Lycanthropy and Me: The First Semester(mlm)

Day 54, Wednesday. Waxing Gibbous (Part Three)

Day 54, Wednesday. Waxing Gibbous (Continued)

After calling Tom several times, Grayson began to cross the lawn and head towards the Kahlo building. Before he could reach it, Tom stepped out the doors.

"Tom!"

The sight of Grayson barreling towards him was almost enough to get Tom to run inside. Almost. Lacking caffeine, he simply watched the Grayson get closer and closer.

"You're sure in a hurry." Tom stared at him blankly. "Did someone get kidnapped again?" When Grayson's face morphed in terror, Tom took a step back.
"Whoa! I was kidding!--"

"Hunter's missing."

They returned to Hunter's dorm room. As Tom sniffed around, Grayson gave the room another look. Hunter's duffle bag was half-open, and Grayson took a quick inventory.

With another full moon coming up, they had discussed future binding briefly. Even though he wanted to work through the shift on his own, Hunter had relented and talked about his binding materials--some of which were now missing.

"Someone else was in here." Tom announced.

Grayson turned away from the bag and stood up. "What?"

Tom's usual blank stare was gone, replaced with a grim gaze. "Another wolf."

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In between cases and ticked between itchy sheets, Abner had no desire to join the waking world that morning. His team's mobile unit was parked in the parking lot of a Motel 6. While Evangeline gathered information on their next assignment and Kale was buried in paperwork, Abner was determined to get as much sleep as he could. Nothing short of a blazing fire could get him out of his bed--

Kale's fist banging on the door brought him back to reality.

Cracking one bleary eye open, Abner stared at the door from across the room. When Kale's knocking didn't cease, he let out an angry growl.

"CUT THAT RACKET OUT OR I'LL CUT YOU LOOSE!"

Kale paused before responding. "But it's...Your phone."

Abner glared at the door, trying to control his temper. He had obviously left his phone back on the truck for a reason.  "I don't give a damn who it is, it can wait!"

Abner turned over, not wanting to hear another word.

"It's Lena Reeds."

Kale couldn't explain the cacophony of sounds he heard coming from beyond the door, but the wild look on Abner's face told him plenty.

He stood still as Abner snatched the phone and slammed the door in his face.

"Lena?"

"Hunter is missing."

Lena paced the floor as she spoke. "Grayson found his phone in his room, and no one has seen him for hours and--" Hearing her voice cracking, Lena paused and took in a deep breath. "One of the Hayes was over here. I know that has to mean something."

Dressing as fast as he could, Abner kept the phone cradled to his ear. "Now just sit tight. We can't have them thinking you're on to them. I'll check in with the kid and get back to you."

"...."

"Lena?"

"I'm here Abe. I just...." She stared at the store-bought baked goods Holly had left. "I think I gotta bake a pie."

With that bewildering statement, she hung up.

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