Gavroche "Gavin" Argentum's Story

Lyra smiled as Kiyoshi pulled her close, enjoying the warmth his body emitted despite the heat of the crowded room. She discovered how easily her body molded against his, resting her head upon his shoulder in content. "When are we going to tell your parents?"

Lyra swallowed heavily, not surprised that this question was running about in her mates mind. Not only did he have to receive acceptance by her father, but also by the alpha of the pack. Despite any personal feelings between the Khöller siblings and family, Lyra was still Daddy's little girl. She chuckled softly and glanced up to Kiyoshi with a teasing smile, unsure if her prediction would be accurate or not. "Now Kiyoshi-san, are you worried to tell them about us?" she jested, poking him on the chest. Lyra laughed and grinned to him playfully, kissing him on the cheek as attentions were turned elsewhere. "You don't have any reason to be, I love you and they all ready think of you as a son practically. But, we should tell them soon. I can tell that they know something," Lyra sighed, resting against him as she looked to Tabby again.

"Yeah, for sure." Tabby answered to her previous question, "I didn't know her name so I didn't bring a card or anything I'm afraid, but I'd still like to wish her a ha-aii-woah!!"

Lyra stood up straight as Gavin pounded into the room, practically jumping upon Tabby in an enthusiastic display of emotions. Lyra looked first to Kiyoshi to see if he knew anything about this and only discovered that he was just as shocked as she was. Not that it was surprising, Calvin was more of Gavin's friend where as Kiyoshi talked mostly with. . . only her? Lyra blinked softly, realizing how isolated her mate was from the rest of the pack. Besides Lyra, Ares was probably the one Kiyoshi had said the most words to. And Ares had only been here a short time. Realize this, Lyra frowned, wrapping her arms around Kiyoshi as if to make up for his lack of connections.

Her golden eyes search for answers to the dramatic display, finding Jac equally as confused but ten times as pissed. Then again, perhaps that was another reason Lyra now held Kiyoshi, she didn't want him to suddenly run off either, not that she did not trust him but still. The full moon was approching. Lyra tried to smile to Jac, knowing the pain and jealously that she must have felt. Her just announced mate was now hugging another girl. Even with Gavin's flirtatious past, this was uncalled for. "I don't blame you for forgetting about me, Tabs. I left when you were about eight. Even a little sister could forget about her older brother if she hasn't seen him for nine years."

Lyra froze to this, her widened eyes swinging back to Gavin and Tabby. "Sister?" she couldn't help but stammer, unsure if she had heard correctly. Lyra's golden gaze flickered between the two, searching for any similarities. And sure enough, they were there. As much as Lyra wanted to be happy for them, and she was, her sharp mind instantly connected to the coincidence that Tabby on the search for a studio had found a brother. She was never one to believe in coincidences, but held back her tongue, only blinking slightly to reclaim her posture. "Well then, guess I was right when I said we'll treat you like family," Lyra said, attempting to lighten the mood. She quickly fell silent after this, watching Tabby closely for a reaction.

The corners of Tabby's mouth fell dramatically as Gavin spoke again. It was as though her entire being started to cave in on itself; she felt a pit in her stomach which was almost like nausea and agoraphobia all at once. No wonder she hadn't realised who this boy was; she'd been scanning the catalogue of people she'd known and thought it was possible to meet again. But now some very fundamental things she'd believed for the past decade were being turned on their head, and it set her so ill-at-ease that she almost wished Gaving would admit that he was really joking, as tasteless as that would be.

"Gavin....Gavin...?" she croaked, taking a step back from him and shaking her head in confusion. She glanced at Lyra when she made her remark, but couldn't help but shake her head again. This wasn't what she knew...it had taken her a long time to come to terms with what she knew. She unhesitatingly contradicted Gavin's last statement. "I didn't forget my brother. He...he died. My brother and my dad. They went camping and were attacked by a pack of wolves. They've been gone since I was eight."

Her words were slow and laboured; it was difficult for her to talk about to people who were, for all she had been aware, strangers. Not knowing how to reconcile what she knew with what Gavin was saying, she simply reiterated the former. She folded her arms tightly in front of her and examined Gavin's face again. As much as she refused to accept it, she could see as plain as day that it was him. It was his face, his voice...just nine years on. It made it harder for her to get her head around that he seemed to happy to see her...but if it was him and he'd been alive all this time, why wasn't he at all penitent for not coming home? It wasn't far...had her brother really been alive all this time and living a mere one-and-a-half hour drive away? And if so, what excuse could he possibly have?

“I’ll keep it quiet.” Then she added with a sigh, “I suppose it will have to wait until tomorrow anyway. He’s out at a game tonight.”

Ray nodded in response, “ K-doke, sounds like a plan. In the meantime I will think up carious alibis we can try and use. “

Ray couldn’t help but think for a fraction of a second that was kind of annoying that Calvin had bothered at least making an appearance. But then she quickly pushed that thought away. She didn’t blame Calvin; he had made a commitment to the team. Though in ray’s opinion the pack came before anything if Calvin had other obligations she understood him missing the party. Of course, that didn’t mean she wouldn’t still prank him.


