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Previous: "By Birth"
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Next: to be released
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Series 13 Episode 6
"Fugitives"
Heart racing. Panic. Dylan didn’t know what to do.
Ed had been their protector. As sheriff, he had power. The power to keep their secret. He risked his job to keep his family safe, but Dylan would never have wanted him to be in danger. His career meant everything to him, and Dylan respected that.
“Wait, that means…” Dylan tried to consider the ramifications of every one of Ed’s cases being re-examined, “Deputy Chang, Monroe…”
“Forsyth,” Jono added, gravely.
“And they have Ashton’s body,” Sammi reminded, “They must know about werewolves.”
“They’re the FBI, I would bargain that they’ve known about werewolves for decades,” Ed considered, “But why now? I don’t understand why they were interested in Ashton in the first place.”
“It’s us,” Dylan realised, his eyes widening and his brain accelerating to maximum speed, “They’re watching us. The pack.”
“But why?” Sammi stressed.
“The cult,” Dylan remembered, “Forsyth’s cult. Chang was part of it, and the Callahans had a link to him too.”
“They have someone in the FBI,” Jono processed, “They could take us all down. Every single one of us.”
“Then we need to hide,” Sammi suggested, “Somewhere nobody can find us.”
“The bunker,” Dylan figured, “Not my bunker. The warehouse bunker that the Lunar Sanctum owned. They rebuilt it years back but it’s still empty. Nobody would think to look there.”
“I’ll get supplies,” Sammi added.
“Get Freddie, Jeremy and Felix, too. Ed, get mom and Libby, and Leah if you can find her. Jono, find Lily and George, and your mom, too. I’ll take Edmund and Jonah to pick up Yasmin and Josh,” Dylan directed.
“I’ve had eighteen missed calls from George, and a shit-ton of texts,” Jono panicked, checking his phone for the first time since Sammi arrived that morning, “He’s at the hospital.”
“Lily,” Sammi realised.
“Go,” Dylan encouraged, nodding at Jono, “Give them our love, and get them out safely. All of them.” Dylan was going to stop at nothing to protect his family.
Ed had been their protector. As sheriff, he had power. The power to keep their secret. He risked his job to keep his family safe, but Dylan would never have wanted him to be in danger. His career meant everything to him, and Dylan respected that.
“Wait, that means…” Dylan tried to consider the ramifications of every one of Ed’s cases being re-examined, “Deputy Chang, Monroe…”
“Forsyth,” Jono added, gravely.
“And they have Ashton’s body,” Sammi reminded, “They must know about werewolves.”
“They’re the FBI, I would bargain that they’ve known about werewolves for decades,” Ed considered, “But why now? I don’t understand why they were interested in Ashton in the first place.”
“It’s us,” Dylan realised, his eyes widening and his brain accelerating to maximum speed, “They’re watching us. The pack.”
“But why?” Sammi stressed.
“The cult,” Dylan remembered, “Forsyth’s cult. Chang was part of it, and the Callahans had a link to him too.”
“They have someone in the FBI,” Jono processed, “They could take us all down. Every single one of us.”
“Then we need to hide,” Sammi suggested, “Somewhere nobody can find us.”
“The bunker,” Dylan figured, “Not my bunker. The warehouse bunker that the Lunar Sanctum owned. They rebuilt it years back but it’s still empty. Nobody would think to look there.”
“I’ll get supplies,” Sammi added.
“Get Freddie, Jeremy and Felix, too. Ed, get mom and Libby, and Leah if you can find her. Jono, find Lily and George, and your mom, too. I’ll take Edmund and Jonah to pick up Yasmin and Josh,” Dylan directed.
“I’ve had eighteen missed calls from George, and a shit-ton of texts,” Jono panicked, checking his phone for the first time since Sammi arrived that morning, “He’s at the hospital.”
“Lily,” Sammi realised.
“Go,” Dylan encouraged, nodding at Jono, “Give them our love, and get them out safely. All of them.” Dylan was going to stop at nothing to protect his family.
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Deep breath followed by deep breath, Jeremy was doing all he could to calm himself down. He couldn’t believe how stupid and reckless he’d been. It could have been such an easy in-and-out job, but instead, he’d put himself, Freddie, and now Brett in danger too.
There was no time to wallow, though. Step one of Brett’s masterplan had been accomplished: they had made it to the elevator with nobody seeing them. Step two was in the morgue, and step three was the escape. A lot could still go wrong, and despite his calming techniques, Jeremy wasn’t sure he’d be able to slow his heart rate until they were safely home.
“Let me check the coast is clear,” Brett instructed as the elevator reached the lower basement. They scanned the compact room quickly before issuing a nod of confirmation. Jeremy sprung to action. He needed to find Ashton’s body and any records they had kept, because even the FBI had to keep records, right?
“This one,” Freddie called out. One of the morgue drawers had Ashton’s name on it, “F5.”
