Brother

“Are you sure she won’t need a doctor?” Mum’s worried voice broke into my dreams and I slowly started to leave them behind.

“She’ll be fine. I promise.” Danny told her.

Slowly opening my eyes, I was in my room and the afternoon sun sent a deep orange glow in through the windows. All I wanted to do was stretch and it felt amazing to wiggle my toes.

“See!” I heard Danny say. “Afternoon sleepy head.”

I didn’t want to be awake. I was so comfortable and happy where I was I simply grunted and rolled over.

“Hungry?”

My stomach rumbled on its own accord and I slowly turned to face him and Mum, who looked relieved. “Yeah.”

“Go take a shower, we’ll see you in the kitchen.” Danny smiled and after trying to close my eyes to go back to sleep, I was now wide awake and starving.

By the time I got downstairs, Danny was picking at whatever Mum was slicing and getting close enough, seeing him pick up a raw slither of meat, my stomach churned as he ate it. Then another, before Mum swatted his hand away.

“Want some?” He offered.

“No! It’s raw!”

“So?”

Danny was right. So what if it was raw - wasn’t that my new preference for this kind of thing? Instead, I went to the fridge and found leftovers from last night's dinner; a casserole of some kind and quickly put it in the microwave. The hum of the food being heated was the only sound in the house since Mum stopped chopping and no one was talking.

The smell of the gravy sauce started to filter through the kitchen and taking a deep breath, it was all I could smell. There wasn’t Danny’s scent or any trace of Mum's perfume. I couldn’t even tell if Dad was home. As soon as the beep signalling the food was done sounded, I had a fork in my hand and was devouring my meal like it was my last.

“Sarah?” Danny asked.

“What?” I mumbled with my mouth full.

“You feeling, okay?”

Did I feel okay? I felt normal. I couldn’t hear anything outside of this room, there weren’t a million different smells for my brain to try and decipher and I was left feeling like I had the best sleep of my life, with all ’urges’ gone.

“I’m great. Fine. Perfectly normal!” I grinned.

“How do you mean?” Mum asked, slowly coming to sit beside me at the table.

“The werewolf stuff, it feels like it’s gone?” Maybe I was cured.

“No, I can still sense your presence.” Danny had to ruin the moment. “But you feel okay otherwise?”

“Yeah. My hearing isn’t so sensitive anymore, same with my sense of smell.” I shrug.

“Maybe it’s just taking a break?”

“What did you do last night Danny?” Mum wasn’t exactly asking. Her voice was too high for that.

“When Sarah went into one of her little moods, I got her to change, but through me. All of her energy kind of took over and she forced the shift to happen, as well as being the one controlling my movements.”

“She what?” Mum practically screamed in the same instance I asked, ‘I did?’

“You don’t remember?” Danny asked me, ignoring Mum for the moment.

“No, I had dreams, but I know I fell asleep in the car. There was something about the dam maybe?”

Danny told Mum his theory about what has been going on with me, complete with why I look like crap and have been so strange since he changed. She understood it more than I did, mostly because I was still focused on my food and since so much tension had left me, I didn’t really care about the whys of it all.

“The first few changes are exhausting, so that explains what wiped you out.” Danny looked in my direction and I realised the conversation involved me again.

“So does mind stuff. I feel drained after doing that.”

“You two, really are, telepathic?” Mum went pale, like this whole time she didn’t believe what had been going on.

Danny nodded. “We can’t tell anyone though. This is our secret.”

“I won’t tell anyone. What about Noah? Does he know?”

“No. Nanna does, but she skipped most of those details when telling them what was going on.” I tell her.

It was then Danny looked towards the front of the house and a few seconds later, we could all hear the sounds of Dad’s car pulling up on the driveway. Yeah, I was definitely back to being normal Sarah.

“How was work?” Mum greeted, moving on from our conversation.

“Not too bad. How about we get some Chinese for dinner?” He suggested.

With forced conversation and fake smiles, we headed out for dinner, to the one place where most celebrations occurred. Locals passed on their condolences for the dead relative we were all mourning, and I was kind of glad Wendi wasn’t working as I was positive she’d be able to see through our sham.

Dad was finishing his beer and Mum went to pay the bill when the skin on the back of my neck prickled. Looking around, the few tables around us seemed oblivious to my family, except for the pair in the back corner. They didn’t look that old, definitely under thirty and the one on the left had some kind of tattoo going all over his arm. Narrowing my eyes at it, I was positive it was a wolf and that couldn’t be a good thing.

