Evelyn:
The harsh wooden walls of the courtroom taunted me, a trembling Stephan couldn't sit still in one of Hudson's spare navy suits. Decklin Morgan dusted off his black Italian suit, his briefcase taking up his whole lap. The evidence we had gathered filled it to the brim, my own cream sweater dress made me feel under dressed, the black blazer seeming to be the only thing saving it. Clutching my purse to my chest, the various judges' faces stared back at me. A petite woman in a tight dark blazer and trousers called us in, her pink blouse was the only color to match her colorful aura. Adjusting her dirty blonde bun, Stephan seated himself at the desk to the left while some snotty nose blonde hair brat chatted with an expensive looking lawyer in a designer suit that cost more than a down payment on a house. A black aura drew me to a short chubby woman in a tight leopard dress and perfect blond hair, her ruby sweater clashing with her scarlet heels. The daggers she shot in my direction could have killed any normal person but my patience was already wearing thin. Sitting up taller, the security person called for us all to rise. My anxiety ate at me, that incessant family really should have given up the lawsuit. They attacked him, the punches had been thrown in defense. A judge with tight gray curls around her her tiny face sat down, her hammer banging on the dark wooden gavel. My eyes traced every line of the sleek white marble bench, a cranky looking woman gearing up to type a mile a minute. The three ring circus began, a migraine throbbed violently. A dark energy throbbed in the corner, black smoke floated on the ceiling. Ruby eyes glowed in the center of the mass, my leg beginning to shake. Unable to focus on the trial, the mass kept stealing my attention. Another energy bothered me, another white wolf plopping down next to me. His gentle hazel eyes watched me intensely, his head turning up to the ceiling.
"I am Puck Solstain. That is a nasty demon on the ceiling, huh?" He introduced himself quietly, his eyes falling on the trial at hand. "I would like to get coffee after this all goes in your favor. Grappy can come or is that what you call him? I am ready to join you. Us white furs have to stick together." My lips parted to speak, the video of the fight silencing the courtroom. Tears welled up in my eyes, the sight of Stephan getting kicked broke my heart. The fight had been my fault. If only I had simply let them stay home, none of us would be here. Moving on to closing arguments, the judge listened with a stern expression. My face paled, the demon scurrying out the crack in the window
"I am Evie, the white wolf with the reaper's eye." I introduced myself anxiously, chewing on my nails. "I would love coffee but these days I want to simply stay home. The only reason I felt safe enough to be here is because the courthouse was a neutral ground. The list seemed impossibly short, only a few places had become permanent. One coffee shop down the street had earned a spot on the list, the prospects of ever being safe again dwindling before my eyes.
"There is one place we can go where all monsters are safe." I suggested quietly, the security person ordering the defendant to rise. All eyes fell on the judge, her ocean blue eyes shone with conviction. Waiting with bated breath, the next words woke me up from the fog in my brain.
"The lawsuit is being tossed out. " The judge announced, hitting the gavel. A cheer erupted from my lips as Stephan crashed into my arms. Spinning me around, his eyes narrowed in Puck's direction. Examining his white t-shirt and jean combo, his brow cocked in response. Puck ran his hands through his short but fluffy white hair offering his hand to Stephan. The plaintiff's mother marched up to me, the crack of her hand slapping my face stunning everyone. Tears welled up in my eyes, the slap stinging quite a bit.
"You fucking bitch!" She shrieked uncontrollably in my face, her spit almost landing in my eyes. "He hurt my boy! He hurt my boy!" Her hand raised once more, my hand catching her arm in the middle of her next slap. A snarl curled on my lips, her words eating at me. Throwing her arm down, my face was inches from hers.
"He got hurt!" I roared thunderously, shaking my head. "You have no right! Your son was about to kick a pregnant girl in the stomach, one who just lost her parents at that! Maybe if you got your head out of your ass and wake the fuck up! Your son is no different from the bullies who tortured me. God forbid if I got pregnant in school. Unlike me, my parents would have killed me on the spot! I was shoved around and had my self esteem crushed to a grain of dirt. Do you know what that felt like? Do you know what it feels like to be small and fragile? Do you know how to smile through the pain even though you don't feel like it? No, you don't. I helped my enemies regardless of how they treated me. Fuck you! Let's go!" Turning to leave, she cried out. A basic kitchen knife glistened in the light, a sharp pain jolted my arm. Nausea wracked me, the kitchen blade quivered in my arm. The officers attempted to get to her, her raw strength knocking them all out. Gritting my teeth, my fingers curled around the sleek handle. A scream exploded from my lips the moment I ripped it out, my own blood dripping onto the cheap carpet. Her trembling hand reached into her pocket, a black pistol quaking in her hand.
