Number 14

"I'll be on my way now." The nanny flashed a small smile at Roman.
"Great." Roman did the hand sign and shoved his hands into his pockets and walked her to the door. "Thanks for coming."
"It's my pleasure. My regards to Lorelei." She smiled sweetly then glanced down at Xander, waving him goodbye. "Bye, papa bear!"
"Bye!" Xander waved enthusiastically.
Roman closed the door after she left and turned to face Xander, who was shining his twenty-eight teeth.
"Would you like to go for a walk?" Roman asked with the sign language, cocking up his brows with a smile tugging the sides of his lips.
Xander didn't understand so Roman described as much as he could till he got it.
"Yes, yes!" Xander jumped on the heels of his feet and his curls bounced, frolicking with his forehead when he stopped. Xander was intelligent for his age.
"Who wants to get a piggyback ride to dress up?" Roman inquired in sign language, crouching in front of Xander.
The little boy hopped on his back and Roman jogged into the room, dressing Xander in a pair of blue pants and a black polo.
***
Roman slowly walked ahead hand in hand with Xander and the little boy pointed at butterflies and other animals. Roman stroked his chin, occasionally glancing at Xander, who was joyfully licking his vanilla ice cream.
"Mr..." Xavier called his attention and he took a gander at the little boy who was looking up at him. "Do you like my mommy?"
Unconsciously, a small smile crept up his face and he bit his lip to wipe the smile off his face. He stayed mute, not responding to Xander.
Judging by Roman's narrowed eyes, one could deduce he had a load of thoughts running helter-skelter in his mind but first, he had to go slowly.
He couldn't take his mind off the nanny's unexpected visit and he still doubted the credibility that she got the new address from the Luna.
'I don't want to exterminate the star moon pack and dead moon pack, mainly star moon pack because I have come to love their Alpha and Luna's kind nature He thought. But I have to do something about it.' He thought.
Promising to babysit Xander had come with extra responsibilities than he had thought but that wasn't his area of concentration now. They had relocated to avoid trouble and to remain discreet but it seems unseen eyes were following them around everywhere.
Suddenly he felt a tug that brought him back to reality, Xander had seen a balloon and made off for it. Climbing on a nearby stone platform he jumped up aiming for the balloon but his hands couldn't reach it.
Roman stood a few meters from him smiling at his attempts to reach the balloon.
He waved at Xander to get his attention and the little boy stopped jumping. He pointed at the balloon, gesturing if he needed help with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"No way, I am gonna get it myself!" Xander squealed, jumping and attempting to grab the balloon. "You'll see."
Roman giggled and the smile remained on his face while watching the little boy's futile attempts to get the balloon.
The wind blew towards his direction bringing a multitude of scents, glancing around he sniffed the air with a low growl that seemed to emanate from his throat. The wind stopped as quickly as it had started, taking with it all the scents it had brought.
Within seconds he had returned to his former self watching the boy try frantically to get the balloon. Taking one last jump, Xander landed on a piece of candy wrapping as he slipped and fell; Roman was already by his side even before he knew it.
Roman left a light pat on the boy's head and pointed at the balloon and then at his chest. Xander nodded, quickly understanding at he meant, and rose to his feet. Roman was impressed, he wondered how a boy as little as he is could decipher what he meant without him using words.
Roman grabbed a chair from one of the picnic tables placed around for some little romantic moments, he placed it underneath the balloon; grabbing Xander by the armpit he lifted him with one heave placing him in the chair. Stretching forth his hands he grabbed the balloon bringing it a bit lower as he began untying the string used to tie it into place, feeling satisfied with his help Roman walked slowly around leaving Xander to untie the balloon.
The unexpected visit kept troubling his mind, he couldn't seem to take his mind off the fact that he might be brewing trouble for Lorelei and Xander; which is something he wouldn't want to happen, not now not ever.
Stopping in front of a cluster of chrysanthemum flowers, plucking off a blossom he raised it to his nose basking in its awesome scent momentarily forgetting his worries as the beautiful scents took him to the moon and back.
The wind begins blowing again bringing with it those scents he had scented before while he was watching Xander struggle the get the balloon, but he ignored them drawing in the fragrance of the flower he held.
Amid his daydreaming, an ear-piercing cry reached his ear followed by a loud echo of laughter. Sensing trouble he speeds towards Xander, clearing a clump of marigold flowers with a jump he halted at the edge of the clearing.
Ahead of him stood a group of wolves, the source of those numerous scents dawned on him; he bared his teeth and clenched his hands, his jaw clenched tightly as he took the first tentative steps forward.
Baring their fangs and they snarled and growled frightening the little boy, who began to cry, glancing around for Roman or help from anywhere. Laughter reeled out again as he tried to jump down but paused when one snarled loudly bringing his face closer to him.
In seconds he had run across the fields towards the werewolves with a growl in his voice.
"Grrrr" He growled, his face red; jaw and hand clenched with his eyes squint and darkened. He walked through grabbing Xander and setting him down beside him as the little boy hid behind him peering at the wolves from his back.
