#wolfpackseason1

[tamersmile888]

Wolf Pack: Chapter 15 Season Finale

Life is unpredictable. One minute you're having the best time expecting things to stay the same forever. The next day you wake up and everything's changed. You don't even see it coming.

The storm took us by surprise when we least expected it. No one had any idea that everything we knew would be turned upside down in an instant. Swept away in the path of a tempestuous thief. It took our homes, our memories...and our loved ones.

All gone. Like they were never there at all. We lost so much. Artwork, photographs, restaurants, the museum. The storm even washed away Arcadia Bay. It took our friends. Our family. Grandpa Stephen, Trevor...Karen.

There was so much sorrow and devastation. Words couldn't describe the pain and the burdens the storm put on us. But we still had so much to be grateful for. Our lives and the world around us may look different from this point on, but thank God for the ones who were saved. In times like this, we had to be brave and uplifting. We were stronger than the storm and we were determined to rebuild. We could never replace what we lost, but we could create a brighter future. One day at a time.

                                (Build by Starshine on the gallery)

It had been a tough time for all of us. We were all impacted in some way. For me and my friends, it was a lot to deal with. It was the end of senior year. We were about to graduate. Then the storm blew in and it took some of our classmates with it. We thought it would be good for us to get away, so we rented a cabin in the woods for a couple of days. Just to escape for awhile and take our minds off of everything.

We settled in, made food and juice drinks and just hung out on the patio. I kept an eye on Lyla to make sure she was in a good place. After Abraham lost his parents, he joined the army. He said he wanted to honor them in some way, to make up for all the ways he messed up. I don't think he could handle staying here knowing that they weren't around anymore. We ended up losing him too. Lyla was holding up pretty well, but she could dive into her moods sometimes. I wanted to be there for her if she needed me to be.

For the most part, everyone was in high spirits. Diaz and I talked about our plans after graduation. I was all set for art school, which hopefully led to a career as an artist. Diaz was still on the fence. He didn't really know what he wanted to do. I told him that was okay. He had time to figure it out. He could always be Oscar's busboy if nothing else worked out. He said if there was free food involved, he might consider it. All jokes aside, Diaz was smart and charismatic. Whatever he decided to do, I know he'd be great at it.

All through the night, we listened to Jag play some mellow tunes on his guitar and had a pretty chill time.

We laughed about old times like the day I was first introduced to the squad and how everyone was interrogating me. I didn't mind. I was just glad to make so many friends on my first day. Even though we're not as close with the others as before, I still miss them. It's always hilarious whenever the whole gang gets together. Thankfully, they're all okay too. 

We also reminisced about our parties at the drive-in. Thank God that was still around too. Diaz said he was going to tell his kids about it one day. Maybe it would become a tradition for all of us. Something to keep us together, like a family. Cheers to that.

Later on that night, we watched a movie together.

Girls choice. It was kind of hard to get into at first, but once it picked up it was surprisingly entertaining.

Immediately after it went off, me and Jag went to the work-out room. In desperate need for bro time.

June checked in with Lyla, making sure she was okay. Lyla said she was taking it moment by moment. She was managing. They talked for a while. I was glad she was opening up. That she didn't have to go through this alone.

We ended the night binge watching Game of Wolves. I had to keep explaining everything to June who was actually getting into it. And with all the jump scares, we did way more snuggling watching werewolves than we did watching royal couples sip chamomile.

Lyla, Diaz and I were the first ones up in the morning. The early birds. I made everyone breakfast and Diaz turned it into a competition to see how long it would take me. I'm sure it had nothing to do with him starving and this was his way of getting me to move faster. Since I finished in record timing, Lyla assigned Diaz on breakfast duty for tomorrow morning. He quickly reminded her that we would be on the way back home by then. She said she expected him at her house by 10 AM anyway and that she was a waffle girl.

While we ate, Diaz challenged everyone to a game of Truth or Dare. I was totally in.

Everyone else was a little hesitant to join in, but after Diaz promised we wouldn't get too crazy, they hopped on board.

We gathered back on the patio to start the game.

Diaz chose dare. Of course. I dared him to prank call Oscar. He was totally down. He disguised his voice and called Oscar using a phone app, putting it on speakerphone. He told him he found the “Roller Rink” money and if Oscar wanted his share he should meet him at Riverbank park in an hour. There was a long pause on the other line then Oscar hung up. It was kind of hilarious, but I really hoped no one got hurt because of it. Anything involving an angry Spooky could not end well.

