Werewolf's Humanity

Turn, Turn, Turn, Part 5

"Welcome home, Jonathan," he said to the bundle of his arms as he carried him in through the front door. Odysseus held the door open for him. Hatchet and Night Sky were behind him, flanking Reilly, relying on crutches to walk around. She looked like hell, her hair flat and clinging to the sweat on her skin. Her clothes hung off her body as if she had lost ten pounds. But she glared daggers at anyone who tried to help her, so Sammy kept his distance.

Most of the pack were waiting for them with a hero's welcome. Someone had gotten a few logs crackling warmly in the fireplace, immediately exorcising their bodies of the winter chill. The spicy hints of chili wafted in from the kitchen--Pegasus' own recipe, and several pots' worth of it, from the potency of the smell, which almost overrode the smell of fir from the Christmas tree.

Madison was squealing. "Lemme see lemme see lemme see!"

Patience pushed her way through the crowd, holding a bottle aloft. "Make way, make way. Let the poor new dad sit down, the baby must be starving by now."

She grabbed him by the arm and guided him to the couch... to the very same spot he had first sat down when he had been introduced to the pack, a whole decade ago. But this time, Patience pushed a bottle in his hand. "I warmed it up. No, no, test it first, like I showed you when you started feeding Jenny."

"I know, I know," he said. Jonathan latched on to the bottle and started suckling weakly. But he opened his eyes and even though they were milky-white and unseeing, Sammy could see the light of a strong spirit inside this weak, tiny body. He would raise Jonathan to be like him; a survivor.

Sammy was a father. He was also a friend, a brother, a pseudo-son, a hard worker--and a survivor.

"Support his head," Night Sky chimed in.

"And don't forget to burp him after," said Odysseus' uncle Cernunnos, who had never had any children.

Sammy looked up and wished Jonathan could see through his eyes. Laid out before him was the perfect sight: A family coming together to celebrate their newest member, a sea of bright colorful faces radiating joy and awe, even the furry ones. They were framed by a sparkling Christmas tree, each chrome ball reflecting the glow of the fireplace or the multi-colored flashing lights draped around the branches. This warm, ancient house that had been home to so many werewolves was his and Jonathan's home now too, with good food preparing in the kitchen, and Celtic music playing from the speakers. It was more than Sammy ever could have hoped for as a child.

The familiar scramble of clawed feet against wooden steps harkened Jack's descent from upstairs. "You brut a baby?" he asked, keeping to the edge of the crowd.

The temperature in the room dropped a few degrees. Everyone kept a leery eye on Jack, an unspoken concern darting through their minds. But Sammy sensed no jealousy or ill intent from his half-breed charge.

"Let him come see," Sammy said, but gave Jack a warning growl as he approached. "Look, but don't touch. He's even more delicate than other babies."

Jack stopped just short of a couple feet and balanced on his hind legs to get a better look, nose twitching frantically as he watched Jonathan feed. "E's like me," Jack said.

Sammy tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

"Yuh shaved him from Marley," Jack said. His tail started to pound against the floor. "E'll be shafe here. Thish ish a gud pack."

Sammy saw a few heads nod in agreement. "Well said, Chi- uh, Jack," Madison said.

Sammy breathed a sigh of relief, and then asked, "Hey, have you finished your homework?"