Brother

“So next week is Christmas, and we haven’t had any time together since we took that drive to the city!” Rachelle addressed us like a teacher telling off her pupils. If I wasn’t so tired, I would have teased her. “It’s just not acceptable. I know school is over, and well, we’re all bound to drift apart now we’re not forced to sit in a stupid class room together for six hours of the day, but come on!”

“In our defence, you did go away for a week?” Helena pointed out.

“Wendi and I have to work under family slave labour laws, you’re lucky I’m even here!” Peta argued. “Sarah works now too!”

“So, our parents all work and they still manage to have more of a social life than we do! This is our last Summer of being kids. We’re eighteen next year! Eighteen! That’s like, adult age. I propose a camping trip!” Rachelle declared, pointing her finger in the air.

Sitting outside in front of the cafe, the people walking around us can’t help but look our way. Rachelle has a habit of being able to draw attention to herself. She does have a point though. I haven’t made any effort to be social, instead going straight home from work and then back again. In the three days since Danny came home, I’ve only felt worse and I’m starting to wonder if Mum was right about going to the doctors. I also wondered if willingly getting Michael around would help with my being unable to sleep situation too, but I wasn’t that desperate. Yet.

I groaned. “No.No camping.”

“You love camping?”

“No, you love camping.” I remind her.

“She has a point.” Wendi agreed. “We don’t like it, you just get so excited we just suck it up and go.”

Rachelle’s mouth drops, and years of drama class pay off as she gasps, clutching her chest like she is about to drop dead. “I thought I knew you, all of you!”

Becky laughs, only encouraging the performance.

“So, I guess to keep with tradition, we’re going camping?” I sigh in defeat.

We all share a look, before it’s decided. Yes, we’re all going to go live out of canvas tents that are void of air conditioning in a week that promises not to drop below thirty. It’s really a surprise that Rachelle doesn’t understand why we don’t like going to live in the wilderness, void of the creature comforts home provides. Each time she rallies us together to go, it ends up raining and one year the park we stayed in had to be evacuated due to a bush fire nearby.

Her timing always sucks and as they start to throw around ideas on where and when to go, I see Justin walking with Danny further up the street. Yeah, her timing really does suck. Let’s go out into the bush with werewolves running around and-

“Earth to Sarah?” Peta waves her hand in front of my face while the rest all follow my gaze.

“Wanna see if Danny and Jake want to come?” Helena suggests. “And Justin?”

“Who better to have with us than the Blakes?” Rachelle smirks. “I heard they love the outdoors.”

“You’re dead to me!” I snap at her, trying to pass it off as a joke, but I sound too serious. “I gotta go to work. Call me later with what you decide and no Blakes, otherwise no Sarah!”

Two hours later, even the tourists must be smart enough not to pay the inflated prices Mrs Johns likes to sell her stock at as the store is empty. The people who have come in just browse and I busy myself cleaning the counter and dusting the glass shelves. I end up sitting in the chair by the wall of shoes, it’s comfier than the one over near the cash register and it’s a good thing Rachelle comes in when she does, otherwise I would’ve fallen asleep.

“In case you are mad with me, I have cookies!” She holds up the paper bag and werewolf senses or not, you can’t miss the sweet, deliciously baked smell that has arrived with her.

“Hand them over and you’re forgiven.”

Rachelle does as I say, taking a seat on the stool beside me. The chocolate chips are still soft and melting from the warmth of the biscuit.

“I didn’t say anything before, but are you okay? You look like sh-” she paused as I glared her, “you’re less than beautiful self?”

“Tired. I haven’t been sleeping.”

“Or eating. I saw your Mum this morning and she asked if you’d said anything to me about what’s going on. You’re not pregnant are you?” She asked casually.

With that, I nearly choked on the cookie. “No! Come on Rach!”

“I had to ask, and you might want to tell your Mum too! Danny’s home, it’s okay, sure he’s a werewolf, but it’s okay. If we were still at school, I’d make you see the councilor or something. Since we’re not, I’m kind of it. Talk to me!”

“It’s just been so full on lately, school, life, Danny, werewolves. I can’t even look at Danny without wanting to murder him. I’m sick of lying to our parents. I’m tired of being the responsible one, the sensible one! I hate that he doesn’t even look just a little bit, guilty? He just came home after disappearing for a week, and everything is fine. Well guess what, it’s not fine! It’s completely fucked up and I hate him for doing it!” I yelled.

Not even the biscuits looked appealing right now and I put my half back in the bag before sinking into the chair.

