✴️Caleb✴️
I look from Alec to Ally wondering why I didn't see the resemblance before. "Don't talk about dad to me, Alec. You know that's not why I'm here."
"Then why are you here?" I ask with a glare and she glances at me. "I'm here to take him home. By force if necessary."
"I'm not going home, Ally," Alec says and I glance over at him, seeing the serious look in his eyes. "Alec," she says warningly and he shakes his head. "I don't care what Mom thinks about me anymore. I'm done with it. All of it."
"And we won't let you take him. Not if he doesn't want to go with you," Crystal says stepping up beside us and Wyatt follows. "Alec is under the protection of the Seabrook pack."
"And my clan," I say and she looks at all of us before sighing. "Fine."
"Fine?" Alec asks in confusion, obviously he was expecting her to put up a bigger fight than that. "Yeah. I can't fight you and them. If you're willing to throw it all away for these... creatures then I know there's nothing I can do to change your mind."
"Creatures?" Crystal asks clearly insulted. Ally smiles as if she didn't do anything wrong. I know it's Alec's sister but I also know she's going to be trouble for me and my family. "Ally, be nice." She glares at him before slipping her arm through her bow.
"Okay, I'm tired and I'd really like to leave. So, are you planning on going all Robin Hood on us again or are we going to be allies?" Crystal asks the markswoman who stares at her. "Um, I'll only be staying for a little while. I won't hurt you unless you give me a reason to," she says and I listen to the steady beat of her heart.
"At least she's honest."
"Where's she going to be staying?"
"Definitely not with us," I say glaring at her and she returns it. "Like I would!"
"Ally. Stop."
"I see how it is," she says and Crystal sighs. "She can stay at Aunt Robin's."
"What?!" Wyatt exclaims and she looks up at him. "Are you serious?"
"Yeah. What can she do in a house of hunters and werewolves?"
"She has a point," I say and he runs his hands through his hair. "Doesn't mean I have to like it."
"And I don't expect you to. But we have the room. Is that alright with you, Ally?"
"Sure."
"Good. Come on then," she says gesturing for the younger Harris to follow her. I start following after them, keeping my hand entwined with Alec's. A strange scent enters my nose and it takes a second for me to realize it's coming from Alec. I look over at him and see him gazing at his sister.
"What's wrong with you?"
"What do you mean?"
"You reek of anxiety. What's going on?"
"Nothing. I'm just... I'm worried about what's going to happen now that she's here."
"What do you thinks going to happen?" He shakes his head and rubs the back of his neck. "Never mind. I'm probably just being paranoid." I furrow my brow and let the matter drop but I can't help noticing the waves of worry and something else coming from him.
It's an emotion that I can't quite pin down yet. There must be a reason why he didn't want to tell me it was his sister who did this to him. Maybe he was worried we'd hurt her, but if that were true why wouldn't he just come out and tell us? I shake my head and focus on walking.
I'll ask him about it tomorrow. We eventually get close to my camp and I stop. "This is where I get off. Bye guys."
"Bye, Caleb, Catrina." I wave goodbye to Crystal and Wyatt before turning to Alec. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Bye," he says softly before leaning down and placing a kiss on my cheek. I give him a tiny smile before walking away with Catrina. "I think we're going to need to keep an eye on that sister of his," Cat whispers to me as we walk through the brush. "Couldn't agree more."
After returning to camp I explain most of what happened to my clanmates. Scared murmurs ripple through the crowd around me. "What are we going to do?!"
"What if she brings more hunters?!"
"We could all be killed!"
"Listen!!!" I shout above them and they all fall silent. "She may be a hunter and she may not go by the same code but we must have hope that she does. And since she's Alec sister I don't want any of you to go after her. Stay away from her do I make myself clear?"
I wait until I see each and everyone of them nod their heads. "Good. Now all of you go to sleep." Catrina stays by my side and we watch as they go to their respective spots. "Do you really think we can trust her to follow the code?" she asks me in a whisper and I cross my arms over my chest. "No. I don't. With the stuff she was saying how could I. Not to mention the silver."
"I'm sorry."
"About what?"
"Well, she is Alec's sister that's bound to cause some problems." I shake my head and gaze around at my family. "There won't be a problem as long as she stays away from our territory."
🔮Crystal🔮
The walk back is pretty silent and I can sense that Alec is really nervous. I don't blame him. He's in a town full of different supernatural creatures and here comes his trigger happy sister who doesn't seem to like us all that much. This will probably get worse before it gets better.
