Sean led Dakota into the dining room where his mother joined them, still drying her hands with a dishtowel.

"Mom, this is Dakota Gibson."

"Hi," Dakota said, offering his hand.

"I'm Madeline," she said, motioning for Dakota to have a seat. "So, you're Irene's son?"

"One of them," Dakota said, quickly withdrawing his hand and taking a seat as Sean also sat down.

"Jobe and Irene seemed like such sweet people. I had no idea."

Dakota's lips parted, but all that escaped was a semi-amused huff.

"I mean, not that they aren't sweet people." Madeline corrected. "I just didn't know about your family before all of this."

"That's kinda the point, mom." Sean was already cringing on the inside, but to his relief, Dakota didn't look offended. "People knowing about the pack puts them at risk."

"Right, well, I'd imagine so would kidnapping."

"Mom."

"I'm really sor-" Dakota started, but Madeline cut him off, shaking her head.

"No, don't apologize. I understand it wasn't your decision," she said, glancing at her son. "I just..." She shook her head and offered an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, dear. When you have kids someday you'll understand how protective you get over them."

"I have a daughter, actually. She'll be eight in November."

Madeline's brows raised. "Oh..."

Dakota turned his head to look at Sean, who was bouncing his leg under the table.

"Would you like a drink, Dakota? I think I have an open bottle of cabernet," Madeline said, getting up from the table.

"Please," Dakota said, rubbing his hands on his jeans.

"Sean said you were thinking about speaking with the heads of the coven?" she asked from the kitchen as she fetched a couple of glass jars from the cupboard. Sean's mother was very into recycling and rarely thought to pull out their actual cups.

"If I survived the visit with you and your husband, yes. It'd crossed my mind." Dakota said, winking at Sean.

The teen smirked as he relaxed in his seat.

Madeline exhaled loudly and smiled as she set the jars down and filled both halfway. "Well, if you can survive me, you can survive anything. That's what I always tell Sean."

"I don't doubt it."

"So, before we stopped hearing from him, Travis insisted on your pack dealing with a problem wolf before giving our son back. That was all handled some months ago, right?" Madeline said, taking a small sip of her wine while she studied Dakota. "We never heard anything about it when we spoke to..."

"Conor," Dakota said.

"Right, the police officer, just before Sean came home."

Dakota's gaze fixed on his drink. "We never meant to involve your coven in our affairs, but I think Travis knew at the time we couldn't handle a homicidal rogue and a town of pissed-off witches."

"Well, the rumors about you all have been rampant," Madeline said.

"I can imagine. I'm hoping with your son's help, I can remedy some of that..."

Madeline's brows furrowed as she looked at Sean. "Sorry?" she said.

"A, uh... damn, I can't think of his name... something Bellmont?"

"Tobias," Sean said. "Tobias Beaumont."

"That was it." Dakota nodded. "He's been pretty persistent in wanting to talk."

Sean noticed his mother's hand slowly withdrawing from her drink as she listened, a frown growing across her face.

"I'd rather talk to Tobias with Sean there. He knows a decent amount about the pack, and he's obviously familiar with your coven, so--"

"No," Madeline said, earning a stunned look from her son as well as the wolf.

"...No?" Dakota repeated, confused.

"Tobias's interest in your kind isn't shared by the rest of us."

Dakota bristled.

"Mom," Sean tried to interject. He'd never known his mother to be unkind or judgmental towards anyone. He was stunned, to say the least.

"Jobe and Irene have lived here for almost ten years and no one ever knew what they were, or needed to know. You and some of your pack were here for a few days. A woman was murdered and my son was taken from us."

Dakota's lips were pressed firmly together as he listened.

"I don't want you dragging my son into whatever business you believe you have in Aspinview."

"I respect Sean's place in your coven, but he is a member of my pack as well."

"Mom, I should get to help," Sean added.

