Chapter Nine
Mornings suck.
Especially mornings when certain werewolves whose name begins with 'K' and ends with 'at' feel the need to get you up at seven a.m. so you can shower and eat because, I quote, "You still smell and you'll be hungry in five minutes if you don't eat."
Geez, thanks.
So I rolled out of bed, grabbed jeans, underwear, and a hoodie, and headed to the shower. Oh how I wish I didn't have to change out of my oh-so-comfy owl pj pants!
After my cold shower, I went downstairs and met everyone else in the den.
"When are we leaving?" I asked nervously, still unsure of what I really even wanted to tell my parents.
Elena stood up from where she was nestled on the couch with Clayton, "Right now. We'll stop at a drive-in and get breakfast and then we'll head to your house. Are you sure your parents are home?"
"They should be, it's a Sunday. They're probably unpacking," At least, I hoped they were, I was getting incredibly ticked at the stacks upon stacks of boxes everywhere in my house.
"Okay then, lets roll," Kat grinned.
We had to take two vehicles, and somehow, it was decided that I was riding with Logan.
Yay! I get to ride with the bipolar werewolf!
I reined in my dread and muttered, "Sweet ride," as a peace offering.
Logan didn't respond, though I know he heard me. I inquired about the whereabouts of my own truck. Logan told me it was at my house in the driveway.
That was the only thing we said for twenty minutes. It was incredibly awkward.
"Look," he said suddenly, "I'm sorry for how I've been acting."
I gasped and he swerved.
"What?" He demanded, panicked.
"It has manners!" I breathed in mock astonishment.
He glared at me for a few seconds, then his face... Dare I say it? Softened.
Oh god, his eyes were so incredibly blue. They had these thin little silverish rings right around the pupil that had a dizzying effect on any sane person.
I broke eye contact first, "Hey, eyes on the road." Not on me.
Another silence descended for roughly ten minutes until we pulled into the fast-food drive-through.
"What do you want?" Logan asked me as Jeremy, Elena, Clayton, and Kat in the car in front of us ordered.
"Shit, I don't have any money on me," It was all at my house.
"That's okay, I was gonna pay anyway. If you feel the need, you can pay me back later," at least he understood the matter of pride.
"As soon as I get to my house," I promised, "Uhh... I'll have two breakfast sandwiches and an order of hash browns, please."
"That all?" Logan clearly knew I was lying.
"Yeah, I'm not that hungry," Actually, I was just being considerate and didn't want him to use all his money. Truth is, I could have eaten half the menu.
It was our turn, so Logan pulled the car up and asked the lady who was taking our order for ten sandwiches, ten hash browns, and six juices.
He paid and handed me half of everything despite my protests (that weren't even convincing me that I didn't want to eat those).
"Oh, shut up will you and just eat the damn things!" He smiled at me to show he was only kidding.
"Well then," I huffed, and took a very unlady like bite of my sandwich.
We pulled out of the parking lot before the others so that I could give directions to Logan and Clayton (driving the other car) would follow.
"You know, it would be a lot easier if I just drove," I really wanted to drive this car, if only for bragging rights. I know just about squat about cars, but according to William, this is a really good car.
"No," apparently, he still didn't like me that much.
As we silently neared my house- the silence only broken by my occasional direction giving -my stomach started to twist into knots. Suddenly, all that food I'd consumed didn't seem like such a good idea.
What if my parents didn't love me anymore?
What if they never wanted to see me again?
What if they told our secret?
These were all completely rational fears; I had a right to have them. At least, that's what I told myself.
This is stupid, if they can't love me -hair, claws, fangs in all- then they never did.
Before it seemed possible, we had pulled up to my little house on Whitewood Drive.
"It will take a little while for them to catch up," Logan grinned. Shit, I was getting more emotion out of him in three hours than I had in two and a half weeks.
"Why?" I asked warily, I hadn't even noticed they weren't in the rearview mirror.
"Because," He answered, "You were 2.4 seconds away from opening that door and chickening out, so I decided to run a couple red lights to get here before you jumped out of a moving vehicle and proceeded to get run over by my dad."
