My Stepdads A Werewolf

Chaper 6: The Kitchen Sink

Lori led Daniel up the narrow staircase of her tiny two-bedroom apartment, the worn carpet creaking beneath their feet. She pushed open the door, revealing a cramped living room cluttered with unpacked boxes and scattered toys. The sound of dripping water echoed from the kitchen, a reminder of the chaos that awaited them.

"Sorry for the mess," Lori said, flustered as she surveyed the scene. "We’re still trying to get settled in."

Daniel offered her a small smile. "No problem. Let me take a look at the sink."

As he headed toward the kitchen, Lori let out a breath, trying to shake off the slight tension building in her chest. It had been a while since someone—especially a man—had been in her home. She wasn’t sure if she was ready for that, but Daniel seemed different. Steady. Reliable. She just hoped she wasn’t reading too much into it.

While Daniel knelt down and began working on the pipes, Lori ventured into the living room, where Izzy sat slumped on the couch, arms crossed and eyes filled with suspicion. Lori could sense the storm brewing.

"Who is he, Mom?" Izzy asked, her tone dripping with accusation. "Why’s he here?"

Lori sighed, taking a seat beside her. "His name’s Daniel. We bumped into each other last week, and he offered to help with the sink. That’s all."

"Yeah, right," Izzy muttered, her eyes narrowing. "You’re going too fast again. You always do this, Mom. You meet some guy, and the next thing I know, we’re moving again."

Lori's heart sank. She understood why Izzy was worried, but hearing her daughter’s doubts stung. "Izzy, I’m not rushing into anything. Daniel is just someone I bumped into who could be a friend. He’s helping with the sink because I don’t know how to fix it, nor can I afford to hire someone. That’s all this is."

Izzy didn’t look convinced. "You say that now, but it’s always the same story."

Lori placed a hand on her daughter’s knee, her voice soft but firm. "I promise you, I’m being careful. I’m not looking for another relationship right now—not after everything. You don’t need to worry."

Izzy stared at her for a moment, then let out a frustrated sigh, pulling her headphones over her ears and turning away. "Whatever," she mumbled, clearly not ready to trust her mom’s words.

Lori let her be, feeling heavy-hearted. She knew Izzy had every right to be upset, but it didn’t make it any easier.

Just then, Zara came skipping into the living room, her face lighting up the moment she spotted Daniel crouched by the kitchen sink. She rushed over to him, excitement bubbling over.

"Are you going to be my new daddy? Daddies are meant to fix things around houses!" Zara squealed, tugging on Daniel’s sleeve.

Daniel froze, his wrench slipping from his hand and clattering to the floor. His eyes darted toward Lori, whose face turned crimson with embarrassment.

"Zara!" Lori gasped, rushing over and pulling her youngest daughter away from Daniel. "What did we talk about, sweetheart? You can’t just say things like that."

"But he’s helping!" Zara chirped, looking up at her mom with wide eyes. "That’s what daddies do, right?"

Lori forced an awkward laugh, feeling her cheeks burn. "He’s just a friend, honey. That’s all."

Daniel cleared his throat, standing up from the sink and trying to hide his discomfort. "Uh, yeah, just here to fix the plumbing," he said, forcing a smile as he wiped his hands on a rag.

Zara pouted, clearly disappointed, but then shrugged and ran off toward the living room, satisfied with the explanation. Daniel glanced at Lori, unsure of what to say next.

"I’m really sorry about that," Lori said, shaking her head. "Kids say the weirdest things sometimes."

Daniel chuckled softly, though the tension lingered in the air. "No worries. She’s just being a kid."

Lori looked at him, her smile tinged with gratitude and embarrassment. "Thanks again for fixing the sink. I’m really not good with stuff like that."

"No problem. It’s all taken care of now," Daniel said, his voice casual, but internally, he felt conflicted. The idea of being pulled further into Lori’s life, with her kids and her complicated world, made him uneasy. He didn’t belong in a family. He wasn’t even sure if he belonged around people at all, not with the secret he was hiding.

But seeing the way Lori had blushed, the way Zara had looked at him with such innocent excitement—it stirred something in him, something he hadn’t felt in years. A dangerous pull.

Lori walked him to the door, her smile warm but hesitant. "I’ll let you go. I’m sure you’ve had enough chaos for one day."

"Yeah," Daniel said, slipping his hands into his pockets, glancing back at the apartment. "Take care of yourself, okay? And, uh, call me if anything else breaks."

Lori laughed lightly, though her eyes held a deeper gratitude. "I will. Thanks again, Daniel."

As he left the apartment and made his way back down the street, Daniel’s mind swirled with conflicting emotions. Part of him wanted to shut the door on this connection, to walk away before he got too close, but another part—one that scared him—was already attached.

The weight of the full moon loomed in the back of his mind, a constant reminder that the monster inside him was never far away. And the closer he got to Lori and her girls, the more dangerous it became.

Daniel glanced down at his hand, where Lori’s number was still written in ink. He couldn't burn it this time. Sure he could wash it off but he didn't. And he wasn't sure wanted to to either. He didn’t know what that meant, but he knew it was too late to pretend it didn’t matter. He was already entangled in something much larger than he intended.

The world outside felt surreal as he walked, the vibrant colours of the setting sun painting the sky with hues of orange and pink. Each step away from Lori’s apartment felt like a step deeper into a complex web of emotions he was unprepared to navigate. He could still hear Zara’s innocent question echoing in his mind, a stark reminder of how quickly relationships could evolve in unexpected ways.

As he reached the corner of the block, he paused, looking back at the apartment. For a brief moment, he imagined what it would be like to have a home filled with laughter and warmth—a stark contrast to the isolation he had known for so long. But he shook his head, dispelling the thought as quickly as it had come. He was a lone wolf, and wolves didn’t belong in dens filled with families.

Still, a part of him longed to be part of that world. And as he walked away, he couldn't shake the feeling that this connection with Lori was something he needed to explore, even if it frightened him.

It was a path he had never intended to take, but now, it felt like the only one worth following.