Free Goldilocks by Patria L. Dunn Page A

slowly.
    He’d been shocke d to see her in his woods. The only humans he ever saw or expected to see -way out here- were his parents. If only she knew the danger she was putting herself in. He’d heard the lone howl a moment before he’d seen her tense, her long blonde ponytail swishing over her shoulder as she’d jumped up from the creek bank and headed back down the trail. He’d wanted to follow her and make sure that she made it back safely, but he knew the best thing he could do for her was head off the wolf he knew was coming.
    “You caught one today too,” Rone stated rather than asked, ignoring the frustrated breath his wife blew through pursed lips.
    “With the new inspector here, there’s no way the mine’s going to close,” Jake said w hat he knew they were all fearing, ignoring the low growl in his father’s chest. “It’s just the three of us, and you won’t let mom do patrol, so I was thinking that it would be better for me to continue during the day.”
    “You’re not missing school , if that’s what you’re hoping,” Rone stopped his son before he got any further.
    Human’s had long since developed knowledge that they were no longer aware of, cutting themselves out from their world entirely was unacceptable. Rone had learned their ways the hard way over the last century, and he didn’t want the same for his son. Be ing around them would help Jake better understand why Rone was so determined to have him attend school.  Just like a normal kid would….
    “But I’m not normal kid; I’m not a kid at all,” Jake said in defense of his father’s last thought, shoving his half eaten bowl of stew away from him. “ Who’s going to keep watch while you’re at the mine? You can’t catch them all by yourself. I’m sure the other miners are already starting to wonder where you disappear to after each collapse.”
    “It’s none of your concern!” Rone barely brought his roar in check, his eyes snapping to his wife’s when she grabbed their son’s hand to calm him.
    “I am keeper of these woods too. There are three of us, not one.”
    “ And you’re still my son above anything else,” Rone’s tone softened, but his words were firm. “I already worry enough, please don’t fight me on this.”
    “You said the wolves are getting bigger…stronger,” Jake pressed, his eyes pleading as they met his mother’s. “Let me help!”
    “NO!” Rone growled out, his fist slamming down onto the table with finality.
    Jake’s mouth snapped closed, his eyes lowering against the livid stare his father directed at him. He knew when to be silent, and now was one of those times. Even his mother knew not to speak, her head bowed as Rone exhaled on a heavy breath.
    “In just a few short months , when your grow cycle is complete, I’ll no longer have to worry about your mortality, but until then, once school starts, night watch only and it’ll be with me.”
    “And when it becomes t oo much for either of you?” Marigold’s words were soft, her eyes lifting to meet her husband’s, a blocked thought passing between the two of them.
    Jake bit his lower lip to keep from comment ing, his anger barely contained at his father’s unwillingness to listen to him.
    “I’ll deal with it when the time comes,” Rone finally said, the subject closed for now.
    Jake snuck a look as his mother, heeding the warning in her amber colored eyes. His father had always been stubborn, but the closer Jake got to his eighteenth year , his stubbornness had turned to downright anger it seemed. Sooner or later, he’d have no choice but to treat his son like the man that he was already, Jake just hoped it was sooner rather than later.

Chapter 7:
    Hannah accepted the kiss her father planted on her forehead with a smile. It had become a ritual in their morning goodbyes, and in two more days, she’d be leaving with him to start her senior year at Lake City High. The last two weeks in the cabin together had certainly