Page 53 of Havoc's Fox

“Are you sure?” Angelle asked, afraid to believe it if it wasn’t true.

“Very.”

Angelle smiled happily and hugged Tempest quickly before turning to see if her mom heard.

Since Avaleigh hadn’t turned around, it was clear she hadn’t. Angelle grinned at Tempest again and sat down beside her mother as Tempest moved back to where Brandt had left her.

“Pest!” Brandt called as he returned to her.

Tempest looked up at the sound of her name and eagerly accepted the kiss Brandt bestowed on her as he took her in his arms to watch the lighting of the bonfire.

As all the rest of the families found a place and settled in, Daniel and Remi walked over to the wooden pyre that would with their help burst into flame. “You ready?” Remi asked, smiling at Daniel.

“I am. Go ahead.” Daniel patted Remi on the back and stepped back to join the rest of the clan to watch Remi light it.

“What are you doing?” Remi asked.

“You do it,” Daniel said.

“But we always light it together,” Remi answered.

“No, I did it when you were little. You helped me when you got older. But as Brandt takes his place, so do you. So do all of you, it’s time.”

Remi grinned at his dad once more before he stepped closer to the wood, slowly inhaled, filling his lungs to almost bursting, then blew it all out in a measured release, the orange and white of his Dragon’s flames encasing the large wooden pyre they’d built. Everyone cheered, clapping and recognizing the handing down of yet another tradition to their kids’ generation. They’d become adults and each of them would soon be taking their place, if they hadn’t already, in guiding the clan and keeping it powerful.

Chapter 12

Analise watched through the windows in her parents’ old apartment as everyone in the clan regardless of age gathered around the wood assembled for the bonfire. Her thoughts were heavy with the conversation she and Tempest had had a few hours prior. She just didn’t have it in her to join them all and pretend there was nothing wrong. So, she watched. She watched as Christian, extremely attentive to Addie, took a blanket off one of the stacks the women always made sure was available at the bonfires they hosted, and wrapped it around her shoulders. She watched as he brought blankets for his mom and dad and his siblings, making sure all were comfortable and warm before he finally took a seat beside Addie. He was such a kind male. “Why couldn’t I love you?” she whispered.

She watched a little while later as Emmalyn stood with her back to the bonfire, her hands on her hips as she seemed to chase Barron from everywhere he stopped until he finally turned to face her. Clearly they were not very happy with each other, both gesturing as they spoke over one another. She saw her sister throw her hands up as though demanding an answer. Barron shook his head furiously seeming to speak calmly before he simply walked away, leaving her standing there alone as he went to sit with Tessa and his parents.

She watched as his mother, Aunt Delilah, placed a hand on his shoulder and he simply flashed her a little-too-bright smile.

And she watched Havoc as he looked around repeatedly, then walked over to her parents and spoke to them briefly before nodding and returning to where he’d left Harley with Maverik and Valerie.

That was enough. She didn’t need to watch anymore. She knew he was looking for her and she didn’t really want to know why. She was pretty sure from the look on his face when he’d turned away from her mom and dad that one or both of them told him to leave her alone.

She went back to the bed and lay down again, having decided to wait out the singing, the stories they were no doubt telling, and the marshmallows Maverik always supplied for the kids to hold in the flames.

Slightly perturbed that she’d be missing out on the traditional bonfire, it was far preferable to spending it with the one person in the world who’d been responsible for destroying her teenage years.

An hour or so later, she heard a ruckus and looked out of the window again to find half of them shifted, the others in the process of, and the run beginning. The run was another tradition. Everyone who could shift, and wanted to, shifted into their animals, and ran the property until they were exhausted. It was a rite of passage when you were a kid, and a way for all of the beasts they housed inside them to commune together unhindered in their own celebration of the season. For years the older clan members ran together, and Brandt’s generation often ran on their property across the highway now that they were older, but the holidays were a special time when both generations ran as one.

She watched as Kaid and Brandt both bolted from the group, leading them away as they slipped into the skins of their beasts, reveling in the freedom of being exactly who they were, free from any eyes who weren’t intimately familiar with their peculiar abilities.

“Thank goodness,” Analise murmured as she waited for the last of the stragglers to disappear into the woods so she could finally get a chance to sneak back into her parents’ home.

She felt a little pang at not joining them, but more so the relief that she could get back to her bedroom, shower and go to bed early. As soon as the last of them shifted and disappeared into the night, Analise made her way down the stairs and out through the side door, keeping to the shadows as she headed the two-hundred feet or so back to her parents’ house.

“Analise?” Janie called out, noticing her trying not to be noticed.

“Yes, ma’am,” Analise called, but made no effort to walk closer to Janie, Avaleigh and Angelle.

“I was wondering where you got off to. Everyone went for a run. It’s only been a few minutes; you could probably catch up with them.”

“Oh, no thank you. I think I’ll sit this one out.”

“Why don’t you come sit with us until the others get back? We’ve got plenty of blankets to snuggle into.”