In the moment that Allison killed the last wendigo, Lucas felt his predatory ability stirring up and knew that he could choose to strengthen one of her abilities or give her a new one.
He didn’t hesitate much and chose an ability he already thought of, Rapid Regeneration.
The one he got from the Kanima, its healing ability is even stronger than that of a normal Alpha, so this would bring her healing to a whole new level.
Allison immediately felt the energy washing over her body; it felt like she was in a pool of divine water and it was washing her mortal body away.
As soon as the process stopped, she instinctively knew what her new ability was; she smiled and glanced at Lucas.
"What now?" Lydia walked in the middle, spoke, and looked at Lucas.
Everyone’s eyes moved to him and waited for an answer; the house looked pretty rough from their fight, and there were three dead bodies inside.
Lucas didn’t respond and called for someone. "You can come in."
"What’s going on?" Lydia glanced at him in confusion, but she immediately looked at the door as a group of people in white walked in. "Who are they?"
"They are the cleaning crew." Lucas smiled, then glanced at the crew and pointed at the body. "This one, and there are two more upstairs."
"Got it, boss." The leading man nodded and went with his men directly upstairs.
Allison walked close to him and watched them go up. "They look very professional."
He smiled and took her hand. "Of course they are, that’s why their salary is so good. That, and the fact that if the police ever find out something, they will take the fall."
"No way, is someone that stupid?" Malia glanced at him in suspicion.
"They aren’t stupid, that’s their job and they know it." He calmly explained, as it would be a time when they would need to call the cleaning crew.
"Let’s go." It was time to leave and take a good rest.
The others nodded and walked outside, just as he was about to head out as well. Allison pulled his hand, stopping him. "What’s wrong?"
Allison’s joy from getting a new ability vanished, and she gazed at him hesitantly. "I’m about to turn 18, can I come and live permanently with you?"
His eyes sharpened for a moment, then he gently caressed her cheeks. "That’s our home, you don’t have to ask me that."
A sense of relief washed over Allison, and just as she thought he wouldn’t ask, Lucas brought up a subject she didn’t want to start.
"Are your parents still not processing the fact that you became a shapeshifter?"
He could choose not to bring it up as he saw her hesitation, but this kind of thing sometimes becomes harder the more you stay silent and gather all that emotion inside.
She nodded and remembered the situation at home. Her father returned to treating her just like before, but her mother became distant and wouldn’t even look her in the eyes.
Allison got tired of living a life like that. At the base, she had Lucas, who was always supportive, and Lydia, her friend who was just like her.
Lastly, the silly Malia, who she got attached to just like real family.
He took her hand and kissed it, then stared into her eyes. "Let’s go home."
"Yes." Allison threw all the pessimistic thoughts away and just enjoyed the moment with him.
The moment that Lucas turned around, she jumped on his back, making him take a few steps forward.
A smile appeared on his face, then he started running with her on his back.
••••
While they were doing their little operation, a group of werewolves from Satomi’s pack were still searching for the wendigo at Lucas’s orders.
It seemed that no one let them in on what happened, so they had to work through the night.
A skinny man named Dave sniffed around a couple of times and then glanced at his friends. "Did you guys get the money as well?"
Roger, the tallest of them, glanced at him and nodded. "Yeah, I was surprised when Satomi gave me $2,000."
"It was from Lucas." Lisa, the only girl in the group, spoke.
The two fell silent as they remembered that terrifying figure. Then Dave adjusted his hat and lifted his head up.
"I don’t care, the only thing I know is that I can go and eat as much as I want." He patted his skinny stomach to show he really needed it.
Roger glanced at him in displeasure. "Don’t forget that he forced us to kneel to him, and now he made us search around the town just like dogs."