A Wolf's Betrayal

•Chapter 24• A Happy Family

Back at the factory, Jack stood by the big, heavy door. He was glancing outside. "Still no sign of him?" Jayden asked his brother. Jack shook his head and closed the door again. Jayden sighed and turned back to Megan. "He only left a couple of hours ago." She reminds them. Jayden sat next to the girl on the cold, hard floor. "Yeah, I know, but we shouldn't run around town all the time. We're supposed to be draining the life out of you right now, so yeah." Jayden replied. "Your dad, I get it." She fills in. Jayden scratches the back of his head. He glanced up at his brother. "You don't think he's doing anything stupid, right?" Jayden questions. Jack crossed his arms over his chest. "Of course not. He's not you." He replied. Megan giggled at his comment. Jayden snaps his head towards her. "You think this is funny, huh?" He asked her teasingly. Megan nodded as she laughed at him. "Don't forget we can still take your blood, sweetheart." Jayden reminds her. Megan finally stopped laughing. "I'm sorry." She apologized. Jack smiled at her and walked back towards the door. "Hey, can I ask you guys something?" She asked them. The brothers turned their heads towards her. "Who's the other guy? The one that walks in and out of your house almost every day?" She asked them. "That's Louis," Jack answered as he stood by the door. Megan raised her eyebrow. "Who?" She asked them. "He's our uncle- well, kind of." He tells her. "I can't follow," Megan replied. Jayden scooted a little closer to the girl."He's not our actual uncle. He's not blood-related. He's our father's best friend." Jayden explained, "He has been taking care of our dad for years. Supplied him with blood, I mean." He added. "Oh, that explains a lot," Megan replied. Jayden nodded in response. "Is he dangerous?" Megan asked them. "Not sure. He's quite a mysterious man, you know." Jack tells her. He walked towards them and sat down with them. "But you've got nothing to worry about. He won't come here." Jayden assures her. "Even if he does, we'll protect you," Jack added. Megan smiled at them. "Thanks, guys." She replied. She rests her head on Jayden's shoulder.

Meanwhile, Louis watched as the nurses rolled Bill into a room. He heard footsteps approaching him. He glanced over his shoulder. Jade was running towards him. She was about to run past the man when he caught her in his arms. The girl was screaming while tears rolled down her cheeks. "Jade, you have to calm down," Louis tells her. But she didn't stop. She screamed and kicked, trying to squirm out of his grip. "Jade, please." He pleaded, "Please, Little one." He whispered to her. She stopped and dropped to her knees, pulling Louis along with her. She let out one last scream before she burst into tears. Jerry watched as his sister broke down. "I can't lose him." She sobbed. Louis pulled her close to him. "You won't, Little one." He assured her. But she shook her head. "He can't leave me." She whispered. Jerry stepped closer to them, putting a hand on her shoulder. Jade snapped her head towards him. "Leave." She said. Her voice was breaking slowly. "I'm not going to leave you here." He tells her. "Leave!" She exclaimed. Jerry took a step back. "That's what you're good at," She continued, "right?" She added. He couldn't leave her like this. His baby sister. "Jade, I'm not going anywhere." He assures her. "Leave!" She screamed at him. A nurse came up behind the boy. "I'm sorry, I'm going to have to ask you to leave." She tells him. Jerry looked at Jade. "He's my father too." He whispered. Jade glared at her brother. Her eyes were red and swollen from the tears. "Then why are you keeping the only thing that can keep him alive hidden in the woods?" She asked him calmly. The nurse puts her hands on Jerry's shoulders. "Can you come with me, please?" the nurse asked him. The boy turned around to walk away. "You're going to kill him, you know," Jade called after him. Jerry kept walking, trying to ignore his sister's cruel words. "You'll kill him!" She exclaimed. 
As soon as her brother disappeared out of the hall, the tears came back. Louis wrapped his arms around her again. He kissed the top of her head. "Everything will be okay." He tells her. Jade looked up at him. "And what if it doesn't?" She asked him. Louis looked at the door of the room where his best friend was now in. He looked back at the girl in front of him. "Your dad's going to kill me for this." he sighed, "Come on." He said as he took her hand. 

A while later, the sun was setting already. Liz sat on the stairs waiting for Jerry. She scrolled through her phone. She snapped her head up when she heard the door open. Jerry stepped inside. Liz stood up and walked towards him. "Is he okay?" She asked him. He didn't respond. The girl stepped closer to him. She puts her hands on his cheeks. "Are you okay?" She asked him. "They wouldn't let me see him. My sister hates me. Everything's great." He tells her. "Baby-" Liz started. "Come on, I will take you home," Jerry said, cutting her off. But Liz shook her head and brushed her thumb over his cheek. "I'm not leaving you here." She tells him. He smiled weakly at her. "No, you need to go home." He tells her. He helped her put on her shoes and coat before guiding her outside. It was a clear night. You could see all the stars and moon in the sky above your head. A cold breeze brushed over Liz's face as they walked.  As they walked on the streets, Liz looked at him. "Your sister doesn't hate you." She tells him. He chuckles at her. "She does." He assures her. "No, she doesn't. She misses you, that's all." Liz tells him. Jerry smiled at her. They soon arrived at Liz's house. They walked up to the front door. "Just like I miss you." She added, "You're leaving again, aren't you?" She asked him. He glanced down and took her hands in his. "I don't know when I'll be back." He said. Liz bit the inside of her cheek. "Can't you stay the night?" She asked him. Jerry smiled at her. He brought her hands up to his lips. He kissed her knuckles and shook his head. "I have to go." He whispered. "I don't want you to." She tells him. He smiled weakly and pulled her closer. He pressed a soft kiss against her lips. "I love you." He tells her. "I love you too." She replied. She wrapped her arms around him. "So much." She added. Jerry smiled as they hugged. "More than there are stars in the universe." He whispered. He let go of the girl. "I'll be back as soon as I can." He assures her. "I don't want you to go," Liz whispered. Jerry cupped her face in his hands. "I love you, baby." He whispered and kissed her again. He quickly pulled away and made his way down the pathway. He waved goodbye at his girlfriend before leaving her alone by her front door. 

Meanwhile, Louis had pulled over his car somewhere deep in the woods. There was no sign of the town, cabin, factory, or life anywhere. Louis helped Jade out of his car. "Where are we?" She asked him. "The woods." the old man answered. He handed her a flashlight to see in the dark. "Where are we going?" Jade asked him. The old man shines his flashlight at something in the distance. When Jade stepped closer, she could see what it was. She glanced over her shoulder. "What is this?" She asked him. "A safe place." He tells her. They made their way towards the door. The old man opened the door and led her inside. He immediately shut the door behind them again. Jade shone her flashlight around the room. Nothing special here. Louis then pushed some boxes out of the way, revealing a staircase. He took Jade's hand and lead her down the stairs. "Louis? Is that you, old man?" A voice asked. Jade waited at the top of the staircase. Louis chuckled at the men standing in that room. "Gentlemen, we have a guest," Louis tells them. He glanced up and took Jade's hand. He guided her down the stairs. All the men's eyes widened when they saw the girl. "T-that can't be." The man up front said. The man stepped closer to the girl. "Parker?" He asked her.