Chapter 3: Can We Pretend

Caution this Chapter contains Alcohol abuse reader Discretion is advised

Thomas ran up to Balto's trawler before hearing some shouting. "You knew this and didn't tell me!" Aleu shouted at her father. "Aleu I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to get hurt," Balto explained with his ears down. "Get hurt?! I'm hurt that you or Thomas didn't tell me!" Aleu growled. "Aleu, I'm sorry," Thomas said as he walked in the trawler. "No, Thomas this is my fault I should have told her when she was younger," Balto said with his head down. "Yeah, you should have told me," Aleu said before running off. "Aleu wait!" Thomas said trying to stop her. Aleu ran past her owner. Thomas took a deep breath before trying to go after her again. "Let her go, Thomas," Balto spoke up as he walked over to him.

"Do you think she'll be okay?" Thomas asked looking at down at Balto. "She just needs time to take this in," Balto explained. Thomas nodded understanding. "Do you want me to walk you home?" Balto asked looking up at Thomas. "No, it's okay I can walk home alone," Thomas said as he grabbed his stuff from last night. "Okay, if you need anything you know where to find me," Balto said with a smile. Thomas nodded with a smile before heading home. Thomas was worried about Aleu for the most but knew she would be alright. Thomas walked up to his house and opened the door. "What the hell?" Thomas said as he looked around the room noticing papers on the ground and the smell of Alcohol all around the house. "Adam?" Thomas said as he placed his stuff down on the couch. There was a crash from the kitchen as Thomas made his way back there.

"Adam?" Thomas said as he walked into the kitchen. Adam was standing next to the kitchen counter drinking a bottle of rum before looking to Thomas. "Where were last night?" Adam said as puts his lips on the bottle and takes a drink. "I… I… I was in bed…" Thomas said taking a step back from Adam. "Liar! I checked on you and you were gone!" Adam shouted as he pointed at Thomas. "Adam I think you had a little too much drink," Thomas said slowly. "Don't tell me what to do Boy!" Adam shouted as he stood up and pointed at Thomas. "I'm not telling you what to do I just…" Before Thomas could finish Adam grabbed Thomas by his arm and dragged him upstairs. "Adam you're hurting me!" Thomas cried out loud while being dragged up the stairs. Once up the stairs and near Thomas's room. Adam swung up Thomas's room and threw him in the room. Adam then shut the door behind Thomas and locked it.

"Adam! Adam let me out!" Thomas shouted while banging on the door. Adam banged on the door back making Thomas fall down to the ground. "Shut up! And stay there!" Adam shouted back. Thomas was angry and hurt by his own stepfather. "Ow," Thomas said looking down at his arm which was now bruised. Thomas felt tears running down his faces as he looked back at the door. Thomas then kicked the door before going to his bed and laying down. Thomas cried Silently under his covers thinking of his mother and wonders what she would have done if she had seen this. After a while, Thomas fell asleep under his covers with eyes puffy from crying.

Aleu walked long the alleyways in town until she heard something near some trash cans. Aleu looked closely and saw a Fox looking for some food. "Hello," Aleu said looking at the Fox. The Fox looked at Aleu and smiled, "Hello, what's your name?" asked the Fox. "Aleu," Aleu said with a smile. "Aleu, that's a nice name. My names Kidlat," Kidlat said with a smile. "That's a nice name," Aleu said still having her smile. "So what's a nice wolf like you doing down here?" Kidlat asked. Suddenly Aleu lost her smile and growled a low growl. "I'm not a wolf," Aleu sad showing her teeth. "Oh, I'm sorry you just look so much like…" Before Kidlat could finish, he was cut off by Aleu. "Yeah like a wolf," Aleu said before taking off. "Hey, I'm sorry!" Kidlat said as he watched Aleu leave.

Aleu walked a few blocks down the street until she reached her brother's house. Aleu howled to get her brother's attention which it worked. Yukon came out and joined his sister outside. "Aleu? What brings you here?" Yukon asked. Aleu looked at her older brother and broke down crying in her chest. "Aleu, what's the matter?" Yukon asked. "We're part wolf," Aleu said still crying. "You just figured that out now?" Yukon said looking down at his sister. "What do you mean? You knew?" Aleu asked looking up at her brother. "Well… I was just told today by mom," Yukon said with a smile. "And you're not mad?" Aleu asked taking a step back from her brother. "Why would I be mad?" Yukon asked confused Aleu shook her head. "I don't understand we've been lied to our whole lives," Aleu said with her ears back.

