"Adrian." I muttered as I stared at my empty plate, I wanted to make some kind of smart remark about his family house but everything, down to the engravings in the baseboard.
"Bexley, so did you take a tour of the house yet?" I looked out of the corner of my eye to see the smallest smirk across his face.
"Yes I did, it was lovely. But where is my room? I never saw it." I stated finally looking up at him rather than the empty plate in front of me.
"Oh, Adrian when dinner is finished would you mind showing Bexley her room? It'd mean so much to me." Aunt Victoria asked him in the sweetest way. She never sounded like it was a question but rather making you feel like you truly wanted to do the task.
"Of course Aunt Vic, I'll do that right after I help you clear the table." Adrian seemed so controlled with Aunt Vic, like no matter the task, he would complete it no questions asked. And I don't know why, but that kind of loyalty scared the shit out of me. When dinner was finished and all the family moved into the den, only Vic, Adrian, and I were left, well so I thought.
"Bexley, I never got to introduce myself, I'm Chip, your grandfather." The older man stood in front of me, he seemed to be no older than fifty and his body towered over mine, intimidating me, making my body shake to the core.
After I remained silent for a couple more moments Chip stepped in again to talk. "I am sorry I was not able to speak to you earlier, I was showing your parents around and I guess we got caught up in the time. I am so happy you are here Bex, you have no idea." His voice was soft, but rusty, and for some reason he still intimidated me, maybe it was because no one but my closest friends and parents call me Bex. And here I am in front of a stranger telling me he is my grandfather and calling me by my personal nickname. I didn't like how my nickname rolled off his tongue, it was to familiar in his mouth for comfort.
I still remained quiet, because honestly I didn't know what I wanted to say, or what I should say.
What do you say to a grandfather you just meet after eighteen years?
"Well I assume you must be exhausted from your trip, I hope the food was to your liking." He paused as if wanting to say so much more, but his lips settled for so much less, "Adrian will take you to your room whenever you are ready."
I felt Adrian close behind me and before I turned to leave with Adrian I nodded to my grandfather and said a simple word, "Thanks."
I followed Adrian down the long hallway on the first floor, when we got close to the end of the hallway he came to a stop and turned to face the wooden door on his right.
"This is your room, if you need anything at all, I am a couple doors down on the left and Chip is upstairs, as well as your parents. If you don't need anything right now... I'll let you get comfortable and well... goodnight I guess." He talked fast at first, and then slowed down dramatically as if wanting me to step in and say something back.
"Goodnight." I responded and opened the surprising heavy door and stepped in quickly before Adrian could say anything else. As the door closed behind me, I pushed up against it and locked it to make sure I was completely safe from anyone walking in.
I looked around the cozy room, a huge picture of a white wolf hung right above the bed, as well as the whole room having a cabin and rustic feeling to it. The bed was a king size with the most soft grey blankets on top.
I pointed out two doors in my room I opened the closest one to the bed to revile a master sized bathroom, decorated the same as the bedroom. The other door led to a walk-in closet, with clothes that were already hung up and put away, some of the clothes were mine but a great amount of the others we not. But before I left the closet I noticed a note on the door.
Bex,
I thought you might enjoy some new clothes; you'll need warmer clothes to live here.
I hope you like them.
-Aunt Vic
I smiled at the note and the extremely kind gesture, I found the room a bit chilly and I was more than happy to find a warm pair of pajamas that Aunt Vic gave to me.
I was surprised that the clothes fit more than the clothes I pick out for myself but I wasn't complaining, I was overjoyed.
After I got ready for bed and I brushed my teeth I got my charger out of my bag for my phone and grabbed the TV remote, and hopped into bed. I was sitting up in bed for a while watching TV, when a knock on the door came.
"Who is it?" I yelled out.
"Hi sweetie it's mom, can I come in?"
"Yeah, come on in." I stated as I muted the TV and waited till my mom came and sat on the bed.
"Don't you like this place? It's absolutely gorgeous, and not to mention your biological family is extremely kind." Her words flowed out like she was rehearsing them for hours. I didn't want to disappoint her and I did not want to tell her about my doubts about the family she finds oh so perfect.
"It's all so great, everyone is so helpful and nice," I paused and waited, hoping she'd see in my eyes the hatred I had for this place and the longing I had for my hometown. But nothing came from her mouth and I could see she did not get the message that I was trying so hard to send her.