”Another stranger?” Kathy said quietly as an unfamiliar girl entered into their line of sight. Ray nodded thoughtfully and watched until she was able to discover the name of the girl was Tabby.

Turning to Kathy she whispered, “I don’t like it one bit. There’s this Tabby girl, that other women who’s crashing in a guest room, and apparently some rogue was spotted down at the beach. Don’t tell me that’s all coincidence, something’s going on.”

Ray watched as Gavin and Jac walked in together. She was surprised, that was two werewolves who’d found their mates in one night. It looked like the house would be even emptier than she had thought it would be come this full moon.

Ray was even more surprised when Gavin went up to Tabby and gave her a hug. Ray asked Kathy quizzically, “Wait, the stranger, I mean Tabby, is Gavin’s sister? “

"I didn't forget my brother. He...he died. My brother and my dad. They went camping and were attacked by a pack of wolves. They've been gone since I was eight."

The smile fell from Gavin's face as well, followed by a tight nod of his head while he looked away from her for a moment. This was not the time, nor the place, to go into details about the parents he abandoned long ago. If he knew them at all, Tabs wouldn't know what she really was. And he couldn't give her all of the details she had the right to know without telling her. That kind of news was probably not best given with spectators.

He felt Jac's stiffened body next to his and caught her muttering a greeting. A tad annoyed, but trying to understand her frustration, he hoped that once she picked up that Tabitha was his sister, she'd not be so hostile. He couldn't comfort her right now, though he wanted to, she just had to trust him. Gavin rubbed his thumb along her hip subtly.

"Tabs, I don't think this is really the place to fill in the missing spots, or the time. You're frustrated with me, I can tell. Probably really confused as well, if you thought I was dead." Gavin had no opinion of his father being dead. Serves him right, for leaving Gavin on the night of his first shift to fend for himself. "But tonight is about Ray, if you really want to know what happened, then we'll talk after the party."

For now he just wanted to be happy that she was here, happy to be reunited with her. But somewhere in the back of his mind he knew it wasn't going to be that simple. Gavin caught Lyra's surprise and, was that suspicion? Something must have been going on, more than whatever appeared to be. Maybe it wasn't entirely a coincidence that Tabs was in town...

Giving Tabs a final smile, Gavin turned and, still holding Jac, led her to the dining room where the food was. He was starving. Anya, who he suspected would be the life of a party, was no where to be found. He worried for her, he never thought of how odd it all might be to a female without her wolf to see other girls finding their mates. Girls were jealous by nature, he supposed.

"Sorry for taking off." Gavin said in a soft, low voice to Jac. "It's just that... we were really close, and I haven't seen her in years. I really thought I'd never see her again." Now that Tabs wasn't in his line of sight as a distraction, he felt horrible for how his action was interpreted. And a little annoyed that it was interpreted in the manner that it was. But, he supposed, no one knew he had an estranged sister, so he couldn't really blame them.

Ares rolled and tossed on his bed, sweats poured from his forehead and his face. He appeared to be in some kinds of nightmare. He depressedly clutched onto the first the blanket and whimpered again. Where was the warmth? Did that comfortable warmth abandon him? What happened? Where was he? He remembered...something just happened. Why did he fall asleep on the first place?

He took a deep, shaky breath as he tried to clear his head, his eyes still shut tightly. Kiyoshi...Lyra...the forest...the FOREST!? Ares sat up as he breathed heavily. Was he in the forest? It took nearly a minute for the young wolf to concentrate again and he looked around warily. He was in his...room? The last thing he remembered was...falling asleep in the forest...not in his room...how could he come here by himself? Did...Lyra carry him here? That was not possible, wasn't it? Ares blushed slightly as the thought of falling asleep in his sister-figure's lap. He had embarrassed himself by acting like a baby. He uncovered himself and stood up slowly. He looked at himself and realized he was still wearing Kiyoshi's clothes. He touched the jacket and sighed. He hoped Kiyoshi wouldn't be mad at him. He really didn't mean to be jealous like that. It was just...

Ares shook his head. There was no excuse for him to do so. What he did was wrong...wrong on so many levels. And childish, too. He took the comb on his nightstand and began to comb his hair tiredly. Obviously, the night wasn't over yet as he still heard noises coming from downstairs. He smoothened his...Kiyoshi's clothes and opened the door. He didn't want to be rude and left suddenly without saying anything like that. Well, he guessed that meant he had to come downstairs again. Kiyoshi had promised that he could leave anytime he wanted and...for some strange reasons, Ares didn't want to leave so soon yet.

Shyly, Ares walked downstairs and met with a sight that shocked him into silence. Gavin - the one that seemed to be mad at him in the first meal he had with the pack was hugging another stranger - this time was a woman he hadn't met yet. Kiyoshi, Lyra and Jac were also nearby, looking as shocked as he was. He let them speak to each other for a while, trying to figure out how to announce his arrival.

