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Previous: "The Brink"
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Next: to be released
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Series 13 Episode 1
"Welcome to Crystalshaw"
Running.
Not for fun. He hadn’t done that since he was tiny. Nothing about running was fun anymore. Running used to signify excitement, or a game, but this wasn’t excitement, nor was he winning. The stakes weren’t low like they used to be on the playground.
This time, Edmund was faced with a never-ending, eerily empty stretch of road. This time, he was running away. Running for his safety. Running for his life. That’s what his gut was telling him to do, anyway. What he was running from, he still wasn’t completely sure, but Edmund figured that was probably for the best. He wasn’t going to stick around and ask questions, that was for sure.
Whether he enjoyed it or not, Edmund considered himself a decent runner on a normal day. He never won cross-country at school like one of the sporty show-offs, but he wasn’t the straggler that finished ten minutes after everyone else, either.
Regardless, that night had extenuating circumstances. Running while your leg was throbbing with pain was significantly more difficult. His left leg was dripping an alarming trail of blood, and with the size of the injury, it seemed unlikely to stop any time soon, exposing his route to his attacker for as far as he ran. Edmund knew he was screwed.
Every frantic glance behind revealed little. Edmund could hardly focus while continuing to push forward. His brain was far too foggy to focus. His lungs were working harder than ever, his heart beating like club music on speed. He needed to take a break; he wasn’t sure his body would last much longer.
Thinking quickly, Edmund darted into the bushes that shrouded the side of the road. Thankfully, the towering trees cast a significant shadow, making it the perfect hiding spot for a few moments. Edmund sat on the ground, not caring about how muddy his skinny jeans were undoubtedly getting. He needed to catch his breath if he wanted to make it any further.
Behind him, Edmund felt a tough metal pole, sending a frozen chill through his sweaty back. Confused, he looked up, spotting a sign almost entirely shrouded from the road by the overgrown greenery.
“Welcome to Crystalshaw,” Edmund quietly read aloud. He had no idea how far he’d travelled, but he hoped it was far away enough.
Nervously, Edmund lifted his trouser leg to check on his injury. It had stopped hurting, but he suspected it was the adrenaline blocking out the pain. Bafflingly, though, instead of the expected sight of a gnawed leg completed with teeth marks and swelling, Edmund saw…nothing. His leg looked entirely normal, as if there never were an injury. How was that possible?
Far away, Edmund heard the spine-tingling noise of a wolf howling. The night just got stranger and stranger – he’d only read earlier that day that wolves hadn’t been seen in California for at least seventy years. It was an impossible noise, and it was terrifying.
His break was over. Edmund had to run again. He still wasn’t safe. Quickly, he had to find refuge. Crystalshaw was his home, now.
Not for fun. He hadn’t done that since he was tiny. Nothing about running was fun anymore. Running used to signify excitement, or a game, but this wasn’t excitement, nor was he winning. The stakes weren’t low like they used to be on the playground.
This time, Edmund was faced with a never-ending, eerily empty stretch of road. This time, he was running away. Running for his safety. Running for his life. That’s what his gut was telling him to do, anyway. What he was running from, he still wasn’t completely sure, but Edmund figured that was probably for the best. He wasn’t going to stick around and ask questions, that was for sure.
Whether he enjoyed it or not, Edmund considered himself a decent runner on a normal day. He never won cross-country at school like one of the sporty show-offs, but he wasn’t the straggler that finished ten minutes after everyone else, either.
Regardless, that night had extenuating circumstances. Running while your leg was throbbing with pain was significantly more difficult. His left leg was dripping an alarming trail of blood, and with the size of the injury, it seemed unlikely to stop any time soon, exposing his route to his attacker for as far as he ran. Edmund knew he was screwed.
Every frantic glance behind revealed little. Edmund could hardly focus while continuing to push forward. His brain was far too foggy to focus. His lungs were working harder than ever, his heart beating like club music on speed. He needed to take a break; he wasn’t sure his body would last much longer.
Thinking quickly, Edmund darted into the bushes that shrouded the side of the road. Thankfully, the towering trees cast a significant shadow, making it the perfect hiding spot for a few moments. Edmund sat on the ground, not caring about how muddy his skinny jeans were undoubtedly getting. He needed to catch his breath if he wanted to make it any further.
Behind him, Edmund felt a tough metal pole, sending a frozen chill through his sweaty back. Confused, he looked up, spotting a sign almost entirely shrouded from the road by the overgrown greenery.
“Welcome to Crystalshaw,” Edmund quietly read aloud. He had no idea how far he’d travelled, but he hoped it was far away enough.
Nervously, Edmund lifted his trouser leg to check on his injury. It had stopped hurting, but he suspected it was the adrenaline blocking out the pain. Bafflingly, though, instead of the expected sight of a gnawed leg completed with teeth marks and swelling, Edmund saw…nothing. His leg looked entirely normal, as if there never were an injury. How was that possible?
Far away, Edmund heard the spine-tingling noise of a wolf howling. The night just got stranger and stranger – he’d only read earlier that day that wolves hadn’t been seen in California for at least seventy years. It was an impossible noise, and it was terrifying.
His break was over. Edmund had to run again. He still wasn’t safe. Quickly, he had to find refuge. Crystalshaw was his home, now.
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Desk tidy, inbox clear, and filing complete. Dylan had made the most of a spare hour, and finally, he felt like he had everything in order. It had been a busy week, and business was booming, much to Dylan’s delight, but the pile of administrative tasks to complete had grown depressingly long.
Nevertheless, the feedback from clients had been glowing. Chadwick-Drummond was a success, and word had already spread. They had received a variety of clients, from those wanting background checks on relatives or partners, to those hoping to track down missing loved ones, but whilst Dylan took a keen interest in every case, he particularly relished anything supernatural that came their way.
Dylan’s reputation as an alpha spread far outside Crystalshaw. He was proud to lead a pack as tightly knit as the one he was surrounded by, and it felt right to put that to good use. Though werewolf-related cases were a significant minority, they were the most satisfying to solve, as Dylan had been there himself before.
“Refreshments,” Jeremy announced, bringing music to Dylan’s ears as he gleefully delivered a different soft drink and chocolate bar combination on all six desks in the office. The mere thought of an ice-cold Lucozade had Dylan’s taste buds jumping for joy, not to mention the bonus treat of a Twirl. His child-like excitement about a couple of treats would never fade.
“Dude, you’re the best,” Jono excitedly gazed at his caramel bar. His pile of paperwork on the desk adjacent to Dylan’s had seen a notable reduction over the span of that hour too; even with the admin split between them, it had quickly become a mammoth task. There was no question about it: it was Dylan’s least favourite aspect of the job.
“I’m so ready for this,” Lily’s eyes widened in amazement. Her chocolate bar was the biggest of everyone’s, which had become the norm as Lily’s bump grew bigger and bigger.
“Why don’t I get a bar that big?” Josh frowned as a much smaller Aero bar landed on his desk.
“Get pregnant and then we can talk,” Yasmin defended Lily with a playful smirk, which she shared with Josh. In the months they’d been back together, they had both regressed to teenagers around each other. As sickly sweet as their flirting was, Dylan couldn’t help finding their reunion adorable.
“Alright, take ten everyone,” Dylan suggested, sharing an agreeable nod with Jono. They were both in charge, but as far as Dylan was concerned, it was a flat team structure. Everyone in the office was a friend or relative, and he asked them to join the team for a reason.
Dylan perkily swivelled his body to face Jono. They shared a relieved smile, before Jono broke the silence, “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” Dylan assured, “A lot happier now I’ve finished this admin shit.”
“I knew you’d fly through it,” Jono nodded, “If it’s ever too much, just ask me to take over. I don’t want you getting stressed.”
“Thanks,” Dylan smiled, “I mean, we’re the ones who wanted everything recorded. It’s a monster of our own creation.”
“We must have really hated ourselves when we thought this was a good idea,” Jono chuckled, “I guess we’ll all be doing a little bit more once Lily gives birth.”
“She’s a natural at this, especially with the girls. They trust her immediately,” Dylan concurred, “We’ll manage, she won’t be away for long, she won’t be able to sit still.” Jono laughed, knowing as well as Dylan did that he was speaking the truth.
“Ahem,” a polite knock at the door was followed by the site of a sheriff cap poking around the corner, “Hey everyone, am I interrupting?” Ed sheepishly entered the office, removing his cap and relaxing his posture as he met eyes with Dylan.
“No, not at all, please, take a seat,” Dylan beamed. He had relished working closely with Ed in a professional sense. For a change, Dylan had actual grounds to be gaining information from the sheriff’s department, and he didn’t have to persuade Ed to keep him in the loop like he used to. Dylan wasn’t just the curious stepson of the sheriff any longer.
“Cheers,” Ed breathed a sigh of relief as he collapsed into the chair opposite Dylan’s desk.
“To what do we owe tis pleasure?” Jono perched on the edge of his desk to join the conversation.
“I’ve got a real headscratcher of a case,” Ed explained, much to Dylan’s intrigue, “Missing teenager from Riverisle. Spotted entering Crystalshaw last night.”
“Sounds like your area of expertise,” Dylan thought, but he was curious. There had to be more to the story if Ed needed their help.
“I’ve forwarded you the report. It’s interesting reading, I’ll tell you that,” Ed mentioned, “I’ll let you read it for yourself but I think we need to find this kid, and quickly.”