Seeing me staring at them, they quickly looked at their phones and food, so I kicked Danny under the table. I couldn’t reach out to his thoughts, even as I screamed his name in my head, he barely paid me any attention as he finished the prawn crackers.

“What was that for?” He groaned.

I nodded my head towards the two guys and nudged him again. As his eyes drifted that way, he lost the relaxed posture and got tense. I saw the way he breathed in, and the frown on his face made my stomach sink. Danny looked towards the front entrance and as Dad stood, he quickly did too.

“Meet you at the car.” He mumbled, ready to take off.

“I’ll come too?” I offered.

“No, stay here. With Mum and Dad.” Werewolf senses or not, the order was clear.

As much as I didn’t like it, nothing happened that would give me the confidence to follow him or to tell him off for speaking to me like that. Yesterday I would’ve been itching to do just that; now I stood with my Dad, who took two free mints off the counter in case Danny had wanted one too.

I only got more nervous as we went to leave and stepping out into the warm night, I instantly turned to our car down the street. No Danny. Mum was talking about how good the Mongolian lamb had been behind me and rushing ahead of our parents, I couldn’t see Danny anywhere.

“Sarah?” Dad called, clearly working out now something was going on.

I didn’t stop, breaking out into a run as I went around the corner to see Scott with Danny. Two wolves sat obediently on each side of him, while three men lingered by two cars that looked out of place in my town. Cars like those belonged on the TV shows Dad likes to watch, and why did the bad guys always cruise around in black cars?

“Ah, here she is,” Scott grinned wickedly, and Danny spun around to glare at me. “Lovely to see you again Miss Attwell.”

Looking at him now, I only saw a man. One werewolf who without his pack behind him, was nothing. I waited for the rush of adrenaline I was constantly dealing with to come over me, to give me the courage and confidence I needed right now, only it never came. Not even when my thoughts darkened and my muscles got tense at the thought of so many other werewolves in my territory.

Scott came right over to me and as Mum and Dad turned the corner, the two wolves that had sat beside him ran over growling and keeping them back. I did have the ability to smell their fear, and not even that kickstarted anything inside of me. It made me feel sick and all my doubts about them not being fighters or able to stand up and kill like Noah’s family wanted them to had just been confirmed.

“I was just talking to your brother here about tomorrow night. Are you ready?” Amusement was all over the pack leader's face and I was speechless.

Scott’s nostrils flared before he looked into my eyes. I felt about two inches tall and Danny came to stand beside me.

“This is strange.” Scott thought out loud.

Without warning his nose was now on top of my head, at my neck and he even pushed it into my stomach. I squeaked in surprise at that, and Danny pulled me away so I was behind him.

“Back off.”

“Relax pup,” Scott growled, glaring at Danny now and instantly he backed down. “Seems like your sister isn’t the person I thought she was. I guess the truth will come out tomorrow.” I didn’t like how he said that. “Be at the Blakes property by eight pm sharp. Leave the folks at home.”

He turned and left, leaving us frozen in place until our parents startled Danny and me as they ran over. Mum rested a hand on each of our shoulders, while. Dad stood like stone behind us, watching the troops all climb into their cars and disappear.

“Fuck!” Danny screamed, kicking the rubbish bin over at the side of the road. Luckily it was empty and he now threw a tantrum in the middle of the street. Dad got on the phone with Noah and Mum's grip on my shoulders was unbearable as we hadn’t moved yet.

Everything just got real.

Rachelle was going to be coming over around nine and I had told her to pack as much stuff as she could take with her as well. If they wanted me and Danny to go, she was coming too and I just had a feeling Jake would be fine without us. Besides he had to go away on his family holiday yesterday, so it was best he wasn’t around now. I left the house at four in the morning, mostly due to having a lot on my mind. Since I woke up half an hour earlier, I wasn’t about to go to back to sleep. I couldn’t. Whatever had happened yesterday, had worn off and now the urge to check out the town saw me dressed for a run.

It wasn’t quite light yet, though the darkness was slipping away to reveal a pale blue sky. There were no cars or people; other runners wouldn’t be out for another hour or so. The streets I walked down a million times didn’t feel the same anymore. I almost felt like I was the intruder; the odd one out of all the people I’d grown with.

Signs about reporting stray dog sightings had been put up by a couple of farmers and I could almost imagine being shot at or chased away by the ones who would wish me good morning. In some ways, I had become their enemy, well not yet, but come tonight, would I be one of the ones taking down their cows?

