Theo relaxed in the back seat of Duke's Jeep as they drove down the bumpy dirt road. Rosalind was fast asleep in his lap. She had shifted back into her human form during the night.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8RfjjAzSaO
"Do you have any idea how much trouble we're in?" Theo whispered in her ear. "Now we're on the run thanks to you." He tried to be angry with her, but she looked so cute with her head resting on his shoulder. "Also, your brother almost got himself shot last night, but he saved us all in the end. I've never seen anything so stupid yet brave."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSrxWWHOkEQ
Chandler took a large gulp of his energy drink in an attempt to relieve his hangover. "I should have left you to be devoured by the alphas."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjkDM31ZfjX
Theo crossed his arms. "But you didn't."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ67piUfVAsG
After a few moments of silence, Heath spoke up. "You know, Chandler, I think you're jealous because Theo is smarter than you."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX87lKGRSWB
"Shut up, Heath."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9fo44qOSci
Duke gripped the steering wheel and clenched his teeth. "I'm going to need all of you to stop bickering, or I'm going to drive this car into the river!"
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsUT9LmpA8j
"Hey, there's no reason to be so upset," Heath said.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeDfDtX0MDU
"No reason? Have you forgotten the fact we're wanted dead or alive by the Silver Huntsmen? They're most likely tracking us right now and there's no way we can hold them off alone. I'd say that's a valid reason to be upset.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡke5NwTLtvB
"What if we weren't alone?" Rosalind asked.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmF5hcn7rVK
Theo leaned back, startled. "How long have you been awake?"
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIkINJckvIB
"Long enough."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡayrw8oaz44
Duke let out a sigh. "I don't know anyone outside the Silver Huntsmen who'd be willing to help us,"
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiFs4VSYshc
"But Theo and I do."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWHXmg4JiM
Theo raised an eyebrow. "We do?"
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡulLr5bc4wk
"My Gran only lives about half a mile from here. I'll ask her if we can stay, and I bet your stepdad has plenty of spare hunting traps we can set around the perimeter. "
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbTiESmfcNR
Theo fidgeted in his seat. "I haven't spoken to my stepfather since he found out I'm a werewolf. I don't know how he'll react to seeing me again."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSF1JEmJmjT
"Don't worry, Duke and I will go with you," Heath said.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIQVRnGKqGt
Chandler almost spat out his drink. "Are you guys serious? You're gonna leave me alone with the crazy old lady?"
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbNHldJ23PM
"Gran isn't crazy!" Rosalind frowned. "And you won't be alone, I'm going with you."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdTUNDjOgks
Chandler rolled his eyes. "Great."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJDfAEtgdmz
Duke let out a small chuckle under his breath.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuNMSM9bpHo
"What are you laughing at?" Chandler hissed.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF7dQVW46Gn
"I spent all these years thinking you weren't afraid of anything, but now I see you're afraid of your grandma."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEzw2VwdmKJ
Chandler crossed his arms. "She's scary when she's angry, and I forgot to get her birthday last year and the year before that..." he trailed off.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ54YGE58e7g
"You're unbelievable," Rosalind scoffed.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlEAzK0EGJG
Duke dropped her and Chandler off in front of Gran's cabin.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Ju5a7eiaa
When Rosalind stepped out of the Jeep, Theo stopped her. "I have something for you."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO2K1KqrmTd
He opened the trunk and revealed the bow and quiver from the Sightless Caverns. "I found these in your room, and I figured you'd want me to bring them."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2AfGVfD7wr
She threw her arms around him. "Thank you."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5GowIcsyQt
He returned her embrace. "Stay safe."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡai4BPBRxeE
Heath honked the horn.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIv3rsRsXEp
Theo squeezed her hand. "I have to go." He climbed into the back seat of the car, and they drove away, leaving Rosalind and Chandler alone on the forest path.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv9JPzEzB9q
The pair stood in silence, staring at the log cabin for an uncomfortably long time.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbbtOx95Lmg
"Are you ready to go?" Rosalind asked.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfZXZus6EDY
"No."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD3FWQLAira
She sighed. "Why did you let me believe you were dead?"
