Before anyone could greet Meadow or respond in any kind of positive way to her, Niko, in his extreme distress over his wife, yelled, "What the hell is this all about Meadow? What have you done?"

His unprovoked outburst, elicited an angry cry from Noora, who threw another framed picture at him and caught him in the arm. He was surprised at the violence and accuracy of her throw, and grunted with pain as the corner of the frame caught his bare flesh and tore it. Blood pooled at the wound and then dripped down his arm within seconds of the glass in the frame shattering when it hit the floor. The boys were stunned, but none as much as Niko, who had never seen his wife in such a rage.

"Let her speak her peace Niko, or so help me God, I will walk out on you this very minute," Noora declared in a stone cold voice. 

"Now, now," Meadow scold her mother. "Don't go overboard," she joked sarcastically. "I mean, this is how he talks to me every time I see him. If you are going to leave him, it should be over something shocking." Here, she paused for effect before saying, "Like a secret son."

Noora never said anything more. What was there to say? She'd embraced Niko's first born but at the expense of pushing Meadow away. Why hadn't she thought about the cost of lying to her Darling girl? Why was she so eager to please Niko in everything? Noora's eyes filled with tears. She felt helpless as she looked at her precious child, who now gazed at her with visceral disdain.

Meadow was disgusted with her mother's sudden fit of indignation. She didn't need the woman to defend her. What she needed was someone to be honest with her. She needed someone to explain how Eddie came into the family and why they thought it was necessary to keep her in the dark. Next, what she needed was someone to acknowledge that they had betrayed her and to offer a sincere apology. But, even faced with the trashed house and the destroyed family portrait, no one had taken the initiative to come clean with her. It was maddening.

Not the least bit interested in dragging this conversation out too long, Meadow decided to just get to the crux of things. "So, as you may or may not know I found out today that we have a new family member." Here she paused to lift her hand and indicated Eddie. "Of course, he's only new to me. You've all known him for nearly four years, as I understand it from a pile of pictures I found."

Seeing the pictures partly organized on the table, she leaned over and picked up a handful of them. She waved them in the air saying, "Apparently, I was never going to get the truth from any of you."

To show her disgust, she carelessly tossed the evidence of their happy family gatherings without her across the room toward their father. Most of them fell within a couple feet of the table.  No one said a thing. They just watched the photos flutter to the cluttered floor.

"Consequently, I came here this afternoon to ask Dad about his first child."

Here she paused to look at her father. He was half looking at her and half looking at Noora, who stood shaking and crying. His face was strained with a mixture of resentment and bewilderment. Meadow, raised her eyebrows at him and puckered her lips as if to say 'too bad for you'  before she continued on.

"Dad didn't hesitate to tell me that I'm not part of this family and that Eddie is none of my business."

"Niko!" Noora shouted with outrage and shame.

He remained defensive and defiant in posture and attitude, but he would not look Noora in the eye. Instead, he concentrated on staring Meadow down, willing her to back off with a glare.

Meadow ignored him. She wasn't going to sweep this under the rug like everything else. With a growing frown she continued to elaborate on her enlightening conversation with her father that afternoon.

"He did give me an ultimatum though," she scoffed. "He told me, if I quit my job working with lycanthropes he would accept me back into the family fold. But, if I refused, I would never be part of the family, and Eddie would never be my business."

"He has no right," Eddie declared with a growl that startled the whole room.

Every eye fell on him, but he only had eyes for Niko. He glared at the man he now called Dad,  and there was a distinct challenge in his eyes.  Eddie knew Niko Rask was very controlling and that everyone in the Rask family, with the exception of Meadow, generally towed the Niko line. But, he had no idea the depths of the man's desire for control. He was seeing the Rask family, its little black sheep, and his father in a whole new light. 

He'd let Niko set the terms of their interactions and worked around his hangups because it was a chance to get to know his human roots - his human family. He'd even been content to be kept a secret from Meadow, for a few years, because she only came home once a year and he was sure he would eventually get introduced to her when Niko's paranoia wore off. Eddie was a patient man. But, to think his father had actually been working behind the scenes to push her out of the family circle as he brought Eddie in, infuriated him. It would any lycanthrope. Family was sacred. Even a black sheep.

At the sight of the cold, furious reproach in Eddie's face, Niko's expression turned foul. He felt the accusation in Eddie's eyes like a stab to his heart. It wounded him greatly. Everything was coming apart and it was all Meadow's doing.

First, his wife had turned against him that afternoon even to the point of threatening divorce and drawing blood. And now Eddie, the son of his first love, who'd been separated from him along with his mother because the former alpha in the area did not approve of lycan-human relations thirty eight years ago, was distancing himself from him at that very moment. Somehow, Meadow had managed to turn Noora and Eddie against him in the space of an afternoon - less even.

Completely infuriated at the prospect of losing his wife and oldest son over Meadow's melodrama, Niko snapped. He let out a guttural cry before launching himself at her. If she wasn't here, none of this would be happening. That was the thought that kept flashing through his mind at blinding speed over and over again as he made a straight line for her. If he could just silence her, if he could just get rid of her, he'd be able to regain control in his home - in the family. 

