Echoes of the Pack

land. It's technically part of Palawan, but the residents here consider them

r near the forest, like mine. It's not the type of small town where everyone know

xception. My dad called them hillbillies living off the grid, but I couldn't confirm his claims. The people livin

h a client. "I appreciate your understanding

g storm. My mother is asleep in the back seat. She hasn't done much since Step d

the sandy beach today. The sea is calm, like a lake, but

re the boats on the east jetty?" He looks at the sky. "I'll le

up arguing again." He sighs and heads to our docks through t

lo

y, I might trip and fall into the water, but as

n storms from his upbringing around them. While our storms may not be as severe as hurricanes, we still take precautions to p

sailboats, I check everything is in order. The longer I stand on the dock,

o, is now getting rough, and it lo

d points to a boat coming to his dock. He recently moved his bigger

and guiding them to a strong piling for mooring. During storms, we have everyone secure their boat

ck, easily clearing the gap between them. I'm wide-eyed,

ause the wind is getting stronger. But their sails are still up, flapping wildly. As the waves

t as I climb aboard the sa

c, exchanges a look with her fe

ean. She nods and then signals to

" I cry out, alarmed, as

After I finish, Mac comes over, and we double-check that everything on the

loses the door, almost drown

plaid jacket finishes securing things and gathers thei

if we surprised you guys. You seemed more prepared than we were. We usually

his is partly true since we only learned about the storm yesterd

the boathouse to register their boat in our records.

g his phone into the trash. "Old Man

h and darkness of the water are intimidating. It might only be twent

m f

water behaves. You can get disoriented, pulled unde

of water," the man who got off their

n charge of

rin. As my dad goes to the back office, I hand him the lo

, "Less talking, more writing. I don'

, towering an inch or two above Mac and a foot above Kiana. Even hunched over a low counter, he's a massive

's favorite Viking shows. But Kiana looks like she might float away if it weren't for

u all set for a camping trip?" my da

tice. He's straightforward, and our guests don't seem t

nds up again. My dad doesn't seem bothered by having to look u

mself, seemingly unaware of the implication that I'm not his only surviving

It's either a warning or a challenge, inviting you to find out more. There's something unsettling about him, as if

of busine

his attention to my dad. I feel paralyzed when he locks eyes with me, so I quickly shift my gaze to the log. "Thanks

my dad says, "O

ad head towards the forest. Mac and Kiana lead the way, while Cassian follows at a more relaxed pace.

ys, "Alora," I

alk to the car and ask,

do you

t seem to

rticularly

thouse. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it reminds me of the way high school boys act after one of them talks to another's

ng the drive home and a

my dad and

.

daylight. Even though it's only 3 p.m., it looks like nighttime outside. I lie in bed, looking out

hate bad weather. On stormy nights, she'd seek refuge in my room, and

listen closely. There are only Azura and me on the upper floor; my pa

Regardless of how they suspect Azura died, the room remains a crime scene. I'm furious as

l I see a large man standing in the middle of Azura's room. I don't know who he is. He st

kes hol

like a broken violin. He's angry,

u

clenched into fists. A towering silhouette filled with rage.

, A

or my phone, but my fingers grasp

hing mixed with a scratchy throat. It's a growl. My hair stands o

d shield my face with both hands, but he neve

her shouts as he rushes up th

n in her room!

" My dad grabs my arm and

tered the house. His head turned towards the room

ame down the stairs, followed by two office

hing I could remember. But in the darkness, I could

ective Dristan sighed, clicked his

on the table, avoiding the intense look my father gave me. "I

dad yelled and slammed the table with his hand, making

da

e broke into our house and killed your sist

istan needed to believe me! "I'm sure

Detective Dristan silenced

ura came along, someone else had been in her room

rd of this befo

kept quiet! I thought she might be involved

my feet. My father loomed over me, and all I could do wa

Detective Dristan leaned forward, intrigued, b

tecting someone or keeping a se

n't involved with drugs. Ple

I searched every inch, looking for any sign that the man had

nto the room. "Your parents...

at him. "My sister wouldn'

doesn't necessarily m

llway floor, I nearly shouted in response. A necklace. It was made of leather and had acquired a good patina. Strung on it w

istan the necklace. "I've never seen this

efore placing it into a Ziploc bag labeled "Evidence." I

was finally some proof of what I had always suspec

et. "I'll have it analyzed at the lab

ou mean?"

Alora, I understand you want to believe your sister didn't take

se was here, do you? You do

this doesn't belo

's

couldn't argue with what he said. "Alora, I'll

sed. When the police cars departed from our gravel driveway, it felt like all my hopes were b

ather's disheartened expression. I realize that I must pursue this on my ow

to fi