35 Run

As I finally push through the crowd, I run straight for the door and don't stop to say bye. As soon as I'm outside, I hightail it to my car. I'm halfway across the street when I hear "Eris! Wait! For crying out loud, wait! I'm your brother!"

I come to a stop and grab my car door handle. I keep my back to him as I try to think about what to do. Should I just keep running? The shifter was also an Alpha... he would be able to track me until I was able to get another charm.

But he says he's my brother... what are the freaking odds!? My mother just told me about him and my father and the dude shows up in chains like a freaking Christmas present! I grit my teeth when I hear him right behind me, knowing he's caught up and I was going to have to face him.

I slowly turn around to face him and see that he's looking me over again. I can't blame him, I'm odd to begin with but also his little half-sister... I can't help but look him over as well. I don't know my father, at all. Not what he looks like and not what he smells like so I couldn't tell I was related to him at all but he had clearly smelt something that tipped him off.

"Why are you running as if your life depends on it? I'm not going to hurt you... I just..." He awkwardly tries to think of what to say but we're both clearly outside of our comfort zones. I look around the busy street and lick my lips as I say "Why... why don't you come to my place to finish this talk. It's not safe for me to be out here like this."

He tenses up and looks around before asking "Why isn't it safe?" I huff and say "You ripped my charm off that was blocking my scent, remember? Half-witch, half-shifter..." I say quietly and instantly see his face change.

He nods his head and says "I wasn't thinking clearly." I nod to my car and get in. As soon as he's in, I pull away and head straight for my house. We're both silent as I try to figure out how to explain this to my mother but no matter what comes to mind, it just falls flat. This is turning into a shit show...

When we pull up to the house, I turn the car off and sit, staring at the house like it's my future grave. I sigh and say "Follow me" We both get out and walk into the house. He seems mildly surprised by the house but he just keeps watching me as if I'm gonna bolt at any moment.

I make us both coffee before sitting down at the table. He sips the coffee and continues to stare at me as my phone rings for the tenth time. It's the number he called... my father. We both ignore the phone and he starts by asking "What pack do you belong to?"

I awkwardly sip my coffee before saying "I don't have a pack." He frowns and then says "Oh, that's right. Your mother's a witch... what coven do you belong to then?" I lick my lips and say "I don't have a coven either."

He freezes before asking "Then... what do you have?" I bite my lip and shrug as I say "Me, this house... my familiar and sometimes my mother..." His hand tightens on the mug as he watches me silently but he doesn't say anything else about packs and covens instead, he asks "Uh... how old are you?"

I awkwardly say "One hundred and twenty-three... you?" He nods and says "One hundred and ninety-six" I nod and nervously tap the side of my cup before he asks "Did you know about... our father or me?" I slightly chuckle as I say "As a matter of fact... I just found out about you two."

"Why didn't you look for us? We didn't know you even existed. If we had, we would have looked for you." he says with a little anger. I give him a small smile and say "I found out just yesterday but I wasn't planning to look for you two because it had been so long. Our father probably has another wife and more kids so it would just be awkward for me to suddenly show up. Plus, I'm used to being alone. It's awkward for me to suddenly have a family."

He frowns and says "It's unnatural for shifters to be alone... you need a pack." I give him a bitter smile as I point at myself saying "Half-witch, remember? I don't really fit in anywhere." His frown grows and it looks like sadness and concern flickers across his face before he quickly hides it.

"My father never took another woman after your mother left... he imprinted on her and he always considered her his mate, even if she was a witch." He says in a soft voice. I arch my eyebrow at that and slowly nod my head while saying "She only left because she was afraid for me. She wanted to keep me safe."

His frown is back as he says "What's safer than being in a pack with your family?" I rub the back of my neck and say "It's complicated and... possibly dangerous for the rest of the pack if I had stayed. The Snow Leopards were already endangered and being hunted... it wouldn't have been safe for me or y'all."

He runs his hands through his hair as he says "My father is still looking for her... for his mate. He will be here in the morning. I can't stop him from coming..." I flinch and say "I guess I can't blame him... this is... this is just lovely." I say with a twisted smile.

He snorts and says "And just so that you know, now that I've discovered I have a little sister, I'm not letting you out of my sight." I open my mouth to protest when he says "My name is Liam, it's nice to meet you, Eris."