NOTES: This... took... FOREVER to complete! And I'm sorry that it's super long. I did consider splitting it up into two parts but I wasn't sure so, again, I'm sorry if some of you don't want to read such a long chapter and I'm sorry it took so long to write. Things kept coming up and when I did find time to write I was hit with writer's block for this and most of my other stories.
I know that this chapter is very long and I hope you enjoy it and are not too mad about the delay.
Cole groaned loudly, stretching his muscles, as he and Kai walked down the streets toward his apartment. It would be a full moon tomorrow night and the teen pack was growing anxious as the pull of the full moon grew stronger with every passing hour. The only good thing was that it was Friday, and the full moon would be on a Saturday night. Everyone had their plans for the whole moon night.
Jay would be at his parents' junkyard, as always, but he wasn't the only one there.
At Ed and Edna's insistence, both Harumi and Pixal were spending the night at the junkyard. When Jay asked them why Edna said that they were humans and had more experience with all this werewolf stuff, Edna just wanted Pixal and Harumi to know they could come to the Walkers for support and advice they were too awkward to ask their boyfriends. Nya was going to be going to Lloyd's house with his family, despite Kai's insistence that she spent the full moon at Zane's like he, Cole, and Morro did every month.
Pixal had asked Zane recently what the difference was between what the boys did compared to wild werewolves.
Her boyfriend had quickly explained that they, like most werewolves, tried to live normally and locked themselves away during a full moon. Some who owned many lands that posed no risk of humans stumbling around spent a full moon on their land. Wild werewolves were notorious for their harsh ways and vicious nature and were said to kill humans and tame werewolves indiscriminately.
They also refused to have anything to do with the human world like cars, modern medicine, and refrigeration.
Talks about wild werewolves had Cole thinking about Skylor. None of them had heard anything since she returned to be the leader of the wild pack. She had left with the promise to teach her pack the pros of the human world, and the teens could only hope that she would be successful. Even though he and Skylor hadn't been very close, Cole still considered her a friend and hoped she was alright.
As soon as they entered the apartment, Cole tossed his bag and jacket on the couch, but as soon as he did Lou appeared out of seemingly nowhere and pounced.
"Hey! Put your stuff away!" He ordered harshly as he grabbed Cole's stuff off the couch and threw it back at him. "Your grandfather's going to be here any minute and I don't want him to think we live like animals." He frowned as he continued to fuss and clean throughout the apartment. Cole almost hit himself when he suddenly remembered. His maternal grandfather was coming over to visit for the weekend.
Cole hadn't seen his grandpa Richard since he was very little at his mother's funeral.
He and Richard used to be close, but Richard left to travel the world after Lily's death. They still kept in contact with letters, but it wasn't the same for Cole. The noirette teen and his boyfriend gathered up his things and made to head upstairs when Lou stopped them.
"Oh, the school called to arrange a meeting to discuss your college options; I said you would call them back."
"But I haven't decided if I wanna go to college," Cole admitted, only to regret it almost immediately when Lou whipped around to face them.
"WHAT?!" He screeched so loud it hurt their sensitive hearing. "You ARE going to college! I don't care if it's a clown college, you're going!" He shouted but sighed when he saw the annoyed look on his son's face. "Look can I be honest with you? Cole, I'm exhausted, somedays I feel like I'm not gonna make it, and the only thing that gets me through the day is the thought of you going to college and having the best life possible; I'm begging you, please, don't shatter my dream."
Cole was about to respond when they suddenly heard knocking on the door.
Immediately, both Kai and Cole picked up the scent of a new werewolf. It was familiar to Cole, but Kai didn't know who it was. Taking a deep breath, Lou went to open the door. As soon as the door opened a little crack, the person on the other side suddenly shoved it open and stepped inside, nearly knocking Lou into the wall.
"GRANDPA!" Cole shouted in joy and Kai's eyes widened slightly as he took in the giant figure before him. Richard Deja possessed an athletic build, a double square chin, and a handsome appearance. If you had thought Cole was muscular, then his grandfather was a mountain in comparison. His whole frame took up most of the doorway. Despite his grandfather's age, he looked only a few years older than Lou.
He had icy blue eyes, and his black hair was long and tied into a ponytail.
He wore a red tunic and black pants, alongside black boots.
"Hey, little man! It's great to see you!" He exclaimed as he gave his only grandchild a big hug. Richard's face suddenly became impassive as his son-in-law approached. "Hello, Lou." He greeted rather coldly.
"It's good to see you, Mr. Deja," Lou said in the same tone. Kai and Cole looked worriedly at each other, surprised by the tone the two men used to address each other. They stared at each other for a minute before Lou finally broke it. "I'm so glad you're not staying in one of the hotels in the area; many of which offer a complimentary buffet breakfast."
