The Pack - On the Run

“Dad? Dad... I know you’re there... Dad, please...” I whisper as the beast’s hot breath is fanning my face, its salvia dripping slowly from its barred fangs.

“DAD!”

And then there is only pain.

[*]

I woke up with a start to the sun shining straight in my face, feeling cold sweat on my forehead and at the nape of my neck. Panting loudly, I sat up and absentmindedly placed my hand on the throbbing, jagged scar on the right side of my stomach. I slowly looked around, trying to get my racing pulse under control, just to realize I was alone.

Strange.

I untangled my feet from the duvet and headed to the walk-in bathroom, still struggling to fight off the ghost of a vision lingering in front of my eyes. I splashed cold water on my face, hoping it could help me ground myself in the present. Then I dared a peek at my reflection in the mirror.

My gaze met with two feverish, glowing orbs that should have been hazel but were mostly amber, then quickly moved to my matted, chestnut hair and pale, freckled face. I licked the sweat that gathered above my lips as anxiety once again twisted my insides. I let out another shaky breath, willing my eyes to turn back to normal. They didn't.

I hurried under a shower.

When I was done, the bathroom was filled with steam, my skin was red, and I was calm enough that my eye colour returned to normal.

I quickly threw on a dark green hoodie and skinny jeans and left the bathroom. As I was on my way to put my make-shift pajamas back in the suitcase, something drew me to the window. On impulse, I came closer and peeked outside at the autumn-painted forest that climbed up hills for miles. Somewhere in the distance, far above the tree crowns, whitish cups of the mountain peaks blended with the azure blue sky.

Everything seemed so serene, and my mood lit up a bit...

That is until I caught sight of the familiar mop of rusty hair. I observed Mikey’s mad dash across the driveway, only to notice a boy, or rather, a young man I had never seen before. Alone. With my brother.

Oh, God.

Without thinking, I rushed out of the room and flew downstairs, skipping two steps at a time, almost crashing into mum on my way. By some miracle, she managed to avoid me, however, she still spilled her freshly brewed coffee all over the pristine, wooden floor and on her fingers. She hissed as she adjusted her grip on the cup and met my panicked gaze.

“Josie? What’s the matter? Are you okay?” The words left her mouth in an instant, her brows creased, worry marrying her face.

“I’ve just seen Mikey outside with a stranger,” I fired out, distressed.

Mum’s expression turned into confusion as her tense body relaxed a bit.

“That would be correct. He’s helping Rosie’s nephew with the car,” She explained, trying to put me at ease.

She didn’t.

“And you let him? Why?! Don’t you remember what happened two days ago, in the motel? Or a week ago at the hospital?” I exclaimed, incredulous. “What if Mikey gets suddenly angry or upset, or...or...?”

“So what was I supposed to do, Josie?! Lock him up in the room? Isolate him from the outside world?!” She cried out, interrupting me, her voice loud in the otherwise empty house. “He’s only seven...” She choked out more softly now, breaking down in front of me.

I almost regretted my sudden outburst. Almost.

“Maybe just wake me up next time,” I growled, throwing my hands in the air, frustrated at her, at myself, and at the ridiculousness of the whole situation we found ourselves in. Without another word, I stormed outside, shutting the doors behind me with a loud bang.

I hurried onto the gravel path, not prepared for an unexpected rush of cold air that assaulted my body and bit my cheeks. The brisk didn’t cool me enough, though, for I headed towards the boys with renewed passion, reaching them just as Mikey was about to pass the wrench to the stranger tinkering with the car’s engine.

Upon hearing me, Mikey stopped whatever he was doing, and his head snapped in my direction, confusion marring his features. Noticing me, he lit up like a Christmas Tree and ran towards me, shouting my name as he did. The commotion drew the attention of Rosalynd’s nephew, who straightened up from his bent position and looked at me curiously. Our eyes met...

...

...

...

...and then Mikey collided into me at full force, effectively distracting me from the stranger’s quicksilver irises. I staggered back, on instinct wrapping my hands around my brother’s small form.

“Jo!” He exclaimed once again, giving me one of those bright smiles of his - so rare these days. Whatever negative emotions had driven me outside vanished that very instant. I deflated like a balloon.

“Guess what? Louis’s broken your record at skipping stones. He’s done 40 skips! 40! And then he showed me his trick, and guess what? I did 15!” He squealed with excitement, pointing at the guy, who was now leaning on the side of the car’s hood with arms crossed over his chest.

Catching my suspicious gaze, Louis gave me a somewhat boyish half-smile and slowly lifted his hand in a greeting. I felt myself blush, light pink blatantly obvious on my otherwise pale complexion, and the boy’s grin grew wider, making him even more attractive than he already was. Louis clearly knew what power he had over me, well, probably over all girls, and it made my proverbial hackles rise. I had to remind myself that, however handsome Louis was with his stupid smile, jet black, french cropped hair, toned body, and bad boy vibes, nothing could and would happen. Not when I was about to leave so soon.

