#chase:canon

[neonbitemarks]

WHY ARE YOU HERE?

To make things right

You've known for a long time this world is cruel. The fact that life isn't fair might be the first thing you ever learned. You've been hurt deeply, dealt a great injustice that's been engraved time and time again in the scars that litter your existence. Victimhood is a home to you, a familiar place that you always seem to find yourself returning to. Perhaps you've come to believe this is because you're cursed, that it's just your fate to suffer. In your worst moments, you probably think you earned this, because the idea that this is just makes it all hurt a little less. That's not true. Don't ever let yourself think this is your fault or convince yourself it's what you deserved. Remember the very first time you were wounded and recall the child who cried out and screamed it was unfair, who knew that the world should be kind and just and that it is unacceptable that it is not. It hurt so badly then because you were wronged and you understood that. Maybe others have tried to convince you since that what you went through was only natural, that you had to accept this is how things are, that your trauma was just part of growing up. Don't be fooled. There's a reason you've made it this far, that you've persevered in spite of everything. It's because you're the only one who can start to make things right. You deserved better—the child inside you has always known that. That's why you seek to escape into fantasy, to reject the harsh truths you don't feel strong enough to face. It's fine to indulge in these respites, as they are necessary to survive, but don't let them be what you live for. Hang onto your rage, but do not let it make you bitter—instead, dedicate your life to bringing this world a little bit closer to the one you deserved. Give yourself the love and kindness you were denied when you needed it most, and extend that gift to others. Do not ever let yourself grow complacent, becoming the kind of adult you always hated who shrugs their shoulders and says "that's just the way it is." It doesn't have to be. So, be the kind of adult you wished you had, the one who would have gently wrapped you in their arms and protected you from harm. Use your intimate understanding of injustice to live in opposition of it and start to heal yourself along with the world's brokenness. Make recovery what redeems every moment of misery and don't waste another minute of your life regretting that it hasn't been a happier one. Your existence is not worth less because of its struggles or suffering. You deserve to be saved. Don't let yourself be the one who denies you that.

tagged by: tagged by @heirofhermes

tagging: @anomalouss @ofviolentdeath @shadowrealmofmuses @babyitsmagic and anyone else who wants to do it

[neonbitemarks]

Chase Holloway

BASIC INFORMATION

Name: Chase Holloway Alias/Birth Name: Chase Courtney Mahlendorf Date of Birth: 16th August 2004 Species: Human Gender: Cis Male Pronouns: He/Him Orientation: Bisexual Occupation: Hunter

FAMILIAL INFORMATION

Mother: Raquelle Holloway Father: Aleister Mahlendorf Full Siblings: Ronan Holloway Half Siblings: Atticus - Deceased, Coltrane, Veronica - Adopted, Price (Andy Williams) - Presumed Deceased, Cyrus, Fallon, Merritt, Anastazia - Deceased, Titus, Elodie - Deceased, Holden Reid, Vaughn Morgan, Ezekiel, Brennan Holloway, Jaelyn, Everett

PERSONALITY

A little softer around the edges than his brothers, Chase is more friendly and laid back, though he’s still one hell of a hunter and not someone to be messed with. He’s just still young enough to have not become jaded by the hunting business yet.

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Trained to hunt non-human creatures since early childhood

Unarmed combat training

Firearms and bladed weapons training - Extremely proficient with bladed weapons, more so than his brothers

Tracking

Trap-making and improvised explosives training

First Aid

Working knowledge of poisons, plants, and metals that non-humans are sensitive to

[neonbitemarks]

✶ ┊ 𝑪𝑯𝑨𝑹𝑨𝑪𝑻𝑬𝑹 𝑺𝑯𝑬𝑬𝑻

𝐅𝐔𝐋𝐋 𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐄. Chase Courtney Holloway 𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐄. N/A 𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐒𝐄𝐒. N/A 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐒. He/Him 𝐒𝐈𝐙𝐄. 6'0" 𝐀𝐆𝐄. 19 𝐙𝐎𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐂. Leo 𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐊𝐄𝐍 𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐔𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐒. English, a little bit of German, Spanish, French, and Finnish

