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CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains themes of self-harm.
Series 12 Episode 6
"Sister"
“End of the line, everybody off please,” the bus driver yelled. Lily jolted awake. She wasn’t sure how long she’d been asleep, but however long it was, it had barely touched the sides of her exhaustion.
Begrudgingly, Lily heaved herself upwards, allowing the other passengers off the bus before she timidly followed behind. Lily’s mind hadn’t quite woken up, but it hardly mattered. She was hungry, thirsty, and scared. She didn’t know where she was, and no matter how far away from Crystalshaw she travelled, Lily couldn’t shake it off.
The one saving grace was knowing with absolute certainty that whatever was following her was miles away from Jono and George. Whether the text she’d sent – seconds before her phone finally gave up – would warn them off, Lily didn’t know, but she had to try.
“Excuse me, whereabouts are we?” Lily politely asked an old lady who got off just before her.
“Fall asleep, did we?” the lady chuckled. Lily didn’t have the energy to correct her, nor the urge to explain her ridiculous story for the sake of context, “We’re in Beacon Hills, sweetie.”
Lily’s eyes widened immediately. She’d heard of Beacon Hills before, many a time, and it didn’t fill her with much hope. It was no normal town. In fact, Beacon Hills was probably the only place even weirder than Crystalshaw based on what she knew, and it wasn’t as far away as she needed to be. She had to keep going, but where was there to go?
Regardless, Lily started to walk. Everything around her looked normal; a little bare, even, like it were on the outskirts of town. The houses looked worse for wear and it felt forgotten, with barely anyone in sight. It was strange to consider that it was the same town as the Beacon Hills she had heard so much about.
There it was. Just barely in view, as it had been most of the day. In the corner of Lily’s eye. The same ugly face that had been haunting her the entire time. Wherever Lily went, it was there. Always there.
Stupidly, Lily tripped, her hands scraping the concrete to protect her face. Anger took over. How did she not notice the side of the curb? Lily had been so consumed by the creature that she hadn’t watched her step. It was embarrassing, but to Lily’s relief, nobody was around to see her. Her fellow bus passengers had dispersed, each trailing off to their own mundane lives, immediately forgetting that Lily ever existed.
“Excuse me, are you alright?” a voice checked. Lily spotted her expensive-looking heels as she looked up from the ground. She recognised that voice. She’d heard it before, but she couldn’t quite place it. Lily was so far away from home that the last thing she wanted to do was bump into someone she knew, no matter how many links Crystalshaw and Beacon Hills shared.
“Um, err,” Lily didn’t know what to say. She didn’t want anyone seeing her that way.
“Here,” the woman offered Lily a hand, which Lily gratefully took. She heaved herself up, dusting her clothes free of the dirt they’d accumulated in her clumsiness. As she stood up, Lily saw the woman’s flame-red hair cascading beautifully over her perfectly white suit. She knew exactly who the woman was. It had been so many years since they’d last met, but Lily knew that vision of beauty anywhere.
“Hey, I know you,” Lydia Martin spotted, “Lily, right? It’s been a while.”
“Yeah, hi Lydia,” Lily didn’t know what more to say. As long as she was there, Lydia was in danger, and Lily couldn’t have that on her conscience. She knew what losing people felt like, and it hurt too much.
“That knee looks bad, you should get it checked out. Let me take you to the hospital,” Lydia insisted.
“No, I’m okay,” Lily protested, though Lydia was right; she hadn’t realised with everything else going on, but her knee had taken quite the grazing in her fall. Her mind had shielded the pain out.
“Lily, you need to come with me,” Lydia stated much more firmly. Lily felt uneasy. She knew what Lydia was and that she didn’t make orders like that for no reason, “Because if you don’t, I think…I think you’re going to die.”
A shiver travelled brazenly down Lily’s spine. No matter what was going on, she couldn’t ignore a warning like that, especially when it was still there. Watching her.
And it was smiling.
Begrudgingly, Lily heaved herself upwards, allowing the other passengers off the bus before she timidly followed behind. Lily’s mind hadn’t quite woken up, but it hardly mattered. She was hungry, thirsty, and scared. She didn’t know where she was, and no matter how far away from Crystalshaw she travelled, Lily couldn’t shake it off.
The one saving grace was knowing with absolute certainty that whatever was following her was miles away from Jono and George. Whether the text she’d sent – seconds before her phone finally gave up – would warn them off, Lily didn’t know, but she had to try.
“Excuse me, whereabouts are we?” Lily politely asked an old lady who got off just before her.
“Fall asleep, did we?” the lady chuckled. Lily didn’t have the energy to correct her, nor the urge to explain her ridiculous story for the sake of context, “We’re in Beacon Hills, sweetie.”
Lily’s eyes widened immediately. She’d heard of Beacon Hills before, many a time, and it didn’t fill her with much hope. It was no normal town. In fact, Beacon Hills was probably the only place even weirder than Crystalshaw based on what she knew, and it wasn’t as far away as she needed to be. She had to keep going, but where was there to go?
Regardless, Lily started to walk. Everything around her looked normal; a little bare, even, like it were on the outskirts of town. The houses looked worse for wear and it felt forgotten, with barely anyone in sight. It was strange to consider that it was the same town as the Beacon Hills she had heard so much about.
There it was. Just barely in view, as it had been most of the day. In the corner of Lily’s eye. The same ugly face that had been haunting her the entire time. Wherever Lily went, it was there. Always there.
Stupidly, Lily tripped, her hands scraping the concrete to protect her face. Anger took over. How did she not notice the side of the curb? Lily had been so consumed by the creature that she hadn’t watched her step. It was embarrassing, but to Lily’s relief, nobody was around to see her. Her fellow bus passengers had dispersed, each trailing off to their own mundane lives, immediately forgetting that Lily ever existed.
“Excuse me, are you alright?” a voice checked. Lily spotted her expensive-looking heels as she looked up from the ground. She recognised that voice. She’d heard it before, but she couldn’t quite place it. Lily was so far away from home that the last thing she wanted to do was bump into someone she knew, no matter how many links Crystalshaw and Beacon Hills shared.
“Um, err,” Lily didn’t know what to say. She didn’t want anyone seeing her that way.
“Here,” the woman offered Lily a hand, which Lily gratefully took. She heaved herself up, dusting her clothes free of the dirt they’d accumulated in her clumsiness. As she stood up, Lily saw the woman’s flame-red hair cascading beautifully over her perfectly white suit. She knew exactly who the woman was. It had been so many years since they’d last met, but Lily knew that vision of beauty anywhere.
“Hey, I know you,” Lydia Martin spotted, “Lily, right? It’s been a while.”
“Yeah, hi Lydia,” Lily didn’t know what more to say. As long as she was there, Lydia was in danger, and Lily couldn’t have that on her conscience. She knew what losing people felt like, and it hurt too much.
“That knee looks bad, you should get it checked out. Let me take you to the hospital,” Lydia insisted.
“No, I’m okay,” Lily protested, though Lydia was right; she hadn’t realised with everything else going on, but her knee had taken quite the grazing in her fall. Her mind had shielded the pain out.
“Lily, you need to come with me,” Lydia stated much more firmly. Lily felt uneasy. She knew what Lydia was and that she didn’t make orders like that for no reason, “Because if you don’t, I think…I think you’re going to die.”
A shiver travelled brazenly down Lily’s spine. No matter what was going on, she couldn’t ignore a warning like that, especially when it was still there. Watching her.
And it was smiling.
Nothing could have stopped Jono as he sprinted into Ed’s office. When it came to Lily, he was fiercely protective. It was like a reflex that was deeply embedded in him. If anyone tried to block his way, Jono would have had no qualms in pushing them swiftly and forcefully to the side.
After all, Jono and Lily had only had each other for so many years. The lack of affection from their parents was made up for by a mutual protective instinct for each other. Unlike most siblings, they almost never fought, and Jono had always trusted Lily implicitly. Though she visited him loads, seven years in London had only strengthened Jono’s instincts further. If Lily was in trouble, he was going to save her. The only question was how.
