Series 13 Episode 5
"By Birth"
After a whirlwind twenty-four hours, there was nothing more that Dylan wanted than the company of his mum. Though he had moved out he still made every effort to see her at least a couple of times each week. After all, for a while, they were the only person each other had, and alongside Jono, there was no-one else who made him feel so safe.
All it took was a night of trashy television and a takeaway for Dylan to feel content. Josh was at Yasmin’s for the night, Ed was working late, and Libby was fast asleep, meaning Dylan and Caroline could focus all their attention on each other, and the questionable strategy of the Survivor contestants on the TV.
“He won’t flip, I guarantee. He’s playing way too safe,” Dylan commented.
“Unless they make a plan, she’s very persuasive,” Caroline considered. They always became invested in games like Survivor and Big Brother, and it reminded Dylan of watching them with his dad when he was younger. It was a small comfort that always warmed Dylan’s heart.
Yet, Dylan had something else on his mind that night. He had news to share with his mum; news that was an enormous life step that had come around surprisingly spontaneously. Despite that, it was news that Dylan was excited about. Finding the right moment to tell Caroline felt like a lot of pressure.
Another ten minutes passed, and the episode had come to an end. Dylan grabbed the remote as soon as the credits concluded and switched the TV off, leaving an awkward silence in its place. The television was hardly ever turned off, so the lack of ambience was noticeably jarring.
“Is everything okay, darling?” Caroline questioned after a few seconds.
“Yeah. I just…I wanted to tell you something,” Dylan nervously began.
“Should I be worried?” Caroline chuckled.
“No, it’s good news,” Dylan assured, “Jono and I, we’re going to be foster parents.”
“Wow,” Caroline’s nervous frown blossomed into a proud smile, “Really? That’s amazing sweetie. How long have you been thinking about this? Are you sure you’re ready?”
“Not long, it’s a long story, but yes, I promise,” Dylan confidently answered, “We met a boy called Edmund, he’s sixteen years old, ran away from his last foster home which sounded pretty damn horrible. He’s newly bitten, mom.”
“Ed mentioned a runaway, and that you were helping him out. He values you, you know,” Caroline mentioned, “Is it the same kid?”
“Yes. Ed helped us apply for an emergency foster licence. I asked him not to tell you anything, I wanted to tell you myself,” Dylan clarified.
“Wow, this really is happening fast,” Caroline paused, taking a moment to process, “I know you, Dylan. You’re smart and you’re committed. If anyone can make this work, it’s you, and it’s Jono too. I’m so proud of you, and your dad would be, too, but remember, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Ed and I are always here for you.”
Dylan’s heart felt snug, like it had been tucked into bed on a cold winter’s night with a hot water bottle to cuddle. The support of his mum meant everything, and Dylan wanted to be exactly the same for Edmund.
All it took was a night of trashy television and a takeaway for Dylan to feel content. Josh was at Yasmin’s for the night, Ed was working late, and Libby was fast asleep, meaning Dylan and Caroline could focus all their attention on each other, and the questionable strategy of the Survivor contestants on the TV.
“He won’t flip, I guarantee. He’s playing way too safe,” Dylan commented.
“Unless they make a plan, she’s very persuasive,” Caroline considered. They always became invested in games like Survivor and Big Brother, and it reminded Dylan of watching them with his dad when he was younger. It was a small comfort that always warmed Dylan’s heart.
Yet, Dylan had something else on his mind that night. He had news to share with his mum; news that was an enormous life step that had come around surprisingly spontaneously. Despite that, it was news that Dylan was excited about. Finding the right moment to tell Caroline felt like a lot of pressure.
Another ten minutes passed, and the episode had come to an end. Dylan grabbed the remote as soon as the credits concluded and switched the TV off, leaving an awkward silence in its place. The television was hardly ever turned off, so the lack of ambience was noticeably jarring.
“Is everything okay, darling?” Caroline questioned after a few seconds.
“Yeah. I just…I wanted to tell you something,” Dylan nervously began.
“Should I be worried?” Caroline chuckled.
“No, it’s good news,” Dylan assured, “Jono and I, we’re going to be foster parents.”
“Wow,” Caroline’s nervous frown blossomed into a proud smile, “Really? That’s amazing sweetie. How long have you been thinking about this? Are you sure you’re ready?”
“Not long, it’s a long story, but yes, I promise,” Dylan confidently answered, “We met a boy called Edmund, he’s sixteen years old, ran away from his last foster home which sounded pretty damn horrible. He’s newly bitten, mom.”
“Ed mentioned a runaway, and that you were helping him out. He values you, you know,” Caroline mentioned, “Is it the same kid?”
“Yes. Ed helped us apply for an emergency foster licence. I asked him not to tell you anything, I wanted to tell you myself,” Dylan clarified.
“Wow, this really is happening fast,” Caroline paused, taking a moment to process, “I know you, Dylan. You’re smart and you’re committed. If anyone can make this work, it’s you, and it’s Jono too. I’m so proud of you, and your dad would be, too, but remember, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Ed and I are always here for you.”
Dylan’s heart felt snug, like it had been tucked into bed on a cold winter’s night with a hot water bottle to cuddle. The support of his mum meant everything, and Dylan wanted to be exactly the same for Edmund.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The view from Edmund’s new bedroom window was like something out of a fairytale. A cosy, family-sized home at the edge of a forest, decorated outside by colourful potted plants and a perfectly mowed lawn beside four parking spaces. It was idyllic, and entirely different to anywhere he’d lived before. How he had landed on his feet so comfortably, he had no idea.
Inside was more barebones, but a blank canvas gave Edmund the opportunity to make it his own. A wardrobe, a few shelves and a bed with generic beige covers was all he had to begin with, but it was already he most he had had to his name in years. For the first time ever, Edmund felt optimistic that he may have somewhere he could call home.