“Guess we found the source of your problem.” Rachelle mumbled, before she got up and moved in front of me. Putting out her hands, I reluctantly took them and she pulled me up into a hug.

She hugged me until I started to cry, and then waited for me to finish. Despite my nose blocking up, and the fact my eyes went red and puffy, I actually did feel a little better.

“Thanks, I needed that.”

“Sometimes it helps, and you’ve done it for me enough times.” She smiled and I managed to return it, before going to find some tissues.

After I fixed myself up in the mirror of the change room, Rachelle found a tester bottle of some perfume and gave me a spritz of the floral, cotton candy mixture. I tied up my hair as I suddenly felt too hot, even though the store had air conditioning and we went back to the counter in time for a a few middle aged women to come in. They actually bought things too, not even flinching as I rang up hundreds of dollars worth of swimsuits and other things they’d need for the beach. It was like they hadn’t packed anything and by the time they left, it was closing time.

“Do you get staff discount? I love this!” Rachelle appeared with an oversized hat and struck a pose.

“No, but I do get first dibs at any clearance items.” I tell her as I start to finish up the banking.

“Sweet! All I get is a free meal when working a double shift and the best gift of all, smelling like grease from the fryers.”

We walk out the back and I lock up. Since she has the night off, and we now have a camping trip to organise, she’s going to stay at my place. By the time I get home, I really do feel better, and the sight of a few additional cars on the driveway instantly makes me nervous. I reconise Baz’s vintage red Mustang, so that’s okay, but the older, white SUV isn’t one I know.

“Party at the Attwells?” Rachelle wonders, and I park on the verge.

“Apparently.”

Going inside, it’s the smell of the barbeque that greets us, and moving into the kitchen, Mum is busy fussing over a couple of bowls of salad. Jake’s Mum sits at the counter, talking about a holiday they have planned in January and Rachelle grabs my arm as we stop by the fridge.

“Blake alert!” She whispers, and looking past Mum, towards the back door, she’s right.

The whole pack of them are seated outside, and as we stand gaping, Michael is the first to turn our way. He raises his beer before taking a swig, and Rachelle nearly cuts off my circulation as her nails dig into my skin. Why are they here, with my family?

Mum stops what she was doing, and it wasn’t just a salad she had been preparing. “Be a love and take these out for me, please? Hi Rachelle!”

I don’t bother answering as she lifts the tray for me to take. Dip sits in the middle and is surrounded by bits of cheese, carrot, biscuits and other nibbles. I stare at it for a second before nodding and with Rachelle on my heels, I go outside.

“Hey love, how was work!” Dad greets from his position over the grill.

“Good.” I answer, offering a smile to Jake and Baz as I set the platter on the table.

I turn quickly to go back inside, practically tripping over Rachelle. As she goes to fall back, and I move to stop her, I end up being the one to lose my balance. Everything feels like it’s happening in slow motion, but really the whole process of us bumping together, and her head butting me in the nose before I then go to hit the deck, lasts for about ten seconds. It takes less than that for Michael to catch me as I slipped backwards, bringing on a sense of deja vu.

“Good thing I’m here to catch you, again!” He whispers, making sure I’m safely on two feet again before I’m then turned around to face him. “Your nose is bleeding.”

“What?” I knew it hurt, but bleeding?

Instantly I touch the sensitive area and sure enough, the wetness above my lip is bright red. Everyone seems to move then. Dad turns from the grill, having missed the whole thing, while Baz looks up from where he had been scooping dip onto a cracker, which he drops as Rachelle screams, startling him.

“Sarah! You’re bleeding!”

Mr. Blake just stays sitting back in his chair, sipping his beer like nothing had happened; including his son moving faster than lightning to stop me from falling. Danny doesn’t have the same response. While I’m still staring at the red on my finger, Rachelle starts to apologise and Michael suddenly isn’t in front of me anymore as Danny shoves him out the way.

“Back off! Sarah, get inside.” He snaps, grabbing me by the upper arm too tightly.

“Calm down, Danny, it’s okay.” I leave out the part about him hurting me, as I catch sight of Michael looking like he was about to rip my brother apart.

We step inside and Rachelle runs to get a tissue, reappearing as I get to the kitchen and I’m forced to put my head back.

“I’m sorry Sar, I went to fall and you were there and then I moved, and, I’m sorry!” She rambled.

“I’m not dying, the pair of you, back up!” I yell, frustrated.

“Oh Sarah, you have a blood nose. Come here!” Mum takes control and she pushes my head forward rather than back and pinches my nose with one hand, while wiping away what blood with the other. Thankfully she sends my care team out of the kitchen, and after a few minutes lets me go. It’s already stopped bleeding.