There simply had to be a way to track Lily. Knowing she still had her phone was a relief, though none of Jono’s attempts to call Lily after reading her text had even made it as far as ringing; the phone was either turned off or out of power, and Lily was out of reach once again.
Much to Jono’s frustration, Ed’s office was empty. Where was he? Jono desperately needed him. They couldn’t afford to waste any time. Jono sighed, running his hands through his unruly curls as he attempted to figure out what to do next.
“Where is he?” Jono stressed as Dylan followed just behind him, sharing the same disappointed expression upon arrival.
“One of the deputies just said he was called to the school,” Dylan informed, “We can meet him there.”
“No, that will only waste time,” Jono paced back and forth, desperate for another solution.
“Jon, pause, please. We need to think this through,” Dylan encouraged, but it was going into one of Jono’s ears and out of the other. He was anxious like never before.
“One of the deputies could trace it, right?” Jono powered ahead with a solution.
“Well, yeah, I guess,” Dylan agreed, gently gliding to the side, clearing a patch for Jono out of the office.
“Hey,” Jono approached the first desk he saw. Behind it sat a young female deputy who looked perplexed before Jono had said a word, “I need you to trace a text for me. It’s my sister, she’s missing.”
“Um,” the deputy slurred, unsure of what to say.
“That’s Jono, my husband,” Dylan clarified, “It’s okay.” The deputies all knew Dylan – he was Ed’s stepson after all – but Jono hadn’t been in Crystalshaw for seven years, so it wasn’t any wonder that nobody knew him. That didn’t stop it being an extra frustration for Jono, though.
“Jon, wait, please,” Dylan begged again, “Take a break. Compose yourself.”
“Dyl, I can’t,” Jono didn’t take his eyes off the deputy’s screen as she scrolled through data his mind couldn’t begin to understand.
“Look at me,” Dylan commanded. Jono had wanted to power on, but his heart couldn’t help listening intently to every word Dylan spoke, and that overpowered every instinct in his body.
“I just want to find her, Dyl,” Jono calmly explained, meeting Dylan’s gaze. Jono knew eye contact didn’t come naturally to Dylan, but he always made the effort for Jono, and it never went unnoticed. After all, there wasn’t a single detail about Dylan that Jono hadn’t mentally studied, his brain desperate to know everything about his favourite person in the world.
“I know, and I do too. I’m so scared for her, on, but you’re no use to Lily like this. You’re going to end up hurting yourself, and you can’t heal anymore, remember,” Dylan reminded. He made a good point. Jono needed to take a moment to pause. His heart was racing, and his mind was working overtime.
“I think we need to phone George,” Jono considered between a couple of deep breaths.
“Leave that to me,” Dylan offered, “You stay here, we’ll need to know where the text was sent from as soon as possible.”
Jono nodded, feeling much calmer than before. He still had a job to do, but his mind was more focused thanks to Dylan. He knew exactly what to say and do every time.
Jono’s eyes remained focused on the deputy’s screen as Dylan rang George from the office. He deserved to be in the loop too. George was perfect for Lily and brought out the best in her, so they needed him on board too.
“Got a location,” the deputy informed. Jono’s eyes immediately zoned into the box popping up at the front of the screen, pinpointed on a map with the town name displayed loud and clear. It wasn’t just any town name. it was a town far too similar to Crystalshaw to put Jono’s mind at rest.
“Dylan,” Jono worriedly summoned. Dylan slid his phone back into his pocket as he re-joined Jono, concern painted across his face.
“Hey, what’s up?” Dylan enquired.
“She’s in Beacon Hills,” Jono gravely informed. Dylan’s face said it all. Lily wasn’t safe.
“Let’s go. Now. We’ll pick George up on the way, he’s terrified,” Dylan decided. Jono found a gracious smile for the deputy – she’d been a huge help – before following Dylan with urgency out to the car. There was no time to waste.
For the first time while looking at that pale face and those fiery curls, Yasmin felt terrified. She had defended Cody more than once against a pack that was quick to judge. The person who wanted to give him a second chance. Yet, there he was. Whether he was jealous, hoping to intimidate them, or something else, there was no positive outlook to Cody baring his fangs at the girl he was supposed to be dating.
Yasmin had been honest with Cody. They hadn’t been dating long, but she’d told Cody about her history with Josh, and even her ancient history with Freddie. He knew Josh was always going to be a part of Yasmin’s life, so why was he acting like this? If he wasn’t cool with the arrangement, he’d already had time to dip out.
Instinctively, Josh manoeuvred himself in front of Yasmin to guard her. Through his faults, Josh had always gone above and beyond to prove he’s worthy of Yasmin’s trust, and he’d succeeded; Josh was the person Yasmin trusted the most in the world, even more than Dylan, which said it all.
“Cody, it’s me,” Yasmin attempted to reconcile, “Calm down. Let’s talk.”
“Just me and you. Not him,” Cody grunted through his scowling grimace.
“No,” Josh impulsively defended. Yasmin felt safe with him. She wasn’t letting Josh out of her sight when Cody was looking them up and down with his bright blue wolf eyes.
“Anything you need to say can be said in front of Josh,” Yasmin replied as calmly as possible, “Snap out of the wolf, Cody.”
“You told him first,” Cody growled, ignoring Yasmin’s request.
“Told him what?” Yasmin queried. He couldn’t have found out already, could he?
“Don’t play dumb,” Cody scolded. I went to meet you from work today, only I didn’t find any trace of you. The front desk said you’d been sent home, so I tracked you here, with him. Your ex.”
“Exactly. My ex, who you know is my friend,” Yasmin reminded.
“Just you and I,” Cody repeated. The message still wasn’t getting through, no matter how hard Yasmin was trying.
“Maybe I should go,” Josh considered, “Because as long as I’m here, he’s not calming down.”
“I don’t want you to go,” Yasmin affirmed. The last thing she wanted to do was leave herself vulnerable.
“I won’t go far,” Josh added, “I wouldn’t leave you, not ever. Promise.”
“She’s not yours to protect,” Cody yelled out furiously.
“I’m not an object,” Yasmin yelled. She was enraged. Nobody needed to be possessive over her, and the fact that Cody had even tried showed he didn’t know her at all, “Go home, Cody. You’re embarrassing yourself.”
“Not until you are safe,” Cody hissed, still laser-focused on Josh. He wasn’t showing any signs of backing down. Nothing was working.
“What do we do?” Josh whispered to Yasmin, “I might be able to outrun him, but you can’t.”
“Trust me?” Yasmin queried. Cody was almost definitely listening in, so she had to be careful.
“Of course,” Josh nodded with a look of wariness painted on his face while he remained zoned in on Cody.
“Okay, we’ll talk. You and me, on our own,” Yasmin spoke up to Cody, “I can handle this, Josh. Please, leave us.” Josh stared wide-eyed at Yasmin, but she knew what she was doing. It was risky, but she had to try.
After all, Yasmin had a plan, and she was sure to make it work.
On a normal day, Sammi didn’t wish to be like her friends. Despite the many upsides – speed, healing, enhanced senses – the cons of being supernatural were far more prevalent in her mind. Seeing her brother, cousins, friends, even her husband be hunted for who they were was painful enough. Sammi wasn’t sure she’d be strong enough to handle that on her own.
Despite that, as she sprinted as fast as she physically could through the hospital corridor, Sammi longed for the speed of her friends. Fatigue was kicking in fast, and she still had to find the correct ward. If only she’d taken note of which floor Ashton was on; they arrived in such a hurry.
Sammi’s legs kept going, though. They didn’t let her down when she needed them the most. Her muscles ached from going up so many steps, but she’d made it. The second floor was straight ahead, the intensive care sign impossible to miss ahead of her. Those words sent an immediate feeling of dread through Sammi’s stomach. Nobody deserved to be in such a terrible spot. She wanted to do everything she could to keep Ashton safe.
