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      THADEUS COULD NOT believe that his step-brother, Atticus, was arguing with him. The moment he had stepped into that building, Atticus seemed to be annoyed with him. The man was only a couple of years older than Atticus, yet the lines of stress accentuated his angular face.

      "I don't think you should be concerned with the "murders"," muttered Atticus, brushing the platinum blonde hair away from his fair face. Thadeus clenched his jaw, hands forming fists, he took a deep breath.

      "Isn't it weird that the second murder was closer to my apartment than the last? Not for one second have you thought about if it's him?" said Thadeus in a low voice, eying the other officers that were talking in the desks near Atticus'.

     "Of course I have," all Thadeus could hear was the exhaustion in Atticus' voice, and how much older he looked. They weren't related, but Thadeus loved his brother very much, even if he didn't say it often enough.

     "I just don't think you should worry yourself, the only thing you should be doing is following the curfew and focusing on finding a job, hobby, or anything. Do you understand, Thadeus?" said Atticus, his intense gaze now upon that of Thadeus'. 

      Thadeus knew Atticus knew about him not following the curfew, especially since Atticus used his full first name.

      "Sure," sighed Thadeus, raking his fingers through his dark chocolate locks. "I'll be staying at Vincent's tonight, you should join for dinner. I'll be leaving tomorrow, you should also come visit," Thadeus said the last sentence ever so quietly, but Atticus heard it.

      "I can make it for dinner," nodded Atticus. "Now stay out of trouble," a soft smile blossomed from the pale pink lips of the man, his icy blue eyes slicing through the tense atmosphere. "I've got to work now, take care, Teddy."

○ ○ ○ 

      Knocking at the worn out door, Thadeus tapped his foot lightly . Arms crossed together, he was in deep thought when a pudgy man with a slight beer belly opened the door. Red nosed, Vincent hugged Thadeus immediately and gestured him to come inside.

      "Alexis has been asking about you since you last came," smiled the man. "She was quite excited when I told her you'd be joining us for dinner."

      "I bet. Has she fallen asleep already? It's way past her bedtime," noted Thadeus, glancing at the old grandfather clock. Vincent chuckled and nodded. Thadeus had left to blow off steam after meeting with Atticus.

       It was frustrating to know Thadeus could do something, anything at all, to help with the situation back home. Home. What an odd word. Yet Atticus seemed to block any sort of attempt Thadeus made. 

       "I had intended to keep Alexis awake, and take the day off tomorrow, but money's tight and I can't afford to, so I've got to work an early shift tomorrow, I'm sorry, son. Dinner's going to be just you, unless Bagheera decides to accompany you. I'll make pancakes tomorrow?" Vincent had soulful eyes that seemed to drip pity for Thadeus.

      A boy whose mother passed, and father remarried into another family. A boy who had a rough childhood and trouble with anxiety. A boy with shaking hands and a fearful heart. A boy who turned to stone.

      Jaw set, Thadeus forced out a smile and hugged the man. Hearing the wooden steps creak under his weight, Thadeus began to microwave the pasta Vincent had left him, a black cat purring as it rubbed itself along his legs.

○ ○ ○ 

      Almost done with washing the dishes, Thadeus put down the last plate and sighed, arms resting on the sink. The moonlight shone through the window, illuminating his face as he looked up to it. That was until he heard an agonizingly painful howl of a wolf.

       Heart beating, feverish thoughts bubbled through his mind. He could only imagine the pain of an animal if it howled this loud for him to hear? In the dead of night? It was odd that he could feel his chest constrict and literally feel the pain gripping at him with cold hands.

       Breath heavy and sluggish, Thadeus shook the thoughts out. If a simple howl from a wolf rattled him to the bones this much, how was he ever going to find the criminal that was the cause of the murders?

○ ○ ○ 

     "Teddy!" a girlish squeal erupted as Thadeus began to tickle the girl with black hair. Her front tooth was missing and a lisp was slightly evident in her young voice.

      "How're you, Al? You been having fun at school?" said Thadeus in an almost cooing tone as he held her hand, walking her to school. He had decided that pancakes was not enough time to spend with his baby cousin. 

       "Sometimes," nodded the girl happily, her hair bouncing in her pigtails. Reaching the entrance to the school, Thadeus crouched down to the little girls level and planted a kiss on her forehead, muttering a 'goodbye'.

        Walking back, Thadeus felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.

       "Hello?"

       "It's quite odd to see a man like you to take such... keen interest in my work," a deep, muffled voice said. Thadeus could almost snort at how generic of a villain the man sounded.

        "And who the hell is this?" 

        "Perhaps you'd like to contribute?" pondered the voice, disregarding what Thadeus said. "I'm sure I could set something up for you."

        Thadeus kept silent. The voice sighed.

         "You'll see soon, especially with the Rogues coming in on you. And God, that Lycan and Bloodsucker are near you too. Well, maybe we can reschedule?" whined the voice.

        "What the fuck?" There were a million thoughts racing in his head and not one of them understood what the madman was talking about. The call ended and left Thadeus glaring at his phone in utter confusion.

       Why was everyone talking about 'Rogues' now? And what the hell is a Lycan, or a Bloodsucker? Why had the man called Thadeus, or how did he even get his cell number? Thadeus was overwhelmed, but determined to find out.

       Gears shifting in his head, Thadeus knew what he had to do.