Finally, Ares breathed in and out slowly, gathered his courage. He took a step forward and said in a tiny voice, stumbled slightly between each word "H-h-hello, b-b-brother, s-s-sister, J-j-jac, G-ga-ga-gavin..." He apologized timidly to the girl as he hadn't known her name yet "I-I'm s-sorry...I h-h-haven't k-k-known y-y-your n-name y-yet..." He took a step to the right and got himself comfortable by staying nearer to Kiyoshi, Lyra and Jac while watching Gavin and girl with wary eyes. He hadn't forgotten how the older man had acted in the first meal and he didn't want to take any risks. If things ended up badly, he could always count on Kiyoshi, Lyra and Jac...he just hoped this time, thing wouldn't turn out that way.

Anya nodded, seemingly satisfied with his answer. So it didn't really matter who they wanted it to be because it would be pushed upon them anyway. With a gentle sigh, she slipped her fingers through Duncan's squeezing his hand gently without actually turning to look at him. It was her way of thanking him without explicitly doing so. Instead, she kept her eyes upon the moon for a moment longer, before silently turning and heading back towards the house, still holding Duncan's hand in hers. When she reached the bottom of the steps, she dropped it slowly ascending them before halting at the front door. With a smile over her shoulder, she opened the door and gestured for Duncan to follow her back into the Pack House. She didn't really want to return, but she felt guilty. It wasn't Ray's fault and besides, it wasn't really anyone's fault that she felt this way. They had chosen for this to befall them before it befell her.

Silently, she slipped back into the dining room. Instantly she was aware of the tension that hung around the room. Arching an eyebrow she glanced around before frowning slightly. Seeing as most of them were engaged, she sidled up to Jac and Gavin, taking Duncan with her. Tapping Jac briefly on the shoulder, she gave her a quizzical look before turning to Gavin and doing the same. Anya's senses had always been a bit sharper than most other people's. She liked to observe people and so she easily recognised moods and atmospheres amongst them.

"What happened?" She asked, looking around at the other conversations. Tension seemed to fill the room, even more so with the new girl Tabby and to Anya her body seemed rigid. But perhaps she was imagining it. "It looks like someone dropped a stink bomb in here. Wait, Ray hasn't has she? I told her not!n Especially at her own party." Sniffing the air, she looked for anything else that might be causing this sudden mood change throughout the room, but she could see nothing that was particular obvious. Knitting her eyebrows together, she looked back to Jac and Gavin, ignoring the fact that they probably wanted to be alone. They were at a party after all. Alone time was not something they were going to get in that moment.

"What happened?" Anya's voice came up behind Gavin, he turned around and frowned at her, a tad bit frustrated.

"Lots of things are happening." He shrugged passively. He still hadn't had time to process it all and with the constant want of packmates to jabber at him didn't help. Though, he supposed, since they knew so little about his background, it was to be expected. Gavin found himself looking around for Calvin.

He wanted to tell them, everyone, suddenly, about Tabitha and him. But Tabs, he knew, didn't know anything about what she was. He believed it when his dad told him without much convincing- probably because he was ten. Gavin had this internal battle of how to tell her. He felt like he should be the one to do it- he was her family, after all. The question was: how to get her to believe him? He was afraid of the answer.

"Lone wolves are in town, at the same time my long-lost sister shows up. Apparently someone was looking for her. Ares is being... well, Ares. Mates are being revealed, but you already know all about that." Gavin couldn't shake the feeling that something big was around the corner. He wasn't about to tell either of them what Calvin had talked about at the beach, he'd never rat out a friend, and he wasn't entirely sure if he and Jac wanted to jump on board or not yet. Also, no doubt that Duncan would go tell Adrian and it would unfoil some kind of drama. Gavin hated drama.

He wished that he could blame the moon, but it seemed like the moon had absolutely minimal to do with what ever it was that was going on.

"Something is going on. Out there, in here. I tell you, the only way this could get more strange would be if Evon walked right in that door acting all motherly toward me." Gavin snickered and munched on some kind of distorted finger-food. He suddenly looked pointedly at Duncan, "How was Calvin at patrol today?"

Duncan was brought back to reality when Anya took his hand he had been having a lot of those moments these past few days, simply detaching himself from everything around him and then he would simply snap back to reality. Anya's touch brought him back out of it.

He followed Anya into the house and noticed how tense everyone seemed, he clos the door behind him and paused to look at his watch. Where did the time go these days he would probably get another beer in and then head home for the night, well he said home he was always welcome at him parents house and he had been way to distracted to actually go back to his apartment in town. He was also welcome at the pack house if he ever didn't want to go home.

Pulling out his phone he sent a quick message to his mother asking how his father was and informing her that he would be coming home soon.

Again it was that crash landing feeling of coming down to earth when Gavin spoke asking how Calvin was at patrol. " we'll he seems very on the ball" he commented walking up to Gavin.

Kathy leaned in to Ray and nodded sincerely. "I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks so. And they're, like, all getting right under our skin, right here in the house!"

Everything about the atmosphere in the room felt dense and difficult. The tension between each person was unusual, even the people who seemed to be behaving more affectionately towards each other. Had things changed tonight? It was difficult to tell. Lyra and Kyoshi had always been close anyway, and Jac and Gavin could just as well have gotten caught up in the throes of the human party and ended up together but not 'together'. On the other hand, perhaps fate really was playing it's hand. And then

“Wait, the stranger, I mean Tabby, is Gavin’s sister? "

"Really?" Kathy's eyes opened wide. "Is it like Dante showing up yesterday? Is Tabby going to be staying here too? I hope they get on better than Dante and Jac."

