Boundaries Shattered
1594 Words
When we got to the top of the stairs, Kaden grabbed my hand tightly and gasped. I looked up from the floor to see another little boy my age standing against the wall, holding a small Gameboy in his hands.
"Stupid level, I still can't beat it," I heard him mutter. He looked up as we passed and grinned when he spotted the Transformers figurine in Kaden’s hand. "Hey, cool toy."
Kaden’s grip on my hand tightened, his posture stiffening. "It's mine, go away," he snapped.
The boy laughed. "I don't want it. I was only saying that it looked cool. You're a lot younger than the other kids that are staying here now. There are more, but they got sent to live with other people."
I kept Kaden close by my side as I stopped to look at the boy. His stance was casual, like he was used to waiting around, yet there was something sharp in the way he watched us—curious but not wary. The dim hallway light reflected off the screen of his Gameboy, casting a faint glow on his hands.
"You're a Werewolf, right?" I asked.
"Uh-huh, I'm Caleb Green. What's your name?" He said.
"Dreson Cage," I bumped Kaden with my hip, shifting my stance slightly. "And this is my little brother, Kaden."
Kaden studied Caleb, his brows slightly furrowed. He didn’t cling to me the way he had downstairs, but he still kept a firm hold of my shirt, like he was assessing something unspoken. His expression was unreadable for a moment before he gave a short nod—silent confirmation that Caleb was up to something. Kaden had been bullied enough to see the signs before it happened, and I was the only one that understood his silence completely.
Caleb turned his bright blue eyes to Kaden again and blinked. "He's a little small, is he a Runt?"
"I'm not a Runt, I'm a hybrid," my brother snapped, stomping his foot on the floor. "My mommy is a Werewolf, and my daddy is a Druid."
Caleb’s eyes lit up. "Really? I've never seen a hybrid before. Can you do magic?"
"Not until he's older," I told the other boy. "The Alpha said he can come because we have a special bond, and he didn't want to break it."
Snickering, Caleb rolled his eyes. "It was probably out of pity. Did the baby cry? Maybe that's why he let him come."
"You were just nice to us. Why are you suddenly being mean to my brother?" I clenched my fist by my side, careful not to squeeze Kaden's hand too hard.
I glanced at Denise, who was watching with a smirk on her face. A realization settled in—this was her son. The way she stood there, amused rather than intervening, told me she wasn’t just allowing Caleb’s behavior—she approved of it.
"Just because your mom is watching doesn't mean I'm going to let you bully my brother," I told him, standing a little straighter.
The door across from Caleb opened abruptly. Caleb’s face twisted, and then, to my surprise, he started crying. His mother rushed over, throwing me a sharp glare before turning her attention to her son.
"Little heathen, go on to your bedroom and stop picking at my son," she snapped at me. "Why would the Alpha let a hybrid come here anyway? He doesn't belong here."
Someone cleared their throat, and I looked over to see Neil standing in his doorway, watching everything with an unreadable expression.
"Kaden's not the problem," Neil said. "It's his brother you don't want to cross. I've never been pushed around before, but Dreson got away with it 'cause I was being mean to Kaden. If you're mean to him, too, then Dreson gets to beat you up."
I blinked at the boy I'd pushed down earlier as he grabbed me by the hand and dragged both Kaden and me into his room.
The space was as big as my room back home, but it seemed to lack the warmth of company. The walls were painted a deep navy blue, decorated with posters of sleek black wolves in mid-hunt and nighttime landscapes with glowing eyes peering from the shadows. One entire corner of the room was packed with shelves lined with hardcover books, some neatly arranged while others were stacked haphazardly, like he'd grabbed them in a hurry.
Near the bed, a collection of action figures stood frozen in battle, posed across a wooden dresser, some missing an arm or a sword, showing signs of years of play. On a desk pushed against the far wall, a console sat next to a pile of games, their cases spread out like discarded playing cards. Controllers were scattered nearby, one hanging loosely off the edge like someone had abandoned it mid-game.