"Sis, mom, and dad didn't tell us until we were ready… at least I'm ready to know now," Yukon said as he sat down. "Oh," Aleu said with her ear down. "Did something happen?" Yukon asked tilting his head to the left. "I got mad at Papa for not telling about it and Thomas," Aleu said looking away from her brother. "Aleu that isn't something to get angry about and Thomas loves you for who you are and wouldn't change it for the world," Yukon said as he itched his ear. "You're right… but I don't think Thomas wants to speak to me again, I left him in a time that he needs me," Aleu said ashamed of herself. "Then go to him," Yukon said looking at his sister. "I can't… he probably hates me," Aleu said looking away from her brother. "How do you know that?" Yukon said with a smile. "I… I.. I…" Aleu tried to say but was cut off by her brother. "Ha! Right there! You don't know unless you go to him," Yukon said with another smile. Aleu smiled and rolled her eyes. "You and Kodi always know what to say," Aleu said with a chuckle. "Yeah well… Kodi's still a pup and still has to learn somethings," Yukon chuckled.

"I should probably tell Papa I'm sorry first," Aleu said with a deep breath. "Yeah, you should tell dad you're sorry," Yukon said with a nodded. "Thanks for the talk brother," Aleu said as she nuzzled her brother. Yukon nuzzled his sister back, "Alright brother maybe see you tomorrow maybe we can go see Kodi?" Aleu asked as she pulled away from her brother. "I'd like that," Yukon said with a nod. After saying their goodbyes, Aleu left her brother's house and walked back to her father's trawler. "Papa!" Aleu called out to her father. "Aleu?" Balto said with a yawn as he stood up from his bed. Aleu walked into the trawler. "Can we talk?" Aleu asked as she walked in with her ears down. Balto smiled at his daughter. "Anything for my little girl," Balto said as he nuzzled her. "Papa," Aleu said with a chuckle. "Alright let's talk," Balto said as he sat down. "So I'm part wolf huh?" Aleu started off.

The next morning, Thomas was startled by his stepfather swinging the door open. "Get up boy, time for school," Adam said drinking another bottle. Thomas sighed as he uncovered himself from his covers. Adam left the room and headed downstairs. Thomas got dressed and walked down the stairs. Thomas walked into the kitchen and looked at his stepfather still drinking. "Are we just going to pretend last night didn't happen?" Thomas asked looking at Adam. Adam chuckled and looked at his stepson. Adam then grabbed Thomas by his neck and started to choke him. "Sure, we can pretend last night didn't happen or we can face it head-on," Adam said getting in Thomas's face. "Get to school," Adam said as he slapped Thomas on the back of his head. Thomas took off without hesitation out the door and slammed the door behind him. Thomas started walking fast down the street feeling his heart racing.

Without knowing he ran into Kodi on the street and tripped over him. "Oh, Kodi I'm sorry," Thomas said now jumpy. Kodi shook himself off and looked at Thomas. "Hey, it's no biggie," Kodi said with a chuckle. Thomas nodded before covering his arm quickly. Kodi didn't notice Thomas's arm right away but noticed Thomas's neck was started to turn black and blue. Kodi knew Adam wasn't a very nice man from all the stories Aleu told him and the rest of his family. "Thomas… did Adam do that to you?" Kodi asked trying to look closer at Thomas's neck. "Oh, this? It was a girl kissing my neck a little too hard," Thomas said quickly getting up from the snow. "Thomas, that's not from a girl," Kodi said noticing the hand marks. "It's nothing okay!" Thomas said before taking off to school. Kodi knew better than to say nothing about this. Kodi went straight to his father's trawler.

"Dad's not going to like this," Kodi said to himself as he started to run.

Kodiwolf321 A/N: Alright guys another chapter down and well more to go lol. This chapter was a little hard to make because of the darker setting it's heading in and if you stopped reading then I understand and if you made it all the way through then thank you. As far as for OC's we have Kidlat from Stexan Starfighter. Thanks for letting me use him to meet Aleu. and what did you think of Yukon being the older brother for his sister? Alright, guys, I'll see you in the next chapter!