Imani
Today I am going to meet up with Eric as we promised last week. Ben and Oliva already went out for the day and it's just Zoe, Neema, and me at home. Benjy went to school today. These past couple of days Benjy continued to be rude towards me and Zoe. He knows better than to act the same way towards Neema.
I got dressed in ripped blue jeans with white sneakers and a warriors jersey shirt. I put my hair up in the bun and wore light makeup and brought a small fanny pack bag.
"Where are you going?" Zoe asked me when I came out of the bathroom.
"I'm going to see Eric," I said grabbing my phone and key to the house.
"You mean the same guy who was supposed to help you escape?" She asked.
"Yeah," I said awkwardly.
"Well, then I got to come." She said turning around and quickly running into her room.
"What do you mean?" I asked confused.
"I need to meet the person would willing to risk everything for." She says coming out of her room wearing black shorts, a white tank top, and a dark blue kimono that has a picture of a Koi fish all over it. I let out a sigh and agree for her to come along. I wouldn't mind if Eric met at least one of my family members. Although I can't tell him what I am I still want to be able to hang out with him and invite him over.
We told Neema were going out and she let Zoe have the keys to her car. We are driving to meet Eric at a restaurant he picked out for us to meet. At first, he was going to drive me, but since Zoe is coming with us I told him I'll meet him there.
"So how has it been living here with us?" I asked as were driving.
"It's fine it's a lot crowded than back at the cabin. But it's a little wired I guess. I think once we start meeting more people than it would start to feel more wired. I feel like a stranger in someone else's house."
"Welcome to the club," I said. "I agree with you. I feel the same way too. And it doesn't help when you have an annoying bother who reminds you that your different and wanted."
"Oh, You're talking about Benjy, right? I don't pay any mind to him or his mama." Zoe says.
"I don't care about Oliva either. In fact, she makes me feel more awkward living here than Benjy does. It's just I came here to learn more about my family and find my father. And I feel like I haven't done anything. Ben is always working and Benjy keeps to himself. It's like what is the point in all of this?" I said.
"I think in time we will know. Because if you look at it no one knows what they are doing. Not even my mom. She came here because she wants to fix the relationship with her brother and also finally introduce me to my family and have me make friends. But no one is taking the first step." Said Zoe.
I get what she is saying and I see where she is coming from. I just wish the process was a little faster. I still haven't found anything related to my mother.
"Do you think in time Benjy would accept us too?" I asked. As much as I don't trust him Benjy is still my brother and I don't want us to end up like Ben and Neema. I am trying not to become like our family.
We arrive at the restaurant which is a southern-style restaurant.
"Wow, he picked a nice place." Zoe says as we entered the restaurant. I found Erick in the far left of the restaurant seated at a table. I quickly run over to him and give him a hug. I have missed him so much and it feels so good to see a comfortable face.
"Imani" As we got closer to the table Zoe grabbed my arm. I turned around and looked at her confused.
"What happened?" I asked.
"Do you smell that?" She said. I smell the air and look at her even more confused.
"Yeah, food." I said.
"No. I mean another scent like a scent of a wolf." She whispers into my ear.
"Well, I mean half the population belongs to the Sliver Fang pack so?" I said not understanding what she is trying to say. Zoe looks around the restaurant one last time then lets out a sigh.
"Forget." She says shaking her head. "My wolf is telling me something different. But if you don't feel then..." She says dropping it.
Star?
Yes, My wolf answers.
Do you understand what Zoe is saying? I asked.
I do smell a scent different from what we smelled before, but I am not sure what it is since the scent of the food here is strong. My wolf says.
We continue to walk towards the table Eric is sitting at. Eric gets up and quickly rushes over to give me a hug.
"Imani," He says giving me a squeeze.
"I missed you too." I said hugging him back. We pull away from each other and I introduce him to Zoe.
"This is my cousin Zoe. And Zoe this is my best friend Eric who basically traveled to the other the side of the country from me." I said with a smile. The moment Eric and Zoe's eyes met there was a wired shift in the air. I felt like they were both sizing each other up. I don't know what was happening but something told me that Eric and Zoe are not going to click like I thought they would.
"Nice to meet you." Eric said reaching out his hand. Zoe slowly reaches out her hand and hands Eric's hand. She doesn't say anything.
"Okay, so let's order I am hungry," I said trying to change the atmosphere. I take a seat next to Eric while Zoe sits across from us. We order our food and while we eat Eric tells me what he has been up to. I also tell Eric what I have been up to.
"So you still haven't gotten closer with your dad yet?" He asks.
"No, we haven't had a chance to talk because he always working. Part of me wonders if Benjy goes through this too. Maybe that's why he's been an ass?" I said. Maybe Benjy doesn't get to be with his dad as often as I thought and that's why he is being a brat towards everything.
"Who cares about that little boy." Zoe said rolling her eyes.
"Okay, now I got to meet him." Eric said with a laugh.
"Trust me you don't," I said shaking my head.
