Secrets of a Southern Belle

Chapter 37

She looked at me again, this time with some sadness in her eyes. She never looks sad. Gigi is the feistiest, most strong woman I know. "One of his newest pack members almost killed me on a full moon. It wasn't his fault... Brian didn't know how to control himself yet, and I wouldn't stay home. You know me. I like the adventure. After that, Roy got distant and pushed me away. I know why; he thought that it would keep me safe. Then I met your grandfather."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Wesley couldn't either because he was wide-eyed in the doorway still. She dated Rhett's grandfather and knows about werewolves. She never let off any indication that she was a part of the new reality I've been living in. This whole time I tried keeping it from her, but she knew.

"Gigi... you know about werewolves? This whole time?" She nodded. "And Sawyer?" She shrugged.

"And your father."

My heart stopped for a moment. She knew about my dad—that he was still alive, which means that while we were grieving, she knew that he was fine. I felt betrayed. So much hurt could have been avoided.

She knew I was upset just by studying me.

"I know you're angry, Rae," she continued when I didn't speak. "With me for not tellin' you guys, but it wouldn't have done any good at that point. You guys weren't supposed to be a part of that world. I was so upset at Roy for pullin' away, but it didn't mean that I didn't understand it. I was tryin' to keep you guys safe like your dad did by keepin' away from you. It's okay to be mad. I get it, but right now we need to protect ourselves. That thing is still out there, and it's the most viscous one I ever saw."

I was drowning in thoughts and what ifs. It was hard not to with all this new information and clashing emotions. I understand too, but it doesn't get rid of that hurt I feel. I thought we shared everything.

Wesley's voice cut through my inner struggle. "Why did it attack you? First the lumber mill and then here. It's been 'round for a couple years and then all of a sudden is attackin' more people."

Gigi shook her head. "I don't have the slightest idea. I was cookin' one minute and then runnin' the next. It didn't look right. I've seen werewolves and this one looks off. It's more like a beast than wolf."

"It's a Vargulf," I chimed in. "It doesn't know that it's a wolf. The Dixons have been trackin' it for awhile."

Gigi's brows lifted in surprise.

"The smell here... I smelled this smell at the diner before I drove you home." Wesley was walking around my mom's bedroom, touching the scratches on the walls. "We have to call Rhett."

I nodded in agreement, deciding to stay safe in the bathroom in case the Vargulf decided to come back.

Wesley called Rhett. It took a few tries before he finally answered, probably because he was in his wolf form running around town. He told Wesley that he would come get us and take us back to his house to keep us safe.

Wherever he was, he wasn't too far from my because he showed up in less than five minutes. When we heard his truck, we rushed outside.

"You okay?" He asked us before engulfing me into a hug. I could see the worry on his face.

"I'm fine, luckily.. and Gigi too. I'm glad Wesley was with me." My eyes followed my grandma and Wesley as they got into the truck.

"Me too. My dad is takin' your mom back to my house too. It's not safe here now," he said in a low voice.

I nodded and got into the truck. When we got to the Dixon's, everyone was waiting outside for us, aside from my mom and Jason and my dad.

My dad.

My mom is going to find out... Or not. I don't see him anywhere. If she finds out, she is going to be hit with a hurricane of emotions, especially about Gigi knowing.

Parker and Owen tell Wesley and Rhett that they just got more reports of attacks around town. It was getting worse. But why now?

"This ends tonight," Rhett promised in an angry tone. His jaw clenched, and I could see his hands in fists. "This thing isn't gonna hurt anyone else."

The boys all nodded in agreement. This had to end. The problem was that we don't exactly know who it is to end it or where it's going to go next. We need an upper hand and we needed to hurry before more people were hurt or killed.

While Rhett was discussing their plans to find and kill the beast, Jason drove up the driveway with my mom. When they exited Jason's truck, I saw that they were covered in blood and dirt.

"Mom!" I screamed and ran over to her. There was so much blood on their bodies.

Upon hearing me scream, everyone rushed over to us.

"Cat, are you alright?!" Gigi bellowed as she put her hands on my mom's dirty face.

She nodded. "I'm fine, mom. We're okay." There we're streaks on her face from tears, along with blood splatters and soot.

"It attacked the shop." Jason slammed his truck door. "It got Billy... I tried to fight it off by myself, but that sucker is a strong one."

The blood must have been Billy's. Relief washed over me. My mom was okay. Poor Billy was not though. The Vargulf has hurt enough people. It was time to do something.

While Gigi was hugging my mom, she began to cry, "Mom, I don't know what is goin' on! What was that thing?"

Gigi looked at me over my mom's shoulder and then opened her mouth to speak.

"Cat.." But the voice wasn't Gigi's. It was my dad's.

My mom pushed away from my grandmother and spun around. "Jack?!"