“Please don’t tell me you wanted to take his body with you,” Brett raised an eyebrow.
“No way,” Jeremy replied as he began to search the desk for the corresponding folder, “I just want to find out what’s going on, for Jonah’s sake. He deserves answers.
“How did you know to come here?” Brett questioned.
“Found the file,” Freddie interrupted.
“Take pictures. We don’t have time to read it now” Jeremy suggested, before turning back to answer Brett, “Yasmin and I had completed the post-mortem when they stormed in and took the body. It was that same woman that we bumped into in the corridor.”
“Agent Murray is terrifying,” Brett chuckled, “Most people are terrified to talk to her.”
“Wait,” Jeremy’s brain began to whir, “Did you just say Murray?” He glanced to Freddie, who met his gaze with a suitably concerned expression.
“Yeah,” Brett replied, confused, “Is that significant?”
“Very significant. Everything now makes sense,” Freddie added, closing the file and putting it back precisely where he got it from.
“We’re being targeted,” Jeremy realised, panicking.
“Um,” Freddie interrupted, tapping away at his phone, “Sammi’s been trying to call me. She’s texted saying we need to call her urgently. We need to get back. Now.”
Jeremy felt uneasy. Something bigger was going on, and they still had to make it out of the FBI building. If the rest of the pack were in danger, then every step they made was crucial.
Keeping his head down, Jono was doing his best to scan each ward of the hospital as he passed through. He needed to be as inconspicuous as possible, blending into the crowds, because if the FBI really were zoning in on the pack, then he could be under surveillance in that very moment. They couldn’t catch onto the plan.
It was a rare moment where Jono wished he still had his wolf abilities. He would have been able to follow Lily’s scent, listen for her voice, and find her much more quickly.
There, outside a smaller ward at the end of the corridor, stood his mum. She was pacing, unable to stand still, but with an unbreakable smile on her face. When she caught eyes with Jono, the smile only multiplied.
That was all the confirmation Jono needed.
“Hey,” Jono matched his mum’s beam.
“I’ve been waiting for you. George said you were on your way. Someone is waiting to meet you,” Helen could hardly contain herself, and it was infectious.
Inside the nearest room, Lily was laying flat on the bed in the centre, while George cradled the tiniest bundle in his arms, wrapped snugly in white cloths. So innocent. So defenceless. So precious.
“Jon!” Lily excitedly yet flatly exclaimed, the bags under her eyes telling him all he needed to know.
“Hey, you did it,” Jono grinned, “I’m so proud of you, sis.”
“Me too,” Helen added, “And your dad would be so proud, too.”
“We’re so glad you’re here, Helen. I wish my parents could’ve been here to meet her,” George reflected.
“Her,” Jono picked up on the key word, “I have a niece.”
“Hell yeah,” George grinned.
“Does she have a name yet?” Jono questioned, unable to take his eyes off his newborn niece, sleeping without a care in the world in George’s arms.
“Not just yet, we can’t agree,” Lily laughed.
“One thing’s for sure, she’s a daddy’s girl already,” George bragged.
“Where are Freddie and Jonah?” Helen wondered, “They should be here.”
“Um,” Jono hesitated, not wanting to break the loving atmosphere, but he knew he had to, “Jonah’s with Dylan. Sammi’s getting Freddie. There’s a problem. Like, a serious problem, and we need to get out. All of us.”
“Jono, I’ve just given birth,” Lily frowned, baffled, “Are you for real?”
“I’m not playing with you, Lil,” Jono insisted, “Look, there’s a camera in this room. There’s a chance we’re being watched right now. We have to go.”
The sound of the doorbell was the last thing Josh needed to hear, and he was certain it would be the lowest item on Yasmin’s priority list, too. Since arriving back at her flat, Josh had done everything he could to help calm her down. Yasmin was his priority. She had to be.
That said, seeing Dylan on the other side of the door felt like something of a relief. There was nobody Josh trusted more, especially when it came to Yasmin. Dylan knew her better than anyone.
“Hey, come in,” Josh invited, knowing for certain that Dylan was one of the only people Yasmin would be happy to see.
“I’m sorry, bro. Can’t stay. I came to get you, and Yasmin if she’s here,” Dylan explained without stopping for breath.
“What?” Josh attempted to process what Dylan had said, but it made no sense.
“I’ll explain on the way, but you need to take any essentials now and come with me. We’ll meet the others there,” Dylan frantically continued.
“Where?” Josh wondered.
“Dude, now!” Dylan urged.
“Alright, you tell Yasmin, she’s in the front room. I’ll pack a bag for us both,” Josh decided. He sprinted into the bedroom, grabbed one of Yasmin’s handbags and threw in some clothes, deodorant, and both their hair products.
In the corner of his eye, Josh noticed something unusual. Positioned almost entirely out of view was a tiny black device, with a small lens poking between two books on Yasmin’s shelf.
They were being watched.
