Series 2 Episode 3
"Enigma"
Wheezing and spluttering, she was clinging onto life with every inch of her being. She had been shot through the heart with a bullet laced in wolfsbane, and there was nothing more that any of them could do. It was infecting her and spreading too quick to stop.
Josh looked into her eyes. He felt horrible, seeing somebody he respected and admired so much look so gaunt. He held her hand and took her pain away. It was a special werewolf skill that she had taught him after she first bit him.
It took a while for Josh to take to her once he was bitten. He resented her and tried his best to disassociate himself from her for ages. He had only intended to get out of the house for a few hours to clear his mind. Now he had been gone for almost two months. His mums must have been going out of their minds. She insisted he stayed though, at least until he learnt control. He was getting pretty good at that, too.
Her daughter, Clara, always complained that Josh was the apple of her mum’s eye. Where was she now, though? Josh was the only one with her. A hunter had cruelly shot her, and now she was clinging onto life with every inch of her being.
“Do it, Josh,” she ordered, “Slit my throat. Be the alpha.”
“No!” Josh immediately batted the idea away, “Besides, Clara…”
“Clara’s not here. I see your potential. You deserve it, Josh. I’m dying anyway, put me out of my misery and continue in my name,” she struggled to speak, but what she said meant the world to Josh. It was her dying wish.
“Alright. Here goes,” Josh reluctantly spoke, shedding a tear.
“Thank you,” she smiled through the pain and closed her eyes. Josh primed his claws and sent them slashing through the skin on her neck. The wide wound instantly began dripping black blood, and she fell lifeless. Josh felt his body tingle. He was the alpha now. He had to do Clarissa justice. But first, he needed to prove himself.
Josh looked into her eyes. He felt horrible, seeing somebody he respected and admired so much look so gaunt. He held her hand and took her pain away. It was a special werewolf skill that she had taught him after she first bit him.
It took a while for Josh to take to her once he was bitten. He resented her and tried his best to disassociate himself from her for ages. He had only intended to get out of the house for a few hours to clear his mind. Now he had been gone for almost two months. His mums must have been going out of their minds. She insisted he stayed though, at least until he learnt control. He was getting pretty good at that, too.
Her daughter, Clara, always complained that Josh was the apple of her mum’s eye. Where was she now, though? Josh was the only one with her. A hunter had cruelly shot her, and now she was clinging onto life with every inch of her being.
“Do it, Josh,” she ordered, “Slit my throat. Be the alpha.”
“No!” Josh immediately batted the idea away, “Besides, Clara…”
“Clara’s not here. I see your potential. You deserve it, Josh. I’m dying anyway, put me out of my misery and continue in my name,” she struggled to speak, but what she said meant the world to Josh. It was her dying wish.
“Alright. Here goes,” Josh reluctantly spoke, shedding a tear.
“Thank you,” she smiled through the pain and closed her eyes. Josh primed his claws and sent them slashing through the skin on her neck. The wide wound instantly began dripping black blood, and she fell lifeless. Josh felt his body tingle. He was the alpha now. He had to do Clarissa justice. But first, he needed to prove himself.
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The car was shaking like mad. It was going to tip backwards into the fire at any second. Freddie was doing everything in his power to struggle free from the cruel grip of the chair in front. He was panicking like mad, and his leg ached all over. He was surprised he hadn’t shifted yet. Maybe pain really did make you human.
Josh was still heaving away at the chair in front. He was so close to lifting it off Freddie’s legs, but was it enough? It could be too little, too late if the car rocked any further.
“One more shove,” Josh agonisingly notified. Freddie heaved once again on his legs, and he was taken aback. They moved! He scrambled out of the way quickly.
“Let’s go,” Freddie suggested, leaping out of the still-shaking car. Josh followed suit, rocking the car further and sending it tumbling backwards.
“Run!” Freddie commanded. He knew what was about to happen and they had to be as far away as possible. Freddie could only limp, his legs had been pushed harshly against the chair for a while and hadn’t yet healed. He just knew he had to run. Josh held out a hand to pull him along.
Then, all of a sudden, a huge BANG sounded. The next thing Freddie knew, he crashed to the floor, totally unaware of his surroundings.
“What the heck was that?” Dylan was horrified to hear the bang. It didn’t sound promising at all. It was almost certainly Josh’s car, too. It was in the right direction. He could swing for Josh. If the explosion hadn’t taken him out already, of course.
“We’re not far, come on,” Jono slammed his foot down on the accelerator. The journey towards the cloud of smoke was in some ways more reassuring than before, relying on Jono’s admittedly good memory for directions. Jono almost had a photographic memory. At least when it came to song lyrics. The fact he had directed them both there using an address he briefly saw on a screen was pretty damn impressive though.
Nevertheless, Dylan was relieved they had located them, if worried about what they would find. Just a few metres ahead in the road, Jono pulled over again, behind Sheriff Taylor’s car.
“I thought I told you boys to stay behind,” the Sheriff scolded.
“We had to help,” Dylan replied. He wasn’t lying – he just wasn’t telling the full truth.
“It’s too dangerous to go any further. The fire crew are on their way,” the Sheriff explained.
“But what about Freddie?” Jono worriedly asked. Dylan shared his concerns – they had to find Freddie sooner rather than later.
“He’s here,” a voice croaked from behind them. Approaching out of the woods, Josh was carrying a lifeless Freddie in his arms. Dylan immediately got defensive.
“Put him down,” Dylan ordered. The fact Josh was anywhere near Crystalshaw again was irritating enough. Going near Freddie and pulling this stunt was a step too far.
“Is he breathing?” Jono seemed to care more about the state of Freddie than Josh’s reappearance, which was fair enough in Dylan’s eyes. He was a journalist though – no detail would be missed. Jono only dealt with the top story first.
“Just about. His pulse is weak,” Josh relayed.
“We’d better call an ambulance,” the Sheriff decided, before proceeding to speak to the dispatch team. Dylan double-checked his life signs. Josh was right.
“What did you do?” Dylan was enraged.
“I did nothing, I swear. I’ll explain later, but we need to get him to hospital,” Josh bargained.
“He’s right, we can talk it through later,” Jono asked. Ugh. Josh hanging around was the last thing Dylan needed. He looked at Freddie, seeming so peaceful but he must have been feeling anything but. At least he was still alive.
Gobsmacked, Yasmin could hardly believe the page she was looking at. The Bestiary told her all she needed to know, but it was too much to take in. Whatever she was, it didn’t sound good, and if hunters could identify her, it was doubly bad. =
Without thinking, Yasmin snatched the book out of Drew’s hands and stormed towards the exit.
“The book stays here,” Drew ordered.