Huh, "Well, that was... Uhh... Nice of you," Damn, I was getting caught up in those eyes again.
Finally, I heard the sound of gravel crunching under tires as the rest of the Pack pulled in the driveway.
Wasting no time, I stepped out from Logan's car and headed up the sidewalk, eager to be done with the task at hand.
I rang the doorbell, acting like a stranger at my own house. No one answered.
I lifted my hand to knock when dad's frowning face appeared in the one of the narrow windows on either side of the door. Upon seeing me surrounded by a bunch of strangers, his frown deepened. His face disappeared for a moment before reappearing in the now open doorway.
"Kaine?" He was definitely surprised to see me.
"Hey dad," I replied sheepishly, "We have some stuff to talk about," Well if that wasn't an understatement, I don't know what the hell is. "Can we come in?"
For a moment my father just stood there dumbstruck, then my words started to sink in and he stepped aside. I led the procession of werewolves through the little foyer that led to the medium sized beige-painted living room.
"Keith, who's-," Mom poked her head out from the kitchen, "Kaine! What are you doing here? Who are they?" She gestured to the Pack, all of whom remained standing except for Kat. She sat perched on the edge of the tan sectional sofa. She was kind of blocked by how everyone else was standing.
"Hi mom, I'll explain everything as soon as I introduce everyo-."
Willy cut me off, "Mom? Dad? Whose super sweet car…" Willy rounded the corner to see the living room full of strangers, "is parked outside...," He finished, slightly trailing off.
"That would be Logan's," I answered, relishing the confusion and envy on his face as he guessed that I had gotten to ride in it.
Then a curious expression over-took his face, "Are you still going to live here?"
Now I was confused, "Yeah, why wouldn't I?" At least, for now I am, though at the end of this conversation I might not be.
"Well I wasn't sure since, you know, you're adopted," God, you'd think at the age of thirteen the kid could be a little more tactful. Then again, I had to appreciate his bluntness.
My mom on the other hand, not so much, "William Brian Arden! Go to you're room! NOW!"
I really couldn't help but smirk at Willy's retreating figure. I mean, the whole sibling rivalry definitely applied in this house.
When I was sure I heard Willy's door close and his music turn on, I continued, "Anyway, introductions first," I took a deep breath- after being with the Pack for so long, I couldn't help but notice how… plain my parents smelled-"That's Logan, Kat, Clayton, Jeremy, and Elena," I pointed to everyone in turn for my parents benefit. I turned to the Pack, "You already know, but that's my mom Donna, and my dad Keith."
"Kaine, what's going on? I thought you were in Europe."
"Well, umm, you see," This wasn't getting me anywhere, so I just dove into the story headfirst, "Okay, well, the Sunday before school started when I went to that flea market I met Logan..." After I started, it all just spewed out; everything from the horrible pain of Changing to my phone call with Roman Novikov. I left out only the smallest details. I figured, what the hell, if I'm going to tell them the big kahoona (my wolfyness in case you couldn't guess) I might as well not spare anything else.
Their facial expressions during all would have been quiet entertaining in any other circumstance. When I told them about what I actually was, their faces turned ghostly pale and their eyes were more than just disbelieving. My heart sank into my stomach when I saw fear in my mom's eyes. If they feared me, then all my rational fears would come true, but I couldn't worry about that right now, I just had to keep pushing onward through the story and maybe change their mind.
By the time I got to the part of the conversation with Roman when he detailed the torture inflicted upon my mother, my parents had both returned to their natural skin tone. However, their eyes shone with hate at that mutt, specifically that he escaped.
Finally, I finished, ending right when I rang the doorbell of our house.
For a while no one spoke, or really even moved. By now everyone had found a seat somewhere, and I and the Pack perched at the edge of ours, staring blankly at my overloaded parents, waiting for their reaction.
I was .2 seconds away from having an anxiety attack when my dad finally spoke up.
"So," he collected his thoughts, "Let me recap here; you're a werewolf," he glanced around the Pack, "You all are, even you're real parents were. At one point you and your real mother were experimented on in Europe. And that you lied and said you were on another continent, when really you were ten miles away learning to control your, umm, powers," He looked an interesting shade of green.