✶ ┊ 𝑷𝑯𝒀𝑺𝑰𝑪𝑨𝑳 𝑪𝑯𝑨𝑹𝑨𝑪𝑻𝑬𝑹𝑰𝑺𝑻𝑰𝑪𝑺

𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐑. Blond, usually spiky when it's short, but if it's longer, he wears it more in swoopy bangs 𝐄𝐘𝐄𝐒. Blue 𝐒𝐊𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐄. Slightly on the paler side, tends to go pink rather than tanning properly 𝐁𝐎𝐃𝐘 𝐓𝐘𝐏𝐄. Athletic 𝐕𝐎𝐈𝐂𝐄. Mid-toned, strong intonation on certain words 𝐃𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐃. Right 𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄. Relaxed, upright, confident 𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐒. A couple of small ones from minor injuries on the job 𝐁𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐇𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐒. None 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐅𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄𝐒. The blond hair, blue eyes combo - makes him look like he should be in a boyband, lol

✶ ┊ 𝑪𝑯𝑰𝑳𝑫𝑯𝑶𝑶𝑫

𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐁𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐇. London, England 𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐎𝐖𝐍. London, England 𝐒𝐈𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒. brothers: Atticus - Deceased, Coltrane, Pryce (Andy Williams) - Presumed Deceased, Cyrus, Titus, Holden, Ronan, Vaughn, Ezekiel, Brennan, Everett sisters: Veronica - Adopted, Fallon, Merritt, Anastazia - Deceased, Elodie - Deceased, Jaelyn 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒. father: Aleister Mahlendorf mother: Raquelle Holloway

✶ ┊ 𝑨𝑫𝑼𝑳𝑻 𝑳𝑰𝑭𝑬

𝐎𝐂𝐂𝐔𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍. Hunter 𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄. No fixed abode 𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐄 𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐒. Jolene Kidd 𝐃𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑'𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐄. Yes 𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐃. No 𝐕𝐈𝐂𝐄𝐒. He can't resist a pretty face.

✶ ┊ 𝑺𝑬𝑿 & 𝑹𝑶𝑴𝑨𝑵𝑪𝑬

𝐒𝐄𝐗𝐔𝐀𝐋 𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍. Bisexual 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐄. Supportive, plays the confidante a lot 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐒𝐄𝐗𝐔𝐀𝐋 𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐄. He's flexible 𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐍 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐒. Abuse, manipulation, liars 𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐍 𝐎𝐍𝐒. Competitive flirting 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐔𝐀𝐆𝐄. Touch, words of affirmation, acts of service, quality time 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏 𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐈𝐄𝐒. Has a tendency to shoulder any emotional baggage and take the role of caregiver

✶ ┊ 𝑴𝑰𝑺𝑪𝑬𝑳𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑬𝑶𝑼𝑺

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑'𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐌𝐄 𝐓𝐔𝐍𝐄. Jaws - Sleep Token 𝐇𝐎𝐁𝐁𝐈𝐄𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄. Knife throwing 𝐋𝐄𝐅𝐓 𝐎𝐑 𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐃. Right 𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐅-𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐅𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐋𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐋. Moderately high

𝙏𝘼𝙂𝙂𝙀𝘿 𝘽𝙔: Just doing extras for shits and giggles now 𝙏𝘼𝙂𝙂𝙄𝙉𝙂: Feel free to steal it

[neonbitemarks]

Like A Deer In The Headlights - Pt. 4

A low, rolling rumble of thunder and the sound of rain pulled Chase from sleep, having left the window open to let the cool night air circulate now that the heat of the daytime had died down and with him not being much of a heavy sleeper due to a life spent living in hypervigilance, it took very little to wake him.

Brennan wasn’t home. He’d texted Chase earlier to tell him he was crashing with Brooks for the night.