“Screw you,” Yasmin abruptly yelled back. She wasn’t in the mood for Drew lording it over all of them again. In her eyes, a leader has to prove themselves. Drew had talked the talk, but never walked the walk.
“I’ll go,” she heard Lily say. Good. Somebody she trusted was coming. Lily had worked hard for months flicking her way through the Bestiary for Yasmin. Now Drew had stolen her thunder. Yasmin knew she would be pretty pissed in her shoes.
“Wait up,” Lily called after her. Yasmin continued climbing the ladder. She needed fresh air. Lily pursued her though. It was nice to know she wasn’t giving up, at least.
Once back on the ground, Yasmin stopped to wait for Lily, and gave her a hand up.
“You don’t have to say anything. I can’t imagine how you’re feeling right now,” Lily sympathised. It was nice to hear some honesty. Lily had no idea how she was feeling, and Yasmin appreciated that she didn’t pretend.
“It’s too much,” Yasmin sighed. It was a lot to take in.
“We need to break it down. Find out everything you do or don’t have. Prove how much humanity you still have,” Lily offered.
“I’m being hunted by werewolf hunters. I’ll never be human again,” Yasmin sulked. She hated to wallow, but she felt she was justified on this occasion.
Much to his annoyance, Dylan had been forced to leave Jono with Josh. They were both accompanying Sheriff Taylor to the station, while Dylan went with Freddie in the ambulance. It made sense really. Dylan was the best person to keep an eye on Freddie for anything werewolf-related, while Jono was the only one of the two who could drive. Jono would hate to leave his car stranded in the woods.
Nevertheless, Dylan felt uneasy about leaving Jono with Josh. He was beyond untrustworthy, no matter how much he had supposedly reformed. He had a motive to be pissed off. At least they would be safe with the Sheriff, he guessed. Dylan glanced down to Freddie, who was beginning to stir.
“Hello stranger,” Dylan smiled, filled with relief.
“Where am I?” Freddie seemed disorientated.
“Ambulance. It’s alright, you’re safe now,” Dylan reassured him.
“Josh…is he okay?” Freddie seemed worryingly concerned for Josh. It wouldn’t be the first time he had been taken in by Josh’s admittedly good persuasion tactics.
“He’s fine,” Dylan replied bluntly. He had to answer the question but didn’t want to argue. Freddie’s recovery was more important.
“Hey, I did it. I controlled myself. I didn’t shift,” Freddie revealed, changing the subject. He sounded like an excited five-year-old showing their mum or dad a painting they did at school. That made Dylan the proud parent, and he certainly felt that way.
“What? That’s amazing,” Dylan gave him a high five gently, “How did you do it?”
“Pain makes you human,” Freddie said, sounding much less proud. Like he was ashamed that it worked better than the anchor concept Dylan preferred.
“I’m happy for you, bro,” Dylan smiled. It was nice to hear something optimistic every once in a while, especially as Dylan always attempted to keep a positive outlook on life. It was his new mantra, and it helped him try to come to terms with his own changes.
“Oh my god, George must be going out of his mind,” Freddie panicked, trying to sit up.
“Hold it mister, don’t you move an inch,” Dylan ordered, “You might heal quicker than anyone else, but you’re not there yet. I’ll call him.” Bless Freddie. He was still quite naïve, and so was Dylan himself. Maybe he needed to refer Josh to the less-forgiving Drew this time round.
The journey back to the station felt exceedingly awkward for Jono. He could tell Dylan wasn’t happy with the situation, and although he knew he wouldn’t do anything rash, Jono trusted himself to keep a cool head better.
“I guess Dylan won’t want to hear me out,” Josh reflected. If he wanted sympathy from Jono, he’d have to whistle for it.
“I hope you weren’t expecting a welcome-home party. Quite frankly, it’s a miracle you haven’t been arrested,” Jono delivered some home truths.
“I’m not lying. I’m not here to cause trouble. Freddie will tell you,” Josh pleaded.
“You gotta leave him alone, he’s not your messenger,” Jono reasoned. This was the second time he was using Freddie as his lapdog. It wasn’t fair.
“How else could I get in touch? I couldn’t walk up to you and ask you how you are,” Josh noted.
“There’s a reason for that,” Jono rebutted. He had ostracised himself. He had no legs to stand on.
“I know, I get it. I want to prove myself to you, just let me know how,” Josh begged.
“It’s up to Dylan. He’s the one you fucked up, not me,” Jono mentioned.
“It can’t be too bad. He’s got you now,” Josh argued. Jono couldn’t help thinking that he had missed the point, but it wasn’t worth arguing. He turned the volume on the radio up, enjoying the rather appropriate “IDGAF” by Dua Lipa and using it as an excuse to avoid conversation.
Drew had had enough. These stupid humans were invading his territory, and it was driving him insane. Why did Dylan not just keep his mouth shut to stop these imbeciles invading his personal space? Let alone taking his belongings. That Bestiary book was going to cause them all so much trouble if he didn’t lock it back up. Maybe it already had.
He decided, after a few minutes of ensuring he didn’t blow a fuse, to follow Yasmin and Lily back up to the ground. He needed to speak to them.
“Oh for god’s sake,” Yasmin groaned as soon as she saw him.
“You don’t have to be happy to see me,” Drew immediately replied, “But you need to stop interfering. That book is mine, I have it locked up for a reason.”
“It must be great for you. You know who you are. You obviously love it, too. Well not all of us are the same,” Yasmin defiantly replied, “That book answered all my questions while you held back. Don’t come around shouting the odds at me now.”
Yasmin’s words hit a chord with Drew. He was in her situation once upon a time. He knew how it felt to be in the dark, and he didn’t even have a Bestiary. He’d have done anything to read a book with that level of detail.
“You don’t know how lucky you are. The fact you can literally look up what you are is a damn privilege,” Drew vented.
“Privilege? You think any of this is a privilege? All I want is to be at home studying, but here I am. I didn’t ask for any of this,” Yasmin yelled in response.
“You think I did?” Drew yelled back just as loudly. Yasmin went silent, like she was considering.
“I’m sorry,” she replied. Drew simply nodded in response. He appreciated her apology, even if he couldn’t be arsed with the whole situation. Yasmin suddenly lost all of the expression in her face, looking gaunt and lifeless.
“He’s here,” she vacantly announced. Drew looked towards Lily, and they both knew what was happening. It was another of her premonitions. Her psychic abilities were like nothing he had seen before. He knew he had to keep a close eye on her predictions.
She began walking, away from the road they had been stood next to and onto a grassy area. It was grossly overgrown, and quite why Yasmin would want to go anywhere near there was beyond Drew. However, he and Lily very cautiously followed.