She looked at the way Tabby seemed to shrink away from Gavin at first, and sighed. Perhaps not. In a strange way she found herself wishing that Calvin was around. Not so that they could get on with pranking him, but because Calvin seemed so calm and calculated, and everyone seemed so het up with emotion. Kiyoshi was normally pretty calm about things too, but tonight even he was acting differently. More touchy feely with Lyra. Kathy wanted there to be at least one person around behaving the way she was used to!

Anya frowned, her eyes finding Tabby in the mix of people at the party. Gavin had said his long lost sister had turned up. Seeing as Tabby was the only one that Anya didn't immediately recognise (apart from the earlier meeting) and knew nothing about, she assumed it was her. Wait, what? Surely this was no mere coincidence? Once again she began to feel like something was wrong and yet no-one else seemed to echo her fear. Things seemed to be spiraling out of control with all the lone wolves turning up and now this as well. If they were still present by the time the full moon came, then who knew what would happen. Tabby didn't even know what she was. If she was still on Pack grounds when they all turned. Until Gavin opened his mouth and shared his thoughts with the rest of them she believed she was the only one with thoughts of this matter.

"Odd things are going on," She agreed, chewing her bottom lip hard. "Tabby's appearance here is not a coincidence, I'm sure of it. And all these lone wolves aren't safe either..." Her voice tailed off as she slipped back into her own thoughts. Surely Adrian was worried? No, he didn't seem worried and neither did Duncan. She looked up at him, meeting his eyes with a questioning look.

"So you have a sister?" Her question was for Gavin, but her eyes were still on Duncan. Quickly, she pulled them away to look between Gavin and Jac. Clearly Jac was still a bit unclear on the situation. And in truth so was Anya. Gavin had never mentioned a sister before, but then he didn't mention much about his life full stop. It didn't surprise Anya. She didn't ever talk about her parents or family either. Now, if they were to turn up things would be weird. She hated her parents with a passion and if she never laid eyes on them again it would be for the better. Looking back to Tabby, she frowned. She could relate to that feeling of not knowing who you truly were. Until she was fourteen she hadn't know what she was. Always different, but never sure why.

Snapping her attention back to the conversation, she waited for Gavin and Duncan to finish. "I'm assuming she didn't react well?"

“Obviously I'm missing some important things, so, can you please fill me in? aside from the wolves at the beach what else is going on?”

Gavin shook his head, "It's just a feeling I have. My sister's arrival and the fact that someone we don't know has been looking for her..." He didn't want to explain further in front of mixed company. "And then that thing with Calvin on the beach." Gavin gave her a meaningful look before turning back to Anya and Duncan.

"So you have a sister?"

"I do." Gavin answered simply. He knew it wasn't uncommon for the younger wolves who lived in the pack house to not talk about their families. And Gavin hadn't- for good reason, and he wasn't about to start now just because one of his relatives showed up. Not even Evon's unannounced arrival a few days ago managed to make him spill the wrath he felt towards his parents for what they did. And he would spare Tabs from that same agony as much as possible. No, it was his business, not theirs. And he wouldn't say anything further until he knew what Tabs knew.

"I'm assuming she didn't react well?"

Gavin tapped his fingers on the table and shifted uncomfortably. He blinked, then nodded. "Yeah. It's kind of a long story." Of course she hadn't reacted well, she thought he was dead, but Anya hadn't known that. More anger filled him as he wondered what other kind of lies their parents had filled Tabs' poor mind with.

He watched Kiyoshi and Ares from across the house and his concern for Jac came back. "Excuse me." Gavin said giving Jac's back a pat, leaving his plate at the table and walking over to Kiyoshi. Ares was stuttering about something that he didn't have the patience to decipher, but he still politely waited for the young boy to finish. He had no doubt that Ares had his reasons for being how he was, but Gavin wasn't really a man of patience, and Ares hadn't really earned his bluntness, so he just decided to grit his teeth and bear it and attempt to be as calm around the boy as possible.

But he wasn't there to talk about Ares. He had a more important concern.

"Kiyoshi?" Gavin started in a low voice. "Can you help Jac?" He didn't want to intrude, or say anything more in case Tabs was listening, but he supposed Kiyoshi would also be wanting to help Lyra... so he'd understand Gavin's concern. Also, everyone knew Kiyoshi was the personification of calm. Even being in the same room as him seemed to make Gavin's anger dissipate. He hoped Kiyoshi would help. Gavin wasn't sure how much he'd be able to do for Jac... He himself hadn't really gotten a lot of help through his shifts. Evon saved him during his first shift, sure, but after that it got rough. He didn't want that for Jac.

Gavin banished the memories from resurfacing.

Gavin blinked a few times, then glanced over to make sure Tabs was thoroughly distracted. "The moon." He said in a low voice. "I... don't know how much help I can give her, and I know you're all about..." He waved his hands in a gesture to all of Kiyoshi, not meant in an offensive matter, he just lacked the words to explain what he meant. "Well, you're calm, even when you change, and you've always got yourself under control, that's all. I imagine you'll be trying to help Lyra, too. Any help you can give to Jac would be... Well, I'd be..."