"HA! Glad to see ya haven't changed lad." Richard chuckled, but it felt like it was missing something.
"Grandpa, this is my boyfriend, Kai." Cole smiled, trying to ease the tension, and slightly nudged the brunette. Kai smiled awkwardly as Richard's eyes scanned him closely.
"Ah, so this is the famous Kai Smith you talk about in all your letters." He said kindly as he gave his grandson a small smirk. "It's always 'Kai has the prettiest eyes, 'Kai had the softest hair, or 'Kai has the cutest ass'." He listed and with every word, Cole's scarlet blush grew brighter and brighter.
"Aw, I'm flattered you think that way of my babe." Kai laughed at his boyfriend's expression before giving him a quick kiss on the cheeks.
"W-Why don't I t-take you to your r-room?" Cole stammered as he took Richard's bags and led the older werewolf to the guest room. Kai chuckled as he watched them leave, and he continued smiling until his gaze fell on Lou. The dancer had a worried expression on his face and when Kai made to talk to him, the human shot him an irritated look before storming off into the kitchen to make dinner...
The next day Cole and Kai decided it would be best to show Richard around the city and places they liked to hang out. According to Cole things were super awkward at home this morning and last night between Richard and Lou so he thought some time apart would be good for them, and him. Kai thought it would be best not to argue with his boyfriend's plan and helped out.
They visited the park, the movies, the amusement park, the arcade, the museum, and then the zoo.
Richard loved anything and everything they did, happy to be with his grandson once again and out of that apartment. He hadn't been to this city in a few years and was surprised at how much things had changed. After they tour the city, Cole thinks it might be a good idea if Richard meets the rest of their pack. Soon the trio arrived at the cafe where the others were already waiting.
Jay was showing Lloyd this new gaming app he was working on, but the blond teen didn't seem to understand it.
Morro was off to the side talking to someone on the phone, most likely Harumi who was absent. Nya, Pixal, and Zane were discussing their upcoming robotics project. Everyone perked up and smiled when the couple and Cole's grandfather approached their table.
"Grandpa, these are my friends Nya, Pixal, Zane, Morro, Lloyd, and my best friend Jay." He introduced and Richard shook their hands as Cole announced them.
"Nice to meet you kids; I hope you're all keeping my boy here safe." He grinned as he gave Cole a hard pat on the back.
"Well, he can be a bit of a handful, but we know how to handle it." Jay joked lightly and Cole gave him a noogie, which made everyone laugh.
"We were just going to get something to eat if you wish to join us." Zane offered and after a moment of consideration, Richard nodded.
"We'd love to." He smiled, but that smile dropped slightly when he saw Zane give Pixal a quick peck on the cheek and left to order the food with Jay. As everyone continued with their own business, Richard suddenly pulled Cole aside, far enough away to be out of earshot. "Are they dating?" He whispered and gestured to Zane and Pixal.
"Yeah, they make a cute couple; one where you can see them growing old together." Cole smiled warmly as he watched his friends, and his family, from afar.
"Nah, it won't last." Richard shrugged casually before he suddenly turned and left the cafe without another word. Cole was stunned for a moment before regaining his senses. He wasn't sure what his grandfather meant by that, but he chose to shrug it off and join back up with his friends, ignoring the icy feeling in his stomach...
Lou sighed in frustration as he stared down at his son at the other end of the dining room table. Richard was watching in amusement as Lou chewed Cole out. He had received a letter from the school saying that Cole had failed his last two Math tests and was in danger of failing History again. The old dancer was giving Cole another lecture about how he needed to pull his grades up if he wanted to get into a decent college.
Yet Cole just looked bored with the same conversation they had had several times now.
Even Lou was starting to get fed up, but he refused to give up. One of the main reasons Lou wanted Cole to go to college was for his son to have good salary potential. That was the main reason why many people decided to go back to school. Companies paid as per your academic levels. To accumulate more earnings, his son needed to go to college. If he completed his course with a strategically selected major, he was likely to secure a job that would recover all the money spent on Cole's education.
Another reason was that college was full of fun.
Even though Lou didn't want him to focus on anything but his college studies, he couldn't deny that it was the only place where Cole would ever have all the time and freedom to have fun. Cole would be with his age-mates, and therefore no one would control his fun. College life was always full of partying, making new friends, loving, and many more things. College would also give Cole a chance to get involved in various activities that added to his experience.
It would give his son a chance to know who he was and what his passions were.
He could interact with many different people with passions similar to his whom he could work to achieve their shared dreams. College could allow Cole to have his voice heard and obtain practical experience that was worth being added to his resume. Thirdly, Lou wanted Cole to have job security. Securing a job would not be a problem for Cole as he would have the skills, experience, and other qualifications needed by the employers.
With some skills, employers would come looking for his son instead of him having to apply for a job.