Lyla chose dare and Diaz dared her to rummage through the garbage. That was not a challenge for Lyla. She actually enjoyed grossing everyone out. She really dug in there. Making certain all of this wasn't for nothing, she scavenged until she found something good.

Only Lyla would find a treasure map in a can full of garbage. She said she would do some hunting when she got home. Collectibles were easy money.

Because I couldn't resist making an idiot out of myself for the sake of laughs, I chose dare. Lyla dared me to let her give me a makeover and take a selfie, which I then had to post on my social media. I think I looked pretty good in guyliner. The 80′s wig I would have to get used to though.

It was June's turn, but she chickened out and went for truth. She said she had nothing to hide. So I asked her, “What's the craziest thing you've ever done?”

She said one time she, Asher and Shantiya were walking home from the mall. They were getting tired and they didn't have money for S-rider, so she went up to the road and stuck out her thumb like she'd seen in the movies. Some old hippie couple driving a rundown floral RV stopped by and asked if they needed a ride. They got in the back of the RV, sat on the shaggy rug, and the old couple told them stories about their college band while they drove them home. She made sure they were blocks away from her actually house, but they arrived safely. They never told anyone. Until now.  And I wished I hadn't asked.

Hitchhiking is dangerous. She could have gotten hurt. She said she'd never do again, but she enjoyed the  experience. She loved hearing other people's stories. It gave her a greater appreciation for life and strangers. 

Finally, it was Jag's turn. He also chose to reveal his deep (but hopefully less scary) secrets, so June asked if he had finally kissed Chandler. He signed that a gentlemen doesn't kiss and tell. It was pretty much obvious from the smile on his face. His face told it all.

Later on in the day, June and I snuck off on our own to get some alone time. I brought up the tragic issue that our friends were having trouble trying to find a couple's name for us. The majority was going for SJ, but we both agreed that was uninspired. She liked Jean. We both loved wearing jeans. Why not pick a name that perfectly described our relationship? My personally favorite was Juse. It rolled off the tongue quite nicely.

We got a kick out of trying to come up with the silliest combinations. Then we just embraced each other and sat in silence, enjoying each other's company. A few blissful moments later, June came up with the perfect name for us. “Sun. We shine brighter when we're together.”

We'd been through a lot over these past few months. More than anyone should ever have to go through. But having each other made it easier. I would do whatever it took to make sure I was that light for her because in the cloudiest days and the darkest nights, she was my star.

[tamersmile888]

The Storm

I made a terrible mistake...

The day after I played the Prom episode of Wolf Pack, I jumped back into the game and found some pretty troubling news. I accidentally saved another file over my “Second World” game file AKA my Life Is Strange 2/Sunny Sims game file. Which means everything was gone.

What happened was, I was in a rush to see what the Journey to Bantuu base game update would entail, so I went into my very first Sims file to check CAS and see if anything was changed. Nothing new was added, but I really liked the randomized character I created so I saved her...and I single-handily destroyed an entire world. Without even realizing what I had done.

When I found out what happened, I just sat there praying. Asking God to show me how to fix it. It couldn't be gone, right? This could be fixed, right? But because I play on the PS4 there's no way I could go back to an autosave like you would be able to do on a computer. I lost my save file.

But...all is not lost. Thank the Lord, I saved a lot of my sims and builds in my library, including Sean, Daniel, and Esteban, June, Jagger, the On My Block sims. A lot of my sims are saved. I was also able to re-download some of the sims and builds I found on the gallery. However, a lot of my sims and builds are gone. I either didn't save them to my library when I created them, or they were random sims that the game put into the worlds itself. Some of them had a pretty big impact on the story. I could have tried to recreate the sims, but I felt like it would probably be hard to get them to look exactly how they appeared before and they wouldn't seem like the same people.

Instead of getting upset, my Father presented me with a brilliant idea that I believe will have an even bigger impact on the story I'm trying to tell. You will find out what it is in the next episodes. There's much more I want to talk about, but I don't want to give too much away.

The lesson that I take from this is to most definitely make sure you backup your saves and your sims and your builds. Also, no matter what happens in life, it will always work out for your good. You may not see how in the moment, but the end of something is never truly the end. There's always a new beginning.

God Bless!

Love, Charly

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

[tamersmile888]

Wolf Pack: Chapter 14

Tonight would be one of the best nights of my life. At least that's what people kept telling me. I was never big on school dances, but this one was kind of a big deal. This was our Prom.

