The Equal Claim

Chapter 2

"Athena!" Ethan exclaims, clearly shocked at my arrival.

I could feel the tears brimming up in my eyes as I looked at my brother, who has now grown into a handsome young man. His steel grey eyes stare into mine as he walks towards me. I half expected him to engulf me in a hug, but  instead, he pushed me aside and walked past me, anger evident on his face.

''Ethan!'' I call after him, but he shifts into his grey wolf and runs before I could get to him.

I turn back and see the dejected look on my parents' face. "If you're going to push past me and run too, please be my guest,'' I tell them as I move away from the door to give them space.

"You're here not even for ten minutes and you've already started sassing us Athena." My mom scolds me. The waterworks started flowing as soon as I heard her voice. I took a step forward to hug her,  but she took three steps back and raised her hand, signaling me to stop.

"Why have you come back Athena, after all these years?" she looks at me with spite.

''Victoria, honey, calm down our daughter's back home after so long. Look, why don't we all come in and talk like civilized people, okay?" Dad tries to reason with her.

He motions me towards him and I wrap my arms around him, engulfing him in a bear hug. "I missed you dad."

"I missed you too princess, "he replies and plants a kiss on my forehead. Then we all move to the living room.

"Wait a minute so you knew where she was all these years and you've been helping her with her mundane human life!" shouts my mom, who was visibly angry with dad too now that the secret was out.

"Yes dear, I have been keeping tabs on our daughter from the moment she left. You didn't think I would've left a sixteen year old to wander out on her own. did you? I made sure she went to college and graduated, I also helped her in getting her first job, but the fashion line, that's all Athena." Dad explains with a look of pride in his eyes.

"You have a fashion line?" mom asks with interest.

I smile at her knowingly, "Yes mom I do, and you can have all the outfits you want,but you have let go of your anger towards me,  because deep down you know what I did was right and in the best interest of everyone, especially Ethan."

After much convincing she sighed in defeat knowing that I'm right. "Okay, come here," she says and envelops me in a bone crushing hug. phew, thank God for werewolf strength.

"I'm going to talk to Ethan, I'll see you guys soon," I say as I walk out the door.

"Be home before it gets too dark we are having dinner together today,'' Mom calls.

I walk towards the meadow that we grew up playing in, knowing that Ethan would be there cause it's his safe haven. That's where he goes when he's upset and wants to brood after his fights and breakups.

I see him facing the daffodil fields and try to sneak up on him, but damn those werewolves senses, "I know you're behind me Athena, I don't want to talk to you, go away."

I choose to ignore him and sit down next to him, "what's up brother, long time no see huh?" I try to make light of the situation and chuckle, but it backfires when he looks at me in complete bewilderment.

"You think this is funny 'Ena? You just left without saying anything and the only thing you leave is a measly note. You don't bother to call or even message for eight long years and then you just decide to show up and have the nerve to tell me long time no see! What's wrong with you?" he shouts at me.