Chase didn’t mind. His brother seemed to have gotten close to the other wolf in the short time they’d been there, so Chase wouldn’t hold it against Bren for wanting to explore being a wolf for once without fear of being abused for it.

Another peal of thunder cut the air, sounding closer this time as the storm settled in over the area.

Chase got up briefly to pull the window closed to just a crack to prevent the rain from coming in while still getting the benefit of the cooler air before returning to his bed and lying there for a while in the dark, listening to the sound of the downpour as he tried to go back to sleep.

Just as he was starting to drift off again, he thought he heard a knock at the apartment door.

Assuming Brennan had changed his mind about staying out or he’d forgotten his key and returned to grab it, Chase got up again, not bothering to throw any clothes on to let him in, answering the door in his boxer shorts.

Oh.

Upon opening the door, Chase wasn’t met by his brother.

Instead, his gaze fell upon the much smaller frame of Jolene in the dim glow of the light outside the front door, dripping wet from getting caught in the rain and frantically checking behind her like she was afraid that she had been followed.

Seeing that panic in her eyes immediately, Chase also did a cursory check before focusing solely on the girl.

“Jolene? Hey, are you alright?” he ventured cautiously, studying her for any injuries or visual clues to the cause of her evident distress.

Jolene seemed to startle slightly before shaking her head in response, eyes wide with terror and brimming with tears that were visible even in the rain.

“Can I come in?” she sniffled, clutching at herself more tightly in a seemingly self-soothing gesture. “I  just… I didn’t know what else to do….”

“Yeah, of course,” Chase replied softly, opening the door wider in invitation and stepping out of the way for her as he welcomed her into the apartment, then turned on a nearby lamp, figuring it would be less harsh than the glare of the overhead light while Jolene was clearly upset. “You wanna talk about what’s goin’ on, or do you just need a place to lie low for a bit?”

“I don’t… I don’t know. My head’s all- I can’t think, and nothin’ makes sense, and I…” Jolene rambled, becoming increasingly distraught as she stumbled over her words, trying to explain herself.

“Shh, it’s okay. Take your time,” Chase soothed, catching her hands in his and gently squeezing them, hoping the physical sensation might give Jolene something more stable to ground herself with again as Chase carefully coaxed over to the couch to sit down.

“Nothin’ makes sense,” she repeated tearfully, shaking her head again. “I don’t know what’s real anymore… I’m so scared.”

Chase bit back the anger he felt in the moment, knowing that what Jolene was experiencing was entirely down to Waylon having gotten inside her head again and fucked up her memories and perception in a bid to claw back control over her.

“I know,” he acknowledged. “I’ve got you, okay? You’re safe here. I’m not goin’ to let anyone hurt you again, I promise.”

Jolene nodded stiffly, trying hard to hold herself together and not entirely fall apart.

“I didn’t know where else to go… The only thing that makes any sense right now is…” she faltered, struggling to string thoughts together coherently. “You’re the only thing that feels real right now… You’re real, right?”

“Yes, I’m real,” Chase affirmed, squeezing her hands again more firmly this time. “See? You can feel me doin’ this right now, can’t you?”

The relief was palpable as Jolene nodded, the reassurance that Chase was solidly corporeal and there with her, helping to ease her down from bordering on complete hysteria.

“My head hurts,” the girl admitted, sounding exhausted now Chase had taken the edge off her panic. “Every time I try to remember, it’s like someone’s jabbin’ a screwdriver into my skull.”

“It’s Waylon. He did that to you,” Chase stated softly, unsure if Jolene was in a headspace where she knew that or if he’d manipulated her enough that he’d covered his tracks. “And I can’t help thinkin’ I’m partly to blame ‘cause he sees me as a threat.”

“If you were a threat to me, we wouldn’t be talkin’ right now,” Jolene murmured, knowing that to be true at the very least in terms of Chase being allowed to stay in the first place.

“I don’t mean a threat to you. At least, not like that, but I think Waylon sees me as a threat to him and whatever he thinks is goin’ on between you.”

