Chapter Three

None of us spoke for a few minutes once again, did my dad really just say that? Does he really believe that the town was attacked by werewolves? I have so many questions followed by worry, let's hope our dad isn't starting to go back just when he was getting better. He begins to flip through the books he brought from the basement, I once again look over to Ethan who held the same expression I did.

"You think the town was attacked by werewolves?" I ask finally talking breaking the awkward silence we had going on.

This causes him to  look up at me confused not understanding what I meant, does he really think I'm the confusing one in this conversation?!

"That's what they're called werewolves, but they're just myths" I explain to him hoping he would understand, he shakes his head turning around one of the photo albums to show us a photo of a wolf in the woods.

"Just before your mother went missing, she said she found a pack of wolves not that far from here, it took her a while to take photos as there were always some people around there with them, who she didn't want in her shots" he explains turning the page to another page with a different wolf on, I'm not gonna lie they were some bomb photos, my mother was good at what she did.

"She tried for weeks to get the perfect picture but there was always at least one person with the wolves, she only managed to get these photos before she went missing" he explains looking at one of the photos, that's not really explaining why he thinks werewolves exist and why they would attack our town!

"Just because there were people with the wolves doesn't mean they're werewolves, they could have owned the wolves for all we know, dad they don't exist they're just a myth" I say but he drops the book on the table placing his hands on his hips, wow that was sort of dramatic.

"I saw a human turn into a wolf back there, I'm not crazy before you say I am, I asked a few of the guys and guess what, they seen it too" he exclaims open his arms out wide, I look towards Ethan once again mentality saying help, but he didn't get it.

"Justin, I need a word with you in the kitchen" my dad says walking towards the kitchen, Justin looks at me worried before following him out leaving Ethan and I on the sofa.

"He's getting better is he?" I ask looking over to him, he sighs sitting back with his hands over his eyes stressed, please don't say this has made dad take two steps backwards.

It was the next morning, Justin slept on a blow up mattress on my floor. He never told me what him and my dad spoke about in the kitchen, even though I asked him a hundred times. I was doing my makeup when my dad walks through the door, throwing Justin a walkie-talkie.

"Be downstairs in 5 minutes, everyone's gathering in the town hall" is all he says before walking back out the room, looks like that was just a fly-in visit.

"Why've you got that?" I ask turning around to look at Justin, he just lays back on my bed sighing rubbing his face.

"You'll find out" is all he says as my dad shouts for us to hurry up, I sigh just getting back to my makeup, I was unsure if I was going to like what I was about to find out.

In no time we were sat in the town hall waiting for everyone to show up, as we walk in all the guys were given walkie-talkies but none of the girls, that's not sexist at all. Once everyone was in, the doors were closed and locked, okay they don't want us to leave. I look around to see Martha sitting with Sam and Jacob, but I couldn't see Reece anywhere, immediately, due to the recent events my mind starts to fear the worst. But before I could ask anyone if they've seen him, my dad starts to speak on the little raised platform at the front.

"Thank you to all of you for coming toady, I know it's a very scary time for everyone. We have a few things we need to discuss but the first, the attack yesterday has really effected our town, not just due to all the damages that urgently need to be repaired but the lose of people" he sighs looking down at the ground, tears begin to well up in my eyes knowing where this part of the conversation was going.

"We lost 25 people last night, it just breaks my heart to know that we've lost our friends and family, due to these horrible beasts coming into our town in such a brutal attack, we were very close to losing my own daughter to a wolf" he says looking down at me, wait how does he know that?!

I feel everyone's eyes on me for a few seconds, well I'm still here so no need to just stare at me people!

"Now onto the second matter to discus, when the attack was happening, me and my officers were trying our hardest to fight these horrible beasts, when we saw somethings. At first we were unsure of what we seen, so I went home and started doing some research, the town was attacked by werewolves" he says which immediately makes the hall fill with loud voices.

I start to scan the area to get a feel of what people here thinking, when my eyes land on Martha. She looked to the floor just playing with her hands nervously, well it is understandable.

"I know how crazy that sounds, honestly it was a shock but I seen it with my own two eyes and some of you even seen it too, my wife before she went missing took these photos, unknowing what was really going on " he goes onto say as the photos he showed us last night were projected onto the wall, but he photoshopped it to look like the human turned into the wolf, I look to Justin who was sitting next to me.

"He's changed the photo" I whisper looking at him, he nods looking at me then back at my dad, who wasn't finished trying to convince everyone it was werewolves.

"We actually have a video that someone took last night" he continues pointing to the wall as someone plays the video, which side-note was very bad quality.

It starts off by showing the area, the places on fire, people screaming and wolves running around. The video than turns to a man who I've never seen before, it moves for a second the man out the shot but when it pans back the man is gone, but a wolf is in his place. That man could have just ran because he saw a huge wolf coming towards him, this isn't evidence about anything! Once the video finished it makes the hall erupt again, this time people sounding panicked, wait people are actually believing this, it looks fake?!

