Back in Burbank; the four Luna brotherhood members were soon joined by another six as well as a large moving van. The sight of the large mack truck with a twenty foot trailer drew a large crowd in the sleepy neighborhood. Joan the were-tigress shifted back into her human form; Raven black hair down to her butt and looking well maintained despite reverting seconds ago; the stunning raven haired beauty walks to the neighbors watching the large group of men packing up Alyssa’s belongings. Explaining to them that this was planned for some time but wanting to keep it quiet, as Alyssa was moving back to Washington State to be with her family to help look after Darrell.
Confident that the neighbors believed the story; Joan walks back inside, sitting on a chair that has yet to be collected, she breaks down and cries.
“Oh god,” Joan blubbers, “what is going to happen now? What am I going to do?”
“My only suggestion,” one werewolf answering; “is to meet Sheriff Cooper in Moon Lake. Help him out with looking after Darrell.”
“How long is this whole packing up going to take,” Joan sniffling; “and where is it going?”
“The packing will take a few hours with the six of us,” the same werewolf answering; “a trusted were will transport it to Moon Lake a few days after you arrive. The others will continue with their previous task in ensure no trace of were’s exist here.”
“I suppose I should help,” Joan getting up; still in shock with finding out about Alyssa’s death, “there are items I need to pack. Mine and Darrell’s; plus a few items that Alyssa kept in a floor safe.”
“You have a floor safe here,” the werewolf asks; “where is it?”
“Master bedroom closet,” Joan answering; “and I’m not giving you the combination. That is for me and me alone.”
The werewolf watches as Joan marches upstairs; Joan watching Darrell play more than helping pack as she stops to watch him for a bit. She can’t help but feel sorry for the five year old child whose world has just been turned upside down. Choosing not to interfere with the Darrell’s bliss as he is fortunately too young to understand what just happened; Joan heads to the bedroom closet where the floor safe was. Putting in the code and opening the door; Joan looks at the assortment of papers. Ignoring them as she grabs a sealed envelope with a message ‘Joan, open only if something bad has happened to me. Alyssa’
Joan opening the letter, she is floor at the contents as she reads it.
‘Dear Joan,
If you are reading this, then something unfortunate has happened to me. I shudder to think what you must be going through, but I want you to know; you and Darrell were the best things to happen to my life. I will admit, I was no saint and I was not as virgin and chaste as I lead you on when we first met. But you helped me out without asking for anything in return.
By now you must have discovered a few things about my life I either kept from you or outright lied about. For one my cousin Douglas Cooper is not dead; he is very much alive. He deserves to know that I have a son. Why I never told him, that I cannot answer; we had issues. Tell him I’m sorry and that he was right. Douglas will know what that means; I leave it up to him to fill you in if he wishes. He is a good man and should help raise Darrell right, they are family and should be together. He will want to know who Darrell’s father is, so make sure he has the relative documents. It will put him at ease; I was rather promiscuous with seeking willing partners and there were a few in Moon Lake that my cousin knows about. None are Darrell’s father, but he won’t rest until he has proof in his paws.
Please look after yourself. In this envelope is a key to a storage locker, a little something to help you start anew. There is also a letter to Douglas in the same locker, please make sure he gets it.
With love, Alyssa’
Joan puts the letter and key in her pocket. Seeing that the key is to a storage locker in Moon Lake; Joan know she has a thankless task to perform. Gathering up the documents in the safe; most pertaining to Darrell, his birth certificate, social security card as well as a few financial documents in his name but held in trust. Joan places them in a carryon bag as she quickly grabs a few clothes and some toiletries. Throwing them in an larger suitcase and taking the two items to the front door and instructing the movers that those are coming with her; Joan was about to head back upstairs and help pack a bag for Darrell when he comes rocketing downstairs with a teddy bear followed by one of the werewolves that broke in earlier with a suitcase already packed.
“The kid wanted to play,” the werewolf shaking his head.
“Darrell has always been full of energy,” Joan watching the kid play with his teddy bear. Every time Alyssa came back from her business trips, she would spend every waking moment with Darrell. She would go to bed exhausted but happy. Darrell always looked forward to time with his mother. And so did Alyssa when she came home.”
“If you don’t mind my asking,” The werewolf asking; “were you and Alyssa in a relationship?”
“We were common law partners,” Joan sighing; “we never officially got married as a same sex couple, we might as well have been.”
“Well,” the werewolf answering; “I’m sure you’ll find love in Moon Lake, lots of eager weres and plenty of woodlands to enjoy. Been there myself once,” the werewolf picking up the suitcases and taking them to the awaiting SUV; “might retire there one day, I do miss running through the woods and being one with nature in my fursona.”
“Do lots of were’s do that,” Joan asking.
“Oh yeah,” the werewolf grinning; “don’t be surprised to hear a lot of howling and other noises as were’s are running about at night and rutting. Oh the rutting, there is lots of that in Moon Lake.”
“What about the normal people,” Joan looking scared; “don’t they freak out with seeing a were walking down the side walk?”
The Luna Brotherhood member smiles,” Moon Lake has a unique rule with normal’s moving into town. One of the family members must become the family were to help protect to town’s secret. It’s the town’s version of M.A.D. Mutually Assured Destruction. But you a Darrell won’t have to worry about that, you both are were’s. Plus you cannot be in your fursona while outside from sunrise to sunset.”
“That’s crazy,” Joan looking shocked; “forcing a family to pick a person to become a were just to maintain their secret.”
“It’s helped keep the town safe since it was founded,” the werewolf answering helping Darrell and Joan into the SUV; “there are other were communities that are far more secretive, from what I hear. Moon Lake happens to be the most liberal of the were communities.”
Joan wanting to cry but can’t; she doesn’t want to have to explain to Darrell why she is sad. Scared at what the future will hold as the large Escalade she and Darrell was in started to move. Whether she was ready or not; they were on their way to the airport and about to take a ride on a private jet to Seattle.