An enthusiastic knock on the door was followed by the warming sight of Jonah. He poked his head around the door with a cheeky grin on his adorable face. Whenever he could, Edmund had spent time with Jonah while waiting for the emergency foster placement to be confirmed. Not only was he trying to spend the bare minimum amount of time at the care home he’d been temporarily placed in, but Jonah had been grieving, and Edmund hated seeing one of the only people he cared about feeling so bereft.
“I come bearing gifts,” Jonah smiled. It was heartwarming to see him smile after such a bumpy few weeks.
“Gifts?” Edmund raised an eyebrow, “Is it my birthday?”
“Dude, I have no idea when your birthday is,” Jonah chuckled, “Housewarming gifts, duh.”
From his tote bag, Jonah pulled out a neatly folded colourful rug and three photo frames, which he began to delicately position on the first shelf.
“Sammi had these lying around. I figured they could actually get some use here,” Jonah commented.
“Um, thanks, but I don’t have any pictures to put in those,” Edmund felt a little deflated by the sight of the two empty frames already stood up.
“I know, they’re for new memories. See, I’ve started you off,” Jonah placed the third and final frame in the centre of the shelf, containing a selfie Jonah had taken of himself and Edmund just days before. Edmund’s sinking feeling lifted a little; it was a thoughtful gesture, and it made complete sense that the first photo in his new room was the first person he met in Crystalshaw.
“You didn’t have to,” Edmund blushed. He was perpetually awkward around people, and especially so with Jonah. All he wanted to do was to make a good impression, because the butterflies in his stomach resurfaced every time they were together.
“I know, but I wanted to,” Jonah smiled, sitting down on the edge of the bed, “Honestly, it’s been a nice distraction.”
“You don’t have to pretend with me,” Edmund reminded. There was never a point in hiding emotions; they always found their way to the surface, in Edmund’s experience.
“I know,” Jonah insisted, “I just wanted to do something nice for you, because you’ve been so nice to me recently. I don’t deserve you.”
“I think we deserve each other,” Edmund corrected, delicately sitting beside Jonah, “Whether that’s good or bad, we’ll find out, but there’s nobody I would rather be on this ride with.”
A moment of silence followed. Edmund and Jonah shared a glance. How long it lasted, Edmund didn’t know. All he knew was that it was passionate. Meaningful. Reciprocated.
The floorboard creaked outside the room. The moment was gone. Edmund broke the gaze, his butterflies too nervous to act on how he felt.
“Want to grab a snack?” Edmund tried to keep the vibe flowing as best as he could. The more time he spent with Jonah, the less he thought about the inevitable arrival of what he’d been running from for so long.
Nerves racing through his body, Dylan couldn’t believe the day had arrived. In some respects, it had felt like a never-ending series of anticipation, yet in others, it had raced by, with so much to do in so little time.
The cosmetic aspect of a tidy house and a pristine, suitably equipped bedroom were just the groundwork, though. Dylan knew the real work began that day. Edmund was headstrong, and he valued his independence, but he wasn’t a regular teenager. Dylan knew from experience just how dangerous a combination of teenager and werewolf could be.
“Why are my palms so sweaty?” Jono panicked, “It’s not like we don’t know him.”
“We’re having to be adults. For real,” Dylan chuckled, “Not just big kids anymore.”
“Still feels like we’re kids,” Jono shrugged, “Those two idiots who met in detention.”
“The only detention either of us ever had,” Dylan added, “Worth it, I’d say.”
“I’d hope so, not like it led to marriage or anything,” Jono laughed.
“Um, hey,” Edmund knocked on the open living room door and stood sheepishly, as if he had just interrupted the bosses during an urgent meeting at work.
“Come in,” Jono invited, “It’s your house too, you don’t need to knock.”
“I just wanted to ask if there’s anything we could grab to eat,” Edmund barely inched forward.
“There’s loads in the kitchen, help yourself. Jonah knows where everything is,” Dylan replied. He was keen for Edmund to settle in as quickly as possible, but he knew it wouldn’t be that easy.
Edmund nodded and sloped off as the front door clicked open and shut. Frantically scuttling into the living room was a stressed-looking Sammi.
“Where’s Jonah?” she questioned, scanning the room.
“Kitchen, with Edmund,” Dylan replied, “What’s up?”
Sammi closed the door behind her and sat on the empty armchair beside the TV before explaining, “I think I found something in the Bestiary.”
Dylan was intrigued. He felt like he knew the Bestiary off by heart after how many times he’d referred to it, but so much was happening at once and little of it made sense. They needed every lead they could get.
Dashing through the hospital corridor, desperately trying to avoid crashing into the nurses, George was praying he wasn’t too late. A call from a paramedic felt like news he should have been anticipating, but he was hoping to be there at such a vital moment. Without being there, it felt difficult not to spiral and fear the worst-case scenario.
He scanned each ward he passed as rapidly as possible, checking every face for the one he was most desperate to see. He could have spent hours looking around such a vast space, and he wasn’t sure he had time on his side.
“Excuse me, Lily Chadwick, she’s my girlfriend, do you know where she is?” George spoke to the next member of staff he spotted, a nurse in a blue uniform with a friendly smile below her tired eyes.
“Room E12, on your left,” she directed immediately, much to George’s relief. He sprinted a few more metres down the corridor towards room E12, passing a nurse on her way out.
Remaining inside was just Lily, holding a gas and air tube to her mouth while breathing heavily. Her face was unusually red and coated in sweat. Immediately, George took gentle hold of her hand.
“I think,” Lily spoke between her heavy panting, “I think the baby’s coming.”
Yasmin usually made excuses to avoid seeing her mum. They had little in common, and after so many years, she still had no knowledge of many of the most significant moments in Yasmin’s life. Their disconnect was amplified significantly by the array of secrets Yasmin had to keep.