Following the directions she’d been given – third ward along, passing one on the left and one on the right before taking the next left – Sammi felt relieved to see Jonah again. He was alone in the waiting area, looking understandably shattered, but the fact he’d stayed there spoke volumes of his compassion. Sammi felt proud; Jonah was like a son to her, and it warmed her heart to see how much he had flourished. For all the bumpy times they’d been through, he had the biggest heart.
“Sammi!” Jonah called out in relief, “Did you get it? Where’s Freddie?”
“Got it, but I’ll explain everything later. What’s the latest on Ashton?” Sammi questioned with the utmost urgency.
“He’s still alive but it’s critical. Mrs. Johnson’s in with him and the doctor still,” Jonah explained.
Sammi couldn’t waste any more time. She barged through the double doors, scanning ferociously for her former biology teacher, The modesty curtain was pulled across and the ward was otherwise empty, only some indistinct chatter and a regular beep from the heart monitor coming from behind the curtain.
Anxiously, Sammi drew the curtain back; just enough for her to slip inside. The first thing her eyes were drawn to was the unavoidable but cruel sight of Ashton unconscious, laid out flat on top of the hospital bed looking unhealthily pale. Sammi couldn’t help wishing she had the abilities of a werewolf again; if only she could take some of his pain away.
“Sorry,” Sammi excused herself, focusing again, “We got it.” She held the bag up, her hand swearing from how tightly she’d gripped it. The dark grey powder was clear to see. With any luck, that was the final ingredient for Ashton’s recovery.
“Thank you,” the doctor nodded, taking the pouch, “This is perfect.”
“Do everything you can,” Sammi insisted, “I’ll be outside.” There wasn’t a part of Sammi that even considered going home. She needed to ensure Ashton was okay. Without any sign of his social worker, Sammi and Jonah were all he had.
Everything Lydia had suggested was going against Lily’s better judgement. The aim was to get further away, not to pause. Beacon Hills was far too intimately linked to Crystalshaw for Lily to feel comfortable. Her fight or flight instinct had never been stronger.
However, Lily felt a little safer for having Lydia by her side. She had even more experience than Lily did in the world of the supernatural, and Lily trusted her. If her banshee premonitions were saying she was in danger, Lily would have been stupid to ignore that.
“Take a seat, I’ll find someone,” Lydia said, helping Lily limp to one of the bland, uncomfortable seats in the ram-packed hospital waiting area, “Don’t move.”
Lily was finding it impossible to focus. The waiting room was far too busy, and everywhere she looked, there it was. Its deformed face, shrouded in a cloud of black smoke, a dark gown hiding its body. All Lily knew was that she had to do everything in her power to stop whatever this thing was from hurting her friends.
“Lily?” a tall woman with long dark hair approached. Her vibe was gentle, her face focused yet raising a kind, reassuring smile. Lydia crouched by her side, but all Lily could focus on was that thing watching from behind like the most persistent stalker.
“Lily, this is Melissa. She’s Scott’s mom, remember him?” Lydia assured. Lily looked at the lady again and nodded. Melissa’s eyes observed her with sincerity. She wanted to help. It was obvious where Scott got his kind nature from.
“What’s the problem?” Melissa enquired.
“I felt,” Lily shrugged, though the throbbing of her knee was the least of her problems.
“It’s nothing a clean-up and a bandage can’t fix,” Melissa observed, “And the rest?”
“That’s it,” Lily replied, playing dumb. She knew Melissa wasn’t asking about the injuries from her fall any longer.
“Lily, I know I don’t look old enough, I’ve been doing this for a long time. One thing never changes. I can’t help you if you don’t talk to me,” Melissa persuaded, easily sifting through Lily’s diversion.
“Not here, it’s too busy,” Lily glanced around. Too many people were in danger in that waiting area. Lily wasn’t comfortable taking any risks. Not when that thing was staring intensely at her.
Its grimacing smile never faded.
No matter how much he tried to convince himself that it was helpful in some way, Jeremy couldn’t shake the feeling that they were wasting their time in the forest. There wasn’t a single clue in sight, and the scent train was non-existent. If Jeremy wasn’t able to pick up the scent of his own cousin, he would have been a pretty useless werewolf.
After all, despite the horror his father had put him through, he had been trained to hone his senses at an early age. Being born a werewolf had given him a head start compared to the rest of the pack, so if anyone could find Lily, surely Jeremy stood the best chance?
Jeremy couldn’t pretend he was at the top of his game that day, though. He was terrified that something awful could have happened to Lily – and losing her categorically wasn’t an option – but Jeremy had a lot more on his mind. He didn’t have a job, his world seemed to be collapsing around him, and urge to drown that pain out was intense. Jeremy couldn’t ignore it any longer.
Checking behind, Jeremy saw Felix was a few metres back, paying more attention to their surroundings than to his husband. Taking a deep breath, Jeremy bared his claws and began to slowly slice them through his palms. Remnants of the last time vanished almost immediately afterwards, but the sensation – so horrible, but strangely relieving – lingered on. The healing process didn’t cleanse his mind.
Droplets of blood painted the leaves an upsetting metallic red as Jeremy focused his mind on the misery radiating from his hands. Tears formed in his eyes, the pain overpowering him, but it was doing its job. The one and only thing on his mind was the claws intruding into his hands.
“Got anything?” Felix approached, startling an unprepared Jeremy. In a flash, Jeremy withdrew his claws from his body, allowing the wolf to slump back inside him. Felix couldn’t know.
“No, nothing,” Jeremy attempted to compose himself, brushing away the tears from his eyes as subtly as possible, “I think we’re looking in the wrong place.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Felix’s eyes widened as he looked down at the ground, stunned. Jeremy began to panic. He’d noticed it. He’d seen the blood. Jeremy was speechless. Anything he said next could give the game away, but he couldn’t give Felix false hope by lying. He couldn’t do that to the person he loved more than anyone else. The person he’d made promises to in marriage.
“We need to call Dylan. Does it match Lily’s scent? I suppose we should get it tested just in case,” Felix sprang to action, barely giving Jeremy the chance to speak. To Jeremy’s concern, Felix got his phone out. This couldn’t go on.
“No, don’t,” Jeremy begged gently.
“Why not? They need to know. Jono’s so worried. I hope she’s okay. Is there a trail?” Felix continued, holding his phone to his ear.
“Please, Felix. Put the phone down,” Jeremy’s voice quivered. This was spiralling far too quickly. There was only one way out.
“What? Why?” the focus on Felix’s face shifted into an expression of concern, “Jeremy, what aren’t you telling me?”
“It’s not Lily’s blood,” Jeremy insisted.
“Right,” Felix was obviously confused, “So whose blood is it? It’s fresh, Jeremy, it’s still wet.”
“Um,” Jeremy panicked. His heart was racing like never before. He knew what he had to say, but he needed to summon the courage to speak it.
“Please, Jeremy. You’re worrying me,” Felix begged.
“It’s…” Jeremy took a deep breath, “It’s my blood. Mine.” He held up his partly-healed hands to show Felix, who was already shedding a tear. Jeremy didn’t know what else to say. This was far from the end, and he knew Felix would have a dozen questions to ask later.
Strangely, though, it felt like a weight off his shoulders.
For a long time, Dylan had put off learning to drive. It daunted him, worrying about whether his reaction times were fast enough and if he actually felt safe behind the wheel of his own vehicle.
It was Harry who gave him the courage to try it out. He never nagged, only assisting Dylan in weighing up the pros and cons. It gave Dylan the tiny boost in confidence that he so desperately needed. Though busy roads and unexpected diversions still stressed him out, Dylan couldn’t imagine not having that sense of freedom again.