"You let that boy hurt my baby!" She cried out desperately, her wide eyes quivering with unbridled rage. "Now die." Aiming it towards Stephan, her finger pulled the trigger. Jumping in the way, the bullet smashed into my right shoulder. Whimpering in pain, she aimed for the center of my forehead. Two pops echoed in the air, a shuddering blond haired boy trembled in his spot. His mother fell forward, the other bullet landing in my left shoulder. Cursing under my breath, this hurt way too much. Collapsing to the floor, the gun slid to my knees. The sounds of screams came to life. All of us heard the bystanders panicking, a new group of officers rushing in. My vision blurred, the teenage boy put his hands up. His sleeve slid down, several bruises stealing my attention. Stephan told them what happened, the teenage boy crawling over to me.
"Are you okay?" I inquired first, shock rounding his ocean eyes. "Do you need me to call your father? I get it. The bullying was only because she was abusing you at home. The bruises are why your jacket's extra long today, isn't it?" Smiling sadly at him, the bullets popped out of my skin. Clutching the boy close to my chest, hurt was all he knew. His arms dangled lifelessly by his side, a strained confusion dawned on his face.
"Why are you being so nice?" He stammered nervously, biting his lips."I tried to kick R-" Ruffling the top of his head, he had clearly learned his lesson. One question plagued me, how did he heal so fast? Sniffing his arm, he smelled similar to Puck. My eyes flitted between the two of them, the pieces of the puzzle coming together.
"Say, Puck?" I asked cautiously, his eyes refusing to look at me. "Is this boy your son? Just tell me. If you are the man I think you are then you will ad-" Tears welled up in his eyes, the resemblance in their face seemed rather obvious to me now. The point of their nose curved at the matching angles, their hair even seemed like the same texture.
'Yes, Daryll is my son. His mother wouldn't let me near him." He admitted brokenly, bowing his head in shame. "I have let you down. I am so sorry. I would take you home but hunters destroyed my other home. That is why I found you. I need a place to stay." Rolling my eyes, Hudson wouldn't be happy about this. Never mind that, Raven was going to kill me.
"Fine." I mumbled under my breath, cracking my shoulders. "Let's go home after we are done here." An officer stepped up to me, his eyes falling on the bullets at my feet. Hiding my throbbing arm behind my back, his lips pressed into a thin line. Decklin stepped up behind me, his fingers snapping. A cloudy daze came over his eyes, the officer turning and leaving. One by one, the officers all left with a statement that no one knew who the killer was. Even the judge acknowledged that, all this led to Decklin forcing us into the armored limousine. A quiet rage seethed in my eyes, a jolt of pain reminded me of the knife still in my arm. Sighing deeply, the knife needed to come out of my arm so Grappy could heal it. Grappy popped up next to me, a clear raincoat covered his black t-shirt and black jeans. Ripping it out of my arm, ruby painted his raincoat.
"I didn't feel like ruining any more clothes." He joked tenderly, his eyes falling on the traumatized teen. "Did you use your memory erasing spell like I told you to do, Decklin? Daryll can have a decent future now. Daryll, I am only doing this because you saved my master. You will have to make up for your sins with Stephan. Heal." The wound sealed shut, Stephan sat closer to me. Mixed emotions flashed in his eyes at the sight of his bully, the tension building in the air.
"I did indeed." Decklin admitted honestly, crossing his hands. "I am not interested in doing another case. I am dropping you off at home and taking a long vacation. Daryll, don't you ever say a word to anyone. The thing with my spell is that they will never believe you no matter what." No words came from Daryll's mouth, his body rocking back and forth. The oppressive silence poisoned the air, my eyes falling on the trees flashing by. The brakes slowed to a stop, Decklin kicking us out. The four of us stood in the town's center, not knowing what to do. Stephan brushed past my shoulder, punching Daryll in his face.
"Consider us even." He barked hotly, going home. "The only reason I am not killing you right now is because you saved Evie. Don't expect me to ever like you!" Motioning for everyone to leave except Daryll, they bowed before leaving. Getting on his knees, he pressed his forehead to the ground.
"I am so sorry." He apologized sincerely, his wet eyes gazing up at me. "I am a lo-" Yanking him off of the ground, my hand cupped his. Cocking my head to the right, my bright smile relaxed his fraying nerves. Dragging him behind me to the garden, the last corner of flowers needed to be planted. Yanking his hand away, my other hand scooped up a couple of gardening gloves. Tossing him a pair, he slid them on cautiously. Pulling up the hem of my dress, he watched me get on my knees. Copying my actions, his eyes refused to meet mine as he dug a hole.
"You must be wondering why I have you gardening." I remarked serenely, watching him put the first flower in. "I believe in second chances. You could have stood by while she shot me in the head but you saved me. That leads me to believe that you do have a decent heart. The moment I noticed the bruises it all made sense. You were only lashing out because of your home life. I want to give you a chance to smile. I take it you got expelled as well. If that is the case, I will have a tutor living in the village for a bit to get you guys through high school." His fingers dug into the dirt, his next reaction reminding me of myself.