“Where was he seen?” Jono queried, “Maybe there’s a clue near there.”
“I’ll show you,” Ed stood back up with purpose.
“Yasmin, Jeremy, go with Ed and Jon, there may be a clue in the forensics,” Dylan concurred, “Keep in touch if you find anything.”
“Of course,” Jono nodded, grabbing his jacket.
As they left, Dylan turned his attention to Lily, who had already loaded up local CCTV cameras. Though he didn’t work at Chadwick-Drummond, Freddie’s computer skills had proved vital in securing tools that not even Ed knew they had.
“Okay, this is him,” Lily spun her screen around to show a school photo of a teenage boy with pale skin, scraggly dark curls that sat atop his shoulders, and a sorry, miserable expression painted across his tired face. Immediately, Dylan’s heart grew heavy. The kid looked deeply unhappy in the photo, and Dylan hated to think what was bubbling away under the surface.
“What’s the name?” Josh questioned, hands poised above his keyboard.
“Edmund,” Lily read aloud, “Edmund Franklin.”
“Alright, all hands on deck,” Dylan commented, “Let’s find this kid.” He was determined to do all he could to help, because if Dylan’s gut instinct was correct, there was a lot more going on than meets the eye.
Lunch with Sammi was always Freddie’s favourite part of the day. Typically, he remained inside his bubble, the school’s IT support office providing safe refuge from hordes of teenagers in just about every other room in the building. His lunch hour provided a welcome change of scenery, and a chance for some quiet, alone time with his wife in her classroom.
Whilst Freddie was glad to be out of the dingy office space he shared with Charlie, Sammi always looked like she craved the respite like her lungs craved oxygen. Freddie knew how passionate Sammi was about teaching, but the amount of preparation she slogged through each night was exhausting to watch, without her then having to deliver it. Freddie was in awe of everything Sammi did, and that was before he considered all she did for him outside of work.
“They’re a good class, I couldn’t ask for anything better, in fact, but damn, they drain me. Sometimes I think they’re smarter than me,” Sammi vented.
“If they think that then they can show us the pictures of their college graduation,” Freddie backed Sammi up without a second thought, “You know your stuff, but this is your first senior AP literature class. You’ll figure it out.”
Sammi smiled and nodded. Freddie’s heart fluttered. She had the most beautiful smile, and it lit her entire face up every time. If Freddie had his way, Sammi would never have a reason not to be grinning from ear-to-ear.
“Have you seen Jonah around today?” Freddie queried. Despite them being in the same building, the nature of Freddie’s job made it difficult to keep an eye on his younger brother.
“No, not since this morning. No news is good news, right?” Sammi considered.
“I guess. I know it’s been months, but I’m worried, Sam. I’ve seen enough out of the ordinary things to know anything could go wrong. I wanted him kept away from this for a reason,” Freddie vented. Ever since that terrible day by the bridge, Freddie had been concerned about Jonah, and the scratch he’d obtained. The rest of the pack seemed to move on when it healed up, just the way a human wound would, but Freddie couldn’t do that. He was the closest thing to a parent Jonah had left.
“I know, I know. We’ll tackle anything that comes our way, just like we always do. Just think, if things had been different, if you weren’t a werewolf, we may not have met each other,” Sammi sensibly reminded, “You’ve saved lives. I met my twin brother for the first time. If Jonah’s a werewolf, or something else, then we’ll be there to guarantee he gets to make the best out of it too.”
“It’s not just Jonah, though. Jono scratched him. Jono, who’s been human for months now. He doesn’t have sharp claws anymore. How did he cause a scratch that big?” Freddie wondered. It wasn’t only Jonah he was anxious about; Jono had been one of his closest friends for so long, and if something was wrong, then it wouldn’t just affect him, but their entire friendship group, let alone Dylan. He wasn’t prepared to see them torn apart again.
Right on cue, a sullen Jonah slumped into the classroom, slamming his rucksack under the front desk. He huffed as he collapsed into the chair, dialling the dramatics up to eleven. Both Freddie and Sammi fell silent, unsure of how to divert the conversation and instead leaving behind an awkward, uncomfortable silence.
“You were talking about me, weren’t you?” Jonah sharply recognised, his eye contact with Freddie much too piercing to swerve.
“Yes,” Freddie realised there was no use in lying. Setting a good example was far more vital, “Nothing bad, I promise.”
“It’s alright. I don’t care. I just wanted someone to talk to,” Jonah groaned, enthusiasm drained from his body.
“No Leah or Ashton?” Sammi wondered. Jonah was joined at the hip to his closest friends, so for him to be acting so lonely was unusual.
“They’re both sick, which is interesting because I thought Ashton couldn’t get sick, but I spoke to Leah on the phone, she’s barely got a voice left. Whatever she’s caught, I got lucky, I guess,” Jonah explained.
“Not even a sniffle?” Freddie’s suspicions rose.
“Freddie, please,” Jonah rolled his eyes, “I’m fine, I swear, please don’t fuss.”
“Alright, I’m sorry,” Freddie knew not to worry Jonah too much.
Regardless, Freddie had lost Jonah’s attention. He was glancing out the window behind him into the playground, as if something considerably more entertaining was occurring.
“Um, it’s okay, I’ve got to go,” Jonah vacantly grabbed his bag and ran out of the classroom. Freddie shared a bewildered look with Sammi. Thankfully, impulsivity and general scattiness were par for the course with Jonah, so he was acting totally normal.
Nevertheless, Freddie’s nerves still refused to settle.
At last, a place he could hide. A place he could keep a low profile. If anything was still following him, there was no way they’d know he was hiding in the toilets. Nobody would ever willingly hide in school toilets. Perhaps this was the diversion he needed? The perfect chance to throw them off his scent.
It wasn’t over yet for Edmund, though. He was in an entirely different county, miles from home, whatever home was to him at that point. Was anyone actually missing him? Edmund doubted it. His foster family was the worst one yet, and it wasn’t like he’d been able to form anything resembling a friendship. He only had himself, and that was the way it had always been.
For now, Edmund needed to clean up. He’d been on the run for two weeks, and pit stops were few and far between. His money supplies were depleting fast, so perhaps a sneaky trip to the school canteen could solve a problem or two while he was there? It was the only option left.
Filling his hands with water, Edmund splashed it across his face. He braced himself for the intense pain of his cuts stinging, but nothing came. Taking a further look in the mirror ahead, Edmund could hardly believe it. Without any dirt to obscure his view, Edmund could get a good look at his face. He remembered the pain of the cuts inflicted by the bushes he’d hidden in, and the scrapes across his cheek when he’d tripped and faceplanted the road. That was only a couple of days ago, so how was his skin looking better than ever, without as much as a scab or scar?
“Um, hi,” a voice startled Edmund from behind. His face still dripping wet, he anxiously spun to face another lad staring at him with a friendly smile. He remained a couple of metres back, but everything about his demeanour said he wasn’t a threat.
“What do you want?” Edmund bluntly said. Friendly or not, he didn’t have time for chit chat. The fact that one person had spotted him was already one too many.
“I’m sorry, I saw you come in and I just wanted to check you’re okay,” he explained calmly, “My name’s Jonah, what’s yours?”
“Were you followed?” Edmund mostly ignored him. It wasn’t that Jonah wasn’t being nice, but small talk and pleasantries were miles down Edmund’s priority list at the best of times.
“Um, no, I don’t think so. The corridor was empty. What’s the matter?” Jonah replied. His smile faded into a look of concern as he evidently realised the seriousness of the situation.
“You wouldn’t understand,” Edmund brushed him off. He didn’t owe an explanation to anyone.
“Try me,” Jonah took a step closer and met Edmund’s gaze directly. Whoever this kid was, he felt genuine.
“You wouldn’t believe me,” Edmund calmed himself a little. Nobody else was around, after all. Jonah seemed truly kind, and so few people ticked that box.
“Okay, I’ll start. My parents are both dead and I live with my brother and his wife, who both work at this school, and insist on treating me like a baby because I’ve got a scratch on my arm,” Jonah explained, signalling to the bright red scratch that went halfway across his right arm.
“Shit,” Edmund sighed, “I’m sorry.”
“I‘m sure you have your own shit too, and you don’t have to tell me, but if you wanted to talk, I promise you can trust me,” Jonah assured. Edmund felt safer than he had in a very long time. Something about Jonah just felt right, and it was more than his adorable smile.
“I think my legs are more scratched than your arm. I’m a mess,” Edmund chuckled, ruffling his messy mop of curls.
“I’ll be home alone for an hour or two later, so feel free to come round, I’ll help you clean up. Meet me at the gate?” Jonah offered.
“Okay,” Edmund nodded. He couldn’t believe he’d agreed to that, but it felt natural.
Stomp. Stomp. Stomp.
No matter how hard he tried, Edmund couldn’t block out the sound of footprints. Unnaturally loud footprints, like a boot, but they didn’t sound heavy. It was like a normal footprint with the volume at full blast. How was that the case? It wasn’t even coming from the toilets. Either way, they grew closer, and closer.
“Are you okay?” Jonah asked as Edmund raised his hands to his ears, attempting to block out the horrific excess noise.
The door slammed open, the noise almost shattering Edmund’s eardrums. An adult male appeared, his lengthy brown hair cascading most of the way down his back and his body language seemed unsure. Instantly, he raised his hands, as if to prove he wasn’t a threat.
