The Middle Child

Chapter 25

"Alright, we'll see you after the battle," Grandmother Willow said with a reassuring smile on her face. With those words, they hung up.

 Alyson released a tense breath.

"You lot ready?" Alyson asked rolling her shoulders.

"After we eat we'll be ready," Daniel insisted. The group cheered and ran into the kitchen.
Alyson moved to sit in the corner chair until Hayden grabbed her arm and placed her in the seat she sat in the first morning she spent in this house.

"If you keep trying to separate yourself you'll lose us," he whispers to her. She nodded solemnly. Hayden took the seat across from her and sent her encouraging smiles. Kaden sat on her right, Dylan on her left. She looked around at the growth of the table and all the people around it. This group went from 6 to 10 that's not much but when it's people it makes a world of difference there were at least three conversations bouncing around the table, much like her own home. But this felt more alive, more like a family, home the tone felt chilled and cold.

"Alyson?" Dylan asked nudging her lightly. She shook her head clear of those thoughts.

"Ugh, yeah?" The table went quiet.

"I asked if you thought this way a good idea."

"What do you mean? The forest?" she asked. He shook his head no.

"No, the two of them sitting next to each other," Dylan asked pointing to Mason and Luca sitting together, the two look at each other and smiled evilly.

"No, they look like they're about to show me a dead body or something," Alyson said making the whole table rumble in laughter, the conversations picked up once again.

Then it hit her, the difference between the two tables is here she felt at home like her opinion mattered, at her house, she was silent and stiff like a statute. Her heart warmed as she spoke with the group of boys.

That moment, however, couldn't last forever. The sound of broken glass echoed through the house. The noisy chatter instantly stopped and was replaced by a thick curtain of fear and anxiousness.

"What was that?" Luca asked his tight fear stricken voice tight as it bounced through her head.

"I dunno but I'm going to find out," Dustin said standing up quickly.

"No! Not alone! We'll go as a group!" Daniel barked. Everyone nodded and stood as one. Somehow Alyson leads the group.

"How'd I get in the front?" Alyson questioned.

"You gravitate toward the front," Mason said teasing her.

"Shut it!" She snapped back. As Alyson rounded the living room she halted to the group. There stood a skinwalker it's body twisted and limping through their living room.

Alyson grabbed her knife from the side pocket of her backpack that she swooped off the back of her chair. She turned to the boys and put her finger up to her closed mouth.

"It's a Skinwalker," She said sending the thought out to the boys.

"Move aside I'll handle it!" Dustin says moving her out of his way.

"Stop! You've never fought a Skinwalker without your claws or fangs," Daniel said pulling his son back.

"So, you're saying that I should allow this half-breed to fight a battle for me?" Dustin says and lets a growl out. The skinwalker snapped towards them. Dustin steps forward Alyson let him past her. If that prideful asshole wants to rip apart then she'd let him by all means.

Alyson watched with a hint of amusement as Dustin went in and tried to slay the Skinwalker.
He punched it in, what Alyson assumed was, it's jaw. It held steady and didn't move but an inch or so, like it didn't feel him touch it.