Josh wasted no time in racing out to the car, throwing the backpack into the boot. Yasmin was already in the passenger seat, leaving Josh no choice but to climb into the back beside Jonah and Edmund.
“There was a camera in the bedroom,” Josh announced.
“What? In my bedroom?” Yasmin fumed, “What the hell is going on, Dylan?”
“FBI. Watching us all,” Dylan explained briefly as he reversed out of the parking space, “We need to hide. Your dad’s cult has at least one person in the FBI.”
“Shit,” Yasmin processed.
“Yasmin, your mom,” Josh recalled.
“She doesn’t know anything,” Yasmin shrugged.
“We can’t leave her,” Josh suggested gently. Yasmin sighed. It was a big ask after that morning, but Josh knew Yasmin would regret not protecting Autumn too.
There was no time to waste. Freddie knew how much was at stake. A future with Sammi. Taking care of Jonah. Becoming an uncle to George and Lily’s baby. None of that mattered if Freddie couldn’t get himself out of that FBI building.
Brett had got them so far. They had the information they needed from Ashton’s file. That part of Jeremy’s crazy plan had actually somehow worked. It remained to be seen whether it was worth it, though.
“Alright, at the top of those stairs is the fire escape. Leave through there, run round the back, and you’ll end up in the car park. Don’t hesitate. Don’t look back. Run. Use wolf speed if you have to,” Brett advised, “I can’t take you any further.”
“We know. You’ve already helped so much. Thank you,” Freddie shook his friend’s hand.
“Tell Dylan that Oscar and I will come visit once this is all over,” Brett smiled as they stepped into the elevator, the doors sliding shut behind them. They were on their own.
Freddie led Jeremy up through the short flight of stairs. Sure enough, a fire exit door was situated on ground level at the top. As Freddie went to push on the bar to open it, he paused.
“Dude, what are you waiting for?” Jeremy questioned.
“It’s alarmed,” Freddie observed, noting the signage, “If we open this door, we alert every agent in this building to where we are.”
“Then we’re going to have to be fast,” Jeremy replied as if it were no big deal, his bright yellow eyes glowing fiercely.
“Alright,” Freddie conceded, “Let’s do this.” He pushed against the bar.
Immediately, as the fresh air greeted his face, Freddie’s reflexes took over. His nose showed him the way, the scent of his car being the perfect guide. His legs moved on autopilot, the wolf knowing precisely how urgent a situation they were in. The ground blurred beneath him as Freddie raced away from the building.
BANG!
A gunfire shot beside him. Freddie swerved. He focused his hearing on the quiet clink of fingers against the metal weapons in the distance. This would tell him precisely when a shot was about to be fired. Every piece of training Drew and Dylan had given him had led up to this, and his ADHD brain was relishing the fast-paced challenge.
BANG!
Another shot. Freddie dodged it without worry. He was almost at the car. Just a few more strides.
Freddie’s stomach dropped.
He was at the car, but the tyre had been shot.
There was no way out.
Jeremy paused behind him. They had become sitting ducks. They had to keep moving.
“Run!” Freddie commanded. It was the only way out.
Behind them, a car screeched to a halt. A familiar engine grumble. A sound Freddie loved to hear approaching the house in the evening.
Sammi’s car.
“Get in!” Sammi commanded, remaining inside the car, with Felix looking out of the back window. Freddie didn’t need to be asked twice. He climbed into the passenger seat while Jeremy leapt into the back. Before the doors had shut, Sammi was already reversing, before speeding back away from the building.
To safety.
“I can explain, I swear,” Jeremy immediately tried to justify, collapsing into Felix’s caring arms in the back.
“He can,” Freddie panted, keen for Sammi not to blame him for such a dangerous plan.
“That can wait. Lily and George had the baby, and we all need to go into hiding,” Sammi blurted out. Freddie’s eyes widened. Just how much had they missed?
Drained. Exhausted. Physically and mentally vacant of any and all energy. Lily hadn’t realised just how much of a toll giving birth would have on her body. Of course, she knew it would be painful and tiring, but she’d never felt anything like it before. She wanted to sleep for a year.
Yet, she couldn’t. Though what Jono was saying made little sense, she trusted him implicitly. There was no way he would be asking her to leave hospital so quickly, with her newborn daughter, if he didn’t have good reason.
Jono led the way through the bustling corridor. George cradled their daughter, keeping her safe while Lily saved all of her strength for walking. She hadn’t healed quickly during the pregnancy, but now it was over, she was desperately hoping the wolf would be back to full strength before long.
“The FBI? Seriously?” Helen whispered, bringing up the rear, “Why do they care about you?”
“I don’t know, mom. Scary people are everywhere,” Lily shrugged. Helen knew all about the supernatural world, and she had done for some time, but both Lily and Jono tried their best to keep her away from danger. They hadn’t always been the closest family, but the last thing Lily wanted was to lose another parent.
“They have people everywhere. I’ve seen it on TV,” Helen theorised, “Do you think they’re watching the house? I only ask because viewings are happening today.”
