WOLF

Reconciliation

Ross stumbled back, his foot catching on the edge of the door frame. He fell back, only to be caught by someone he'd never seen. 

She smiled warmly at him, her blue eyes sparkling with amusement. Ross struggled out of her arms, backing into the room again. She was slender, but in a fit way, with skin far paler than normal. Her hair was platinum blonde, thin and windblown, ending in blue and red tips. He turned his attention from her, however, to where Bubbles had stood. He jumped as she seemed to appear beside him. She was tall and slender, her clothes more revealing than he would have liked, and her long, thick, red hair pulled back into a high plait. 

"Hullo, Ross," She smiled seductively, "How do you like my other form? I can be human too, if I want."

"Tat," He almost pleaded, edging around the woman toward his friend, "What is she?"

"Same as me," Taree sighed with a shrug, "Her name is Quin Cat, and she's kinda like a sister, now. These two are my brothers, Vic and Aeschylus Wolf. You've met Bobby, and there's also Esben and Jan."

"Wait, so, what? You turn into a wolf?" Ross breathed, already knowing the answer to the question as his eyes landed on the man on the couch.

"Technically," Aeschylus sighed, standing up and leaning casually on Quin, "I think I prefer Dingo, now. You know, considering." He flashed a smug glance at Quin, who rolled her eyes.

"We get it, you're married, big deal." She muttered, looking away and finally noticing the blonde at the door. 

"I thought," Vic piped up before she could ask, " He might want more examples."

"OK, hang on, everyone stop!" Ross snapped, his body language suddenly very jerky and sporadic, making everyone wonder if they made the wrong decision. "So, you're named after what you can turn into?" He glanced at Quin, who nodded, "So then if you're Wolf, you're what? A wolf?"

Taree slowly nodded, "I could show you, but I'm guessing you don't really want that right now..."

"My best friend is a werewolf..." He sighed, forcing a chuckle, "Am I high? Am I high right now, or dreaming?"

"We're not werewolves," Vic muttered, "The full moon had nothing to do with us. It's entirely at will. And you can't become one of us. It's a birth thing."

"Alright, so what's she?" He gestured rudely to the blonde, who still hadn't said a word. 

"Rosella," She said simply, her voice gentle and quiet, yet held no signs of timidity as she seemed to float over to Vic, leaning into his shoulder casually, "My name is Acacia Pale."

Ross swore under his breath as he ran a hand through his hair. He remained silent for a long while, staring at the tiles of the dining room, Taree's sneakers swinging in his peripheral vision. 

Finally, he heard someone move, and Aeschylus speak, "Alright, get your buts moving. Give them a minute." he glanced up to see the man pushing his brother and his friends from the room, flashing Taree a reassuring smile, which she seemed to appreciate. They seemed to have known each other for years, by the way they acted. 

When the rest of the adults had left the room, Ross finally found that he was able to speak. He slid onto the table beside Taree, but neither looked at the other.

"How long have you been... Not human?" He asked slowly, trying to keep a casual tone.

"Like he said," She replied flatly, "It's a birth thing."

"So, what? Some mutation, and when they find you they adopt you?"

Taree shook her head, her black and blue curls hiding her face from view, "No, it's genetic. My real dad was a Wolf. Mum's human, though. She used to be friends with Wendy, when they were young, and so trusted her to take care of me when I was a baby. She stole me, though, after the real Tatiana died. No one ever knew. The real Tatiana never left the hospital, so it was easy-"

She broke off, noticing Ross' expression. How had she been so tackless? He didn't know Tatiana was dead! 

He tore his face away, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the edge of the table. "I've never heard you call her Wendy," he muttered, "They think you're dead, you know? She got to them all. They've given up. You need to tell them you're OK."

"Wendy made her opinion of my kind quite clear," Taree snapped, "She forced me out. I would have stayed, if she'd given the option. But no, she told me to leave in the middle of the night, and to never speak to anyone in the family ever again."

"Why didn't you tell me, then? Why leave me to think you're dead? Hell, you're the one that told me you were dead!" Ross snapped, allowing his anger to take over.

Taree didn't even look at him as she said, "Kanon."

Ross flinched, confusion replacing all anger.

"She was hurt because of what I am. He wanted to get to me, and used her. He poisoned her, and I need to find an antidote. Problem is, I don't know where to start. He never comes out, and leaves his followers to do his dirty work," She touched her hair as she thought of the fight that stole her brother's eye, "It's a dangerous life. Aeschylus doesn't even interact with humans anymore, Esben has pretty much no emotions left, Vic has more scars than I can count, Bobby is half blind now, our dad was killed before Bobby was born, and I..." She trailed off as she touched the scar on her arm, under the sleeve, "I've only been in this world for a few months, but already... Janeer is the only one who got off well. He had to completely reject his wolf half, though. I don't even know what he looks like as a wolf. You need to pick one, or be hunted. Vic, Bobby and I are the only ones who haven't chosen, so we're the ones who get hunted... I just don't want you to get caught in the crossfire, like Kanon."

Ross didn't reply for a long while, letting all the information sink in, and then chose his words carefully. 

"So why tell me now?"

"I couldn't take it, anymore. I tried talking to you, because I needed you. You're my best friend, and I couldn't leave you behind. But it was killing me to pretend to not know you. I knew you were suspicious, but-"

She broke off as Ross pulled her around into a tight embrace, holding her close to him, as though scared she was going to disappear again.

The two fell into silence after that, but unlike before, there was contentment. There were no unspoken questions, harsh words to be spat, or anger to release. They were together again, and that was all they cared about.