“There isn’t… I-I don’t even like him… He just-.”

“It’s okay, I know you don’t,” Chase replied, quick to reassure Jolene that he knew that she was a victim of Waylon’s, not a willing and freely consenting participant. “I know he’s got some weird possessive obsession over you, and I know you don’t feel that way about him.”

“I don’t know how to make him stop. If I try to fight back, he…”

Jolene didn’t need to say that Waylon hurt her if she resisted, that he got inside her head and showed her horrific hallucinations to make her submit to his will. Johnny had given Chase a pretty good rundown of what had been uncovered.

Still, it sent her into a fresh wave of panic as she broke down again, shivering from being soaked to the bone in her still-wet clothes.

“You don’t have to say it out loud, okay,” he whispered, cupping her face, using what he knew about wolves and their need for touch, especially in heightened emotional states, to comfort her as best he could. “You don’t have to explain anythin’ to me if you don’t want to or can’t.”

Jolene nuzzled into the touch, eyes closing as she focused on it through the blinding fog inside her head.

Chase lightly traced his thumbs over her cheekbones, wiping away Jolene’s tears as he let her take whatever comfort she wanted from him.

“We should get you into some dry clothes soon so you don’t get sick,” he soothed, making a mental note to grab something for her to wear as he wasn’t entirely sure that, given her hybrid status, Jolene could get sick, but Chase didn’t want to take any chances.

The softer attention brought Jolene’s emotional state back down again enough that when she opened her eyes again, she suddenly realized that Chase was sitting in his underwear.

“Did I… I woke you up, didn’t I?” she asked, remembering how late it was and that, obviously, he must have been in bed when she came by. “I’m sorry… I-I should go. I didn’t mean to disturb you.”

“No, it’s fine, you don’t have to leave. I was already kinda awake from the storm,” Chase replied, adamant he wasn’t about to let Jolene go back out into the rain again.

“Are you sure?” Jolene inquired, fidgeting slightly.

“I’m sure, and besides, you look like you could use the company right now, so how about I go grab you some warm, dry clothes, and you can sleep here tonight, at least until the storm breaks?”

“Okay,” Jolene nodded, sniffling again.

Chase paused momentarily, offering a little more affection and reassurance before getting up and going to his room, grabbing a clean pair of sweatpants and his most comfortable hoodie for Jolene to change into, then returning and holding them out to her.

Jolene smiled gratefully as she took the clothes and headed to the bathroom, disappearing inside for a few minutes before emerging again.

In the meantime, Chase grabbed spare blankets and pillow to make up the couch, mindful of letting Jolene have some space if she needed it.

“You can take my bed if you want?” he offered when she returned, figuring she’d be more comfortable sleeping there. “I don’t mind the couch.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Jolene replied, her demeanor hesitant again.

“I don’t know what time my brother will be back in the mornin’, so I thought it would be better so he didn’t disturb you,” Chase explained, catching the hesitancy. “Unless… I mean, the bed’s big enough for us both if you don’t wanna sleep alone?”

Was he crossing a line with the suggestion? Chase wasn’t sure but given how emotionally fragile Jolene was right now, if sharing a bed helped her feel safer, he could do that.

Jolene fidgeted nervously and looked at the floor, a slightly self-conscious “Please” escaping her as she acknowledged that she would prefer to stick close to him.

“Okay,” Chase nodded, offering his hands to her again if she needed more reassurance before leading her to his room and letting her choose which side of the bed she wanted.

Jolene lay down, Chase’s clothes several sizes too big but offering her a cocoon of comfort as she curled up and tried to settle.

Chase had climbed in beside her, silence hanging between them for several long seconds as they stayed on their respective side of the bed until Jolene turned over to face him, a shy but pleading look in her eyes.

Without a word, Chase shifted closer and opened his arms, inviting Jolene to seek more comfort as he wrapped around her and held her close, stroking her hair softly until they both passed out.

