Page 2 of Homecoming

“Yeah," Digby smiles, "we know."

Marco steps inside and, holding the door wide, he lets them stroll past. Hesitating just inside the doorway he watches as Darius slowly folds the newspaper and throws it into the trash. “You do know they have all that stuff online these days?” he smiles. “Why do you still have to buy a newspaper? It’s so old fashioned.”

“You know me, I’m old school and besides, I like the rustle of paper in my hand.” Darius’s lips move thoughtfully as he speaks, his voice now deep and solemn in tone.

“Meh… What a load of baloney. I think it’s more that you like to hide behind it. So are you not going out to see her?”

“I’ll give them all a few minutes first. Let Digby have his moment.” Darius stands up and stretches his arms above his head, easing the griping ache in his shoulder.

“Is that still playin’ you up?” Marco frowns with a degree of concern. “I mean, we got all the bullet out, but is it still bothering you?”

“No, not really. I mean, it doesn’t hurt. It’s more a reminder of that asshole. You know Marco, I wish I’d been there to kill him myself,” he growls. “What Travis did to her. I’d have ripped him apart slowly as I looked him in the eyes for every long minute of his painful death and given him waking nightmares.”

“Kat got her revenge. Darius, she’ll be okay. You all have a new life now—together.”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

There’s a hesitation in his tone, and Marco immediately seizes on it. “Dee, what’s wrong? And don’t bullshit me, I know you too well for that.”

“Nothing.”

“I just said no bullshit. Dee, c’mon talk to me.”

“You know, one day she’s going to have to choose—between us. And with another new pup in the house, she’s not going to have time for everyone in the same way as she did before. Marco, I missed her so goddamn much that it hurts, and it shouldn’t, right? Me being a… it shouldn’t hurt like this. I shouldn’t be having these kinds of feelings.” He looks up and Marco can see the sorrow etched on his friend’s face.

“I don’t know. Maybe when Digby gave you all that blood, it saved enough of your wolf—maybe you’re more wolf than you know. As for Kat, I don’t know what the hell she’s done to you, but I haven’t seen you in this much pain since… well, since Isabella, and those feelings came from the guilt of not bein’ there more than anything else. Dee, if this is how she’s making you feel, you need to tell her. Tell her how you feel, for real. This arrangement with you and Digby—it worked before, so why do think that it can’t continue again now?”

“Yeah, but now it’s not just me and Digby, is it? Now we have to factor Noah into the equation as well and I’m really not sure how that’s going to work out.” Darius rubs his head and stares long and hard at Marco. “Do you really believe what you just said? That there’s still wolf inside me?”

“Yeah, yeah I do.”

“Enough to—” he cuts off as Bud returns to the door of the lounge.

“Uh… could you come outside, please? Only we uh, we gotta slight problem and Digby’s freaking out.”

Darius sighs and growls with a deep annoyance as Marco pats him on the back and smiles. “C’mon… whatever it is, I’m sure it’ll be fine. Digby’s probably just being a drama queen about nothin’ as usual.”

“Whatdoyoumean,she’s not here? Then where the fuck is she?” Digby growls loudly as he shoves Riley against the side of the car.

“Will you just calm down and I’ll explain?” Riley puts his hands in front of him and pushing against Digby’s chest, holds him back. “She… well, she has a few problems, psychologically. After being a wolf for so many months, we think Kat’s struggling with the re-adjustment back to her human form.”

“What do you mean she’sstrugglin’ with re-adjustment… What the fuck does that bullshit mean? And where the hell are my pups?”

“They’re here… in the car... I’ll get them out now. Please Digby, just try and stay calm. You don’t want to unsettle them.”

“She’s with him, isn’t she? She stayed to be with Noah. I knew it. I knew that’s what he fuckin’ wanted all along. He knew once he got her up that mountain, she wouldn’t want to leave. That she’d stay there and not come home.”

“No, no, it’s not like that. Noah doesn’t know where she is either.”

“What do you mean Noah doesn’t know where she is?” Darius frowns as he joins them at the front of the house. “How can he not know? Riley, where the hell is she? Is she going to be alright or do we need to go look for her?”

The rest of the guys take a deep breath and exchange a silently worried glance. No one dares speak as Riley stutters to explain.

“No, she’ll be fine, it’s just… well, Luna went off. Just before we were due to leave, she fed the pup then disappeared into the forest.”

“And where’s the new pup now?” Darius crosses his arms over his chest as he looks at Marco for answers. “Riley, can you tell us what the hell’s going on?”

“It’s okay. Noah is going to track her, but he told me I should bring the pups back here. He knew you were waiting, but he also hoped that by me taking the pups it would encourage Luna down the mountain and that once she realizes they’re gone, she’ll head back into the valley.”

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