Silver Claws

Family Reuniun

E.J opened the door to her small apartment, not at all expecting for her brother to be stood on the other side. The two siblings stared awkwardly at each other. Axel shuffled his weight from foot to foot, and nervously stuffed his hands into his hoody pocket, while E.J basically gawked at him. It's been over a year since the two have last spoken, and honestly E.J thought that would be the last time she would ever see him. Now that he's turned up on her doorstep, she didn't know how to react. A part of her was crying in relief, another part of her was screaming at her to slam the door in his face and sneak out the fire escape, and yet another part wanted curse him out for finding her. She didn't know what to do, so instead she simply raised a brow at him and said, "what's up?"

Axel cracked a smile, flashing his deep dimples and making his small eyes all but disappear. He relaxed at his sisters casual greeting, and unable to resist any longer, pulled her into a hug. E.J relented, and hugged him back, even going as far as to squeeze him tightly into her. Despite all that's happened between the two, she still missed him desperately. And even after going so long without speaking, she still viewed him as her best friend. E.J doubted she'd ever love someone as much as she loves her twin brother. She questioned if it was even possible to love someone more.

"I've missed you," she said pulling back,  revealing her now smudged makeup giving her raccoon eyes.

"I've missed you too," Axel said wiping at his own eyes that had started to water. E.J nodded and with a loud sniff, wiped her eyes before stepping aside to let Axel in. The apartment was small, and messy. Piles of laundry and trash sat scattered about, leaving only the couch untouched. Axel held back his grimace, having always been the neater of the two.

"Well," E.J said after locking to door behind them. She walked around Axel and settled into the couch, "explain why you're here."

Axel carefully stepped over the mess, even though E.J had not, and sat on the couch beside her. He looked to his sister, struggling to find where to start.

"I just wanted to see how you're doing," he tried, but E.J wasn't having any of it. The two had spend their whole lives together and as a result were experts on each other. It made it quite difficulty for any secrecy between the two, as the other would know immediately if they were hiding something. They had all together stopped playing BS and poker, as more often then not the game would just get dragged out for hours between the two.

"Give me the real reason, if you just wanted to see me you would have found me long before now," E.J rolled her eyes at him, causing Axel to huff. He had hoped that a year apart would have dulled E.J's twin sense, but no such luck.

"There's some rumors going around," he confessed, "about a rogue alpha looking for an Asian hunter."

"So, one of us then," E.J sighed, as there was a severe lack of diversity within the hunting community.

"Most likely, unless they're looking for old Ben."

"Doubt it, he hasn't been in action for decades now," E.J commented, "well thanks for the heads up."

E.J then stood from the couch, leaving Axel confused as she sauntered over to the kitchen. The apartment was so small though, all he had to was turn his head to see her. "That's it?"

"Umm," E.J hummed as she stifled through her cabinets, "yeah?"

"E.J could you just try to take this seriously," Axel sighed as he watched her pull out a pipe and a jar full of suspicious green buds.

"I am," E.J nodded.

"You're about to get high,"Axel all but yelled as he rose from the couch. E.J rolled her eyes at him as she started to grind the weed, "well I don't really know what you want from me. You show up out of the blue to tell me some random rogue is looking for one of us. I mean obviously wolves are gonna be looking for us, we kill their kind. Did you think they wouldn't want revenge?" She glances up at him with flicked brows, "the way I see it, this isn't anything new."

"It's not just some rogue," Axel seethed, "it's an alpha. An alpha who is building a pack. "

"All right," E.J spike nonchalantly as she raised her pipe to her lips. Axel seethed at her calmness, his fist squished into white balls of fury as he glared at his sister. She inhaled the sharp smoke, glazing back coolly at her brother. Water clashed into fire as the twins set of into a staring contest, neither backing down. Axel had a years worth of rage building behind his eyes, he had never forgiven his sister for abandoning him, and now there was a threat on her life and she was treating it like a damn joke. It was like she could care less that if she died she'd be abandoning him all over again.

A small been broke through the silence, and the twins were finally able to look away from each other. E.J pulled her phone out from her pocket, seeing a text from her boss asking her to come in early. She sighed, and sent a quick yes before looking back at her brother.

"I've got to go," she said and after taking another quick hit disappeared into her room. Axel bit into his tongue and followed her, "Where?"

"Work," she said simply taking out her work uniform from her otherwise bare closet.

"Work," Axel repeated almost flabbergasted, "E.J you need to come home."

"Ha," E.J actually snorted the laugh at her brother before she looked him dead in the eye, the most serious she's been all night, "I'm never going back."

"Don't be stubborn."

"Axel, I'm not going back," E.J deadpanned, "and if you try and make me, I will shatter you're knee cap into a thousand little pieces."

Axel gulped, though he'd normally wouldn't take threats from his sister so seriously this was different. There was a steadiness in her voice, and a wild look in her eyes. It was the look of a corned animal, ready to bite and claw it's away out, and the voice either the resolve to do it.

"Fine," he backed down, "fine. But I'm going to work with you."

"Suit yourself, "she relaxed and began to undress. Axel caught a small glance at the long scars that tore over smooth skin before turning away and leaving her to change. E.J shook her head once she was alone. She had to gulp down the lump of salt in her throat, and physically shake the nerves from her body. This was exactly why she didn't want to see Axel. She knew it would be some bullshit like this, and she knew he'd try to make her go back home. She just hoped her threat was enough to keep him from trying again, because she'd hate to carry through with it. Even with all the confusion of the day, that was one thing E.J would always be certain of. She was never going home. She would never kill another innocent wolf. And she would never get another scar on her body.

After taking a moment to calm down, E.J slipped on the crisp white button up and black slacks. She slipped on a comfortable pair of black flats and grabbed her purse and back before walking back out. "Let's go," she said as she passed the living room. Axel got up from the couch and followed his sister out her small apartment. Together they walked through the bitter cold air of autumn in Colorado.