Chapter 5

Candace puked over the gore before her. True she had been in the field for decades, but she'd never witnessed anything as brutal as this. Her chest tightened involuntarily, with tears threatening to fall off her eyes when she remembered Sif's last words. How was her son going to take the news of his mom's death?

Topher pulled up before an old cabin (in a remote part of Bloomfield Hills) to answer the alpha's call. Bale had summoned his entire pack to meet there. He (Topher) alighted from his black Audi 100 coupe and glanced about him to check if anyone was watching before he entered the cabin only to find the rest of his pack brooding. Puzzled and unsure of what was really going on, he traced his steps towards Jane who was just a few feet away from him.

"Hey, what's going on?" he asked her.

"Sif's dead" she answered with puffy eyes, an evidence that she had been crying for a very long time. Topher broke down too when he heard the shocking news.

"Was it one of our own?" he asked bitterly

"No, reptiles."

"Why?" he punched a wall as rage overwhelmed him, drawing the attention of the others. "Most of us here are werewolves against our choice. We already carry a heavy burden trying to hide that identity from the world now we have giant lizards after us? Why?" He asked no one in particular.

"You had a choice, Topher. You had a choice before I turned you" Jane tried to calm him down.

"Maybe I did, but did they? (he pointed at his pack members) Did Sif have a choice?"

"It's okay, Topher. The deed has already been done and we can't do anything about it. But there's a way to channel the anger you feel, you all feel to the right path." Bale, whom they did not realize when he entered said. "You can channel all that energy deep inside you into helping The Council figure out a way to get rid of the reptiles once and for all. But before that let's get on with the reason why I've called us here. Let's prepare for Sif's funeral." he instructed and everyone nodded in approval.

Topher and Jane crouched at a corner listening to Bale and the others talk about how Sif was going to be buried before Penelope called and asked him to come over and then they left.

While her funeral was still being planned by her pack, Candace sat idly as she watched Sif's casket being covered with the US military flag, and at a corner, a few officers getting ready to give her the 21 gun salute.

Penelope stood before her closet trying to pick a jacket before she heard the doorbell ring. Knowing quite well that it was Topher and not wanting to keep him waiting, she simply grabbed a random jacket then ran downstairs to open the door for him. When she opened the door she saw Topher standing before her just as she had guessed, except that she saw someone else beside him. Dusky skin and dark auburn hair.

"Who is she?" she narrowed her eyes at Jane.

"Oh, my bad. Penny, this is Jane, a relative of mine. And Jane, this is Penelope, my girlfriend." Topher introduced the two to each other.

"Nice to meet you" Jane waved at Penelope and she returned it with a fake smile.

"A relative? How come I've never seen her around before?" Penelope asked with a ridiculous fake smile plastered on her face.

"Because she hasn't been around for a very long time," Topher answered, but he could still see that Penelope was jealous and finding it difficult to believe him. "Penny, don't be ridiculous. Jane here is my second cousin. Are you gonna let us in or are you gonna keep us standing?" he gave her an icy stare that made her realize that he wasn't lying.

"I'm sorry, where are my manners" Penelope apologized as she let them inside the living room.

"I see you got a strong match" Jane teased Topher.

"Not really. She's way too stubborn" he replied

"So how did you guys get to know each other?" she asked Penelope.

"Well, it's a really funny story" Penelope sat beside Topher, way too excited to tell her own part of the story. "Topher and I met in highschool. He was in his senior year while I was in my sophomore year then when I got transferred to Bloomfield Hills High School. My mom's a cop, so when she was posted here, I had to follow her. Now your cousin here wouldn't stop staring at me anytime he saw me pass. He'd even miss his basketball training just to watch me eat lunch. Then one day he approached me and asked me to be his girlfriend and I accepted after I turned him down twice."

"Wow. That's really interesting. Is that what happened?" Jane laughed at Topher.

"Well not really. The truth is sort of the reverse. I was the transfer student, and Penelope and her mom grew up here. Penelope here wouldn't stop stalking me. She was always bugging me. And I turned her down thrice." he told his own part of the story.

"You're such a jerk" Penelope punched Topher playfully on the shoulder.

"I guess there are two sides to every story" Jane laughed

"So what about you, Jane. Do you have anyone special?" Penelope asked.

"I do, but I don't think I'm that special to him," Jane replied. "He doesn't believe in love. Just sparks and epic sensations."

"Isn't that what love is? Sparks and epic sensations?" Penelope asked, puzzled.

"Trust me, they're different," Jane answered.

Bale sat up as he watched Hendell address The Council about the re-emergence of the reptiles and how they'd already claimed the life of one of their own. Most of The Council members looked stunned from the shocking revelation while some of them didn't seem to care because they didn't have reptiles in their town.

"As it stands, we don't have time to start asking why or how they've returned, because each second we waste is enough for them to cause more damage. Moreover, we know it's just a matter of time before the Paranormal Bureau starts asking questions. They're only keeping quiet now because the humans haven't been involved in this mess."

"And why do we even have to be worried about their bureaucracy nonsense? Why do we keep letting them meddle in our affairs?" a man probably in his late forties (with black hair, brown eyes, and a clean shaved anchor beard on fair skin) asked, clearly displeased.

"We have a lot on our plate Stephan, and starting a war with the humans isn't something you want right now. Trust me" Hendell answered him.

"Then what do you suggest we do, Hendell?" Bale finally spoke.

"Very simple. We'll do what your fathers and I did before. Since the reptiles are lead by their queen, we'll find her and get rid of them for good this time."

"And how do you suggest we do that because I heard they're more organized now?" one of The Council members asked

"You return their favor. Do to them what they've been doing to you. Hunt them!"