|c.8|

The moment Claire stepped through the door of her cozy apartment, she kicked off her heels with a sigh and reached for her phone. She wasted no time dialing her brother, the familiar sound of the line ringing steadying her nerves. It took him a frustratingly long time to answer, and when he finally did, his deep voice came through, tinged with amusement.

“Well, if it isn’t my dear sister. To what do I owe the pleasure this late?”

Claire scoffed. “Cut the crap, Colton. Why didn’t you show up to dinner tonight?”

There was a beat of silence before he responded with a weak excuse. “I got caught up with some pack business, you know how it is.”

“Pack business, my ass,” she snapped. “You missed one hell of a night. Channary and her girls—”

“Oh, here we go,” he interrupted with a chuckle. “What kind of chaos did you stir up this time?”

Claire rolled her eyes, though the tension in her voice remained. “I didn’t stir up anything. But you should’ve been there to see it, Colt. There’s something about them. Something... I don’t know how to explain it.”

His voice grew serious. “What do you mean?”

Claire hesitated, running a hand through her hair as she tried to put her feelings into words. “I’ve always felt this weird pull toward Channary and her daughters, but tonight... seeing them, talking to them, it was like looking into a mirror from years ago. The twins remind me so much of us when we were kids. They’re sharp, insightful—way too clever for their age.”

Colton chuckled on the other end. “You mean troublemakers like us?”

“Exactly.” She couldn’t help but laugh, but the unease remained in her chest. “It’s more than that, though. It’s like... I don’t know. Like they’re connected to us somehow.”

Colton hummed thoughtfully. “You think they’re related?”

Claire chewed on her bottom lip, considering his words. “Maybe. I don’t know. My gut is screaming that there’s something here, but it’s not as simple as blood ties. It’s something... deeper.”

“Well,” Colton said, his tone lightening, “I guess we’ll have to figure it out. Let’s meet up for lunch sometime and go over it. Maybe we’ll come up with something.”

“Deal.” Claire’s lips quirked into a faint smile, though her mind remained restless.

“Alright, then. I’ll stop by the preschool sometime this week. We’ll catch up.”

“Looking forward to it,” she replied.

“Goodnight, Claire.”

“Goodnight, Colt.”

She hung up the phone and let out a heavy sigh, leaning against the counter as her thoughts continued to churn. The idea of a connection between their families felt right—but how? The question followed her even into sleep, haunting her dreams with whispers of secrets just out of reach.

---

The next few days passed uneventfully—except for the glaring absence of Channary and her daughters. It wasn’t like them to miss school, let alone three days in a row. By the second day, Claire’s concern had grown into full-blown worry.

On the first day, she had called Channary, hoping for reassurance. “Hey, Channary. Just checking in—are you and the girls alright?”

Channary’s reply had been curt but polite. “We’re fine. Thanks for asking.”

“Well, if you need anything, let me know,” Claire continued, trying to keep the conversation light. “The girls have a project coming up about their family tree. I can drop off their homework if you want?”

There was a pause before Channary answered, her tone sharp. “That won’t be necessary. I’ll help them with it.”

Claire frowned. “Are you sure? I don’t mind—”

“I said no,” Channary interrupted, her voice defensive. “We’ve got it covered.”

The change in her demeanor was palpable, and Claire’s unease deepened. “I didn’t mean to overstep. I just wanted to check on my favorite students and see if you needed help.”

Channary sighed, her tone softening slightly. “I appreciate it, but we’re fine.”

Claire tried again. “Can I at least say hi to the girls?”

“No,” Channary said firmly, and before Claire could respond, the phone line had been cut.

For a moment, Claire stood there, stunned. She hadn’t expected such a strong reaction, and as the days passed without any sign of Channary or the twins, her worry only grew.

By Thursday, her unease was written all over her face when Colton showed up at her door for lunch. The moment he saw her, he frowned.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, stepping inside and closing the door behind him.

Claire didn’t waste any time. “It’s Channary. I haven’t seen her or the girls since that night. They’ve missed three days of school, and I’m worried.”

Colton raised an eyebrow. “Worried? About what? It’s not like she can just pack up and leave. There are pack laws and procedures she’d have to go through first.”

“I know that,” Claire snapped, pacing the living room. “But something doesn’t feel right. She’s acting strange—more guarded than usual. And the way she shut me out...”

“Sounds like she’s spooked,” Colton said with a shrug.

Claire stopped pacing, her arms crossed. “Exactly. And I think it has something to do with what happened that night. I think she’s planning to leave.”

Colton sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Alright, alright. If you’re that worried, let’s go talk to her before lunch. Maybe seeing her in person will help.”

Claire hesitated, her stomach twisting with nerves. “You think that’s a good idea?”

“Better than sitting here worrying yourself sick,” Colton replied, grabbing his keys.

After a long pause, Claire nodded. “Fine. Let’s do it.”

As they headed out, Claire couldn’t shake the feeling that whatever was happening with Channary and the twins was bigger than she realized—and that their visit might bring answers she wasn’t ready for.