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYIxIar6GKm
He looked away. "I don't know. I wanted to reach out to you but then, I thought maybe you were better off without me. I'm such a mess, Rosalind. I'm not the same person I was when we were kids. You deserve to keep those happy memories without knowing the kind of person I've become."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIgW8nM7dZi
She gave him a tight hug. "I've missed you so much."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2r5PnJFtax
He awkwardly patted her on the back. "I missed you too, kiddo."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6so8ug32U4
"I'm sorry I shot you in the hand."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwVCLlK7GDo
I'm sorry I ruined your sweatshirt that was technically my sweatshirt."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYSUy9fzAFt
"Gee thanks."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvmihj73NCZ
After the hug became uncomfortable, Rosalind said. "Let's go inside."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡknBh3RtPnv
Rosalind knocked on the front door.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSG8yIbjjq2
"Go away!"
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjL2IbJrtBS
"C'mon Gran, it's me." She peered through the crack in the door. "Let me in."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ZnPAMd4Mf
"No."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrWtNoVfcov
"I don't have time for this," Chandler murmured. He pounded his fists on the door. "Open up, old lady, or I'll tear the door down!"
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiVm6SxATak
Rosalind grabbed his shoulder. "Knock it off, Chandler! She won't let us in if you threaten her!"
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡywWFLhjhYP
Gran opened the door a few inches. "Chandler?"
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsMDF5rMHeC
He ran his fingers through his hair. "Hey, Gran."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDDoH4hFfWt
"Is it really you?"
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC6NEqtxOPf
He let out a deep sigh. "Yeah, it's me."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQkMjgpB7ez
She pulled them both inside, then slammed the door behind them.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ35XvSlLQ87
Gran stood on her tiptoes, so she could get a better look at Chandler's face. Her eyes filled up with tears. "You've grown up so much." She slapped him across the face with her slipper. "Why did it take you so long to come home?"
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVijOn8TgfT
He shrugged off his leather jacket. "Listen, I'm sorry I didn't come back sooner, but I'm going through some personal stuff and I needed time to figure myself out."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGSUdjdcDJ6
"We're your family, Chandler. We've been waiting for you to come home for so long and whatever you're going through we'll understand."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHPLVhaHwB8
He turned away.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7oRQa95no1
"Wait!" Rosalind turned to Gran. "You knew he was alive this whole time?"
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmegnvTD4XY
Gran placed a hand on her shoulder. "I intended to tell you eventually."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxPaXoAoSFl
"I can't believe this!" She broke herself free from her grandmother's grasp. "Were you eventually going to tell me I'm a werewolf?"
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdrZMkMW9iv
Everything went silent.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMrlfxPfxVo
"I was going to tell you when you were older."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ96USNdIivk
"When?"
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZRTDkMBbNu
"When you were ready to handle the news."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ALAHwS6j0
"When?"
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeMfIJ6neCw
"I don't know!" Gran snapped. She let out a quick sigh. then regained her composure. "I was afraid if you knew about your brother, your Lycanthropy, and the Silver Huntsmen, you'd leave me to join them. I've been so lonely since Luna left me to join them, and I've enjoyed your company."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy0rB7dWZAi
She balled her hands into fists. "I had a right to know the truth."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvJmHIzAAhb
Her expression turned somber. "I know."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7z8GqXnkxq
Chandler frowned. "I didn't come here to deal with family drama. We're here because we need your help."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNwYHkB4PxT
Gran placed a finger on his lips, silencing him. "You want to know if you and your friends can stay here? Right?"
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcnHgXXX1AP
"How'd you know that's what we were going to ask you?"