Dylan’s driving licence had never been as necessary as that day, though. Jono was in no state to drive, and there wasn’t a quicker way to get to Beacon Hills. It was the most stressful drive of Dylan’s life, with a distraught Jono in the passenger seat, and a baffled George demanding answers in the back. Drowning out the chaos wasn’t easy for Dylan, but nevertheless, he’d navigated most of the way there.
“How do you know she’s here, then?” George questioned for at least the third time. Every answer he got only seemed to confuse him more.
“She texted me, we tracked her at the sheriff station,” Jono responded, growing more and more frustrated.
“And how long ago was that? She could be anywhere by now,” George ranted.
“Stop it, please,” Dylan begged. He was tired, and arguing wasn’t helping his concentration.
“You should’ve told me straight away,” George continued to fume.
“Stop it,” Dylan growled, his wolf taking the reigns for a brief moment. Silence followed, at last, but the atmosphere in the car was as thick as ever.
“I’m sorry,” George replied, “I’m just worried.”
“We all are,” Dylan justified, “We all want Lily back as much as you do.”
“We were hoping to bring her home safely ourselves, to save you worrying too,” Jono explained.
“I just don’t get why she’s run away,” George sighed, “She’s not been herself for a few days, I mean, she was unwell the other day, but this isn’t Lily.”
“How could she have been unwell?” Dylan wondered aloud. Lily was a werewolf, she should have healed before feeling any symptom. Her visit to the hospital was one of many things that made no sense.
“I don’t know, but I figured there was something she wasn’t telling me,” George added, “Jono, do you remember when the nurse spoke to Lily alone?”
“Yeah,” Jono nodded, “Did you ever find out what that was about?”
“She never told me. I was wondering if you heard anything, you know, with the wolf hearing,” George queried.
“Sorry dude, wolf hearing is a thing of the past,” Jono shrugged. Dylan wasn’t used to the fact that Jono wasn’t a werewolf anymore. He could never forget the guilt of making the decision to bite him, even though the alternative would have been Jono dying. He hated making that choice without Jono being able to consent, even though Jono quickly adapted.
“Shit, sorry,” George quickly apologised, “I’m just scared. Something’s not right with her.”
Dylan’s phone buzzed. Instinctively, Jono picked it up. Neither of them had to ask before checking each other’s phones; they knew each other’s passwords, by virtue of having the same four numbers: their anniversary. After all, neither Dylan nor Jono had anything to hide from each other. There wasn’t one aspect of his life that Dylan wanted Jono to be kept out of.
“It’s from Lydia Martin,” Jono read, confused, though his tone quickly raised, “She’s with Lily at Beacon Hills Memorial Hospital.”
“Type it into Maps,” Dylan commanded. It was a relief to know that Lily was in safe hands, but they weren’t out of the woods yet.
It was taking every ounce of Yasmin’s strength to keep a cool head while facing Cody. She couldn’t show him just how terrified she was actually feeling, seeing those piercing, threatening blue wolf eyes pointing in her direction. So much for Cody having changed.
The truth was that Yasmin didn’t truly know what Cody was capable of in that moment. She’d known him for a long time, but they’d only grown close recently. He seemed different. He seemed better. He’d worked on himself, and even won Oscar back over. If Oscar found him good enough, Yasmin had no reason not to, but she was in unchartered territory. Had he really changed if this was how he was reacting?
“You got what you wanted,” Yasmin yelled as Josh fell out of her eyeline. She knew her plan was strong, and she knew Josh wouldn’t be far away. He would never have left her alone. Despite what he did all those years ago, Yasmin felt safer for having Josh around, and she’d never been more aware of that, “So let’s talk. Put the wolf in its box, Cody.”
At last, Cody let his rage simmer down, his face shifting back to its far less terrifying but equally angry human form. He had no right to be so furious at Yasmin when he was the one jumping to conclusions.
“Why didn’t you tell me about your job?” Cody interrogated.
“I felt embarrassed. I still do. I hate what’s happened, and it’s not even my fault,” Yasmin explained. Despite his approach, Cody deserved the truth, “I haven’t told anyone else.”
“Only your ex,” Cody scoffed.
“Who you know is still my friend. Josh and I haven’t been together in the entire time we’ve known each other,” Yasmin reminded, “If you can’t accept that Josh will always be in my life, then I don’t think we can be together.”
“Are you breaking up with me?” Cody was breathing heavily, his anger levels raising again. Yasmin was preparing herself, just in case.
“We’ve been on a couple of dates together, Cody, but you’re acting like I’m your wife and we’re living in the eighteenth century,” Yasmin stood her ground, “But yes, I am breaking up with you. We’re over. It’s obviously not working.”
Cody’s eyes glared that cursed blue colour again. Just as Yasmin predicted, he couldn’t take the rejection. She didn’t belong to him, so if that’s how he saw her, they were doomed from the beginning.
“Before Cody could approach any further, Yasmin held her hands out, her palms facing downward. She knew exactly what needed to happen, and her concentration had never been stronger. After all, she had one shot at this, and it had to be perfect.
Within seconds, the ground below Cody began to wobble. The hard, dried mud was softening as water made its way to the surface at Yasmin’s command. Any droplet of water in the vicinity had been summoned, converging on Cody. As the mud liquified, Cody’s legs began to sink. Each step he tried to take became more of an effort as the sludgy mud sank deeper, Cody losing any chance of solid ground to step on.
This was Yasmin’s chance. She ignored every cry and scream protruding from Cody’s mouth and sprinted back the way they came. She had no time to waste. The further she got, the safer she’d be.
“Yasmin!” she heard Josh’s voice call out. It was the most relieving sound. He’d hidden behind a tree just a few metres up; just as Yasmin knew, he hadn’t gone far. She was right to trust in him.
“Let’s go, we can call Dylan from the car,” Yasmin held out her hand. With a big smile naturally forming across his face, Josh grabbed hold of it, and together, they ran side-by-side. Now, Yasmin felt safe. She had nothing to worry about when she had Josh by her side.
Freddie had a plethora of questions racing through his brain. Standing behind the two-way mirror was both a blessing and a curse. Ed was doing all he could to keep Freddie in the loop, but Freddie wanted to be the one quizzing their suspect. He had questions, and they weren’t the type that could be asked on the record.
After all, they knew next-to-nothing. Freddie had never seen the guy he caught before, so who even was he? He looked rugged, worse for wear, and even exhausted, as if he’d just worked a twelve-hour shift without a break. Yet, he was obviously in-the-know. He must have been. Mountain ash wasn’t exactly widely available.
Anxiously, Freddie scanned his phone notifications. He was desperate to see an update from Sammi about Ashton, but there was nothing there. He had to trust that Sammi had got the sample to the hospital in time. Even if this guy was oblivious to the damage he’d caused, Freddie needed to find out more.
“Alright,” Ed immediately took the reigns as he led another unassuming deputy into the interview room. The dealer was handcuffed to the table in the centre of the room. He’d told Ed nothing on his arrest, not even his name, so Ed’s patience was wearing thin, “Let’s make this as easy as possible. The sooner you talk, the sooner we can discuss bail.”
The man remained silent, his expression smug. Though he wasn’t one for violence Freddie wanted to serve his arrogant smirk a dose of his fist. He knew what he was doing. He had to. It was a game to him, and it made Freddie sick. A young lad was at death’s door, and he didn’t care.
“The charges against you are serious, sir, but your attitude towards them seems quite the opposite,” Ed continued, remaining expertly professional at even the most infuriating moments. It was obvious how he’d kept the sheriff title for so many years.
Freddie’s phone buzzed, startling him, snapping him out of the intense focus on the interview. It was Sammi. The mere sight of her name sent Freddie’s anxiety through the roof. This was the news he had been waiting on, and he was desperate for it to be positive.
‘Mrs. Johnson worked her magic. Ashton is stable. Doc says it looks promising. Taking Jonah home. Hope you’re ok x’
Freddie breathed a sigh of relief. He’d seen how wrecked both Sammi and Jonah were. Sammi cared so much about the young people she taught. Freddie had never been so dedicated to any job he’d had before. The commitment Sammi had to her work was beyond Freddie’s understanding, and he respected her even more because of it. She was the strongest woman Freddie knew, and he adored her with his whole heart.