My brain was racing as all the smells from the street floated by me. Garbage, perfume, spilt milkshakes, it was all there. People smelled different to werewolves and going by the Chinese restaurant, it didn’t take me long to pick up the wolves that had been with Scott. One of them was Shane, I was sure of it, yet the rest of the smells all merged together as if they belonged here. Focusing more, it really was just the werewolf scent that I could distinguish.

I’d spent time around Scott, and I’d know his smell, but he was just a footprint who left nothing behind thanks to how well-used this area was. I knew Danny and my parents as well as Rachelle and Jake. They were mine; pack. I’d know their smells no matter what form they were in. The fact I couldn’t really pick Scott’s out of everything else around here really bugged me, though not as much as I expected it to.

Giving up there, I headed to the beach. Sure enough, the first orange streaks appeared on the horizon and a rather large pelican took flight from where he had been perched on the pole by the smaller jetty. For fun I took a few steps in its direction, wondering if I could get enough speed up to jump at it as it lazily soared to the water below, but thankfully I wasn’t hungry and while I did have some of my more wolf-like urges back, they weren’t as strong or as demanding as they had been. Clearly, Danny’s plan worked.

Forgetting everything I simply focused on running, counting each step as I went along by the water and ended up on the sand. My muscles enjoyed the challenge and hitting the harder sand, closer to the shoreline, I let myself go faster and just enjoyed the here and now. Who knew when I’d be able to do this again?

I’d just made it through the dunes when I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I was being watched, I knew it and cautiously looking around, I pretended to tie my shoelace. There wasn’t anyone around and thanks to the easterly wind, nothing but the promise of another hot day came with it. Then I looked up and there was no denying the lone figure standing up on the lookout.

Michael.

Before this, I was set on going home. Now, I wasn’t so sure. In the time it took me to look down the path I should be currently running on and then back to the lookout, he was gone. Maybe I never even saw him and so I started to walk in the direction of home, trying to work out what the deal was with him, with me - us. Was there an us? I spent months seeing him as the enemy, a rival and then something changed. That in itself was like a story; how, when - why? I had no idea.

What I did know was that I needed Michael around. All I wanted to do was rub up against him, have my scent on his skin and his on mine. There was no denying that I felt, better, with him around. Calmer. In control. My thoughts drifted to the other night; the way he touched me and-

“Bright Eyes.” It was barely a whisper, but my nickname had definitely been called.

Turning around, Michael waved me over and instantly I got tense. There were no cars in the carpark, there weren’t even any fishermen out yet or the runners who came out at dawn. The seagulls still covered the sand, and lingered by the water's edge, not feeling the urge to go where the people go and start scavenging for their next meal.

We were alone.

Just as quickly as he appeared, he started to move over the grassed area to where I knew there was another car park. Without even thinking I followed and found him by the passenger door of an old Jeep Wrangler. It wasn’t exactly the kind of car to blend into the crowd, and the fact it was bright yellow didn’t help.

“What are you doing here?” I asked as soon as I was close enough.

“Me? What are you doing here?” He teased.

It didn’t matter. The fact was, he was here.

Michael laughed softly to himself before meeting me halfway. Instantly his arms tightened around my shoulders, and the wish I had earlier about being able to rub against him was granted. He looked different though, but I was too lost in the moment to pay attention.

“I’m so sorry about the other night. What Danny said, it wasn’t like that. We got back from Scotts and I said we should just do what he wants so we don’t-”

“Hey, it’s fine. He was right, I shouldn’t have been there and I get it. I do.”

“I’m still sorry. You just left!” I buried my face against his chest, breathing him in as if it was for the first time.

“I know, I was more pissed at Danny and had to get out of there before I did something I would regret.” He sighed, finally letting me go and opened the door. “Come on, we gotta go.”

“Where are we going?” It didn’t matter, I was already climbing in.

“I want you to meet some people so you’re ready for tonight.”

The peace I got from our reunion was short-lived. “What?”

“You’ll see.” He glanced my way and smiled, reaching out for my hand.

I held him tightly and just went with whatever was going on, feeling safe and secure in his company. At least until I wondered where the hell we were going since we got out on the highway and the only thing I knew to be this way was either heading up to the city or to his property. Turns out it was neither and he took a right turn onto a small, winding dirt road that ended up in an old camping ground.

Thanks to peak season, it was packed and Michael clearly knew where he was going as he found the most out-of-the-way spot in the corner of the grounds. Another car like the one we were in, only in a less obvious black, was parked next to a tent much fancier than any Rachelle and Peta had ever managed to find. Michael got out first and came to open my door, keeping me close and behind him as we went in.