Of course, Yasmin could have come clean. Told Autumn everything. There would be no secrets then. It wasn’t so easy, though. The already didn’t go for beyond small talk, so confirming the existence of werewolves, let alone the truth behind her ex-husband was more effort than it was worth.
Nevertheless, the least she could do was show her face from time-to-time. Having Josh by her side made it significantly easier, too. Though he was sometimes quiet and reasoned, he always stepped up for Yasmin, and the way he carried the conversation during her visits home was Yasmin’s saving grace.
“Just as you like it,” Yasmin placed a mug of coffee in front of Yasmin. She didn’t have to take a sip to know it had three sugars and not two.
“Thanks,” Yasmin forced a smile into the thick cloud of awkwardness.
“How’s work, Autumn?” Josh made conversation, keeping his right hand on top of Yasmin’s leg, gently soothing it with his fingers.
“Busy. Always busy. The company’s flying,” Autumn gushed, “I’m in meetings every day about international expansion. Our investors are optimistic.”
“You must be working long hours,” Yasmin interjected. She knew her mum was a workaholic; it was the primary reason behind their disconnect.
“Of course, much like you both. You always seem to be at work. What is it you do, again?” Autumn asked. Yasmin used all her strength to avoid rolling her eyes. Though Autumn didn’t know the specifics, she unquestionably knew the gist of their line of work, because Yasmin had told her, more than once.
“Private detectives,” Josh answered, much more chirpily than Yasmin would have, “Dylan and Jono’s business.”
“Oh, yes, that’s right. Dylan’s lovely, isn’t he? He’s always been a good friend,” Autumn remarked.
“How would you know?” Yasmin hit back before she could stop herself.
“I’m sorry, did I say something wrong?” Autumn sunk into her seat.
“You don’t know anything about my friends, mom,” Yasmin continued, “You don’t know anything about me, so why do we keep pretending that you do?”
Frustrated, Yasmin picked up her jacket and stormed out, leaving the overly sugary cup of tea untouched on the table. She just wanted to be at home. There weren’t enough hours in the day to unpack all her family problems.
As Yasmin slammed the driver door of her car shut, she noticed Josh jogging after her, closing Autumn’s overly decorative front door behind him.
“I’m sorry,” Yasmin admitted as Josh joined her in the car.
“For what? Having a weird fucking upbringing? Welcome to the club,” Josh reminded.
“I’m sorry, I feel like I should be grateful. I’ve got my mom. Not everyone does,” Yasmin shrugged.
“No, it’s fine. It’s not a competition. If everything was black and white, it would be easy,” Josh mentioned, “You’re allowed to feel this way. Sometimes, not often, but sometimes, I think about what I’d do if my parents showed up. You know, my real parents. My birth parents. Caroline and Ed are the only parents I need, but I sometimes think, would I hear them out? I don’t know. I think I’d only know in the moment.”
“Would you want to track them down?” Yasmin queried. Josh almost never spoke about his birth parents.
“I’ve got the best mom and dad I could ask for. I don’t need anyone else to muscle in,” Josh affirmed, “Right now, I’m in control of that. You get to be in control of your relationship with your mom. Just know that I’ll forever be in your corner.”
Yasmin gently leaned into Josh’s open arms. She had found her family, and it wasn’t in that house.
For weeks, Jeremy had been unable to shake his uneasy feeling. That day, in the morgue. Ashton’s body being seized. The FBI taking over. Chadwick-Drummond had some top-notch resources, but the FBI was a completely different kettle of fish.
Nevertheless, he wasn’t giving up. Jonah was family, and he deserved to have some closure over his friend. Jeremy had one final trick left in his bag.
The reception area of the building appeared inconspicuous. It was a regular office block, albeit with a blatantly significant amount of money invested into it. The surfaces were clinically clean, and the decoration was generic, with white walls and a shiny tiled floor. Jeremy had never been to an FBI facility before, but its atmosphere was already intimidating.
After all, it was a risk for him to even be entering the belly of the beast. The FBI agent had seen him at the morgue, so he had every chance of being recognised. The saving grace was his alibi, courtesy of Freddie, his partner in crime. In the worst-case scenario, at least they didn’t know who Freddie was.
“That’s right. Charlie Miller, from Crystalshaw Repairs. I got a callout from here,” Freddie lied to the receptionist, utilising his old job to his advantage, “Apparently the CCTV cameras aren’t loading properly. Technology, am I right? Anyway, could you please direct my apprentice and I in the right direction?”
“One more thing, Mr. Miller. May I please have the name of your apprentice? It’s for a security pass,” the jobsworth on reception questioned.
“Oscar Madden-Whelan,” Jeremy panicked and blurted out the first name that came to mind. A name that wasn’t directly linked to Chadwick-Drummond, at least.
“Thank you,” the receptionist handed them each an ID badge, “Have a nice day,” she smiled insincerely.
Freddie led the way, scanning his ID badge against the reader, gaining them access through the security barrier, into the rest of the complex. Turning the corner, Jeremy focused himself. They had completed the hardest part; they just had to make sure it wasn’t in vain.
“Dude? Oscar? Really? If they catch us, he might be in trouble,” Freddie hissed.
“I had to think on the spot, I panicked,” Jeremy justified, “Let’s get in and out as quickly as possible, then it won’t be a problem.”
“Alright. If we can find the security room, then we can at least look at the cameras. We might find a clue there,” Freddie suggested.
“That would be great, if we could actually find where we’re going,” Jeremy shrugged.
“Let’s ask someone, like normal visitors would,” Freddie thought, before addressing the first lady walking in their direction. Her hair was slicked back into a tight bun, and her beige suit had barely a crease in it. A shock of horror vibrated through Jeremy’s spine as he observed her face. He went to stop Freddie, but it was too late.
“Excuse me, could you please direct me to security? We’re here to fix a fault,” Freddie questioned politely, flashing his ID badge.
Jeremy locked eyes with the woman. That was her. The same agent from the morgue. The one person he’d hoped to avoid in such a big building. Immediately, their cover was blown.