Jonah’s maturity was heartwarming to Freddie, too. For years, he’d worried that Jonah would freak out when he eventually learned that his brother was a werewolf. It wasn’t exactly a normal type of revelation, but they were never a normal type of family. Freddie, Jonah and George all had their own trauma from childhood, after all. Strangely, after learning the truth, Jonah and Freddie had been closer than they had been in months, possibly years. All he wanted was to be involved, and Freddie was in awe of the young man he’d become. Staying at the hospital was a clear display of his heart.
“A boy is dying,” Ed yelled, startling Freddie, snapping him back into the interview. He’d zoned out for a few moments, but it didn’t appear that he’d missed much of note, “The least you can do is tell me your name.”
“Theodore,” the man replied, “Theodore Callahan.”
Freddie’s eyes widened, his jaw alarmingly close to the ground. That surname. It couldn’t be a coincidence, could it? Freddie had to talk to Dylan, and fast. Nothing made sense.
Nothing could have stopped Jono from sprinting through those hospital corridors. It was an overwhelming relief to hear that Lily had been found and was safe, but Jono needed to see her with his own two eyes, just to be sure.
Jono knew more than anyone that Lily had struggled with her mental health over the years, but since she and George had been back together, all had seemed well. Lily came across happy, and even comfortable. She had her dream job, dream house, and was living with her school years sweetheart. Every time she visited Jono in London, she was on cloud nine. What had changed?
Dylan and George followed Jono close behind as he desperately searched for a member of hospital staff. Anyone who could point them in the right direction. Hospitals were disorientating at the best of times, but Jono felt like a headless chicken. His legs kept moving, but he didn’t have a clue where to go.
“Excuse me,” Jono wasted no time, quickly calling out to the first person he spotted wearing a white lab coat, “My sister, Lily Chadwick, she’s here somewhere.”
“You must be Jono,” the lady replied, flicking her beautiful dark curls behind her shoulders, “She’s this way. She’s okay. I gave her a sedative as she was extremely sleep deprived.”
“Wait,” Dylan commented, “Sorry, I couldn’t help noticing your name badge.” Jono glanced down. ‘Melissa McCall, M.D.’ He knew that surname from somewhere.
“You know my son, Scott,” Melissa nodded as she started walking, leading the boys gently yet urgently down the corridor, “He spoke very highly of you all. When Lydia brought Lily in, I knew this wasn’t a typical emergency.”
“Please, what’s the matter with her?” George queried restlessly, his bloodshot eyes pausing the stream of tears he’d been trying to hide during the car journey.
“She didn’t say much, but I know one thing. She was terrified. I don’t know what it was, I’ve never seen it before, but she was looking at something over my shoulder. Something that wasn’t there,” Melissa warned as they paused outside one of the hospital rooms. Pacing outside was Lydia, who looked just as glamorous as always, wearing a smart, expensive-looking suit as if she’d just come from work. Jono met eyes with her and shared a quick smile of gratitude. Without Lydia, Lily could have ended up anywhere.
“Thank you. Both of you. For looking after her,” Jono elaborated in words. He felt relieved. Knowing Lily was safe was the biggest comfort.
“We’re not out of the woods yet,” Melissa warned, “Especially given she’s pregnant.”
Jono felt like his brain had malfunctioned. He could have sworn Melissa said “pregnant,” but surely that wasn’t the case? Lily hadn’t told him anything. She’d been acting unusually, but that couldn’t have been the effect of pregnancy, could it?
“Wait, pregnant?” George’s jaw dropped. Jono met eyes with Dylan. He didn’t know what to say. He hadn’t misheard. Lily, a werewolf, was pregnant.
Melissa was right: things were far from over.
After all, Jono and Lily had only had each other for so many years. The lack of affection from their parents was made up for by a mutual protective instinct for each other. Unlike most siblings, they almost never fought, and Jono had always trusted Lily implicitly. Though she visited him loads, seven years in London had only strengthened Jono’s instincts further. If Lily was in trouble, he was going to save her. The only question was how.
There simply had to be a way to track Lily. Knowing she still had her phone was a relief, though none of Jono’s attempts to call Lily after reading her text had even made it as far as ringing; the phone was either turned off or out of power, and Lily was out of reach once again.
Much to Jono’s frustration, Ed’s office was empty. Where was he? Jono desperately needed him. They couldn’t afford to waste any time. Jono sighed, running his hands through his unruly curls as he attempted to figure out what to do next.
“Where is he?” Jono stressed as Dylan followed just behind him, sharing the same disappointed expression upon arrival.
“One of the deputies just said he was called to the school,” Dylan informed, “We can meet him there.”
“No, that will only waste time,” Jono paced back and forth, desperate for another solution.
“Jon, pause, please. We need to think this through,” Dylan encouraged, but it was going into one of Jono’s ears and out of the other. He was anxious like never before.
“One of the deputies could trace it, right?” Jono powered ahead with a solution.
“Well, yeah, I guess,” Dylan agreed, gently gliding to the side, clearing a patch for Jono out of the office.
“Hey,” Jono approached the first desk he saw. Behind it sat a young female deputy who looked perplexed before Jono had said a word, “I need you to trace a text for me. It’s my sister, she’s missing.”
“Um,” the deputy slurred, unsure of what to say.
“That’s Jono, my husband,” Dylan clarified, “It’s okay.” The deputies all knew Dylan – he was Ed’s stepson after all – but Jono hadn’t been in Crystalshaw for seven years, so it wasn’t any wonder that nobody knew him. That didn’t stop it being an extra frustration for Jono, though.
“Jon, wait, please,” Dylan begged again, “Take a break. Compose yourself.”
“Dyl, I can’t,” Jono didn’t take his eyes off the deputy’s screen as she scrolled through data his mind couldn’t begin to understand.
“Look at me,” Dylan commanded. Jono had wanted to power on, but his heart couldn’t help listening intently to every word Dylan spoke, and that overpowered every instinct in his body.
“I just want to find her, Dyl,” Jono calmly explained, meeting Dylan’s gaze. Jono knew eye contact didn’t come naturally to Dylan, but he always made the effort for Jono, and it never went unnoticed. After all, there wasn’t a single detail about Dylan that Jono hadn’t mentally studied, his brain desperate to know everything about his favourite person in the world.
“I know, and I do too. I’m so scared for her, on, but you’re no use to Lily like this. You’re going to end up hurting yourself, and you can’t heal anymore, remember,” Dylan reminded. He made a good point. Jono needed to take a moment to pause. His heart was racing, and his mind was working overtime.
“I think we need to phone George,” Jono considered between a couple of deep breaths.
“Leave that to me,” Dylan offered, “You stay here, we’ll need to know where the text was sent from as soon as possible.”
Jono nodded, feeling much calmer than before. He still had a job to do, but his mind was more focused thanks to Dylan. He knew exactly what to say and do every time.
Jono’s eyes remained focused on the deputy’s screen as Dylan rang George from the office. He deserved to be in the loop too. George was perfect for Lily and brought out the best in her, so they needed him on board too.
“Got a location,” the deputy informed. Jono’s eyes immediately zoned into the box popping up at the front of the screen, pinpointed on a map with the town name displayed loud and clear. It wasn’t just any town name. it was a town far too similar to Crystalshaw to put Jono’s mind at rest.
“Dylan,” Jono worriedly summoned. Dylan slid his phone back into his pocket as he re-joined Jono, concern painted across his face.
“Hey, what’s up?” Dylan enquired.
“She’s in Beacon Hills,” Jono gravely informed. Dylan’s face said it all. Lily wasn’t safe.