"Actually," I pointed to Elena, "She lied to you. I just went along with it. Not that I was given much of a choice," Mom let out a very strained, nervous laugh.
We lapsed into an almost unbearable silence for what seemed like hours before Logan's head snapped up in my peripheral vision. He leaped up and on scary silent feet ran to the doorway leading to the kitchen, ignoring our curious gazes.
A short yip accompanied a startled Willy who was deposited in the middle of the room by Logan who so effortlessly carried him in.
Logan looked annoyed, "He was eavesdropping around the corner."
"William, what did I tell you about that?" My mom said distractedly, like she was still deep in thought, but knew that a parental rebuke was in order.
William was too busy staring to notice her though.
And the focus of that wide-eyed stare?
Katherine Danvers.
Kat poked me in the ribs, "Your brother's staring at me weird."
I sighed a big sister sigh, "He thinks you're hot." Was that the only thing boys thought of when they saw a girl?
Probably.
"Ah, of course," She leaned over her mom and dad and grabbed someone's glass of water. With a quick twist of her wrist, she launched the contents of the glass on Willy.
Everyone but William at least smiled as he jumped up and shook his dark blonde hair free of water.
Then it got serious again, "How much did you hear?" Elena spoke for the first time.
Everyone's eyes trained on Willy, "All of it," he murmured, staring me straight in my green eyes. His hazel ones were so accusing.
I looked down at my feet, only now noticing that my socks didn't match, "I'm sorry," I apologized to my family.
I felt a hand on my shoulder and gazed up into the brown eyes of my dad.
"Kaine, what are you apologizing for? You didn't know any of this yourself until a little while ago. I, we, understand that."
I felt a surge of gratitude towards my family for being there, but that just brought up the next question, "What's going to happen now?" I directed my question to Elena.
She turned towards my parents and my brother- who was standing behind our parents and stealing glances at Kat-, "You have to understand that you three are part of only a handful of humans who know about the supernatural community, and that's how it has to stay. You can't tell anyone, under any circumstance, at any time about any of this. No one," She somehow managed to stare at all three of them at once.
"With that being said," She continued, "We need to ask you-Donna and Keith- some questions so we can fully grasp the situation, then we'll discuss what happens next." Elena gestured to Kat, Logan, Willy and I simultaneously and said, "You can leave, it's just boring conversations from here," She smiled half-heartedly, like she wished she could leave too.
Willy was off in a flash and the slam of his door echoed through the nearly unpacked house.
As much as I wanted to stay and listen to the questions that were most definitely being asked about me, I leapt off the couch and left Kat and Logan to find there own entertainment like the horrible hostess I am.
I walked back to William's room at a quick pace and knocked on his door. Not waiting for an answer, I barged in. Willy sat on a bean bag chair playing his PSP; he didn't look up, not even when I tugged at his arm.
"Come on," I begged, "Let's go for a walk, I want to talk to you."
"Fine," He said gruffly, "Talk."
"Not that I don't trust them, but unless you want everyone out there but mom and dad to hear us, we'll go for a walk," I told him truthfully.
Without saying a word, he flipped off his PSP, got up, and led the way to the back door located in the kitchen. We slipped on our shoes and I yelled out to mom and dad, "Me and Willy are going for a walk, be back soon!"
We didn't really talk for the first five minutes or so of aimlessly following the sidewalks. I've always been good with silence, so has Willy. It's probably one of the few things we have in common.
I just calmly strolled along. The houses on out street were mainly two-stories of plain tan siding. One house that stood out was a three-story lime green house. I could smell the fresh paint in the air. I've always wanted to paint my room that exact green with blue stripes.
The trees were bare, though it wasn't winter yet, maybe in a couple of weeks we'd see snow. I wasn't a huge fan of the white stuff, but I couldn't imagine living in a place without it. My birthday, November 22, had been the first day of snow fall in my old town since the day I was born. I always thought it was weird, but never questioned it. Now I was questioning all sorts of stuff. I think I had a pretty good right to too, after all that I've discovered.
"So it's true?" Willy asked abruptly.
