fangs²[wyatt lykensen]

1.2

THE SECRETS OF DECLAN

"YOU KNEW AS soon as you showed up that it was me, didn't you?" I looked up at the blond boy. "We were friends. Why didn't you say anything?"

Declan let out a humorless laugh as he leaned forward in his seat. "You didn't remember me, so what was the point?" He rubbed his hands together for a few moments, seeming to think over something. "When Josh and Willow—when your parents told me to find you, I thought you'd be happy to see me. But it was a long time ago and after everything that happened, I should've known that there would be a chance you wouldn't remember."

"I'm sorry," I apologized lowly. "I thought you were familiar, though, I just didn't know why."

"It's fine, Coraline." He gave me a small smile. "But taking a walk down memory lane isn't why you came here. What do you want to know?"

"How did you survive? I was told no one was left after the hunters attacked."

Declan's head tilted to the side and his eyes scanned over my face. "They really didn't tell you anything, did they?" He ran a hand through his hair, pushing it away from his face. "There had been a string of attacks the week before. They kept warning us to leave and if we didn't, then they'd force us out. The pack knew they were coming...they just didn't know how many there was gonna be." Declan shrugged. "They tried to get as many younger wolves out as possible, but when they went back to fight...there was only a few that survived."

"Who are all those wolves, then?" I leaned forward, balancing my elbows on my knees. "If there was only a few left, all of them can't be from our pack."

"They're survivors, Coraline." He gave me a small smile. "After the fight was over, your parents found the survivors of our pack and went from there. Those wolves are from all over the country. Josh and Willow took them in and gave them a new home." Declan's tone was filled with happiness as he spoke, as if he were telling some great legend of two heroes that saved the world. Spoiler alert: I wasn't buying into it.

Everything that he was telling me was opposing their actions; kidnapping Wyatt, tying both of us up. Part of them had to know it was me that had snuck into their small camp. They claimed they'd only shown up here since it was finally safe, but if I believed the entire pack was dead, wouldn't the hunters believe that, too?

☽

"This entire situation...I don't know what to do, Wyatt." I set my hands on my hips as I stopped at the foot of the bed, looking at the boy as he laid across the sheets, his arms rested underneath his head. "On one side, I got Declan telling me all these things about them that seem to add up." I sat down on the bed beside him. "But there's this part of me that is yelling at me, telling me to not believe it."

I laid down and turned my head to face him. "What do you think?"

The boy bit his lip, pondering the question for a moment. "When they tied us up in the forest, they should've known it was you—your parents, I mean. They should've been able to recognize your scent."

I toss my hands up in a pointed manner. "That's exactly what I was thinking!"

"I don't know, Cora. This whole situation, it feels off. Why after all this time would they show up? They obviously knew we were here, so why send Declan to find you? Why not just come talk to you themselves?" His brows furrowed as he analyzed the situation. A few moments passed and a sudden expression of realization came over him. A mutter left his lips that was too quiet for me to hear.

Wyatt quickly got up and pulled on his black jacket that had been previously discarded on the floor and nearly stumbled as he pulled on his boots. "Where are you going?" I asked, confusing lacing my tone.

"I'm gonna go talk to him again."

I jumped up from my spot. "Oh, Lord."

☽

"Wyatt. What a nice surprise," Declan said blandly as the aforementioned wolf stomped into the room.

Wyatt's jaw was clenched as he crossed his arms over his chest. "You weren't really sent to find Cora, were you?" His voice was lowered a few octaves, making me raise an eyebrow at the sudden change of behavior. It was attractive in way. The revelation he'd come to must've been serious if he was acting like this.

"Last time I checked, yeah I was, actually."

"No. You weren't," he said firmly. "When your pack so graciously greeted Cora and I, her mother mentioned something. She said that when they heard of an alpha in Seabrook with Cora's name, she knew it had to be her." He uncrossed his arms. "If she already knew it was Coraline, then why send a wolf to find her? Why not just come talk to her themselves? They are her parents, after all."

Declan's jaw tightened at the rhetorical questions, making my brows furrow. "Wyatt," I warned.

He looked to be briefly and took my hand into his. "Trust me," he said lowly. I sighed and gave his hand a squeeze, gesturing for him to continue.

"You weren't sent to find her. Admit it." He glared at Declan, and if looks could kill, the blond would be dead.

Declan didn't meet his eyes and instead focused on the ground beneath his feet, confirming what Wyatt had suspected. I let out a defeated sigh, silently scolding myself for nearly believing him. "Then why were you sent here, Declan?"

The werewolf didn't answer and it made Wyatt's grip tighten on my hand. I could tell his patience was already running thin and with the slight, golden shimmer in his eyes, I knew Declan could tell, too. The blond shifted in his seat under both of our glares, but still managed to hold his tongue.

I could feel Wyatt beginning to loosen his grip on my hand, signaling that he was going to move at Declan. He took a wide step forward, but I grabbed his arm before he could reach him.

Declan leaned further back in his seat at the sudden movement, earning a low growl from Wyatt.

"Declan, why were you sent here?" I asked again, my tone firmer this time. "If you don't tell me, I have no problem in letting him go." I nodded to my boyfriend. "And I don't exactly think he wants to talk."

Wyatt's eyes glowed their vibrant golden color and the moonstone around his neck lit up, complimenting his somewhat intimidating appearance. His shoulders visibly tensed underneath his jacket and he let out a loud sigh, waiting for a clear answer from the wolf.

Declan gulped and his eyes flittered between Wyatt and I. He was obviously trying to think of a way out of the situation he'd gotten into, but after a few moments, an expression of acceptance passed over his face, telling me that he figured out he couldn't lie his way out of it.

"I wasn't completely lying," he began, "I was sent to find you. I was sent to find your entire pack."

"Why?" Wyatt questioned roughly.

"Her parents wanted to know exactly where the den was."

My brows furrowed deeply and I let go of my grip on Wyatt's arm. "Why?"

Declan shrugged defeatedly, still keeping a close eye on the werewolf that was still calming down next to me. "That's just it. I actually don't know why."