Braced for impact, John was relieved when Kiana took over the conversation.

“We think you should stay with us to train. You’ll be safer here and we can teach you how to control your abilities.” She gave her mate a pointed look, “Isn’t that right, Koda?”

Dakota only grumbled with a nod, humphing into a side chair like a child being put in time out.

Tala squeezed her lover’s arm, and a new window appeared in John’s vision.

Guild Invitation
You’ve been invited to join the Waniyetu Lycan Pack.
+50 Reputation with all fellow pack members, -50 Reputation with Purifiers.
Do you accept?

Before selecting his answer, John minimized the window. “Would I have to live here in the forest or can I live at home?”

“Too risky,” Dakota quipped. “You’ll stay in the cabin with us, the guest room is yours now.” He soldiered on, leaving no room for argument. “If you leave our barrier, you can’t come back. There are people out there that are looking for us and you’d lead them right to the door.”

“You don’t understand, I’m all my mom has and I’m in school. I have to go home,” John implored, and Tala squeezed his hand in hers.

“John,” Tala urged him, “Going out on your own, especially before you have control, is dangerous. Not just for you, but the people around you, and for us as well.”

“Tala, I’m sorry. I just can’t. She needs me.”

The young lycan next to him whined, and he pulled her closer, her voice soft and pleading. “You’ll be putting her in danger. The Purifiers could find you and hunt you down before you know how to fight. Or worse, you could shift, lose control and attack her yourself.” He was shaking his head as she spoke, and she touched his chin, making him look at her. “I’m serious, John. It’s not safe.”

He paused for a moment before shaking his head. “Safe or not, she’s my family. I think you guys understand what that means. She’ll get sick with worry and come looking for me if I never came home.” He looked deep into Tala’s eyes before turning to her parents. “I am sorry, but I need to go home.”

The look of worry didn’t fade from Tala and Kiana’s faces, but Dakota watched him quietly for a moment before speaking. “He doesn’t look like one of us. I doubt they would recognize him as lycan when he’s surrounded by other humans.”

“But other Abyssals may be able to tell,” Kiana interjected. “John, if you really want to go, you need to avoid the Order of the Golden Rose.” ’That name again?’ “You’re not technically human anymore and they won’t care how good a person you are.”

“How do I avoid them when I don’t know who they are?” The exhausted gamer let his frustration show in his voice, but Kiana kept hers even and soothing.

“The local branch is mostly run by the Brighton family. You can see names with your powers. Use that to avoid them when you can. And when you can’t… just be careful.” Worry stained her features again, and John felt a pang of guilt in his heart, sure she’d worry about him unless he stayed.

’Brighton… Brighton… I know I’ve heard that name somewhere.’ Commiting the name to memory, he swallowed hard, forcing the lump of nerves out of his throat so he could speak. “I’ll be safe.” Facing Tala, tightening his grip on her hand, “I promise.”

Dakota grunted, interrupting the moment as he rose from his seat. “Alright, you can go home. For all we know, you’re not a lycan. You show none of the signs and only did a minor, partial shift.”

“It was a pretty big shift, Dad.” Tala smirked, making both the men in the room minorly uncomfortable.

“Anyway,” the huntmaster cleared his throat again, pulling a small jar from a shelf above the fireplace, “if you change your mind, John, we’re always here. For now, take this. It’s wolfsbane and licorice root. You can use this to make a tea that will help keep your wolf sedated.” The bottle had what looked like a blend of dried herbs in it, and John took it carefully. "As cautious as we are, we take care of our own.” His eyes bored into John’s and the younger man tilted his head respectfully. “I’ll tell Des to expect you and to lend whatever he thinks will help.”

“Thanks again. I need to go home soon, Mom expects me for dinner.” John didn’t really want to leave his lover’s side, but he knew his mom would be worried as is.

Kiana picked up his backpack easily, a feat he was incapable of at his low strength stat. “We’ll help you get back to the edge of the forest, right, Tala?”

“Oh!” Tala perked up, smiling again at getting to spend more time with John. “Of course! Happily.”

Dakota kissed his mate, making eye contact with her before she smiled, admonishing him. “You worry too much. We’ll be right back.”

The three made their way out of the cabin, John actually getting an overly firm hand on his shoulder from the patriarch before he left, sure it was going to bruise. As he tucked the bottle of herbs into his inventory, he looked around the small clearing they seemed to be in. A few similar cabins dotted the area with one large log house in the middle.

“Alright, this is one hell of a hike at human speeds,” Tala caught his attention, a cheeky grin on her face. “Takes nearly a half-hour. Or,” she looked him over with emphasized movements, circling him, “I could carry you.”

Something inside of John bristled at the idea. ’No way in hell will I be carried around by a girl. My legs still work, I’ll walk!’ The tone of his inner voice deepened slightly as his thought continued, ’Especially not my girl. Only thing she should carry- Woah!!’ He jumped, startling himself with his train of thought; he shook his head to clear the cloudiness. ’What the fuck was that?’ He scowled internally, but the look on his face made the smile on Tala’s wilt slightly. “Uh, no. No thank you. I’d rather hike it myself.” She pouted in an obvious show of playfulness and he chuckled, trying to make a joke out of his situation. “My grasp on reality is weak as is, I don’t want to lose it entirely.”

Kiana’s face twisted back to that of motherly worry as Tala laughed. “Yeah, alright. Hiking it is. It’s not really that far to go, we’re in a barrier. Once we’re out it’s only like ten minutes.” She took his hand, starting to lead him towards where the clearing faded back into the woods.

John’s eyebrow raised suspiciously, “And yet you offered to carry me to make it faster? That ready to get rid of me?” Her step faltered and he instantly regretted it. “I didn’t mean-”

“No, it’s okay,” she interrupted him. “If I had my way, you’d stay, but I know how important family can be…” Her gaze drifted towards her mother, walking silently a few paces ahead of them with his bag. “But, no matter what my dad says, you’re always welcome back in the pack. Even Bly agreed.” The look on his face must have given away his disbelief, for she continued, “He likes when people aren’t afraid to stand up to him when he’s being a jerk.”