The limo ride was so cool. Lyla told me not to let it get to my head, but I was already brainstorming how I was going to fit one in our garage. Everyone looked so shiny and sophisticated. We actually looked like mature adults. I guaranteed that wouldn't last when the music hit.

But there was one person in particular who caught my eyes and captured my attention for the rest of the night.

And I was honored to say she was all mine.

The menu was a little low budget, but I didn't care. I wasn't planning on sitting very long anyway. It looked like Diaz and his girlfriend Monse were back on. Hopefully, they'd make it by the end of the night. So far, so good.

I don't know what came over me. It just felt good to be in that moment without a care in the world. Letting go. For the first time in a long time I felt...joyful. Like everything was okay now. I was surrounded by my friends (and my dad who couldn't miss an opportunity to crash his son's prom and volunteered to be the photographer. I didn't mind. I was glad he was having a good time.) The past was no longer weighing me down like an anchor on my lungs. I could finally breathe. And it felt exhilarating.

It felt even better having a dance partner.

While staring into each other's eyes in the middle of the floor, swaying to the tranquilizing music fading to the back of my mind, I told June how much she meant to me. That I wanted her to be in my life forever. That I had never loved anyone the way I loved her. She said the moment I arrived at her door I stole her heart. That she trusts it's in good hands. And if I didn't realize how in love with me she was, I wasn't paying much attention. Then we kissed...and it felt like flying. The night couldn't have been more perfect.

A surprise guest stopped by to play a few songs for us. Carter had a gig in the lounge on the top floor, but took a couple minutes of his time to perform for the prom goers. Best pop-up concert ever.

June and I had a good time posing for prom photos. We had to keep it pretty innocent since my dad was the one taking the pictures.

It wasn't hard to fall into the moment.

I think they turned out pretty amazing.

Later on, Lyla came and found me to tell me she saw Karen walk into the building. She was heading toward the lounge. I hadn't even noticed. Of course...She managed to ruin just about everything else that involved us. Why would tonight be any different?

We didn't cross paths, but just knowing she was there threw me off. I tried to not let it get to me, but it felt like a dark cloud was hovering over me, invading my thoughts like a balloon trailing my every step. I was glad to get out of there just to be away from her. June tried to comfort me, even suggested that I talk to her. I had said everything I needed to say to Karen. It was time for me to move on. Just like she had. But this time, there'd be no more looking back.

As we were pulling out of the parking lot, I kept looking at the building. Like something was nudging me to go back inside. But I couldn't get myself to do it. I didn't even know what I would say to her. I was so angry...so emotionally drained yet bottled up at the same time. It was just best if I went home to avoid another confrontation.

That was the last time anyone ever saw Karen.

[tamersmile888]

Wolf Pack: Chapter 13

Diaz and I started the...mid-afternoon bright and early. I couldn't remember the last time it was just the two of us. We were overdue for some guy time.

Fancy meeting you here, Georgia. Talk about awkward. I maintained my distance to avoid any weird conversations about her and my dad. I'd rather not know the details of his dating life. Past or present.

Me and Diaz talked over cheeseburgers. We discussed school and what we were expecting from the future. He said that he basically had his life planned out already. Whether he graduated or not, he had a job waiting for him working construction with Oscar. I asked him why he thought he wouldn't graduate. He said he hadn't been doing so well with his schoolwork. He was maintaining a C, but if he didn't work hard enough he could drop a grade. There was no way I was going to let that happen. I promised that I would help him get his grades up. Whatever it took.

With school back in session, Daniel found his opportunity to show off his latest experiment...

The Stink Drink.

His friends got a kick out of it and he became the class prankster. They couldn't wait to see what he would come up with next.

Until Dad found out about it. He forbid Daniel from bringing any more of his experiments to school and lectured him about taking his education serious. It crushed Daniel, but it was for his own good.

As promised, I designated myself as Diaz's tutor. As long as he completed his work and didn't slack off in class, he would have no problem getting better grades. School was a challenge for me too at first. But being out there with Daniel, I learned that in order to make something of yourself you have to be willing to work for it. No matter what stood against you. I went from being a homeless teenager who had no certainty of where I would lay my head down at night, to being one of the top students of my class. If anything could convince Diaz of what was possible, I was living proof.

Diaz wasn't so confident. He didn't see the point. He wasn't planning on going to college.  He didn't have any special skills or talents. He was just wasting his time. I told him that even if he didn't go to college, putting in the effort would at least give him options. He shouldn't give up on himself. Or his future.