“I think we need to talk,” he said, not moving any closer, “Let’s start with introductions. Hi, I’m Dylan.” Edmund removed his hands from his ears. Somehow, the noise had gone. He felt calmer and safer again. Dylan wasn’t a threat, but who was he?
Forests were the most daunting places. There wasn’t one that didn’t put the frighteners into Jono. It wasn’t an issue with the forests themselves; the beauty of untouched nature was second-to-none, but there were too many hiding places. Too much that couldn’t be seen. Too much space. It was the unknown that terrified Jono, especially with everything he knew.
Jono felt even more exposed without the abilities he once possessed as a werewolf. At least he could typically hear if anyone – or anything – was nearby and be ready to protect himself. As a human, he felt like a sitting duck.
“This is where he was seen,” Ed announced, gesturing to the array of branches and shrubbery at the side of the road, marking the forest’s border. Jono scanned the scene quickfire with his eyes, but nothing looked immediately out of the ordinary. The floor was littered with the autumnal brown remains of dead leaves, leaving branches protruding outwards, making entering the forest a perilous obstacle course for anyone wanting to hide in there.
“Are you sure it was here?” Yasmin questioned, her and Jeremy stood either side of Jono, undoubtedly making the same observation, “You’d risk poking your eye out by going in there.”
“It’s hard to mistake this thing, it’s a bit of a giveaway,” Ed tapped the pole beside them, propping up the tall, obnoxious “welcome to Crystalshaw” sign. Even in the dark, it was unmistakeable.
“What was so bad that he had to hide in here from?” Jono thought aloud. If it were him, he wouldn’t have forced his way into those branches unless it were a life-or-death situation.
“That’s why I need you,” Ed commented, “Something here doesn’t add up. There’s troubled teens, and then there’s this kid.”
“I’ll go inside,” Jeremy volunteered; he was the only one who could heal, after all. Within a couple of steps, Jeremy had cut his arm on one of the sharp brambles, proving their point. Nevertheless, he was able to force his way further into the forest, and in the dark, someone would’ve been very well disguised in such an area.
“Another thing confusing me,” Yasmin considered, “Is why he’d come here. Why Crystalshaw, of all places? There are many other towns in the vicinity of Riverisle where he could have asked for help. There must be a reason he’s found his way here, right?”
“Um, guys,” Jeremy called from inside the branches, “I’ve found something.”
“What is it?” Jono eagerly probed, unable to risk climbing in to take a look of his own.
“Blood. A trail of it, over the leaves. Then it just stops,” Jeremy described.
“He’d have cut himself in there, like we said,” Ed mentioned.
“How long was he there for?” Yasmin questioned.
“A few minutes only,” Ed replied, “The footage shows him climbing out and running off before long.”
“So where did the trail go? There’s nothing here on the road,” Yasmin thought.
“I think I know why he came to Crystalshaw,” Jono had a lightbulb moment. They had every right to be concerned, “There wouldn’t be a trail from a wound that has healed.”
“He couldn’t have healed that quickly,” Jeremy mentioned, climbing back out of the branches to rejoin the group holding a couple of blood-soaked leaves in his hand.
“A human couldn’t,” Jono corrected. A worried, knowing look was painted across the group’s faces. Jono was desperate to track this Edmund kid down.
The photos Josh had printed out and blu-tacked to the wall beside his desk often proved to be quite a distraction. Alongside a family photo with Caroline, Ed, Dylan and Libby, and a separate snap of an adorable hug he shared with Libby, was a specially selected picture of him and Yasmin, taken back at high school. It was once Josh’s phone wallpaper, back when he and Yasmin were first an item, but it had remained a special moment from an otherwise ordinary day.
Since he and Yasmin had found their way back to each other, Josh had regained the teenage spirit he lost the second David led him astray and he lost the person he loved. It felt like a fresh start, another second chance that life had offered him, and Josh wanted to remember every moment. One photo of Yasmin on the wall had multiplied into half a dozen, with more certain to be added in time. Josh was madly in love, and deep down, he knew it had always been Yasmin.
“Quit daydreaming,” Lily wrecked Josh’s train of thought like a sledgehammer, “Or I’ll personally shred each one of those pictures.”
“I thought you loved romance,” Josh sighed.
“I thought you hated it,” Lily clapped back, entirely accurately. Josh had never seen himself as a romantic. He detested rom-coms, and he’d been through enough to know happy endings were scarce.
“Well, either way, you can shred these photos all you want, but I only have to look over there to see the real thing,” Josh debated, gesturing to Yasmin’s desk, on a diagonal to his right.
“I’m sure I can convince Jono to invest in some dividers, if you really want to make us the most unsociable workplace ever,” Lily refused to give up without a fight, but her smirk matched his in its playfulness. Yasmin and Jeremy had a science background so made for natural partners, and Dylan and Jono were inseparable in and out of work, so Josh had found himself working closely with Lily, and their gentle banter was the foundation of a productive working relationship.
“Alright, I won’t tell you what I’ve found on Edmund, then,” Josh playfully hit back, expertly pivoting the topic away from his love life.
“Oh, go on. I bet it’s not as juicy as what I’ve found,” Lily encouraged, sliding her desk chair over to Josh’s side of the desk without standing up.
“I wouldn’t bet on it,” Josh scrolled up on the overwhelmingly wordy document he’d slowly been sifting through, arriving at a scanned-in handwritten report from the sheriff’s office at Riverisle, “Edmund had spent eight months living with Mr. and Mrs. Murray, registered foster carers in Riverisle. There was nothing untoward reported until 27th August this year, when Mrs. Murray reported Edmund missing, three days after she last saw him.”
“Why did she wait so long?” Lily pondered.
“Mrs. Murray alleged Edmund had threatened her and been physically violent towards her,” Josh continued, “Yet, she refused a physical examination, and the house showed no signs of damage.”
“Okay, that’s freaky, because further down, there’s another report about the house from 28th August. The cops found it totally abandoned, no sign of the Murrays, all their belongings cleared out, even the carpet stripped and wallpaper ripped off. Nobody’s seen or heard from them since, so they’ve been declared missing, too,” Lily revealed, much to Josh’s intrigue.
“Then Edmund shows up here,” Josh pondered, “Damn, I’ve seen how messed up the foster system is, but this is next level. Something’s not right.”
“I told you it was juicy,” Lily knowingly raised an eyebrow, “Alright, you check the fostering history, for both Edmund and the Murrays, dig up everything you can. I’ll call Deputy Harding from Riverisle, she completed the search on the house, see if there’s anything more to report. Oh, and no more gazing at your girlfriend.”
Josh chuckled, but he didn’t need to be reminded about hard work. He’d grafted time and time again to build a life for himself, so a little effort at work was nothing, particularly when it came to uncovering another flaw of the foster system.
Every suspicion he had was confirmed. Dylan knew exactly how to handle the situation, but he had to be careful. He still knew so little about Edmund, but the biggest doubt was no longer there. His eyes told him all he needed to know.
Until then, Dylan had been going in blind. Most of the information he and Jono had been given about Edmund was vague and presumptive, but Dylan had good reason to be wary. Edmund’s foster parents had a reputation, and Dylan couldn’t deny how much it terrified him.
“Get out,” Dylan warned Jonah. He raised an eyebrow, but reluctantly followed the instruction, scuttling out of the toilets. Dylan knew how concerned Freddie was about the scratch on his arm not healing, and putting Jonah in more danger wasn’t going to help.
It was clear that Edmund had no idea what was happening to him. Dylan remembered those early days so clearly; the disorientation and confusion was at its peak, and for the first time in his life, Dylan had craved normality.
“What the hell?” Edmund gasped as he turned to face the mirror, observing a sight that was guaranteed to change his life forever. His eyes were glowing bright yellow, which had become normal to Dylan, but he knew how Edmund must have been feeling. It was unlike anything he’d have ever seen, but it was about to become a permanent fixture of his life. Edmund would never look at his own eyes the same way again.
“You’re changing. Your whole body is shifting. You can feel it, can’t you?” Dylan tried to explain. He had to be gentle.
“Changing into what? That doesn’t make sense,” Edmund grew frustrated, failing to retain any semblance of calm, “And who even are you?”
“My name is Dylan. The rest isn’t important,” Dylan replied, “Right now, Edmund, I need you to look at me.”
“But my eyes,” Edmund’s rage simmered into pure confusion.
“I know,” Dylan spoke softly, “Look at me, Edmund.” Edmund continued to gaze into the mirror, fascinated and freaked out simultaneously. He had no interest in paying attention to Dylan. Why would he? They didn’t know each other. Dylan had to resort to drastic measures.
“Edmund,” Dylan growled. For a split second, Dylan’s humanity faded. The growl came from a part of Dylan he seldom utilised but owed his life to. Without that part of him – the part his humanity was forced to cohabit with – Dylan wouldn’t know who he was.
Without another word, Edmund turned to face Dylan. He looked terrified. Too terrified to ask questions. Dylan hated doing that; it wasn’t the way he did things when he could help it. Building trust wasn’t about asserting authority, it was about a connection, but in his panicked state, that was near impossible with Edmund.
“It’s okay,” Dylan quickly reassured. The last thing he wanted to do was make Edmund even more terrified. Edmund, however, remained silent, “I’m here to help you, but I need you to listen to me.”