“Remain still,” she commanded, placing her right hand on her back pocket.
“Run!” Jeremy directed. He and Freddie launched into a desperate sprint further into the building. It was too risky to activate werewolf speed, but being caught was not an option.
“In here,” Freddie skidded to a halt as they turned another corner and pulled Jeremy by the arm into a side room, closing the door immediately behind them.
Inside was a largely empty storeroom, tiny in size, and the only light they had was peeping underneath the door. Whether the FBI agent would fall for such a trick, Jeremy didn’t know, but he had to hope for the best.
Footsteps stomped past the room. Jeremy’s heart was beating faster than ever. They were one accidental sound away from blowing their cover and being arrested. How could they escape without being seen?
“What now?” Jeremy whispered, keeping his voice as soft as possible.
Footsteps again. Just one pair. Quieter, softer steps. Steps that grew a little louder, and louder again, approaching the cupboard.
Until they stopped. Silence. Jeremy’s palms were drenched in sweat. The light underneath the door was being blocked by two objects on the other side. A pair of shoes. They were screwed.
The door pushed open. Jeremy jumped. The silence was gone, and the game was up.
Until it wasn’t.
A surprisingly familiar face stood ahead of them. An unexpected ray of hope, with a kind smile, a stylish feminine-cut suit over a masculine build, and golden curls tied into a neat ponytail.
“You two are in so much trouble,” grinned Brett. Jeremy was baffled, but questions could wait. Perhaps they had just found their ticket out?
Jono had high expectations for the day, and it hadn’t totally panned out the way he’d hoped. He wanted it to be perfect and relaxing, not just for Edmund, but for Dylan, too. Jono knew just how big a step it was for Dylan, and he wanted to do everything in his power to help Dylan feel comfortable.
Regardless, Edmund had Jonah, and they had been near-enough inseparable for weeks. It reminded Jono of how he and Dylan were desperate to spend every waking moment together when they first met. Whether it had the same degree of intimacy, Jono didn’t know, nor did he care. Edmund was street-smart, and Jonah was part of the pack too. They could only be good for each other.
“I found this,” Sammi realised, pointing to a page near the centre of the Bestiary. Figuring out what had happened to Jonah had proved impossible.
“Loup-garou,” Dylan read aloud, “We looked at this before. Like a werewolf, but they can only be born. Jonah was turned by scratch.”
“Don’t remind me,” Jono felt embarrassed.
“Sorry,” Dylan blushed.
“Jono, it’s fine,” Sammi reminded, “Nobody’s mad at you.”
“Why do you think this is relevant to Jonah?” Dylan wondered.
“Jonah hasn’t felt anything unusual in weeks now. In fact, the only time anything changed in him was when he was protecting Edmund. There’s no shifting, no loss of control, and the full moon didn’t affect him at all. The loup-garou is always in full control,” Sammi justified, “Not to mention the green eyes.”
“But we know Jonah wasn’t born like this,” Jono mentioned. As much as it would be the biggest relief to know he wasn’t responsible for upending Jonah’s life, they had to remain realistic.
“We don’t, though,” Sammi pondered, “You know how my mom had no idea what my dad really was? None of us know anything about Jonah’s mom. We all know Mr. Ruben was human, but Jonah has a different mom to George and Freddie.”
“She could have been supernatural,” Jono realised, like a lightbulb had turned itself on in his head.
“And Jonah wouldn’t have ever known. She died during childbirth,” Sammi reminded, “You didn’t turn him by scratch, Jono. You awoke what was already there.”
“Alright, but that still doesn’t explain why I had claws to scratch him with in the first place,” Jono sighed. Not being a werewolf had drastically improved his life, but what were the remnants he had been left with?
Panting. Gripping the bedsheet with one hand. Squeezing George’s hand with the other. Anything to drown out the intense pain shooting through her body.
Lily had never felt anything like it. Any injury she’d had was small fry in comparison. She knew it would hurt, but nothing could have prepared her for that. How long it had lasted, Lily had no idea, but it felt never-ending. She wasn’t sure how much more she could take.
“One more big push, Lily. You’re almost there,” the midwife directed, but Lily couldn’t be relieved yet. Pushing was the worst part, yet it was the only way this ordeal could be over.
“So close now, Lil,” George consoled, his hand still firmly inside hers. He hadn’t left her side for a second, no matter how much she screamed and yelled.
As directed, Lily pushed as hard as she could, screaming once more as if that would make the pain go away. At the other end of the bed, a sign of success. The sound of crying filled her ears. Lily stopped pushing and tried her hardest to catch her breath, gaining a welcome reminder of why she had endured that in the first place.
The crying of her child.
The midwife wrapped them in a towel, cleaning their head, before bringing them gently into Lily’s arms, already sound asleep.
“Meet your daughter, congratulations,” the midwife beamed. Lily and George shared a grin, before Lily’s eyes became transfixed on her daughter, who seemed so tiny and delicate.
“She’s beautiful,” George gushed, gently brushing his finger against her cheek.
“She’s perfect,” Lily agreed. There was so much uncertainty ahead, but one thing was for sure: she was going to protect her daughter against anything.
Thinking fast, Brett had to be careful. There was no way they were going to snitch on Freddie and Jeremy – friends didn’t do that – but their new job wasn’t something they could put on the line. They had a lot to lose.
Brett stepped into the storeroom and closed the door behind them. Being seen with the security risk would have been career suicide. If they were to help, it had to be subtle. They needed the full lowdown.
“What the hell is going on? Why are there security alerts looking for two people, one of whom conveniently has the same name as my boyfriend?” Brett queried, keeping their voice low.
“Trust me, it’s a long story,” Freddie chuckled nervously.
“Ashton was killed and the FBI seized his body. We need answers, and Jonah needs closure,” Jeremy briefly summarised, “Hold on, since when were you working for the FBI?”