Oscar must have overheard our conversation because he started getting on Diaz about finishing his homework. He even helped him out a little. He told Diaz that he was smart. He could be the first one in their family to graduate high school. Maybe even go to college. He wasn't going to let him throw it away for anything.

It even inspired Oscar to get started on his career as a chef. I guess he figured if he was going to get on Diaz's back about trying to succeed, he should be a better role model.

June started dropping by our study sessions to cheer on Team Cesar. He was surrounded by support and encouragement. There was no way he could fail with so many people behind him. No way we weren't walking across that graduation stage together.

It might have been stressful and overwhelming, but I'm glad to say that my boy Diaz is now a B student. What's next? Who knows? Sky's the limit.

[tamersmile888]

Wolf Pack: Chapter 12

Daniel was so excited to work on his rocket, but being a rocket scientist was incredibly hard for a kid. And me and dad were no help. I had no clue where to even begin. Daniel did research for months trying to figure it out. Spring break was supposed to be the time he finally put it all together. But no matter what he tried, he just couldn't understand how to get it to work. Eventually, he stopped bothering and the kit just sat in front of the garage collecting dust.

Daniel spent most of his time working in his “lab.” I was kind of afraid to ask what he was doing. The maniacal laughter couldn't have been a good sign.

Today, me and the crew were going to the Full Bloom Spring Festival celebrating the first day of spring. No homework. No stress. Just freedom, relaxation, good food and ground-pounding music. Exactly what the doctor ordered.

Carter Hudson smashed his performance at the concert stage.

It wasn't lost on me how much effect he had on the girls. Maybe me and Diaz really should start that band.

Bri Castle was becoming a legend. Not only could she shred a mean riff, she did it with the style of a warrior princess.

The quickly rising new band No Comment closed the show and their performance was out of this world. They weren't afraid to take risks with their music, blending genres and breaking boundaries. They were unapologetically themselves.

Definitely one of my favorites of the day.

After the concert, we chilled by the juice bar. With all the dancing, we were in desperate need of refreshments. Spring break meant that time was winding down. In just a few months we were going to graduate and go off into the world. All of this would be a fading memory. So I made a toast. “Wherever we go in life, may we become even better versions of ourselves and never forget the days we left behind. To the Starry Night Squad.”

Later, me, Diaz and Jag cooled off in the lake. We asked Jag about Chandler.  He signed he had insecurities about asking her out. We understood where he was coming from but Jag was seriously one of the coolest people I'd ever met. I encouraged him to give it a shot. Whatever happened, we were there for him. But it was better to go for it and get shut down than spend the rest of his life wondering.

We stayed out at the park way past nightfall. We were having too much fun and weren't ready to leave just yet. Besides, the festival looked amazing at night.

June and I went to the observatory to look up at the stars...

The view was incredible. It also got me thinking. Even though the stars were always hovering above us, I'd been missing out because I was too busy to take a moment to look up. I wondered how many other things I had missed out on just because I was stuck in my own little world. Forgetting that there were so many other worlds surrounding me. Waiting to be discovered. Waiting to collide...

Jagger eventually gathered up the courage to open up to Chandler....

But sometimes words aren't needed at all.

By the end of the night, our party in the park turned into a triple date. I felt bad for Diaz. It wasn't like he didn't have a girlfriend, but they had a complicated relationship. Let's just say they had a hard time keeping a steady status.

I got in so early in the morning I barely made it through the door. I made a mental note to call Diaz so we could spend the day together. If I didn't sleep it away.

[tamersmile888]

Wolf Pack: Chapter 11

Christmas morning...

Daniel was the first one up at 5AM. I could hear him running into dad's room to wake him up, unable to wait a second longer to see the gifts under the tree.

I didn't give dad a Christmas list this year. I told him not to worry about getting me anything. To just focus  on Daniel. I should have known better.

He got me a Bonsai tree. He said it combined my talent for art with my gardening skills. My dad is brilliant. I loved it.

I also got another Daniel Diaz masterpiece to put on my wall.

I guess me and dad weren't the only ones working hard this Christmas.

I found dad a Gonk for his collection. He was so excited. Three down. Seventeen more to go.

Daniel said he liked the collectible truck I got him. But I could tell he was hoping for something else. Dad said he had one more gift waiting for him outside...

The rocket kit. I wouldn't expect to hear much from Daniel for the next few months.