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡejL3hrHooN
She stared out the window. "I could smell them outside. Listen, I don't trust the Silver Huntsmen one bit, but I trust my granddaughter if she trusts these boys, I suppose they can stay for a little while. "
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkqtBsc8PQ6
"What happened between you and the Huntsmen?" Rosalind asked.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk9NclEFw63
"They took me in when I was a cub. I was all alone and too naive to know any better. They trained me to kill, and I was good at it. The Council of Alphas was very impressed with my skills and I quickly climbed their ranks. I became the youngest Pack Mother in Silver Huntsman history. Several years later, I gave birth to twins."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKL49pvkBjJ
"Twins?" Rosalind leaned forward in her chair. "I had no idea you had other kids besides my mom!"
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzQ9NrjSNNX
She let out a somber sigh. It's not something I like to talk about, but your mother had a twin sister."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡph3BSEt5Fa
"What happened to her?"
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5RQYBCnUfp
"She was a runt. When she was young, I kept her by my side at all times, but as she became more independent I couldn't keep track of her. She couldn't run as fast or fight as hard as the other wolves, which put the pack in danger. The Council ordered me to eliminate her."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhqKpjwnXxL
"I didn't know there were any other runts in our family." Chandler's expression went cold. "What did you do to her?"
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡROUq3GOVWw
"Nothing." Gran refused to make eye contact. "She snuck out one night while she was in her wolf form, and she was captured by a group of hunters camping out near our den. They didn't know she was a werewolf they assumed she was an abnormally large wolf. They thought she'd make a nice trophy, so they shot her. I watched everything from a distance, but I did nothing. I told myself her death was necessary to the survival of our kind. Over the years, the guilt ripped me apart from the inside, and eventually, I couldn't bear it anymore. I resigned from the Silver Huntsmen and never looked back."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFisQgqN21Z
"You let your own daughter die because she was a runt?" Chandler hissed. His voice was full of venom.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ7xWDbWyLG
"Believe me, not a single day goes by that I don't regret letting her go."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡog31GAixP3
He clenched his fists. "How am I supposed to trust you now?"
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡteAZGBAu6q
Gran sighed, stood up, walked into her bedroom, and closed the door behind her. A few minutes later, she returned holding a toy wolf.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrS4J9JgOa5
Rosalind examined the stuffed animal. A wave of childhood memories she'd nearly forgotten came rushing back to her. Hey! It's Mister Fluffy! You used to play with him all the time!"
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfq9FwuCcCQ
Chandler held the toy close to his chest. "Yeah, I did."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQRkv85Bn4Q
"It was my daughter's favorite toy when she was alive. I gave it to you on the day you were born. I promised that I would love and protect my grandkids no matter what."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGxSctMyBhZ
Chandler stood up and stuffed the toy into his pocket, hoping no one would notice. "I still don't trust you."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡryEvf0WnSS
Rosalind's stomach churned with guilt. "Gran, I'm sorry, I gave away the enchanted locket, but someone else needed it more than I did."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCSUGvRAtkJ
Gran placed a hand on Rosalind's forehead to gauge her temperature. "Are you feeling alright?"
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNoEo3L12WD
"Umm... Yes, why?"
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH24wqVBlfm
"Because you've been wearing your it this whole time.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIRSvdOizT8
"What?" She glanced down and sure enough, the heart-shaped locket dangled around her neck.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmdHu0oDjtW
"Your Mixedblood friend gave it back to you after your little incident at the banquet."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmC6rWrFKvA
"Why didn't he tell me?"
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl9ee4DxwE6
Chandler placed a hand on her shoulder. "He didn't want you to worry."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZX22QYJZz2
"Why didn't you try to stop him?"
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1oompOdTFQ
"Because it's none of my business."
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0gFXKUPMpc
Rosalind pushed his hand away.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNaZUG3Ack4
The sound of a knock on the front door started them.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpTCXOYc4RD
None of them made a sound as the intruder scratched at the lock.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv1sbmgLGNb
The door flung open. Gregorio stood in the doorway. "I need to speak with you!"
ns 15.158.61.8da2