“Viewings?” Lily raised an eyebrow.
“I’m sorry, honey. I’ve not been keeping it from you, I just wanted to wait until after your pregnancy,” Helen explained, “I’m selling the house. It’s too big for one person. Anything left after I get a smaller house will be yours and Jono’s.”
“Wow, that’s huge, mom. Have you told Jono?” Lily queried.
“Not yet. I’ve been putting it off. It will hit him harder, I think,” Helen considered.
“He won’t miss the house. He hated how big it was,” Lily recalled, “It’s the treehouse. That was his safe space.”
“Leave that with me. I might have an idea,” Helen pondered. It warmed Lily’s heart to see how much effort she was making. It was a far cry from what they had grown up with.
“We need to take my car,” George spoke up, “I put the baby seat in a few days ago.”
“We’ll need to ditch the cars anyway,” Jono advised, “And our phones.”
“Let’s just get out of here first,” Lily suggested. Every face she passed felt suspicious. Knowing anyone could be watching was unsettling. Anyone who looked at Lily was a potential FBI agent in her eyes.
“Almost there,” Jono encouraged.
“Excuse me,” a gentleman in a nurse’s uniform approached Lily, “Have you been discharged?”
“I’m discharging myself,” Lily bluntly replied, keen to keep moving. In the corner of her glance, she noticed an alarming sight. A black box marginally poking out underneath the uniform. A black box that looked suspiciously like the top end of a gun. This man wasn’t a nurse, but she couldn’t let on that she knew.
“I must insist that you do not discharge yourself,” the man continued, grabbing Lily’s hand.
“Excuse me, my daughter can make decisions for herself,” Helen removed the man’s hand, “Good day, sir.”
Swiftly, Helen guided Lily out through reception and towards the car. The sound of her mum’s heart beating rapidly filled Lily’s ears. Helen knew what he was, too.
Then Lily realised: her wolf hearing had returned. She could hear properly again. At least, in one way, normality ensued.
The last place Yasmin had expected to be that afternoon was back at her mum’s front door. It was the last place she wanted to be, too. It felt like swallowing an enormous serving of humble pie, yet Yasmin’s view hadn’t changed. Her mum had made no effort with her, so why should she reciprocate?
Yet, underneath the discontent, Yasmin couldn’t help wanting to keep Autumn safe. She was the only blood relative she had left, and at the very least, she had stepped up when her dad’s true colours were exposed. Doing the bare minimum wasn’t something to celebrate, but it proved she didn’t deserve to be abandoned.
“I can do this, if you want,” Josh offered, standing beside her on the doorstep, his hand encasing hers.
“No, it’s okay. I’ve got this,” Yasmin assured herself as much as him.
“Oh, hey,” Autumn said, surprised, as she swung the overly-decorate front door open.
“Hi mom. Can’t talk, will explain later, but I need you to come with me,” Yasmin explained.
“What? Why?” Autumn hesitated.
“Mom, no time. I’ll explain, I promise,” Yasmin repeated.
“This? After earlier?” Autumn raised an eyebrow.
“We can talk about that later,” Yasmin was growing frustrated. She was trying to do the right thing.
“It’s true,” Josh backed up.
“Yasmin, I have visitors right now,” Autumn explained. Yasmin’s stomach turned. She said she’d put the whole day aside for their visit that morning. Who had come to visit at such short notice?
“Who?” Yasmin queried.
“They’re from the FBI,” Autumn answered, much to Yasmin’s worry, “They wanted to ask me some questions. They mentioned your name, actually, but then the doorbell rang. Why don’t you come in? We can clear up whatever’s going on.”
“Mom, we have to go. Now,” Yasmin insisted as firmly as she could, “This is for your safety. Leave the door open and get in the car. Dylan’s with us.”
Yasmin retained eye contact with Autumn, desperately urging her to listen. She was headstrong and independent, and Yasmin was hopeful that wouldn’t become her downfall.
Autumn nodded cautiously. That was all Yasmin needed. They just had to make it to the car.
“Ms. Forsyth,” a feminine voice called from inside the house.
“Just coming,” Autumn quivered. She stepped out of the house, onto the doormat, and began to tiptoe to the car.
“Hey!” the same voice yelled form inside. Yasmin sprinted back to the passenger seat while Autumn and Josh squeezed into the back, with Jonah on Edmund’s lap. As the woman raced outside, Dylan rapidly reversed and drove off. Yasmin exhaled heavily. The mission was a success, but difficult conversations were around the corner.
The inside of the warehouse was unrecognisable from when Dylan last saw it. Though it remained unused, the damage had been cleared away and the space restored to a usable facility, hidden through the depths of the tunnels under Crystalshaw. The vast space made it the perfect hideout, especially when Dylan had no idea how long they would need to be there for.