Peeking around his arm, I froze at the two familiar men sitting at a small fold-out table with mugs of coffee in their hands. The familiar wolf tattoo smiled back at me as the duo nodded a greeting to Michael; neither looking impressed at being awake right now. Daring to look at my watch, it was just gone five ten, so I didn’t really blame them.

Looking at the wall of canvas that separated the area we were into the back, I sensed someone else was there and it made me more agitated than nervous.

“Mornin' mutts,” Michael greeted, stepping to the side as his arm was kept around my back. “This is Sarah.”

The pair of them nodded again, and I wondered if they were related. They had the same large, block noses and pale skin, as well as bushy eyebrows that seemed much too big for their faces.

“Sarah, meet Hugo and Keegan.”

“You were at dinner last night.” It came out like more of an accusation.

“We were. How old are you?” I think it was Hugo who had the tattoo, and he was the one to speak while Keegan kept his attention on his coffee.

“Eighteen.”

“She’s even younger than you Mike!” He groaned.

“Why were they at dinner? I thought Scott-”

“They are here on Scotts’ request, but they are loyal to me.” Michael turned serious and Keegan looked at us out of the corner of his eye; almost like he was afraid to be caught staring.

That kind of made me happy and I didn’t understand why. Then again, realising Michael said Scott had brought them here was news I didn’t want to hear. “What?”

“We’ve been watching you since you left the city. You didn’t get away unnoticed and it was us who told Mike where you were.” Keegan spoke now, his voice still rough with sleep. “Before, we told Fellan.”

That stuck with me, and now I wasn’t so focused on the room we were in or the still-sleeping person I noticed their body language and how it was completely submissive as they interacted with Michael. It wasn’t their coffee they were so interested in, but rather avoiding being seen to make any kind of threat to us. They were all about the same size, but they had a mean edge Michael was lacking.

No, he still had it, only it didn’t bother me as it did when I first met him.

“They’re going to be there tonight. If things don’t go to plan, these two will make sure you and Danny get to Noah.” Michael told me. “Remember their scent, just to make sure you don’t try and attack them if something does happen.”

“You know about that?”

“I know they’re planning something. Scott fucked up his Dad and left him crippled because of something Will set him up for. His Mum is in town, so I know they’re not here on holiday. Hugh saw your Dad talking with him in the carpark of the grocery store too, and since these two haven’t reported it, hopefully, none of the others have either.”

The duo nodded as the zipper opened to reveal a woman. Her breasts were barely secured behind the thin material of her tank top and she only had a pair of lace, short panties on. Rubbing her face, she yawned loudly before she woke up enough to realise we were there.

Her large brown eyes found Michael instantly and gasping, her tanned skin seemed to lose its colour. Despite that, I wasn’t impressed with a semi-naked woman being around Michael, and luckily he seemed oblivious to it.

“Shit! What are- Oh, is this her?” She fumbled with the mass of dark hair, slipping a hair tie from her wrist to tie it up. “I’m Liz, Hugo’s wife. Nice to meet you.”

She wasn’t a petite lady, and her state of near-nakedness didn’t seem to bother her as I was suddenly being pulled forward into a hug. I froze, growing even more awkward.

“Is your brother here?”

“No, he’s back at home,” I mumbled, not sure what to think or say.

Liz stood back and nodded, before glancing down. “Give me a sec.”

Michael shook his head, clearly amused and Hugo just groaned again and sipped his coffee.

“So how did you get her here?” Keegan asked, motioning in my direction.

“Luck,” Michael answered.

“That luck of yours will run out one day mate, remember that. We’re not cats, we don’t get nine lives.” He warned.

“Right, that’s better. Sorry, once you’re one of us, you’ll deal with nudity better. Look at how red her cheeks are! You’ll see all sorts on a pack run and-” Liz rambled, tying the robe over herself as she reappeared. “here!”

Her wrist was suddenly in my face and I stepped back, not sure what she was doing now. “Get my scent too. I’ll be around somewhere. Great idea bringing her now Mike. No one will be up yet. Scott had the guys doing patrols of your place last night.”

Liz spoke too fast, and I could just imagine her and Rachelle chatting away about stuff. They all clearly knew each other and glancing at the guys, how strong was their loyalty to Michael if he was trusting them tonight?

While they all talked about a few things, I studied how they interacted. Even Liz, in your face and over the top Liz, seemed to give Michael space; a luxury I didn’t have as she kept bouncing around in front of me.

