Small Town Love

Chapter 3

You walked
into my life
like you had
always lived
there, like
my heart, was
a home built
just for you.

A. R. Asher

On Tuesday morning, he drove both his sister and himself to school, Grace spending the 10-minute drive on her phone, seemingly more interested to catch up with the newest gossip than to actually have a conversation with him.

It didn't bother him, he happy enough to spent some time in silence and consider how the thing with Ollie's cousin was going to work out.

He knew that she had arrived yesterday afternoon, Ollie had been crabby all through their football training because he had just wanted to go see her. His instincts had been in full swing, a member of his pack, of his family, hurt and in need of comfort. The question was just how it had ended.

Even Grace, his mate, hadn't heard a thing from Ollie since they had said their goodbyes after school the day before and Luke could see that his sister was worried.

"You know, he would have told you if it was bad," Luke reasoned softly and his sister just huffed.

"Of course, it's bad. What do you expect? That girl just lost her only parent and was ripped out of her hometown, away from everything she knew only to be thrown to the wolves," his sister ranted.

"Literally," Luke commented drily, unable not to laugh at that and Grace reached out to slap the back of his head.

"Not funny, Luke," his sister snapped at him.

Thankfully the building of Fairbury High School, Home of the Wolverines (Luke swore that their whole pack had a terrible sense of humour.) came into view before his sister could slap him somewhere else.

"There's Ollie," he commented, hoping to distract Grace and it worked. He parked their black F150 that had been his and Grace's 16th birthday present from their parents next to Oliver's bright red Jeep.

Ollie had just arrived as well, slipping out of the car and Luke took his time to get out of the driver side, to let Ollie and Grace have their normal welcome.

There were some things a brother didn't need to see. His sister passionately kissing her mate was one of them.

"Hey, Luke," his best friend greeted him as he came around the car, thankfully not making out with Grace anymore.

"You look terrible," Luke commented. Ollie looked like he hadn't slept a wink last night and Oliver just shrugged.

"That bad?" Grace asked softly, keeping her voice down. The parking lot was still nearly empty and Luke looked around, trying to see if there were any other Werewolves there that could hear the conversation they were having but they were in the clear. No other member of their pack around yet.

"Yes," Oliver gave back with a sigh. "She's pale as a ghost looks like a walking skeleton and flinches away if you move too fast." Luke bit his teeth together at that.

"And she just...she looks so terrified. You can smell the fear pulsing from her," Ollie snapped and then closed his eyes, visibly trying to keep himself in check

"Mom is...Mom spent most of the night crying," he continued, his voice softer now. "It's not...I don't think she wants to believe that her own sister would...do anything to hurt her own child, her own flesh and blood but...but whatever happened to Daphne, it wasn't good," Ollie said. The way he said the last word told Luke all he needed to know.

Physical abuse didn't happen often underneath wolves, not when the imperative to protect was so strong. If it did happen...then it could get ugly fast.