Chapter 14: The Threat

Once I made it back to my house, I opened the front door and walked inside followed by Isaac, Erica, Boyd, and my puppy.

I called out to my family, "I'm home."

My family and Sam left the kitchen and entered the living room only to stop upon seeing the betas standing behind me.

"I brought guests, hope you guys don't mind but you wanted to meet my friends."

My mom nodded and stepped forward, "Welcome, I'm Brittney's mom, but you guys can call me Jan. This is my husband Mike, and our boys, Brandyn and Kodie. And that is Sam, Brittney's friend." She had gestured to each in turn and they all said hi.

I turned to my betas, "this is Isaac, Erica, and Boyd. They're the friends that Derek helped." My betas greeted my family, and I continued, "they're going to stay here for awhile."

I spoke with finality, but my mom still asked to speak privately to me. I nodded to my betas and followed my parents into the kitchen.

"Brittney, I realize that they're your friends, but why are they staying here? You don't exactly have room."

I met my moms eyes, "Mom they don't have anywhere else to go, Isaac's family's dead, Erica's don't really care for her, and Boyd lost his apartment because he couldn't afford the rent this month. They had been staying with Derek, but I didn't think he could handle himself and 3 teenagers."

My parents had both frozen when I told them my friends' pasts, and then they both glanced at the other and back at me, "ok, they can stay but where are they going to sleep?"

"Boyd can sleep on the couch, Isaac can sleep in the recliner, and Erica can sleep in the room I'm sharing with Sammy."

They nodded and we rejoined the rest of the family, I reiterated the sleeping arrangements to keep up the human appearance. I glanced at my phone to check the time to see that it was already half past noon.

"Why don't you all get acquainted while I make lunch?" I asked my families.

They all nodded and I walked into the kitchen. As I made chicken salad I listened in to the conversations happening in the front room.

"So, Brittney mentioned that you all met through Derek, is that right?" my mom asked.

Erica was the one to answer, "Yes ma'am. Brittney and I met in our P.E. class, but we met Isaac and Boyd through Derek."

I knew that my mom was softening to them just based off of her next sentence, "please dear, call me Jan." I assume that Erica nodded before my mom continued, "so do you guys play any sports?"

"I play Lacrosse. I'm on first line on the schools team." that was Isaac.

Sammy joined the conversation, "Oh? How do you play Lacrosse?"

Isaac opened up to them after that as did the other two betas. I could tell that my family liked my betas and vise versa.

I called out of the kitchen to my family, "this is about done guys, get washed up."

I heard Isaac, Erica, and Boyd move first and head into the bathroom where they started fighting over who should get the sink first. I chuckled to myself as I set the table with plates and chips. My family came in and sat down with my mom at one end of the table and my dad at the other, Brandyn, Kodie and Sammy were on one side and when my betas joined us they sat on the other side with me. During lunch there was friendly conversation, mostly between my brothers and Isaac and Boyd. Turns out that they all had a similar taste in video games. Sam and Erica were talking to one another about clothes and makeup and stuff like that. I smiled at how well my two families were getting along.

After lunch I asked my dad to work on some self defense stuff with me. He agreed and I led everyone but my mom down to the basement. I had added mats and punching bags down there when I moved in so I would have a place to practice. My dad and I moved to the middle of the mats for a round of grappling. (A/N: basically wrestling but with punches) We started on our feet and I managed to get him into a head lock before he took me down and escaped. He had me pinned down but I knocked him off balance then bridged my hips and rolled him off. We continued like that for a few minutes before I got him in a rear choke and tapped him out.

"Where did you learn to fight like that?" Erica asked me in astonishment.

I smiled over at her and answered once I got my breath back, "I took 5 years of self defense classes."

"Can you teach us some of that?" Isaac asked.

I glanced at my dad and he nodded, "yeah, we can. Isaac, you'll work with Kodie, Boyd you'll be with Brandyn, and Erica you'll be with me. Remember its not so much about strength as it is about strategy."

We spent that afternoon practicing, with my dad acting as the teacher. We were all tired by the time we went to bed for the night and we each fell asleep immediately.