“I can’t stay. I need to run. It won’t be far away,” Edmund stressed, “And I don’t know who or what you are, but that’s not me. I’m not you.”
“Please, Edmund. Just listen to me. Five minutes is all I ask,” Dylan pleaded. Edmund was a tough cookie to crack; unsurprising considering his history.
“How do you know my name?” Edmund started to spiral again. Whatever Dylan was doing wasn’t working. He needed a rethink.
“Take this,” Dylan slid a card out of his back pocket. He only ever carried a couple, but with the kind of work he and Jono did, they never knew when they’d be needed, “You’ll need me soon, Edmund, but it has to be on your terms. Come and see me.”
“Why would I need a private journalist?” Edmund studied the card, attempting to make sense of it.
“Because we are the same, and I’ve got the answers you need,” Dylan confidently answered as he turned his back to leave. He knew Edmund would come – he was certain – but when he did, Dylan had his work cut out.
One free period had proved immensely productive for Sammi. Her workload had significantly multiplied since the new school year began, but she was ready for it; head of English was just the promotion she had been so keen to receive.
With ten minutes remaining until the end of the school day, Sammi’s attention had turned to her phone. A series of notifications loaded as per usual, with her working day providing barely a second to check whether Freddie or Jonah had messaged her, let alone anyone else.
Amongst Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat notifications, Sammi spotted a new WhatsApp message from the pack’s group chat. Sammi had felt a little distanced from the pack since Dylan and Jono’s business opened. Though a career with her closest friends was an enticing option, Sammi chose not to lose sight of the path she’d worked so hard for. Nevertheless, it appeared that many of the supernatural happenings in Crystalshaw were covered by Chadwick-Drummond, and Sammi was subsequently out of the loop.
The message was from Jono, reading “Please keep an eye out for Edmund Franklin, 17 years old, call Dylan or I if you encounter him. Thanks all” with a photo of a scraggly, slim teenager with scruffy hair and a sad slump to his facial expression. Sammi knew he wasn’t a student at Crystalshaw High – she’d remember that face anywhere – but she figured the message didn’t concern her anyway.
Catching her eyeline above the phone screen, a student backed off down the corridor, past her classroom door. Sammi knew that burgundy jacket anywhere. It wasn’t just any student.
It was Jonah.
Sammi did her best to keep a professional distance from Jonah when at school. Though he was her brother-in-law, she was officially his guardian and was not involved in his teaching. Despite this, Sammi’s intuition told her something was up. Jonah being out of class before the bell was peculiar, and backing off cautiously down the corridor didn’t suggest a toilet visit.
Ringing through Sammi’s brain was all of Freddie’s worries. It had been months since Jono accidentally scratched Jonah, and neither of them had displayed signs of anything untoward since, but Sammi understood where Freddie’s worries were coming from. Jonah’s the same age Freddie was when he became a werewolf, not to mention how the supernatural had a nasty habit of rearing its ugly head at the least desirable moments. Whilst Sammi didn’t want Freddie panicking, she was keeping her eyes wide open nonetheless.
“Jonah!” Sammi called down the corridor. Jonah stopped in his tracks, turning sheepishly to face her, “What’s up?”
“Nothing,” Jonah brushed off, “I just…I felt a bit unwell, but I’m okay now.”
Before Sammi could respond, Jonah had resumed his nervous jog up the corridor. Regardless of what he’d said, Sammi knew something was up. Perhaps Freddie was right to be worried?
Too much was running through Edmund’s head. He didn’t know what was happening or who he could trust any more. Things had gone from crazy to full-on off-the-chart ballistic in the space of a day, and he didn’t know who he could or couldn’t trust.
After all, he was still the prey, and he hadn’t shaken his predator off his trail just yet. It was far too close behind him for that to be the case. There was no way it was that easy. The word ‘easy’ hadn’t existed in Edmund’s vocabulary for years. All he knew was that staying still too long made him a sitting duck, and Edmund needed to keep running if he wanted to survive.
Whatever help Dylan was offering, Edmund didn’t need it. He’d survived so long on his own. He didn’t even know who Dylan was. Was he telling the truth? How did he know so much? He could have been anyone, and Edmund hadn’t been on the run for so long to just play into his hunter’s hands.
Despite that, Edmund felt trusting of Dylan. The way he commanded Edmund’s attention was something else. The way he spoke. That growl. Edmund couldn’t begin to guess what that sound was, but it worked. It calmed him down. His rage instantly switched off, all because of some growl. Whoever Dylan was, he knew what he was doing.
None of that mattered, anyway. Edmund had already been seen by more people than he wanted. He had to run before anyone else found him. Yet, there he was. Feet firmly planted on the pathway just outside the school. He knew he needed to run, so why wasn’t he doing it? What was keeping him in Crystalshaw?
The first reason on Edmund’s mind was blatant. All he could picture was Jonah’s adorable innocent face gazing naively at him earlier that day. He was as cute as a puppy, which felt like a stark contrast to whatever Edmund had seen in his own reflection. Edmund’s head was telling him to keep his distance, but his heart couldn’t have disagreed more.
Edmund examined the card he’d kept firmly in his hand. Dylan Chadwick-Drummond’s business card. Investigative journalist. An address. Was this his way out? Between Dylan and Jonah, Edmund felt seen for the first time in a long time. He had to make a decision, and quickly.
Though the advanced nature of her old job at the laboratory was everything Yasmin had dreamed of and studied for, there was something oddly satisfying about the little setup she and Jeremy had cobbled together at Chadwick-Drummond. Their equipment for forensic inspections were the absolute basics, purchased on a budget and placed in one of the spare bedrooms next to Dylan’s sizeable CD collection.
It was all Yasmin needed, though. She felt much more comfortable at work, surrounded by her friends, not to mention being able to help people and save lives, which is what appealed to her about science in the first place. She had no regrets about making the jump.
After all, she’d taken her favourite part of the job with her: Jeremy. Yasmin had learnt from her farcical suspension just how disposable and replaceable she was in a team she already felt disconnected from. Jeremy was the perfect partner, and for them to embark on a new journey together, Yasmin felt immediately reassured.
The blood-soaked leaves that Jeremy had scooped up from the forest were difficult to efficiently clean without removing any potential prints below the blood. Dried red splatters remained, but the dirt patters were clearer to observe with Yasmin’s careful handiwork.
“We’re not going to get much from this,” Yasmin commented, placing one of the leaves under the microscope in front of Jeremy, “Almost makes me miss the lab.”
“I mean, it wasn’t all bad. Until they suspended us on baseless allegations made by people holding a grudge, anyway,” Jeremy chuckled. Yasmin smiled; they could laugh about it, but she knew the impact it had previously had on Jeremy in particular, and that was a large part of the reason she didn’t want to go back. Yasmin was nothing if not loyal to her friends, especially when they were the only family she really had.
“Can’t say I miss seeing the Callahans around every corner,” Yasmin added, “Harry excepted, of course. What I’d give to see him around any corner.”
“Same. He was only a Callahan by name, because we were his family. I think we all know a thing or two about shitty parents,” Jeremy mentioned. It made Yasmin smile to talk about Harry occasionally; Dylan was naturally hit the hardest by his passing, but he was a friend to everyone in the pack, and the trauma his parents magnified had affected everyone.
“You and I more than most,” Yasmin chuckled. She’d buried the memories of her father deep down, to the point where she barely felt a thing for him.
Regardless, Yasmin had relived the past on enough occasions in therapy, with the pack, and countlessly in her own head. Keenly, she refocused on the leaf in front of her, “Hey, look at this pattern.”
“It looks like a pawprint,” Jeremy observed as Yasmin traced the perimeter of the faint mud mark scattered across the large leaf, “Could be from a wolf. A regular wolf, that is.”
“Wolves haven’t been found in California in decades,” Yasmin informed.
“Alright, a mountain lion. Heck, it could have been a stray dog,” Jeremy considered.
“This is Crystalshaw. I think we both know better than that,” Yasmin couldn’t ignore the full picture, “All the blood, paw prints, and a teenager acting strangely.”
“But werewolves don’t have paws. Trust me Yasmin, I think I’d have noticed,” Jeremy countered.
“Most don’t,” Yasmin replied. She’d read the Bestiary enough times to know the possibilities of the supernatural world were beyond any expectations they had, “First thing in the morning, we need to talk to Dylan, because I think Edmund could be in danger.”
Throwing his jacket onto his desk chair, Dylan felt relieved to be home. It had been a hectic day and it could easily have been a disaster. A werewolf unable to control his powers, in the middle of a school, could have been a death trap.
Despite that, Dylan felt like he’d achieved something that day. He’d already tracked Edmund down, and their discussion could have fared much worse. Jono always said how much he loved Dylan’s optimism, so Dylan could only look at the positives.
“I was starting to get worried,” Jono smiled, immediately gravitating towards Dylan for a kiss. It was the warmest welcome, and could calm even the greatest anxieties in Dylan’s mind. The effect Jono had on him was unlike anything he knew. Without Jono, Dylan didn’t know who he was.
“Only just starting?” Dylan playfully smirked.
“Well, I wouldn’t want you thinking I don’t believe in you,” Jono wrapped his arms around Dylan’s waist, pulling their bodies tightly against each other. Dylan was addicted to the pull of Jono’s gravity; he never wanted to move from that position.