"What? Me being adopted, or me being a werewolf?" I said sarcastically, "Yes, both are true."
"You know that's not possible, right?" For William being a thirteen year old boy, he was oddly, scarily logical. He detested the dragon and wizard games. Ironically, in our family, I was the supernatural junkie. Funny, I never even had proof that stuff was real until recently.
I sighed, "I told you they were real," I responded drily.
"Ha-ha. I don't believe you, you know that."
I thought for a moment on how best to approach this, and then I figured I would simply appeal to his logical side. "What would I have to gain by lying? How would I know that you had bacon and waffles with blueberry syrup for breakfast?" I could smell it on his breath. "Or that there's a dog right over there behind that white fence?" I smelled him on the wind and heard his paws thumping on the ground.
"There's no dog ov-" He started to contradict me but cut off as a big yellow Labrador retriever poked his over-sized head out and started to bark at us. I looked at him with an eyebrow raised.
"How'd you know?" He looked deflated.
I almost laughed at his expression, "I heard and smelled him."
"So what, you're some freaky, genetically altered, super werewolf? I don't know rather to be scared or jealous," he admitted.
"Definitely not jealous," I grimaced, "I mean I sprout four inch long hair all over my body for god's sake. And you wouldn't believe how painful it is."
Willy laughed, "So do you change into one of those Hollywood half man half beast things?"
At least he accepted the truth. Now for the inane questions, "No, I Change into a regular looking wolf."
He opened his mouth to ask another question when a hand tapped my shoulder. I jumped and spun around, already crouching in a karate stance before my mind registered the fact that Logan was the one who had snuck up on us.
"Geez Arden, I just came to report that the verdict's in," Logan smirked.
I was so very tempted to wipe that insolent grin clean off his face. Instead I politely introduced them, "Willy, Logan. Logan, William."
They studied each other briefly, then Logan turned to me and said, "We'd better get going, they're probably waiting." He paused, "You know you're mom is a horrible cook; nothing like you."
Oh God, "She tried to cook for you? She could have killed you!" I said, being totally serious.
Willy put in his two-sense, "You have to build up an immune system to the stuff she makes."
"Don't worry, we didn't eat a bite, we're all masters of the art of hiding food. After all, we have to live with Jeremy. No matter how old that man gets, he'll never be able to do more than boil water," Logan chuckled at some distant memory.
We soon came within sight of my house, even though it was still a half a mile away. "I'll race you all! 1, 2, 3, GO!"
I shot ahead, and glanced around to make sure no one was around to witness the superhuman pace I could go, before I really kicked it up.
It felt so amazingly good to move my muscles; it had been so long since I've really gotten any exercise.
As the house neared, I was broken from my blissful state when Logan tapped my arm.
"You know," Logan wasn't even breathing hard, "This isn't fair. One, you're racing your human brother." I glanced back, and sure enough, Willy wasn't even close to us, "Two," Logan continued, "You got a head start. And three, you have more strength and speed than any other werewolf has." Logan paused, "But I'm still gonna beat you," he stated smugly.
"Really?" I didn't believe him at all. I wasn't even sweating, and I felt like I had a full store of extra energy.
"Yes."
"And how might you accomplish that?"
He turned to me, smiled, and opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, he stumbled over a loose sidewalk slab and did a couple of summersaults. He landed on his back and the air whooshed out of his lungs.
I slammed on my proverbial brakes and trotted back to help him (or maybe just laugh). I really couldn't help it though as he fixed me with a You say anything and I'll kill you glare.
"Are you," Chuckle, "Okay?" Laugh.
Logan growled at me, then lightning quick he reached out, grabbed my foot, pulled and on my butt I went.
"Ouch!" I was more startled then hurt, "Well that was just uncalled for!" I fake pouted, and Logan's mouth twitched up in sight of my expression. Then he started laughing, and within seconds, I was too. Logan just has one of those infectious laughs. By the time Willy caught up, we were laughing uncontrollably and rolling around on the rough cement.
William was breathing short, shallow breaths and studying us like the little scientist he was. "Aren't werewolves supposed to have like, a lot of grace or something?"
