Blood Moon

Chapter 2: Lurking within

I glanced at my dad, hoping the right words would form on my lips, but they never did. I just stood there, unable to say a word.

Eventually, he just nodded in understanding and walked towards his office without another word to me. I don't know how long I stood there, but I still couldn't fathom what had just happened.

Firstly, my dad who hasn't spoken to me in nearly three years out of the blue becomes caring. I didn't know what to feel about it to be completely honest, although numb seemed to be the main feeling that was holding my heart and mind at the moment.

Secondly, the rogues that killed my mom, the people who we have been hiding from. The very people who forced us to leave who we truly are, know where we are, and it doesn't seem like they are going to play nice. For years, we didn't know why they targeted us all those years ago and why they still tried hunting us down.

And thirdly, after all that has happened, I am strangely scared but excited all at the same time. Scared for the unknown and that my wolf after being suppressed for so long locked away in the cages of my mind was no longer there, what if she was never going to be there ever again? The pain that would fill me would be unreal if that were to be true. But excited to finally be who I was, no longer in hiding caged away by society I was free, and to say I wasn't happy about that I would be lying.

We never moved far from where the attacks happened, in fact most of the pack didn't move at all. My dad had decided that they, being the rouges that is, would instinctively believe that was our plan. Instead, we remained where we were.

The past three years, while my dad had been conversing with other packs, he made it appear we had moved towards the coastal areas of the shifter world. And no one asked any questions about it. No pack is allowed to cross others without permission. When neighboring packs wanted to visit, my dad had told them that he was too paranoid for them to visit, and eventually they stopped asking. No one blamed my father, of course losing his wife and others in that attack was tragic everyone believed he was doing what was best for his pack, like a true leader and alpha would do.

I went back to my car, grabbing my backpack and phone, locking it, and walked back to the house. Went upstairs to my bedroom, preparing myself for the mess that would be awaiting me. When I got there I saw the exact opposite my room that I left untidy this morning was clean. Bed made, curtains open, clothes put away, nothing seemed to be out of place or taken, although I did find my now cleaner room rather unsettling. I found myself actually wishing for a mess, this way I could have worked through the things that were touched. Now looking at my room nothing felt safe and mine any more, whoever did this whatever their reasoning they made sure to make it feel more personal, intimate even and that alone sent chills down my spine. Walking around my room, I found that there was an extra accessory set on my pillowcase, which seemed to be a letter. Dropping my bag at the foot of my bed, and putting my phone on my bedside table, I picked up the letter and sat on my bed.

I opened it up and in neat handwriting it said:

My dearest Clare

How I have missed your company. We must see each other soon, don't fret, I have everything sorted for you to come home to me. I'll take you away from your controlling father and into my carefree world.

Don't believe me? Well, you saw how I got into your house today my love, nothing can stop us from being together.

Lots of love

L❤

I stared at that letter, read it over and over again, trying to somehow grasp who this person was. I was right on one thing though, the person who wrote this and did this too my bedroom wanted me to know that it was personal.

My brain was a complete mess, my eyes kept drifting off to the 'L' at the end. I ran sacked my mind, trying desperately to find anyone with a name that started with an 'L' who also would fit the description of psycho stalker, not knowing anyone that could fit into it. Well, besides Liam, but he isn't a wolf and I would have been able to smell the wolfish scent all over him if he was. So he was scratched off the list.

The more I read, the more confused I became. My head became to ache, and the words became jumbled, so I just placed it next to my phone and went to the bathroom wetting my face with a cloth trying to cool down and relax.

I went downstairs, and I saw my dad on the phone as well as cleaning the mess. I decided to help because let's be honest here, my house is a mess, looking more like a tornado came crashing in with a vengeance, that's not something you can't just forget about.

As I cleaned, I heard small bits of my dad's conversation, and it seemed he angrily whispering at whoever was on the opposite end of the call. Distracted by my snooping, I didn't notice that someone was at our front door. I inclined my head slightly, trying to see the person better, but they didn't look like anyone I knew. I walked towards my dad and gently tapped his shoulder gesturing towards the door, he glanced first at me then at the door and a hint of recognition flashed across his face. He said his goodbyes to the person on the phone, then placing the kitchen counter and went to greet the people at the door.

"Daniel! Thank you so much for coming at such short notice."

The guy named Daniel nodded and said, "It's no trouble, Alpha Jacob, anything for you".

I silently cleared my throat, which of course to my luck they heard. My dad turned to me and said to Daniel, "Oh this is my daughter Clare, Clare this is my beta, Daniel".

I had ever officially met my dads' beta, my dad liked to keep my life as normal as possible even before the incident.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Beta, Daniel."

"Please Clare the pleasure is all mine", he looked towards my father and said "Hey Jacob, Clare should go see my son and daughter and their friend by the car they seem to be around the same age, how old are you anyway?"

"Well I'm turning eighteen tomorrow actually," I said slightly embarrassed, everyone knows that once a wolf turns eighteen we find our mate, and I am slightly nervous about that.

"Well there you have it both my son and daughter are turning eighteen in a few days so you guys will get along nicely, what do you say Jacob it gives us time to talk over some business.?"

"I don't know...", my dad said, unsure.

"I will be a fine dad. I'll be just outside, what's the worst that could happen?", That seemed to ease my dad slightly and after a few minutes of silence he agreed to remind me to be careful and he and Daniel walked into my dad's office. My father's recent change in heart towards me has me slightly unnerved, I didn't know whether it would be a permanent change in his behavior or a temporary one. I knew though that even though I as unnerved now, I would be hurt if he went back to treating me like a roommate he was just living with and ignoring.

I walked out the door and walked over to the silver Mercedes, parked in front of our driveway. A girl hopped out. She was the same height as me and had blonde hair and similar eye colour as mine, only slightly darker. The boy that got out off of the car was the same copy as the girl, only he looked manly with a jawline that could cut diamonds if needed. They walked up to me smiling.

"Hey I'm Ashley Hunter, but everyone just calls me Ash and this is my twin Jarred Hunter, and you must be the alpha's daughter...?", the girl said in a sweet musical voice, she had this liveliness about her that made you feel automatically comfortable to be talking to her.

" It is nice to meet you both, my name is Clare"

They both shook my hand, and all of a sudden Jarred looked around him as if looking for something.

He looked towards the car and called out, "Hey Liam, get your royal behind out of the car!"

Having no response, he walked to the car. As Ash spoke to me as if knowing what I was about to ask.

"Liam is Jarred's friend since childhood he has been living with us for the past year while his parents are away on business, they are the leaders of their pack."

I nodded my head in understanding. As we waited, I took in more of her and her brother's appearance, they were slightly more tanned than i and had more meat on their bones. They looked strong, all the while looking friendly and welcoming.

I glanced up at the car only to see those blue eyes that I have been seeing the whole day today.

I couldn't help but look directly into those eyes and said, "Liam? Liam Thompson?"

He smiled slightly and said, "Yeah?"

Well, it seems like today would be the first of many days, that I would be proven wrong.

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