Fucking Andersons.
∞ ∞ ∞
We could tell something was seriously wrong as soon as we crested the pass to drop down into Sunnyglade valley. Emergency lights like the kind you might find on a fire truck or an ambulance flashed on the far mountainside approximately where Doc's cabin was located.
"Fuck," Doc growled.
"What do you think they did?" Allan whispered.
"Probably burned it down," Doc muttered. "It's not like we haven't taken a couple of shots at their mansion."
I couldn't even think of a response. Tears moistened my cheeks and I buried my face in Ed's chest when he pulled me close. Fuck was an understatement.
"What do we tell the cops? Many of the roads we were driving on were closed," Allan asked.
"Check your phone and see if backroads are closed. If not, we took backroads. If we really need alibis, we want to be able to use Sofia's parents."
Allan studied his phone, the light from the screen illuminating his steel gray eyes and making them look blue. "You're in luck. I think there's a way we could have done it. Timing is problematic if we go home now since it would have taken a couple extra hours."
"Sofia, text your parents, tell them something happened at the cabin while we were gone and let them know that if they're asked, we left several hours earlier than we actually did," Doc instructed.
"Okay."
My hands shook while I typed out the text, but before long I hit send.
It didn't take long for my phone to ring. I almost didn't answer, but my mom deserved to know what was going on. Not that I had many answers.
"Honey, what's wrong?"
"Don't know for sure yet, Mom, but the Andersons are being shits again. We're all fine, but the cabin may not be. Knowing the Andersons, we'll have to prove we were out of state when whatever it is they did happened. We found a route of backroads that are open, but it would have taken longer to get home."
"Okay, we'll let everyone know, but be careful, and text me when you find out what's going on."
"I will. Thank you, Mom."
"It's the least we can do. Without your friends..." She didn't need to finish the statement. My dad may not like my friends, but Mom sure was grateful to them. I even think Nikolai had charmed her completely.
"I know. I love you."
"Love you, too, honey."
I hung up, grateful the phone call hadn't been more stressful. I was running on empty as far as dealing with hard stuff right now.
We fell silent as the truck wound its way down into the valley, through the main roundabout in town, and back up the other side of the mountain. Tension filled all of us, thick in the air, and filtering through our pack bond. Ed and Allan held me while Doc slowed and turned off onto the narrow dirt road that led to the cabin. The truck bounced down the track as Doc drove a little faster than normal. Flashing emergency lights reflected off the deep snow.
The disconnect between my last clear memory of this place being clear of snow and in the midst of fall splendor, and the deep snow that covered everything now, wrenched my heart. I had missed a lot, but it could have been so much worse.
Of course, when we broke out of the trees into the clearing around Doc's cabin, we could see that his prediction was correct. Two fire trucks sprayed water onto what was left of the cabin. One wall stood in the back, and the rest was rubble.
"Fuck," Doc growled as he slowed and pulled off to the side so he wasn't blocking any of emergency vehicles or the police car. We sat there for a minute, letting the truck run, trying to process what had happened, while a deputy sheriff shined a bright flashlight at us and then came over. Doc shut off the truck and rolled his window down.
"Mr. Cassidy?" The deputy asked after shining his light in our faces.
Doc nodded. "That's me. What happened? I mean, besides the obvious?" He managed to sound upset and exhausted at the same time, and buried the anger we all felt deep.
"We're not sure yet. Faulty wiring? Arson? Know anyone who would want to hurt you?"
Doc shrugged before he shook his head, sighing. "Mind if we get out?"
"No, not at all, just stay back."
We all climbed out of the warm truck to stretch our legs. Ed kept his arm around me and I leaned into the werewolf's heat for the warmth and comfort. Allan pushed up against my other side and I cuddled into his heat, as well. Between the two of them I stopped shivering and stared at the wreckage of their home.
Nikolai stood close to Doc while they talked with the deputy. It wouldn't take much effort to overhear the conversation, but I really didn't want to know right now. While I had known that this wouldn't be over once we saved me from the demon, I had hoped we would get a reprieve. Instead, they were escalating. What would we do? What could we do? In Nikolai's time, it would be relatively simple. Nuke them from orbit, as it were. Now? Well...maybe that was still the answer, but it was a lot more complicated.
After Ed, Allan, and I had stretched our legs, we climbed back into the truck and squished together in the back seat for warmth.
I had dozed off again when Doc opened the door, letting in a blast of cold air. "Deputy Morrison wants to talk to you three real quick."
Yawning, I climbed out along with Ed and Allan and looked east. The sky had lightened considerably, and I wondered what time it was.
Deputy Morrison had reached an indeterminate age, where I couldn't really guess how old he was. He smiled at me.
"You just got back from Nebraska?" he asked.
"Yeah, Thanksgiving with
