In The Shadows (Teen Wolf) (Shadow Series #1)

Chapter 24

   The scream fest I received when I arrived back home an hour ago was more annoying than anything. Yes, I know what I did was wrong. Honestly, my parents were more upset about the fact that I drew my bow on Allison. Of course, they questioned me on where I got it and I said I was taking up my favorite hobby again. Aunt Kate sat on the opposite couch, behind my parents, watching me like I amused her.

   I've been banished to my room for two weeks. Allison only received one week of grounding. She's always been the favorite child.

   My bedroom door pushes open, followed by my dad. I stay rooted on my bed. I've been laying here ever since I walked into my room. He shuts the door behind him. "We need to talk."

   "Talk or scream at me?" I roll over on my stomach, propping my head up with my fists.

   Dad leans up against my dresser. "Talk. I need you to tell me everything you know."

   "What do you mean?" I furrow my eyebrows at his question. Does he know that I'm protecting Derek?

   "What has Kate told you? I know you would never pick up archery again unless she got in your head. Clara, tell me everything she has taught and told you." Dad crosses the room and sits on my bed.

   I sit up next to him. "She approached me two days before my birthday. Aunt Kate came in my room with a small, brown box. When I opened it, there was an arrowhead in it. I didn't understand why she gave me it. I thought a necklace or something would be inside. She said that she wanted to tell me about our family history. That you wouldn't think so, but she thought I was ready."

   Dad exhales, loudly. "What else?"

   "She made me promise not to tell anyone. It was our little secret." I run my fingers over my comforter. "The next morning, she woke me up early and we went out to Beacon Hills Preserve. She reminded me of what the basics were of shooting. Told me about werewolves. She said our family has always hunted them. That night, she brought me to Derek Hale's house. We ambushed him. Aunt Kate said it was one of my first tests."

   Dad nods for me to continue. Aunt Kate won't be happy that I'm telling Dad all about this. He's obviously figured out that something was going on. If I lied to him, it would only make things worse.

   "The real test came when she kidnapped me. I woke up in an abandoned warehouse two towns over."

   "Where did she kidnap you?" Dad asks.

   "In school. I went to the bathroom and she dragged me in a classroom. I fought back, not knowing who it was and-" I stop myself, thinking back to that day.

   Dad puts his hand over mine. "What did she do?"

   "She, uh, she slammed my head into the floor to knock me out. I had to walk home after that." I purposely leave out the part where Derek drove me home. "We've had little training sessions since then."

   "Get dressed." Dad orders me, standing back up.

   My head whips up. "What?"

   "I need you to come somewhere with me."

   I nod my head. Dad walks back to my door until I ask a question. "Do I remind you of Aunt Kate?"

   Dad hovers his hand over the doorknob, frozen in place. The silence almost becomes unbearable. Dad smiles over his shoulder. "Of course not, sweetheart."

    

   When dad said he needed me to come with him somewhere, I didn't know he meant Aunt Kate would be joining us. An awkward and uncomfortable silence has filled the car ever since dad instructed Aunt Kate to get in the car. The first thing she did was shoot me a glare in the rear view mirror. She knows I told him everything.

   "Look, Clara, I don't want you to live this kind of life yet." Dad begins, earning a snort from Aunt Kate. "But, I know you won't give it up. If you are going to be a hunter then I need you to be on our side. You can't play both sides. You're friends with Scott McCall, right? We'll need you to tell us everything that happens between him and his friends."

   Aunt Kate spins around in the passenger's seat. "Can you do that?"

   They expect me to rat my own friends out. I stare straight into Aunt Kate's eyes. "Yes. Werewolves are an abomination. I'm on your side."

   Dad and Aunt Kate nod in approval. They believed my lie. Flashing, red lights capture my attention as we pull up to a crime scene. I unbuckle my seat belt, moving forward to see what's really going on.

   "Clara," Aunt Mate stares straight ahead. "Which one is Stiles Stilinski?"

   Stiles? Why do they need to know that? I keep my poker face going strong. I scan the whole scene and find my friend hugging his dad. "Right there." I point.

   "That one's Stiles?" Dad asks for confirmation.

   "Another friend of Allison's." Aunt Kate shares.

   Dad turns his head. "Are you gonna tell me about that talk you had with her?"

   Is Aunt Kate trying to teach Allison everything now? No. I didn't want this. Aunt Kate is supposed to be satisfied with me becoming a hunter. Allison needs to have a normal life.

   "You tell me something first. That night you came across those two betas, one of them was smaller, right?" Aunt Kate easily dodges the question.

   "Mmm."

   "Well, was he just smaller? Or could he have been younger, too?" Aunt Kate watches Stiles interact with his dad.

   "You think Stiles is the beta?" I blurt, unable to control myself.

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Very short chapter, but I just wanted this chapter to be focused on her dad finding out that Clara knows. Now, Clara will be a part of everything.

Anyways, I hope you liked it. Sorry if it was a bit boring.

Question: How do you think I'm planning on having Allison find out that Clara has known about everything?

So, yeah!