“Your bedroom is literally metres away,” Josh interrupted with a cutting remark, the mood killed stone dead. Dylan had momentarily forgotten they were still in the office. It was a sizeable garage conversion at the front of their house, giving enough room for six desks as well as a couple of noticeboards plastered with photos and information. Of all the places to get carried away, it was the worst possible option, not to mention in front of Dylan’s brother.
“Sorry,” Jono sheepishly apologised, breaking the connection of their bodies with a disappointed sigh, reciprocated by Dylan. On the bright side, Dylan was certain they’d pick it back up that evening.
“Perhaps this is a sign that it’s time for us to clock off,” Lily smiled. Working with their friends and family was a natural fit for Dylan. They knew each other inside out, which benefited their work just as much as their personal connections.
“I’ll text Yasmin and Jeremy, tell them to give the office a wide berth,” Josh teased, wrapping his coat around his body.
“Not sure you and Yasmin have a leg to stand on,” Jono teased in return, much to Dylan’s amusement, “Alright Dyl, ignore them, how did it go with Edmund?”
“Could have been worse,” Dylan shrugged, “He didn’t attack me. I’ll take that as a win.”
“So where is he now?” Jono wondered.
“I’m not sure, I couldn’t force him to come, but he has our business card. He’ll be in touch, I know it,” Dylan assured.
“I hope you’re right. We’ve got Ed on our side but social services won’t be far behind. One wrong move and she’ll know the secret. Edmund’s secret,” Jono informed.
“My secret,” Dylan realised. There was more at stake than just Edmund.
“Precisely, which is why we need to get ahead of the game,” Jono noted, “Anyway, no more work. It’s just you and me now, hubby,” Jono inched closer, wrapping his arms around Dylan’s waist with a playful look in his eye. It made Dylan’s heart race. He knew what was coming and he could hardly wait. He connected his arms around Jono, weaving through his shiny curls. It was the cosiest feeling.
“All I could ever wish for,” Dylan inched closer, their bodies pressed firmly against each other. It was the only place Dylan felt truly safe. He knew Jono would do everything in his power to protect him.
“Um, sorry to interrupt,” Lily poked her head back around the door, “You’ve got a visitor. It’s urgent.”
The mood had broken again, but Dylan didn’t have time to be disappointed. Together, Dylan and Jono curiously dashed to the front door. Gazing desperately back at them with bags under his eyes was a nervous-looking Edmund. Just as Dylan had anticipated.
“Please, tell me?” Edmund pleaded, exasperated. Dylan focused, matching Edmund’s eye contact. Despite how unnatural it felt for him, Dylan needed Edmund to know he was serious.
“You’re a werewolf,” Dylan answered, keeping a straight, serious face, “Just like me.”
Nevertheless, the feedback from clients had been glowing. Chadwick-Drummond was a success, and word had already spread. They had received a variety of clients, from those wanting background checks on relatives or partners, to those hoping to track down missing loved ones, but whilst Dylan took a keen interest in every case, he particularly relished anything supernatural that came their way.
Dylan’s reputation as an alpha spread far outside Crystalshaw. He was proud to lead a pack as tightly knit as the one he was surrounded by, and it felt right to put that to good use. Though werewolf-related cases were a significant minority, they were the most satisfying to solve, as Dylan had been there himself before.
“Refreshments,” Jeremy announced, bringing music to Dylan’s ears as he gleefully delivered a different soft drink and chocolate bar combination on all six desks in the office. The mere thought of an ice-cold Lucozade had Dylan’s taste buds jumping for joy, not to mention the bonus treat of a Twirl. His child-like excitement about a couple of treats would never fade.
“Dude, you’re the best,” Jono excitedly gazed at his caramel bar. His pile of paperwork on the desk adjacent to Dylan’s had seen a notable reduction over the span of that hour too; even with the admin split between them, it had quickly become a mammoth task. There was no question about it: it was Dylan’s least favourite aspect of the job.
“I’m so ready for this,” Lily’s eyes widened in amazement. Her chocolate bar was the biggest of everyone’s, which had become the norm as Lily’s bump grew bigger and bigger.
“Why don’t I get a bar that big?” Josh frowned as a much smaller Aero bar landed on his desk.
“Get pregnant and then we can talk,” Yasmin defended Lily with a playful smirk, which she shared with Josh. In the months they’d been back together, they had both regressed to teenagers around each other. As sickly sweet as their flirting was, Dylan couldn’t help finding their reunion adorable.
“Alright, take ten everyone,” Dylan suggested, sharing an agreeable nod with Jono. They were both in charge, but as far as Dylan was concerned, it was a flat team structure. Everyone in the office was a friend or relative, and he asked them to join the team for a reason.
Dylan perkily swivelled his body to face Jono. They shared a relieved smile, before Jono broke the silence, “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” Dylan assured, “A lot happier now I’ve finished this admin shit.”
“I knew you’d fly through it,” Jono nodded, “If it’s ever too much, just ask me to take over. I don’t want you getting stressed.”
“Thanks,” Dylan smiled, “I mean, we’re the ones who wanted everything recorded. It’s a monster of our own creation.”
“We must have really hated ourselves when we thought this was a good idea,” Jono chuckled, “I guess we’ll all be doing a little bit more once Lily gives birth.”
“She’s a natural at this, especially with the girls. They trust her immediately,” Dylan concurred, “We’ll manage, she won’t be away for long, she won’t be able to sit still.” Jono laughed, knowing as well as Dylan did that he was speaking the truth.
“Ahem,” a polite knock at the door was followed by the site of a sheriff cap poking around the corner, “Hey everyone, am I interrupting?” Ed sheepishly entered the office, removing his cap and relaxing his posture as he met eyes with Dylan.
“No, not at all, please, take a seat,” Dylan beamed. He had relished working closely with Ed in a professional sense. For a change, Dylan had actual grounds to be gaining information from the sheriff’s department, and he didn’t have to persuade Ed to keep him in the loop like he used to. Dylan wasn’t just the curious stepson of the sheriff any longer.
“Cheers,” Ed breathed a sigh of relief as he collapsed into the chair opposite Dylan’s desk.
“To what do we owe tis pleasure?” Jono perched on the edge of his desk to join the conversation.
“I’ve got a real headscratcher of a case,” Ed explained, much to Dylan’s intrigue, “Missing teenager from Riverisle. Spotted entering Crystalshaw last night.”
“Sounds like your area of expertise,” Dylan thought, but he was curious. There had to be more to the story if Ed needed their help.
“I’ve forwarded you the report. It’s interesting reading, I’ll tell you that,” Ed mentioned, “I’ll let you read it for yourself but I think we need to find this kid, and quickly.”
“Where was he seen?” Jono queried, “Maybe there’s a clue near there.”
“I’ll show you,” Ed stood back up with purpose.
“Yasmin, Jeremy, go with Ed and Jon, there may be a clue in the forensics,” Dylan concurred, “Keep in touch if you find anything.”
“Of course,” Jono nodded, grabbing his jacket.
As they left, Dylan turned his attention to Lily, who had already loaded up local CCTV cameras. Though he didn’t work at Chadwick-Drummond, Freddie’s computer skills had proved vital in securing tools that not even Ed knew they had.
“Okay, this is him,” Lily spun her screen around to show a school photo of a teenage boy with pale skin, scraggly dark curls that sat atop his shoulders, and a sorry, miserable expression painted across his tired face. Immediately, Dylan’s heart grew heavy. The kid looked deeply unhappy in the photo, and Dylan hated to think what was bubbling away under the surface.
“What’s the name?” Josh questioned, hands poised above his keyboard.
“Edmund,” Lily read aloud, “Edmund Franklin.”
“Alright, all hands on deck,” Dylan commented, “Let’s find this kid.” He was determined to do all he could to help, because if Dylan’s gut instinct was correct, there was a lot more going on than meets the eye.
Lunch with Sammi was always Freddie’s favourite part of the day. Typically, he remained inside his bubble, the school’s IT support office providing safe refuge from hordes of teenagers in just about every other room in the building. His lunch hour provided a welcome change of scenery, and a chance for some quiet, alone time with his wife in her classroom.
Whilst Freddie was glad to be out of the dingy office space he shared with Charlie, Sammi always looked like she craved the respite like her lungs craved oxygen. Freddie knew how passionate Sammi was about teaching, but the amount of preparation she slogged through each night was exhausting to watch, without her then having to deliver it. Freddie was in awe of everything Sammi did, and that was before he considered all she did for him outside of work.
“They’re a good class, I couldn’t ask for anything better, in fact, but damn, they drain me. Sometimes I think they’re smarter than me,” Sammi vented.
“If they think that then they can show us the pictures of their college graduation,” Freddie backed Sammi up without a second thought, “You know your stuff, but this is your first senior AP literature class. You’ll figure it out.”
Sammi smiled and nodded. Freddie’s heart fluttered. She had the most beautiful smile, and it lit her entire face up every time. If Freddie had his way, Sammi would never have a reason not to be grinning from ear-to-ear.
“Have you seen Jonah around today?” Freddie queried. Despite them being in the same building, the nature of Freddie’s job made it difficult to keep an eye on his younger brother.
“No, not since this morning. No news is good news, right?” Sammi considered.