“Who’s here?” Lily delicately queried. Drew thought it best that he left the talking to Lily. She had much more patience. They could criticise him all they wanted, but at least he was self-aware. Yasmin stopped walking through the overgrown grass, which was comfortably up to Drew’s waist. She pointed in from of her. Drew rushed over to have a look and satisfy his curiosity. However, he soon wished that he hadn’t been so intrigued.
Lying on the floor was the horrible sight of a young male werewolf – the proof was in the fangs and claws that were still on show. What was even worse was how he had been cruelly decapitated across the waist. Split completely in half. It disgusted Drew, but he knew exactly what this was.
“it’s a warning,” Drew identified.
“From who?” Lily innocent questioned, just as repulsed as Drew.
“Hunters,” he coldly stated.
Watching on, Dylan saw Freddie escorted into the hospital on a stretcher. He got annoyed as the nurse asked him to wait in the waiting room. He had been there for half an hour, or so he thought. He didn’t want to clock-watch – it would make the time go even slower. He just wanted some news.
He vaguely took note of a girl sitting next to him a few minutes before, but he was too wrapped up in his own thoughts to notice anything about her, until she turned to him.
“Excuse me, do you know where the bathroom is?” she politely questioned. Dylan peeked up, and immediately, visible easily from behind her pretty face and kind smile, were bright yellow eyes just like Dylan’s.
“You’re one of Josh’s pack, aren’t you?” Dylan instantly identified.
“I prefer not think of it as his pack. But yes, I guess you’re right. Clara,” she introduced herself.
“Dylan,” he responded.
“I know who you are. I’ve heard how you defeated an alpha,” Clara commented, “I’m almost impressed. Except neither of us have an alpha anymore. Our packs are not complete.”
“If alphas are like Josh, then I’m cool with that,” Dylan rejected. He didn’t want that debacle again.
“Not all are like him. Most are considerably more experienced and better respected,” Clara explained, “In fact, he’s a loose cannon. We found him that night, after you last saw him, and took him in ourselves.”
“Except he got out,” Dylan finished the story.
“You’ve seen him, then,” Clara recognised.
“He’s the reason Freddie’s lying in there,” Dylan detailed.
“He’s a werewolf, why isn’t he healing?” Clara questioned.
“He’s quite new still, he’s only just learning control,” Dylan noted.
“This is why we need an alpha,” Clara linked back, “They tie the pack together, make us stronger than ever.”
“How would we even get an alpha?” Dylan hypothetically questioned.
“That’s why I came to find you. You’re pretty good at getting the answers you need,” Clara proposed.
“We don’t need to. One of us can be the alpha,” Clara suggested. Dylan was mind-blown by all of this information. It was a lot to process and consider. He knew not to make a rash decision.
“Woah, hold up. This is all going a bit fast,” Dylan explained, “My friends and I don’t need an alpha.”
“You don’t even acknowledge them as a pack, do you?” Clara noticed.
“We’re just a group of friends. Some are human, some are not,” Dylan justified.
“You’re a pack, Dylan, whether you want to call it that or not. I’d love for us to team up. I’ll let you think about it. See you at school,” Clara stood up and left, while Dylan sat there speechless. This was the last thing he needed on his plate.
Jono didn’t want to be surrounded by the four walls of the Sheriff’s office again, but he wasn’t letting Josh out of his sight for the foreseeable. Even if he had to put him on a leash, although he prayed it wouldn’t come to that.
The Sheriff was harping on about road safety, blah blah blah, giving Josh a lecture. Jono was taking in his surroundings instead. The Sheriff’s office was mostly tidy, with the crime noticeboard behind the desk looking neatly organised. The desk, on the other hand, was a state. Papers and stationery were scattered everywhere, and there was even an empty bottle of Coca-Cola lying down.
Then he saw it. Something he wished he could un-see, and quickly. It was an empty condom wrapper sticking out from underneath a ward of paperwork. It looked like it had been stashed there in a hurry – something Jono had become a master of after his mum had very nearly walked in on him and Dylan. He was wondering whether to point it out. On one hand, it would be high-key embarrassing for them both. On the other hand, it could save the Sheriff some potential embarrassment later. It might be the kind thing to do. It was something to think about.
“Do you have somewhere to stay?” the Sheriff asked Josh. He looked down, as if he were ashamed.
“He’ll be staying with me,” Jono found himself saying before he could think about his words. Dylan would be pissed, but he couldn’t leave Josh on the streets.
“Are you sure?” Josh looked shocked, “Thank you.” He smiled sincerely. Maybe he had changed.
“Alright boys, you head off home now. I hope Freddie recovers quickly,” the Sheriff wrapped the chat up, “Oh, and Jono, could I give you this to pass on to Caroline? She left it here earlier. I assume you’ll see her before I do.”
The Sheriff handed Jono a gold necklace. He’d seen Caroline wearing it before. It was a wedding present from Dylan’s dad; Dylan had told him in passing before. She never took it off. Why she did so in the Sheriff’s office was beyond Jono.
“Sure,” Jono agreed, as he noticed the Sheriff tuck the condom wrapper further under the paper. He knew about it already – that saved Jono an uncomfortable job.
Surprised at how comfortable the hospital bed was, Freddie was lying wide awake in his room. The plain white walls of the hospital were incredibly dull, but nothing was going to get him to sleep. Apart from the fact he’d napped not all that long ago, his mind was performing somersaults thinking about Josh. He still couldn’t work out if he were being genuine or not. Perhaps he needed to give the benefit of the doubt.
The door creaked open. Expecting to see the nurse, Freddie looked over, and was surprised at the sight of Oli and Shania. Two of Josh’s pack, no less.
“Hi,” Freddie politely greeted. Why they were in there was beyond him. It’s not like they knew each other personally.
“Just keep still,” Oli ordered as Shania walked to the other side of the bed. Freddie watched as she pulled out a syringe and moved with intent towards the tube that was connected to his blood supply, via the back of his hand.
“I don’t think you should be doing that,” Freddie protested. He had very little energy – the blast had sent shockwaves through his body and even the accelerated healing of his body hadn’t solved all of his problems yet.
The syringe was released before he had the chance to fight back. The liquid trickled into his bloodstream. He felt the ice-cold fluid running through his veins. It was too late. Freddie felt himself slowly and softly drifting off to sleep.
In control of herself once again, Yasmin hated the after-effect of her premonitions. Her memory always lapsed, and she had to rely on Lily to update her.
Lily was sat to her left, with Drew to her right as they all sat in front of the Sheriff’s desk. It felt like she had done something wrong, even though she knew she hadn’t. She needed to put on a brave face for her interrogation regardless. She could hardly tell the Sheriff the entire truth.
“What were you kids doing out there at this time of night?” the Sheriff enquired.