I looked up at him through tear filled eyes and I forced myself to calm down a little bit, "I don't know. I'm just as new to this werewolf situation as you are. Ask Logan."
But Logan was currently doubled over laughing as hard as I was. I really don't know what was so funny about the situation. I know the only reason I laughed was because I had to let all the emotion out of my system someway, and it was either laugh, cry, fight, or all of the above.
Logan gasped for breath, "Under normal circumstances,, yes, I do believe we could be called graceful. I think we should get inside now."
I knew he was right, and stood up accordingly. I reached down a hand to help him up. He looked up at me with a peculiar (yes I just used the word peculiar) look, and then grabbed my hand. It was warm and slightly callused.
"No more racing?" I asked, and both boys nodded.
We were in front of the house next door so it only took us ten seconds to get back on our property and walk in through the kitchen door. When we walked in we took off our shoes and continued into the living room. All the werewolves sat on the sectional sofa, my dad sat on the recliner, and my mom sat on the wooden rocking chair in the corner with a very strained smile on her face.
"Sorry we're late, Logan fell," Willy informed the others.
"Logan? Fall? Wow Kaine, what did you do to him?" Kat looked worried and amused all at once.
"Nothing, nothing at all. So what's going on?"
"We talked to your parents, just asked them basic questions about your childhood and your real parents. You never had blood tests, which is amazing really, especially since they had no knowledge of what you really are. Which means there are no loose ends we have to," Elena paused and looked me in the eye. I suddenly remembered the conversation I shared with them about killing mutts and I felt queasy when she finished, "Tie up."
"So what does that mean?" I was getting apprehensive.
"While we aren't too fond of the idea of letting you go this early in your Changes, I think it would be safe to let you stay here. And if anything goes wrong, we only live twenty minutes away. Six when we drive."
Hope swelled inside me when I realized what she was saying. Despite all of Reece's assurances that the Pack was nice, and wouldn't make me do things I didn't want to, I wasn't sure that the Pack would ever let me see my parents. Much less live with them again.
But there was another barrier. I looked at my mom and dad and brother, "Would you let me stay?"
My dad looked shocked, "Of course!" He said outraged that I would think anything else, "Why wouldn't we? We love you. No matter what you are, you're still our daughter." He looked real serious, like he was trying to drill that mentality into my head.
I loved my dad so much. Secretly, I loved him more than my mom, but I would never want to hurt her enough to tell that to her face. I don't know why I felt that way, but I did, and I couldn't help but to leap up and give my dad a bone crushing hug.
"Sweetie, that hurts," He mumbled. "And besides, we couldn't let you leave; we just found that new gym for you."
"Oh right! I forgot about that! When does it start? I have to get my uniform out! Oooo, I can't wait!" God do I love martial arts.
"It starts a week from Tuesday," Dad answered.
"Gym?" Jeremy inquired.
"I practice martial arts, specifically Karate, Tae Kwon Do, and Jujitsu," I explained, but then I noticed all the Pack's faces were blank, "What? What's wrong?"
"Have you always done that?" Jeremy asked.
"Yes, I love it. I'm a third degree black belt in Karate, red belt in Tae Kwon Do, and a blue belt in Jujitsu." Again, I noticed the Pack's expression (or lack thereof), "Why, What's the problem?"
The Pack wouldn't look me in the eye. Finally, Clayton, the less sensitive member of the group, spoke up, "Kaine, you can really hurt someone now that you have your Changes. I'm surprised it didn't happen already. I don't think- I know that it wouldn't be wise to continue with your training. At least until we are all absolutely sure that you can control your strength."
God damnit! Why the hell does it seem that every time I'm even close to finally being happy, something or someone comes along and fucks it all up?
"I am not giving it up! It's the one stable thing in my life!" I wasn't even trying to reign in my temper.
"I'm sorry Kaine, but you don't have much of a choice at the moment," Elena informs me oh-so-helpfully.
"Look, classes don't start until next Tuesday, what if I learn to control my Changes and everything until it meets your freaking standards?"
Elena and Logan laugh softly, "That'd be a start," Elena says.