The Blood-Book III

Chapter 26: Lucas Part I

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Lucas

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"Are you sure you're going to be ok?"

"Yes sis," I sighed out. "I'm just going across the line."

"Lucas, you know that's not what I meant."

"I know," I said with a tiny smile. "I need to go Char, you're right. It's my home."

"I know," she breathed back before she looked over her shoulder at Ryder standing guard over Dagny. "We have a spare bedroom if you need to come back."

"And spend another night in your pheromone reeked house? I don't think so."

"Lucas!" she swatted my chest while laughter poured out of my mouth. Embarrassing Charlotte had to be one of my new favorite pastimes.

"It's true!" Ryder called out.

Charlotte rolled her eyes, almost like how my dad does, while Levi talked with Ethan. I pulled her into a hug then let out a long breath. "I'll be fine Char."

"Ok well link when you're settled in?"

"Ok," I breathed back as my dad and Ethan walked to us.

"Come here Charlie girl," my dad said with a tired smile, opening his arms for her to walk into a hug.

Ethan walked to me and pulled me into a hug as well. "You can come back if you need to."

"I'll be fine Ethan."

"Just, well–just be careful."

"Geez mom, I am older than you, you know that right?"

Ethan pulled away and waved me off while Charlotte walked towards him. I rolled my eyes then stepped in line with my dad before we both waved to them as we made our way back home; a way that I remembered by heart. I had traveled this route at least a thousand times before.

Before.

To think that we were all caught up like pawns on a chess table. What happened to us seemed so small compared to everything now, yet the ghost feeling of knife against my neck reminded me that what happened wasn't small at all. Someone, that Hayden bastard, still has my pelt; and my dad has my fangs–my mother and sister's fangs.

I wanted to toss mine in the ocean and burn my old pelt. I wondered if it was even around now, if it had disappeared when I reappeared? My skin crawled at the thought, I hoped it did; I didn't think I would handle seeing my own skin leathered out like that well.

"You alright son?"

I looked over at my dad, who still at times felt like a dream and nodded. "Are you sure? We can wait a few more days."

Dad shook his head. "Nope, it's time to bring you home."

"Alpha Levi, am I going home or to Lander's?" Penelope asked.

"Well Pen, your dad said to take you home. If he's at Lander's though, we can take you there."

She sighed while she walked a few steps with us. "I should check on Lyle."

"How is Lyle?" I asked.

"That damn boy's a lot like the rest of us, been too close to shifting. Lander almost shifted out of his damn skin four times about three months before he finally did. I shifted the day I turned thirteen, almost drove my dad crazy. About every other week Lander would piss me the hell off and I would about come out of my skin. You were the same way, remember?"