What Has Become Of Me?

“Do you know those men?” my father demands as my pack stands like deer caught in the headlights.

I wince. Do I really want to admit to knowing these men? The men standing in my backyard in just towels; completely frozen.

“Yes” I reply as if ashamed.

“They’re Anika’s pack” Dan informs him.

“They’re Anika’s streaking pack” my father observes.

“They’re Anika’s gorgeous streaking pack” my mother says eyeing the group as well.

“Cougar!” Dan accuses pointing at our mother.

We all laugh, except my father who is glaring at the naked men. Awkward silence encases the room and the boys finally snap out of their let’s-stand-still-and-maybe-they-won’t-see-us idea. They all check that their towels are tightly secured and the peanut butter is safe, before walking towards the back door with guilty expressions. Nathan pauses before knocking at the back door.

My family glances at each other.

“I’ll get it” I offer.

“No, I think I will” my father says as he moves toward the back door.

All of my pack straightens their backs and squares their shoulders. My father opens the door.

“Can I help you gentlemen?” he asks as if it were any other people who had come, clothed, to our door.

“Yes sir, we are here to introduce ourselves to Anika’s father” Nathan replies in a very formal tone.

I just shake my head as I watch this display; these guys are idiots.

“Who might you be?”

“I am Nathan Moreau, alpha of the pack that protects these boundaries” Nathan replies holding his hand out to shake my father’s.

My father nods and shakes his hand.

“Brian Lombardi, Nathan’s right hand wolf” another handshake is exchanged.

“No need for introductions, Dom” my father interrupts as Dom steps forward, “You’ve been hanging around here and eating all our food too long for me to not know you.”

Dom smiles and allows Chase move forward.

“Chase Johnson, fourth in command”

“Jett Tremblay, fifth in command”

“Sebastian Clark, sixth in command.”

In a very high schooler fashion Jett and Chase at the same time say the last word but try to pass it off as a cough. Seb’s polite smile drops to a frown as they say it.

“Thank guys” Seb says sarcastically.

“How about you fellas find your pants?” my father asks but there is no disputing it.

All the men nod and scurry inside to find their milk ridden cloths.

“Lend some shorts out” I tell Dan.

He frowns and opens his mouth to argue but then thinks better of it after I glare at him.

“Fine” he sighs and follows after my pack.

“They’re,” my father pauses searching for a word, “strong.”

My mother and I give him a questioning look.

“It’s difficult to face the parents of a new female in the pack and those guys were able to pull it off in just a towel” my father explains.

After a while the guys return with their clothes in their arms, wearing Dan’s old shorts. Seb and Brian look ridiculous; while Seb’s pants are so baggy he has to hold them up, Brian looks really uncomfortable in the shorts that should be reaching his knees but only reach half way down. We all sit around the couch in another awkward silence. What is there to say?

“You said protector of these boundaries earlier, Nathan” my father begins, “what could possibly be left to protect people from?”

“Nothing except other packs” Nathan responds.

“Pretty cushy job” my mother observes with a smile.

A small amount of laughter fills the room before silence falls over us again.

Small talk continues for another thirty minutes before the boys decide to head home. We exchange good byes before the house is once again just my family.

“They seemed alright” my mother says, “bit odd but alright.”

“More then a bit odd” Dan says shaking his head.

Before anything else can happen my mother wraps me in a tight hug.

“I’m so glad to see you again, honey” she tells me, “I’ve been worried about you since you left home for the change.”

“Why didn’t you call?” my father scolds.

Now it’s my turn to look guilty.

“Sorry, there was just so many new things that it slipped my mind” I explain.

“That’s okay, just call next time and let us know you are okay” my mother says.

I nod and it’s all okay again in the household.

The rest of the night was spent just doing the usual routine; dinner together, watching a bit of TV before all heading our separate ways for the night then bed. It was so odd how things seem normal even though everything in my world has shifted. Everything is different, yet nothing seems to have changed. That thought lingers as I lay in bed staring at my ceiling. Eventually sleep comes and I give in to the comforting darkness, what a mistake that is.