"Adrian seems like a great person, do you know how he is related to you yet?" My mother asked trying to keep from having complete silence.
"No I didn't think he was related to me, the way he was acting." I wasn't going to lie about the fact that he was flirting with me at dinner, but I wasn't completely sure if I wasn't related to him.
My mothers face questioned my statement and I knew I had to either explain or go to a different statement.
"Look it's all fine, I will ask Grandfather Chip tomorrow how everyone fits in." I stated before faking a yawn and putting my phone down on the side table.
"Well I will see you in the morning, Chip has a lot planned for you, so wake up early and prepared." That was the last thing my mother said to me as she shut the door behind her.
When the morning came, and I woke up to the beautiful sunrise seeping through the great window, expanding across the whole wall, I sat up and looked at my phone to see the time was six-thirty in the morning.
Looking around the room in the light was seeing the room totally different from last night, it felt bigger and more inviting then the previous night had brought.
When I got up, I went straight to the bathroom to brush my teeth and take a shower. While I was in the shower I heard a soft knock at the bathroom door, I thought I had locked my bedroom door before going into the bathroom but I was sadly mistaken.
"Who is it?" I projected over the loud water.
"Adrian." Ugh. Why was he constantly everywhere? It was greatly annoying, and it has only been a day.
"What do you want?" I wondered as I covered my body incase I forgot to lock the bathroom door and he walked in.
"I am just letting you know that Grandpa Chip is out back waiting for you, he said to take your time, but he just wanted me to check on you."
"Okay, I'll be out soon."
"So how did you sleep?" Why is he acting like this is some normal conversation? I'm in the goddamn shower, cant a girl get some privacy?
"Fine, now can you please leave so I can get dressed?" I asked as I slowly turned of the shower and opened the glass shower door.
"Yeah, see you out there." Oh lord, please tell me he was not going to be joining my grandfather and I's talk. I had so many annoying things to look forward to.
When I was dressed and was ready I headed out back to the great deck that went almost as long as the house.
I saw my grandfather sitting on a wooden chair and I cleared my throat to make sure I was noticed.
"Good morning Bex, how did you sleep?" He asked without taking his eyes off the forest that was in front of us.
"I slept very well thank you."
"That's great, do you like to hike?"
"I've hiked before, I wish I could've more, but living in New York there isn't a huge hiking option." I giggled to myself before taking a seat next to him.
"If you are wanting to, we can take a small hike and talk... privately." Chip said as he looked back, I followed his gaze to see Adrian and Ben standing close to the huge window overlooking the deck and backyard.
I bobbed my head getting up from the chair quickly; I followed Chip down the deck stairs and into the woods.
We walked for literal hours and the darkness grew over the mountain and swallowing the land around us.
It was eerie and uncomfortable, the Goosebumps that held to my body during the very warm night frightened me more, everything was quiet, and Chip didn't even say a word the whole time.
"So what did you bring me out here to talk about?" I finally spoke breaking the silent night.
"Shhh." He put his finger up to his mouth and touched his ear like someone or something was listening.
I held my breath trying to see if I could hear the thing that he was hearing.
"You will be able to see who your family really is and what you are meant to be." Chip whispered, putting his hand on my small shoulder and pointing into the night.
I squinted my eyes, wanting to see what was hiding in the night, my heart racing and my body realizing I was still holding my breath.
I heard low rumbling all around me and my body tensed up, ready to run or fight at any moment. The dark spot I kept my eyes on started to move as a black wolf slowly moved into the moonlight.
"Chip, a wolf! We need to leave before the pack gets here!" I felt the weight of his hand leave my shoulder and I turned to see a giant grey wolf standing in his place.
I let out a ear-splitting scream as I kicked the wolf and took off running trying to get out of the clearing were all the wolves were showing up. But it seemed like every part of the clearing was covered by a pack of thirty or so wolves.
I looked up and stared into the full moon as the breaking of twigs and growls grew nearer. I was not ready to die, and I was full of anger that Chip my grandfather would leave me alone with the pack of hungry wolves. As a ginormous grey wolf trotted up to me, but before he reached me and as I waited for death, before my eyes Ben was standing in front of me; naked.