“I guess. I know it’s been months, but I’m worried, Sam. I’ve seen enough out of the ordinary things to know anything could go wrong. I wanted him kept away from this for a reason,” Freddie vented. Ever since that terrible day by the bridge, Freddie had been concerned about Jonah, and the scratch he’d obtained. The rest of the pack seemed to move on when it healed up, just the way a human wound would, but Freddie couldn’t do that. He was the closest thing to a parent Jonah had left.
“I know, I know. We’ll tackle anything that comes our way, just like we always do. Just think, if things had been different, if you weren’t a werewolf, we may not have met each other,” Sammi sensibly reminded, “You’ve saved lives. I met my twin brother for the first time. If Jonah’s a werewolf, or something else, then we’ll be there to guarantee he gets to make the best out of it too.”
“It’s not just Jonah, though. Jono scratched him. Jono, who’s been human for months now. He doesn’t have sharp claws anymore. How did he cause a scratch that big?” Freddie wondered. It wasn’t only Jonah he was anxious about; Jono had been one of his closest friends for so long, and if something was wrong, then it wouldn’t just affect him, but their entire friendship group, let alone Dylan. He wasn’t prepared to see them torn apart again.
Right on cue, a sullen Jonah slumped into the classroom, slamming his rucksack under the front desk. He huffed as he collapsed into the chair, dialling the dramatics up to eleven. Both Freddie and Sammi fell silent, unsure of how to divert the conversation and instead leaving behind an awkward, uncomfortable silence.
“You were talking about me, weren’t you?” Jonah sharply recognised, his eye contact with Freddie much too piercing to swerve.
“Yes,” Freddie realised there was no use in lying. Setting a good example was far more vital, “Nothing bad, I promise.”
“It’s alright. I don’t care. I just wanted someone to talk to,” Jonah groaned, enthusiasm drained from his body.
“No Leah or Ashton?” Sammi wondered. Jonah was joined at the hip to his closest friends, so for him to be acting so lonely was unusual.
“They’re both sick, which is interesting because I thought Ashton couldn’t get sick, but I spoke to Leah on the phone, she’s barely got a voice left. Whatever she’s caught, I got lucky, I guess,” Jonah explained.
“Not even a sniffle?” Freddie’s suspicions rose.
“Freddie, please,” Jonah rolled his eyes, “I’m fine, I swear, please don’t fuss.”
“Alright, I’m sorry,” Freddie knew not to worry Jonah too much.
Regardless, Freddie had lost Jonah’s attention. He was glancing out the window behind him into the playground, as if something considerably more entertaining was occurring.
“Um, it’s okay, I’ve got to go,” Jonah vacantly grabbed his bag and ran out of the classroom. Freddie shared a bewildered look with Sammi. Thankfully, impulsivity and general scattiness were par for the course with Jonah, so he was acting totally normal.
Nevertheless, Freddie’s nerves still refused to settle.
At last, a place he could hide. A place he could keep a low profile. If anything was still following him, there was no way they’d know he was hiding in the toilets. Nobody would ever willingly hide in school toilets. Perhaps this was the diversion he needed? The perfect chance to throw them off his scent.
It wasn’t over yet for Edmund, though. He was in an entirely different county, miles from home, whatever home was to him at that point. Was anyone actually missing him? Edmund doubted it. His foster family was the worst one yet, and it wasn’t like he’d been able to form anything resembling a friendship. He only had himself, and that was the way it had always been.
For now, Edmund needed to clean up. He’d been on the run for two weeks, and pit stops were few and far between. His money supplies were depleting fast, so perhaps a sneaky trip to the school canteen could solve a problem or two while he was there? It was the only option left.
Filling his hands with water, Edmund splashed it across his face. He braced himself for the intense pain of his cuts stinging, but nothing came. Taking a further look in the mirror ahead, Edmund could hardly believe it. Without any dirt to obscure his view, Edmund could get a good look at his face. He remembered the pain of the cuts inflicted by the bushes he’d hidden in, and the scrapes across his cheek when he’d tripped and faceplanted the road. That was only a couple of days ago, so how was his skin looking better than ever, without as much as a scab or scar?
“Um, hi,” a voice startled Edmund from behind. His face still dripping wet, he anxiously spun to face another lad staring at him with a friendly smile. He remained a couple of metres back, but everything about his demeanour said he wasn’t a threat.
“What do you want?” Edmund bluntly said. Friendly or not, he didn’t have time for chit chat. The fact that one person had spotted him was already one too many.
“I’m sorry, I saw you come in and I just wanted to check you’re okay,” he explained calmly, “My name’s Jonah, what’s yours?”
“Were you followed?” Edmund mostly ignored him. It wasn’t that Jonah wasn’t being nice, but small talk and pleasantries were miles down Edmund’s priority list at the best of times.
“Um, no, I don’t think so. The corridor was empty. What’s the matter?” Jonah replied. His smile faded into a look of concern as he evidently realised the seriousness of the situation.
“You wouldn’t understand,” Edmund brushed him off. He didn’t owe an explanation to anyone.
“Try me,” Jonah took a step closer and met Edmund’s gaze directly. Whoever this kid was, he felt genuine.
“You wouldn’t believe me,” Edmund calmed himself a little. Nobody else was around, after all. Jonah seemed truly kind, and so few people ticked that box.
“Okay, I’ll start. My parents are both dead and I live with my brother and his wife, who both work at this school, and insist on treating me like a baby because I’ve got a scratch on my arm,” Jonah explained, signalling to the bright red scratch that went halfway across his right arm.
“Shit,” Edmund sighed, “I’m sorry.”
“I‘m sure you have your own shit too, and you don’t have to tell me, but if you wanted to talk, I promise you can trust me,” Jonah assured. Edmund felt safer than he had in a very long time. Something about Jonah just felt right, and it was more than his adorable smile.
“I think my legs are more scratched than your arm. I’m a mess,” Edmund chuckled, ruffling his messy mop of curls.
“I’ll be home alone for an hour or two later, so feel free to come round, I’ll help you clean up. Meet me at the gate?” Jonah offered.
“Okay,” Edmund nodded. He couldn’t believe he’d agreed to that, but it felt natural.
Stomp. Stomp. Stomp.
No matter how hard he tried, Edmund couldn’t block out the sound of footprints. Unnaturally loud footprints, like a boot, but they didn’t sound heavy. It was like a normal footprint with the volume at full blast. How was that the case? It wasn’t even coming from the toilets. Either way, they grew closer, and closer.
“Are you okay?” Jonah asked as Edmund raised his hands to his ears, attempting to block out the horrific excess noise.
The door slammed open, the noise almost shattering Edmund’s eardrums. An adult male appeared, his lengthy brown hair cascading most of the way down his back and his body language seemed unsure. Instantly, he raised his hands, as if to prove he wasn’t a threat.
“I think we need to talk,” he said, not moving any closer, “Let’s start with introductions. Hi, I’m Dylan.” Edmund removed his hands from his ears. Somehow, the noise had gone. He felt calmer and safer again. Dylan wasn’t a threat, but who was he?
Forests were the most daunting places. There wasn’t one that didn’t put the frighteners into Jono. It wasn’t an issue with the forests themselves; the beauty of untouched nature was second-to-none, but there were too many hiding places. Too much that couldn’t be seen. Too much space. It was the unknown that terrified Jono, especially with everything he knew.
Jono felt even more exposed without the abilities he once possessed as a werewolf. At least he could typically hear if anyone – or anything – was nearby and be ready to protect himself. As a human, he felt like a sitting duck.
“This is where he was seen,” Ed announced, gesturing to the array of branches and shrubbery at the side of the road, marking the forest’s border. Jono scanned the scene quickfire with his eyes, but nothing looked immediately out of the ordinary. The floor was littered with the autumnal brown remains of dead leaves, leaving branches protruding outwards, making entering the forest a perilous obstacle course for anyone wanting to hide in there.
“Are you sure it was here?” Yasmin questioned, her and Jeremy stood either side of Jono, undoubtedly making the same observation, “You’d risk poking your eye out by going in there.”
“It’s hard to mistake this thing, it’s a bit of a giveaway,” Ed tapped the pole beside them, propping up the tall, obnoxious “welcome to Crystalshaw” sign. Even in the dark, it was unmistakeable.
“What was so bad that he had to hide in here from?” Jono thought aloud. If it were him, he wouldn’t have forced his way into those branches unless it were a life-or-death situation.
“That’s why I need you,” Ed commented, “Something here doesn’t add up. There’s troubled teens, and then there’s this kid.”
“I’ll go inside,” Jeremy volunteered; he was the only one who could heal, after all. Within a couple of steps, Jeremy had cut his arm on one of the sharp brambles, proving their point. Nevertheless, he was able to force his way further into the forest, and in the dark, someone would’ve been very well disguised in such an area.
“Another thing confusing me,” Yasmin considered, “Is why he’d come here. Why Crystalshaw, of all places? There are many other towns in the vicinity of Riverisle where he could have asked for help. There must be a reason he’s found his way here, right?”
“Um, guys,” Jeremy called from inside the branches, “I’ve found something.”
“What is it?” Jono eagerly probed, unable to risk climbing in to take a look of his own.
“Blood. A trail of it, over the leaves. Then it just stops,” Jeremy described.
“He’d have cut himself in there, like we said,” Ed mentioned.
“How long was he there for?” Yasmin questioned.
“A few minutes only,” Ed replied, “The footage shows him climbing out and running off before long.”
