The Boy From the Basement; Book One

Family Secrets

            At the library, Nick and I are huddled into a corner table with a stack of history books. Some of them are in Latin and Russian but lucky for me that I took Russian classes. As for the Latin, I would have to use a translator app or something.

            When we asked the librarian for all the history on werewolves and such, she gave us an odd look but didn’t say anything more as she gathered everything for us. My parents were happy to see me leave with Nick. They liked him for whatever reason I didn’t know.

            “This could take forever.” He tells me and I shrug my shoulders. He is the one that wanted to be made into a believer.

            “Once I find what I am looking for—we’ll stop.” Nick nods and then we start reading. The ones in English were fascinating and I found something rather interesting. It was a story and it was exactly like the one I read from the book my mother gave me. Each story in the book was exactly the same but this had more detail and personal feelings then the one I read before.

            As I read on, I found out that these attacks were not a pack but a group of rogues or better known as “rabids”. They were attacking the village as an act of rebellion towards the “pack law” and “pack senates”. My ancestors had it all wrong—it was just a mistake but I guess that the packs couldn’t help a rebellion and what were my ancestors suppose to think when they were attacked? Still though, you think that they would have come across this book. They had to have read it right?

            “Nick, read this.” He took the book from me and I could see recognition in his eyes as he read on. Five minutes later Nick was staring at me.

            “See? Not all wolves are bad. This book was under our noses all this time. You would think that someone would challenge the clan’s ways.” I say and Nick bites his lower lip.

            “They had no reason to doubt the ways of the clan.” Nick says and I nod slightly.

            “You believe me now?” I ask. Nick nods once and I feel relieved I guess because at least Nick understands my actions and thoughts. Nick and I give the books back to the librarian and we get out of there. On the way home, we say very little but it is a silence that I can deal with.

            We get home and my parents are gone. I am so happy that I can be by myself for the first time in a week. It’s nice but then I realize that Nick is still with me. We both head inside and I see hot pizza sitting on the counter. I head straight for it and I put three pieces aside for Will. Nick takes three more and then I finally take two. Nick is eying me the entire time.

            “There is more going on then the fact that you want to protect him, Estelle.” Nick states and I just stay silent as Nick goes on. Nick is smarter then I like to think he is. Nick seems to have a little knack for sniffing out what is really going on.

            “Just tell me Estelle. I think you can trust me since I have lied for you many times. I’m on your side Estelle.” Nick assures me and I trust him for the most part. He sounds sincere and I believe that I can use him to my advantage in the future.

            “Alright—you know about the whole mate thing that werewolves go by?” I start with that because I am sure not going to flat out say that I am Will’s mate. That this whole mate thing was premeditated far before we were even born.

            “Kind of. They find out who will be their mate when they see them or something when they are eighteen, right?” Nick seems entirely unsure about what he just said. I nod because he got the gist of the idea.