"So Eric what does your parents think about you moving out here?" Zoe asked.
"Um..Zoe--"
"No, it's cool Imani." Eric said. "Well, I wouldn't know what my parents would think since my parents left me after I was born," He said.
"Yeah, Eric has been living in foster care all his life." I said looking down at my plate. I didn't tell Zoe about Eric's past because I felt it wasn't my place to say. I also didn't think she would ask a question like that on the first day.
"Oh, that's sad to hear." Zoe said not really sounding sad. "So have you ever tried looking for them? you know to see where you came from?" She asked. I glare at Zoe trying to make her see she is being rude. Does this attitude run in the family?
You know I can hear your thoughts right? Zoe said in my head. I jumped at the sound of her voice.
Ah, shit I forgot.
Look, I don't mean to be rude. But something about him is off and I can feel it. She says.
Off? what do you mean off? If something is off its because you now made this lunch awkward with your personal questions. You just met the guy. And you wanted to meet him by the way. Eric is my best friend if something was off I would know. I said getting annoyed.
"Imain!" Eric yelled. I jumped at the sound of his voice.
"Are you okay? you guys have just been staring at each other for like 3 minutes." He said looking at me confused.
"I'm fine." I said. We finish our lunch and I had to cut our hanging out time short because Zoe ruined the mood. I told Eric when he is free again will hang out again with just the two of us.
Zoe was driving us back up and I was still upset that I had to cut my time short with Eric because Zoe made things uncomfortable.
"If I knew you were going to act like this I wouldn't have agreed to you coming with us." I said with a sigh.
"Look, I am sorry I ruined your lunch date. But I am telling you something is off about him."
"What? what is it? you just met him and your already judging him. I thought you would be better than that." I said getting annoyed. "Topics about family and parents are very sensitive to Eric and me. And you asking questions like that was very Oliva like." I said.
We stopped at a red light and Zoe turns to look at me. "I am sorry. I didn't think I would act like that too. But the fact that he comes from an unknown background---"
"Okay just stop right there. Unknown background? How could you say that? I have been friends with Eric for almost all my life. You don't think he knows that? He has been alone all his life. His mother didn't want him. What the hell was he supposed to do? He could have ended up in jail or worse. But he didn't for a young man with no family and nor parents he finished high school and got himself a job. Now he working towards being a police officer and helping other kids who are without an adult figure in their life and you wanna take all that away from him. I will not sit here and listen to you talk shit about my friend. I thought you were better than this?" I said in shock at Zoe's behavior. Why is she hating on Eric so much?
"The light is green," I said and looked out toward the window. Zoe puts her foot on the gas and the car takes off.
"Imani. I can't explain it but my wolf is telling me Eric is not human. And I think you should look into it. You haven't been a wolf for that long so I can understand that you may not---"
"Were done." I said cutting her off. I didn't like what Zoe was saying and it upsets me that she talking as if she wasn't the one who has been living in the woods her whole life. Yes, I haven't been a wolf for that long but she doesn't know how to control her wolf either. What makes us to different.
Star could you believe this?
Sadly I can. I do think there is something odd about him and I did pick up an unknown scent. She said.
I have known Eric my whole life I think I would have known if he was a wolf.
You didn't know your mother was a wolf. She yes and I roll my eyes.
We drive the rest of the way home in silence.
Zoe and I don't speak for the next few days and it makes me even more upset because she didn't come to apologize or at least ask me to speak to Eric and apologize to him too. Ben finally makes time for us and decided to introduce Zoe and me to his beta, Omar.
"I am planning to introduce you to the pack in two months. I plan to have a welcoming party for both of you and Zoe you'll get to meet your grandparents." Ben said. Ben took us to the packhouse which is located in Raleigh. It is a three-story building with the 1st floor being the history of the pack it also has a public library. There are photos and heirlooms all around this floor. The second floor is a recreational area for the youth in the pack. There is a game room, extra rooms to sleep in, a clinic, a small store that sells herbs, weapons, and traditional clothing. The third floor is the business floor. Ben's office and other pack officials are upon this floor. This is where the main base where they meet up with other members of the pack and talk. There is also a training base no too far from the packhouse.
Ben showed us around the packhouse.
"This is the floor hold all our history and traditions." He said.
"Our history starts here." Ben pointed to a huge island that's on the coast of South Africa.
"Where is that?" Zoe asked confused. I have seen the map of the world many times and I never have never seen that island before.
"This place is called Isiqhingi senyanga. It's Zulu for moon island. The reason you do not see this on a common human map is that on this island there is a barrier that shields the island from the outside world. Only people with the blood of Mawu can see and get on this island. Anyone who gets close to this island will be lost in a sea of fog forever. This is the same for vampires. They have their own country too." Ben pointed to Romania.
