Helena intervenes … trying to placate and calm Dad down; while, at the same time, also trying to speak up a little for me…
“You’re absolutely right, Father; Bellona shouldn’t be speaking to you in that manner … none of us sisters should; that’s not the way filial daughters should be speaking to their father. Especially not to one’s whose father is such a respected member in one’s pack.”
Dad proudly grins; as he interjects, “That’s right. You hear that; Bellona? You need to listen to your elder sister’s words, and treat me with the respect I deserve … and; keep control over that wicked temper of yours while you’re at it.”
Helena continues, “But, please Father; you need to remain calm, yourself. Remember; the doctor said that you need to watch your blood pressure. You have to try to relax; and, don’t get yourself so worked up. … And, please don’t be so hard on Pomona over today; it wasn’t her fault that she was unable to come back on time … she was attacked, after all. …
Also; please bear in mind … like Mother said … Pomona’s been badly hurt. Just look at her face.”
Helena is the only one of us who calls him ‘Father’. Maybe that’s why she’s his favorite. … Regardless; I don’t know whether or not she’s managed to calm him down, but he finally glances over my way … then, brusquely buries his nose back in the newspaper; and, remarks with evident indifference in his inflection…
“Fine. But, I still don’t understand why everyone keeps making such a big fuss over her face. So what if it’s messed up now; she’ll probably be fully recovered by tomorrow … no longer than the day after, I’m sure. I really don’t see what the big deal is.”
Bellona sarcastically quips, “And, the Father of the Year Award goes to none other than the Rainier Pack’s very own, Gamma Stephen Burke; who ignorantly believes that as long as she heals quickly, it’s okay for some scumbag bastard to stomp on his daughter’s face.”
Dad sharply looks up at Bellona, and intensely glares at her with rapidly rising ire emanating from his eyes; as he grits his teeth, and growls. … In response; Bellona shoots him over an equally intense glare; while starting to growl between her own gritted teeth.
I gently take hold of one of Bellona’s hands, and begin to caress it; while slowly shaking my head at her, as I softly whisper in her ear…
“No; don’t … I’m okay; really. Please; just let it go.”
Bellona quickly recomposes herself; then, delivers a tender kiss to the top of my head, and whispers back in my ear…
“Alright; for you, I’ll let it go now. But; it’s only because you asked me to.”
I shoot her over a smile; which, she immediately reciprocates with one of her own for me.
Shortly, I hear our father let out an exasperated huff from behind the newspaper; then, he snidely remarks…
“You know something; Bellona … by the way you act with Pomona; if people didn’t know any better, they’d probably swear that she was your daughter, instead of your mother’s and mine.”
Raina and Rhiana … the self-proclaimed quasi socialites / party girls … have been secretly frequenting nightclubs since they were eighteen … and now, at twenty-two, the club scene has become almost second nature to them.
Whether it be known that they’re going out, or they sneak out … which they had to resort to tonight … the twins realize that they need to keep their partying alter-egos on the down-low from the scrutinizing eye of their watchdog father. Thus; they’ve established what they have come to regard as ‘Operation Fashion Switch-A-Roo’ … which is comprised of two phases.
First; they’ll stash carefully concealed, club worthy outfits in the trunk of their car, earlier in the day of the night they plan on going out clubbing. However, every once in a while, if their Gamma father happens to be in one of his suspicious moods; these prepared outfits are confiscated during impromptu search and seizures of their car. … Which has led to the creation of phase two.
Phase two … or rather; their backup plan … is to keep sets of outfits at several of their girlfriends’ places; and, pick them up there.
In either case; the twins make it a point to leave the house acceptably dressed … then, afterwards; stop off somewhere, and make a quick fashion switch-a-roo before arriving at a nightclub, or party.
Tonight, Raina and Rhiana arrive at their favorite hot-spot, The Full Moon Lounge; which is frequented by most of the young, party-goers from not only the Rainier Pack, but also neighboring packs … not to mention humans; since it’s located outside of every pack’s territory … scantily clad in miniskirts, mid-drift crop tops, fishnet stockings, and high-heel Stilettos.
********
**Casper’s POV**
Since this is our last night up here; what do you say, before heading back to California, we take a look and see what kind of nightlife Washington has to offer … shall we?
Gilead grumbles, “Cut the innocent crap, will you; I know what you’re really up to … you’re here on a ‘pussy hunt’; right, Casper? Well, just so you know; you’re all on your own tonight … don’t bother getting me involved.”
Wow … sounds to me like somebody’s still got their panties tied in a knot, from earlier this evening.
“And, what if I do? … Know what; forget it. … But; don’t come crying to me when you contract some highly-contagious STD, and your dick rots and falls off.”
Yeah; he’s still pissed off because I rejected that so-called mate of ours. Guess I’ll be stuck in the doghouse … no pun intended … for a while over this. But, then again; come to think of it, Gilead’s my inner-wolf … I’m not his outer-human … so, he’ll just have to deal with it; because, I’m the one calling the shots here, not him.