BLACK

Sleepless

I've never seen Jake so tired. He kept yawning all morning on our way to school and even during lunch. He barely ate his food citing he's not hungry. He would rather spend his free time taking a nap.

I let him spend lunch time with his head resting on my shoulder and spent the last ten minutes outside the cafeteria by the grass so he could lay his head on my lap. I genuinely believed he was tired since Jake didn't even stopped by to see me before he joined the hunt last night and by the time they all came back, they were all called to an emergency meeting that lasted until sunrise, leaving Jake and everyone else no time to catch up on their sleep.

Lucas was the same way, purring in his sleep while he rested his head on Caitlyn's legs.

Caitlyn and I were no different. I found out the next morning that Caitlyn didn't come, she was told to stay back by her father and older brother, but stayed up worriedly waiting for her brother and Lucas to come back. While, I stayed up just the same, too nervous, worried and anxious to fall in an easy sleep. I worried for Jake the whole night.

Lou on the other hand is as rested as he could be, smiling at us, bored with lack of conversation while Caitlyn and I bobbed our heads the whole time.

"One more year and I'll be allowed to go on patrols." He intoned, yanking me from my near stupor. I glanced up at him. I knew I've never seen him banged up before but I was never really briefed how old are they before they get sent into dangerous missions.

"How old will you be next year?" I asked. He seemed so small to be a high schooler.

"Fifteen." He answered proudly. I could tell just from the jolt in his voice that he couldn't wait to taste the danger. "We start training as soon as we are ready but don't train seriously until we are six."

"You guys train that young?"

"Yes, if we're going to protect people from dangerous creatures we need to be prepared for it."

It make sense, but...."Have you shifted yet?"

A tint of red crept up on his tanned cheeks and dropped his gaze. Lou made a circling motion of his finger on the grass in front of him. Hesitation picked up in his voice and I could tell he was embarrassed. "No, not yet. Most people don't shift until they are fifteen. It has to do with our anatomy. Our bones could not handle the shift while we're young so the shifting doesn't really happen until we are near adulthood."

I recalled myself shifting not too long ago. "I didn't shift til recently. I'm already seventeen."

"Some are also late bloomers." He added.

"Is that why they don't send younger pack members on patrol? They wait until they could shift?"

"That was supposed to be the rule."

Jake groaned from my lap, stealing my attention away. "Yep, I can't wait till you get no sleep anymore."

"And come home bruished up constantly." Added Lucas.

"At least it wouldn't make me feel all left out anymore. I will finally know what it's like to be a werewolf."

Lucas got more comfortable on Caitlyn's lap. "Hours and hours of walking around in the woods drowning in boredom. You wish you'd hear something squeal just so you can get some action. That's what being a werewolf is all about."

"Yeah, most nights is dull and boring. It just so happens that there's a lot of tension lately. Old hunter Max messed with the wrong lycan and got killed for it. Now, we're on a verge of a war." Said Jake lifting up from my legs. His long hair dishevelled from the back and I reached out my fingers in between his dark tresses to straighten them up.

He gave me a soft smile which I returned.

"But it's their fault. The killing happened in our territory. There's no way we could let someone like that go." Responded Lou.

"Yeah, we should have been able to prevent it but things happens and none of the wolves patrolling that evening was near the scene." Said Caitlyn.

"We've been careless." Added Jake with a grim.

James was nowhere to be found at school today which was a relief. I expected chaos and tension between James, Jake and Lucas because of what happened yesterday when the day turned out to be peaceful.

I was packing my stuff in my book bag. It was nearing the end of the day when I felt my phone vibrating, I discreetly checked it inside my bag and saw that it was mom. She just sent me a text. I know I was neglecting her lately and I know she's been worried sick especially with me getting in a mix with lycans.

She was welcomed inside the pack's community having the freedom to come and go. She visited me at sheriff Alfonso's home everyday but her job did not allow her to linger too long. Being a nurse in a local hospital also meant tons of overtime.

Mom wanted me home tonight. Her text sounded final.

I know I have to tell Jake. It's complicated and I know it might upset him but the descision isn't based on him or alpha Alfonso, I'm still under age and mom is still my guardian.

Jake met me in the hallway, he looked groggy and tired with his heavy eyelids and eyebags. His face lit up once I came into his line of sight. He could sense right away something is wrong based on my hardened expression.

"What's the matter, Grace?" He asked.

"Mom wants me home today. I have a feeling she's going to tell me to stay."

His face darkened. I know he'd go against letting me come home, but that's not his descision.

"Wait, didn't alpha Alfonso talked to her?"

"He did, but I don't think mom is happy with the arrangement." I could practically see her in front of her computer scouring the internet for a place to move to next. Good thing she just bought the house, she'll be stuck owning it for another two years unless she wants to pay all those taxes.

"Can I come with you? I want to talk to your mother."

I nodded "yes!" But I don't think mom will listen to a sixteen year old boy.

"We should bring Matt or Isaac with us." I added just in case. I knew mom enjoyed their company last time. She was more interested in alpha Alfonso but got her heart shredded to pieces when she found out he's mated and married.

I could still remember the disappointment that clouded her face that lasted about five minutes until she moved on to other hot men in the community.

Your father was once really hot! She mentioned to me once and I have no doubt my dad was once very masculine and big like every werewolf I've met. If only I could remember.

"Why? Matt and Isaac are probably busy in the woods right now."

I was suddenly reminded of the hunt last night. There's no doubt the entire pack is on high alert. I gave a sigh, thinking of reasons to convince mom to let me stay at the pack a little bit longer.

Caitlyn and Lucas met us once were outside and Jake was quick to alarm them about the situation.

"Does your mom know it's dangerous to let you go back?" Asked Caitlyn with a knot on her forehead.

Mom is not ignorant, I know she has some inkling how dangerous it is to be away from your pack. That's probably she brought me up the way she did. Clueless of my roots and away from werewolves because they're too dangerous to begin with.

"I'm pretty sure she knows, but I'm also sure that she wants me back home."

"We'll talk to her." Murmured Caitlyn some more but I don't think anybody else can say more after alpha Alfonso already talked to her.