Regardless, Dylan couldn’t help being transported back to the last time he was there. One of the worst days of his life. David coercing Josh. The explosion. He and Jeremy waking up inside the Lunar Sanctum. The rest of the pack believing they were dead. They all had bad memories in that warehouse, and whether Dylan wanted to or not, he knew it was time to confront them.
“You made it!” Jono rushed over, embracing Dylan in the warmest of cuddles. After a few seconds, he released Dylan and gave Edmund a hug too; Dylan couldn’t help feeling warmed by the natural paternal instinct Jono had.
“Is everyone here?” Dylan checked, scanning the vast array of faces in the room. Jono. Lily. George. Helen. Sammi. Freddie. Jeremy. Felix. Ed. Caroline. Libby. Josh. Yasmin. Autumn. Leah. Jonah. Edmund.
“Everyone and one more,” Jono beamed as George lifted a baby car seat from the floor. Inside was the smallest, most delicate, most adorable baby he had ever seen.
“Oh my god,” Dylan smiled, feeling emotional, “Congratulations.”
“I’m an uncle,” Jonah realised.
“Welcome to the club,” Freddie chuckled.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but can someone please tell me what the hell is going on?” Autumn called out. The room fell silent. Apart from Libby, who was too young, she was the one person there who didn’t know anything. The ex-wife of a werewolf hunter who had no idea werewolves even existed.
“Sure, all of that to come,” Dylan took charge, trying to think fast with everybody’s eyes on him, “But first, for now, this is home, so let’s make it feel like home. Let’s find places to sleep. Make sure those who need a comfortable bed the most can get one. Help each other. We’ve been through worse, and we can get through this, too. I know we’ve all abandoned our cars and phones, but if we work together, we can get back to our lives as quickly as possible. Until then, nobody leaves on their own, or without telling me or Ed. I’m not losing any of you. I’m not going through that again.”
Jono gently rubbed his hand up and down Dylan’s back. A subtle yet necessary reminder of his support.
“You heard him, let’s go,” Josh called out. Everyone dispersed, spreading off to the various corners and side rooms attached to the vast open space in the centre. Dylan composed himself. He was the alpha. He couldn’t let his pack down.
Above all else, he knew he had to keep them safe.
There was no time to wallow, though. Step one of Brett’s masterplan had been accomplished: they had made it to the elevator with nobody seeing them. Step two was in the morgue, and step three was the escape. A lot could still go wrong, and despite his calming techniques, Jeremy wasn’t sure he’d be able to slow his heart rate until they were safely home.
“Let me check the coast is clear,” Brett instructed as the elevator reached the lower basement. They scanned the compact room quickly before issuing a nod of confirmation. Jeremy sprung to action. He needed to find Ashton’s body and any records they had kept, because even the FBI had to keep records, right?
“This one,” Freddie called out. One of the morgue drawers had Ashton’s name on it, “F5.”
“Please don’t tell me you wanted to take his body with you,” Brett raised an eyebrow.
“No way,” Jeremy replied as he began to search the desk for the corresponding folder, “I just want to find out what’s going on, for Jonah’s sake. He deserves answers.
“How did you know to come here?” Brett questioned.
“Found the file,” Freddie interrupted.
“Take pictures. We don’t have time to read it now” Jeremy suggested, before turning back to answer Brett, “Yasmin and I had completed the post-mortem when they stormed in and took the body. It was that same woman that we bumped into in the corridor.”
“Agent Murray is terrifying,” Brett chuckled, “Most people are terrified to talk to her.”
“Wait,” Jeremy’s brain began to whir, “Did you just say Murray?” He glanced to Freddie, who met his gaze with a suitably concerned expression.
“Yeah,” Brett replied, confused, “Is that significant?”
“Very significant. Everything now makes sense,” Freddie added, closing the file and putting it back precisely where he got it from.
“We’re being targeted,” Jeremy realised, panicking.
“Um,” Freddie interrupted, tapping away at his phone, “Sammi’s been trying to call me. She’s texted saying we need to call her urgently. We need to get back. Now.”
Jeremy felt uneasy. Something bigger was going on, and they still had to make it out of the FBI building. If the rest of the pack were in danger, then every step they made was crucial.
Keeping his head down, Jono was doing his best to scan each ward of the hospital as he passed through. He needed to be as inconspicuous as possible, blending into the crowds, because if the FBI really were zoning in on the pack, then he could be under surveillance in that very moment. They couldn’t catch onto the plan.
It was a rare moment where Jono wished he still had his wolf abilities. He would have been able to follow Lily’s scent, listen for her voice, and find her much more quickly.
There, outside a smaller ward at the end of the corridor, stood his mum. She was pacing, unable to stand still, but with an unbreakable smile on her face. When she caught eyes with Jono, the smile only multiplied.
That was all the confirmation Jono needed.
“Hey,” Jono matched his mum’s beam.
“I’ve been waiting for you. George said you were on your way. Someone is waiting to meet you,” Helen could hardly contain herself, and it was infectious.