I fixed a special Christmas breakfast of French toast. Dad asked what I had planned for the rest of the day. I told him that me and the crew were hanging out at Riverbank park. We were supposed to go ice skating. I asked him and Daniel if they wanted to come hang out with us. It was Christmas. A time for family. I wanted to spend the day with them too. Dad appreciated the offer. He said he would enjoy that. Daniel said he would come out for a little while. He wanted to get started on his rocket. All work and no play. He was definitely a Diaz.

Ice skating was a lot harder than I thought. I was going to have bruises for days.

But then I got the hang of it. It's actually a lot of fun...

And kind of romantic...

I'd never seen Abraham let loose like that before. He said he used to go ice skating with his parents when he was a kid. Good childhood memories could break down anyone's wall. It's all part of the Christmas  spirit.

Dad made some friends over at the chess boards. He could befriend just about anyone if they gave him one minute their time.

Me and Diaz pretended to be sea monsters over at the playground. It was fun to feel like a kid again. Even for just a moment. I'm glad Daniel isn't in a hurry to grow up. When everything else is changing and transforming around us, it's comforting to know that I have a bit of time left to share moments like this with my baby bro.

For Christmas dinner, we usually go all out. This year’s menu was steak and veggies, pasta primavera, and a winter cake.  

Dad said a heartfelt Christmas prayer...

And we dug in. We talked about how much fun it was at the park. Daniel was even able to forget about his rocket kit for a little while. Dad said it was nice to spend time together with the family, including my friends.

This Christmas was even more special for a lot of reasons. It would always go down in history as one of my favorites. Because we got to spend it together.

[tamersmile888]

Wolf Pack: Chapter 9

It was the beginning of December, which meant it was time for one of my favorite holiday traditions. Picking out our Christmas Tree. Finding the perfect Christmas Tree took patience and skill. You had to make sure it was big enough to fill the house with it's presence, but small enough to actually fit inside the living room without it looking like a bent over giant. You had to have an eye for it. Which meant pretty much every year...

I always picked out the best one.

While Dad and Daniel were admiring all the decorations outside, I went into the Christmas Cafe to check the menu and got distracted by the entertainer. Thanks to Cesar's encyclopedia of knowledge about our local celebrities, I recognized her as Brianna Castle, soon-to-be rock star. She wasn't the only person I was surprised to see... Of all the places in all the world, Karen decided to show up here. Now.

We had to get out of there before Daniel saw her.

We left the shop, passing Grandma Claire on the way. When Daniel complained about how he wanted to eat inside the Christmas Cafe, I promised him I would make Christmas cookies instead. He was the first to make it to the car.

I felt bad for not telling Daniel about seeing Karen, but pushed it way in the back of my mind. After what happened on Thanksgiving, I was not going to let her ruin Christmas too. We decorated the Christmas tree as soon as we got home. It turned out pretty awesome.

Dad put up the snowflake lights outside the house. But then he realized they weren't the blinking ones and he had to take them all down and replace them. He told me it would be my job to hang up the lights next year. Hopefully, I'd be out of the house by then.

With the house fully decked out, I made chocolate chip Christmas cookies and we sat back and enjoyed. Cesar came over and helped himself before we went off to the karaoke club with the rest of the crew. Dad suggested we throw a karaoke party at the house one night. If he hogged the machine as much as he hogged the car radio, the party would turn into an Esteban Diaz concert: The Return of Retro.

Jag liked the red hair so much, he decided to keep it. He definitely rocked it. I also noticed that Chandler's been hanging out with us more often. I'm pretty sure it had nothing to do with me upgrading her stove.

We gathered inside Karaoke Olé, waiting to find out which one of us was brave enough to take the mic.

It took a while for everyone to warm up to the idea, but...

I couldn't back down from a challenge. Eventually, the whole place was singing Christmas carols, which thankfully drowned out my embarrassing voice. I concentrated on June and the nerves just disappeared.

June joked about how I could make a career out of it. I could be the next Carter Hudson. Yeah, right... But since we were on the subject, I had an announcement to make. I told her that I was giving up my job as a part-time repairman to focus on my art. I wouldn't be hanging up my hammer entirely. I was glad to help out when I could, but I wanted to focus on what truly made me happy. My passion. June could not have been happier for me. She said that as long as I was listening to my heart, she would support me one hundred percent. Though she was really going to miss the uniform...

I had no idea where painting was going to get me. I wasn't even sure if I was making the right decision. All I knew was that I felt this calling...and it was time for me to finally answer. Whatever may come...