Due to technological change, there was a significant change in the way of doing things. A college education would help keep moving as technology advances. If Cole was worried about money, then he didn't have to wait until he finished college to find a job. Working part-time was a very common practice among students. Lou himself had an evening job as a fast-food employee to pay for his apartment and other expenses.
It was a valid strategy that would help Cole successfully combine work and college.
College not only gave people a chance to make friends but also a chance to meet important people. This was where Cole was likely to meet his spouse. You didn't hate Kai per se, but he couldn't see him as a son-in-law. College could give Cole a chance to make a large social and professional network.
"I mean the way you're going at college isn't even going be an option." Lou finished with an irritated sigh as Cole shrugged.
"That's fine with me." He dismissed.
"Besides, Cole and I had a nice little chat last night all about the stuff that you and Lily did in college." Richard grinned and Cole nodded. Lou stiffened as he turned his attention to his father-in-law.
"Define stuff?" He frowned, growing more worried when Richard's smirk grew at his obvious unease.
"How can you say that college is important when both of you barely even went to class?" Cole grinned and Lou paled. "Or how Mom took off for months to follow the Grateful Dead." He added and his father stammered to find the right words.
"It was a learning experience." He finally said in his and his late wife's defense, flinching at how weak it sounded.
"Yeah, she learned that when somebody offers you pizza with mushrooms at a dead show it's not what you think." Richard butted in and Cole laughed lightly. Lou fixed Richard with a harsh warning glare, but all it did was make him laugh along with his grandson.
"Dad, you were almost kicked out of your dorm freshman year for growing pot." Cole snickered as Lou was once again lost for words.
"Excuse me, it was hydroponics, and it was an experiment for botany class, and no one ever proved it wasn't!"
"Well, it sounds like the two of you were lucky to even graduate."
"Right, well, look just because we did some bad things doesn't mean you shouldn't go to college." Lou tried to reason with his boy, not willing to let Richard poison the teen's mind against what was right.
"Shouldn't go? Are you kidding me? I can't wait!" Cole exclaimed, much to the other two men's confusion. "I mean after hearing all those stories, I knew people partied in college, but I didn't know how much." Cole laughed as he left for his room. Whether he was going to study or call his friends Lou didn't know and right now he was too annoyed to care. When he was sure Cole was in his room, Lou turned his attention to Richard.
"Thank you very much, Richard." He spat in a quiet voice; worried Cole would hear them. Curse that enhanced werewolf hearing. "Do you want your grandson to slave away for the rest of his life in some low-paying job?"
"That's not going to happen so don't get your tutu in a twist." Richard dismissed with a roll of his eyes. "He's a werewolf, so in terms, you can understand the world is his stage and he owns the entire show; why else are we so much stronger, faster, and smarter than you humans?" He smirked and Lou sighed again.
"Werewolf or not, every young boy needs a proper education and a strong role model."
"Then it's a good job I'm here." The older man chuckled as he got up and headed in the direction of the bathroom. Lou had to swallow the words no proper gentleman would utter. He just had to survive another couple of days and then Richard would be gone again for who knows how long. Cole had just assured him that he was going to college so at least he could relax on that front.
All Lou had to do was put up with his father-in-law for a bit longer, certain nothing else could happen...
"Why are we both here again?" Harumi whined loudly as she and Pixal entered the junkyard. The sun was setting, and the full moon would be rising soon. The Walker family was there to greet them, but it wouldn't be that way for long. Jay would soon be heading to his den for the night and Ed had some projects to work on that he couldn't put off any longer. It would just be Edna with the girls that night.
It had taken many, many hours of pleading on Edna's part but the two teens had finally agreed to spend the night.
Pixal had agreed because she had been dying to talk with the Walkers about being fellow humans in the werewolf world. Harumi found it very hard to describe her reason for accepting the invitation because she didn't know. She had been trying to figure out why since she said yes. In the end, she decided that her reason was because Edna was the kind of worrisome innocent little lady that the teen just couldn't bring herself to go against and she hated to admit it, but she would like some advice from the old woman on werewolves.
She couldn't bring herself to ask Morro; it would be too awkward.
"No one asked you to come." Pixal hissed.
"Edna did; or did you forget that?" Harumi teased, trying not to laugh at Pixal's red face.
"Now, girls, you're both here now so let's not start the evening on a bad movie; I have many fun things planned tonight." Edna smiled as she led the girls toward the brightly lit trailer. Jay and Ed shared an amused look before they shared a good night hug and went their separate ways for the night. When the girls entered the trailer, they immediately picked up the scent of baking cookies.
As Edna showed the girls where they would be sleeping Pixal noticed a laptop sitting on a desk in the corner.
On the screen was a low-quality video of the junkyard entrance. Edna noticed her staring at the laptop and smiled.