To the left, a pile of Nerf guns and foam darts lay in a heap, some stuffed haphazardly into an open toy chest. Across from them, a small bookshelf held a few board games and puzzles, some with pieces sticking out of their boxes as if they'd been half-finished and forgotten. The bed itself was covered in a thick comforter, dark gray and silver, with a few pillows tossed against the headboard. A stuffed wolf sat in the middle, well-loved, its fur slightly faded in spots. It was oddly out of place, sitting among all the rough-and-tumble toys and worn books.
Neil pointed to another door and told Kaden to go to the bathroom before he dirtied his pants.
"You got what the adults say are big balls, Druid," he said as he sat down on his bed. "You actually pushed me down, and I hate getting pushed around."
I shrugged. "Yeah, well, you shouldn't have picked at my brother. He's only little, so I have to take care of him."
"Can he fight?" Neil asked.
Laughing, I toed the carpet while I waited for Kaden to come out of the bathroom. I wasn’t sure what to say or how to say it for that matter. Neil stayed quiet, but I never heard him get off his bed.
I was caught off guard when he suddenly punched me. Landing hard on my bottom, I winced. "Ow! What was that for?"
"You pushed me and didn't say sorry, so I punched you," he told me, crossing his arms.
Behind him, I saw that Kaden had been watching what Neil had done. His little hands were balled into fists, and his entire body was stiff and shaking. His breath came in quick bursts, his chest rising and falling as he tried to contain the storm of emotions threatening to spill over. For once, my little brother didn’t run away.
No—he ran straight at the Alpha’s son and tackled him to the floor. "Leave my big brother alone, you bully!"
The impact sent both of them crashing onto the thick carpet. Neil barely had time to react before Kaden’s small fists started swinging, landing harmless but determined blows against his arms and chest. Neil grunted and twisted, crossing his arms over his head and curling into a ball.
"Get off me, you little brat," he yelled, voice muffled under his own defense. "Dreson, get your brother off of me before I hurt him."
I crossed my arms, watching him squirm under Kaden’s surprisingly fierce grip. "I was going to say sorry because Kaden reminded me to, but now I’m not 'cause you punched me."
Neil glared up at me, frustration flickering behind his eyes. "Fine, we’re even. Just get him off of me, please!"
"Kaden, stop it," I said, grabbing my brother and yanking him off the other boy. His small body felt tense, like he wasn’t entirely ready to back down yet. "How come you can't fight back when the other kids pick on you, but you can fight if you see me getting hurt?"
Kaden angrily blew his bangs out of his face and grunted. "They don’t fight fair, though." His hands clenched by his sides before he lifted his chin. "I promised Daddy that I would protect you like you protect me."
Neil rose to his feet and laughed. Walking over, he nudged Kaden a little and sat down on his bed. "I like you two, and I don't like anyone. Wanna be friends?"
"Friends?" I echoed.
Kaden growled at him, "I don't wanna be friends with a bully."
"I wouldn't have bullied you if I knew you could fight like that. You'd be a good Warrior," Neil replied.
The room fell quiet for a bit. Then, "Really, though, do you want to be my friends? Everyone else thinks I'm a stuck-up brat, but I'm not."
I frowned at him, "Then why did you say mean things about Kaden?"
"I was jealous because he's got a brother to play with, and I don't," Neil said.
I watched Kaden's face change from angry to confused to happy. "I'll be friends with the baby Alpha if he promises not to be mean to me and you anymore, Dre."
Still frowning, I said, "Fine, but you owe me for getting Kaden off of you."
"I'll tell Daddy that Caleb and his mom were trying to get Kaden in trouble, deal?" Neil said, a beat of actual excitement lighting his dark brown eyes.
"Deal," I grinned as we shook hands. And just like that, we became friends with Neil Dane.
I had no idea just how strong that bond could be, but I would learn in time.
- Writer
