Axel watched as Beth paced the kitchenette of her house, barely minding the cup of brew in her hands as its content spilled with every pace. Her bathrobe swished as it scraped the floor, her reddish hair cascading down her back like a fiery waterfall. At intervals she would roll her eyes and mutter murderously.
“Stop it.” He said “You’re driving me nuts.”
She let out a groan and slammed the cup on the kitchen island. “No. Lauren is driving both of us nuts!”
“Not me.” Axel quipped. “I am perfectly calm. And I think you should take a break. I know Lauren. She’s a sensible teenager, probably the most sensible one I’ve ever met.”
“No sensible teenager skips school to see a caged wolf! What if she’s hurt? What If she has been kidnapped? What if-” She pursed her lips, then continued “What If the doctor has her?”
Before Axel could reply to that, there was a knock on the kitchen door. It opened slightly and Eric’s deadlocked head peeked from the gap.
“Eric!” Beth said, trying to hide her worry behind a smile “Come in.”
Eric entered the kitchen and nodded curtly to Axel, then turned to Beth. “Good evening, Miss Norman. I uh, I came to check on Lauren. We were supposed to watch a movie at my place? But I barely saw her at school today. Is she home?”
“Yes. She’s home. But she’s terribly sick. She has been in bed all day. You should come see her some other time.”
He craned his head towards the staircase as if hoping to see Lauren standing there. “She didn’t look sick today in school–”
“Eric, I think you should go. Maybe come by tomorrow?” Beth said, her hand on her forehead.
Eric frowned behind his glasses, then nodded. “Okay, then. Tell her I stopped to say hello.”
“Who’s that?” Axel asked as Eric left the kitchen.
“Lauren’s bestfriend.” Beth answered flippantly.
There was a rustle behind the kitchen window, and the both of them paused and looked up.
“Did you hear that?” Beth asked.
Picking a kitchen knife, Axel moved slowly towards the door and opened it slowly. He looked out, then straightened and said “Oh. Come on in, then.”
Lauren appeared at the door with a boy behind her.
“Where have you been?” Beth asked gravely. “It’s 6pm!”
“I’m sorry, Beth. I will answer your questions but I need to get Aidan here a blanket for the night.” Lauren replied and walked out of the room without so much as a glance at Axel.
The room was strained with Beth’s barely controlled anger and Aidan’s nervousness. They stared at each other from across the room, Beth with eyes full of rage and Aidan with eyes of bemusement. Axel placed a hand on Beth’s shoulder to calm her down. After seconds of staring, the boy cleared his throat and said “I’m sorry if I’m causing any strain between you and your daughter, Miss, uh–”
“–Norman.” Beth growled.
“Miss Norman. I’ll be out of your hair before you know it.”
Lauren came into the kitchen with a blanket and moved to the door “Beth, we’ll spend tonight in the cabin. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“You haven’t answered my question. Where have you been?”
“In the woods, okay? I saved Aidan from the station and we spent today in the woods.” Lauren snapped.
“Did you really have to skip school to save some changeling you don’t know? Lauren, part of the reason we moved here was for you to blend in. If the people who are after you-after us-should hear of your Change in the station, what do you think would happen to us? I’m your mother and I have a responsibility over you. Your father would have wanted you safe-”
“Don’t mention my father!” Lauren growled. Her canines had grown longer and she had curled her hands into claws. Her eyes, glowing, traveled from Beth to Axel and back. “Don’t mention my father.” She repeated. “You have no right. You are not, my mother.”
Aidan laid a hand on her shoulder “She’s Changing already. We should probably go before the moon comes out.”
“Go, then.” Beth said quietly, arms folded and staring at Lauren. “Go.”
Realization dawned on Lauren’s face and her fangs slowly receded. “I’m sorry, Beth. I didn’t mean–”
“No need to explain yourself.” Beth cut in. Her voice shook with tears “You’re right. I’m not your mother and I don’t have any right over you. Go with your new friend.” She said and watched as Lauren walked out of the house and into the night.