[neonbitemarks]

Like A Deer In The Headlights - Pt. 3

A few days had passed since Chase and Ronan had caught up to Brennan in Nevada after Bren had taken off out of the blue with the intent to deliver Jolene back to her home a couple of miles outside of Eureka.

Chase had figured that they would just pick his brother up there and move on again, but when they met up, something was different. Brennan suddenly seemed reluctant to leave the apparent safe haven in Ruby Hill.

Not that Chase could blame him.

Brennan had always gotten it harder from their family, and especially their father, simply because he was different, so for him to get even the slightest taste of freedom and a better life would undoubtedly be an attractive prospect, and even Chase had entertained the odd fantasy of what their lives would have been like if they hadn't been raised to hunt nonhumans.

It had taken a little time to sort out, but Jolene's grandmother, who was the owner of the bar, agreed to let Chase onto the property to stay with Brennan while Ronan drove across the country to Pennsylvania on some unfinished business of his own.

Chase had been given a spare key to the apartment that Brennan was holed up in after Ronan dropped him off a few minutes ago, so he'd headed over with his stuff to get settled in.

He'd only just managed to turn the key in the lock and open the door before he caught movement in the corner of his eye.

Turning, Chase's gaze met Jolene, looking timid and cautiously keeping her distance from him, though it was evident that she was there to see him rather than it being an accidental encounter.

"Hey," Chase murmured, fidgeting awkwardly as he anticipated a difficult conversation coming.

"Hey," Jolene echoed, still keeping her distance as she mustered up the courage to ask the questions burning her mind since Brennan had unceremoniously frogmarched her back home.

"You lied to me," she followed up with after a moment. "Why?"

Chase fidgeted again, his immediate instinct to reply that he hadn't, but a lie by omission was still a lie.

Instead, he shrugged off his bags and dropped them inside the door before turning his full attention back to Jolene.

"Because I didn't want you to freak out and bolt," he explained simply, owning his dishonesty. "Would you have trusted me if I'd been upfront?"

Jolene didn't answer, but the way she shifted and looked away said plenty as a resounding "no".

"If it counts for anythin', I genuinely never intended to hurt you. Neither did my brothers. I just didn't want to leave you stranded out there and risk someone worse coming along."

"How do I know you're not lying to me right now?" Jolene countered, trying to hide the fact that she was having difficulty maintaining any anger at him.

"Because if I wanted you dead, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now," Chase answered, hating that he had to say it, but given that Jolene was aware of which family he was connected to, it was the simplest of truths he could offer.

Jolene still flinched in response.

"Why did you help me if you knew what I was?" she broached, having already guessed that Brennan knew the moment she got close enough for him to pick up her scent.

"Like I said, I'm not in the habit of leaving vulnerable girls stranded in the middle of nowhere late at night," Chase shrugged. "Didn't see any harm in givin' you a ride where you needed to go when I asked you, but then you said you didn't really have a plan about where that was, so..."

"Brennan said I was putting you all at risk just by being around you. Is it true what I've heard about what your family does to their own when they step out of line?"

Of course, Jolene knew at least from Frey, Lex, Ryland, and Everett that the Mahlendorfs put prices on the heads of anyone who ran, but when she had crossed paths with Chase and his brothers, that wasn't a situation that involved running. At least, not until Brennan brought her home and was presented with the possibility himself.

"Yeah, it's true," Chase admitted, confirming that the worst stories Jolene had probably heard were no mere rumor. "Sorry that Bren got a little heavy-handed, but yeah, it would be a death sentence for him at least. For me and Ronan, we might not be killed, but sometimes there are punishments that make you wish you had been. You can ask Ryland and Ev about that if you need more proof."

Chase wasn't trying to scare Jolene, but part of him thought that it might be for the better to stop her from running off on her own again like that.

"So what happens now?" Jolene asked after a moment, the defensiveness in her posture softening as she dared to edge a little closer.