“Let’s go. Now. We’ll pick George up on the way, he’s terrified,” Dylan decided. Jono found a gracious smile for the deputy – she’d been a huge help – before following Dylan with urgency out to the car. There was no time to waste.
For the first time while looking at that pale face and those fiery curls, Yasmin felt terrified. She had defended Cody more than once against a pack that was quick to judge. The person who wanted to give him a second chance. Yet, there he was. Whether he was jealous, hoping to intimidate them, or something else, there was no positive outlook to Cody baring his fangs at the girl he was supposed to be dating.
Yasmin had been honest with Cody. They hadn’t been dating long, but she’d told Cody about her history with Josh, and even her ancient history with Freddie. He knew Josh was always going to be a part of Yasmin’s life, so why was he acting like this? If he wasn’t cool with the arrangement, he’d already had time to dip out.
Instinctively, Josh manoeuvred himself in front of Yasmin to guard her. Through his faults, Josh had always gone above and beyond to prove he’s worthy of Yasmin’s trust, and he’d succeeded; Josh was the person Yasmin trusted the most in the world, even more than Dylan, which said it all.
“Cody, it’s me,” Yasmin attempted to reconcile, “Calm down. Let’s talk.”
“Just me and you. Not him,” Cody grunted through his scowling grimace.
“No,” Josh impulsively defended. Yasmin felt safe with him. She wasn’t letting Josh out of her sight when Cody was looking them up and down with his bright blue wolf eyes.
“Anything you need to say can be said in front of Josh,” Yasmin replied as calmly as possible, “Snap out of the wolf, Cody.”
“You told him first,” Cody growled, ignoring Yasmin’s request.
“Told him what?” Yasmin queried. He couldn’t have found out already, could he?
“Don’t play dumb,” Cody scolded. I went to meet you from work today, only I didn’t find any trace of you. The front desk said you’d been sent home, so I tracked you here, with him. Your ex.”
“Exactly. My ex, who you know is my friend,” Yasmin reminded.
“Just you and I,” Cody repeated. The message still wasn’t getting through, no matter how hard Yasmin was trying.
“Maybe I should go,” Josh considered, “Because as long as I’m here, he’s not calming down.”
“I don’t want you to go,” Yasmin affirmed. The last thing she wanted to do was leave herself vulnerable.
“I won’t go far,” Josh added, “I wouldn’t leave you, not ever. Promise.”
“She’s not yours to protect,” Cody yelled out furiously.
“I’m not an object,” Yasmin yelled. She was enraged. Nobody needed to be possessive over her, and the fact that Cody had even tried showed he didn’t know her at all, “Go home, Cody. You’re embarrassing yourself.”
“Not until you are safe,” Cody hissed, still laser-focused on Josh. He wasn’t showing any signs of backing down. Nothing was working.
“What do we do?” Josh whispered to Yasmin, “I might be able to outrun him, but you can’t.”
“Trust me?” Yasmin queried. Cody was almost definitely listening in, so she had to be careful.
“Of course,” Josh nodded with a look of wariness painted on his face while he remained zoned in on Cody.
“Okay, we’ll talk. You and me, on our own,” Yasmin spoke up to Cody, “I can handle this, Josh. Please, leave us.” Josh stared wide-eyed at Yasmin, but she knew what she was doing. It was risky, but she had to try.
After all, Yasmin had a plan, and she was sure to make it work.
On a normal day, Sammi didn’t wish to be like her friends. Despite the many upsides – speed, healing, enhanced senses – the cons of being supernatural were far more prevalent in her mind. Seeing her brother, cousins, friends, even her husband be hunted for who they were was painful enough. Sammi wasn’t sure she’d be strong enough to handle that on her own.
Despite that, as she sprinted as fast as she physically could through the hospital corridor, Sammi longed for the speed of her friends. Fatigue was kicking in fast, and she still had to find the correct ward. If only she’d taken note of which floor Ashton was on; they arrived in such a hurry.
Sammi’s legs kept going, though. They didn’t let her down when she needed them the most. Her muscles ached from going up so many steps, but she’d made it. The second floor was straight ahead, the intensive care sign impossible to miss ahead of her. Those words sent an immediate feeling of dread through Sammi’s stomach. Nobody deserved to be in such a terrible spot. She wanted to do everything she could to keep Ashton safe.
Following the directions she’d been given – third ward along, passing one on the left and one on the right before taking the next left – Sammi felt relieved to see Jonah again. He was alone in the waiting area, looking understandably shattered, but the fact he’d stayed there spoke volumes of his compassion. Sammi felt proud; Jonah was like a son to her, and it warmed her heart to see how much he had flourished. For all the bumpy times they’d been through, he had the biggest heart.
“Sammi!” Jonah called out in relief, “Did you get it? Where’s Freddie?”
“Got it, but I’ll explain everything later. What’s the latest on Ashton?” Sammi questioned with the utmost urgency.
“He’s still alive but it’s critical. Mrs. Johnson’s in with him and the doctor still,” Jonah explained.
Sammi couldn’t waste any more time. She barged through the double doors, scanning ferociously for her former biology teacher, The modesty curtain was pulled across and the ward was otherwise empty, only some indistinct chatter and a regular beep from the heart monitor coming from behind the curtain.
Anxiously, Sammi drew the curtain back; just enough for her to slip inside. The first thing her eyes were drawn to was the unavoidable but cruel sight of Ashton unconscious, laid out flat on top of the hospital bed looking unhealthily pale. Sammi couldn’t help wishing she had the abilities of a werewolf again; if only she could take some of his pain away.
“Sorry,” Sammi excused herself, focusing again, “We got it.” She held the bag up, her hand swearing from how tightly she’d gripped it. The dark grey powder was clear to see. With any luck, that was the final ingredient for Ashton’s recovery.
“Thank you,” the doctor nodded, taking the pouch, “This is perfect.”
“Do everything you can,” Sammi insisted, “I’ll be outside.” There wasn’t a part of Sammi that even considered going home. She needed to ensure Ashton was okay. Without any sign of his social worker, Sammi and Jonah were all he had.
Everything Lydia had suggested was going against Lily’s better judgement. The aim was to get further away, not to pause. Beacon Hills was far too intimately linked to Crystalshaw for Lily to feel comfortable. Her fight or flight instinct had never been stronger.
However, Lily felt a little safer for having Lydia by her side. She had even more experience than Lily did in the world of the supernatural, and Lily trusted her. If her banshee premonitions were saying she was in danger, Lily would have been stupid to ignore that.
“Take a seat, I’ll find someone,” Lydia said, helping Lily limp to one of the bland, uncomfortable seats in the ram-packed hospital waiting area, “Don’t move.”
Lily was finding it impossible to focus. The waiting room was far too busy, and everywhere she looked, there it was. Its deformed face, shrouded in a cloud of black smoke, a dark gown hiding its body. All Lily knew was that she had to do everything in her power to stop whatever this thing was from hurting her friends.
“Lily?” a tall woman with long dark hair approached. Her vibe was gentle, her face focused yet raising a kind, reassuring smile. Lydia crouched by her side, but all Lily could focus on was that thing watching from behind like the most persistent stalker.
“Lily, this is Melissa. She’s Scott’s mom, remember him?” Lydia assured. Lily looked at the lady again and nodded. Melissa’s eyes observed her with sincerity. She wanted to help. It was obvious where Scott got his kind nature from.
“What’s the problem?” Melissa enquired.
“I felt,” Lily shrugged, though the throbbing of her knee was the least of her problems.
“It’s nothing a clean-up and a bandage can’t fix,” Melissa observed, “And the rest?”
“That’s it,” Lily replied, playing dumb. She knew Melissa wasn’t asking about the injuries from her fall any longer.
“Lily, I know I don’t look old enough, I’ve been doing this for a long time. One thing never changes. I can’t help you if you don’t talk to me,” Melissa persuaded, easily sifting through Lily’s diversion.
“Not here, it’s too busy,” Lily glanced around. Too many people were in danger in that waiting area. Lily wasn’t comfortable taking any risks. Not when that thing was staring intensely at her.