Eternally grateful beyond all time? Forever in your debt? His wolf offered with passive amusement. But Gavin couldn't bring himself to say such deep things to a man he hardly knew. Gavin just hoped that between his rambling and the seriously concerned expression in his eyes, that Kiyoshi understood what he was trying to say.

"Um..." Gavin looked around nervously. "My parents didn't give me a lot of help- in fact, their help was minimal. I had to get through my first few changes on hardly anything at all. It... sucked. A lot. I don't know much beyond that, and I don't want her to go through that. Anything you can do, really, I would greatly appreciate it." Well, that made his 'understatement of the year' award.

He had to talk to Tabs, he hoped sooner rather than later. But his first priority was making sure Jac would be able to get through the next couple of days. He was also hoping to pull her aside and explain everything- to come clean. If he didn't want to spill to anyone else in the pack, he couldn't keep her in the dark as well.

Then Gavin idly wondered if he should tell Evon he had found his mate. Or, rather, she found him. Maybe this was a reason to put their little spat on hold? Gavin wasn't sure.

“If we can keep them within sight of each other, I can help you. But only if I can see Lyra at the same time.”

Gavin had been holding his breath in anticipation, fully understanding of Kiyoshi's concern for Lyra and relieved to hear he'd at least attempt to help Jac, too. It was the least and all he could even begin to hope for. He was about to - and this was very odd, even for him - reach out and actually hug Kiyoshi. But Kiyoshi's gaze became cold and... challenging.

“I do not think, however, that Jac will want me to be the one helping her.”

Gavin grit his teeth together, "I know she wouldn't want you to help her. But when it comes to her safety what she wants isn't half as important as what she needs." Guilt hit him almost instantly, and Gavin looked down and backed off, taking a breath. "Sorry." He muttered, "It's been a stressful day. Thanks, Kiyoshi. I know you're concerned about Lyra, and I'd never ask you to prioritize above her."

Half-listening, Gavin picked up bits of the conversation between Tabby, Kathy, Ray and Lyra and at the mention of Rory was instantly distracted. "Thanks, again, Kiyoshi." Gavin reached out with an arm and patted him on the shoulder before walking over towards them.

It began to frustrate him how carelessly they seemed to be dancing around the subject with Tabby. It felt like they were... making fun of her. It wasn't her fault she didn't know what she was. He still had no real idea how he was going to explain all of this to her, so decided he'd figure it out as he went.

He passed Jac, at the sink doing dishes and wrapped an arm around her waist for a brief moment of privacy. "Hey, I'm going to talk to Tabs. We've got an overdue catch-up session to be had." Gavin wished he could just stay with her for the rest of the night, but it seemed like everything just suddenly exploded. Lifting his head from her shoulder, Gavin leaned over and kissed her forehead before heading back to Tabs and the others.

"I know Rory." He interjected, but shook his head casually, "He's an interesting one, that's for sure." Maybe that would be his understatement of the year... "If you guys don't mind, I'd like to steal Tabs for a while."

Lyra raised her eyebrow to Tabby's remark about a werewolf. The girl's entire situation was an oxymoron. Now this boy just added to it. She smiled as Gavin came back over, trying to catch his eye. "She's all yours," Lyra said, shifting closer to him slightly as she subtly tapped the back on his hand twice with her fingers. She smiled, meeting his gaze reassuringly. "If you need to talk later, we can do it with inside voices for once. We don't always have to start our venting sessions by yelling at each other," she whispered. Lyra chuckled, nodding to Gavin in her attempt of comfort. This would be good for the boy, but she did not want him to feel alone. She was always there for her packmates.

"Ray, don't you dare lose those tickets. Make sure you put them in your room somewhere safe, I'm not buying you another set!" she joked, waving to the group good-bye as she went to mingle with the remaining crowd. "And Kathy, if you want to come I'm sure we could fit you in the car too," she said, not wanting to leave the girl out. Although Lyra would not admit it vocally, she was hoping that Ray would want Lyra to bring her. The museum seemed very interesting!

Waving, Lyra set off. She chuckled to a joke as she passed by a group, glad to see everyone was having a good time even with all the chaos. Although she attempted to socialize, Lyra found herself in front of Kiyoshi before long, smiling up to him as she passed up an iced tea for him and herself and handed Ares a soda. "How are my boys enjoying themselves?" she asked, her mood as high as the moon. "This are getting quiet, the party will be over soon. It will be sad to see everyone go home." She sighed softly and looked down to Ares. He was still so shy and flinched every time someone accidentally bumped against his small body. With a teasing grin, Lyra placed her cup down and began to tickle the boy, hoping to incite pleasure and distraction from the fact the someone was touching him. "Ares, you are awfully quiet tonight, lighten up!"

