44

I could see his point. It was hard for me to come to terms with it too when Brandon first told me. I didn’t blame Dad for feeling lost. If I didn’t have Brandon or the pack, I would have felt just as he did.

“For years I felt like I was a freak of nature. I didn’t know any other werewolves. I was afraid to search for them. Then we had Elma. I could not balance my life, that was the truth of it. Even though I had control over my form, I was worried about the safety of my girls. What if I accidentally hurt them somehow? What if I had transferred my curse to them? The guilt, the shame, the horror, drove me away. I could not bear to see that my two girls could potentially be werewolves like me. I tried to tell you, honey, but any amount of explanation would have been met with incredulity. Could you blame me? I was afraid.” Dad fell silent for a long time, still clutching Elms as she snored loudly.

“What did you do, Dad?” I asked.

“I went on a quest,” he said. “I traveled in search of others like me. From obscure internet forums to sightings by locals, I traveled the whole world, looking for werewolves. Everywhere. After many months, I found some like me, but they were territorial. Didn’t want me in their pack. This was back in Afghanistan, I think. Yep. I found another pack in Siberia. Then I headed to Europe, Finland, and Sweden. There are plenty of wolves there. Slowly, from their accounts, I started learning about the existence of wolves in America. But I could not come back. I was ashamed. I had left my family. What kind of a coward does that?” At this point, Dad began sobbing loudly.

I saw with wide eyes as Mom went to Dad and hugged him. “Shh.”

“I traveled for years, trying to meet new wolves, looking for my family, and it wasn’t until a long time later that I realized that I already had a family. A family that I had left behind on purpose. I wanted to get in touch with you, but by then it had been years. I didn’t know if you would accept me,” he said.

“You only had to tell me all of this earlier. Who you are does not change the man that I fell in love with, wolf or not. You think that I’m this shallow?”

“It’s not about that, dear. It’s just … I was far gone. I would stay in my wolf form for months, never shifting back. I slowly began to forget about my humanity. This power, this ability, it can be a curse just as quick. I was taken in by some kindly folk who made me get back on my feet and helped me turn back into a human. This happened near the North Pole, by the way. They taught me the meaning of life, of love. They took care of me, made me stronger, and made me promise that I would spend the rest of my days helping other wolves in need,” Dad said.

“And when did you exactly become a werewolf legend? People around the reservation know you by name. They call you the Briar Wolf,” I said.

“I had a new mission, a purpose that I devoted myself to. I traveled all over the world, this time with a new path. I helped the wolves who were being hunted. I united different packs who were warring with each other. In some countries, people have been hunting werewolves for sport. I tried to put an end to that, never realizing that the same thing was happening here in America as well,” he said.

“Last night I was roused from my sleep by the wolf spirit. He warned me that you were in danger. I came as soon as I could,” Dad continued. “What happened here, by the way?”

It was my turn to tell him my side of the story, starting from my visions and ending with the fight we just had with the DOPC.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t be there. I’m glad that you are all right,” he said, hugging me.

“It’s okay, Dad,” I said, letting go of years of anger and resentment in that one sentence.

“Honey,” Dad said, looking at Mom. “I know none of my explanation is even close to enough, but can you find it in your heart to forgive me? Take me back?”

Mom sighed. “Briar, I thought you were dead. You shouldn’t have left. We could have handled this together.”

“Do you want to handle this together starting now, if it’s not too late?” Dad asked softly.

“Come here, you,” Mom said, reaching to my dad and kissing him on the lips.

Realizing that things would get really hot and heavy in a minute, I lifted Elma and took her to her bedroom. I tucked her in bed and watched her sleep peacefully.

Then I went into my room, resting my weary bones, feeling a deep relief at Dad’s return.

24

Brandon

The longer I stayed alone, the more the gravity of the situation dawned on me. I had just been elected the leader of the wolves. In the heat of the moment, I had delivered a speech, accepted this title, and greeted everyone around me, but Father Ernest was right. How was I going to pull it off alone?

I needed to be with Alice. That woman could calm down a tempest and right now it felt like I was stranded in the middle of a storm. I had Father Ernest drop me off outside the reservation. In the short time between my getting out of bed and the rousing speech that I had delivered, my injuries had somehow healed. I could walk again.

It was funny, walking along the road leading to Rapid Falls. For most of my life, the place had been covered with dark clouds. On this bright sunny day, it looked like a different town altogether. The green leaves shone in the sun and the brilliant blue sky was dotted with small white clouds. Birds chirped in the air, tittering as they flew from branch to branch.

It truly was a new day in Rapid Falls.

I approached Alice’s house and knocked on the door twice. I hoped that things were okay with her mom and her sister. That they hadn’t worried too much.

Alice opened the door, her face flustered and blushing.

“Brandon!” she squealed.

“I came by to check in on you and tell you what’s been happening since you left,” I said.