Its grimacing smile never faded.
No matter how much he tried to convince himself that it was helpful in some way, Jeremy couldn’t shake the feeling that they were wasting their time in the forest. There wasn’t a single clue in sight, and the scent train was non-existent. If Jeremy wasn’t able to pick up the scent of his own cousin, he would have been a pretty useless werewolf.
After all, despite the horror his father had put him through, he had been trained to hone his senses at an early age. Being born a werewolf had given him a head start compared to the rest of the pack, so if anyone could find Lily, surely Jeremy stood the best chance?
Jeremy couldn’t pretend he was at the top of his game that day, though. He was terrified that something awful could have happened to Lily – and losing her categorically wasn’t an option – but Jeremy had a lot more on his mind. He didn’t have a job, his world seemed to be collapsing around him, and urge to drown that pain out was intense. Jeremy couldn’t ignore it any longer.
Checking behind, Jeremy saw Felix was a few metres back, paying more attention to their surroundings than to his husband. Taking a deep breath, Jeremy bared his claws and began to slowly slice them through his palms. Remnants of the last time vanished almost immediately afterwards, but the sensation – so horrible, but strangely relieving – lingered on. The healing process didn’t cleanse his mind.
Droplets of blood painted the leaves an upsetting metallic red as Jeremy focused his mind on the misery radiating from his hands. Tears formed in his eyes, the pain overpowering him, but it was doing its job. The one and only thing on his mind was the claws intruding into his hands.
“Got anything?” Felix approached, startling an unprepared Jeremy. In a flash, Jeremy withdrew his claws from his body, allowing the wolf to slump back inside him. Felix couldn’t know.
“No, nothing,” Jeremy attempted to compose himself, brushing away the tears from his eyes as subtly as possible, “I think we’re looking in the wrong place.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Felix’s eyes widened as he looked down at the ground, stunned. Jeremy began to panic. He’d noticed it. He’d seen the blood. Jeremy was speechless. Anything he said next could give the game away, but he couldn’t give Felix false hope by lying. He couldn’t do that to the person he loved more than anyone else. The person he’d made promises to in marriage.
“We need to call Dylan. Does it match Lily’s scent? I suppose we should get it tested just in case,” Felix sprang to action, barely giving Jeremy the chance to speak. To Jeremy’s concern, Felix got his phone out. This couldn’t go on.
“No, don’t,” Jeremy begged gently.
“Why not? They need to know. Jono’s so worried. I hope she’s okay. Is there a trail?” Felix continued, holding his phone to his ear.
“Please, Felix. Put the phone down,” Jeremy’s voice quivered. This was spiralling far too quickly. There was only one way out.
“What? Why?” the focus on Felix’s face shifted into an expression of concern, “Jeremy, what aren’t you telling me?”
“It’s not Lily’s blood,” Jeremy insisted.
“Right,” Felix was obviously confused, “So whose blood is it? It’s fresh, Jeremy, it’s still wet.”
“Um,” Jeremy panicked. His heart was racing like never before. He knew what he had to say, but he needed to summon the courage to speak it.
“Please, Jeremy. You’re worrying me,” Felix begged.
“It’s…” Jeremy took a deep breath, “It’s my blood. Mine.” He held up his partly-healed hands to show Felix, who was already shedding a tear. Jeremy didn’t know what else to say. This was far from the end, and he knew Felix would have a dozen questions to ask later.
Strangely, though, it felt like a weight off his shoulders.
For a long time, Dylan had put off learning to drive. It daunted him, worrying about whether his reaction times were fast enough and if he actually felt safe behind the wheel of his own vehicle.
It was Harry who gave him the courage to try it out. He never nagged, only assisting Dylan in weighing up the pros and cons. It gave Dylan the tiny boost in confidence that he so desperately needed. Though busy roads and unexpected diversions still stressed him out, Dylan couldn’t imagine not having that sense of freedom again.
Dylan’s driving licence had never been as necessary as that day, though. Jono was in no state to drive, and there wasn’t a quicker way to get to Beacon Hills. It was the most stressful drive of Dylan’s life, with a distraught Jono in the passenger seat, and a baffled George demanding answers in the back. Drowning out the chaos wasn’t easy for Dylan, but nevertheless, he’d navigated most of the way there.
“How do you know she’s here, then?” George questioned for at least the third time. Every answer he got only seemed to confuse him more.
“She texted me, we tracked her at the sheriff station,” Jono responded, growing more and more frustrated.
“And how long ago was that? She could be anywhere by now,” George ranted.
“Stop it, please,” Dylan begged. He was tired, and arguing wasn’t helping his concentration.
“You should’ve told me straight away,” George continued to fume.
“Stop it,” Dylan growled, his wolf taking the reigns for a brief moment. Silence followed, at last, but the atmosphere in the car was as thick as ever.
“I’m sorry,” George replied, “I’m just worried.”
“We all are,” Dylan justified, “We all want Lily back as much as you do.”
“We were hoping to bring her home safely ourselves, to save you worrying too,” Jono explained.
“I just don’t get why she’s run away,” George sighed, “She’s not been herself for a few days, I mean, she was unwell the other day, but this isn’t Lily.”
“How could she have been unwell?” Dylan wondered aloud. Lily was a werewolf, she should have healed before feeling any symptom. Her visit to the hospital was one of many things that made no sense.
“I don’t know, but I figured there was something she wasn’t telling me,” George added, “Jono, do you remember when the nurse spoke to Lily alone?”
“Yeah,” Jono nodded, “Did you ever find out what that was about?”
“She never told me. I was wondering if you heard anything, you know, with the wolf hearing,” George queried.
“Sorry dude, wolf hearing is a thing of the past,” Jono shrugged. Dylan wasn’t used to the fact that Jono wasn’t a werewolf anymore. He could never forget the guilt of making the decision to bite him, even though the alternative would have been Jono dying. He hated making that choice without Jono being able to consent, even though Jono quickly adapted.
“Shit, sorry,” George quickly apologised, “I’m just scared. Something’s not right with her.”
Dylan’s phone buzzed. Instinctively, Jono picked it up. Neither of them had to ask before checking each other’s phones; they knew each other’s passwords, by virtue of having the same four numbers: their anniversary. After all, neither Dylan nor Jono had anything to hide from each other. There wasn’t one aspect of his life that Dylan wanted Jono to be kept out of.
“It’s from Lydia Martin,” Jono read, confused, though his tone quickly raised, “She’s with Lily at Beacon Hills Memorial Hospital.”
“Type it into Maps,” Dylan commanded. It was a relief to know that Lily was in safe hands, but they weren’t out of the woods yet.
It was taking every ounce of Yasmin’s strength to keep a cool head while facing Cody. She couldn’t show him just how terrified she was actually feeling, seeing those piercing, threatening blue wolf eyes pointing in her direction. So much for Cody having changed.
The truth was that Yasmin didn’t truly know what Cody was capable of in that moment. She’d known him for a long time, but they’d only grown close recently. He seemed different. He seemed better. He’d worked on himself, and even won Oscar back over. If Oscar found him good enough, Yasmin had no reason not to, but she was in unchartered territory. Had he really changed if this was how he was reacting?
“You got what you wanted,” Yasmin yelled as Josh fell out of her eyeline. She knew her plan was strong, and she knew Josh wouldn’t be far away. He would never have left her alone. Despite what he did all those years ago, Yasmin felt safer for having Josh around, and she’d never been more aware of that, “So let’s talk. Put the wolf in its box, Cody.”
At last, Cody let his rage simmer down, his face shifting back to its far less terrifying but equally angry human form. He had no right to be so furious at Yasmin when he was the one jumping to conclusions.
“Why didn’t you tell me about your job?” Cody interrogated.
“I felt embarrassed. I still do. I hate what’s happened, and it’s not even my fault,” Yasmin explained. Despite his approach, Cody deserved the truth, “I haven’t told anyone else.”
