Page 35 of Homecoming

“And you know that?” Noah frowns. “In all this world, you know that is the truth? Maybe if you read a few more books, you might find that it has been documented before—in the past—it has happened. There are vampire children. Sure, it’s a rare phenomena and mostly it seems to occurred with humans, but from my understanding, in very rare cases it has also happened with wolves. And no, I don’t know how it’s possible, but it was written that it is.”

Digby slumps. His muddy body streaks another thick line down the wall. “Is what he's saying true?” he looks at Kat. “Do you really think she’s Darius’s pup?”

“Digby, I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you right away, but I just didn’t know how you’d react. I’m so sorry. I know how much you wanted this, and you should have never found out likethis,but—”

“Is this from the night at the hotel? Did you know it was possible when we did that? Did you plan it? Oh my God… it’s not a choice—for her not to shift—it’s because she can’t, can she?” he sighs. “You know what? I need to go clean up. I can’t listen to any more of this bullshit. I need to be on my own, so just leave me the fuck alone.”

“Digby…Digbyplease.”

“Kat, leave him be.” Noah grabs her arm and holds her close. “Evelyn needs feeding and I’ll come outside with you.”

“But I should go talk to him.”

“Later. He’s right, he needs time on his own and your little one needs you.”

Slumpedontheflooragainst the wall, Digby takes a breath and drags a hand through his hair. Checking the time on his watch, he curiously wonders if he’d fallen asleep and as he looks down at the mud caking his body, he now soberly registers the stench of bonfire smoke and the ashen dirt painted in patterns across his flesh.

He forces himself to his feet and resting his head against the door frame, takes a moment to gather his thoughts. The upstairs landing is dimly lit by the frosted lights on the wallandas he adjusts his eyes to the gloom, he mournfully returns to the bathroom.

Slowly, he turns the handle on the door and pushes it open. The bright light is blinding as he staggers into the bathroom and running the water in the shower for a moment, he steps inside. The warmth eases his muscles as he leans against the tiles, watching the trickling droplets weave patterns down the glass of the door.

Taking a bottle of his favorite shower gel from the shelf, Digby lathers soap over his chest and rinses the dark clay-like mud and soot from his skin. He sighs, broken and empty as the last remnants of his earlier drunken fun disappear like a long-passed memory down the drain.

He finishes scrubbing himself and as the fresh smell of soap replaces thegrime;he steps from the shower and grabs a clean white towel from the shelf, tying it around his waist before he plods back from the large family bathroom, along the corridor to his bedroom.

In a matter of moments, his world collapsedandhe feels like something’s been snatched away from his future. He can’t understand why, but it feels like a piece of his heart has been dramatically ripped from his body.

The room is empty. Kat’s gone and Digby slumps down on his side of the bed, allowing his weary head to hang low. “Fuck.” His mind is in turmoil as he picks up the smallstuffiesquirrel that’s been left forgotten on the pillow and looks at it. “Now what do I do?”

He sighsandgrabbing a pair of black shorts from the dresser drawer, he pulls them on and heads for the nursery.

The room is lit only by the luminous glow of the small star-shaped light in the corner and creeping ever so quietly closer, Digbychecks on his two sons asleep in their pup-proofed beds.

The nursery walls are painted in a pale blue and decorated with large hand-painted pictures of the moon. It’s a room filled with innocence and dreams. A room that feels untouched by the harsh realities of life… except for now… when all those hopes and dreams feel like shattered shards of glass in Digby's heart.

He can't help but smile as he stands and stares at the pups: Luka has one of his picture books rested across his face and Lukas looks like a headless bundle of fur, his wolf body curled in a tight ball.

Digby removes the book and kisses Luka on the head before covering him over with the crocheted blue blanket and then tiptoeing quietly past Lukas’s crib, heleaves him to sleep. As much as he’d love to kiss the little wolf, he knows from experience waking him at this hour would not be in the best interest of the rest of the house.

“You have too much damn energy, kid,” Digby smiles but as he turns to leave he notices the empty cage on the floor in the cornerandsquatting down, he looks inside. The pink and beige blanket is scraped into a heap at one end and instinctively, he pulls it out to sniff. The foreign and yet strangely familiar scent of the third pup fills his nostrils. His throat tightens and the simple act of breathing becomes difficult as he fights with the urge to howl. The pain of reality strikes and suddenly he acknowledges the truth—Evelyn may not be his pup after all.

“Fuck,”he curses through gritted teeth. It hits him hard and his eyes burn with the sting of hot tears as he questions, “why?”But as he gulps down the surging rage of emotions, he returns the blanket inside the cage and places the soft toy on top of it.

Shirtless, his muscles remain damp from the shower as he heads, alone, down the stairs to the kitchen, and there he grabs two cold beers from the refrigerator. Gulping one down in seconds, he pops the cap on the second while he checks his phone as it lays charging on the counter.

“Uh-hem.” A cough from the doorway attracts his attention, and he turns around. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. Can I join you or do you want to be on your own?” Zak questions, his face filled with a downtrodden look. “This is the doghouse, right?Cuzit seems like I need to go there.” He sighs again. “I can’t seem to donothin’fuckin’right with QT just now.”

“Yeah, you and me both. I mean, with Kat not QT.” Digby hitches his brow and sighs loudly. “You wanna take a walk with me outside?”

“Sure, why not. It’s not like I’m in a hurry to sleep on the couch. Where’d you wanna go?”

“I need to go dosomethin’. I need to get rid of our biker guests. I did some stupid shit and I need to put that shit right.Gettin’rid of those hyenas seems a pretty good place to startcuzthey’ve broughtnothin’but trouble since they got here.”

“Okay sure. I’m all in the mood forkickin’hyena butt.” Zak smiles as he grabs Digby around the neck and pulls his best friend close. “It’s gonna be okay. It’ll all work out, you know that.”

“I hope so Zak, I really do.Cuzright now I feel like shit.”

“Ahhh… look boys, it’s our hosts returned to the fold.Pack leader...” Mikah bows, “can I do something for you? Or maybe you've come for another session of hooty?” The older shifters naked body is covered in gray ashen soot from the fire and as he grins he waves his cigar in the air.

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