It bothered me I wasn’t being treated with the same respect, but then again I knew I hadn’t done anything yet for them to deem me worthy of it. I was only part of something in Michael's plan to them, just like I had been with Will until I stood up to him. Now wasn’t the time for me to be making enemies. If these three were on my, no, on our side, the rest could come later.

“Sarah, hello?” Michael squeezed my hand and I realised it wasn’t for the first time either.

“Sorry, what?”

“Let’s go. Can’t risk anyone seeing you leave here.”

“Nice meeting you all.” I smiled, and Liz grinned with ten times the enthusiasm I could ever muster. She didn’t look that much older than me, but seeing her next to Hugo, they looked quite the pair.

“I hope to do it again, after, well you know, everything.” Liz waved us out and Keegan left the couple to walk us to the car.

He had a can of Glen 20 in his hand and sprayed it around the car area and over himself.

Keegan didn’t talk to me and hovered by Michael's door. “Look after yourself, Mike. If your plan falls through, I just hope it’s all worth the consequences.”

“She’s worth it.” He snapped, not hiding how annoyed he was at what Keegan had implied.

“Sucks to be you then man.” The pair did a fist bump thing, and then we were back on the highway.

“What’s your plan?”

“If I told you, I’d have to kill you and well that kind of defeats the point of everything doesn’t it?”

“You’re not funny.”

“Wasn’t trying to be.” Yet he still grinned, that stupid half smile that made my stomach do back flips.

“Why were you at the beach?” I ask instead.

“Couldn’t sleep, went for a walk, then a drive and ended up there. The whole time I was hoping you’d show. Not for that, I only thought about that afterwards and makes it easier tonight. I can’t imagine you believe them if they told you they were there to help. Especially if you already caught them stalking you.”

“Wolves really love to stalk people don’t they?” I asked sarcastically.

“Only when it’s something we want.” He winked and I rolled my eyes.

“That’s not exactly, romantic.”

“Work with me here Bright Eyes. I told you before this is all new to me, I’m trying okay? One day, I will get you flowers, and chocolates and take you on a real date to the fanciest restaurant in town and-”

“You don’t need to do that! We had a good first date, kind of.” I shrug and that only makes him frown. “Why did you say the other night, that I was going to hate you?”

“Because I was going to try and do something these last couple of days to make sure you did.”

“Why?”

“It would have made tonight easier.”

“So, it’s all to do with your plan?” I asked.

“Yeah.” He answered roughly, removing his hand from mine so both were on the steering wheel.

I took the hint and kept quiet, thinking over what just happened at the tent. Was this how it was always going to be for me now? Who is the enemy, and who do I need to assert myself over… It was exhausting and confusing. I used to like everyone, well, most people anyway and instead now I was left questioning everything and everyone.

We ended up on the other side of town where the dunes blended with the cliff face that only the desperate surfers used to get down to the water. It was the best part of this area for waves, and going straight down was easier than the long stair climb a few miles up. Only two figures sat on their boards this morning, clearly the more eager type and apart from them down there, we were alone.

Michael got out, and after a second of hesitation I followed. He stood looking out onto the horizon and it was the fact he had the start of a beard appearing on his face that made him look different; older. Stress radiated from him, and as he turned to look my way, he looked exhausted.

“How much sleep did you get last night?”

He shrugged, dropping an arm over my shoulders to pull me into his side. “I’ll get a couple of hours in later. I could ask you the same thing?”

I ignored the last part.

“You know, you could stay out of all of this. Danny and I have help from others too, and this isn’t really your issue. I know you made Danny but think of your brothers. The three of you could just walk away.” I wouldn’t blame him if he did.

“It’s a hell of a lot more complicated than that. For starters, I like you. A lot. I told you before I haven’t had much going for me in life, but you, well I’m not giving that up easily. Besides, I already made it clear to Scott, Danny was to be treated the same as my brothers. He is pack now. I changed him so he’s my responsibility.” He growled.

“When you went to the city last time? He beat you pretty bad then didn’t he?”

“Yeah. Fucking bastard. It’s why you can’t fight him tonight. You’re going to, apart from hunting, it’s our first instinct. You need to keep control and back down. He’s going to have it in for you as it is.” Michael warned, shifting me around so I was now pressed against the front of him. “What I’m going to do could make that even worse as he’ll want to teach me a lesson too; test me.”

“Tell me what you’re going to do,” I demanded; the familiar surge of adrenaline made me feel bolder than usual.

He only smirked. “Heard of please?”