“Only your ex,” Cody scoffed.
“Who you know is still my friend. Josh and I haven’t been together in the entire time we’ve known each other,” Yasmin reminded, “If you can’t accept that Josh will always be in my life, then I don’t think we can be together.”
“Are you breaking up with me?” Cody was breathing heavily, his anger levels raising again. Yasmin was preparing herself, just in case.
“We’ve been on a couple of dates together, Cody, but you’re acting like I’m your wife and we’re living in the eighteenth century,” Yasmin stood her ground, “But yes, I am breaking up with you. We’re over. It’s obviously not working.”
Cody’s eyes glared that cursed blue colour again. Just as Yasmin predicted, he couldn’t take the rejection. She didn’t belong to him, so if that’s how he saw her, they were doomed from the beginning.
“Before Cody could approach any further, Yasmin held her hands out, her palms facing downward. She knew exactly what needed to happen, and her concentration had never been stronger. After all, she had one shot at this, and it had to be perfect.
Within seconds, the ground below Cody began to wobble. The hard, dried mud was softening as water made its way to the surface at Yasmin’s command. Any droplet of water in the vicinity had been summoned, converging on Cody. As the mud liquified, Cody’s legs began to sink. Each step he tried to take became more of an effort as the sludgy mud sank deeper, Cody losing any chance of solid ground to step on.
This was Yasmin’s chance. She ignored every cry and scream protruding from Cody’s mouth and sprinted back the way they came. She had no time to waste. The further she got, the safer she’d be.
“Yasmin!” she heard Josh’s voice call out. It was the most relieving sound. He’d hidden behind a tree just a few metres up; just as Yasmin knew, he hadn’t gone far. She was right to trust in him.
“Let’s go, we can call Dylan from the car,” Yasmin held out her hand. With a big smile naturally forming across his face, Josh grabbed hold of it, and together, they ran side-by-side. Now, Yasmin felt safe. She had nothing to worry about when she had Josh by her side.
Freddie had a plethora of questions racing through his brain. Standing behind the two-way mirror was both a blessing and a curse. Ed was doing all he could to keep Freddie in the loop, but Freddie wanted to be the one quizzing their suspect. He had questions, and they weren’t the type that could be asked on the record.
After all, they knew next-to-nothing. Freddie had never seen the guy he caught before, so who even was he? He looked rugged, worse for wear, and even exhausted, as if he’d just worked a twelve-hour shift without a break. Yet, he was obviously in-the-know. He must have been. Mountain ash wasn’t exactly widely available.
Anxiously, Freddie scanned his phone notifications. He was desperate to see an update from Sammi about Ashton, but there was nothing there. He had to trust that Sammi had got the sample to the hospital in time. Even if this guy was oblivious to the damage he’d caused, Freddie needed to find out more.
“Alright,” Ed immediately took the reigns as he led another unassuming deputy into the interview room. The dealer was handcuffed to the table in the centre of the room. He’d told Ed nothing on his arrest, not even his name, so Ed’s patience was wearing thin, “Let’s make this as easy as possible. The sooner you talk, the sooner we can discuss bail.”
The man remained silent, his expression smug. Though he wasn’t one for violence Freddie wanted to serve his arrogant smirk a dose of his fist. He knew what he was doing. He had to. It was a game to him, and it made Freddie sick. A young lad was at death’s door, and he didn’t care.
“The charges against you are serious, sir, but your attitude towards them seems quite the opposite,” Ed continued, remaining expertly professional at even the most infuriating moments. It was obvious how he’d kept the sheriff title for so many years.
Freddie’s phone buzzed, startling him, snapping him out of the intense focus on the interview. It was Sammi. The mere sight of her name sent Freddie’s anxiety through the roof. This was the news he had been waiting on, and he was desperate for it to be positive.
‘Mrs. Johnson worked her magic. Ashton is stable. Doc says it looks promising. Taking Jonah home. Hope you’re ok x’
Freddie breathed a sigh of relief. He’d seen how wrecked both Sammi and Jonah were. Sammi cared so much about the young people she taught. Freddie had never been so dedicated to any job he’d had before. The commitment Sammi had to her work was beyond Freddie’s understanding, and he respected her even more because of it. She was the strongest woman Freddie knew, and he adored her with his whole heart.
Jonah’s maturity was heartwarming to Freddie, too. For years, he’d worried that Jonah would freak out when he eventually learned that his brother was a werewolf. It wasn’t exactly a normal type of revelation, but they were never a normal type of family. Freddie, Jonah and George all had their own trauma from childhood, after all. Strangely, after learning the truth, Jonah and Freddie had been closer than they had been in months, possibly years. All he wanted was to be involved, and Freddie was in awe of the young man he’d become. Staying at the hospital was a clear display of his heart.
“A boy is dying,” Ed yelled, startling Freddie, snapping him back into the interview. He’d zoned out for a few moments, but it didn’t appear that he’d missed much of note, “The least you can do is tell me your name.”
“Theodore,” the man replied, “Theodore Callahan.”
Freddie’s eyes widened, his jaw alarmingly close to the ground. That surname. It couldn’t be a coincidence, could it? Freddie had to talk to Dylan, and fast. Nothing made sense.
Nothing could have stopped Jono from sprinting through those hospital corridors. It was an overwhelming relief to hear that Lily had been found and was safe, but Jono needed to see her with his own two eyes, just to be sure.
Jono knew more than anyone that Lily had struggled with her mental health over the years, but since she and George had been back together, all had seemed well. Lily came across happy, and even comfortable. She had her dream job, dream house, and was living with her school years sweetheart. Every time she visited Jono in London, she was on cloud nine. What had changed?
Dylan and George followed Jono close behind as he desperately searched for a member of hospital staff. Anyone who could point them in the right direction. Hospitals were disorientating at the best of times, but Jono felt like a headless chicken. His legs kept moving, but he didn’t have a clue where to go.
“Excuse me,” Jono wasted no time, quickly calling out to the first person he spotted wearing a white lab coat, “My sister, Lily Chadwick, she’s here somewhere.”
“You must be Jono,” the lady replied, flicking her beautiful dark curls behind her shoulders, “She’s this way. She’s okay. I gave her a sedative as she was extremely sleep deprived.”
“Wait,” Dylan commented, “Sorry, I couldn’t help noticing your name badge.” Jono glanced down. ‘Melissa McCall, M.D.’ He knew that surname from somewhere.
“You know my son, Scott,” Melissa nodded as she started walking, leading the boys gently yet urgently down the corridor, “He spoke very highly of you all. When Lydia brought Lily in, I knew this wasn’t a typical emergency.”
“Please, what’s the matter with her?” George queried restlessly, his bloodshot eyes pausing the stream of tears he’d been trying to hide during the car journey.
“She didn’t say much, but I know one thing. She was terrified. I don’t know what it was, I’ve never seen it before, but she was looking at something over my shoulder. Something that wasn’t there,” Melissa warned as they paused outside one of the hospital rooms. Pacing outside was Lydia, who looked just as glamorous as always, wearing a smart, expensive-looking suit as if she’d just come from work. Jono met eyes with her and shared a quick smile of gratitude. Without Lydia, Lily could have ended up anywhere.
“Thank you. Both of you. For looking after her,” Jono elaborated in words. He felt relieved. Knowing Lily was safe was the biggest comfort.
“We’re not out of the woods yet,” Melissa warned, “Especially given she’s pregnant.”
Jono felt like his brain had malfunctioned. He could have sworn Melissa said “pregnant,” but surely that wasn’t the case? Lily hadn’t told him anything. She’d been acting unusually, but that couldn’t have been the effect of pregnancy, could it?
“Wait, pregnant?” George’s jaw dropped. Jono met eyes with Dylan. He didn’t know what to say. He hadn’t misheard. Lily, a werewolf, was pregnant.
Melissa was right: things were far from over.
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