Raised By Wolves

Chapter Twenty Eight | The Wolves Are Hunting

Jason turned the radio on, adjusting the settings slightly until the steady base of the rock song filled the silence. The heater was next, the front screen of the car instantly clouding over before becoming clear and daring a glance over to Miranda, he was kind of glad he had never settled down like his parents had always wanted him too. There was of course people he cared about, the woman beside him one of those few, but as much as he sometimes doubted his decisions the last few weeks made him glad he was childfree. Worrying about May, Caleb and the other kids who had gone missing was stressful enough - well May and Caleb. He didn't know the others for it to deeply affect him as it had the pack. It was no different to feeling sad for a few moments when seeing any news reports on missing people.

"Is it too loud?" He asked Miranda, looking at her again as he drove down the highway. She didn't answer, staring blankly ahead while clutching the ends of her scarf. "Andy?"

"Hm?" She answered, still not paying attention.

"Never mind." Jason let her be.

There had been a time when he could have cleared up whatever trouble Miranda had gotten herself into. Part of him would never stop being there for her, even if she didn't need him anymore only for the first time in a long time she did.

"Mr. Jason, are we there yet?" The small voice in the backseat called out.

"Soon Amy." He promised.

Familiar streets soon appeared and before long, they had arrived at the Wright's home. The children in the back nervously fidgeted in their seats, excited yet fearful of meeting May's grandparents. It helped that Leanna and Harry were there too, plus Eli and Selena had talked about them like old friends, gaining helpful bits of information from Chad to help make the young ones feel a little more secure and content with their temporary new home. As she always did, Selena kept her younger siblings in check and followed them closely as the old woman came out to greet them all. Helen was a force to be reckoned with at the best of times and now with her family in crisis, she took control and welcomed them all inside where freshly baked biscuits and a pot of tea waited.

"It's so kind of you to bring them here Jason." Helen smiled at him, not sure when the one she had once thought would end up as her son in law, had gotten so old. It never occurred to her she might suffer from the same curse called aging. "Keep your eye on my girl, will you? Make sure she eats dinner too. I'll pack you some leftovers I've got in the fridge."

Miranda forced a cup of coffee down, thanking her dad as he handed it over. "Mum, no leftovers."

"Non-sense! You look sick, do you think May really needs to see her mother this way after-"

"Helen, please." Jason interrupted - almost amused at how nothing had changed. There had been a reason why Miranda avoided her parents in the past and he was being reminded of that now. "I'll make sure she is looked after."

"You've always been so good to our Andy, Jason." She patted his cheek with affection before packing up some leftovers anyway.

Miranda didn't have the energy to argue, and watching her mother move around the kitchen, she didn't miss the few times she stopped to wipe her eyes or catch a glimpse of the same stress she was trying so hard to hide. So before they left, Miranda got up and gave her the biggest hug.

"He's going to get her back darling. Nothing in the world will ever stop that man from getting to you or your daughter." Helen assured her.

"I know Mum, but what if-"

"No. I won't let you think like that. Sweetheart, you survived in the wild with this man. You were abducted, and nearly killed. I have never been more thankful to have shifters in our life because there is no one better to take care of my family than one of them." She kissed Miranda's cheek, before tilting her chin up. "Now, it's been horrible for all of us, but I have faith that Caleb and May, have found each other and together, those two will be indestructible. You need to believe that too. They need you to believe in them."