---

Ash smiled to the conversation the Lost Boys, as she called them, were having, imagining the feast that Jason had wiggled out at the town. Whatever it was, he probably had more than enough to feed the entire pack in his one meal. She chuckled, her eyes closed as she lounged back in the grass for any attempt of a tan that could strike her pale skin. The sun felt wonderful, a warm blanket that gently kissed her skin as her mind wandered slightly. She wasn't very hungery, having opted out of the sausage and munched on a protein bar earlier in the day. Her own private stash, of course. The boys could keep their meat, even if their chatter of food made her stomach grumble.

Ash grinned to Winter's comment about the boys actually doing work for once. Hell would have to freeze over before that day came around, and even then it was risky. As the only female in the group, Ash felt like the den-mother at times, always needing to nag Craig, Drake, Niko, and Q-Ball to pick up after themselves. They were rogues, not slobs. At least that was what she scolded them.

At Jason's voice, Ash rolled over to her stomach and opened her crystal blue eyes to gaze sleepily into the camp, running her hand through her blonde hair to tussle it away from her face. She was just as surprised to see Jason back as the rest of them were, then again it would not have been a surprise if Jason had just taken off. But these Lost Boys were surprisingly loyal to each other, following Peter's, AKA Winter's, every command. Ash was the newbie to the group, having stumbled upon their little charade not long after abandoning her own pack and. . . others.

With an attention seeking yawn, Ash sat up and stretched her back, not wanting to be forgotten. Then again, in a pack of males a young, blonde, physically fit female was never easy to forget. "Oh Jason, stop teasing them," she moaned, rising as she joined the group and flashed Drake and Nico a smile. "That's my job, remember?" Ash laughed, leaning up against the van casually as she crossed her arms. "I hope you didn't forget to bring me home anything, though," she said coyly, twirling her hair around her slender fingers. "You promised you would, Jassy. And what did you find anyway? I'm just dying with anticipation," she moaned sarcastically.

"Sure thing." Adrian said forthrightly, "Tai will probably have to stay here and hold the fort, I'll just go and let her know what we're doing, I'll meet you out the front."

He quickly turned and strode through to towards the kitchen, where he'd last seen his mate heading. He didn't feel any qualms about leaving Duncan for a moment; the man was strong and didn't need to be handled with kid gloves. At the same time, much like Adrian himself, Duncan had a very strong relationship with his father. The thought gave him pause on the way...what would it be like when Cid Khöller's time came to pass? He felt a pang of guilt...it had been too long since they'd had the old man up to the pack house to visit. Cid had been a well loved alpha, and it wasn't an exhaggeration to say that a lot of people in the pack owed him their lives for what he did almost twenty years ago. Adrian felt a slight lump forming in his throat. Duncan was making the most of what could be the last days or even hours with his own father. Adrian should seek to do the same, no matter how long was left.

"Tai sweetheart," he spoke into the kitchen, "I'm going down to town with Duncan. It's his father. It doesn't sound good."

Tai looked around with genuine concern, and nodded. "Of course. Definitely you should go with him. Oh gosh, take your time, don't hurry back. I'll get things cleared up here. And stay in touch OK?"

"Naturally." Adrian said, giving her a soft kiss before going out into the hall, grabbing his jacket and stepping out the front door, where the SUV was parked not far away.

---

Tabby laughed at Kathy's remark, though it seemed to her like most of the teens in the room were girls so she hoped that the uncivility of mealtimes was a relative thing! She also turned to Dante, starting to feel a lot more relaxed and quite enjoying being made a bit of a fuss of (though she hoped it was not at the expense of Reina for it being her birthday!).

"Hi, Dante? Cool name!" she exclaimed.

"I know Rory..."

Tabby recognised Gavin's voice and glanced down at the floor to prevent anyone from seeing her face falling. She wasn't sure whether she was glad or not that he'd come back now...it sure would have been a long wait to hear him out in the morning, but a part of her had been glad to be lost in the celebrations and escape into them to delay the coming explanation. And it didn't help that he was confessing to know that strange kid...hopefully he would either turn out not to be Rory's friend as such, or else he would be able to point out some significant redeeming features the self-professed 'werewolf' might have.

It was probably for the best that Lyra agreed to relinquish Tabby, before leaning in to whisper something discreet to Gavin. Tabby wasn't actually that curious about what it might be. She only felt like she had it in her to allow Gavin to give one explanation; whether Gavin allowed other people to influence what he told her was up to him. She'd listen, and judge him by what he said.

"Great to meet you all," she addressed everyone standing nearby, then looked at Lyra, "my uncle Lance said he'd drop some of my things off at some stage...if the offer of staying over is still good that is. I think he's going to grab a room in one of the pubs himself."

Slowly she turned to Gavin and made a concerted effort to look him in the eye. Once again, it was beyond denying that he was who he claimed to be. All the distinctive features of his face were present, just in an older package. Her lips thinned and she swallowed hard.

"OK." she said blankly, "Where shall we go?"

"If you need to talk later, we can do it with inside voices for once. We don't always have to start our venting sessions by yelling at each other." Gavin heard Lyra say in her bell-like voice. Maybe it was his mood, but her cheery attitude put him off. Gavin didn't need her. Now that he had Jac, everything seemed more right than it ever had been... aside from the brewing suspicions stirring up around town. Gavin let Lyra's smile pass, along with the rest of her cheery mood.

