Escaping Duty

Chapter 15

(This is an extra long chapter with lots of explanations)

Roland heard frantic knocks at his front door, and moved quickly from his room, as the knocking grew louder and faster.

"Alright, alright I'm coming!" he cried at the incessant banging.

He had been sleeping and needed all the rest he could get since after the wolf attacks. All anyone was talking about was protection against the animals in case they came back. All they could tell the public was to avoid the parks at night and the forest all together for now.

Looking into the peephole he saw that it was Mason and Jaden standing there, and cleared his throat. He knew he still needed to talk to Mason after the hospital visit, but he didn't know how to apologize at the same time. Opening the front door, he prepared his speech.

"I need to talk to you," he said at the same time Mason said.

"We need to talk to you"

Roland stepped back, noting both Mason and Jaden lacked shirts. Not to mention the dirt, and dried blood marring their bodies, and the blood around Mason's mouth. Whatever they had to say was most likely more important than his concerns.

"What happened?" Roland asked concerned.

"Hunters and the pack have come," Jaden said, walking past them into the house.

He was going to get some much-needed food, since shifting burned a ton of calories for their human bodies. Not to mention he was pissed at Yasmin for leaving him out there alone, where he could've died.

"Are you both alright!" Roland asked worriedly. They haven't told him much, but he knew they were on the run from a pack for something Mason had done.

"For now, but they know we're here" Jaden called from inside the kitchen, and Roland turned wide eyes on Mason.

The pack coming for them and hunters were not something he could brush off from Roland anymore. Looking away from him, he advised Roland he should take a seat on the couch for what he was going to tell him.

"Wait, Mason before you start I want to say I'm sorry for earlier. They told me what condition he was in, but they didn't know the extent. I wanted things to go better with him, than what happened with my sister" Roland blurted out before Mason could stop him.

"Thanks," he said clearing his throat awkwardly. "But we have more important things to discuss than my father."

He didn't want to think of the hospital. About how he couldn't bear to say anything to his father who looked nothing like he remembered. He looked pale, thin, fragile and bald. The man who had been a strong figure when he was young, looked as if a piece of paper could cut him and he'd die. But worse of all was the smell.

Mason could smell cancer eating away at what was left of his father. It was a wonder the man was still alive.

His rage that night wasn't meant for Roland. It was at himself for being a coward, and not searching for his dad in the first place. No telling how much precious time he lost because of that. In his anger, he had shifted away from the hospital, and that's when he heard Jaden and the hunters from afar.

"I've been selfish not telling you the specific reasons of why Jaden and I are here," Mason said sighing.

He thought of the best way to phrase it without driving his uncle away. Next, to him, Jaden watched not wanting to say anything unless Mason wanted him too. This was his uncle, thus he understood him wanting to be the one to break the news. Roland watched Mason face void of any telling emotion as he listened.