His Hunter

XXVI | I love him.

The porch boards creaked. He stared down at their flaking paint, wondering how long it had been since anyone had given them second notice. 

He sighed deeply, wondering if he was making a serious mistake or whether this was the right thing to do. He had a sickly nervous feeling clinging to his skin and seeping into his heart through his pores. But there was also this stillness in the air that seemed impenetrable like this was the only true path and the universe was satiated that he'd chosen it. 

He decided to risk it. Maybe that was stupid, but if he stopped to think about it, he'd never find the courage. 

He stared at the ornate doorknob. He'd seen it before and he had a feeling he'd see it again. He tried to imagine what it used to be like for him, bounding up these stairs as a kid home from school, eager to see his mom. 

He swallowed and knocked four times. He waited. 

He heard the footsteps behind the door, and then it creaked open. "Can I help you?" He looked tired. His glasses hung precariously on the tip of his nose, and he wore a baggy, ratty-looking t-shirt. 

"Hello, Sir," Lionel said, bowing his head briefly and shoving his hands in his pockets. 

David's eyes narrowed, and he opened the door further. "I know you. I've seen you," he said. 

Lionel nodded, nerves kicking in for real now. "Yeah." 

"You're a Wolf," David said. 

Lionel clenched his jaw. He hated that. Being called a Wolf was like being reduced to an animal, a beast with no self-control and no soul. But he ignored the spike of frustration. David wasn't pulling out a gun at the moment, and that was good enough for Lionel. It seemed that Cole and Kaia were telling the truth. David was slightly better adjusted now. "I'm a Prowler," Lionel confirmed. "My name is Lionel."

"Why are you here?" David asked, crossing his arms over his chest defensively. 

Lionel swallowed again. Why was he here? It was complicated, obviously. "It's about Cole." 

"What do you know about my son?" he demanded. "Is he ok?"

Lionel was speechless for a moment. The immediate, genuine concern on David's face had taken him by surprise. He wasn't quite sure why it was so surprising. Cole was David's son, after all, and that meant something. Maybe the story that Lionel had painted in his mind about David was all wrong. It was like the moment Cole was brought up, David transformed into an innocently loving father instead of the unstable, weak man Lionel had expected. 

"He's ok," Lionel said, trying to calm David. 

It worked, it seemed. David relaxed slightly. "He's been with the Prowlers all this time, hasn't he?"

Lionel blinked. "You knew?" 

"Of course, I knew. He's my son, and I love him," David said. 

Lionel smiled slightly. "I'm glad." 

David stared at Lionel. A morning dove cooed from somewhere in the woods. Lionel looked to the trees, trying to figure out what his next words should be. But he didn't have to. 

"You're the reason, then?" David said. 

Lionel's eyes snapped back to David. "What?" 

David sighed and shook his head. "Come inside." 

"Oh," Lionel mumbled. "Ok." 

David shut the door behind them and led Lionel into the kitchen. "Do you want something to drink?"