The Strength of a Pack

Chapter 31

So this chapter... well, let's just say if you're not a Tyler fan, you probably won't like it :p

Chapter 31

“Do you know what it does?” Tyler asked, still analyzing the bracelet Jackson had given me.

“No. I hadn’t known what the necklace did either, until it had already served its purpose.”

“Do you still have the necklace?”

I nodded. “It’s in my room. There hasn’t really been a need for it, and it would just bring up questions from the pack if they suddenly couldn’t catch my scent.”

“I think you should carry it around with you. Don’t wear it, because yes, it would cause questions to arise. But, if something should happen and the pack… well, if you end up on the run, that necklace will come in handy.”

“Nothing is going to happen to the pack Tyler,” I said in a strong voice.

Tyler gave me a sad smile. “I hope you’re right. But, for now we should figure out why Dakotah went to the trouble to give you this. It’s not in a witch’s nature to help shifters. Like I’ve said before, we’ve never gotten along.”

“So, for now I guess I wear the bracelet and hope it saves me from imminent doom?”

Tyler gave me a half serious, half exasperated look. “If there is an imminent doom, coming, I doubt this bracelet would save your life. Secondly, don’t speak about the imminent doom, it will just make it come faster.”

I tried to laugh, but his words were too close to the truth. He didn’t even bother trying to convince me doom wasn’t going to come.

Tyler took my hand in his, and wrapped the bracelet around my wrist. “But yes, for now, keep it on. We could use all the help me can get.”

                                                           ***

That night, Tyler and I finally got our chance to go on our walk together. We’d waited until the children had finally fallen asleep, and the adults had either passed out drunk or gone to bead already having a head ache.

However, I was glad for the late night walk. The forest was so much more beautiful with the moonlight reflecting off the pure white snow.

“So, I’m guessing that’s the biggest Christmas you’ve ever had?” Tyler’s hand held hers, and despite the cold of the night, he hand stayed warm in his.

I laughed and nodded. “For the most part, it’s only ever been me and my mom, and Jackson and his dead would come over later on. The biggest one I ever had was my dad’s last Christmas… well, my other dad, obviously, not Mark… anyways, it’s the first Christmas I can remember. That night we had dinner with my dad, his parents, my mom, Jackson, and his dad. But that’s it, nothing to this degree.”

Tyler hesitated before speaking again. “Do you… do you miss him? You’re dad? I mean, I know you were young when he passed away…”

“I miss him all the time,” I said wistfully. “Even after he died, I don’t think I really understood it. I’d known he was sick, remember spending days in the hospital, but I never thought it was actually possible for him to just… disappear. I kept waiting for him to come back.”

“Did you know he wasn’t your real father?”

I shook my head, forgetting hat most people didn’t know much about my background at all. The pack had been told that Mark had a daughter he never knew about. They knew I’d shifted along while living in Northern New York, but that was pretty much it. Tyler knew a little more, but the father she’d known as a child had never really come up. And now, talking about him with Tyler, she was glad it had.