"Jay insisted we increase security around our home; there are a few cameras scattered around the outside, we didn't want to risk having any inside in case someone hacked them and saw something they shouldn't." She explained and Pixal nodded. The last thing they wanted was some stupid hacker looking through the cameras and accidentally catching sight of Jay's den or him transforming.
"You would know a thing about that, wouldn't Pix?" Harumi jibed from her spot and Pixal froze. When they got together, Morro told Harumi everything he knew about werewolves and who else knew, including everything about Pixal. As the two girls started arguing again, Edna sighed and went to check on the cookies, knowing it was going to be a long night...
"So, you boys just spend the full moons locked down in this basement?" Richard scowled in disappointment as the teens and old man led him down into their den. The full moon was less than an hour away from forcing their transformations and they had to get ready. When Zane and his father had offered him a full moon at their home in the woods, he had thought they would be out chasing deer in the forest.
He eyed the toys and chewed up furniture, trying to hide his disdain.
A wolf should be out there running their territory and hunting, not hanging out in a dimly lit basement with toys like a house pet. He had to remind himself that he was a guest here and that he should show some respect. No matter how much he hated being a wolf indoors. They had just finished a sizeable meaty dinner Zane had cooked for their new guest, and the teens were desperate to run off all the full-moon energy they were feeling.
Richard turned his attention away from the furniture to the other werewolves.
The doctor was busy filling up the food and water bowls and Zane was double-checking to make sure the door was locked. Cole was sat in an armchair, looking passive as he waited for the transformation to happen. Kai and Morro were practically bouncing around the den in excitement.
"Don't worry Grandpa, see that hatch over there?" Cole said and pointed to the entrance to the tunnel. "We transform here and if we want to we can go out into to woods." He explained and Richard relaxed a little. He hadn't spent a full moon inside for years, so he was glad he didn't have to stay. Before anyone could say anything else, the feeling of the moon surged through them, and they braced for the change.
It was over in a minute, and they quickly shook off their clothes.
As usual, Dr. Julien took his place on the torn-up couch and the others ran out through the tunnel. Richard was the last one out of the tunnel and he was excited to spend time with his grandson and his pack, hunting through the moonlit night. Except he was disappointed to find Cole and the others chasing each other around or relaxing under the stars. This isn't what he wanted to do with his grandson tonight.
With an irritated snarl, he took off deeper into the forest to do some hunting like a real werewolf.
Meanwhile, the teens were having their usual full-moon fun activities when Cole suddenly yipped to get their attention. When he had it the black wolf suddenly ducked down and covered his eyes with his paws. The others knew what he wanted instantly. He wanted to play hide and seek with them. Zane and the others only had half a minute before Cole would come chasing after them.
As they scattered into the darkness, Zane began to sprint away as fast as he could over small rocks and grass as he searched for an excellent spot to take cover.
After two-thirds of his time were up he spotted a small patch of berry bushes and tall grass that would easily hide him and headed for them. The scent from the berries would probably hide him well as well. He quickly ran over to his chosen hiding place. All of a sudden, Zane's thoughts were cut off as something snagged his neck and sent the rest of his body flying ahead of him.
His neck was caught in something, and it was being squeezed tightly.
He could feel the sting of a thin metal wire tightening itself around his neck, squeezing his throat and cutting off his air supply. It was a snare trap. A poacher must have set it up for some animal to get caught in. But now it had caught Zane. His wolf mind raced, and he started to panic. He thrashed around trying to break free, but it only made the snare tighten. The power of the full moon had dulled his rational human mind, not allowing him to realize that his struggles were putting him in more danger.
The biting metal started to eat through the thick, white fur and worked its way down closer and closer to his flesh.
More wire loops had been set up all around and were beginning to catch his legs and hold them down, but he continued to thrash in his panic. Adrenaline kept him going at the start, but he was quickly beginning to grow tired. He didn't know what to do. Deeper into the forest, Cole had finished counting and was racing across the dark woods. He looked every which way for any sign of his fellow werewolves unaware of the danger Zane had gotten himself into.
Several minutes went and he found no sign of the others anywhere.
He stopped for a moment and looked out to the tree line. It was still dark, but he could sense that the sun would be rising soon, so they should start heading back to the den. He was about to start his search again when he heard a strangled cry and a loud thrashing noise about one hundred feet to his left. Curiosity had gotten the better of him and he sprinted towards the sound.
When he arrived his gold eyes widened at what he saw.
Zane was led on the ground, blood dripping from his neck and a wild, glossy-eyed expression of panic printed on his face. He was whining loudly and breathing pretty heavily due to the pressure on his throat. After the initial shock had worn off, Cole unleashed a loud and terrified howl to summon the rest of the pack. Kai was the first, walking up to his mate with a happy bounce.
That mood vanished when he saw Zane.
