Marcus and Natalie met at the check-in at the airport. Natalie looked like she was hit by a truck, while Marcus looked great.
"Someone got out from the wrong side of bed today," Marcus commented, looking at his sister up and down.
"Ya think so? My alarm didn't go off, I rushed to get here, and I haven't even eaten breakfast," Natalie sighed, rolling her eyes. "Do we really have to go?"
"Well, yeah! You know if we don't, dad will get the entire police force to search for us, right?"
"Entire police force? Isn't that an exaggeration?"
"You know dad!"
Back at their home, Kimberly was busy making their favorite foods. For breakfast, she made toast with egg and bacon and some orange juice.
She was preparing lunch when Pete came into the kitchen. "Smells, wonderful. Can I have some," he said, grabbing the toast and butter.
"Help yourself. Afterward, come help me!" Kimberly replied.
"Your word is my command," Pete said, bowing dramatically, making Kimberly giggle.
"Stop it, Pete! You're a grown man, not a teenager."
He just laughed while pouring himself some juice. "Have you eaten anything?" He asked.
"No, I'm not hungry."
"Hmm! No excuses. Eat first. They'll be arriving around eleven, so you can eat now, and I'll help you with cooking lunch," Pete said, pouring another glass of juice.
They both sat at the table eating. It had been some time since they had breakfast together since Kimberly had to rush to school daily.
They ate in silence, with the only sound coming from the bread and bacon.
"They must have gotten on the plane by now," Kimberly said, staring at the time.
"I know you're nervous. I'm here with you every step of the way."
"Pete, we are doing the right thing, aren't we?"
The tension in Kimberly's eyes was deep. Pete had always supported her, but he also gave his opinion on things he was against.
"Kimmy, I know how much you love Arya. She's our daughter. We're doing what's best for her."
Pete held her hands and touched his forehead to hers. Then, he hugged her tightly.
A few hours had gone by, and Kimberly, with the help of Pete, had prepared lunch for her children and was now standing at the airport waiting area. Pete had volunteered to stay home and get the table ready.
After sitting in the waiting area for a few minutes, Kimberly finally saw her children pushing one trolley with both their bags on it.
She smiled and waved, but only Marcus waved back, while Natalie just pretended she didn't see her.
They got into Kimberly's car, and Kimberly drove off, with Marcus sitting in front and Natalie at the back seat.
"So, how's school going?" Kimberly asked, trying to start a conversation.
"Great. I made some new friends and joined a study group," Marcus answered excitedly.
"That's great," Kimberly said, then looked in the rear view mirror and asked, "How 'bout you, Nats?"
"What are we doing here?" Natalie asked, clearly disinterested in talking.
Kimberly pursed her lips. She took in a long breath and said, "Your father and I have to tell you something. We've invited two people, and we really hope both come. She'll tell us everything. That's all I can tell you."
"She? Meaning, Arya?" Marcus interrogated.
Natalie sat up straight, and for the first time since arriving, she seemed alive. "Mom, is Arya coming?" Her voice carried so much hope and joy that Kimberly's eyes watered.
She blinked repeatedly to clear it, and not knowing what to say, just shrugged.
She had invited Arya and Rodriguez over as she wanted to see and meet them both, and she said she'd try to get him to come, and that he was not comfortable, as because of being in many battles throughout his life, he was covered in scars, which made him feared and respected in the werewolf world, but he was afraid the human world would not accept him.
"What's that's supposed to mean?" Both Marcus and Natalie asked simultaneously.
"Look, I have asked her to come over, but I don't know if she will come or not. I'm hoping she does. That's why we called you both over."
"Wait, you said two people. Who's the other person?" Marcus, the ever so observant one, asked.
Kimberly was sure of one thing, if Marcus became a police officer like his father, every criminal is screwed.
"If Arya comes, I want her to tell you. If he comes along, we will meet him. If not, we will visit him in his pack!"
"Pack? As in werewolf pack? No, mom! Please don't tell me it's Alfa!" Natalie said.
"No! I would never invite Alfa over without asking you first!" Kimberly said sternly.
Natalie let out a breath of relief while Marcus groaned. Natalie looked at him and asked, "Mar, why are you groaning?"
"I thought Alfa would come, and we'll see him begging you to call Valac," he said, and Kimberly inhaled sharply.
Both teens looked at her, and she said, "I don't want you to mention anything about Alfa's calls. Nothing about him wanting to call Valac and definitely not about him begging."
"Why?"
"Because Alfa told me that she's turning into a dark witch. And she's becoming dangerous. I don't know if any of this is true or not, but I don't want to take risks."
"Dark witch?" Natalie asked.
"Her paternal great-grandmother was a very powerful witch, and since Arya is the only female born after generations of men, she inherited the witch powers," Kimberly explained.
"But she's a wolf... was a wolf, right?" Marcus questioned.
Kimberly explained as much as she could to both her children while also answering any other questions she had thrown at her.
Both Marcus and Natalie were surprised and speechless when Kimberly finished her explaining.
"So that's why Alfa is eager to see Valac and bring her wolf back before she turns on him," Natalie said after a long silence.
"And since Valac was the one who put Bella to sleep, he is the only one who can reverse it!" Marcus added.
"Talk about making deals without thinking and understanding what the result would be in the future!" Natalie scoffed.
"Maybe he never heard of the phrase, 'be careful what you wish for'," Marcus added, snorting.
A comfortable silence once again spread in the car as they turned a corner toward the house.
Kimberly parked outside in the garage, and all three climbed out and picked up their bags, making their way to the front door.
Pete opened the door, and happily greeted his children, and they walked into the sitting room, where a very familiar face sat on the sofa, beside her, a very awkward looking man, with scars on his face and neck, sat there. What caught their attention was not the scars but his eyes. Red piercing eyes. Familiar eyes!