“We got lost,” Lily interjected. Yasmin was hoping she would pull through with a good cover story, “We were on our way to a party.”
“On a school night?” the Sheriff disapproved.
“I’m sure you had plenty of wild times when you were younger, Sheriff,” Yasmin hit back.
“We don’t need to talk about me,” the Sheriff brushed the subject off. Deflecting, avoiding admitting that Yasmin was right. A classic conversational technique, “You didn’t see who did this?”
“No idea,” Yasmin truthfully replied.
“Did you know the kid? Any details might help identify him,” the Sheriff posed. He seemed to be ignoring the fact that this kid had claws and fangs on full view.
“Sorry,” Yasmin regretfully denied. Drew and Lily shook their heads too. Maybe he went to Crystalshaw High, but it was impossible to know every kid there. Even with a brain like Yasmin’s.
“Somebody obviously had a good sense of humour, leaving those fancy-dress things on his face,” the Sheriff commented. He didn’t think the werewolf features were real. How long that would last was a different matter.
“Alright kids, I’ll drop y’all off home,” the Sheriff offered.
“I’ve got my car, I can give you guys a lift,” Lily kindly suggested.
“I’ll be alright,” Drew quickly declined. Yasmin found it interesting that they still had no idea where he lived. Drew was an enigma. She was absolutely fascinated by him. He stood up to leave and bent down to Yasmin’s ear.
“Keep the Bestiary,” he whispered, “But be careful.” It was a nice sentiment. He trusted her with the book, despite the fact that he now had a good reason not to. Now to go home and do some reading about the Nix.
Panicking all night, Dylan couldn’t settle in bed. He’d heard horrible news from the doctors. Freddie had suffered a cardiac arrest. How that was even possible as a werewolf was beyond confusing. Why wasn’t he healing? How did a heart attack even happen after that blast?
He couldn’t help thinking about what Clara said. Maybe it was because they didn’t have an alpha. It could be the missing piece of Freddie’s healing process after all.
He was trying to use his journalistic mind like Jono always did, but he wasn’t so experienced yet. He needed to get Jono to teach him what to look out for. Jono had always had an eye for the headlines, after all. Now tomorrow’s headline could be Freddie’s death.
Dylan desperately wanted to be at the hospital, but George was there now. At least he had somebody to care for him. He had to pray Freddie would pull through – there was nothing more he could do.
First thing the next morning, Jono thought it was important to pop round to Dylan’s. He had a few things to discuss, and it would give him the opportunity to pass Caroline’s necklace back. That situation was baffling in more ways than one, and with plenty of time to reflect overnight, the pieces were beginning to slot together. The Sheriff’s odd behaviour, Caroline’s random visit to the station, the necklace, and the biggest clue: the condom wrapper. How he didn’t put two and two together right away was the most surprising thing.
What bothered him was how Dylan almost certainly didn’t know. He would have mentioned it if he did, surely? However much Jono wanted to tell Dylan himself, it wasn’t his responsibility.
Jono opened the front door with the key Dylan had got for him, presented on a chain with a small teddy bear holding a heart, as well as a circular keyring with a photo of Dua Lipa. He knew him too well.
“Hi, it’s only me,” Jono called out as he entered the hallway.
“I’ll be down in two minutes,” Dylan shouted back from upstairs.
“Hey sweetie,” Caroline walked out from the kitchen to welcome him, “Fancy something to eat?”
“Yeah, if that’s alright. Got any toast?” Jono questioned. He hadn’t had time for breakfast before he left.
“No, but I will in three minutes once the toaster’s worked its magic,” Caroline jokingly replied, “Dylan lives off toast. I feel like I must buy all of Walmart’s stock each week.” Jono giggled politely while he reached into his pocket for the necklace.
“Oh, by the way, the Sheriff asked me to pass this on,” Jono held the necklace up so she could clearly see it. Caroline’s chirpy persona suddenly fell away. She stared right at the necklace, like she had seen a ghost.
“Oh, thanks,” she said, sounding shaken.
“I won’t say a word to Dylan,” Jono told her.
“About what?” Caroline played dumb.
“You’re not very good at covering your tracks. I won’t tell him, but you need to. He won’t be happy if he finds out another way,” Jono firmly commanded. Caroline nodded. She looked guilty. He didn’t want to stick the knife in. He was just looking out for his boyfriend.
“Morning,” Dylan entered the room and planted a kiss on Jono’s lips.
“Hey. We need a chat,” Jono cut to the chase.
“This sounds ominous. What have I done?” Dylan joked. Jono knew that he hated vague statements like that, but it was a necessary evil. Caroline couldn’t have overheard. Jono led Dylan out of the kitchen and into the living room.
“What’s the big secret?” Dylan was confused.
“It’s about Josh. He’s staying with me,” Jono revealed.
“Wh…why?” Dylan looked baffled, “Don’t tell me you believe him.”
“No, but he’s got nowhere else to go,” Jono justified, “He’s been co-operative so far. Maybe we’ll need him for information.”
“He could murder someone. He could murder you. Don’t you get it?” Dylan protested. He made good points but was reacting in the heat of the moment.
“Of course I do. Please trust me,” Jono spoke gently. He knew Dylan didn’t mean to sound so harsh, so he didn’t get worked up. Calmness was easier than frustration.
“Okay,” Dylan gave in, taking deep breaths, “Clara spoke to me.”
“She did? When?” Jono was confused. He hadn’t mentioned this before.
“Last night at the hospital. She wanted to team up, but she doesn’t like Josh. If he’s around…” Dylan considered, tailing off and allowing Jono’s imagination to finish the sentence.
“You want to align with her? Let’s not forget they wanted Josh to do all of the things he did,” Jono reminded.
“I know, I’ve not agreed yet. Are these really our options? A murderer or the people behind it?” Dylan sighed. Jono shared his concerns. They hardly had a range of positive options.
Gently taking a seat in the hospital waiting room, Lily joined George. He had been there all night, and Lily knew she had to keep him company.
George was basically her bestie now. He was the only one who sent her a message after she saw Shona die in her arms. The girls in her class, who she used to hang out with and thought were her friends, had barely spoken to her since. Seems it was too uncool for someone to be murdered at your house. Lily didn’t need them anyway. As George always said, they were way too superficial for her.
“You didn’t have to come,” George smiled. He looked shattered, and like he’d barely slept a wink.
“No, but it means missing history this morning,” Lily toyed with him. George seemed to appreciate it. He always laughed at her jokes, even the truly terrible ones. If that wasn’t the point of a best friend, what was? Lily continued, “Any news?”
“He’s stable. They’re running some tests to see how the heart attack came about,” George explained.
“That’s good,” Lily commented, before changing the subject, “Are you mad at me?”
“What for?” George innocently pondered.
