Fangs and Paws

Five. A Siren's Call.

"But who can decide what they dream?
And dream I do...

I believe in you
I'll give up everything just to find you ..."

Taking Over Me

-Evanescence

CONAN

On Saturday morning I wake up and groggily make my way down the stairs.
I glance at a few missed notifications on my phone, most are from my best friend, Rider.

He probably is stuck on another video game again, I'll call him back after breakfast.

I can smell that Mom is cooking bacon in the kitchen. My stomach growls in response as I enter to find Dad standing a couple of feet in front of me with his arms crossed, a scowl on his face. That's where I've been told I get my signature scowl and death glare from. All except for my green eyes I got from Mom, everyone informs me that I look just like him.

"Good morning, son." He says in a calm tone.

Too calm.

"Morning...What's wrong?" I decide to go ahead and blurt out.

His eyebrow twitches once.

"I don't know... Anything you want to tell me, Conan?" His tone is a little sharper, now.

I shrug, confused.

"What're you talking about?"

His face is starting to turn red.

"Want to tell me why the news is saying that a bear ran over to an apartment complex and was scratching up doors?!" He is full blown screaming now, his finger pointed in my face.

Oh shit...

Mom turns around from the stove, plate of bacon in hand, with a concerned look on her face.

"Please don't lose your temper, dear. Hear him out first." She warns as she sets the plate down on the kitchen table.

I try to choose my words carefully before I open my mouth.

"I really don't remember, Dad. I still mostly black out when I transform." I answer honestly.

My cheek is met with sharp, stinging pain as Dad's backhand makes contact with it.

"Luther! Don't-!" My mom shrieks.

"He needs to understand the severity of his actions! He's lucky the humans thought he was a bear!" He barks back at her.

I take a deep breath, trying to remain calm. I try my best to show it doesn't affect me.

I take one more deep breath before calmly replying,

"I'm sorry, Dad. I really don't remember." I'm really not sorry in the slightest, and I really want to tell him where to shove it, but this is the better route.

Mom comes and stands by me, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"He's still too young and inexperienced to remember everything during his transfor-"

"It doesn't matter!" Dad cuts her off again. "What the hell were you going after anyway? Why weren't you in the woods?!" He asks in a demanding tone.

"I was in the woods when I transformed!" I snap back, defensively. "I don't know how I wound up there!"

I don't know why, but I don't want to tell them about Crystal.

Not yet, anyway.

Dad closes his eyes and begins to rub his temples, obviously trying to calm himself down. He opens them and crosses his arms.