I sat in front of the fire, holding my hands close enough to warm them but not close enough to burn them. My wet hair dripped on the carpet and soaked my shirt. I had showered and dressed in pajamas, and still the boys were not home. The only noise echoing throughout the hours was the cracking of the wood in the fire. A book rested next to me and I wanted to read it, but my concern for Christian was too overwhelming.
I wiggled a little, unable to sit still and relax. Even the usually peaceful feeling of the fire did nothing to sedate my anxiety.
Then, I heard the van door shut from outside. I jumped up, pulling my boots on and grabbing my pistol. I preferred to use knives, but I was still a gun expert. I peaked out the window and I saw Christian walking to the back of the van. What was he doing? I could have waited and watched, but that wasn’t me. I flung the door open and made my way to Christian just as he and Joshua pulled an unconscious man from the back of the van. Dark bruises and deep cuts littered the man’s body.
“What is going on?” I asked and they froze.
“Schuyler? You shouldn’t be back yet!” Christian said, stepping in front of the man.
“And why not? I walked home because I couldn’t find the van. I thought you were in danger, and instead you were taking a prisoner. That’s a wolf, correct?” I waited for them to deny it, but they said nothing. “How long has this been going on?” I demanded. “What haven't you been telling me?”
“Joshua, take him to the usual place, I will talk to Schuyler.” Joshua lifted the body and carried him around the side of the house. Christian went to rest his hand on my shoulder but I pulled away.
“Not until I have my answers.”
I turned around and walked into the house. I welcomed the warm air, but again it did nothing to soothe me. I sat down on the couch, far enough away from the fire that could not me and give me it’s true warmth. I didn't want to become relaxed.
“What do you want to know?” Christian asked, sitting on the chair. He was far from me, the fire only revealing part of his face.
“Let’s begin with that wolf. Why is he here?”
“How did you think we received all our information? We are not a large corporation, we do not have spies. We obtain our information the old fashion way: torture.”
“We, you, torture the werewolves?” I wasn’t sure if I was okay with that. Killing them was one thing, torturing was another. I enjoyed blood on my hands as much as the next person, but beating someone who was tied down seemed too inhumane for me.
“It was not a coincident that I was there that night, Schuyler.” Christian said, ignoring my question and changing the topic completely.. “Your mother hired me to protect you, at all costs. She hired me to let her die, and make sure that you lived.”
“How did my mother know you?” I asked. There was a silence for a while, which concerned me.
“You are not fully aware of the curse on your family, why the werewolves want you so bad. Werewolves are cursed as well. The moon holds their souls captive. When the full moon appears the wolves do not reach their peak, but rather the moon steals their power, their strength. They are useless on a full moon. Also, to tap into their true strength they need to be in their wolf form. Your blood is so enchanting, so mesmerizing, because within your body lies the cure. Your blood can have the blood the cure that they seek for. If they consume your blood, they are no longer victims of the moon, and they can use their true strength in their human form. Though they become so blind by the innate desire for your blood that they do not think, especially the lone wolves. They attack, and try to feast on your blood, but the smarter ones wait. The more intelligent wolves know that in order to unlock the curse within you, there are certain tasks that must be performed. The wolf that killed you mother knew that, only when he knew it was time to kill your mother, she vanished. It took him fifteen years to hunt her down, only to find out that her blood did not contain enough of the cure to help any wolf.”
“Within my blood lies the cure to unlock the werewolves’ true power?”
“Yes.”
“What tasks? What has to be done in order for my blood to reach the state in which it can become the cure?”
“The first step is you must fall in love.” I scoffed. Love was not in my agenda. My first kiss had been with that wolf, although I was nineteen. I cared little for romance, I did not want to be wooed or told that I was the fairest one of all. “I am completely serious, Schuyler. You are the first in your family to fight against the curse but you're still susceptible to it. Falling in love is part of your curse and it is not simply falling in love with just anyone, it is falling in love with a werewolf.” My breathing stopped. The snarky smile that had been on my lips fell.
“A werewolf? Are you meaning to tell me that my mother fell in love with a werewolf?” I watched his head nod, the light licking his face. “And my grandmother as well?”
“Every woman in your family. You can only have a girl as your first child, so that the curse will carry on.”
“Are you implying what I believe you are implying?” I asked, clenching my fists. It couldn’t be true, it wasn’t possible.
“Yes.” He said solemnly. “You are more werewolf than you are human.”
I stood up. “You are lying!” I stormed out of the room and out of the house. I took our spare car and sped away. I didn't know where I was going, I didn't care, but I had to get away.
Christian was lying, he had to be. I was not werewolf, I was pure human.
Then why did I feel the affects of the Alpha? Everything Christian said made sense, but it just wasn’t possible. I tightened my grip on the steering wheel and pushed the gas. My mother couldn’t have fallen in love with a werewolf, she was smarter than that.
I pulled over to the side of the road right on the outside of a town that was far enough away from the mansion.
That’s why it seemed like Christian was lying earlier, I fit in with the wolves because I was part—no majority—werewolf. Did I not have the curse of the werewolf because of my family’s own curse? I hit my head against the steering wheel and closed my eyes. I wasn’t ready for this information, but would I ever have been?
I wasn’t sure how long I sat there, but I was rudely interrupted by someone knocking on my car window. My head shot up to see the wolf from earlier standing outside my window. He was motioning for me to roll down my window. I reached for my pistol in the middle counsel and then flicked him off. He held up my knives and smirked at me. I cursed, and then pushed my door open, pistol still in hand.
“Don't you look lovely.” He said, taking in my long sleeve dark purple shirt and my black pajama pants tucked into my boots.
“Don't be smart, give me my blades.”
“Why should I? It was a bitch trying to get off that tree, not to mention that it was quite painful.”
“You'll live. My knives.” I held out my hand.
He twirled my knife in his hand. “Not yet.”
“I know already.” I said, crossing my arms. “I know what you're trying to do, Christian told me everything.”
“He told you everything?”
“Yes, he told me that wolves are going to try to force me to love them, because of my blood.”
“He told you everything, are you still loyal to him?”
“Sure, he lied to me but of course I am still loyal to him. I don't know why I am having this conversation with you, just give me my knives.”
“You don't understand why you are talking to me? You are not the kind of person that I assumed you were, the fact that you are still working with that man is proof enough that I misjudged you.”
“Working with that man? He rids the world of evil creatures such as yourself, there is nothing wrong with Christian.”
He opened his mouth to say something, but suddenly snapped it shut and sniffed the air.
“Get in the car.” He demanded.
“What?” He didn't wait for me to respond and he lifted me up, and threw me in the backseat. He jumped in the front and pulled the car in drive. The tires spun and the car fish-tailed before he gained control of the car.
“What the heck!” I said, climbing into the front seat.
“Put your seat belt on.” He ordered and his tone made me listen to him. The moment I snapped the belt in, a jolt went through the car. I looked back and noticed two cars tailing us, and one of them had just rammed into the back of the car.
“What is going on?!”
“Christian is sending his lackeys after you.”