“Picking Oli in English yesterday,” Lily recapped, “I know we normally go together, I…”
“You wanted to help the new boy. I get it. It’s sweet,” George sincerely responded. He was too good, “You fancy him, don’t you?”
“He is pretty hot,” Lily confessed, “I don’t know him all that well yet though.”
“Go for it,” George supported, “You deserve some happiness in the love department.” Lily blushed. George’s compliments were always from the heart, unlike those from the girls which were always laced in subtle digs.
Waiting at the bench, Yasmin was using her free time to sit and read the Bestiary article for the nix in full detail. It seemed too unusual to be true, but she knew from personal experience that much of it was for her.
She was making a mental note of every aspect that applied to her, and every aspect that didn’t. She certainly had the expected psychic abilities. The book called nixes “harbingers of death,”, which made sense after Yasmin found that poor kid’s body without any possible prompt. However, she hadn’t excreted any water like a nix was supposed to. Drew had said she wasn’t a complete nix though, so no surprise.
“A nix, interesting,” Dylan commented, arriving and sitting next to her.
“This is me,” Yasmin mentioned. Jono followed Dylan, sitting opposite them both.
“Wait, when did you realise?” Dylan wondered, surprised.
“Drew told me last night,” Yasmin responded.
“He’s good for something then,” Jono muttered. Before Dylan could ask Yasmin any further questions, she noticed Clara approaching.
“Here comes trouble,” Yasmin announced quietly to the boys.
“Have you thought about my offer?” Clara queried.
“Offer?” Yasmin was confused.
“I’ve thought about it, and I’m in. We’re in,” Dylan revealed, leaving Yasmin baffled, “Let’s find an alpha.”
Josh was still heaving away at the chair in front. He was so close to lifting it off Freddie’s legs, but was it enough? It could be too little, too late if the car rocked any further.
“One more shove,” Josh agonisingly notified. Freddie heaved once again on his legs, and he was taken aback. They moved! He scrambled out of the way quickly.
“Let’s go,” Freddie suggested, leaping out of the still-shaking car. Josh followed suit, rocking the car further and sending it tumbling backwards.
“Run!” Freddie commanded. He knew what was about to happen and they had to be as far away as possible. Freddie could only limp, his legs had been pushed harshly against the chair for a while and hadn’t yet healed. He just knew he had to run. Josh held out a hand to pull him along.
Then, all of a sudden, a huge BANG sounded. The next thing Freddie knew, he crashed to the floor, totally unaware of his surroundings.
“What the heck was that?” Dylan was horrified to hear the bang. It didn’t sound promising at all. It was almost certainly Josh’s car, too. It was in the right direction. He could swing for Josh. If the explosion hadn’t taken him out already, of course.
“We’re not far, come on,” Jono slammed his foot down on the accelerator. The journey towards the cloud of smoke was in some ways more reassuring than before, relying on Jono’s admittedly good memory for directions. Jono almost had a photographic memory. At least when it came to song lyrics. The fact he had directed them both there using an address he briefly saw on a screen was pretty damn impressive though.
Nevertheless, Dylan was relieved they had located them, if worried about what they would find. Just a few metres ahead in the road, Jono pulled over again, behind Sheriff Taylor’s car.
“I thought I told you boys to stay behind,” the Sheriff scolded.
“We had to help,” Dylan replied. He wasn’t lying – he just wasn’t telling the full truth.
“It’s too dangerous to go any further. The fire crew are on their way,” the Sheriff explained.
“But what about Freddie?” Jono worriedly asked. Dylan shared his concerns – they had to find Freddie sooner rather than later.
“He’s here,” a voice croaked from behind them. Approaching out of the woods, Josh was carrying a lifeless Freddie in his arms. Dylan immediately got defensive.
“Put him down,” Dylan ordered. The fact Josh was anywhere near Crystalshaw again was irritating enough. Going near Freddie and pulling this stunt was a step too far.
“Is he breathing?” Jono seemed to care more about the state of Freddie than Josh’s reappearance, which was fair enough in Dylan’s eyes. He was a journalist though – no detail would be missed. Jono only dealt with the top story first.
“Just about. His pulse is weak,” Josh relayed.
“We’d better call an ambulance,” the Sheriff decided, before proceeding to speak to the dispatch team. Dylan double-checked his life signs. Josh was right.
“What did you do?” Dylan was enraged.
“I did nothing, I swear. I’ll explain later, but we need to get him to hospital,” Josh bargained.
“He’s right, we can talk it through later,” Jono asked. Ugh. Josh hanging around was the last thing Dylan needed. He looked at Freddie, seeming so peaceful but he must have been feeling anything but. At least he was still alive.
Gobsmacked, Yasmin could hardly believe the page she was looking at. The Bestiary told her all she needed to know, but it was too much to take in. Whatever she was, it didn’t sound good, and if hunters could identify her, it was doubly bad. =
Without thinking, Yasmin snatched the book out of Drew’s hands and stormed towards the exit.
“The book stays here,” Drew ordered.
“Screw you,” Yasmin abruptly yelled back. She wasn’t in the mood for Drew lording it over all of them again. In her eyes, a leader has to prove themselves. Drew had talked the talk, but never walked the walk.
“I’ll go,” she heard Lily say. Good. Somebody she trusted was coming. Lily had worked hard for months flicking her way through the Bestiary for Yasmin. Now Drew had stolen her thunder. Yasmin knew she would be pretty pissed in her shoes.
“Wait up,” Lily called after her. Yasmin continued climbing the ladder. She needed fresh air. Lily pursued her though. It was nice to know she wasn’t giving up, at least.
Once back on the ground, Yasmin stopped to wait for Lily, and gave her a hand up.
“You don’t have to say anything. I can’t imagine how you’re feeling right now,” Lily sympathised. It was nice to hear some honesty. Lily had no idea how she was feeling, and Yasmin appreciated that she didn’t pretend.
“It’s too much,” Yasmin sighed. It was a lot to take in.
“We need to break it down. Find out everything you do or don’t have. Prove how much humanity you still have,” Lily offered.
“I’m being hunted by werewolf hunters. I’ll never be human again,” Yasmin sulked. She hated to wallow, but she felt she was justified on this occasion.
Much to his annoyance, Dylan had been forced to leave Jono with Josh. They were both accompanying Sheriff Taylor to the station, while Dylan went with Freddie in the ambulance. It made sense really. Dylan was the best person to keep an eye on Freddie for anything werewolf-related, while Jono was the only one of the two who could drive. Jono would hate to leave his car stranded in the woods.
Nevertheless, Dylan felt uneasy about leaving Jono with Josh. He was beyond untrustworthy, no matter how much he had supposedly reformed. He had a motive to be pissed off. At least they would be safe with the Sheriff, he guessed. Dylan glanced down to Freddie, who was beginning to stir.