The next morning the werewolves in the house all got ready for school though Isaac wasn't actually going since he had yet to be cleared from the murder charges. After a quick breakfast we all climbed in my car and left the house, we dropped Isaac off with Derek before heading to school. It was a normal day by anyone's standards and the week continued in that pattern till Wednesday.

The betas and I had gone to a local coffee shop after getting out from school to study for a pop quiz we all had in Chemistry. I had texted my mom to let her know where we were, after being there for a few hours we left and headed back to my house. It was already dark outside when we got there but there weren't any lights on inside.

I glanced at my betas knowing something was wrong, "Erica, go get Derek and Isaac. Tell them something's wrong at my house." She nodded and ran off towards the station. "Boyd, you're with me, you go around back and see what you find, be quiet and don't shift unless absolutely necessary."

He nodded too and we exited the car then split up. I walked up to my house and opened the door that was slightly off its hinges. I called out quietly into the darkness only to hear silence. I let my eyes change to the Luna's color so I could see better. My hearing expanded and I could hear 7 heartbeats on the 2nd floor. 6 were frantic, and one was calm. I rushed up to the floor and into the master bedroom to find my family cornered by the lizard monster. I snarled and shifted into my half form (half werewolf, half human) as I attacked the monster from behind. My family was staring at me with wide eyes as I fought the lizard through the window. I glanced at my terrified family before I jumped out after the beast. Boyd had heard the commotion and had stayed in the room in human form to protect my family in case it came back.

After chasing it for a mile or two I lost the scent. I shifted back into my human self and slid down the nearest tree. My mind kept going back to the terrified faces of my family when they saw me. They had been scared when they beast cornered them, but when they saw me shift they had been overcome by fear. They're going to be afraid of me now. They'll never be my family again. I cant believe they found out about my secret but I couldn't let them get hurt or killed. I heard footsteps approach me from behind, and I smelled the musky scent that belonged to Derek. He sat down next to me without a word.

I looked up over at him, "what do I do Derek?" My voice was quiet and shaky.

His eyes held an apologetic look as he answered me, "I don't know."

My voice hardened, "you're the alpha! you're supposed to know, you're supposed to be able to help!"

I was angry and distraught as I started hitting his arm. He just sat there and took my punches until I lost control of my tears and they flowed freely down my cheeks, "you're supposed to help."

He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his chest, "I know."

He held me as sobs wracked my body and my tears soaked the front of his shirt. He held me after my tears had stopped, and I regained some of my control. I pulled back from him and gazed at his face. For the first time since I'd met him it looked softer.

"Thanks." I gave him a soft smile and he nodded at me. I wipe the tears from my face, "Well, I guess I have to face them sometime. Will you come with me?" I asked in a slightly pleading voice.

"If you want me to."

I nod at him and he stands up then reached out his hand to help me up. I accept it and he pulls me to my feet. He squeezes my hand before letting it go and turning to run in the direction of my house with me right beside him.

Once we reach the backyard the betas all run out of the house and attack me with hugs, "Are you okay?"

"We were so worried!"

"Don't do that to us again!"

I smiled to them and hugged each of them back assuring them that I was fine. Then I glanced up to where my family was watching on the back porch. I took a deep breath and slid my hand into Derek's, as Isaac slid his into my other hand. Erica was standing next to Isaac and Boyd was next to Derek.

It was a weird feeling looking at my family while standing with my pack, knowing they knew what we were, "Hey guys."

No one responded for a minute and I was just starting to get worried when my mom spoke up, "Hey sweetie. We're glad you're okay. Erica, Isaac, and Boyd explained everything to us."

I glanced at the betas before looking back to my mom, "and you're okay with it?"

She let out a small laugh, "well its not everyday that you find out werewolves exist, and that your daughter is one of them. It'll take some time, but you did save all of us so we owe you at least some understanding."

I nodded with a hopeful look in my eye before turning to the rest of my family.

"Maybe now you'll be a decent opponent in a fight." Brandyn spoke for him and Kodie, and I just laughed, "let me know when and where."

They chuckled and Sammy spoke up, "I could never hate you twin, but I'm stealing your puppy to make up for you not telling me."

I sent her a mini glare but gave in. With what happened tonight I wasn't sure if I could handle Jinx while trying to deal with the monster. We all went to bed after that without many more words passing between the group.