I just hope it happens before school starts next week. We stop near the wolf den and Wyatt says goodnight. I hug him and say the same to him. "Be careful," he whispers and I nod. "Don't worry. I can take care of myself."
"I know you can." He pulls away and gives me a short kiss goodnight. I watch him enter the den before we continue through the forest until we reach Aunt Robin's house. "Okay, be quiet cause my Aunt and Dad are probably sleeping."
"Think again," a deep voice says before a light comes on as we step inside and I sigh. "Hi, Dad."
"Do you have any idea what time it is?" His eyes move to Ally and widen in shock. "Ally? When did you get into town?"
"Tonight. How are you Lukas?" She asks weaving around the furniture to give him a hug much to my surprise. "I'm good but you're mom didn't tell me you were coming."
"Well, I wanted to surprise my big brother," she says as she pulls away and Alec shakes his head, holding his left shoulder gently. "Surprise isn't exactly the word I'd use."
"Sorry, we're late Dad. Um, something unexpected came up. But we're here now."
"When you tell us you're going to be home at a certain time we expect you to be here. Alright?"
"Yes, sir." He shakes his head and gestures to the stairs. "Off to bed with you." Alec and I head for the stairs after Ally. I show her to the second spare guest room. Which is a few doors down from Alec.
"Goodnight, Crystal," he calls to me before slipping inside. I hear the quiet click of the lock and I glance down the hall to Ally who gives me a not so friendly smile before disappearing into the room. Okay, I'm thoroughly freaked out. I head for my room, slipping inside and also locking the door.
I quickly change for bed. Plain pajama pants and a grey tee. Now that my temperature is back in wack I can wear the other half of my wardrobe again. I pull my covers back and slip into them after turning my light off. I curl up in my bed and bury my head in my pillow sighing as my body relaxes.
I'm ripped from my sleep when a bloodcurdling scream shatters the quiet air. I jolt upright as snarling and yowling accompany the screams. I scramble to my feet and flinch as an explosion erupts twenty feet in front of me. I turn in a circle and what I see causes my heart to race in fear. Wolves snarling and howling as they slam into dark silhouettes.
Leopards, cheetahs, lions, and panthers racing through the crowds calling out to one another as they flee from the smoking building. "What—?" I flinch as gunshots start to echo through the chaos. I cover my ears as the cries of pain reach them. "What is happening?!" I clench my eyes shut and suddenly it just stops.
"A warning," a soft and muffled voice says and I pull my hands away from my ears. I lift my head up and my eyes meet hers. "Mom?" Her gaze is serious and there is no smile on her face like last we met. I look around and the battlefield is gone. I push myself to my feet and turn to her.
"Are there rules against this in the afterlife?" I only ask because this is the second time that she's warned me about something upcoming. "Where do you think your dreams come from?"
"Wait so you're the one that lead me to where the werecats were trapped?" She dips her head in a nod. "I knew you would do the right thing. Their kind had been punished for long enough. And with your caring heart I knew you'd create an everlasting alliance. One you're going to need. What I just showed you is only one of many battles you will have to fight."
"Against who?" She gives me a pointed look. "That you must discover for yourself. In giving you these visions I am only meant to prepare you. That is all." I sigh and rub at my eyes, feeling my heartbeat returning to normal.
"You must be very careful Crystal. For your enemies are at work even as we speak. And enemies need not be outsiders. Sometimes they can be one of our own. But even enemies can become allies."
"What? What do you mean?" That kind of sounded like a paradox. Be careful because I have enemies but the enemies could become my allies? But of course just like last time she fades away before answering me.
I jolt upright in my bed and sigh, running my hand through my platinum hair. I look to my left and freeze when I see Wyatt lying on his side in my bed. I can't keep the smile from my face. "Worry-wolf," I say softly and lay back down, gazing into his peaceful face. I lean forward, pressing a kiss to his cheek and settle my head on my pillow.
🏹Alec🏹
I open my eyes and stare up at the ceiling. I roll onto my side and reach for my phone, pressing down on the home button. The screen lights up and shows that it's six in the morning. I sigh and rub the sleep from my eyes, knowing that Ally is most likely already up.