“Hello stranger,” Dylan smiled, filled with relief.
“Where am I?” Freddie seemed disorientated.
“Ambulance. It’s alright, you’re safe now,” Dylan reassured him.
“Josh…is he okay?” Freddie seemed worryingly concerned for Josh. It wouldn’t be the first time he had been taken in by Josh’s admittedly good persuasion tactics.
“He’s fine,” Dylan replied bluntly. He had to answer the question but didn’t want to argue. Freddie’s recovery was more important.
“Hey, I did it. I controlled myself. I didn’t shift,” Freddie revealed, changing the subject. He sounded like an excited five-year-old showing their mum or dad a painting they did at school. That made Dylan the proud parent, and he certainly felt that way.
“What? That’s amazing,” Dylan gave him a high five gently, “How did you do it?”
“Pain makes you human,” Freddie said, sounding much less proud. Like he was ashamed that it worked better than the anchor concept Dylan preferred.
“I’m happy for you, bro,” Dylan smiled. It was nice to hear something optimistic every once in a while, especially as Dylan always attempted to keep a positive outlook on life. It was his new mantra, and it helped him try to come to terms with his own changes.
“Oh my god, George must be going out of his mind,” Freddie panicked, trying to sit up.
“Hold it mister, don’t you move an inch,” Dylan ordered, “You might heal quicker than anyone else, but you’re not there yet. I’ll call him.” Bless Freddie. He was still quite naïve, and so was Dylan himself. Maybe he needed to refer Josh to the less-forgiving Drew this time round.
The journey back to the station felt exceedingly awkward for Jono. He could tell Dylan wasn’t happy with the situation, and although he knew he wouldn’t do anything rash, Jono trusted himself to keep a cool head better.
“I guess Dylan won’t want to hear me out,” Josh reflected. If he wanted sympathy from Jono, he’d have to whistle for it.
“I hope you weren’t expecting a welcome-home party. Quite frankly, it’s a miracle you haven’t been arrested,” Jono delivered some home truths.
“I’m not lying. I’m not here to cause trouble. Freddie will tell you,” Josh pleaded.
“You gotta leave him alone, he’s not your messenger,” Jono reasoned. This was the second time he was using Freddie as his lapdog. It wasn’t fair.
“How else could I get in touch? I couldn’t walk up to you and ask you how you are,” Josh noted.
“There’s a reason for that,” Jono rebutted. He had ostracised himself. He had no legs to stand on.
“I know, I get it. I want to prove myself to you, just let me know how,” Josh begged.
“It’s up to Dylan. He’s the one you fucked up, not me,” Jono mentioned.
“It can’t be too bad. He’s got you now,” Josh argued. Jono couldn’t help thinking that he had missed the point, but it wasn’t worth arguing. He turned the volume on the radio up, enjoying the rather appropriate “IDGAF” by Dua Lipa and using it as an excuse to avoid conversation.
Drew had had enough. These stupid humans were invading his territory, and it was driving him insane. Why did Dylan not just keep his mouth shut to stop these imbeciles invading his personal space? Let alone taking his belongings. That Bestiary book was going to cause them all so much trouble if he didn’t lock it back up. Maybe it already had.
He decided, after a few minutes of ensuring he didn’t blow a fuse, to follow Yasmin and Lily back up to the ground. He needed to speak to them.
“Oh for god’s sake,” Yasmin groaned as soon as she saw him.
“You don’t have to be happy to see me,” Drew immediately replied, “But you need to stop interfering. That book is mine, I have it locked up for a reason.”
“It must be great for you. You know who you are. You obviously love it, too. Well not all of us are the same,” Yasmin defiantly replied, “That book answered all my questions while you held back. Don’t come around shouting the odds at me now.”
Yasmin’s words hit a chord with Drew. He was in her situation once upon a time. He knew how it felt to be in the dark, and he didn’t even have a Bestiary. He’d have done anything to read a book with that level of detail.
“You don’t know how lucky you are. The fact you can literally look up what you are is a damn privilege,” Drew vented.
“Privilege? You think any of this is a privilege? All I want is to be at home studying, but here I am. I didn’t ask for any of this,” Yasmin yelled in response.
“You think I did?” Drew yelled back just as loudly. Yasmin went silent, like she was considering.
“I’m sorry,” she replied. Drew simply nodded in response. He appreciated her apology, even if he couldn’t be arsed with the whole situation. Yasmin suddenly lost all of the expression in her face, looking gaunt and lifeless.
“He’s here,” she vacantly announced. Drew looked towards Lily, and they both knew what was happening. It was another of her premonitions. Her psychic abilities were like nothing he had seen before. He knew he had to keep a close eye on her predictions.
She began walking, away from the road they had been stood next to and onto a grassy area. It was grossly overgrown, and quite why Yasmin would want to go anywhere near there was beyond Drew. However, he and Lily very cautiously followed.
“Who’s here?” Lily delicately queried. Drew thought it best that he left the talking to Lily. She had much more patience. They could criticise him all they wanted, but at least he was self-aware. Yasmin stopped walking through the overgrown grass, which was comfortably up to Drew’s waist. She pointed in from of her. Drew rushed over to have a look and satisfy his curiosity. However, he soon wished that he hadn’t been so intrigued.
Lying on the floor was the horrible sight of a young male werewolf – the proof was in the fangs and claws that were still on show. What was even worse was how he had been cruelly decapitated across the waist. Split completely in half. It disgusted Drew, but he knew exactly what this was.
“it’s a warning,” Drew identified.
“From who?” Lily innocent questioned, just as repulsed as Drew.
“Hunters,” he coldly stated.
Watching on, Dylan saw Freddie escorted into the hospital on a stretcher. He got annoyed as the nurse asked him to wait in the waiting room. He had been there for half an hour, or so he thought. He didn’t want to clock-watch – it would make the time go even slower. He just wanted some news.
He vaguely took note of a girl sitting next to him a few minutes before, but he was too wrapped up in his own thoughts to notice anything about her, until she turned to him.
“Excuse me, do you know where the bathroom is?” she politely questioned. Dylan peeked up, and immediately, visible easily from behind her pretty face and kind smile, were bright yellow eyes just like Dylan’s.
“You’re one of Josh’s pack, aren’t you?” Dylan instantly identified.
“I prefer not think of it as his pack. But yes, I guess you’re right. Clara,” she introduced herself.
“Dylan,” he responded.
“I know who you are. I’ve heard how you defeated an alpha,” Clara commented, “I’m almost impressed. Except neither of us have an alpha anymore. Our packs are not complete.”