His mind flashed back to his leg getting caught in a bear trap and he started to panic. Morro was next to arrive and nearly gagged when he saw Zane. Richard had yet to arrive, but they didn't have time to wait for him. They had to do something, or Zane was going to bleed out. His father was a doctor, but he couldn't do anything while in wolf form. Morro got closer and considered tearing off the wire, but he was worried that could do more damage.
All he did was get blood on his fur.
With no alternatives, Morro decided that he needed to get help. As his mind went through everyone, he knew he thought could help he suddenly remembered the Walkers at the junkyard, where Pixal and Harumi also were. With no time to lose, Morro took off in the direction of the junkyard, praying Zane could hold on a little longer...
When Pixal thought about asking Edna about her experiences with werewolves, hearing a story of Jay's first potty time wasn't what she had in mind. Harumi seemed just as bored as she was, falling asleep in her chair. Not that Pixal cared about the cheerleader's comfort or attention, however. Somehow, though, Edna was completely oblivious to this and she kept talking on and on.
So far, Edna had pulled out the photo albums, her knitting set, and more than one cookbook.
But eventually, even she could see how terrible this night was turning out. Her plan to bring Pixal and Harumi together was failing and if she didn't do something soon the girls would be more divided than ever. Snapping the photo album closed, startling Harumi awake, she packed everything up but the snacks. The two girls shared a confused look but didn't want to say anything.
Edna soon returned with fresh orange juice and gave them both a glass each.
"Who's up for a game of twenty questions?" She suggested; that it was the ultimate icebreaker. Although they were reluctant, both teens eventually agreed. After a quick game of Rock, Paper, Scissors it was decided that the order would be Edna, Harumi, and Pixal.
"Ok; Harumi, what's the weirdest dream you've ever had?" Edna asked with a smile.
"Um, I'd say the weirdest dream I ever had would be me being on the school bus with monkeys from the circus and we were going to meet a farmer." She admitted with a laugh. "Alright Pixal, how long have you and Zane been together?"
"Longer than you and Morro, who's only dating you because you're rich and know the secret, by the way." Pixal snarked, causing Harumi to flush bright red with anger. "Edna, what was it like for you raising a werewolf when you and Ed are both human?"
"Um, it was a little odd for us to handle at first; but with the help of our friends we managed to get through all the troubles that came up." She admitted with a fond smile. "So, Harumi, are you looking forward to college?"
"Yeah, Morro and I may be attending different schools but we plan to meet up every holiday." She explained, only to scowl when Pixal gave another mean-spirited chuckle.
"You honestly think your relationship is going to survive that?"
"Yes, actually, I do because Morro cares about me, more than my parents and I care about him; after everything that's happened I believe we can withstand anything people like you can say or do." Harumi spat.
"He only cares because he doesn't know the real you; the second you show him the ugly person you really are under all that makeup he'll run a mile and no one will blame him."
"Why the hell is your problem with me?!"
"Are you serious?!"
"Girls, maybe we should play something else?" Edna tried to intervene, but it was too late.
"Let's see, where do we begin?" Pixal hissed with a nasty cackle. "You are the shallowest girl in school; you are horrible to everyone, Try and throw money at a problem instead of trying to fix it, and that's not even the worst of it."
"Girls-"
"You sank Lloyd's uncle's boat and caused him to have a heart attack, You have gone out of your way to torment my friends and me, and you betrayed me!"
"What're you talking about?" Harumi frowned in confusion. Most of Pixal's points she could agree with, but that last point threw her for a loop. This was the wrong thing to say as Pixal's pale face suddenly flushed red with anger.
"Girls-"
"We used to be best friends until that camping trip years ago, remember?" She snapped and Harumi's eyes widened. "Yes, you do, don't you? I was traumatized and instead of being an understanding friend and helping me, you turned your back on me and started to torment me even more when I did NOTHING to you! Why did you do that? What did I ever do to you for you to suddenly hate me?!"
"...Nothing," Harumi admitted after a long moment of silence. "After that trip, you started going on about monsters and all kinds of weird things and I did try to be understanding, but to be honest I was a little creeped out and so were my parents; they thought that there was something wrong with you and they started taking up more of my time so I wouldn't hang out with anymore." She explained sadly as she thought about what happened.
When the camping trip ended so suddenly, her parents didn't want her hanging around with Pixal again.
Whenever Harumi made plans with her, her parents suddenly told her that she HAD to come attend a meeting with them, or they signed her up for an after-school project, or they had to go and visit some obscure relative several hours away. It got to the point that the mention of Pixal's name would cause her parents to get upset with her. She remembered sneaking out of her room and listening to her parents talking about Pixal's odd behavior, about how she was unstable, and how they didn't want her 'corrupting' their child.
After a while, Harumi started to believe her parents.