“So where did the trail go? There’s nothing here on the road,” Yasmin thought.
“I think I know why he came to Crystalshaw,” Jono had a lightbulb moment. They had every right to be concerned, “There wouldn’t be a trail from a wound that has healed.”
“He couldn’t have healed that quickly,” Jeremy mentioned, climbing back out of the branches to rejoin the group holding a couple of blood-soaked leaves in his hand.
“A human couldn’t,” Jono corrected. A worried, knowing look was painted across the group’s faces. Jono was desperate to track this Edmund kid down.
The photos Josh had printed out and blu-tacked to the wall beside his desk often proved to be quite a distraction. Alongside a family photo with Caroline, Ed, Dylan and Libby, and a separate snap of an adorable hug he shared with Libby, was a specially selected picture of him and Yasmin, taken back at high school. It was once Josh’s phone wallpaper, back when he and Yasmin were first an item, but it had remained a special moment from an otherwise ordinary day.
Since he and Yasmin had found their way back to each other, Josh had regained the teenage spirit he lost the second David led him astray and he lost the person he loved. It felt like a fresh start, another second chance that life had offered him, and Josh wanted to remember every moment. One photo of Yasmin on the wall had multiplied into half a dozen, with more certain to be added in time. Josh was madly in love, and deep down, he knew it had always been Yasmin.
“Quit daydreaming,” Lily wrecked Josh’s train of thought like a sledgehammer, “Or I’ll personally shred each one of those pictures.”
“I thought you loved romance,” Josh sighed.
“I thought you hated it,” Lily clapped back, entirely accurately. Josh had never seen himself as a romantic. He detested rom-coms, and he’d been through enough to know happy endings were scarce.
“Well, either way, you can shred these photos all you want, but I only have to look over there to see the real thing,” Josh debated, gesturing to Yasmin’s desk, on a diagonal to his right.
“I’m sure I can convince Jono to invest in some dividers, if you really want to make us the most unsociable workplace ever,” Lily refused to give up without a fight, but her smirk matched his in its playfulness. Yasmin and Jeremy had a science background so made for natural partners, and Dylan and Jono were inseparable in and out of work, so Josh had found himself working closely with Lily, and their gentle banter was the foundation of a productive working relationship.
“Alright, I won’t tell you what I’ve found on Edmund, then,” Josh playfully hit back, expertly pivoting the topic away from his love life.
“Oh, go on. I bet it’s not as juicy as what I’ve found,” Lily encouraged, sliding her desk chair over to Josh’s side of the desk without standing up.
“I wouldn’t bet on it,” Josh scrolled up on the overwhelmingly wordy document he’d slowly been sifting through, arriving at a scanned-in handwritten report from the sheriff’s office at Riverisle, “Edmund had spent eight months living with Mr. and Mrs. Murray, registered foster carers in Riverisle. There was nothing untoward reported until 27th August this year, when Mrs. Murray reported Edmund missing, three days after she last saw him.”
“Why did she wait so long?” Lily pondered.
“Mrs. Murray alleged Edmund had threatened her and been physically violent towards her,” Josh continued, “Yet, she refused a physical examination, and the house showed no signs of damage.”
“Okay, that’s freaky, because further down, there’s another report about the house from 28th August. The cops found it totally abandoned, no sign of the Murrays, all their belongings cleared out, even the carpet stripped and wallpaper ripped off. Nobody’s seen or heard from them since, so they’ve been declared missing, too,” Lily revealed, much to Josh’s intrigue.
“Then Edmund shows up here,” Josh pondered, “Damn, I’ve seen how messed up the foster system is, but this is next level. Something’s not right.”
“I told you it was juicy,” Lily knowingly raised an eyebrow, “Alright, you check the fostering history, for both Edmund and the Murrays, dig up everything you can. I’ll call Deputy Harding from Riverisle, she completed the search on the house, see if there’s anything more to report. Oh, and no more gazing at your girlfriend.”
Josh chuckled, but he didn’t need to be reminded about hard work. He’d grafted time and time again to build a life for himself, so a little effort at work was nothing, particularly when it came to uncovering another flaw of the foster system.
Every suspicion he had was confirmed. Dylan knew exactly how to handle the situation, but he had to be careful. He still knew so little about Edmund, but the biggest doubt was no longer there. His eyes told him all he needed to know.
Until then, Dylan had been going in blind. Most of the information he and Jono had been given about Edmund was vague and presumptive, but Dylan had good reason to be wary. Edmund’s foster parents had a reputation, and Dylan couldn’t deny how much it terrified him.
“Get out,” Dylan warned Jonah. He raised an eyebrow, but reluctantly followed the instruction, scuttling out of the toilets. Dylan knew how concerned Freddie was about the scratch on his arm not healing, and putting Jonah in more danger wasn’t going to help.
It was clear that Edmund had no idea what was happening to him. Dylan remembered those early days so clearly; the disorientation and confusion was at its peak, and for the first time in his life, Dylan had craved normality.
“What the hell?” Edmund gasped as he turned to face the mirror, observing a sight that was guaranteed to change his life forever. His eyes were glowing bright yellow, which had become normal to Dylan, but he knew how Edmund must have been feeling. It was unlike anything he’d have ever seen, but it was about to become a permanent fixture of his life. Edmund would never look at his own eyes the same way again.
“You’re changing. Your whole body is shifting. You can feel it, can’t you?” Dylan tried to explain. He had to be gentle.
“Changing into what? That doesn’t make sense,” Edmund grew frustrated, failing to retain any semblance of calm, “And who even are you?”
“My name is Dylan. The rest isn’t important,” Dylan replied, “Right now, Edmund, I need you to look at me.”
“But my eyes,” Edmund’s rage simmered into pure confusion.
“I know,” Dylan spoke softly, “Look at me, Edmund.” Edmund continued to gaze into the mirror, fascinated and freaked out simultaneously. He had no interest in paying attention to Dylan. Why would he? They didn’t know each other. Dylan had to resort to drastic measures.
“Edmund,” Dylan growled. For a split second, Dylan’s humanity faded. The growl came from a part of Dylan he seldom utilised but owed his life to. Without that part of him – the part his humanity was forced to cohabit with – Dylan wouldn’t know who he was.
Without another word, Edmund turned to face Dylan. He looked terrified. Too terrified to ask questions. Dylan hated doing that; it wasn’t the way he did things when he could help it. Building trust wasn’t about asserting authority, it was about a connection, but in his panicked state, that was near impossible with Edmund.
“It’s okay,” Dylan quickly reassured. The last thing he wanted to do was make Edmund even more terrified. Edmund, however, remained silent, “I’m here to help you, but I need you to listen to me.”
“I can’t stay. I need to run. It won’t be far away,” Edmund stressed, “And I don’t know who or what you are, but that’s not me. I’m not you.”
“Please, Edmund. Just listen to me. Five minutes is all I ask,” Dylan pleaded. Edmund was a tough cookie to crack; unsurprising considering his history.
“How do you know my name?” Edmund started to spiral again. Whatever Dylan was doing wasn’t working. He needed a rethink.
“Take this,” Dylan slid a card out of his back pocket. He only ever carried a couple, but with the kind of work he and Jono did, they never knew when they’d be needed, “You’ll need me soon, Edmund, but it has to be on your terms. Come and see me.”
“Why would I need a private journalist?” Edmund studied the card, attempting to make sense of it.
“Because we are the same, and I’ve got the answers you need,” Dylan confidently answered as he turned his back to leave. He knew Edmund would come – he was certain – but when he did, Dylan had his work cut out.
One free period had proved immensely productive for Sammi. Her workload had significantly multiplied since the new school year began, but she was ready for it; head of English was just the promotion she had been so keen to receive.
With ten minutes remaining until the end of the school day, Sammi’s attention had turned to her phone. A series of notifications loaded as per usual, with her working day providing barely a second to check whether Freddie or Jonah had messaged her, let alone anyone else.
Amongst Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat notifications, Sammi spotted a new WhatsApp message from the pack’s group chat. Sammi had felt a little distanced from the pack since Dylan and Jono’s business opened. Though a career with her closest friends was an enticing option, Sammi chose not to lose sight of the path she’d worked so hard for. Nevertheless, it appeared that many of the supernatural happenings in Crystalshaw were covered by Chadwick-Drummond, and Sammi was subsequently out of the loop.
The message was from Jono, reading “Please keep an eye out for Edmund Franklin, 17 years old, call Dylan or I if you encounter him. Thanks all” with a photo of a scraggly, slim teenager with scruffy hair and a sad slump to his facial expression. Sammi knew he wasn’t a student at Crystalshaw High – she’d remember that face anywhere – but she figured the message didn’t concern her anyway.
Catching her eyeline above the phone screen, a student backed off down the corridor, past her classroom door. Sammi knew that burgundy jacket anywhere. It wasn’t just any student.
It was Jonah.
Sammi did her best to keep a professional distance from Jonah when at school. Though he was her brother-in-law, she was officially his guardian and was not involved in his teaching. Despite this, Sammi’s intuition told her something was up. Jonah being out of class before the bell was peculiar, and backing off cautiously down the corridor didn’t suggest a toilet visit.