“If alphas are like Josh, then I’m cool with that,” Dylan rejected. He didn’t want that debacle again.
“Not all are like him. Most are considerably more experienced and better respected,” Clara explained, “In fact, he’s a loose cannon. We found him that night, after you last saw him, and took him in ourselves.”
“Except he got out,” Dylan finished the story.
“You’ve seen him, then,” Clara recognised.
“He’s the reason Freddie’s lying in there,” Dylan detailed.
“He’s a werewolf, why isn’t he healing?” Clara questioned.
“He’s quite new still, he’s only just learning control,” Dylan noted.
“This is why we need an alpha,” Clara linked back, “They tie the pack together, make us stronger than ever.”
“How would we even get an alpha?” Dylan hypothetically questioned.
“That’s why I came to find you. You’re pretty good at getting the answers you need,” Clara proposed.
“We don’t need to. One of us can be the alpha,” Clara suggested. Dylan was mind-blown by all of this information. It was a lot to process and consider. He knew not to make a rash decision.
“Woah, hold up. This is all going a bit fast,” Dylan explained, “My friends and I don’t need an alpha.”
“You don’t even acknowledge them as a pack, do you?” Clara noticed.
“We’re just a group of friends. Some are human, some are not,” Dylan justified.
“You’re a pack, Dylan, whether you want to call it that or not. I’d love for us to team up. I’ll let you think about it. See you at school,” Clara stood up and left, while Dylan sat there speechless. This was the last thing he needed on his plate.
Jono didn’t want to be surrounded by the four walls of the Sheriff’s office again, but he wasn’t letting Josh out of his sight for the foreseeable. Even if he had to put him on a leash, although he prayed it wouldn’t come to that.
The Sheriff was harping on about road safety, blah blah blah, giving Josh a lecture. Jono was taking in his surroundings instead. The Sheriff’s office was mostly tidy, with the crime noticeboard behind the desk looking neatly organised. The desk, on the other hand, was a state. Papers and stationery were scattered everywhere, and there was even an empty bottle of Coca-Cola lying down.
Then he saw it. Something he wished he could un-see, and quickly. It was an empty condom wrapper sticking out from underneath a ward of paperwork. It looked like it had been stashed there in a hurry – something Jono had become a master of after his mum had very nearly walked in on him and Dylan. He was wondering whether to point it out. On one hand, it would be high-key embarrassing for them both. On the other hand, it could save the Sheriff some potential embarrassment later. It might be the kind thing to do. It was something to think about.
“Do you have somewhere to stay?” the Sheriff asked Josh. He looked down, as if he were ashamed.
“He’ll be staying with me,” Jono found himself saying before he could think about his words. Dylan would be pissed, but he couldn’t leave Josh on the streets.
“Are you sure?” Josh looked shocked, “Thank you.” He smiled sincerely. Maybe he had changed.
“Alright boys, you head off home now. I hope Freddie recovers quickly,” the Sheriff wrapped the chat up, “Oh, and Jono, could I give you this to pass on to Caroline? She left it here earlier. I assume you’ll see her before I do.”
The Sheriff handed Jono a gold necklace. He’d seen Caroline wearing it before. It was a wedding present from Dylan’s dad; Dylan had told him in passing before. She never took it off. Why she did so in the Sheriff’s office was beyond Jono.
“Sure,” Jono agreed, as he noticed the Sheriff tuck the condom wrapper further under the paper. He knew about it already – that saved Jono an uncomfortable job.
Surprised at how comfortable the hospital bed was, Freddie was lying wide awake in his room. The plain white walls of the hospital were incredibly dull, but nothing was going to get him to sleep. Apart from the fact he’d napped not all that long ago, his mind was performing somersaults thinking about Josh. He still couldn’t work out if he were being genuine or not. Perhaps he needed to give the benefit of the doubt.
The door creaked open. Expecting to see the nurse, Freddie looked over, and was surprised at the sight of Oli and Shania. Two of Josh’s pack, no less.
“Hi,” Freddie politely greeted. Why they were in there was beyond him. It’s not like they knew each other personally.
“Just keep still,” Oli ordered as Shania walked to the other side of the bed. Freddie watched as she pulled out a syringe and moved with intent towards the tube that was connected to his blood supply, via the back of his hand.
“I don’t think you should be doing that,” Freddie protested. He had very little energy – the blast had sent shockwaves through his body and even the accelerated healing of his body hadn’t solved all of his problems yet.
The syringe was released before he had the chance to fight back. The liquid trickled into his bloodstream. He felt the ice-cold fluid running through his veins. It was too late. Freddie felt himself slowly and softly drifting off to sleep.
In control of herself once again, Yasmin hated the after-effect of her premonitions. Her memory always lapsed, and she had to rely on Lily to update her.
Lily was sat to her left, with Drew to her right as they all sat in front of the Sheriff’s desk. It felt like she had done something wrong, even though she knew she hadn’t. She needed to put on a brave face for her interrogation regardless. She could hardly tell the Sheriff the entire truth.
“What were you kids doing out there at this time of night?” the Sheriff enquired.
“We got lost,” Lily interjected. Yasmin was hoping she would pull through with a good cover story, “We were on our way to a party.”
“On a school night?” the Sheriff disapproved.
“I’m sure you had plenty of wild times when you were younger, Sheriff,” Yasmin hit back.
“We don’t need to talk about me,” the Sheriff brushed the subject off. Deflecting, avoiding admitting that Yasmin was right. A classic conversational technique, “You didn’t see who did this?”
“No idea,” Yasmin truthfully replied.
“Did you know the kid? Any details might help identify him,” the Sheriff posed. He seemed to be ignoring the fact that this kid had claws and fangs on full view.
“Sorry,” Yasmin regretfully denied. Drew and Lily shook their heads too. Maybe he went to Crystalshaw High, but it was impossible to know every kid there. Even with a brain like Yasmin’s.
“Somebody obviously had a good sense of humour, leaving those fancy-dress things on his face,” the Sheriff commented. He didn’t think the werewolf features were real. How long that would last was a different matter.
“Alright kids, I’ll drop y’all off home,” the Sheriff offered.
“I’ve got my car, I can give you guys a lift,” Lily kindly suggested.
“I’ll be alright,” Drew quickly declined. Yasmin found it interesting that they still had no idea where he lived. Drew was an enigma. She was absolutely fascinated by him. He stood up to leave and bent down to Yasmin’s ear.
“Keep the Bestiary,” he whispered, “But be careful.” It was a nice sentiment. He trusted her with the book, despite the fact that he now had a good reason not to. Now to go home and do some reading about the Nix.
Panicking all night, Dylan couldn’t settle in bed. He’d heard horrible news from the doctors. Freddie had suffered a cardiac arrest. How that was even possible as a werewolf was beyond confusing. Why wasn’t he healing? How did a heart attack even happen after that blast?