Inside the nearest room, Lily was laying flat on the bed in the centre, while George cradled the tiniest bundle in his arms, wrapped snugly in white cloths. So innocent. So defenceless. So precious.
“Jon!” Lily excitedly yet flatly exclaimed, the bags under her eyes telling him all he needed to know.
“Hey, you did it,” Jono grinned, “I’m so proud of you, sis.”
“Me too,” Helen added, “And your dad would be so proud, too.”
“We’re so glad you’re here, Helen. I wish my parents could’ve been here to meet her,” George reflected.
“Her,” Jono picked up on the key word, “I have a niece.”
“Hell yeah,” George grinned.
“Does she have a name yet?” Jono questioned, unable to take his eyes off his newborn niece, sleeping without a care in the world in George’s arms.
“Not just yet, we can’t agree,” Lily laughed.
“One thing’s for sure, she’s a daddy’s girl already,” George bragged.
“Where are Freddie and Jonah?” Helen wondered, “They should be here.”
“Um,” Jono hesitated, not wanting to break the loving atmosphere, but he knew he had to, “Jonah’s with Dylan. Sammi’s getting Freddie. There’s a problem. Like, a serious problem, and we need to get out. All of us.”
“Jono, I’ve just given birth,” Lily frowned, baffled, “Are you for real?”
“I’m not playing with you, Lil,” Jono insisted, “Look, there’s a camera in this room. There’s a chance we’re being watched right now. We have to go.”
The sound of the doorbell was the last thing Josh needed to hear, and he was certain it would be the lowest item on Yasmin’s priority list, too. Since arriving back at her flat, Josh had done everything he could to help calm her down. Yasmin was his priority. She had to be.
That said, seeing Dylan on the other side of the door felt like something of a relief. There was nobody Josh trusted more, especially when it came to Yasmin. Dylan knew her better than anyone.
“Hey, come in,” Josh invited, knowing for certain that Dylan was one of the only people Yasmin would be happy to see.
“I’m sorry, bro. Can’t stay. I came to get you, and Yasmin if she’s here,” Dylan explained without stopping for breath.
“What?” Josh attempted to process what Dylan had said, but it made no sense.
“I’ll explain on the way, but you need to take any essentials now and come with me. We’ll meet the others there,” Dylan frantically continued.
“Where?” Josh wondered.
“Dude, now!” Dylan urged.
“Alright, you tell Yasmin, she’s in the front room. I’ll pack a bag for us both,” Josh decided. He sprinted into the bedroom, grabbed one of Yasmin’s handbags and threw in some clothes, deodorant, and both their hair products.
In the corner of his eye, Josh noticed something unusual. Positioned almost entirely out of view was a tiny black device, with a small lens poking between two books on Yasmin’s shelf.
They were being watched.
Josh wasted no time in racing out to the car, throwing the backpack into the boot. Yasmin was already in the passenger seat, leaving Josh no choice but to climb into the back beside Jonah and Edmund.
“There was a camera in the bedroom,” Josh announced.
“What? In my bedroom?” Yasmin fumed, “What the hell is going on, Dylan?”
“FBI. Watching us all,” Dylan explained briefly as he reversed out of the parking space, “We need to hide. Your dad’s cult has at least one person in the FBI.”
“Shit,” Yasmin processed.
“Yasmin, your mom,” Josh recalled.
“She doesn’t know anything,” Yasmin shrugged.
“We can’t leave her,” Josh suggested gently. Yasmin sighed. It was a big ask after that morning, but Josh knew Yasmin would regret not protecting Autumn too.
There was no time to waste. Freddie knew how much was at stake. A future with Sammi. Taking care of Jonah. Becoming an uncle to George and Lily’s baby. None of that mattered if Freddie couldn’t get himself out of that FBI building.
Brett had got them so far. They had the information they needed from Ashton’s file. That part of Jeremy’s crazy plan had actually somehow worked. It remained to be seen whether it was worth it, though.
“Alright, at the top of those stairs is the fire escape. Leave through there, run round the back, and you’ll end up in the car park. Don’t hesitate. Don’t look back. Run. Use wolf speed if you have to,” Brett advised, “I can’t take you any further.”
“We know. You’ve already helped so much. Thank you,” Freddie shook his friend’s hand.
“Tell Dylan that Oscar and I will come visit once this is all over,” Brett smiled as they stepped into the elevator, the doors sliding shut behind them. They were on their own.
Freddie led Jeremy up through the short flight of stairs. Sure enough, a fire exit door was situated on ground level at the top. As Freddie went to push on the bar to open it, he paused.
“Dude, what are you waiting for?” Jeremy questioned.
“It’s alarmed,” Freddie observed, noting the signage, “If we open this door, we alert every agent in this building to where we are.”
“Then we’re going to have to be fast,” Jeremy replied as if it were no big deal, his bright yellow eyes glowing fiercely.
“Alright,” Freddie conceded, “Let’s do this.” He pushed against the bar.
