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LAST ONE

THE LAST PATROL OF SUMMER CAME QUICKER THAN NELLY WOULD'VE LIKED.

It meant her time was dwindling, though she was highly optimistic that perhaps her father would grant her the decency of forgetting about her. No, he hadn't been in touch with her at all lately, so as far as she was concerned, he wasn't coming to collect her anytime soon.

Paul, ever the loyal girls girl, was also dutifully in agreement with her thoughts on the matter. It seemed as though word travelled fast, and the Lahote boy hadn't been Michael Sequoia's biggest fan ever since he learnt of their encounter after Tate's funeral.

"He's a punk bitch," he growled out as they surveyed the mountain range before them.

Nelly scoffed out a laugh. "Ain't that the truth."

"I bet we could make his death look like an accident," he added on, plopping himself down onto the ground with a frown. "To take you away from the pack is like... treason. And Sam would say the same."

She sat down next to him, sharp eyes still crossing over the terrain below. "Wow, Paul Lahote gives a shit about someone else other than himself," she teased, leaning back on her arms. "That'd be a great headline in the papers."

"Contrary to popular belief, I do care," he said snottily, his chin raised. "It's more of a selective care, but I still do."

"I know," Nelly replied cheerfully, earning a shove to the side from the boy next to her. "I'm glad to have made the list, then."

He didn't say anything in response to that, just humming to himself. "I think we'd all have to rock paper scissors it out for a shot at killing him," he mused, continuing on with his tangent.

"There's no shot he actually comes to get me," Nelly dismissed with a wave of her hand. "The sentiment is nice, though."

It warmed Nelly to know that she had a plethora of people in her corner, willing to fight Michael just for her to stay. The minute she phased was the minute she earned herself a second family, and the bonds between them all had finally settled down.

Paul merely looked at her for a moment. "You sound pretty confident about that."

"The one thing I know about my dad for certain is that he hates being belittled," she explained with a huff, "and I exchanged some pretty belittling words with him the last time he was around. Chances are he'll let me stay just to save himself from embarrassment."

It was still for a moment, a calm sort of stillness as the sounds of the forest bloomed around them. "I really hope you're right, Nell."

She smiled at him, cockily.

"I'm always right— though, I wouldn't expect you to know much about that."

That warned her an immediate growl. "I'm sorry, are you forgetting the time I was right about Call's raging crush on you?"

She shook her head, turning her attention back to the terrain they were meant to be patrolling.

"Semantics."

˚ ᡣ𐭩 .𖥔˚

The pair returned to Sam's after patrol like they always did, emerging from the surrounding forest still chatting aimlessly until Nelly caught sight of someone who was already beckoning her over.

She pat Paul on the bicep and skipped over to the boy with cropped hair, all but depositing herself onto his lap. "Howdy," she greeted, pressing a small kiss to his cheek.

Ignoring the gagging noises Paul was making nearby, Embry planted a plethora of kisses all over her face before he stared at her with a smile. "Howdy."

"You guys," Jared groaned as he leaned over to cover Brady's eyes, "people eat on this picnic bench."

"Like you're one to talk," Brady muttered, pushing the hands away from his eyes. He cleared his throat, pitching his voice higher than normal, "oh Kim, I love you so much. I wish I was there with you so I could gi—"

Jared slapped his hand over the boy's mouth. "Little eavesdropper," he murmured, shoving the boy away from him. All it got him was a cacophony of laughter from Brady.

"That trait runs in their family," Nelly laughed, only to end up yelping from the way Brady kicked at her shin from beneath the table. "What? Like I'm lying?"

Brady's silence answered her question, making her hum with minor victory. Suddenly, Quil's body appeared in the doorway of Sam's back door, waving a hand wildly. "Em's got food!"

There was an immediate reaction among the shifters, all heads snapping toward the Ateara boy. "What kind of food are we talking about?" Paul asked on behalf of the others, despite the fact that they really didn't care what it was— they were always hungry, really.

"Meatball subs, dude," he hollered in return, and Nelly almost felt her mouth start to salivate on its own accord. "Freakin' Italian herbed bread and everything!"

Nelly thought she was losing it. Emily was a master of all things in the kitchen, truly, but her herbed bread was something she excelled at. She never made it often, but when she did, the others usually fought over it.

Quil disappeared back into the house, leaving the door open, and the smell of what Emily had been making instantly filled the air. In an odd unison, everyone's stomachs started to rumble.

"There's never enough herbed bread for everyone," Jared started to murmur, like he was doing some sort of mental calculations, "someone's gonna get stuck with the plain shit."

Brady slammed his hands onto the wooden table as he stood with lightning speed.

"Last one there's a stale tuna sandwich!" he yelled before sprinting toward the house.

Nelly's face twisted as the boy ran off. "That was oddly specific."

Paul made a noise of agreement.

"Man, I hate tuna."

⋆.˚ ᡣ𐭩 .𖥔˚⋆

[ wyn's note ]

a lil comfort slice of life moment / short filler chappy before i absolutely hit y'all in the feels. so, take that warning as you will lol

all my love !! x