He couldn’t help thinking about what Clara said. Maybe it was because they didn’t have an alpha. It could be the missing piece of Freddie’s healing process after all.
He was trying to use his journalistic mind like Jono always did, but he wasn’t so experienced yet. He needed to get Jono to teach him what to look out for. Jono had always had an eye for the headlines, after all. Now tomorrow’s headline could be Freddie’s death.
Dylan desperately wanted to be at the hospital, but George was there now. At least he had somebody to care for him. He had to pray Freddie would pull through – there was nothing more he could do.
First thing the next morning, Jono thought it was important to pop round to Dylan’s. He had a few things to discuss, and it would give him the opportunity to pass Caroline’s necklace back. That situation was baffling in more ways than one, and with plenty of time to reflect overnight, the pieces were beginning to slot together. The Sheriff’s odd behaviour, Caroline’s random visit to the station, the necklace, and the biggest clue: the condom wrapper. How he didn’t put two and two together right away was the most surprising thing.
What bothered him was how Dylan almost certainly didn’t know. He would have mentioned it if he did, surely? However much Jono wanted to tell Dylan himself, it wasn’t his responsibility.
Jono opened the front door with the key Dylan had got for him, presented on a chain with a small teddy bear holding a heart, as well as a circular keyring with a photo of Dua Lipa. He knew him too well.
“Hi, it’s only me,” Jono called out as he entered the hallway.
“I’ll be down in two minutes,” Dylan shouted back from upstairs.
“Hey sweetie,” Caroline walked out from the kitchen to welcome him, “Fancy something to eat?”
“Yeah, if that’s alright. Got any toast?” Jono questioned. He hadn’t had time for breakfast before he left.
“No, but I will in three minutes once the toaster’s worked its magic,” Caroline jokingly replied, “Dylan lives off toast. I feel like I must buy all of Walmart’s stock each week.” Jono giggled politely while he reached into his pocket for the necklace.
“Oh, by the way, the Sheriff asked me to pass this on,” Jono held the necklace up so she could clearly see it. Caroline’s chirpy persona suddenly fell away. She stared right at the necklace, like she had seen a ghost.
“Oh, thanks,” she said, sounding shaken.
“I won’t say a word to Dylan,” Jono told her.
“About what?” Caroline played dumb.
“You’re not very good at covering your tracks. I won’t tell him, but you need to. He won’t be happy if he finds out another way,” Jono firmly commanded. Caroline nodded. She looked guilty. He didn’t want to stick the knife in. He was just looking out for his boyfriend.
“Morning,” Dylan entered the room and planted a kiss on Jono’s lips.
“Hey. We need a chat,” Jono cut to the chase.
“This sounds ominous. What have I done?” Dylan joked. Jono knew that he hated vague statements like that, but it was a necessary evil. Caroline couldn’t have overheard. Jono led Dylan out of the kitchen and into the living room.
“What’s the big secret?” Dylan was confused.
“It’s about Josh. He’s staying with me,” Jono revealed.
“Wh…why?” Dylan looked baffled, “Don’t tell me you believe him.”
“No, but he’s got nowhere else to go,” Jono justified, “He’s been co-operative so far. Maybe we’ll need him for information.”
“He could murder someone. He could murder you. Don’t you get it?” Dylan protested. He made good points but was reacting in the heat of the moment.
“Of course I do. Please trust me,” Jono spoke gently. He knew Dylan didn’t mean to sound so harsh, so he didn’t get worked up. Calmness was easier than frustration.
“Okay,” Dylan gave in, taking deep breaths, “Clara spoke to me.”
“She did? When?” Jono was confused. He hadn’t mentioned this before.
“Last night at the hospital. She wanted to team up, but she doesn’t like Josh. If he’s around…” Dylan considered, tailing off and allowing Jono’s imagination to finish the sentence.
“You want to align with her? Let’s not forget they wanted Josh to do all of the things he did,” Jono reminded.
“I know, I’ve not agreed yet. Are these really our options? A murderer or the people behind it?” Dylan sighed. Jono shared his concerns. They hardly had a range of positive options.
Gently taking a seat in the hospital waiting room, Lily joined George. He had been there all night, and Lily knew she had to keep him company.
George was basically her bestie now. He was the only one who sent her a message after she saw Shona die in her arms. The girls in her class, who she used to hang out with and thought were her friends, had barely spoken to her since. Seems it was too uncool for someone to be murdered at your house. Lily didn’t need them anyway. As George always said, they were way too superficial for her.
“You didn’t have to come,” George smiled. He looked shattered, and like he’d barely slept a wink.
“No, but it means missing history this morning,” Lily toyed with him. George seemed to appreciate it. He always laughed at her jokes, even the truly terrible ones. If that wasn’t the point of a best friend, what was? Lily continued, “Any news?”
“He’s stable. They’re running some tests to see how the heart attack came about,” George explained.
“That’s good,” Lily commented, before changing the subject, “Are you mad at me?”
“What for?” George innocently pondered.
“Picking Oli in English yesterday,” Lily recapped, “I know we normally go together, I…”
“You wanted to help the new boy. I get it. It’s sweet,” George sincerely responded. He was too good, “You fancy him, don’t you?”
“He is pretty hot,” Lily confessed, “I don’t know him all that well yet though.”
“Go for it,” George supported, “You deserve some happiness in the love department.” Lily blushed. George’s compliments were always from the heart, unlike those from the girls which were always laced in subtle digs.
Waiting at the bench, Yasmin was using her free time to sit and read the Bestiary article for the nix in full detail. It seemed too unusual to be true, but she knew from personal experience that much of it was for her.
She was making a mental note of every aspect that applied to her, and every aspect that didn’t. She certainly had the expected psychic abilities. The book called nixes “harbingers of death,”, which made sense after Yasmin found that poor kid’s body without any possible prompt. However, she hadn’t excreted any water like a nix was supposed to. Drew had said she wasn’t a complete nix though, so no surprise.
“A nix, interesting,” Dylan commented, arriving and sitting next to her.
“This is me,” Yasmin mentioned. Jono followed Dylan, sitting opposite them both.
“Wait, when did you realise?” Dylan wondered, surprised.
“Drew told me last night,” Yasmin responded.
“He’s good for something then,” Jono muttered. Before Dylan could ask Yasmin any further questions, she noticed Clara approaching.
“Here comes trouble,” Yasmin announced quietly to the boys.
“Have you thought about my offer?” Clara queried.
“Offer?” Yasmin was confused.
“I’ve thought about it, and I’m in. We’re in,” Dylan revealed, leaving Yasmin baffled, “Let’s find an alpha.”