Whispers of the Wolf

My Home

Radley

Reaching the front door of my house, I dug around in my coat pocket until I found the key. Not bothering to be quiet, I unlocked the door, fell through it and slammed it shut behind me, twisting the key and checking the handle to make sure it was locked.

To keep the monsters outside.

I leaned against the door to catch my breath while my mind whirled to keep up with what I'd just witnessed.

What was going on back there?

What was wrong with Alaric?

It looked like he was in pain, but there was no wonder when his body was cracking and popping, his limbs being twisted and turned.

Sweat trickled down my back as I panted against the door. I rested my head against the cold hard wood of the front door while confusion swirled around my mind.

Whatever had happened at the mansion tonight was not right.

Not right at all.

"Radley?"

I heard a soft voice calling my name. I gulped, knowing that whatever excuse I had planned to tell Claudia about why I was out late tonight was now gone. I couldn't keep any of this from her. Something was wrong.

"It's me, Claudia," I called back to her. I shrugged out of my coat and kicked off my boots, then made my way to the closed living room door to my left. The warmth of the house started to seep through my skin, heating my cold body, although it didn't stop shivering.

My teeth chattered as I opened the door to our cosy living room.

Claudia was sitting in the comfy chair next to the roaring open fire. The television was on, playing some late night game show that I was sure I had seen before but couldn't remember the name of.

She had a blanket wrapped around her legs and a cup of something hot in her hands. Her kind grey eyes looked up at me in question as I settled down in the chair next to hers, and stuck my hands out towards the fire to warm them up.

She set the cup down on the coffee table in front of her and turned slightly in her seat so that she was facing me.

"Do I want to know where you were tonight?" She raised an eyebrow at me. She was asking me a question, but she already knew the answer.

I took a deep shaky breath. "I went to the mansion." Despite the icy fingers of fear gripping my heart, my voice came out quite steadily.

"And what was going on at the mansion that you needed to see?"

"A party," I muttered, lowering my eyes to my hands that were now toasty warm, thanks to the fire.

Claudia sighed. "Radley," she started. "What have I told you about parties? About going to the mansion ..."

"I know." I nodded. "I just wanted to see what was going on."

"And what did you find out?" She narrowed her eyes at me. "That we weren't invited? That everyone was having a great time without us?"

I nodded, tears pricking my eyes at the truth she was speaking.

She shook her head and reached for her cup again. "You need to stay away from that house." She took a sip of the hot liquid. "I've told you before. We don't need -"

"I saw something." I interrupted her as I brought my hands to my jeans covered knees.

Claudia frowned at me. "What do you mean, you saw something?"

I breathed deeply. "Something happened tonight. At the mansion. Something happened to Alaric."

Something flickered across her face. Something ... I wasn't sure what it was. Surprise? Shock?