[tamersmile888]

Wolf Pack: Chapter 8

Thanksgiving at the Diaz house always started with a bustle. Dad blasted Christmas oldies while me and Daniel scrambled to get ready for the Thanksgiving Day Parade. I remember sitting on top of dad's shoulders as a kid watching the jumbo balloons flying by. It's a family tradition, so even when I thought I got too old to freeze in the cold watching cartoons floating in the sky surrounded by yelling kids, dad would drag me there anyway. Now I don't even put up a fuss.

I was glad Diaz decided to tag along. He wanted to see Carter Hudson perform at the parade. Carter was an up-and-coming artist from around town. Diaz is adamant about supporting local talent. He says in order to make it to the top, we have to be each other's ladders. He's was also a huge fan.

I couldn't help smiling at the amazement on Daniel's face as he watched the parade. He kept tugging on my sleeve, pointing out everything and bouncing up and down when his favorite cartoons showed up.

He almost lost his mind when the Blarfy float bounced down the avenue.

Carter Hudson performed one of his new songs with Blarfy and his friend. His performance was great. He had some serious guitar skills that would make anyone want to learn how to play. Diaz even joked about putting a guitar on his Christmas list.

Then it was time for the grand finale...

The dazzling Christmas Tree float heralded in the Christmas season. By far everyone's favorite moment.

I couldn't believe it had been a year since me and Daniel reunited with dad. I imagined what life would be like without them. Not being able to celebrate holidays together or attend a parade I used to beg not to have to go to. Now I try not to take any of it for granted. I'm grateful for times like these. When you realize how much family matters.

Grandma Claire dropped by for a little while, but couldn't stay for dinner. She and grandpa Stephen were helping the retirement community coordinate their Thanksgiving dinner for those who had no one to go home to. She was always freely giving her time away to those in need. I should really start doing more volunteer work...

To everyone’s surprise, Daniel asked if Karen would want to come over to spend Thanksgiving at our house.

Grandma Claire Karen would probably love that. She would ask her, if it were okay with Dad. I couldn't believe Dad actually said he was okay with it. “That would be nice.”

This got Daniel super hyped. He ran to his room to draw Karen a picture so he could give it to her when she came over.

Me and dad had an argument about it when Daniel wasn't around. We already talked about this. Karen was not a part of our lives and we shouldn't keep trying to force her into them. She chose to stay away. Why couldn't he just leave things the way they were? Dad said that it wasn't up to us to keep her out of Daniel's life. If he wanted a chance to get to know his mother, he should be allowed to see her. He said that I was holding too much hostility for her and that I needed to let it go. She was still my mother too. That I should be grateful I still had one. Then he made us hug it out because it's Thanksgiving and there was no fighting in the kitchen.

I could count on my dad to keep my spirits high despite the surprise of our newly invited guest. We got straight to cooking, laughing about the old times. We reminisced about how I would sneak a finger in every dish back when dad was fixing Thanksgiving dinner alone. Now I was his official taste tester. Before I knew it, it was time to eat.

Daniel refused to touch his plate until Karen showed up. He thought it was only right to wait for her. We used that time to say what we were grateful for. 

Daniel was grateful for the parade because he got to see how the balloons worked and wanted to make his own one day. I was grateful to be home and warm with a table full of food in front of us. For family and good friends. And to now be a slightly better cook than my dad, though he'd never admit it. Dad was grateful for his two boys he loved very much. Boys he prayed to see grow up into men. Then the table would be filled with families of our own and he'd be old and gray. Still making the best turkey in town.

The minutes wound down, and we waited as long as we could, but dad said that we should eat before the food got cold. So he said a prayer, and we dug in.

And Karen never showed.

Daniel asked dad to call Grandma Claire and make sure she gave Karen the right address. Maybe she got lost. I knew I should have kept my mouth shut, but I couldn't hold it in any longer, and dad couldn't stop me. It was time for Daniel to know the truth about Karen. I told him that Karen didn't come because she didn't care about us. She'd probably rather spend Thanksgiving alone or with strangers just so she didn't have to feel like she was a part of our family because she wanted nothing to do with us. Karen left and she was never coming back.

Me and dad got into it after that and Daniel went up to his room. I knew I shouldn't have been so harsh, but I was tired of everyone trying to make us all one big happy family again. We couldn't keep sweeping everything under the rug. Everyone was trying to move on like nothing happened, but she devastated our family. She wasn't even around, yet her dark, gloomy cloud kept weighing down on us, peeking around every corner waiting to ruin our lives over and over again. 