Immediately, as the fresh air greeted his face, Freddie’s reflexes took over. His nose showed him the way, the scent of his car being the perfect guide. His legs moved on autopilot, the wolf knowing precisely how urgent a situation they were in. The ground blurred beneath him as Freddie raced away from the building.
BANG!
A gunfire shot beside him. Freddie swerved. He focused his hearing on the quiet clink of fingers against the metal weapons in the distance. This would tell him precisely when a shot was about to be fired. Every piece of training Drew and Dylan had given him had led up to this, and his ADHD brain was relishing the fast-paced challenge.
BANG!
Another shot. Freddie dodged it without worry. He was almost at the car. Just a few more strides.
Freddie’s stomach dropped.
He was at the car, but the tyre had been shot.
There was no way out.
Jeremy paused behind him. They had become sitting ducks. They had to keep moving.
“Run!” Freddie commanded. It was the only way out.
Behind them, a car screeched to a halt. A familiar engine grumble. A sound Freddie loved to hear approaching the house in the evening.
Sammi’s car.
“Get in!” Sammi commanded, remaining inside the car, with Felix looking out of the back window. Freddie didn’t need to be asked twice. He climbed into the passenger seat while Jeremy leapt into the back. Before the doors had shut, Sammi was already reversing, before speeding back away from the building.
To safety.
“I can explain, I swear,” Jeremy immediately tried to justify, collapsing into Felix’s caring arms in the back.
“He can,” Freddie panted, keen for Sammi not to blame him for such a dangerous plan.
“That can wait. Lily and George had the baby, and we all need to go into hiding,” Sammi blurted out. Freddie’s eyes widened. Just how much had they missed?
Drained. Exhausted. Physically and mentally vacant of any and all energy. Lily hadn’t realised just how much of a toll giving birth would have on her body. Of course, she knew it would be painful and tiring, but she’d never felt anything like it before. She wanted to sleep for a year.
Yet, she couldn’t. Though what Jono was saying made little sense, she trusted him implicitly. There was no way he would be asking her to leave hospital so quickly, with her newborn daughter, if he didn’t have good reason.
Jono led the way through the bustling corridor. George cradled their daughter, keeping her safe while Lily saved all of her strength for walking. She hadn’t healed quickly during the pregnancy, but now it was over, she was desperately hoping the wolf would be back to full strength before long.
“The FBI? Seriously?” Helen whispered, bringing up the rear, “Why do they care about you?”
“I don’t know, mom. Scary people are everywhere,” Lily shrugged. Helen knew all about the supernatural world, and she had done for some time, but both Lily and Jono tried their best to keep her away from danger. They hadn’t always been the closest family, but the last thing Lily wanted was to lose another parent.
“They have people everywhere. I’ve seen it on TV,” Helen theorised, “Do you think they’re watching the house? I only ask because viewings are happening today.”
“Viewings?” Lily raised an eyebrow.
“I’m sorry, honey. I’ve not been keeping it from you, I just wanted to wait until after your pregnancy,” Helen explained, “I’m selling the house. It’s too big for one person. Anything left after I get a smaller house will be yours and Jono’s.”
“Wow, that’s huge, mom. Have you told Jono?” Lily queried.
“Not yet. I’ve been putting it off. It will hit him harder, I think,” Helen considered.
“He won’t miss the house. He hated how big it was,” Lily recalled, “It’s the treehouse. That was his safe space.”
“Leave that with me. I might have an idea,” Helen pondered. It warmed Lily’s heart to see how much effort she was making. It was a far cry from what they had grown up with.
“We need to take my car,” George spoke up, “I put the baby seat in a few days ago.”
“We’ll need to ditch the cars anyway,” Jono advised, “And our phones.”
“Let’s just get out of here first,” Lily suggested. Every face she passed felt suspicious. Knowing anyone could be watching was unsettling. Anyone who looked at Lily was a potential FBI agent in her eyes.
“Almost there,” Jono encouraged.
“Excuse me,” a gentleman in a nurse’s uniform approached Lily, “Have you been discharged?”
“I’m discharging myself,” Lily bluntly replied, keen to keep moving. In the corner of her glance, she noticed an alarming sight. A black box marginally poking out underneath the uniform. A black box that looked suspiciously like the top end of a gun. This man wasn’t a nurse, but she couldn’t let on that she knew.
“I must insist that you do not discharge yourself,” the man continued, grabbing Lily’s hand.
“Excuse me, my daughter can make decisions for herself,” Helen removed the man’s hand, “Good day, sir.”
Swiftly, Helen guided Lily out through reception and towards the car. The sound of her mum’s heart beating rapidly filled Lily’s ears. Helen knew what he was, too.
Then Lily realised: her wolf hearing had returned. She could hear properly again. At least, in one way, normality ensued.