“Why do you smell like this?” Mikey’s sudden question distracted me from the stranger. “Are you scared?”

I looked down at my brother’s scrunched nose and slightly gleaming eyes. Obviously, my emotions were provoking the thing inside him.

“I was, but just a little,” I answered, ruffling his hair.

“Why?”

“I had no idea where you were, so I got a bit worried,” I explained, crouching in front of him, so that our eyes were on the same level. Again, Mikey refused to hold my gaze, looking away after a second or two. I frowned, worried and a tad bit hurt, though a part of me was satisfied with the boy’s reaction. It was utterly baffling. I didn’t know how I felt anymore.

“But mum knew I was with Louis. She let me,” he whined.

“I know, it surprised me, that’s all,” I smiled at my brother, running my hands up and down his arms soothingly. “Will you finally introduce me to your new friend?” I changed the subject, and my brother relaxed under my touch.

He beamed at me. “C’mon!”

Mikey pulled me towards Louis, then stopped a few steps away from him. He nodded his head towards Rosalynd’s nephew, his expression all business-like. “Josie, this is Louis. Louis, this is my sister Josephine, but everyone calls her Josie, or Jo,” he said as solemnly as only a seven-year-old would. I couldn’t help a smile that lifted the corners of my mouth. Mikey was just too cute. He reminded me of the boy from a week ago, the one from before. It broke my heart a little.

“Nice to meet you, Josephine, Josie, or Jo,” Louis greeted me, amused, joining the act. I realized it was the first time I had heard his deep, melodic voice, and it caused shivers to run down my spine. It had taken me off guard, so I completely ignored the outstretched hand in front of me.

“Josie’s enough,” I said instead, still somewhat dazed, stepping away from Louis. He lifted his brow and let his arm fall to the side, his calculating gaze meeting my closed-off one. And so the awkward silence befell us.

I cleared my throat in a weak attempt to lighten up the mood. I guessed I shouldn’t really be mean to the guy who had somehow brought back my past brother. So I said the stupidest thing I could muster, “Erm... I’ve heard you’re a pro at skipping stones.”

Well, smooth. I mentally face-palmed myself, feeling Louis’ quicksilver eyes laughing at me.

“I know a trick or two I could teach you,” he provided, winking at me. I couldn’t help a blush that again crept on my face at the innuendo, though - in all honesty - I had stepped on that trap myself. Gee, since when did I become so awkward with the boys?

I decided to ignore Louis’ proposition altogether.

My brother had a different idea, tho, utterly oblivious to the allusion behind that one sentence... “That’s great! Jo, you must say yes! Can we go now? Please, please, pleaseee...”

“Maybe later,” I answered noncommittally. “We have to go now. Mikey, say bye to your friend.”

My brother gave me a confused look.

“But why? I was being good! I didn’t do anything. Louis, tell her!” He turned to a stranger, upset, his eyes gleaming as the beast peeked through them.

I gulped, suddenly anxious. I had to take Mikey to our room before he would become even angrier and do something unexplainable in front of the stranger - like lift the car or grow teeth and nails.

As I was about to intervene, Rosalynd’s nephew threw me a quick, quizzical look, and he crouched in front of Mikey, placing his forearms on his knees so that his hands were dangling freely above the ground.

“Sure you were good, the best actually,” he soothed with a smile, ruffling my brother’s wild hair. “But your sister needs you. And we have to take care of our sisters, right?” he added, strangely serious, and Mikey nodded, mirroring Louis. I scrunched my brows in confusion, feeling there was more to the exchange than met the eye. And the weird thing was, my brother knew exactly what. It didn’t sit well with me. The whole effing situation was beyond bizarre.

“Good,” Louis murmured, smiling at the seven-year-old. “Tell you what, I’ll stop by tomorrow, and we’ll take Josie to the lake, and we’ll teach her how to skip stones. What do you think?”

Mikey’s expression was priceless, and it calmed the storm that had gone off inside me upon hearing that Louis had decided for me. I let it slide as I was sure that by this time tomorrow Mikey and I would have been on our merry way to Dover Hill. Not that either of them needed to know.

“Can’t we go now?” My brother asked, hopefully.

“Sorry, Mikey. I still have to finish with the car, and then I have to help my da.”

“But you promise we’ll go tomorrow?” Mikey insisted.

“Scout promise.”

I rolled my eyes at that.

“Well, see you tomorrow then,” my brother sighed, finally conceding. “Bye, Louis.”

“Bye, Mikey.” I took my brother’s hand and guided him towards the lodge. “See you tomorrow, Josie.”

Yeah, whatever.