She was just a kid, and like most kids, she thought her parents were the best people in the world and only had her best interest at heart. Now she was older she could see how wrong she was. Even before she learned the truth, Harumi knew she was in the wrong, but by that time it was too late to do anything about it. At least, in her mind it was. Before Morro came into her life, Harumi was just counting down the days until she graduated.
Then she could leave Ninjago and her mistakes behind and start over somewhere fresh.
"I know this probably won't mean much to you, but I am-"
"Don't even bother apologizing! You have had years to do so and you were too much of a coward to do it then, so there is no point now." Pixal spat, causing Harumi to flinch. "I don't care if you and Morro break up, stay together, or get married and live happily ever after; you and I will NEVER be friends and I HATE you!" She shouted, and Harumi nodded in understanding, she had expected nothing less.
"GIRLS THAT IS ENOUGH!" Edna suddenly shouted before they could say anything else they might regret. Before the older woman could speak, however, her phone started buzzing and after fiddling with it for a bit, she sighed in frustration. "Ed needs help with one of his projects, Stay here and don't move and when I get back we are sorting this out!" She said sternly as she grabbed her coat and left the trailer.
The girls remained silent for a few minutes when something suddenly slammed hard against the trailer door.
They both jumped in their seats, not sure what to do. All they could hear were whines and scratching at the door like a dog. Fearing that Jay had somehow gotten out of his den and was running around the junkyard, Harumi approached the door. She intended to go out there and somehow trap the werewolf back in his den. Before Pixal could stop her, she flung the door open but was shocked when she saw it wasn't Jay, but her boyfriend.
He was pacing around, whining and crying loudly at them.
Harumi could sense something was wrong so she stepped outside and knelt, allowing Morro to come closer.
"Morro? What's wrong- OH MY GOD IS THAT BLOOD?!" Pixal screamed when she saw the dark, metallic-smelling stains matted into his coat.
"It doesn't look like it's from him," Harumi said as she quickly examined him and found no obvious injuries.
"Whose is it then?! Is it Cole? Kai? Dr. Julien? Zane?!" Pixal stopped and started to panic when Morro howled at Zane's name. This blood must have been her boyfriend's, and there was a lot of it.
"Don't worry, we're on it," Harumi replied quickly running to the shed to get everything they would need.
"What are you doing?!"
"What does it look like?! I'm going to find them!" She snapped as she gathered what she thought might be important and tossed them into one of Ed's beat-up pickups. She pulled down the visor and smiled when she found the keys waiting there.
"We should wait for Edna to get back!"
"That could be hours; the guys need our help now!" Harumi snapped and Morro howled, whether it was in agreement or telling them to hurry up, neither of them knew. Regardless, Harumi started the truck and in a last-minute decision, Pixal jumped into the passenger seat just as the truck drove off. With Morro leading the way, they drove in silence out to Zane's property and deep into the forest.
Eventually, it became too dense for them to drive so they got out, grabbed their gear, and ran the rest of the way.
Soon they reached the ditch. Harumi felt like she was going to throw up, Pixal started to cry, and Morro started to whine somberly. Zane looked worse than before. Blood had begun to pool around his head where the wire had cut into his neck and the red liquid was now spilling out. Fortunately, there was enough fur to keep the wire from cutting into him too deeply but it was still going to be a close call.
Kai and Cole were by his side and their coats were matted in Zane's blood and the dirt that Zane had kicked up in another struggle.
Zane was still lying in a pool of his blood looking tired and pale. Seeing Pixal was in a state of shock, Harumi steeled herself and reached into the toolbox. When she pulled her hand out there was a pair of wire cutters firmly in her grasp. She carefully clipped the wire around Zane's neck first before cutting away the pieces that bound his legs and torso so that he didn't continue to hurt himself any further.
After she had removed all the pieces and the immediate danger had been taken care of, Zane snapped out of his state of panic.
He looked at his pack, actually seeing them for the first time since he got trapped. He let out another pitiful whine and he leaned closer to his fellow wolves. He was still panting quite heavily but seemed to calm down a bit more. Pixal finally shook off the horror as she rushed up to them and checked the white wolf's vital signs. After she had looked him over she made her diagnosis.
"We'll have to move him back to the manor; it's closer and Dr. Julien has a medical care room in case of emergencies, so help me get him on the truck; I think he's gonna be fine, we just have to hurry." She said hurriedly. The other girl nodded and went to do what she was instructed. She and Pixal pulled the now unconscious Zane from the forest floor and set him in the back of the truck.
The three wolves could only stare blankly as the others worked on their injured brother.
Harumi's phone started to buzz and she checked it amazed that she still had a signal out there. She winced when she saw all the texts from Edna, asking where they were. After sending a text to the older woman explaining what had happened and what they were doing. Edna quickly replied, saying that she and Ed were on their way and they would meet at the manor.
