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Part V

"Mysteries abound, 

where most we seek for answers."

- Ray Bradbury

***

We didn't step out of the house for the next three days.

I'd gone out the day after that night, albeit with a knife, but I had. I had to work, I needed to earn, but even I couldn't deny the slight tremor down my spine when I reached the garage. 

At the back of my mind, the image of the brown wolf was still vivid as the night before, and try as I had, I hadn't been able to shake it.

I'd worked at Rogers' all day, kept our conversation to the minimum, and minimum meant the time I'd yelled at him for bringing up the wolves. I'd left at seven in the morning, returned at eight in the night, and came back home to a frantic Finn behind the door. He'd burst into tears after seeing me, and for the next two days, going out became a metaphorical plague in the most literal sense.

Day number four: I decided it was enough. 

"You're going to school," I declared as Finn came down the stairs.

"No."

"Yes."

"No—"

"Look, Finn, logic states that the wolves wanted their pup back and traced his scent to us. Now that the pup's gone and with them, they're not going to come back, and I personally don't intend to take you anywhere near the forest."

Finn looked at me, his eyes pleading me to change my mind, and for a second, I almost did, before I realized that  couldn't possibly let that freak accident have the power to change how we led our life.

"Annie," Finn argued, changing tactics "don't you find it even a little bit weird that they came all that way to find their pup? I mean, most animals wouldn't. And—"

"Wolves are protective. They're like humans, and they'll do anything for their loved," I said, "and are you seriously suggesting that they're after us?"

Finn sighed, and I smiled, patting his back as he trudged back to his room.

When he came back, I was ready at the door. 

"Annie," he called. "What if....something happens?"

"Nothing will." I said firmly, before taking out a watch from my pocket. "I wanted to give you this for your birthday, but with your fight and the attack, I suppose you can take it now."

"A watch?" Finn asked, somewhat skeptically. "What's a watch got to do with this?"

"Its not just a watch, its a vintage watch," I smiled as I saw his skeptical look, "I made Rogers' give it to me, and I....tweaked it."

Finn frowned, turning the watch around. 

"That button there," I said pointing to the side of the dial, "that's a tracker. You press it, and I'll know you're in trouble and want me to come get you. Okay?"

Finn nodded and I turned around, opening the door to the house, before I felt thin hands around my waist, Finn's head on my back.

"You didn't need to get me anything." he whispered. 

"Have I ever told you you're an old grandma?"

"Thank you."

I laughed, pressing a kiss on the side of his head, before pulling him out.