“Since three weeks ago. I’m a trainee. Los Angeles was great, but I injured my leg and I can’t play basketball anymore. Not competitively, anyway,” Brett quickly recapped, “Oscar said I should get Dylan to bite me, so I could heal fully, but I’m not scared of change.”
“Respect,” Jeremy smiled proudly.
“Look, I think I can get you into the morgue. There’s an elevator a few metres away, then there’s a back exit directly from the morgue, up a flight of stairs. You’ll be able to get out that way,” Brett theorised, “But if there’s any risk of me being caught, I can’t protect you. I’ve worked hard to get this job.”
“Understood,” Freddie nodded, “We owe you one after this.”
“You owe me a lot more than one,” Brett chuckled before composing themselves. A lot was riding on this. They had to be careful.
Progress. Finally. Dylan was relieved that they were one step closer to understanding Jonah’s situation, not to mention a little nearer to getting to grips with what Jono’s abilities were. Dylan had had so many distractions that he hadn’t focused on Jono enough, and that was something he was desperate to change. Edmund and Jono had to be equal priorities in his life.
“I’m sorry,” Dylan quietly mentioned to Jono, while Sammi was making coffees in the kitchen.
“What for?” Jono frowned.
“Not prioritising you. You shouldn’t have felt so guilty for so long,” Dylan explained.
“It’s not your fault. Not for a single second,” Jono assured, “You’ve been my comfort and safe place the whole time. Coming back home to Crystalshaw, to you, has made me the happiest I’ve ever been.”
“But don’t you sometimes think about how different it could be? If I wasn’t so stupid that night. You know, the night I got bitten. Without that, we could have had such a normal life,” Dylan stressed, his mind spiralling.
“We don’t know what would have happened,” Jono reminded, “Maybe the pack wouldn’t have become so close. Everything could have been different. At least, this way, I know I have you. I won’t ever complain as long as you’re by my side.”
“Every day,” Dylan verified.
A knock at the living room door was followed by Ed poking his head around, interrupting the moment.
“Sorry, am I intruding?” Ed sheepishly questioned.
“No, I just didn’t hear the door,” Dylan composed himself, “Come in.”
“Hey Ed, I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were coming,” Sammi followed Ed in, carrying a tray of mugs, with her usual chirpiness, “Would you like a drink?”
“No, thank you I’m not here for a social call, I’m afraid,” Ed solemnly explained, collapsing into his regular armchair, “I’ve been suspended.”
“What?” Dylan’s body bolted upright, “How? Why?”
“Anonymous tip-off to the FBI. They’re looking into my track record and unsolved cases,” Ed sighed, “They’ll be sniffing around, Dylan. Around here. Around all of the supernatural shit we’ve had to cover up.”
Dylan gulped. What was happening? The pack needed to regroup, and fast.
Inside was more barebones, but a blank canvas gave Edmund the opportunity to make it his own. A wardrobe, a few shelves and a bed with generic beige covers was all he had to begin with, but it was already he most he had had to his name in years. For the first time ever, Edmund felt optimistic that he may have somewhere he could call home.
An enthusiastic knock on the door was followed by the warming sight of Jonah. He poked his head around the door with a cheeky grin on his adorable face. Whenever he could, Edmund had spent time with Jonah while waiting for the emergency foster placement to be confirmed. Not only was he trying to spend the bare minimum amount of time at the care home he’d been temporarily placed in, but Jonah had been grieving, and Edmund hated seeing one of the only people he cared about feeling so bereft.
“I come bearing gifts,” Jonah smiled. It was heartwarming to see him smile after such a bumpy few weeks.
“Gifts?” Edmund raised an eyebrow, “Is it my birthday?”
“Dude, I have no idea when your birthday is,” Jonah chuckled, “Housewarming gifts, duh.”
From his tote bag, Jonah pulled out a neatly folded colourful rug and three photo frames, which he began to delicately position on the first shelf.
“Sammi had these lying around. I figured they could actually get some use here,” Jonah commented.
“Um, thanks, but I don’t have any pictures to put in those,” Edmund felt a little deflated by the sight of the two empty frames already stood up.
“I know, they’re for new memories. See, I’ve started you off,” Jonah placed the third and final frame in the centre of the shelf, containing a selfie Jonah had taken of himself and Edmund just days before. Edmund’s sinking feeling lifted a little; it was a thoughtful gesture, and it made complete sense that the first photo in his new room was the first person he met in Crystalshaw.
“You didn’t have to,” Edmund blushed. He was perpetually awkward around people, and especially so with Jonah. All he wanted to do was to make a good impression, because the butterflies in his stomach resurfaced every time they were together.
“I know, but I wanted to,” Jonah smiled, sitting down on the edge of the bed, “Honestly, it’s been a nice distraction.”
“You don’t have to pretend with me,” Edmund reminded. There was never a point in hiding emotions; they always found their way to the surface, in Edmund’s experience.
“I know,” Jonah insisted, “I just wanted to do something nice for you, because you’ve been so nice to me recently. I don’t deserve you.”
“I think we deserve each other,” Edmund corrected, delicately sitting beside Jonah, “Whether that’s good or bad, we’ll find out, but there’s nobody I would rather be on this ride with.”
A moment of silence followed. Edmund and Jonah shared a glance. How long it lasted, Edmund didn’t know. All he knew was that it was passionate. Meaningful. Reciprocated.
The floorboard creaked outside the room. The moment was gone. Edmund broke the gaze, his butterflies too nervous to act on how he felt.
“Want to grab a snack?” Edmund tried to keep the vibe flowing as best as he could. The more time he spent with Jonah, the less he thought about the inevitable arrival of what he’d been running from for so long.
Nerves racing through his body, Dylan couldn’t believe the day had arrived. In some respects, it had felt like a never-ending series of anticipation, yet in others, it had raced by, with so much to do in so little time.