I growled and that made him laugh. Then it was like someone had flicked a switch and the humour was gone.

“Seriously though, I really, really like you. More than anyone I’ve ever met before.”

Reaching up, I kissed him; slowly, hesitantly, not entirely sure if it was the right time to do so. Michael only groaned in response, and there was no way to escape or change my mind as he kept one hand on my waist, while the other caressed my cheek before sliding to the back of my neck. He wasn’t as gentle as the other night, or any of the other times we kissed. I could practically taste his desperation, and if I could kiss away his worries, I would only it didn’t quite work like that.

I pulled away and regretted it as his body seemed to smother mine that prickly start of his beard made my shoulder itch.

“Michael, I like you too,” I said breathlessly, hating how lame that sounded.

Why couldn’t I be that wolf me around him; be confident and strong? I knew why - because I didn’t have to be. It’s why I was so calm around him because he took some of that stress off my shoulders. I’m only eighteen, but trying to see my future without him there was too hard. I didn’t want that.

“Good. Great.” He mumbled against my cheek. “I shouldn’t expect this of you, but promise me, no matter what I say tonight, or what I do - wait for me.”

“What?”

“I don’t just like you Bright Eyes, I love you. I need you. Just, wait for me?” He begged, looking more panicked than anything else.

Did he just say that he, loves me?

“What are you going to do tonight?” I questioned, stepping back.

“I’m going to give Scott an offer I know he can’t refuse. I don’t deserve you, I promise I’ll leave you alone if you can’t do it, but just for now, can you just say you will?”

My parents.

Michael.

Even Noah’s family to a certain extent - they were all doing what they could to try and keep me and Danny safe and I couldn’t think of a single way out of it all, where we could end up just walking away. Deep down, I already knew I loved him.

“You’re an arrogant jerk, who has turned my life upside down and you have no idea about boundaries or personal space.” His eyes searched mine for a second before he actually smirked.

“Says the girl who hasn’t not been touching me since I found you this morning.”

He had a point. We’d been holding hands or touching somehow all morning and I hadn’t even noticed until he pointed it out.

“Despite that, you wanted me to give you a chance and I did. I-” Once words was said, you couldn’t take them back. I was okay with that. “I love you too.”

“You’re either better at lying now, or you’re telling the truth.” Michael teased. “Just remember, this. Here and now. Okay? Us.”

Nodding, I quickly hid my face in his chest as I felt completely wrecked inside. I thought finding out someone loved you was supposed to be a good thing, but instead I could only sense his sadness and it rivalled my own. Something about this felt like a goodbye like everything had over these last couple of weeks. I hated it and just when I felt like giving up and bursting into tears, I couldn’t.

Everything felt like goodbye because I was letting it be that way. All these people were wanting to help and had asked me to trust them, and I wasn’t. I had to believe whatever plans they all had in place are going to work, because they needed me to do that. Danny needed me to trust them and him, just like my parents and especially Michael. They are my pack and Mum had said it so well in my wardrobe; the strength of the wolf, is the pack.

By now the sun was up enough to tell the world it was a good time to be awake. The two old utes that pulled up at that moment, surfboards hanging out the back of the tray and it was a sign our time was up.

“Come on Bright Eyes, let’s get you back before anyone notices you’ve been gone.” Michael kissed my cheek, letting me go. That frown I hated on him was back with a vengeance and he looked so tired, I wondered if he was even okay to drive.

“You act so much older than you are.”

He shrugged. “I was raised that way and someone had to act like the adult and look after my brothers. Besides, so do you.”

I poked my tongue out at him, still not acting my age as we left the car park behind.

“Touche.” The drive back to the beachfront was over before it started and now we had to part, that brief moment of being able to relax; together, was gone. “I don’t want to get out of the car.”

“You have to. Danny needs you. Your parents need you. You’re not going to abandon them now Bright Eyes. So, remember this. No freaky twin shit with Danny, don’t challenge Scott and if everything goes to hell, get the fuck out of town.”

“What about you?”

“I’m a survivor. Don’t even worry about me, just. Be safe.” His forehead rests on mine and I don’t want the moment to end, especially as I claim his lips once more.

Unfortunately, it has to and my head is spinning after his final kiss, while my nose burning after being sprayed with the same spray Keegan had to make sure his scent is gone from me.

I feel numb as I run home, thankful to find everyone still asleep when I get in. I go straight into the bathroom and once I’m done, I use the quiet time to look around the house. How different will everything be from now on and as I hear the alarm in my parents' room go off the countdown really begins.