Even though Meadow saw him coming straight at her, she didn't move. She didn't think to move. It never occurred to her that she should get out of his way - that he intended to harm her. He had never once raised his hand in anger against her. Besides the odd childhood spanking, which she could only vaguely recall, he had never physically injured her in any way no matter how irritated or frustrated he'd been.

Yes, he had a sharp tongue and he could make her feel worthless with a dismissive look sometimes, but she had never feared he'd beat her, strike her, or even man-handle her to get his way or to work out his aggression. So, when he hurled himself at her, she only stepped back, toward the glass doors, in surprise. She never thought to get out of the way, or raise her hands to defend herself.

Whether he intended it or not, when he grabbed her, the momentum behind him drove the two of them into the sliding glass door. Meadow's head hit it first with a sickening crack and then, as the force of their bodies made contact with the rest of the door, it shattered into a million sharp shards. The glass gave way and the two of them fell through the screen and onto the back deck.

Meadow threw up her hands to protect her tender head from the fall. And when she hit, she closed her eyes as the glass under her bounced and went in every direction. She could feel it digging unmercifully into her flesh, from her folded fingers that cradled the back of her head right down to the back of her calves, as the weight of her father's body pressed her into the broken glass. He was six foot 2 and weighed 180 pounds, and all of his weight was bearing down on her in the moments after impact.

When she opened her eyes, her father had partly scrambled off of her. His hands were buried in the broken glass at her shoulders. His expression was completely stricken. Whatever he'd planned when he charged at her, this was not it. Meadow could see the horror and regret on his face.

"Oh God, Oh God," he began to blubber.

But then he was gone. In an instant, Eddie had plucked him up by his collar, nearly choking him to death in the process. And, with his lycanthrope strength, flung him like a rag doll back into the dinning room. Meadow was relived he was off of her and gone from her sight. She wasn't sure she could handle that devastated look in his eyes. The last thing she wanted was to feel sorry for him. She was the victim here.

Taffy, who must have been out front all that time, came around the side of the house barking loudly. She reached the stairs and would have raced up to protect Meadow but Meadow cried out, "No, Taffy. Stay!"

The dog whined piteously but didn't come up the stairs.

To Eddie, who was partly crouched in the doorway leaning toward her, she said, "Don't let Taffy up here. The glass." A few tears escaped her lashes as she tried not to panic over herself and over the dog.

"I got it," Eddie told her in a reassuring voice. "Now, don't move," he gently commanded her. "I'll pick you up."

"How?" she whispered.

She was terrified of impaling herself on a large piece of glass. Meadow was not the least bit good around fast flowing or gushing blood. Even the thought of it made her feel faint. In her distress and pain, a few more tears escaped and she tried to blink them back. She wanted to remain calm and keep her wits about her, but she could feel her whole body trembling.

Eddie reached for her belt, apologizing as he slipped his fingers around it, and told her calmly to,  "Hold my arm." She did. Then he explained, "I'm going to pull you straight up and afterwards you can put your feet down."

Meadow nodded her understanding. And just like that, with incredible strength, which was more evidence he really was part lycanthrope, he lifted her right up off the ground before setting her gently on her feet. Meadow let out a shaky laugh, and then a little sob, which she quickly reigned in. Now was not the time to break down crying. She still had to get the glass off her clothes and out of her scalp. She closed her eyes and told herself to be calm. Everything would be alright.

Taffy was still whining and pacing back and forth anxiously at the bottom of the stairs. The sound of her crying put Meadow on edge. "That's enough, Taffy," she ordered. The dog stilled and sat down, but she wasn't happy about it.

"We've got to clean up this glass," Meadow told Eddie. She was referring to the shattered door and not the glass that clung to her clothes and embedded itself in her flesh. Her first concern, now that she was up on her feet, was to prevent Taffy from injuring herself if she should decided to run up the stairs all of a sudden. 

"We will," he assured her, "But how about we take care of you first?" Meadow nodded and let him walk her to a corner of the deck, which appeared free from broken glass. Taffy whined. Meadow shushed her.

The moment Eddie exited the broken door, all but Niko rushed to it to see if Meadow was okay. But, to everyone's surprise, most of all Meadow's, Eddie growled at them and bared his teeth, which had elongated into fangs - a testament to his lycanthrope genes. If they'd ever wondered before, whether he could transform like a full blood lycanthrope did, they had their answer.

It terrified them and they froze in place. Everyone knew that a partially transformed lycan was dangerous - as dangerous as  a wild animal. Would being only half-lycan be worse somehow? Did Eddie have any experience controlling his rage? Would he put Meadow in any danger?  No one had the answer because none of them had ever asked Eddie about his lycanthrope upbringing and nature. To their shame, they didn't know the first thing about that part of his life. 

Thankfully, this was not Meadow's first rodeo. She placed a hand on Eddie's arm, to get his attention. And, when he was focused on her she asked, "Can you help get the glass off me?"