The cosmetic aspect of a tidy house and a pristine, suitably equipped bedroom were just the groundwork, though. Dylan knew the real work began that day. Edmund was headstrong, and he valued his independence, but he wasn’t a regular teenager. Dylan knew from experience just how dangerous a combination of teenager and werewolf could be.
“Why are my palms so sweaty?” Jono panicked, “It’s not like we don’t know him.”
“We’re having to be adults. For real,” Dylan chuckled, “Not just big kids anymore.”
“Still feels like we’re kids,” Jono shrugged, “Those two idiots who met in detention.”
“The only detention either of us ever had,” Dylan added, “Worth it, I’d say.”
“I’d hope so, not like it led to marriage or anything,” Jono laughed.
“Um, hey,” Edmund knocked on the open living room door and stood sheepishly, as if he had just interrupted the bosses during an urgent meeting at work.
“Come in,” Jono invited, “It’s your house too, you don’t need to knock.”
“I just wanted to ask if there’s anything we could grab to eat,” Edmund barely inched forward.
“There’s loads in the kitchen, help yourself. Jonah knows where everything is,” Dylan replied. He was keen for Edmund to settle in as quickly as possible, but he knew it wouldn’t be that easy.
Edmund nodded and sloped off as the front door clicked open and shut. Frantically scuttling into the living room was a stressed-looking Sammi.
“Where’s Jonah?” she questioned, scanning the room.
“Kitchen, with Edmund,” Dylan replied, “What’s up?”
Sammi closed the door behind her and sat on the empty armchair beside the TV before explaining, “I think I found something in the Bestiary.”
Dylan was intrigued. He felt like he knew the Bestiary off by heart after how many times he’d referred to it, but so much was happening at once and little of it made sense. They needed every lead they could get.
Dashing through the hospital corridor, desperately trying to avoid crashing into the nurses, George was praying he wasn’t too late. A call from a paramedic felt like news he should have been anticipating, but he was hoping to be there at such a vital moment. Without being there, it felt difficult not to spiral and fear the worst-case scenario.
He scanned each ward he passed as rapidly as possible, checking every face for the one he was most desperate to see. He could have spent hours looking around such a vast space, and he wasn’t sure he had time on his side.
“Excuse me, Lily Chadwick, she’s my girlfriend, do you know where she is?” George spoke to the next member of staff he spotted, a nurse in a blue uniform with a friendly smile below her tired eyes.
“Room E12, on your left,” she directed immediately, much to George’s relief. He sprinted a few more metres down the corridor towards room E12, passing a nurse on her way out.
Remaining inside was just Lily, holding a gas and air tube to her mouth while breathing heavily. Her face was unusually red and coated in sweat. Immediately, George took gentle hold of her hand.
“I think,” Lily spoke between her heavy panting, “I think the baby’s coming.”
Yasmin usually made excuses to avoid seeing her mum. They had little in common, and after so many years, she still had no knowledge of many of the most significant moments in Yasmin’s life. Their disconnect was amplified significantly by the array of secrets Yasmin had to keep.
Of course, Yasmin could have come clean. Told Autumn everything. There would be no secrets then. It wasn’t so easy, though. The already didn’t go for beyond small talk, so confirming the existence of werewolves, let alone the truth behind her ex-husband was more effort than it was worth.
Nevertheless, the least she could do was show her face from time-to-time. Having Josh by her side made it significantly easier, too. Though he was sometimes quiet and reasoned, he always stepped up for Yasmin, and the way he carried the conversation during her visits home was Yasmin’s saving grace.
“Just as you like it,” Yasmin placed a mug of coffee in front of Yasmin. She didn’t have to take a sip to know it had three sugars and not two.
“Thanks,” Yasmin forced a smile into the thick cloud of awkwardness.
“How’s work, Autumn?” Josh made conversation, keeping his right hand on top of Yasmin’s leg, gently soothing it with his fingers.
“Busy. Always busy. The company’s flying,” Autumn gushed, “I’m in meetings every day about international expansion. Our investors are optimistic.”
“You must be working long hours,” Yasmin interjected. She knew her mum was a workaholic; it was the primary reason behind their disconnect.
“Of course, much like you both. You always seem to be at work. What is it you do, again?” Autumn asked. Yasmin used all her strength to avoid rolling her eyes. Though Autumn didn’t know the specifics, she unquestionably knew the gist of their line of work, because Yasmin had told her, more than once.
“Private detectives,” Josh answered, much more chirpily than Yasmin would have, “Dylan and Jono’s business.”
“Oh, yes, that’s right. Dylan’s lovely, isn’t he? He’s always been a good friend,” Autumn remarked.
“How would you know?” Yasmin hit back before she could stop herself.
“I’m sorry, did I say something wrong?” Autumn sunk into her seat.
“You don’t know anything about my friends, mom,” Yasmin continued, “You don’t know anything about me, so why do we keep pretending that you do?”
Frustrated, Yasmin picked up her jacket and stormed out, leaving the overly sugary cup of tea untouched on the table. She just wanted to be at home. There weren’t enough hours in the day to unpack all her family problems.
As Yasmin slammed the driver door of her car shut, she noticed Josh jogging after her, closing Autumn’s overly decorative front door behind him.
“I’m sorry,” Yasmin admitted as Josh joined her in the car.
“For what? Having a weird fucking upbringing? Welcome to the club,” Josh reminded.
“I’m sorry, I feel like I should be grateful. I’ve got my mom. Not everyone does,” Yasmin shrugged.
“No, it’s fine. It’s not a competition. If everything was black and white, it would be easy,” Josh mentioned, “You’re allowed to feel this way. Sometimes, not often, but sometimes, I think about what I’d do if my parents showed up. You know, my real parents. My birth parents. Caroline and Ed are the only parents I need, but I sometimes think, would I hear them out? I don’t know. I think I’d only know in the moment.”
“Would you want to track them down?” Yasmin queried. Josh almost never spoke about his birth parents.