"My son is not an animal, he's a witch." Madeline snapped. "You have no right to associate with him, much less be anywhere near him or our family."

Sean's gaze moved to Dakota as the werewolf stood, red-faced.

"I'll see myself out."

"Please do," Madeline said, finishing off her wine in one angry gulp. She was quick to get up though as Sean followed Dakota out of the house.

"Dakota, wait!" Sean called, panic rising in him as the redhead only walked faster. He ran the rest of the way to the Charger and climbed into the passenger seat a moment too soon for Dakota to get in and lock the doors.

"Sean Brooks!" his mother yelled, stepping off the porch.

"Get out," Dakota said in a low tone.

"Dakota, please, don't leave."

"Get out of my car, Sean."

"But the pack and coven could still--"

"Sean, get out of my goddamn car before your mother flips her shit and gets me in serious fucking trouble. Please."

"Just promise me you won't leave yet."

"Sean," Dakota groaned.

A harsh knock on the passenger side window made both of them jump.

"Okay! Okay!" Sean said at his mom through the glass, motioning with his hands before looking back at Dakota. "Promise."

"I'm not fucking leaving yet, okay? Christ. Get out."

"I'll text you." Sean rattled off before opening the door and getting out.

From Sean's bedroom window the orange cat watched as the Charger's blazing taillights disappeared down the street. Trevor watched as Sean and his mother exchanged a few choice words before both stormed inside. Moments later, Sean's door opened, and Trevor turned to watch his friend.

"So, I guess things didn't go very well?" Trevor said sarcastically. He hopped out of the window and landed on Sean's dresser.

"I can't believe she did that! Seriously, what the--" Sean growled, landing in a heap face down on his bed. After a few sighs into his blankets, he rolled over and stared at his ceiling. Everything he'd hoped that this night would kick off, felt like it was unraveling and slipping out of Sean's reach... he felt like someone had gut-punched him.

"Trev," he said, barely above a whisper. "I miss the pack."

The orange fluff landed on the bed and curled up next to Sean. "It'll be ok, I'm sure she'll come around. Remember when she said I was a bad influence?"

Sean smiled, letting his arm rest around the ball of fuzz. "Yeah." Sean felt his chest tighten, and he swallowed the lump in his throat. "If... if I ever wanted to move away from Aspinview... would you come with me?"

"As long as they allow support animals at your new place," he replied with his normal level of snark.

"I've been thinking of maybe moving closer to Nate and Kaid," Sean admitted. "I was originally hoping if the pack and coven could work out some kind of alliance, that maybe they could be closer, but since Kaiden is beta and mom blew up..." Sean paused, letting out a sigh and shook his head. "I was just scared you might not wanna go with me if I did."

"Sorry man, you're stuck with me...at least until I figure out how to use the can opener."

Sean laughed. "Yeah, I suppose if you ever get opposable thumbs back, that'll be the end of 'Trevor and Sean'." He held onto the tabby a little tighter.

"Pft, like that would ever happen. Even being dead hasn't gotten rid of me," Trevor pointed out with a proud squint on his face.

After a few hours had passed, Sean worked his phone out of his pocket. He squinted as the harsh light from his screen cut through his dark bedroom. It was almost eleven.

"He still hasn't texted back. What if he did just drive back to the ranch? What am I gonna tell Tobias? I said I could set up a meeting between them."

Trevor yawned, his yellow eyes shrinking to slits when the light caught them. "Bro, chill, he's probably just venting, maybe he went for a jog or something."

Sean sat up. "Wait, that makes sense. He might not even be in his human form right now." This seemed to comfort Sean a little. "But that means I probably won't get ahold of him 'til morning."

"Hm, probably...unless you happened to have a best friend with a really good sense of smell."

The corner of Sean's lips curved upwards. "You up for hunting down a wolf?"

Shoutout to califournia16, BoomSticks, breadbasketeater and RaynaGurczeski!! Thanks so much for the support!