"Just stop it, damn it!" He roared bitterly, fat teardrops soaking the dirt underneath him. "I was horrible and just killed my mother. I deserve to be underneath this damn dirt! I was expelled because I took the soul blame of it all. My friends tossed me away like I was a piece of trash, so why would you care!" Guilt ate at me for judging him on his actions and not why he had behaved that way. A throat clearing stole our attention, Raven getting on her knees next to me. Her hair fell from behind her ears, her navy sweater floated from her body.
"You are a white wolf, right?" She commented curiously, his brows furrowing. "I find that so awesome. I forgive you for trying to hurt me. Stephan told me everything but I can't stand to see a fellow person suffering. As long as you take the right steps going forward, we can work towards being friends. Let's finish this garden, 'kay." Smiling coyly in her direction, alternative music began to play. Glancing up, Hudson joined in with Stephan. The two of them wore matching band t-shirts and jeans, an apologetic smile met everyone. Saying hi awkwardly, we let the music disguise the silence. Working through the afternoon, we all stood back to examine our work. The sea flowers swayed in the breeze, Raven's sobs rang in my ears. Stephan wrapped her arms around her tiny bump, his chin rested on her shoulder. Dirt crunched a few feet from us, Todd approached us cautiously. Clearing his throat, he twisted his foot in a pile of dirt. His hair blocked his eyes, his fingers playing with the hem of his light blue shirt.
"Did you guys want to hang out with me? I have a new video game and I need three more players." He choked out tensely, Stephan glancing over at him with his real smile. "Daryll can even come too. My mom makes a mean taco salad." Daryll shook his head, Stephan and Raven hooked their arms around his elbows.
"We would love to. We won't be home for dinner." Raven announced with a crooked grin, dragging him away. "Have fun, you two." Hudson placed me on his back, his hair tickling my chin. His loving gaze met mine, his lips brushed against the top of my hands. Such small moments made my efforts fruitful.
"Where did you plan on placing Puck?" He inquired gently, walking back home. "We don't have a lot of room left." Leaping off of his back, his real smile lit up his face as I danced around. Motioning for him to come after me, Latia waved at me from her window. His arms wrapped around my waist, our laughter filled the air. Spinning me underneath him, his lips pressed against mine sensually. My heart fluttered, a tender blush rose to my cheeks. Flipping him underneath me, a husky growl rumbled in his throat.
"I was going to put them in the finished basement we don't use." I answered simply, sticking out my tongue. "That is where I will put them. Hell, it even has a kitchen. So, I am going to clean it up before Daryll gets home. He deserves a place to feel safe. His mother abused him, the bruises were almost as bad as mine. The last thing he needs is another set of cold walls to come home to." Spinning him onto his feet, he could barely keep up as I pounded into the house. Gathering up cleaning supplies, his hand snatched them from me. The old door creaked open, a wall of cobwebs clung to my skin. Groaning in disgust, I peeled them off. Clicking the light switch, Hudson visibly recoiled. Fear froze him in his place, a pair of shackles hung off the wall. His hands rubbed his wrists, his body trembled. Shoving him out, he didn't need to go through with this.
"You go make us dinner or something." I ordered sternly, stealing the cleaning supplies. "You don't need to push yourself. I will be fine. Better yet, why don't you go get us Chinese food." His lip parted in protest, my bright smile settling him down. Shutting the door in his face, I needed to investigate the situation for myself. Bouncing down the stairs, my face paled. Hudson's writing covered the walls, two beds rested on the other side of the wall. Tears welled up in my eyes, my fingers lining the claw marks. Had he been locked down here? The plush carpet underneath me seemed fake, dark memories haunting these walls. Lifting up the corner of the rug, a growing pool of blood alarmed me. Jumping back, tears streamed down my cheeks. How the hell did he keep it together for all this time? Pressing my palm to the floor, endless memories of Hudson and Latia played out in front of me. His parents' voices echoed in the room, the sound of his father's fist slamming into his mother scared me. Collapsing to my knees, clammy sweat drenched my skin, Teardrops crashed to the floor, the sound of Latia crying out for Hudson shattered my heart. Why couldn't I save them? The sounds ceased to a halt, a white light bathing the room. Pristine walls surrounded me, the beds were brand new. None of the damage remained, confusion dawning on my face. A cold hand touched my shoulder, the spirit of his mother floated behind me. Her long hair cascaded down her back, her cloudy eyes fell on me. Stumbling back, her torn blouse and trousers matched the day she died. Several stab wounds caught my eyes, my fingers sliding through them.