The last place Yasmin had expected to be that afternoon was back at her mum’s front door. It was the last place she wanted to be, too. It felt like swallowing an enormous serving of humble pie, yet Yasmin’s view hadn’t changed. Her mum had made no effort with her, so why should she reciprocate?
Yet, underneath the discontent, Yasmin couldn’t help wanting to keep Autumn safe. She was the only blood relative she had left, and at the very least, she had stepped up when her dad’s true colours were exposed. Doing the bare minimum wasn’t something to celebrate, but it proved she didn’t deserve to be abandoned.
“I can do this, if you want,” Josh offered, standing beside her on the doorstep, his hand encasing hers.
“No, it’s okay. I’ve got this,” Yasmin assured herself as much as him.
“Oh, hey,” Autumn said, surprised, as she swung the overly-decorate front door open.
“Hi mom. Can’t talk, will explain later, but I need you to come with me,” Yasmin explained.
“What? Why?” Autumn hesitated.
“Mom, no time. I’ll explain, I promise,” Yasmin repeated.
“This? After earlier?” Autumn raised an eyebrow.
“We can talk about that later,” Yasmin was growing frustrated. She was trying to do the right thing.
“It’s true,” Josh backed up.
“Yasmin, I have visitors right now,” Autumn explained. Yasmin’s stomach turned. She said she’d put the whole day aside for their visit that morning. Who had come to visit at such short notice?
“Who?” Yasmin queried.
“They’re from the FBI,” Autumn answered, much to Yasmin’s worry, “They wanted to ask me some questions. They mentioned your name, actually, but then the doorbell rang. Why don’t you come in? We can clear up whatever’s going on.”
“Mom, we have to go. Now,” Yasmin insisted as firmly as she could, “This is for your safety. Leave the door open and get in the car. Dylan’s with us.”
Yasmin retained eye contact with Autumn, desperately urging her to listen. She was headstrong and independent, and Yasmin was hopeful that wouldn’t become her downfall.
Autumn nodded cautiously. That was all Yasmin needed. They just had to make it to the car.
“Ms. Forsyth,” a feminine voice called from inside the house.
“Just coming,” Autumn quivered. She stepped out of the house, onto the doormat, and began to tiptoe to the car.
“Hey!” the same voice yelled form inside. Yasmin sprinted back to the passenger seat while Autumn and Josh squeezed into the back, with Jonah on Edmund’s lap. As the woman raced outside, Dylan rapidly reversed and drove off. Yasmin exhaled heavily. The mission was a success, but difficult conversations were around the corner.
The inside of the warehouse was unrecognisable from when Dylan last saw it. Though it remained unused, the damage had been cleared away and the space restored to a usable facility, hidden through the depths of the tunnels under Crystalshaw. The vast space made it the perfect hideout, especially when Dylan had no idea how long they would need to be there for.
Regardless, Dylan couldn’t help being transported back to the last time he was there. One of the worst days of his life. David coercing Josh. The explosion. He and Jeremy waking up inside the Lunar Sanctum. The rest of the pack believing they were dead. They all had bad memories in that warehouse, and whether Dylan wanted to or not, he knew it was time to confront them.
“You made it!” Jono rushed over, embracing Dylan in the warmest of cuddles. After a few seconds, he released Dylan and gave Edmund a hug too; Dylan couldn’t help feeling warmed by the natural paternal instinct Jono had.
“Is everyone here?” Dylan checked, scanning the vast array of faces in the room. Jono. Lily. George. Helen. Sammi. Freddie. Jeremy. Felix. Ed. Caroline. Libby. Josh. Yasmin. Autumn. Leah. Jonah. Edmund.
“Everyone and one more,” Jono beamed as George lifted a baby car seat from the floor. Inside was the smallest, most delicate, most adorable baby he had ever seen.
“Oh my god,” Dylan smiled, feeling emotional, “Congratulations.”
“I’m an uncle,” Jonah realised.
“Welcome to the club,” Freddie chuckled.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but can someone please tell me what the hell is going on?” Autumn called out. The room fell silent. Apart from Libby, who was too young, she was the one person there who didn’t know anything. The ex-wife of a werewolf hunter who had no idea werewolves even existed.
“Sure, all of that to come,” Dylan took charge, trying to think fast with everybody’s eyes on him, “But first, for now, this is home, so let’s make it feel like home. Let’s find places to sleep. Make sure those who need a comfortable bed the most can get one. Help each other. We’ve been through worse, and we can get through this, too. I know we’ve all abandoned our cars and phones, but if we work together, we can get back to our lives as quickly as possible. Until then, nobody leaves on their own, or without telling me or Ed. I’m not losing any of you. I’m not going through that again.”
Jono gently rubbed his hand up and down Dylan’s back. A subtle yet necessary reminder of his support.
“You heard him, let’s go,” Josh called out. Everyone dispersed, spreading off to the various corners and side rooms attached to the vast open space in the centre. Dylan composed himself. He was the alpha. He couldn’t let his pack down.
Above all else, he knew he had to keep them safe.
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