I handed it to Catla, grabbed the Marlin and then Catla, the wolves, and I headed up the path to see if the pallet and its sidewalls were undamaged.Th...s was as far from the cave as the young wolves had ever been allowed to venture. Mama kept a careful eye on them, but they tried her patience often as they sniffed everything on the way up.When we reached the top level the dunnage from my freight was just where I'd left it. I could tell the plateau was no surprise to either Catla or Mama, but. After logging on he checked his e-mail, expecting nothing of significance just like every morning since he started in this university. He looked through a list of messages from various people informing him of various functions but one message caught his eye. It was from someone named E.A., a nickname that Alex was very familiar with. Doubling clicking the message, it read: Dear Alexis, I hear John Carter got you out. I hope it hasn't been too hard on you the past few years. Anyway, it was nice. "It's kind of a surprise. We weren't trying, but ... Look, I know things haven't been perfect around here." What do you mean?" We've had our problems, your mom and me," he said slowly, almost carefully. "We didn't want another, but I think it's the best thing that could have happened to us. I just want you to be happy too. We both love you, Trent." I know, Dad. I love you guys too."He wanted to hug and we weren't exactly big on hugs in our family, but sometimes ... I had the insane urge to tell. Funny, but you just don’t think about how violence could erupt at any moment. It’s a part of life. That said, you are in tune, you just feel it when it begins to escalate, and when that happens you hit the floor and hope it passes you on by. Yeah, this is my city, my lover, my best friend, my abusive boyfriend, all wrapped in one. Never knowing if I’m going to get the kiss of a fist or the brush of lips, or perhaps both in one brutal package. Oaktown, baby. I’m sitting there at the bar, sucking.