"Come on, let's head back," Harumi called to the other teen after she finished securing the wolf to the vehicle. Pixal snapped her attention away from her boyfriend and up to Harumi's gaze. It took her a second to register what was said but when it finally clicked she got up and walked over to the passenger seat and was about to climb in. All of sudden, something huge slammed into her and sent Pixal into the dirt.
She looked up to what was happening and was met with a nightmare.
Staring daggers at her was a monstrous, furry face with burning yellow eyes. Its teeth were out and showing and looked like they could easily rip into flesh. It was another werewolf and it looked like it wanted to kill her. Pixal screamed louder than she ever had in her life. The beast charged and looked like it was going to rip her throat out when Harumi suddenly ran over and whacked it as hard as she could with a spanner from the truck.
It cried out in pain and was about to attack again when Kai, Cole, and Morro jumped in and started defending the girls.
Seeing this as a chance to get away, Harumi dragged Pixal back to her feet and tossed her into the truck, driving off as fast as they could toward the manor. Cole, Morro, and Kai stayed back and fended off the attacking werewolf. After a few seconds, however, Cole realized with horror that this was no stranger invading their territory. It was his grandfather who had tried attacking his friends.
Before he could begin to process this, the older wolf seemed to realize he was outnumbered.
Quickly he turned around and ran into the darkness. They thought about chasing after him but Zane was more important and it would be morning soon. They ran back to the den, but Cole stayed behind for a few seconds, staring out into the darkness and wondering what had caused his grandfather to act like that, before going to join the others...
When morning came, Nya left the den and checked her phone like any other day. She had been expecting to see a text from her boyfriend about how Pixal and Harumi had murdered each other or maybe Edna had worked her magic and they were best friends now. What she hadn't expected was to see dozens of texts and missed calls from everyone. Lloyd had also gotten the same response.
When Nya called her brother and they heard what happened, she and Lloyd ran to Zane's home.
They caught up with Jay along the way. The door was already opened when they got there. They could see Zane lying on the center table and Edna was working on stitching up the gouges that ran horizontally across his neck where the wire had cut through the fur and reached his flesh. The guilt and dread came rushing back but she kept calm. Zane needed them now and freaking out wasn't gonna help the situation.
Ed, Edna, Morro, and Harumi were working on fixing up their friend.
She could hear his father in the other room talking to someone on the phone. Kai and Cole sat on the couch curled up together tightly. Pixal was standing off to the side, looking like she had been crying all night. Edna looked back at the three as they walked in and gave her son a big hug. As she pulled away she gave them a sad but relieved smile.
"He's gonna be fine." She promised. "I gave him some pain medicine and got the bleeding to stop; there are a few minor cuts on his arms and legs but nothing too severe and all I have to do now is stitch up his neck and apply some antibacterial ointment and bandages but he's still gonna be out for awhile." "Fortunately for him, the damage isn't too deep or he would be in some major trouble; Dr. Julien can give him a proper look shortly." She explained, the relief in her voice very audible.
Ed grabbed the ointment and bandages.
Harumi and Morro exchanged somber glances and then went back to fixing up the pale werewolf. They couldn't imagine the pain that he must be feeling right now. The humans wanted so badly to know what exactly had happened but had silently agreed to not bother the others about it. The others sat and watched as the others finished applying the bandages and began putting the medical supplies away.
Despite Edna's words, Cole couldn't stop replaying the images in his head.
A haunted look stuck to his face as he stared at the bandages around his friend's neck. Nya piped up and asked him a question, breaking the silence.
"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked, but Cole didn't know whether she was referring to what happened with Zane or what happened with his grandfather. The others looked back at them, staring at Cole intently, waiting for his answer even though they weren't so keen on the idea of bothering the werewolves with the painful memories and making any of them relive the experience so soon.
But they had to know so they could prevent it from happening again.
They were asking Cole because he seemed to be the most calm. Dr. Julien wasn't there and Morro was busy seeing Harumi and Zane. Kai was cuddling close to his boyfriend, but he was oddly silent the entire time. Cole sighed and began his story starting from the beginning all the while never taking his eyes off of his brother. He knew that talking about it wouldn't help his mind much, but it would relieve the rest of the team's curiosity.
When he finished the other pack members were staring at them with somber expressions.
With every gruesome detail that Cole provided they had a pretty good idea of what had happened there in the bushes. They looked at Zane with pity and guilt. He had been put through such a traumatic experience. They wondered if he would be the same. Pixal and his father weren't so sure...
"DAD! WHERE IS HE?!" Cole roared as he all but kicked down the door to his apartment. After the doctor had Zane sent off to a special hospital and they got the all-clear that he was going to be alright, they were all relieved. But as they celebrated, Cole snuck out and went to deal with some unfinished business. Now that he was sure Zane would recover, he had to go deal with his grandfather.
He understood that it was a stressful situation.