Gavin wasn't cheery. He was about to tell his only sibling horrible news that would change her life forever. In more than one way.

He didn't really trust himself to interact with the other girls who were courteous enough to let him have a moment with her, so he let Ray pass, picking up on her frustrations. When she exited, Gavin nudged his head in the direction of the front door. "Outside. Probably the most privacy we'll be able to get here."

Refraining from guiding her, Gavin stuck with holding the door, waiting until she passed through before closing it behind him.

How to start...

"You look great." Better than he suspected she would have if he stayed. Not that he had much of a choice in the situation. The compliment came out with only the deepest sincerity. He was genuinely thrilled to see her, all suspicion aside. "Dad and I weren't murdered, Tabs." He looked down awkwardly, finding no way to ease into the subject. "When we went camping, it was because..." His eyelids fluttered, trying to think of how to say it. At the last second, he deflected. Before he could tell her the big secret, he had to clear his name off of her hit list. "He had to tell me the family secret. This secret... well, it put me in a state of shock." Paralyzing shock, His wolf panted with twisted humor. "At least, that's the best way I can describe it for now. Dad told me it would, told me he'd be there to help me through it."

He hadn't thought about it in a long time, but putting it in human terms made the actions of his father seem that much worse. Gavin let his voice drop, his eyes almost darkened as he sighed and continued:

"When it started, he told me it was very important for me to listen to him. That if I didn't, it could kill me. Then it started- the shock." He could spare her the details. "I strained through it, trying to hear him. So it would stop, or whatever. But dad left. He left me to die in the middle of no where. I was only ten."

A burning ball formed in the base of his throat.

"Then I heard a voice, urgently instructing me. I clung to it, because I didn't know what else to do. I made it through the shock, and found the woman who helped me sitting right next to me. She said her name was Evon, and she watched... him leave me there. She went to him and told him to help me, but he refused, making some comment about me making my own fate. So she came and helped me through it instead. Since then, I abandoned mom and dad. I knew I would miss you, too, but for some reason, my gut told me to not mention you. I thought by keeping you away I could keep you... safe or something."

After her little scoffing of Rory, Gavin wondered how much of an extension he'd have to go to if she didn't believe him. The inkling of thought made his wolf stretch out and nod its muzzle in the direction of the almost-full moon outside with ravenous glee. It longed to take over.

"Tabs, you have to understand: Dad left me for dead. I couldn't just go back home like nothing happened. Evon and Daniel welcomed me with open arms, and helped me through... it."

At first Tabby deigned to listen to Gavin without interrupting him, so as to give him a fair hearing. But the more he said, the more incredulity took over, and she couldn’t even think what to say to interrupt him if she’d wanted to. And when he got to the part about their father abandoning him, she felt an impulse to lash out – verbally or physically – but couldn’t even make full sense of what it is she was so angry about. She now had two different stories about what had happened to her father and brother, and they were utterly irreconciliable.

She took a deep breath, her voice wavering with the threat of tears. There was, after all, something that could make it all make sense. The relationship between their parents had always been slightly strained; almost like two people who were compelled to be together against their will. Their mother was small-framed, delicate and cerebral, their father had been a huge, powerful, outdoors oriented man. Tabby was absolutely certain her father had never once raised his hand to her mother, but at the same time her mother had always looked at him with a certain reserve and...perhaps distrust. She’d never asked about it directly, but whenever she had asked about their past she was just told that they were an ‘unlikely pairing’ who’d met at a lake-side camping trip.

“I don’t get it.” She resigned, “Dad never came back. We never heard from him or you again. When you didn’t come back from the camp, we didn’t know what had happened. Then a few days later some other people from town came by and told mom they’d found...”

Her voice choked and she swallowed hard, then took a deep breath.

“They said it had been a wolf attack. I took us years to get over it. I don’t think mom ever really did.”

She paused as though she was waiting for Gavin to fill in more of the details, but realised that he had actually told her the entire account. He’d been taken in by new parents. But why hadn’t he seen where their father had gone...?

“What was it you needed to be helped through?” she asked nervously. At that moment her imagination was conjuring up a picture of some bizarre family condition where the whole of puberty just took place in the space of an hour or something. Well...if that was true it was evidently active only on the male chromosome.

---

Tai had lingered in the kitchen, drying up things she’d normally leave to drain, worried about Duncan and his father and hoping that she’d get a call later with surprise good news. It wouldn’t be the first time an elderly pack member had seemingly gone to the brink and then come back with a bounce. But Duncan’s father was a very sick wolf, and had been for a while. Normally she preferred to be open with the young people when these things were going on, but the fact that nothing was known for sure combined with the fact that Ray was celebrating an important birthday led her to think it best to say nothing for now.

She hurriedly composed herself when she heard Reina approaching with an uncharacteristic ‘stomp’ in her step. Looking around she smiled, listened, and tilted her head wondering who the girl was talking about. It took her a moment to realise.

“We don’t know if it’s our place to.” She said calmly, “We don’t know anything about her history, or why it’s been kept from her. Besides, think about it. How would you react if you thought you were one thing all your life, and then suddenly someone just tells you you’re some other thing you didn’t even realise existed?”

