“She smells like me?”

“Not exactly. It’s like a related sort of smell. Similar to how you smell related to your parents,” Edmund explained. “I’m not even sure how the scent stuff works, you know.”

Sebastian nodded. “Right, well, maybe we should go find out who that lady is.”

“Uh, looks like she’s coming to us.”

“What?” Sebastian looked back to the house and saw the silver-haired woman walking towards them purposefully with Nick scrambling behind her.

Seb wasn’t sure what to do in such a situation but decided to get out of the car. Edmund was quick to get out on his side too and round the front of the car so he could stand beside him. The woman stopped just a short distance in front of Sebastian, glancing at Ed questioningly for a moment, but mainly focusing on Seb.

“Tristan?”

Sebastian froze and Edmund tensed beside him, while Nick, who’d caught up to the woman, made a pained face. “Madame Victoria, this is Tristan’s son.”

Victoria looked at Nick questioningly. “You had a child?”

Nick ignored her odd question and addressed Sebastian. “This is... your dad’s mom. Your grandmother.”

Seb and Ed exchanged a glance. “That explained the smell then, but...”

“I thought we didn’t have extended family?”

Nick nodded. “We were under the same assumption.”

“Where is my son?” Victoria demanded. “I need to discuss things with him urgently.”

Nick looked pained once again. “Tristan... is dead.”

Victoria significantly paled. “Dead? He can’t be dead. How-?”

“Please, calm yourself. I understand this is a lot to take in, but let's rather discuss this inside.” Nick said, cutting off the flurry of questions. “If you boys don’t mind, please give us a moment alone.”

The teens nodded and watched as Nick led Victoria back to the house and inside. Sebastian’s mind was reeling with ten times the number of questions he’d had before. Why had they assumed she was dead? Were there more people on his father’s side, besides her, still alive? Why had it taken so long to make contact to clear things up in the first place? And above all, why was his grandmother so urgently searching for his dad?

“Bas?” Ed’s concerned voice broke through the confused trance Seb had fallen into.

“Sorry, I...”

“I understand, it’s a lot. Do you want to go inside or?”

Sebastian shook his head. “Let’s just wait in the truck.”

The two ended up sitting together in the back of the pickup, watching funny videos on Edmund’s phone. They didn’t notice how much time had passed until Emily pulled up behind them and got out with a half-amused half-confused expression.

“Nick kick you boys out of the house or something?”

“Um, it seems we have a special visitor,” Seb explained, pointing out the black car.

Emily frowned. “Who’s that?”

“Dad’s mother. I think Nick called her Victoria.”

Emily tensed up. “She... Why- What did she come for?”

“We don’t know. Well, it seems like she wanted to talk to dad but...”

“Right... how about we go inside, I’m sure that whatever’s been discussed is finished by now. Plus, I have Chinese food. Don’t want that to get cold.”

Ed and Seb exchanged a confused glance but got up and followed after Emily. The mystery of Sebastian’s father’s family seemed to be getting deeper and deeper. Edmund got distracted as they got closer to the house though, his ears picking up something that neither Seb nor his mom could hear. Sebastian looked at Ed questioningly about it but he shook his head and mouthed ‘later’.

Once Emily opened the door, she half rushed inside. “Nick, darling, I’m home.”

She put the food in the kitchen and then dashed back to the living room. Now, even Sebastian could hear what happened when she entered.

“Welcome home dear,” Nick said when she came in.

She walked over to him and gave him a kiss before turning her attention toward Victoria. “Ah, Madame Victoria. How nice to see you after so long.”

“It is good to see you as well, Dame Emily.”

“With those pleasantries out of the way, please leave my house.”

Silence.

“Very well, I will do as you have asked without incident. I believe I’ve spoken enough with Nick of the matter I originally came for.”