Zane was badly injured, they didn't know what to do, and the pull of the full moon wasn't helping. But still, he could have seriously hurt Pixal or worse. Full moon or not, Richard attacked a member of Cole's pack and he at least owed her an apology. Lou rushed out of the kitchen due to Cole's shouting, looking scared. He had heard about what had happened with Zane but chose not to visit yet.
It wasn't because he was unfeeling.
What Zane went through was horrifying, but Lou was worried that he was just getting in the way. Zane had all the support he needed.
"What's going on?! Is Zane alright?!" Lou exclaimed as Cole tore through the apartment.
"Grandpa attacked Pixal last night! He could have killed her!" The teen growled after he finished his search and found no trace of Richard anywhere. He and his belongings were gone.
"Oh." Lou sighed as he took a seat on the couch.
"Oh? Is that all you have to say!"
"I meant that I'm not surprised, son." Lou glared back. "You know how the full moon can make you do regrettable; that paired with your grandpa's hate for humans-"
"What do you mean he had hate for humans?" Cole frowned. Yes, he knew that Richard was a little uncomfortable around humans, but most werewolves he knew were like that. He couldn't remember Richard ever saying that he hated humans. Lou nodded.
"I'm afraid he loathes human beings with a passion, you should have seen his reaction when he found out that not only was I dating your mother, but that I also knew the secret." He shuddered at the memory. "He could have killed me and he almost disowned Lily."
"But... why?" Cole asked, shocked by this news about his grandfather. Lou examined his son for a second and sighed heavily. This was not how he wanted this kind of information to come out, or even come out at all. He patted the seat next to him and, reluctantly, Cole took it.
"Many, many years ago, Lily and her parents lived far out in the mountains, just outside a small village; the locals knew of their secret and they used their powers to help the village and their farms, protecting them and their crops from wild animals and such," Lou explained. "They lived like that for many years and celebrated many milestones with each other like birthdays, weddings, funerals, and all kinds of things."
"So why does he hate humans?"
"It happened when Lily was little; when she was about two years old, during a full moon, her parents took her into the forest with them to enjoy the night, but what they didn't know was that it would be their last night as a family." He sighed sadly. "They didn't know that not everyone was happy with them being there; a teenage boy, I don't know his name, he hated how much his folks relied on the werewolves and he wanted his independence back."
"But it wasn't like they were dictators!"
"Son, people sometimes just want an excuse to hurt others, to be honest, I don't know what his reasons were, just what your mom told me what happened." He admitted. "Anyway, he knew where they spent most full moons so he got a gun and set all kinds of traps like nets and snares; he was going to capture and kill the beasts and be a famous monster hunter, but things didn't go according to his plan."
"What happened?"
"As they were running through the forest, your grandmother fell into one of the teen's traps, he soon caught her a-and... he..." Lou trailed off, unwilling to finish that sentence, but Cole knew what he meant. "When Richard found out, he went mad; he attacked the boy, and he... he tore him apart." He gagged slightly. "By the night the body was found he was nothing but a mess of clothes, bones, muscle tissue, and blood."
"And what did Grandpa do after that?" Cole asked and Lou sighed.
"After the boy's body was found, the whole village turned on them, especially the boy's family; they burnt their home down and tried to finish the boy's work in killing Richard and his daughter if they ever returned."
"Why didn't Grandpa report it!?"
"And what would he have said? Excuse me, officer, a kid killed my wife while she was in wolf form and I got revenge by slaughtering him?!" Lou glared before sighing. "Look, son, sometimes bad things happen and there's not a lot you can do to fix it besides moving on with your life, not that your grandpa does that."
"So that's why he hates humans and wants nothing to do with them?"
"Something like that, he doesn't like being around them but he knows that we all have to co-exist, even if most humans don't realize it; Richard believes that while it's fine for werewolves and humans to be around each other, they can not share each other's worlds."
"But why did he just up and leave like this? All his stuff is gone!"
"I don't know Cole, maybe he was ashamed that he let the wolf control him like that?" Lou shrugged. "Look, he might come back, he might not, but what matters right now is keeping your family and friends safe; focus on Zane, after everything he's been through, he needs all of you." He explained and Cole looked like he wanted to argue, but the teen slumped and sighed in defeat.
"...I guess you're right."
"I always am." Lou smiled warmly as he patted his son on the back. "You look exhausted, so go get a shower and I'll make some dinner, Sound good?" He offered and Cole nodded and headed for the bathroom. As soon as the door was locked and bolted, Lou's smile fell. He quickly pulled a small vial with a few strands of hair in it and wrote on the label 'Richard Deja' before stuffing it into a bag.
After making sure nobody saw that, Lou headed for the kitchen.
Cole looked like he could do with a big dinner...
NEXT CHAPTER: When some humans start camping on the wild pack's territory, Skylor's plans to show the pack that humans are not the enemy and that they could all co-exist are put to the test...