Beyond the Pack’s Law: My stepsister or nobody else

Aiden’s POV I swiveled my chair and leaned back to look at the ceiling. As I lay sleepless, staring blankly at the ceiling of my room, my mind always finds its way back to Hayley and all that we have been through together. I was homesick, but not as much as I let on, and it hurt to be so far away when all this stuff was going down. But Kieran was right. If she wanted me, she would come to me. I woke up early the next day, eager to chase some of those leads. I reached out to a couple of my older contacts for information I once got from Jada and the Circle. Admittedly, a litany of sorts, but every little bit helps. One of my contacts, a journalist named Sarah, who had chronicled the Circle’s activities for several years, became aware and called me by midday. She picked up and said, “A-Aiden nice to hear from you. I’ve been looking over what Jada’s done lately, and the possibility that you offered might have some legs to it. ” My heart raced. “What did you find?” ‘Some of the old Circle sites have lit up with renewed activity. It’s subtle, but it’s there. There is apparently much weird shit going on, and one or two have even seen some lady who seems to be the same as Jada’s description.’ ‘Do you think she is plotting?’ I asked. “Absolutely,” Sarah replied. ‘And whatever it is, well, it seems to be getting worse. Be careful, Aiden. If she’s back, she is not good news.” “Thanks, Sarah. I appreciate the heads-up.” We hung up, and I leaned back in my chair and took a moment to ponder. Jada, on the other hand, had a plan, and we all knew it would materialize sooner or later. I needed to be ready.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

For the remainder of that day, I sat around brainstorming and trying to think up all sorts of moves Jada might make, then writing lists about how we could counter them. I also made sure to let Frank and my dad know what I’d found over the day. They had to be just as ready as I was. Determined, I thought as the sun went down. Jada could pack a punch, but I wasn’t going to let her catch us when she assumed we were no longer on the table. I would save Hayley and Alessa, and I would do whatever it took to protect all of them. That evening, as I lay in bed, my thoughts drifted towards the future. Everything was so hazy, and there were many different dangers hanging in the air, but one thing that I knew for sure was that I was not alone. There was support, people there to count on, and a sister who proved time and again she was stronger than whatever weirdness the world may throw at us. We shared our victories and struggles, but as long as we had each other, that was all we needed. I then fell asleep and whimpered an oath to myself. I would stop Jada, protect Hayley, and find the peace that had been missing from my life for so long. I was going to get there, no matter how long it took or how tough the road would be. ***** I was studying and reviewing some notes one evening when my phone buzzed. It was Alessa. ‘Aiden, can I borrow you a little?’ she asked. “Sure, what’s up?” I said, leaning back from my notes. She went on with a gravity in her tone, “Its about Hayley. She’s just been a little weird; something is up. But something about her seems off… Is it just me? .. distracted. As if she has something on her mind.’ I frowned. “Did you ask her about it?” ‘Oh, nothing; she played it cool’, Alessa said. ‘She invited me for dinner, sort of a girls’ night out and the dinner was delightful; afterwards, we brushed our teeth and went to sleep. She told me everything was okay, but I do not believe her. She is definitely hiding something, I reckon. My heart sank. The answer is… sort of, I guess? Did Hayley get into some trouble? Or was she only human and experiencing the female hormones rush back into her system? I needed to ignore it or share the news either way. I just nodded with a smile on my face, and I said, “Thank you for letting me know, Alessa. Let me do some digging around.’ “Be careful, Alessa,” I sighed. “I don’t want to lose her. “I know,” she replied. “I’ll tread lightly.” I hung up the phone and sat back to think. I could not just hit Hayley on the rando; she may get hooded and defensive. I knew it was a difficult subject. I reached out to another mutual friend, someone who would have more insight on how Hayley was doing now. I called Mina, one of Hayley’s best friends. The instant she answered, I spoke: ‘Hey Mina, it’s Aiden.’ “Aiden! Long time no talk’, she responded surprised as I was. “Yeah, it has. We need to talk…’ I was not wasting any time this evening! – ‘Listen. “It’s about Hayley.” “Is she okay?” Mina wondered, her voice bespeaking concern. “I don’t know,” I admitted. Alessa said she wasn’t in her usual high spirit, that she looked pretty moody all day, and I’m alarmed. Have you noticed anything?”