"He murdered me that day." She sighed sadly, shrugging her shoulders. "I made the room nice for you again. I always liked you." Intense sadness washed over me, my heart broke for her. Her cold arms embraced me kindly, sparkling teardrops soaking the top of my head. Her wet eyes gazed down at me, her hands cupping my face. The gentleness of her touch melted my heart, her slender finger wiping away my tears.
"I am sorry." I sobbed quietly, wondering why Hudson hadn't told me about all of this. "Can I send you to Heaven? It is the least I can do." A chill shot up my spine the moment her lips kissed my forehead, her hands sliding down to my bump. Kissing it feverishly, the tender moment softened the emotional blow. Her laughter twinkled in the air, the corner of her lips curled into her rare smile.
"I am so proud of you. You are carrying the next generation." She commented sweetly, rubbing the bump. "I watched you shove your way through Hell while I was going through the same thing. You inspired me to stay strong. Hudson always admitted to me in private that he loved you. He was simply scared to be with you because of him fearing if you had never been chosen as his mate. Who wouldn't be? I wasn't his father's mate. He had murdered his first wife and kidnapped me from another clan. Silly me, I wish I had told someone when I was alive. Hudson and Latia aren't even my children but I loved them like they were mine. I have to go now. My family is waiting for me. I came down for a visit from Heaven. Thanks for the offer. Good luck, my dear Evie." Floating through the basement window, the energy died down. The room remained the same, my fingers tracing the carpet. Unsure of what to think, the door opened. The smell of Chinese food made my stomach grumble, Hudson ran down the stairs with a crinkling bag. His jaw dropped to the floor, his eye falling on the miniature living room and new beds.
"I was only gone for a couple of hours. How?" He stammered adorably, his eyes flitting around the room. "Did you use your magic?" Shaking my head, a conversation needed to be had. A lump formed in my throat, my fingers scratched at the top of my hands.
"I know about the abuse and your stepmother's murder." I blurted out boldly, watching him plop down next to me. "You don't have to suffer alone. You can talk to me about. I am sorry for the quarterback insult." Sliding closer to me, he passed me a white carton with my favorite chopsticks. Opening the container, a satisfied sigh escaped my lips.
"I didn't want to tell you because it seemed like you had enough on your plate." He returned numbly, opening his own. "I would have laid my life down for my stepmother. I did once and I was nearly beat to death by my father. My mother put foundation on my face the next day. I also saw him murder my mother when I was three. He threatened to kill me if I told anyone. You must hate me for lying to you. The day you showed up in school was the day after he beat me. Your smile brought me joy." Trading cartons, we ate the food.
"I know that. We could have dated and and said fuck you together." I said sincerely, hoping that he would be okay. "Everyone would have had a heart attack. Do you want to forget the pain for a moment and watch some television?" Snapping my fingers, the remote flew into my palm. The television flickered on, home video of his stepmother and him began to play. His six year old version of him ran around, his mother played a game of tag with him. It was his birthday, the camera stopping on me. The bruises were faint on my face, my white cotton dress floated off of my body. Tears welled up in his eyes, his head resting on my shoulder. Continuing to eat, his eyes fell back on the screen.
"Hudson!" My six year old version called for him, his arms wrapping around my waist. "You need your birthday peck!" My real smile brightened my face, his cheek leaning over to me. Pecking him on the cheek, crimson colored our cheeks. The scene shifted to a ten year old Hudson sitting at the kitchen table, his stepmother sat across from him. Her graying hair was twisted into a messy bun, flour covering their faces.
"Who do you want to marry? You are going to be the alpha before you know it?" She queried lightly, her laughter twinkling in the air. "I just know that you will be a wonderful alpha, much better than your father." Embarrassment stained his cheeks, a wide grin dancing across his lips.
"I want to marry my best friend Evie." He admitted boldly, spinning around the table. "I love her so much. My main mission in life is to see her smile. Her laughter is the most wonderful sound in the world. Do you think she will become my mate?" Clutching him close to her chest, her slender hand dusted the flour off of him. Lifting his chin with her finger, her beautiful grin made his grin grow wider.
"Then go for it." She chirped cheerfully, beginning to pick up the kitchen. "Go clean up before your father gets home. One more thing. I have a gift for you." Sliding him a couple of head phones, his head bowed. Teardrops crashed to the floor, his lips quivered.
"Why won't you let me defend you!" He shouted furiously, his fists balling up. "I can't stand to hear it anymore! Do you think headphones will fix any of this? I have news for you, it won't." Ruffling the top of his head, she kissed him on the forehead.
"I don't need him killing you." She wept softly, wiping the flour off of his face. "Your job as a big brother is to protect your little sister. I am so proud of you. Now off you go. I think you have a play date with Evie." The television clicked off, the empty containers rested at our feet. Laying his head on my lap, his tears soaked my lap. Poor Hudson. No longer did he need to hold this all in.