Ringing through Sammi’s brain was all of Freddie’s worries. It had been months since Jono accidentally scratched Jonah, and neither of them had displayed signs of anything untoward since, but Sammi understood where Freddie’s worries were coming from. Jonah’s the same age Freddie was when he became a werewolf, not to mention how the supernatural had a nasty habit of rearing its ugly head at the least desirable moments. Whilst Sammi didn’t want Freddie panicking, she was keeping her eyes wide open nonetheless.
“Jonah!” Sammi called down the corridor. Jonah stopped in his tracks, turning sheepishly to face her, “What’s up?”
“Nothing,” Jonah brushed off, “I just…I felt a bit unwell, but I’m okay now.”
Before Sammi could respond, Jonah had resumed his nervous jog up the corridor. Regardless of what he’d said, Sammi knew something was up. Perhaps Freddie was right to be worried?
Too much was running through Edmund’s head. He didn’t know what was happening or who he could trust any more. Things had gone from crazy to full-on off-the-chart ballistic in the space of a day, and he didn’t know who he could or couldn’t trust.
After all, he was still the prey, and he hadn’t shaken his predator off his trail just yet. It was far too close behind him for that to be the case. There was no way it was that easy. The word ‘easy’ hadn’t existed in Edmund’s vocabulary for years. All he knew was that staying still too long made him a sitting duck, and Edmund needed to keep running if he wanted to survive.
Whatever help Dylan was offering, Edmund didn’t need it. He’d survived so long on his own. He didn’t even know who Dylan was. Was he telling the truth? How did he know so much? He could have been anyone, and Edmund hadn’t been on the run for so long to just play into his hunter’s hands.
Despite that, Edmund felt trusting of Dylan. The way he commanded Edmund’s attention was something else. The way he spoke. That growl. Edmund couldn’t begin to guess what that sound was, but it worked. It calmed him down. His rage instantly switched off, all because of some growl. Whoever Dylan was, he knew what he was doing.
None of that mattered, anyway. Edmund had already been seen by more people than he wanted. He had to run before anyone else found him. Yet, there he was. Feet firmly planted on the pathway just outside the school. He knew he needed to run, so why wasn’t he doing it? What was keeping him in Crystalshaw?
The first reason on Edmund’s mind was blatant. All he could picture was Jonah’s adorable innocent face gazing naively at him earlier that day. He was as cute as a puppy, which felt like a stark contrast to whatever Edmund had seen in his own reflection. Edmund’s head was telling him to keep his distance, but his heart couldn’t have disagreed more.
Edmund examined the card he’d kept firmly in his hand. Dylan Chadwick-Drummond’s business card. Investigative journalist. An address. Was this his way out? Between Dylan and Jonah, Edmund felt seen for the first time in a long time. He had to make a decision, and quickly.
Though the advanced nature of her old job at the laboratory was everything Yasmin had dreamed of and studied for, there was something oddly satisfying about the little setup she and Jeremy had cobbled together at Chadwick-Drummond. Their equipment for forensic inspections were the absolute basics, purchased on a budget and placed in one of the spare bedrooms next to Dylan’s sizeable CD collection.
It was all Yasmin needed, though. She felt much more comfortable at work, surrounded by her friends, not to mention being able to help people and save lives, which is what appealed to her about science in the first place. She had no regrets about making the jump.
After all, she’d taken her favourite part of the job with her: Jeremy. Yasmin had learnt from her farcical suspension just how disposable and replaceable she was in a team she already felt disconnected from. Jeremy was the perfect partner, and for them to embark on a new journey together, Yasmin felt immediately reassured.
The blood-soaked leaves that Jeremy had scooped up from the forest were difficult to efficiently clean without removing any potential prints below the blood. Dried red splatters remained, but the dirt patters were clearer to observe with Yasmin’s careful handiwork.
“We’re not going to get much from this,” Yasmin commented, placing one of the leaves under the microscope in front of Jeremy, “Almost makes me miss the lab.”
“I mean, it wasn’t all bad. Until they suspended us on baseless allegations made by people holding a grudge, anyway,” Jeremy chuckled. Yasmin smiled; they could laugh about it, but she knew the impact it had previously had on Jeremy in particular, and that was a large part of the reason she didn’t want to go back. Yasmin was nothing if not loyal to her friends, especially when they were the only family she really had.
“Can’t say I miss seeing the Callahans around every corner,” Yasmin added, “Harry excepted, of course. What I’d give to see him around any corner.”
“Same. He was only a Callahan by name, because we were his family. I think we all know a thing or two about shitty parents,” Jeremy mentioned. It made Yasmin smile to talk about Harry occasionally; Dylan was naturally hit the hardest by his passing, but he was a friend to everyone in the pack, and the trauma his parents magnified had affected everyone.
“You and I more than most,” Yasmin chuckled. She’d buried the memories of her father deep down, to the point where she barely felt a thing for him.
Regardless, Yasmin had relived the past on enough occasions in therapy, with the pack, and countlessly in her own head. Keenly, she refocused on the leaf in front of her, “Hey, look at this pattern.”
“It looks like a pawprint,” Jeremy observed as Yasmin traced the perimeter of the faint mud mark scattered across the large leaf, “Could be from a wolf. A regular wolf, that is.”
“Wolves haven’t been found in California in decades,” Yasmin informed.
“Alright, a mountain lion. Heck, it could have been a stray dog,” Jeremy considered.
“This is Crystalshaw. I think we both know better than that,” Yasmin couldn’t ignore the full picture, “All the blood, paw prints, and a teenager acting strangely.”
“But werewolves don’t have paws. Trust me Yasmin, I think I’d have noticed,” Jeremy countered.
“Most don’t,” Yasmin replied. She’d read the Bestiary enough times to know the possibilities of the supernatural world were beyond any expectations they had, “First thing in the morning, we need to talk to Dylan, because I think Edmund could be in danger.”
Throwing his jacket onto his desk chair, Dylan felt relieved to be home. It had been a hectic day and it could easily have been a disaster. A werewolf unable to control his powers, in the middle of a school, could have been a death trap.
Despite that, Dylan felt like he’d achieved something that day. He’d already tracked Edmund down, and their discussion could have fared much worse. Jono always said how much he loved Dylan’s optimism, so Dylan could only look at the positives.
“I was starting to get worried,” Jono smiled, immediately gravitating towards Dylan for a kiss. It was the warmest welcome, and could calm even the greatest anxieties in Dylan’s mind. The effect Jono had on him was unlike anything he knew. Without Jono, Dylan didn’t know who he was.
“Only just starting?” Dylan playfully smirked.
“Well, I wouldn’t want you thinking I don’t believe in you,” Jono wrapped his arms around Dylan’s waist, pulling their bodies tightly against each other. Dylan was addicted to the pull of Jono’s gravity; he never wanted to move from that position.
“Your bedroom is literally metres away,” Josh interrupted with a cutting remark, the mood killed stone dead. Dylan had momentarily forgotten they were still in the office. It was a sizeable garage conversion at the front of their house, giving enough room for six desks as well as a couple of noticeboards plastered with photos and information. Of all the places to get carried away, it was the worst possible option, not to mention in front of Dylan’s brother.
“Sorry,” Jono sheepishly apologised, breaking the connection of their bodies with a disappointed sigh, reciprocated by Dylan. On the bright side, Dylan was certain they’d pick it back up that evening.
“Perhaps this is a sign that it’s time for us to clock off,” Lily smiled. Working with their friends and family was a natural fit for Dylan. They knew each other inside out, which benefited their work just as much as their personal connections.
“I’ll text Yasmin and Jeremy, tell them to give the office a wide berth,” Josh teased, wrapping his coat around his body.
“Not sure you and Yasmin have a leg to stand on,” Jono teased in return, much to Dylan’s amusement, “Alright Dyl, ignore them, how did it go with Edmund?”
“Could have been worse,” Dylan shrugged, “He didn’t attack me. I’ll take that as a win.”
“So where is he now?” Jono wondered.
“I’m not sure, I couldn’t force him to come, but he has our business card. He’ll be in touch, I know it,” Dylan assured.
“I hope you’re right. We’ve got Ed on our side but social services won’t be far behind. One wrong move and she’ll know the secret. Edmund’s secret,” Jono informed.
“My secret,” Dylan realised. There was more at stake than just Edmund.
“Precisely, which is why we need to get ahead of the game,” Jono noted, “Anyway, no more work. It’s just you and me now, hubby,” Jono inched closer, wrapping his arms around Dylan’s waist with a playful look in his eye. It made Dylan’s heart race. He knew what was coming and he could hardly wait. He connected his arms around Jono, weaving through his shiny curls. It was the cosiest feeling.
“All I could ever wish for,” Dylan inched closer, their bodies pressed firmly against each other. It was the only place Dylan felt truly safe. He knew Jono would do everything in his power to protect him.
“Um, sorry to interrupt,” Lily poked her head back around the door, “You’ve got a visitor. It’s urgent.”
The mood had broken again, but Dylan didn’t have time to be disappointed. Together, Dylan and Jono curiously dashed to the front door. Gazing desperately back at them with bags under his eyes was a nervous-looking Edmund. Just as Dylan had anticipated.
“Please, tell me?” Edmund pleaded, exasperated. Dylan focused, matching Edmund’s eye contact. Despite how unnatural it felt for him, Dylan needed Edmund to know he was serious.
“You’re a werewolf,” Dylan answered, keeping a straight, serious face, “Just like me.”
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Previous: "The Brink"
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Next: to be released
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