He replied, "Yes."

"You'll have to retract your claws," she told him quietly.

He nodded. Indicating he was completely aware that he was wolfing out on them all right then. This was reassuring. It meant he was in control of his transformation.

"Don't brush the glass off," she warned him. "Some of them are embedded."

"Alright," he offered as he first tackled the shards at the back of her head. While he was working he suggested, "You should probably go to the clinic in town."

Meadow replied, "I don't think I need stitches," as she picked at the shards stuck in the back of her hands. Together they tossed the little blood stained pieces onto the patio table, where they could be wiped up afterwards.

"It's not that," Eddie said. "I'm worried about a concussion."

Meadow chuckled. "Well, I'm just worried about bleeding on Britta's seat."

"I don't think you should drive until we know for sure if you've got one," he told her sincerely.

Meadow nodded and then gasped a little when something he pulled on was a bit deeper than she expected. He cursed under his breath and that's how things progressed as he very carefully plucked or brushed glass off the rest of her.

Behind them, River, Forrest and Noora worked diligently to sweep up the broken glass door and deposit it in a cardboard box for easy disposal. They worked quietly and each kept an eye on Eddie and Meadow, feeling a little scared of Eddie and worried for Meadow. The one person none of them was the least bit interested in was Niko. He could have slunk off to his office downstairs or left for town to drown his sorrows and frustrations in a few beer at one of the local pubs for all they knew or cared. Right then, they only had time to think about and worry about Meadow.

"I think you should take a shower Meadow, to get rid of all the glass," Noora suggested. "And then, then Eddie can run you into the the clinic for a check-up." She knew the girl was not going to accept any help from her or from her two full brothers at that time. But, she did seem receptive to help from Eddie at the moment. "It's entirely up to you," she tacked on at the end, afraid Meadow would reject her advice.

"If you shower," Eddie piped in, "You have to leave the door open because you could have a concussion."

Meadow sighed and nodded. "I need a change of clothes. I've burnt everything that was mine in this house. So, I'll have to borrow from you, Mom."

"Yes, yes, of course," Noora replied eagerly. She was thrilled Meadow would even address her. And a little hope sprung up that she would not disown her entirely.

After a short shower, with the door open and her mother on guard, Meadow dressed in her mother's jeans, t-shirt and a comfy cardigan. She felt tired and chilled, even after the warm shower. She wasn't sure if it was shock or the effects of a potential concussion. In either case, she wrapped the cardigan snugly around her waist as she walked out of the bathroom with her long wet black hair wrapped up in a towel.

Walking right past her mother without saying a word, she found Eddie, Forrest and River at the bottom of the stairs. She ignored her brothers and just spoke to Eddie. "Can you give me a lift to the clinic?"

He agreed right away.

River cleared his throat and offered, "I'll drive Britta's car back for you."

Meadow didn't argue. She just said, in a tired voice, "Do whatever you want River. Her keys are in the bathroom."

He nodded but didn't run up the stairs. Instead, he cleared his throat a second time and managed a very quiet, "I'm so sorry Meadow that I never told you about Eddie. I should have mentioned him to you the moment I found out, regardless of what Dad said."

Meadow burst into tears at his quiet confession. But, not ready to listen to him, let alone forgive him, she opted to rush out the front door instead of acknowledging him. Eddie had already headed out to get his truck. She would just run up the drive to meet him.

River and Forrest went after her though. They were alarmed by her tears and afraid she might injure herself if she ran in her current condition. She didn't seem all that steady on her feet.

"Dowie?" River called in a heartfelt plea fr her to stop.

Meadow was too choked up to speak. She didn't want to speak anyway. She just wanted to leave and get as far away from this place as possible.

Eddie brought his truck to a stop and jumped out when he saw the boys running after a sobbing Meadow. All his instincts told him to stop them at any cost. He growled loud and hard at River and Forrest, who immediately ceased to move as they stared at him with surprise. The sight of his fangs, claws and bulging muscles, scared both brothers. They weren't sure they'd ever get use to seeing Eddie like this.

River put up his hands in a placating manner as he tried to explain, "I was apologizing to her and she ran out. We only followed her because we were afraid she'd might hurt herself. That's all. I promise."

In a thick gravely voice that did not belong to the Eddie they knew, River and Forrest heard him say, "Clearly, she doesn't want to talk. So, back off."

Forrest grabbed River's arm and pulled him back a couple of steps as they watched Meadow gingerly hop in the passenger side, careful of her injuries. "We're backing off," Forrest said gently. "You go ahead and take care of her Eddie."

To this Eddie nodded and then turned back to get in the truck. In seconds, he was pulling away without so much as a glance their way.

"Wow, I feel like Eddie has just picked Meadow over Dad," Forrest said in a rare moment of insight.

River let out a low whistle and nodded in agreement. The question was, would she accept him when she was so ready to throw the whole family away? But, he didn't bother bringing this up with Forrest. His well didn't run that deep.

"Lets head back in and check on Mom," River suggested.

Forrest nodded and the two of them turned back in search of their mother.