"And the trolls." He pointed to ice land. "The witches and mermaids are everywhere but the witches' capital is in Nigeria. The mermaids are broken into sections with mermaids who live in the warm waters and mermaids who live in the cold waters. Their council meets somewhere in the Caribbean." He says and walks us over to a small statue of a woman. The statue is black and the woman has many hands and is necked. She has a snake wrap around her body and on one hand, there is a ball that's supposed to be the moon and on her other hand, there is a sun. And she is wearing a crown.
"This is Mawu. She is our moon goodness. The beginning and end to everything and everyone. She is our creator and the reason why we are given this power. We pray and give thanks to her and her every day. And we celebrate our connection to her and our wolf spirit on the night of the harvest moon.
During colony rule and when cattle slavery was taking off. An African princess named Lesedi whose country was falling because of colonization met Alpha. Mawu's companion wolf. He gave her a piece of his divine power and gave her the power to turn into a beast. That was the first werewolf. Our wolf spirit is a direct link to Alpha and he helps bridges our connection to Mawu.
Lesedi took the few people who were alive and used her beastly power to fight back and save her people. She took her people and went into hiding and that's how they discovered this island and named it Isiqhingi senyanga." He says as we continue to listen. I look down at the statue and I feel a strange connection to it. The statue looks nothing like the woman I saw in my dream.
"Lesedi is what we would call today Queen Luna. Luna means moon. Luna is a term similar to the first lady. Like Oliva is the Luna of the Silver Pack. We are divide into subgroups but all werewolves answers to the royals which are the descents of Lesedi, the first wolf. The royals are much bigger and powerful than us. If you marry an alpha you will earn the title of Luna. Being an Alpha is a birthright and is express in your DNA.
Okay, so I'm kind of all over the place now. But the main thing you have to understand is after many years the elders of Isiqhingi senyanga wanted to expand and also help other people who were captured and helpless during colonization. The first elder name Talib." We move over to a painting of a black man.
"He is the founder of the Silver fang pack. He was the first from Isiqhingi senyanga to arrive in North Carolina. " Ben then goes on to tell us how he was able to help free slaves and create his own pack. Ben takes us to a room where it's full of famous historical fingers.
"You girls can talk around and read about them. I'll be back in a few minutes." He said leaving us to explore. As I walked around I was shocked to find out these famous people were also werewolves.
Abraham Galloway escaped slavery from Wilmington in a ship's hold in 1857 and went on to become a fiery abolitionist, Union spy, and leader of a movement. Gorge White served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1897 to 1901. He also was the only black representative in Congress.
Princeville is a North Carolina city that was founded by freed enslaved people in 1885 which is the city we live in. And in Rocky Mount North Carolina on Nov. 27, 1962. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered an earlier version of his "I Have A Dream" speech. Nina Simone and Etta Baker were all part of the Silver Fang pack. There is so much history here. It's amazing and empowering to think I came from these people. Although I wasn't borning in N.C it's nice to know that they came from the same pack as me and my family. Our people have done so much for this city, state, and country.
After the history lesson, Ben takes us to the second floor. We meet the pack doctor who takes care of people around the community. We went to the shop and got a purple shirt with our pack's crest on it. And then Ben took us to the third floor where we met Omar.
"Hello, it's nice to meet you." Omar said shaking our hands.
"This is Omar who is my right-hand man. He was been my best friend since we were kids. His son is also best friends with Benjy. And His son will be next in line being Benjy's beta." Ben said. We meet other pack officials who are in charge of defense, the budget, keeping traditions. We also meet the ambassador of Isiqhingi senyanga. Today was a very fulling educational day. And I can't wait to learn more. We also have a private school that only accepts students who are part of the pack. Where the students can learn about the pack's history as well as learn about their wolf.
On our way back home for dinner, Ben told us he is going to start teaching us how to control our wolf soon. When we got home I took a shower and got ready for dinner. Zoe and I are still not talking and it's making me upset because this something that could easily be fixed. After dinner, Ben pulled me to the side to talk.
"I am planning to go to the cabin with Neema tomorrow. She is going to bring everything your mother left behind. We think it could give us some clues as to what where she is from and why she left." He says. I nod in agreement. I am happy we are finally talking and he is giving me information. "So in the meantime, I think it's best for your safety that we don't tell anyone you can shift. Because I feel there must be a reason why your mom was giving you suppressors to stop you from having a connection with your wolf spirit. I will still teach you how to use it. But it will have to be when there is no one around." He says. Although I don't like the idea of having I understand.
"Okay. I understand." I said.
"Great I'm glad we are on the same page." He says. "Well have a good night. I'll let you know when we have Zora things for you to look through them." He says and leaves.
Sometimes I wonder what made my mom fall in love with my dad. Because he is so different from her. He is quiet and doesn't show his facial expressions that much. And he keeps to himself. Everything is simple and clean with him. The little times I get to see him I try to talk to him and get to know more about him but he's like a robot. I don't get how in the photos with my mother Ben is able to smile be carefree. I wonder what my mother did to get my dad to open up. I would ask Benjy but I doubt he would care and help. Once again I go to bed with so many thoughts in my mind.