Taking a perusing look at each of their faces, a glint of recognition flashed in his eyes. These wolves were from the Pack A wolf pack, their head is a member of the pack A wolves he was sure of that, these errant wolves had started picking a fight they wouldn't be able to stop.
"Grrrr!" He growled again.
"He says Beat it." The leader says as laughter erupts through their midst, stepping close to Roman he brings his face closer to him. Barring his teeth with a snarl growling in his throat bringing his face to the same level as Roman's.
"Hey, Roman, tell me, are you a mute or you're pretending to be one, huh?" The leader asked.
Roman snapped his mouth shut and refrained from firing back at them.
With a nod, he and his wolves took off leaving Roman and the little boy Xander standing alone in the garden. Roman's eyes drooped as tears filled his eyes, he couldn't seem to think of anything to do now; his mind was blank, totally blank.
Grabbing Xander's hand he turned leading him home, to safety. Trouble was brewing and he knew it, what else could he do than get Xander home? The walk home was slow as Roman had to drag his feet with tears-filled eyes, the corners of his lips dropping towards the floor.
A couple of times he stumbled but prevented himself from falling, Xander could sense the mood change in Roman as they walked home.
What are you gonna do now? You know this isn't gonna be the last they will come; sooner or later they will come again. A tiny voice filtered slowly into his mind
"But what am I gonna do?." He asked his subconscious.
'This is hard and you will know what to do.' The voice replied as it died off as slowly as it had come.
Soon the duo reached home, Roman inserted the keys opening the door as they walked.
Slumping into a cushion the events of the day came rushing back to him, as tears flowed down his cheeks as he fought hard to keep his emotions in check. But there was no way he could blow his cover now risking putting both his life and that of Lorelei in a bigger problem than they were now.
Xander sat on a couch playing with his hand's fingers while stealing glances at Roman from where he sat. Judging by the expression on his face he knew Roman was troubled by something far more than just the wolves that frightened him in the garden but he kept to himself rather than trying to ask what the problem was, right now he is hungry and that's his worry.
Soon Lorelei came home from work exhausted and tired but was quick to sense Roman's mode. The lines on his face showed he was really worried about something, but what could that be? She didn't know either.
"What's the problem Roman?" She asked sitting by him.
"Am okay, just tired," Roman replied in sign language absent-minded turning away from her.
"But your face says otherwise, you are hiding something from me," Lorelei asked again, this time her voice calm and penetrating.
"I said am okay, nothing's wrong" Roman grunts turning completely on his side away from her.
Lorelei knew better than to push further, he would tell her when he wants but now he had built an ice wall around himself. She had to wait till he had melted down to prob him again, maybe then she could have some progress.
Sighing she rose from the couch and walked towards the kitchen, she was starving; hadn't had a bit of food since she walked into the bar in the morning.
Putting on the stove, she thought of what to cook at the same time thinking of what might probably be troubling Roman, it was rare to see him in such a mood except sometime's when he was troubled about her, but those too doesn't last for long.
The expression she saw on his face wasn't something she had seen in a long time, those drooping eyes coupled with the dried-up tear streaks on his cheeks suggested a far bigger worry than she had imagined.
Returning her concentration to her cooking, she stirred the content of the pot on the stove.
"Mom!" Xander called out from the sitting room.
"I'm hungry."
"I'm coming Xander, just some minutes more" Lorelei answered from the kitchen, assuring Xander that food would soon be ready.
Her mind drifted back towards Roman's ponderings, a million thoughts ran through her mind bringing forth various options of what the problem was but none seems to fit that expression she saw on Roman's face.
Then something clicked in her head.
'Yes, that was it. That was what was bothering him. My alienation towards him is the reason why he is worried.' She thought to herself while nodding.
"And do you truly think this is the reason he is troubled?" A voice spoke to her as she paused a bit to ruminate on the question.
'I'm sure that's the problem, I'm sure of that.' She maintained.
"If you say so then so be it" The voice ended as it died off.
Lei walked into the dining with a covered bowl with hands graced in mitten gloves, setting it on the table she set the table for three before poking his head into the sitting room.
"Dinner is ready, guys!" She announced as she went back into the kitchen to bring out the side dishes for dinner.
Xander jumped to his feet before heading towards the dining but not before giving Roman a shake announcing for the second time that food was ready.
Shrugging Roman stood to his feet and sluggishly walked towards the dining.
They ate in silence except for Xander who rattled incessantly about being holed up at home without going out to make friends, but his rattlings were ignored by both Roman and his mother. Roman is preoccupied with his thoughts while Lorelei was preoccupied with thoughts of Roman's worries.
"Roman you can have my bed tonight," Lorelei said.
Glancing up and looking at his Mom, Xander turned towards Roman who remained face down picking up his food slowly.
"No, that wouldn't be necessary." Roman refused but she insisted.
With a shrug, he returned to his food, besides he had to get enough sleep tonight so he could wake up early for tomorrow's work.