“See. All done. Do you know how many times you’ve given these to Danny?” She sighs, moving to sink to wash her hands. “Go clean up in the bathroom, and try not to blow your nose for a bit okay?”

“Thanks Mum.” I take the escape and lock the door, doing as she says before sitting on the edge of the bath.

I want to stay in there forever, but it’s barely a minute until Rachelle is at the door. ”Let me in!”

“No.”

“Please? I’m sorry!” She begs.

Giving in, I unlock the door and sit back down. She sits beside me and drapes her arm over my shoulder, so I instantly lean against her.

“I think your nose found my head, not the other way around. You could’ve, I dunno, pretended you heard a phone ringing or something to get out of there.”

I laugh. “Yeah, thats exactly it.”

“Did you see how quick he moved though? Is that normal?”

“Ssh! You can’t know remember, don’t let them hear you!” I whisper.

She makes the action of zipping her lips and throws away the key, only to then start talking again. “What did he say, about catching you again?”

Of course she heard that. I wasn’t even sure if I heard him, but Rachelle confirms that I did.

“I fell before when he was stalking me during my morning run. He caught me then too.” I tell her. “Why are they here?”

“He so likes you! Clearly, they’re going to be around for awhile, is he really that bad?”

“Danny said he was done with them, and yes. He is.” Groaning I hang my head in my hands. “I’m so tired of this. They’re dangerous, they can’t just come over and be social and he can’t just superpower his way into being my hero like that or just go around, sleeping on porches and kissing people who don’t want to be kissed!”

“Hold up, rewind, stop. Sleeping on porches? Kissing people? Sarah, did, have, did you kiss him?” Rachelle gasps, covering her hand with her mouth.

“No! He kissed me! There was no me kissing him!” I declared, yet a part of me knew that wasn’t true.

I had kissed him back.

I had liked it.

As far as real, first kisses went, it wasn’t a total dud. Why did it have to be him?

I was also never going to admit any that, and I was definitely not going to do it again. The Blakes were bad news. They really are dangerous, not just because of what they are, but due to who they know. Danny had said he was done with them, and he really needed to be. Once tonight was over, they were never to come back here again. This was our home, and it didn’t matter who or what they were, some boundaries needed to be established.

The bathroom door slammed open with so much force the mirror rattled against the wall. Rachelle fell backwards into the bathtub as I jumped in surprise and as my body tensed with anger, I knew it wasn’t mine. How that kept happening was beyond me, and I was too scared to even start to try working it out.

“Dann-” I started, slowly standing.

“What did you just say to her?” He growled, cutting me off.

“Not-nothing.” I stuttered, as Danny worked himself into an anger I didn’t know he could have. . “Calm down. Mum and Dad are outside, so is Baz!”

“I don’t give a fuck!” Though he answered quietly, there was no hiding the threatening edge to his words. He was losing control and barely got out the next words. “Mike? Him? You, actually, after I said-”

He turned and yet before he could leave the bathroom, he was leaning against the wall as his whole body trembled. I already understood those signs, he was going to change into a wolf. Looking at Rachelle, she had turned slightly in the bath, holding her legs up against her chest, she watched it all wide eyed and completely terrified. I couldn’t risk something happening to her, and this isn’t how I wanted Mum and Dad to find out about Danny’s secret.

So I did what any sane person would do when they’re brother is on the verge of turning into a werewolf in the upstairs bathroom. I used his moment of distraction and half pulled, half pushed him into his bedroom and shut the door. Instantly he fell to his knees, groaning before rolling onto his side.

“Sar-” He gasped, holding his stomach. “Get. Out!”

Not only did I shove the werewolf into a confirmed space, I stayed there with him. “No. You need to calm down and if you have to change to do that, do it!”

I wasn’t going to keep giving into him; even if it might be the right time to do so. The bedroom door opened then, and I expecting my parents, a second of relief hit me at seeing Michael. Then I was just as angry with him, as I was with Danny.

“Get out!”

“What- no! You get out!” He snapped back, going to grab my arm, I moved out of his reach.

“This is your fault!”

“How?” Michael closed the door, lowering his voice slightly.

Danny growled, slipping his shirt off over his head as his spine looked like it was going to pop out of his skin. Swallowing the lump in my throat I turned away from him and glared at Michael.

“What you did, it set him off!”

“What I did? What did I do? I stopped you from falling on your ass!”

“No, not that. The other night!” I felt the heat creep up my necks and over my cheeks.

“Which night?” He had the courage to taunt me, looking rather smug about it too.