"At this time we don't know what they want, but we can't let them things think they can do it again, we're gonna have police at all times at the border of the town guarding and everyone will get paired with a buddy, who you have to go everywhere with for the foreseeable future" he continues to explain as the side door opens and in walks Reece, thank god he's okay.

He runs over sitting next to me but passes something across me to Justin, who before I could see what it was slips it into his pocket.

"We have chosen the pairs and sorry no changes, it's not about who you get along with it's about staying safe and alive at this point, any questions?" He says which immediately makes Reece put his hand up to ask something, I knew it was going too smoothly so far! My dad choose him first, which was probably not the best idea.

"About the pairs, we have to stay with them all the time right?" he asks smirking towards my dad which I knew where this question was going, my dad says that's correct before Reece continues "does that mean we have to stay at their houses?" He asks as wolf whistles, kind of ironic, fill the hall.

"Yes that's right but no funny business Mr Green" my dad says with a pointed look before continuing, Reece laughs saying no promises.

"Okay, first pair is my daughter Erika and Justin" he smiles looking over at Justin and I,  Justin wraps his around around my shoulders smiling. Sam and Jacob ended up being a pair which was obvious, but Reece was kept until last.

"And finally, Reece Green and Martha Tanner" my dad says which makes Reece's jaw hang low shocked, he quickly looks over to Martha then at me still shocked.

"Can you keep the promise now?" I ask smiling sweetly at him, Justin laugh beside me but Reece sits back in his chair looking annoyed at my dad.

"It isn't gonna be a wolf that's gonna kill me, it's gonna be her!" He shouts which makes a few people start laughing, but it was probably true.

"Alright everyone go about your day, stay with your buddy and don't worry the police have got this" my dad smiles with his arms open proudly, he lifts up his walkie-talkie holding it to his mouth  "all the guys have one of these, if anything happens you have direct contact with me, only to be used in an emergency" he says through it which comes out of all the walkie-talkies the guys had hanging from there pockets, once again kind of sexist!

"Hey sir, yes its an emergency, that girl is gonna kill me!" Reece says through his, my dad just gives him a look walking off the stage.

"It might not be bad Reece, you'll probably bond" I tell him trying to help him see the bright side to the situation, but he still wasn't  happy and just storms out the hall pushing passed people as he went.

Justin laughs while Sam, Jacob and Martha walk over, for once Martha wasn't the first to speak. She really isn't doing well with all the nerves, she's always rather calm in situations like this.

"Okay wow, do you believe the whole werewolf thing?" Sam asks me actually believing it herself, I look towards Justin who gives me a look, I mean I can't really go against my father, even if I don't actually believe a word he says.

"I mean my dad knows what he saw, so we just have to trust that he's gonna deal with the problem" I say neither admitting or denying anything.

Justin still had his arm around me, where he gives my side a little squeeze telling me I did good without telling me. We begin to make our way out the hall, this time around no one was pushing or shoving. As we reach outside, I spot Reece throwing a stone at the wall, he always did this when something was bothering him. I excuse myself from everyone else running over to Reece, him and me had been best friends since we were tiny babies, he is actually my longest friend.

"Hey Reece, I know it's not who you wanted as a buddy but in the situation we're in now, it's better than nothing right?" I ask coming to a stop beside him, he throws another rock at the wall but stops to look at me.

"We don't get along Erika, for reasons you already know but also she nitpicks at every little thing I do, I don't know if I'll manage how ever long that's gonna be for" he sighs throwing another rock at the wall, I walk over taking the rocks out his hands making him look at me.

"It won't always have to be just you and her, you live right next door to me so you can come over whenever you want, it's not going to be as bad as you think it's going to be" I smile, just trying to make him see that things could have been much worse and how bad things are for other people right now.

He looks at my face nodding knowing what I was saying was right, after talking for a few more minutes we both start to make our ways back over to the other guys.

"What house do you wanna stay at?" He asks Martha who stood behind Sam still looking nervous, she finally looks up saying she didn't mind before looking back at the floor, okay that is not like her at all.

"Oh um we can stay at mine as it's closer to Erika's" he suggests which is what I said would be the best thing, she nods walking towards him where he gives me shocked look following her to his house.

"Okay, I was gonna say that wasn't gonna end well but now, I'm not sure" Sam says looking at the two walking away "whatever you said Erika, it worked" she smiles all of us still watching the two walk away, civilly.

"I know Reece, he just had to calm down and see it from another perspective, Martha is probably scared like the rest of us so she doesn't want to put up a fight" I say as they turn a corner so we couldn't see then anymore, I reckon they're gonna be okay, my dad walks out the hall looking over at our group with raised eyebrows.

"Well that seems like our cue to leave" Sam says wrapping me in a hug before walking away with Jacob, leaving Justin and I alone outside the hall.

"Come on" he says putting his arm out, I wrap my arm around his following him towards my house, not knowing my dad wasn't the only person watching me.