Page 3 of Runaway Wolf
Caitlin rolled her eyes. Oh, she knew what this was about. “Let me guess. You have a wonderful new boyfriend and he’s better than any boyfriend you’ve ever had before.”
Her sister’s lips tightened. “I’m not a kid anymore.”
Caitlin hadn’t meant to make her feel like that. She softened her tone. “I know that, Penny. But I also recognize the signs. You breeze in right at this crucial point in Dad’s career and I’m supposed to think that’s a coincidence?”
“It wasn’t a coincidence,” Penny acknowledged.
“Aha!” Caitlin said, her eyes narrowed.
“It’s not what you think—”
But she was on a roll. “What I think? Let me tell you what I think, Pen. No matter how old we get, you still act like a selfish brat, thinking of no one but yourself. I know Mom and Dad aren’t easy—”
“Not easy?” Penny’s eyes were huge. “They’re controlling, and that’s the mildest thing I can say.”
“Shifters are a controversial topic. It’s Dad’s job to enact laws to protect the public—”
“Protect? Are you kidding me? What protects the shifters from us?”
It was ludicrous to think that the stronger species might need protection. “Shifters are vicious, instinctual. More animal than man. Built-in weapons like jaws and claws, and super strength. Lack of social manners—”
“You think they don’t have manners? Fucking human manners?” Her sister’s voice was incredulous. “We’ve already forced them to register—all their personal information splayed out for the world to see. Their full names, their matings, their children… even their home address is public! We can see whichchildren go to community schools so they can be segregated like animals just by a school official checking the registry.”
“I was just making a point that they’re not like us. Manners was the last fact. The dangers should be acknowledged first.”
“They’re people, Caitlin. People. Do you understand that? They’re mothers and fathers, aunts and uncles. They have babies. They have manners but their ways are different than ours. So what if their ways and rules don’t match ours?”
Caitlin rolled her eyes. “I’m sure they do. And I’m sure their ways suit them fine. But to live among us, they need to adapt to our way of thinking to live peacefully with humans. And we definitely can’t forget those dangers. We need to control their numbers or they’ll take over the planet—”
“You’re so goddamned brainwashed, Caitlin. Just like Mom and Dad. But I shouldn’t be surprised that you have their same shitty mindset toward shifters. You’ve always been on their side. I can’t even deal with you right now. You think I deliberately stopped by when Dad was preparing for the press release? Here’s something you don’t know.Hecalledme.”
Caitlin could feel her brows knit at the obvious lie. Dad would never… unless he wanted something. But what could he possibly want from Penny? On that vital day, no less?
“So get off my porch. You need to leave. Go to your hotel room—wherever your staying—and maybe tomorrow we can talk. But if not, then you need to go back to Mom and Dad if that’s what makes you happy. And get the hell out of my life because I don’t need your brainwashed judgement.”
Before Caitlin could even open her mouth to speak, Penny stepped aside and slammed the door in her face. The thud of the lock clicked in place.
“Penelope! Open this door.” She pounded the heavy wooden door so hard her palm stung. “I don’t have a motel tonight.”
No answer.
“Open up!”
Still no response.
It was dark now, the air more chilled than it had been with the sun out. Caitlin briskly rubbed her arms as she slowly turned around, wishing she’d have just stopped at that damn gas station earlier. She probably would have been fine. Or, if the creepy old mountain man had killed her, Penny would have to carry the trauma of her murder for the rest of her life.
Penny really wasn’t opening the door. She really expected her to leave. Just like that? Nothing made sense.
God, her sister thought she had the same mindset as their parents? How had things come to this? She knew her parents were extreme; she mostly wanted to smooth things over between Penny and them. Not align with their theories.
Maybe that was why she and Penny had grown apart.
She took a step down off the porch, but then sat down on the top of the porch to think.
Her father called Penny to his office? Surely that wasn’t what happened. But why would Penny lie?
Caitlin couldn’t leave. Not like this. Besides, where would she go? The damn main town of this creepy, House-of-Waxfrontier, with the tiny, one-floor, No-Tell motel? The doors looked made of cardboard. Anyone could break one down, probably even her. And it probably had bugs the size of her fists.