Apparently that was the wrong answer as Danny growled again and turning to look at him, he was now standing there as a black wolf. Shaking his fur, he turned to look at us and he didn’t need to be able to talk to tell me what he was thinking. He was pissed off. Without meaning to, I stepped back, which then had me bumping into Michael. I jumped away from him as if he was made of poison, glaring between the pair of them as this whole situation got to a new ridiculous level.

“Come on Bright Eyes,” Michael paused, and it hit me then he wasn’t trying to get a reaction out of me, but Danny as that was where he kept his eyes. ”You talkin about the night we slept together or the night when-”

Danny jumped at him before he could finish. Part of me wanted to see where this go, the other, sensible side, knew a dog fight couldn’t happen in my brothers bedroom. Danny pushed Michael back against the door, and somehow he had the strength to keep Danny from biting into him. It had clearly taken the pack leader by surprise, and I went with the devil on my shoulder and just stood there watching.

“Any help?” Michael looked at me expectantly before growling at Danny. “Back down!”

“What can I do? Besides this is your fault! You fix it!”

“Sorry Bright Eyes, you kissed me if I remember correctly.” He bantered, despite how much he was struggling to keep my brother from biting down on him.

“I did not!” I argued. “You grabbed me and-”

“Is now the best time for this conversation? Get your brother off me, or I’m going to change and tear him apart!”

“Danny! Come here boy!” I whistled, clapping my hands on my thighs.

Michael grunted his disapproval, just before getting his knee up to push Danny away from him. He skidded across the floorboards, and stopped by the bed before turning back to Michael.

“Back down Danny.” I knew that tone. That was his, listen to me and do as I say voice.

Danny’s ears swiveled slightly and he took one slow, purposeful step forward, the growls gone as I felt the silence was much more deadlier. Clearly Michaels command didn’t work and I wasn’t exactly sure what I could do either. Stepping in front of Michael, Danny was forced to look at me and I stared him down.

“Enough!” I scolded, weeks of frustration coming to the surface and I almost wished I could get down on all fours and fight him. It was a strange thought, and I quickly forgot it, crossing my arms instead.

“So, how you been sleeping Bright Eyes?” Michael carried on his taunting behind me.

Now I wished I was the one with the ability to rip him to pieces.

Danny let out the faintest rumble, shifting to the left slightly as he sought to get around me. After the third time of Michael talking and Danny working himself up again, I had no doubt Michael was purposefully baiting him.

“Do you want him to maul you?” I yelled, turning to shove him in the chest. Danny was at my side in an instant, like a well trained guard dog, one second away from charging at the threat.

“He couldn’t. It would be over in two seconds once I changed.”

“What are you doing then?”

Michael shrugged, faking his innocence. “I don’t know what you are talking about?”

“You’re stirring him up, is it to what, fight? But then why ask me to stop him? What are you doing?”

“I had a theory, that’s all. You just confirmed it for me. Dinner should be ready by now, come on Sarah, I’m sure they’re starting to wonder where we all are.” He smirked and slipped out of the door before I could raise my hand to slap him.

“What happened to leaving them all behind? Forgetting all that pack bullshit?” I snapped at Danny who only dropped his head, whining at me. “Go change back, I’m checking on Rachelle.”

I didn’t go see Rachelle. I stood at the top of the stairs watching as Michael went into the kitchen, wanting him out of my house. I wanted him out of our life and it took me a second to work out that my nails had actually dug into my palm deep enough to make them bleed. Gasping, I unclenched my fist to inspect the bloody crescent moons on my skin, while my heart was racing.

Dizziness had me reaching out to hold the bannister, but it didn’t help slow my heart rate down. Heart attack; I was having a heart attack. I couldn’t breath, and closing my eyes, the roar of blood rushing through my body filled my ears. I needed help and tiny black dots began to dance around in front of me and for a second, I was distracted until they got bigger, brighter, clearer.

“Da-” I stopped, the cool smooth surface of the wooden floor now beside me as I looked around to see the dust that had gathered between the wall and the stairs.

Everything hurt. The pain made it hard to focus on anything, even the dust. I wasn’t even sure if I was even still breathing as my eyes closed again and my skull felt like it was cracking into two. Had I been hit?

I fell, no I fainted, maybe I hit my head when I dropped.

Did I drop down though; I don’t remember actually doing that. My eyes won’t open as I am positive I am now floating. It doesn’t stop the pain, and also makes it impossible to tell if I am still standing or if I fell.

Up or down.

Horizontal or vertical.

’Danny!’

I start to scream his name over and over again, but I doubt he can hear me. I can’t even hear me.

‘Help!’