Imprinted Hearts

Chapter 7: Trouble with a Capital T

When Ethan dragged himself back home, Marla was up waiting for him. Oh, the anger pouring off of her was enough to make Ethan not want to change back. In fact, in his condition, it was already becoming a struggle to stay conscious as his body demanded food to regenerate. Marching down the steps from her trailer, Marla pointed for him to go inside wordlessly. Both unwilling to argue and incapable, Ethan scurried up the steps and inside.

The smell of food was the first to hit him and it was all he could do not to attack it. Marla closed the door after him and set the food down on the ground for him to eat. Without hesitation, he dug in, knowing he was going to get an earful while he did.

But Marla stayed silent until Ethan ate all he could stomach. And when he looked up at her dolefully, she reached down and took the plate away and replaced it with a watering pan. Ethan drank deeply, and could feel his muscles slowly healing again after the vampire had attacked him. Two against one wasn't fair fighting.

"Can you change back?" Marla asked. Her voice was flat, emotionless, and Ethan wanted to hide under the bed like a child scolded and never come out.

"Marla," said her husband, stepping forward. She looked at him sharply, until he added, "We need to be mindful of his blood sugar. Changing back now will only hurt him. We'll have to wait until the morning."

"Alright," Marla said, pursing her lips. "See that he gets home safe, Patrick. I'll deal with him in the morning."

Deal with him, Ethan's thoughts echoed. That didn't sound good.

Patrick, the pack's doctor, or vet in this case, led Ethan to the door, and down the stairs to his own trailer. They walked in silence and Ethan was grateful that he couldn't feel the rolls of anger coming off of Patrick like he could Marla.

"She's disappointed, you know," Patrick said. "It's not anger, just disappointment."

Ethan let out a small noise. He couldn't stand Marla, but having her disappointed in you was much worse than her just being angry. Being disappointed meant she was worried and wanted to know every single detail. Being angry just meant she was going to yell at him for being stupid and call it a day. Ethan didn't want to give her every single detail. He wanted some privacy in his life for once. But it didn't look like he'd get it anytime soon.

"She's disappointed because she's going to have to speak to the sheriff tomorrow. They heard about the call your girl made to the local emergency department. The cops called back over the radio to bring animal control in because there was some kind of fight. Lots of blood and fur. "We thought you were dead," Patrick said.

Ethan considered his words quietly, his ears going back in shame.

Dead, huh? He thought he'd been dead too at one point. Especially when the vampire showed up.

"Here's your place," Patrick said quietly. "Do you want me to knock, or can you get in?"

Ethan pawed at the door and let out a dejected little noise. Perhaps he felt disappointed in himself. He hadn't been able to protect Hope from the werewolf and vampire, and now who knew what was going on back there... She was probably being preyed upon at this very moment.

Sitting down heavily on the porch, his head spinning with all the possibilities, he waited for the door to open.

"Marla?!" came Ethan's father's voice.

"No, this is Patrick," came the reply. "I've got your boy here, Victor. He's a little roughed up, but he's alright. We fed and watered him and-"

The door swung open and Victor hugged his son like he was in full human form, nearly falling out of his wheelchair to do so.