I sit up and toss the covers off me, getting out of bed. I leave my room and quietly make my way to the extra guest room, rapping my knuckles on the wood. "Come in," she says and I open the door, walking inside, closing it behind me. "Morning, Alec." She barely glances from the mirror she's looking into while applying eyeliner.
"So, I'm assuming mom taught you everything she knew?" She smiles in amusement as she drags the pencil across her bottom lid. "That's not really what you want to ask me. Is it?"
"No, I actually don't really want to ask you anything. I want you gone. Whatever Mom sent you to do forget about it. It's like I told you last night: I'm done! We don't follow the old ways anymore. We follow the code."
"Dad followed the code. And now he's dead," she says pulling the eyeliner pencil away from her face and blinking a few times. "And he died honorably."
"Honorably?!" She drops the utensil with a clatter. "He abandoned us! He could've done what needed to be done and come home. But instead he chose to leave us!"
"He chose to do the right thing!" I quickly lower my voice when I remember the others are still sleeping. "No code. Not anymore."
"Ally. If you hurt them—"
"Oh, Alec. Still trying to protect others. But who will protect you?"
"My friends."
"Are you sure about that?" She asks giving me a knowing looking. I shake my head, turning around, and heading for the door. "Enjoy it while it lasts, Alec!" I open and slam the door behind me, heading back to my room to get dressed. I pull on a black tee, jeans, shoes, and my leather jacket.
There's a quiet knock and I glance over at the door. "It's open." It opens a crack and Crystal pokes her head inside. "You okay? I heard a door slam?"
"Yeah, sorry. My sister and I... Let's just say we don't exactly see eye to eye."
"You're afraid." I turn to look at her and sigh. "What is it with you Weres and chemo signals? Can't you ignore it?"
"Not when I'm your friend and am worried about you."
"Sorry. And yes I'm afraid. I'm afraid she's going to hurt you or Wyatt or..."
"Caleb."
"Yeah. I know if anything happens to you guys it'll be my fault."
"No. It'll be her fault. Her actions will have consequences and those consequences won't fall on you because you didn't do anything wrong," she says opening the door wider and walking up to me.
"Yes I did." She tilts her head in confusion. "I came here. And she followed me." She sighs and shakes her head, crossing her arms. "I gotta go meet Caleb."
"Alright, say hi for me." I nod, leaving my room, jogging down the stairs, and heading out the door. I walk quickly through the Forbidden Forest heading for the clan's territory. I'm getting close when I hear something fast approaching but before I can do anything something very solid slams into me, knocking me to the ground.
The wind is knocked out of me when the weight of whatever it is lands on top of me. I look up as my heart hammers in my chest and see black fur and glowing eyes. Suddenly it's Caleb that's above me with a very shocked and guilty look in his eyes.
"We have to stop meeting like this," I say with a smile and he laughs lightly. "Sorry."
"It's alright." I gaze up into his honey brown eyes and feel my heart beat faster for a whole different reason. It takes a few moments for me to remember why I'm here. "Oh, yesterday you said you need to talk to me about something." He nods and gets off, settling in the grass beside me.
I push myself up into a sitting position and wait patiently for him to speak. "Alec, how much do you know about werecats."
"Just the basics. You have an... Aversion... to silver. Like to stay in groups and can turn into huge terrifying cats." He smiles and shakes his head, running his fingers through his light brown hair. "What do you know about choosing a mate?"
"Um, not a lot. Why?" I ask even though I can guess where this is going. He stares down at his hands, biting his bottom lip nervously. "When a werecat finds their mate they immediately know. An instant connection forms between them."
"Okay."
"And the night I danced with you was when I felt that connection. I didn't run away just cause you complimented my eyes. It was because I was terrified of what the connection meant." I stare at him as his words sink in.
"It's why I was acting so distant. The bond isn't fully developed yet and I was scared that you didn't feel what I did. And I won't blame you if you don't. You're human and I'm not." I watch as he rapidly drums his fingers against his wrist. "And what happens if your mate turns out to be someone you don't like or want?"
I see him flinch slightly and feel bad, but I was curious. "You can reject the bond," he says softly and I move closer to him. I had been wondering why I had fallen for him so quickly, why it felt so right being with him and now I know. "I feel it too." I see his eyes widen slightly but he still isn't looking at me.
"And I may not fully understand my feelings for you, but I know one thing," I gently grab his chin and turn him towards me, our eyes meeting, "I've never felt this way with anyone else." He wraps his arms around my neck, burying his face in my shoulder and I return the embrace.