Stranger Yet

Chapter 14: The Smarter, Younger Sister

Chapter 14

Tiernan had decided that Tristan didn't need to watch Ayra that night. Moreover, he decided that none of his siblings needed to watch Ayra's house at night anymore. After sunset Ayra wasn't exactly the most active or interesting person, so what was the point?

He had relayed the decision to his siblings (the one's helping monitor Ayra) as he made his way back to the pack house.

He couldn't help his wandering mind as he ran home. He hated the way Ayra's laughter made his heart rate pick up or that her sassy mouth and bad attitude had his imagination running wild  (he'd love to find a way to occupy that mouth of hers). He hated that she resembled the woman of his dreams (literally, the woman IN his dreams).

He pushed himself to run harder in an effort to eradicate the thoughts in his mind.

When he finally reached the pack house, he called out to his brother through the link.

Micah, come down to the training yard. I'm ready to talk and I wouldn't mind a late-night spar, either.

Okay, give me 5.

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After a few rounds with his Micah, Tiernan was ready to discuss what Micah had discovered. They continued sparring while Micah described what he'd heard.

Tiernan scoffed at what Micah relayed, unwilling to accept what Micah was implying, and unwilling to accept the conversation between Ayra and her adoptive mother as credible.

"It was a private conversation, Tiernan. She wasn't having it for our benefit." Micah shook her s head. Tiernan's scoff had baffled him. What reason did he have to doubt the validity of Ayra's story?

"So, you think it's the truth? You think she really was abandoned on the edge of our forest?"

This new idea would complicate things. He found himself at a dead end. He'd looked through piles of paperwork already and had found nothing. He didn't want to believe Ayra- it'd be easier if she was from far away.

Micah didn't respond, instead he dove for his brothers legs, trying to yank them out from under him. Tiernan knew his brother too well and was much too fast. He dodged to the left, avoiding contact altogether.

Tiernan laughed as Micah barrelled into the dirt, then held his hand out for the smaller man, calling a quits to the match. "Well, Micah, I think we've had enough for one night..."

He was still lost in his thoughts about Ayra. Her lineage and her possible connection to his pack was driving him mad. As well as his off-putting dreams about her. That, in particular, really bothered him (what business did she have interfering in his dreams?!).

Luckily, his parents were going to be home on Wednesday, and he would be able to ask for their guidance. It was possible that they would remember something that was useful. Moreover, he needed to get back to focusing on the real threats to his pack, and the sooner he laid this mystery to rest, the sooner he COULD focus. He was tired of his mind wandering back to Ayra at every opportunity. He just needed her out of his life and out of his head.

His wolf growled in fierce disagreement, and Tiernan scowled at the mental outburst. What's your problem?

His wolf growled again. Tiernan chose to ignore it.

Inside the pack house, Tiernan found the teenagers of his pack crammed around the tv. Apparently it was "Terror Night". An array of horror flicks were piled on the coffee table, along with popcorn and candy galore.