“I’ve got the best mom and dad I could ask for. I don’t need anyone else to muscle in,” Josh affirmed, “Right now, I’m in control of that. You get to be in control of your relationship with your mom. Just know that I’ll forever be in your corner.”
Yasmin gently leaned into Josh’s open arms. She had found her family, and it wasn’t in that house.
For weeks, Jeremy had been unable to shake his uneasy feeling. That day, in the morgue. Ashton’s body being seized. The FBI taking over. Chadwick-Drummond had some top-notch resources, but the FBI was a completely different kettle of fish.
Nevertheless, he wasn’t giving up. Jonah was family, and he deserved to have some closure over his friend. Jeremy had one final trick left in his bag.
The reception area of the building appeared inconspicuous. It was a regular office block, albeit with a blatantly significant amount of money invested into it. The surfaces were clinically clean, and the decoration was generic, with white walls and a shiny tiled floor. Jeremy had never been to an FBI facility before, but its atmosphere was already intimidating.
After all, it was a risk for him to even be entering the belly of the beast. The FBI agent had seen him at the morgue, so he had every chance of being recognised. The saving grace was his alibi, courtesy of Freddie, his partner in crime. In the worst-case scenario, at least they didn’t know who Freddie was.
“That’s right. Charlie Miller, from Crystalshaw Repairs. I got a callout from here,” Freddie lied to the receptionist, utilising his old job to his advantage, “Apparently the CCTV cameras aren’t loading properly. Technology, am I right? Anyway, could you please direct my apprentice and I in the right direction?”
“One more thing, Mr. Miller. May I please have the name of your apprentice? It’s for a security pass,” the jobsworth on reception questioned.
“Oscar Madden-Whelan,” Jeremy panicked and blurted out the first name that came to mind. A name that wasn’t directly linked to Chadwick-Drummond, at least.
“Thank you,” the receptionist handed them each an ID badge, “Have a nice day,” she smiled insincerely.
Freddie led the way, scanning his ID badge against the reader, gaining them access through the security barrier, into the rest of the complex. Turning the corner, Jeremy focused himself. They had completed the hardest part; they just had to make sure it wasn’t in vain.
“Dude? Oscar? Really? If they catch us, he might be in trouble,” Freddie hissed.
“I had to think on the spot, I panicked,” Jeremy justified, “Let’s get in and out as quickly as possible, then it won’t be a problem.”
“Alright. If we can find the security room, then we can at least look at the cameras. We might find a clue there,” Freddie suggested.
“That would be great, if we could actually find where we’re going,” Jeremy shrugged.
“Let’s ask someone, like normal visitors would,” Freddie thought, before addressing the first lady walking in their direction. Her hair was slicked back into a tight bun, and her beige suit had barely a crease in it. A shock of horror vibrated through Jeremy’s spine as he observed her face. He went to stop Freddie, but it was too late.
“Excuse me, could you please direct me to security? We’re here to fix a fault,” Freddie questioned politely, flashing his ID badge.
Jeremy locked eyes with the woman. That was her. The same agent from the morgue. The one person he’d hoped to avoid in such a big building. Immediately, their cover was blown.
“Remain still,” she commanded, placing her right hand on her back pocket.
“Run!” Jeremy directed. He and Freddie launched into a desperate sprint further into the building. It was too risky to activate werewolf speed, but being caught was not an option.
“In here,” Freddie skidded to a halt as they turned another corner and pulled Jeremy by the arm into a side room, closing the door immediately behind them.
Inside was a largely empty storeroom, tiny in size, and the only light they had was peeping underneath the door. Whether the FBI agent would fall for such a trick, Jeremy didn’t know, but he had to hope for the best.
Footsteps stomped past the room. Jeremy’s heart was beating faster than ever. They were one accidental sound away from blowing their cover and being arrested. How could they escape without being seen?
“What now?” Jeremy whispered, keeping his voice as soft as possible.
Footsteps again. Just one pair. Quieter, softer steps. Steps that grew a little louder, and louder again, approaching the cupboard.
Until they stopped. Silence. Jeremy’s palms were drenched in sweat. The light underneath the door was being blocked by two objects on the other side. A pair of shoes. They were screwed.
The door pushed open. Jeremy jumped. The silence was gone, and the game was up.
Until it wasn’t.
A surprisingly familiar face stood ahead of them. An unexpected ray of hope, with a kind smile, a stylish feminine-cut suit over a masculine build, and golden curls tied into a neat ponytail.
“You two are in so much trouble,” grinned Brett. Jeremy was baffled, but questions could wait. Perhaps they had just found their ticket out?
Jono had high expectations for the day, and it hadn’t totally panned out the way he’d hoped. He wanted it to be perfect and relaxing, not just for Edmund, but for Dylan, too. Jono knew just how big a step it was for Dylan, and he wanted to do everything in his power to help Dylan feel comfortable.
Regardless, Edmund had Jonah, and they had been near-enough inseparable for weeks. It reminded Jono of how he and Dylan were desperate to spend every waking moment together when they first met. Whether it had the same degree of intimacy, Jono didn’t know, nor did he care. Edmund was street-smart, and Jonah was part of the pack too. They could only be good for each other.
“I found this,” Sammi realised, pointing to a page near the centre of the Bestiary. Figuring out what had happened to Jonah had proved impossible.
“Loup-garou,” Dylan read aloud, “We looked at this before. Like a werewolf, but they can only be born. Jonah was turned by scratch.”
“Don’t remind me,” Jono felt embarrassed.
“Sorry,” Dylan blushed.
“Jono, it’s fine,” Sammi reminded, “Nobody’s mad at you.”
“Why do you think this is relevant to Jonah?” Dylan wondered.
“Jonah hasn’t felt anything unusual in weeks now. In fact, the only time anything changed in him was when he was protecting Edmund. There’s no shifting, no loss of control, and the full moon didn’t affect him at all. The loup-garou is always in full control,” Sammi justified, “Not to mention the green eyes.”