I didn't mean to take it out on Daniel. None of this was his fault. I had to apologize for the way it came out, but I couldn't apologize  for being honest. I had to protect him. I just hoped he would understand.

I went to Daniel's room to say I was sorry. He said he didn't want to talk to me, but I came in anyway.

I apologized for the way I exploded on him. It wasn't right for me to talk about Karen...our mom...to him like that. I told him how I felt when she left us behind the first time. He was too young to remember, but it  took awhile for me to get over it. For years, I would wake up in the middle of the night to see if she would come walking through the front door, but she never did. The truth was, the pain I felt in those moments never left. It just turned into anger. Because the fact was, I missed her too.

Daniel said that he wish he could remember her. All he had was pictures and stories about her that me and dad stopped telling because I couldn't deal with hearing her name anymore. I told him that from now on, I would try to tell him the good stuff I remembered about her. Like how she used to read me and Daniel to bed every night, even when Daniel couldn't possibly comprehend what she was saying. Karen wasn't all bad. When she was home, she was a good mother. I guess that’s something I needed to remember.

Daniel was glad to hear it, but also disappointed. He showed me the picture he drew for Karen. He said he had no one to give it to now. I told him I had the perfect place for a Daniel Diaz original.

My walls needed an update anyway.

[tamersmile888]

Wolf Pack

Sean and Daniel are safe and reunited, but their journey has only begun. Once again, they'll take on life's toughest wilderness. The real world.

CHAPTER ONE

Forget everything you know about the Diaz family. Chances are, only some of it is true.

Chances are, only some of it is true. A few major details may have been left out by an eager third party looking to sell an unaffiliated biography. Dr. Julianna Flores sure didn't waste any time making that publishing deal. Of course, we wont' be seeing any of the royalties, though we can probably expect a biopic in the near future. I wonder if they'll get Bob Pancakes to play an older version of me. That would be pretty epic.

Like I said. Forget everything you read about us. This is the real story. Our story. The one where the wolf brothers get to finally live in a home....

With their Papa Wolf.

Thanks to our grandparents and some very expensive lawyers, we were able to get back into our dad's custody. Grandma Clare and Grandpa Stephen moved into a retirement community with a pool and everything, and left the house to us. Things were starting to look up.

We were finally getting back into the groove of living a normal life. You have no idea how much I missed the smell of fried eggs, bacon, and coffee in the morning.

Daniel was most excited to get back to school and see his friends. I'm still blown away about how much he actually likes doing his homework. He's even been doing extra credit. Sometimes I wonder about the negative impacts all of this must have had on him. I still couldn't bring myself to tell him that he was the one who started the fire that got us taken away. It would do more harm then good, so me and dad both agreed that it was best to keep that in the dark. But we've both been keeping an eye on him, especially when there's a fire involved.

Even though we were reunited and have a roof over our head again, thank God, things have been far from perfect. Now we have bills to pay, and with a house this big, it can get pretty steep. Dad got his auto repair busy back up and running, but it's barely enough to pay the electric company.

I wanted to help out, so I started doing repairs and upgrades for the neighbors. Now it's super reception for everyone.

For extra cash, dad's even been digging around town for anything worth selling. Although, sometimes he might find one or two collectibles he keeps for himself. He's still very much a geek, but I missed that about him. Probably where Daniel got it from. He also started a brand new garden. I'm happy to lend a hand.

When I'm not working my hands raw, me and the gang chill out at the drive-in. It's still pretty much abandoned, so we usually have the place all to ourselves.

I'm really glad Lyla gets along with everyone really well. Especially when they're ganging up on me. They make fun of my “fancy” cooking, but it never stops them from eating it. At least I know I can count on Jag. He practically vacuums anything you put in front of him. Thankfully for them, I've had a lot of practice.

It's always nice when I get to spend time with June. I know I made it awkward in the past, but I hope I didn't mess things up entirely. If only I had the courage to actually tell her how I felt.

Diaz and I have gotten really close. He's always checking up on me to make sure I'm staying out of trouble. He's like my partner in good deeds. We get a kick out of calling each other Diaz even though it drives the teachers crazy.

He also let's me know when it's way past my curfew. I'm going to get so much heat for this...

Of course, the moment dad sees me, he hounds me about getting in so late. I totally lost track of time. He says he understands, but still lectures me about responsibility. He says he just wants to make sure I'm safe, but that he trusts me to make better choices. I promise that if it ever happens again, I'll make sure to call. I'd rather make a promise I can actually keep rather then disappoint him. Maybe I should just set the alarm. Hopefully, I won't forget that too.