“I don’t get it... Dad never came back. We never heard from him or you again. When you didn’t come back from the camp, we didn’t know what had happened. Then a few days later some other people from town came by and told mom they’d found...”

They found what? Gavin wanted to press. What was it, exactly these people said they found? If it had been wolves, there probably wouldn't have been much left to recognize. Gavin waited patiently for her, this was probably something really not easy.

“They said it had been a wolf attack. I took us years to get over it. I don’t think mom ever really did... What was it that you needed help through?"

Gavin swallowed. He supposed there was no way to say it except to just say it. He drew in a deep breath. "Tabs, you're a werewolf. So am I."

He waited with as much patience as he could for her to get whatever reaction she needed to get out, out and for the startling realization that he was being completely serious to settle in.

"So were mom and dad- that's the only way to be one, genetics. They kept it from us as long as possible- sending us away on the full moon, putting us to bed early on the full moon... It was easier to keep you in the dark because females don't get their wolf until they find their mate. Males get their wolves very young- that's why dad took me on that camping trip. He was supposed to help me through my first shift, which is the most dangerous."

Adrian glanced back at Anya, surprised that she had joined them but it wasn't time to ask for reasons. If she was there then she obviously knew where they were going and why, and as long as Duncan was fine with it then it wasn't a problem. Without a word he started up the car and made the short journey down to the outskirts of town, not so far from where his own parents lived. He pulled up outside the house Duncan's parents lived in, noting that a couple of lights were on and parked up.

He stepped out of the car and took a deep breath, stepping into the yard and waiting for Duncan to go past him. He lokoed back at the beta and offered and encouraging smile, not quite sure what that was meant to accomplish.

"After you buddy."

---

Tai almost chuckled at how quickly Reina returned to even keel in her mood, and extended her arm to give her a hug.

"No problem sweety." she said, pulling the small girl in affectionately, hoping that for once she could do so without fear of falling foul of some hilarity. "Glad you enjoyed it. Don't worry about it. You'd best get back out there, people will probably want to say bye on their way out, and I need to start preparing a room for Tabitha. You know if she's still with Lyra and Kathy?"

---

Tabby froze, stunned by what she was hearing. The impulse to turn and run was almost overwhelming. When Rory had tried to convince her that he was a werewolf, it had been kinda quaint and harmlessly funny, and it had been easy enough to just pass it off as a little fantasy hobby thing he and a bunch of other people did. But this was different. Gaving - her own brother - was not only saying that both he and she were werewolves, but using it as the reason he disappeared and left her believing he was dead for almost ten years. The fact that he would do that left her in no doubt that this was't a game. Gavin believed what he was saying.

She took a deep breath, trying to contain the emotion but hardly able to suppress the incredulity.

"So you're telling me," he said slowly, "that dad took you out into the woods to turn into a wolf? And then just ditched you and disappeared into the night? Because he didn't come home to us either."

She tried her best to rationalise it. Something must have happened that night that traumatised Gavin beyond comprehension. She struggled to piece together a scenario that could make sense of it. Like perhaps wolves had attacked, but maybe these other people had rescued Gavin before he was hurt, but the sight and sound of the wolves had left him with this delusion about being a werewolf. But then, why had his 'foster parents' not attempted to find his real home, or allowed him to continue believe this nonsense?

"Is this like Rory?" she asked quietly, "Gavin I don't believe in werewolves. I'm actually scared of wolves, I had nightmares about them for years after you and dad went missing."

Suddenly she began to shake and her gaze turned back to the house. Oh god...was this place some sort of weird cult or something? Is that why Gavin had harboured this belief?

"Do..." she hesitated, "...the others here believe in werewolves?"

"So you're telling me... that dad took you out into the woods to turn into a wolf? And then just ditched you and disappeared into the night? Because he didn't come home to us either."

"That's what I understand of it. It's different for females, when you get your first shift your mate will be there to help you through it. Males only have whatever guardian is available. First shifts will kill you if you don't get help. Dad had no intention of letting me get through it, or hiding that I was going to die. I don't know why he didn't come home, Tabs. From my perspective, I'm glad he died if he did. Bastard left his only ten-year-old son to die in the woods."

"Is this like Rory?"

Gavin laughed out loud, and didn't really make an attempt to hide it. "No, Rory is delusional."

"Gavin I don't believe in werewolves. I'm actually scared of wolves, I had nightmares about them for years after you and dad went missing... Do... the others here believe in werewolves?"

"I wouldn't doubt it." He shook his head, "After thinking for years that he and I were killed by wolves can do that to you, I suppose. Look, I understand your confusion. You've lived on Earth for seventeen years of your life believing this stuff was make believe. You're skeptical. I would be, too."

"Believe or don't believe- that's between you and your own mind. I don't have to believe- because I lived it. No drugs, no drinking, no weird injections to my skin. Tai and Adrian aren't brainwashing us. It's genetic, but it's not my job to force you to believe in what you don't want to. My job is to tell you the truth."

Gavin leaned up from the railing. "And if you can handle it, I'll prove it to you."