"I don't know. I'm pretty sure Bren has finally reached the end of his rope now he knows gettin' out alive is possible." Chase answered with another shrug, staying still and letting Jolene approach him. "Ronan's been on the fence for a while, I think. Especially after he lost someone important to him."

"And what about you?"

"I don't know," Chase repeated. "But I broke a pretty big rule talkin' to you, and I've broken a few more since then, if that tells you anything?"

"It tells me you're not like the rest of your family," Jolene acknowledged, closing the distance further until she was within arms reach.

"Because I'm not. Just because I'm one of them by blood doesn't mean I was raised to be like them, and the only reason we ended up movin' over here was because Dad threatened to make Mum watch while he tortured and killed us if she didn't make us go."

"Your dad is a monster."

"I know. That's why I'm tryin' to be better than that."

"I'd say you're doin' alright so far."

"Even if I have killed people before?" Chase asked, establishing that he was far from innocent despite following a different code of ethics from his father's side of the family.

"Was it your choice?" Jolene asked, weighing up the information.

"No."

"Then I think the only thing that matters is what you choose to be from here on out."

[neonbitemarks]

Like A Deer In The Headlights - Pt. 1

"6am? You're shittin' me, right?"

"Sorry, sweetheart. Last bus left a half hour ago. Ain't nothing else until morning."

Jolene looked defeated, though she wasn't going to blame it on the janitor at the bus station, the only person she found there after stepping off the bus that had brought her this far, having run away from home due to no longer being able to tolerate the situation between her and Waylon.

Muttering a thanks that carried on a sigh, she left the man to his duties before taking up a spot on a nearby bench, flopping down on it, and putting her head in her hands while she tried to figure out a gameplan that didn't involve sleeping on a bus station bench in an unfamiliar town.

The gas station across the street was still open despite the late hour as it was a chain-owned one that remained open 24/7, monopolizing any light night travelers passing through the area, including the late 2010's Ford pickup that was presently pulled up at one of the pumps and being refilled by one male while he conversed with two others that bore a reasonably strong visual resemblance that suggested they were related.

While the older two continued chatting, the youngest of the three had turned his attention to the scene across the street, noticing the petite redhead talking to the middle-aged man in overalls before she moved to the bench, the lost look on her face and the way she cradled her head giving away that she'd missed whatever connection she needed.

"Chase, are you listening?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah. Whatever."

Chase's brothers rolled their eyes at each other before following his gaze to the girl, then exchanging strong glances again.

"She's not our problem."

"I know, but it'd be a shitty thing not to ask if she needs help and then something happens to her."

Of course, little could be said in argument to that. After all, it was the middle of the night, there were several hours until the next bus, and this side of town wasn't exactly known for its low crime rate, but the brothers weren't in the habit of rescuing damsels in distress.

While this exchange took place, Jolene had gotten up from the bench and was crossing the street with the intent of buying some snacks and maybe some coffee to help keep her awake long enough that she wouldn't have to sleep on the bench, casting a brief, wary glance at the brothers as she passed by and entered the store.

"I'll go pay," Chase volunteered suddenly, moving toward the side of the truck closest to the store.

"Don't do anythin' stupid," Brennan, the middle oldest murmured, having caught the girl's scent as she passed. "She's a conflict of interest."

Ronan, the oldest and the one filling up the truck, eyed Brennan as he caught the emphasis on his words.

"What is she?"

"Best guess? Wolf hybrid. With what, I don't know, but it smells like somethin' that wouldn't play out well for us if shit went sideways."

Ronan looked back at Chase with a warning look, Chase acknowledging the risk but quietly weighing it up for himself before continuing to head toward the store.

"Where are you goin', Chase?" Brennan asked.

"Still gotta pay, remember?" the youngest brother replied, walking backward a few paces as he responded.

"Plus, I don't see the harm in just askin' where she needs a ride to," he added under his breath as he pushed open the door and ducked inside, knowing that Brennan would have heard his comment.