Victoria walked out of the living room to leave through the front door. Sebastian and Ed had just barely stepped inside, so they moved to the side for her. She gave Seb a strange look as she passed but he didn’t have time to analyse it before she was gone. She walked with a quiet prideful grace to her car without once looking back until she finally drove away.

Seb could hear Nick softly reprimanding his mom for her actions, but she cut him off. “That woman is only trouble. Remember what Tristan asked us.”

Nick was quiet after that, but Sebastian couldn’t contain his curiosity. “What did dad ask you?”

Emily looked up with a pained expression. “I... I’m sorry, dear, but there are some things that I can’t speak to you about. Not yet.”

“Not yet? At least tell me something.”

Emily sighed. “Sebastian-”

“I’m not a kid, mom. Whatever it is, I can handle it.”

Nick looked up thoughtfully. “It isn’t really a matter of your age, Buddy. Though, we were hoping to wait until your birthday had passed before bringing these things up. It's... I promise we’ll tell you soon. Alright?”

Sebastian bit his lip. “You’ll tell me everything?”

His parents exchanged a glance and nodded.

“Alright. I’ll wait then.”

Nick smiled. “Thank you. Now then, who else is hungry?”

From there, the atmosphere didn’t completely clear up, but at the very least, things were far less tense as the four sat down to eat. By the time they’d finished, the whole thing was nearly forgotten. Except Sebastian didn’t forget that Edmund had heard something. They had to wait of course, until after everyone had gone to bed, and they were sure Seb’s parents wouldn’t overhear them.

“Your grandmother said something about the moon.”

“The moon? Like, the one in the sky?”

“Yes, that moon.”

“Are you sure you heard right?”

“Of course, I am. My hearing is really sensitive, you know. They may have been speaking in hushed tones, but I still caught the tail end of their conversation. Something about this month’s moon choosing the next air? I don’t know what kind of air?”

“Could she have said heir, like the person who inherits a position or title.”

“Oh, that would actually make far more sense. Anyway, then Nick said he wouldn’t let you go. I don’t know where to but he was adamant about not allowing it. And your grandmother said something about it not being his choice. Then your mom burst in.”

Sebastian nodded. “So, then my parents are keeping secrets too.”

“Do you think it could be connected to your dream?”

“What do you mean?”

“Your gran said something about the moon and your dream starts off with that whole moon thing.”

“That whole moon thing also happens while I’m surrounded by werewolves.”

“How do you know they’re werewolves though? They're all in wolf form and regular-sized, right?”

“Well... I don’t know, dream intuition? In that moment, I can sort of recognise them as... allies- friends- family. I’m not sure about my connection to them but there’s something.”

“Are you... Do you want to tell your parents about me? If this is supernatural related, then maybe they would feel better explaining since you already know something of the non-human world.”

“I thought you weren’t ready?”

“Honestly, I’m just not sure. It feels like I have a handle on my skills now but taking the next step to reveal things feels like it will push us closer to...”

“To leaving,” Sebastian finished as he noticed the tears welling in Edmund’s eyes. “You really don’t want to go.”

“I don’t.”

Seb sighed and pulled Ed into a hug. “I don’t want to either.”

But could they really stay here? It was dangerous to go to school without scent neutralisers, and the chances they could hide with just that was frighteningly slim. The chances of being caught by the Wiker pack were growing every day.

Sebastian closed his eyes and swore to himself that he would do something. He needed to do something to help their situation. He and Ed had made that promise so long ago, and he needed to keep it.

As he remembered something, Sebastian's eyes opened wide. “Eddie, do you remember that spot we always went to? That one that was so far from everything else it felt like there was nothing but us and the forest?”

Ed moved back slightly to see Seb’s face. “That spot where we used to go for picnics?”

“Yeah. I think... that’s a good place to go camping. We’ll just need to find that equipment.”

“That was a nice place. So, we’re still on for camping then?”

Sebastian nodded. There was a bit more to his reasons for deciding on that place but... he’d tell Edmund about it if things worked out...