known that it wasn't the Dixons, but it's nice for it to be confirmed. I was right to perceive Rhett and his dad differently than everyone else. My heart still aches for my dad despite that small closure.
"I know," he half-whispered. "There's somethin' else that you should know though.."
"What?"
I turn around to meet Sawyer's eyes, but I'm not staring into his. My dad is standing in front of me, shirtless with black, cargo shorts on. He looks the same as I last saw him besides his bigger and taller stature.
Tears flow down my cheeks as I look at the figure before me. I can't move because I'm not sure if it is real or my mind playing tricks on me. For all I know, this whole werewolf thing is a dream. I reach up to touch his face, and my fingers glide across the stubble on his chin.
He's really there.
"Dad?" I choked out a sob.
"I'm here, kiddo."
I wrap my arms around him and hold him tight, afraid that I would open my eyes and he'd be gone. I couldn't lose him again.
A mix of emotions swirl around my mind over my dad and Sawyer, and even Rhett. Everything in my life has changed in just one night and would never be the same.
•••
A/N
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