Dad has enough to worry about without me sending him into panic mode. I just wish he would make some time for himself.

Even if his friends come over and ask him to the gym he gives the excuse that he's too busy with reports and other business work. I don't even remember the last time my dad has ever did a push-up. I just wish he knew that he didn't have to stop going out just to watch over us. He should be enjoying his life too. I should probably make a better effort to earn his trust that I can handle things while he's away.

Another night on the job. The good thing about this family is that they're always way too busy to even notice me. It's weird that I go to school with the kids, but I've never even said one word to them. Now I'm in their house fixing their oven. It's even weirder that they live right next door.

Sending a selfie to June after a hard day's work. She says she thinks my uniform is cute. Gotta look professional.

Dad came in to thank me for working so hard. He knows that, me being a teenager, I'd much rather be hanging out with my friends listening to loud music, but he appreciates me helping out the family. He went on about how one day I'm going to have to do the same for my own family so it's good to get the experience. Way too soon to be talking about that, dad...but I get it.

Daniel and I had some bro time watching cartoons in the den. He talked about how some of his friends at school have pets, and he felt bad that we never went back to the farm to get Basil. I told him that we'd bring Basil home tomorrow morning. I completely forgot about the little guy. I really hope he's still alive....for Daniel's sake.

The next morning started off pretty rough. Someone left out last night's dinner and I completely lost it. We don't have money to just throw food away. I didn't mean to take it out on dad. I was just frustrated.

Dad said he would make sure they were more mindful. I could tell that he was upset with me for being angry, and I felt bad for yelling.

I immediately apologized, but dad said I needed to learn how to control my anger. He said there's better ways to get my point across. These days have been stressful, and I guess I've been carrying it all on my back. Spending so many days and nights trying to look out for me and Daniel on my own, I feel like I'm still in survival mode. Like I'm the one who has to take care of us. Dad reminded me that I'm not in this alone. That we're going to get through this by working together.

That it's okay to take a moment for myself. It won't be the end of the world. So I did a little gaming to cool off. It's great stress reliever.

I gave Logan a call to ask him if it were okay for me and Daniel to come over. He seemed happy to hear from us.

Daniel chatted with Harley on his tablet. I taught him how to not have his nostrils showing during video calls like a big face monster.

When he got to the farm, a bunch of emotions hit me at once. There were a lot of happy memories here, but also some of the darkest. The garden looked really bad. I guess no one took care of it after I left. It was sad seeing it like this. Maybe if I have some extra time on my hands, I could look after it again. Hard maybe.

Logan hadn't changed much since I saw him last. It was nice to hear his big, hearty laugh again. He seemed a lot happier.

He introduced me to Harley's mom, who seemed pretty cool. I guess you have to be to be an amazing artist.

Daniel was all business, right away asking about being able to take Basil home. Logan said their goldfish Swifty was keeping him company while we were away.

We were all set to take Basil home, when Daniel's big heart got in the way. He said that he didn't want to split up Basil and Swifty and thought it was best if Basil stayed with Logan. I couldn't have agreed more.

We went to the pond to find another frog instead.

I asked Daniel what he wanted to name this one. After some serious thought, he decided to name him Larry after the farm's secret lair. Kind of creepy, but who was I to judge.

We sat around and talked for a few hours, catching up. And that's when Logan revealed that he was selling the farm.  He said it was better off this way. That the farm would go to someone who could actually take care of it instead of watching it dry up and wither away. He was going to move in with his daughter and Harely, take the load off. As happy as I was that he got to be closer to his family, I was sad to see him go. The farm had become a part of my life, and now who knows what it was going to be turned into. Would I ever get to see it again?

I stopped by the barn for one last look inside.

Man, I was really going to miss this place.

I couldn't believe how quickly things could change. But I guess that's life. It's always good to enjoy what you have before it's taken away from you. It's something I should know a lot about, but it's something I don't think you'll ever get used to.

Take Daniel for instance. Sometimes I take it for granted that he's still a little kid. It feels like I have forever to watch him grow up. But time moves fast, and the truth is he won't be that carefree, little kid forever. These are the moments I have to remember to take in. This is why it's so important for us to tell our own story, through our own eyes. This is the way we were meant to be remembered. Thanks Julianna, but I'll take it from here.

This is the true story of The Wolf Pack.