“But we know Jonah wasn’t born like this,” Jono mentioned. As much as it would be the biggest relief to know he wasn’t responsible for upending Jonah’s life, they had to remain realistic.
“We don’t, though,” Sammi pondered, “You know how my mom had no idea what my dad really was? None of us know anything about Jonah’s mom. We all know Mr. Ruben was human, but Jonah has a different mom to George and Freddie.”
“She could have been supernatural,” Jono realised, like a lightbulb had turned itself on in his head.
“And Jonah wouldn’t have ever known. She died during childbirth,” Sammi reminded, “You didn’t turn him by scratch, Jono. You awoke what was already there.”
“Alright, but that still doesn’t explain why I had claws to scratch him with in the first place,” Jono sighed. Not being a werewolf had drastically improved his life, but what were the remnants he had been left with?
Panting. Gripping the bedsheet with one hand. Squeezing George’s hand with the other. Anything to drown out the intense pain shooting through her body.
Lily had never felt anything like it. Any injury she’d had was small fry in comparison. She knew it would hurt, but nothing could have prepared her for that. How long it had lasted, Lily had no idea, but it felt never-ending. She wasn’t sure how much more she could take.
“One more big push, Lily. You’re almost there,” the midwife directed, but Lily couldn’t be relieved yet. Pushing was the worst part, yet it was the only way this ordeal could be over.
“So close now, Lil,” George consoled, his hand still firmly inside hers. He hadn’t left her side for a second, no matter how much she screamed and yelled.
As directed, Lily pushed as hard as she could, screaming once more as if that would make the pain go away. At the other end of the bed, a sign of success. The sound of crying filled her ears. Lily stopped pushing and tried her hardest to catch her breath, gaining a welcome reminder of why she had endured that in the first place.
The crying of her child.
The midwife wrapped them in a towel, cleaning their head, before bringing them gently into Lily’s arms, already sound asleep.
“Meet your daughter, congratulations,” the midwife beamed. Lily and George shared a grin, before Lily’s eyes became transfixed on her daughter, who seemed so tiny and delicate.
“She’s beautiful,” George gushed, gently brushing his finger against her cheek.
“She’s perfect,” Lily agreed. There was so much uncertainty ahead, but one thing was for sure: she was going to protect her daughter against anything.
Thinking fast, Brett had to be careful. There was no way they were going to snitch on Freddie and Jeremy – friends didn’t do that – but their new job wasn’t something they could put on the line. They had a lot to lose.
Brett stepped into the storeroom and closed the door behind them. Being seen with the security risk would have been career suicide. If they were to help, it had to be subtle. They needed the full lowdown.
“What the hell is going on? Why are there security alerts looking for two people, one of whom conveniently has the same name as my boyfriend?” Brett queried, keeping their voice low.
“Trust me, it’s a long story,” Freddie chuckled nervously.
“Ashton was killed and the FBI seized his body. We need answers, and Jonah needs closure,” Jeremy briefly summarised, “Hold on, since when were you working for the FBI?”
“Since three weeks ago. I’m a trainee. Los Angeles was great, but I injured my leg and I can’t play basketball anymore. Not competitively, anyway,” Brett quickly recapped, “Oscar said I should get Dylan to bite me, so I could heal fully, but I’m not scared of change.”
“Respect,” Jeremy smiled proudly.
“Look, I think I can get you into the morgue. There’s an elevator a few metres away, then there’s a back exit directly from the morgue, up a flight of stairs. You’ll be able to get out that way,” Brett theorised, “But if there’s any risk of me being caught, I can’t protect you. I’ve worked hard to get this job.”
“Understood,” Freddie nodded, “We owe you one after this.”
“You owe me a lot more than one,” Brett chuckled before composing themselves. A lot was riding on this. They had to be careful.
Progress. Finally. Dylan was relieved that they were one step closer to understanding Jonah’s situation, not to mention a little nearer to getting to grips with what Jono’s abilities were. Dylan had had so many distractions that he hadn’t focused on Jono enough, and that was something he was desperate to change. Edmund and Jono had to be equal priorities in his life.
“I’m sorry,” Dylan quietly mentioned to Jono, while Sammi was making coffees in the kitchen.
“What for?” Jono frowned.
“Not prioritising you. You shouldn’t have felt so guilty for so long,” Dylan explained.
“It’s not your fault. Not for a single second,” Jono assured, “You’ve been my comfort and safe place the whole time. Coming back home to Crystalshaw, to you, has made me the happiest I’ve ever been.”
“But don’t you sometimes think about how different it could be? If I wasn’t so stupid that night. You know, the night I got bitten. Without that, we could have had such a normal life,” Dylan stressed, his mind spiralling.
“We don’t know what would have happened,” Jono reminded, “Maybe the pack wouldn’t have become so close. Everything could have been different. At least, this way, I know I have you. I won’t ever complain as long as you’re by my side.”
“Every day,” Dylan verified.
A knock at the living room door was followed by Ed poking his head around, interrupting the moment.
“Sorry, am I intruding?” Ed sheepishly questioned.
“No, I just didn’t hear the door,” Dylan composed himself, “Come in.”
“Hey Ed, I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were coming,” Sammi followed Ed in, carrying a tray of mugs, with her usual chirpiness, “Would you like a drink?”
“No, thank you I’m not here for a social call, I’m afraid,” Ed solemnly explained, collapsing into his regular armchair, “I’ve been suspended.”
“What?” Dylan’s body bolted upright, “How? Why?”
“Anonymous tip-off to the FBI. They’re looking into my track record and unsolved cases,” Ed sighed, “They’ll be sniffing around, Dylan. Around here. Around all of the supernatural shit we’ve had to cover up.”
Dylan gulped. What was happening? The pack needed to regroup, and fast.