The Wolf Heir

Chapter Ten: The Letter

A loud yawn escaped me as I stretched in my bed before opening my eyes. The bright light was streaming from my window and I sighed in defeat as I realized I hadn’t dreamt of anything while I was sleeping. Do you know another way to find Morgan? I asked my wolf, feeling as if I was between the wall and a blade.

My wolf emerged and hesitated, no. There is no other way. No one knows where she is. Morgan will give you the location when she knows you’re ready for it.

I groaned and got up from my bed. I couldn’t just stand and wait, there were things to be done this morning especially if I wanted to finish them before Elizabeth came by.

…

After my quick breakfast, I was at the stables, getting Blaze prepped up so that I could take him to the field to stretch his legs while I tended the crops. Once the saddle was strapped onto his back, I got up and grabbed tried to keep my balance as Blaze huffed in protest. I still hadn’t gotten around to making him used to the equipment but at least he wasn’t scared anymore.

Slowly, we made our way out and began our morning duties.

While I checked the crops for any sign of plague, Blaze was happily enjoying the sun. He was looking around at everything with amazement. It made me wonder what kind of life he had before coming here. He must have been lonely and isolated. That wasn’t the kind of life I wished on any animal. Tell me about it, my wolf huffed inside of me. She had been pestering me all morning, urging me to let her out to run through the forest. It had been a while since I last shifted and she was anxious.

Calm down, I’ll let you out later, I replied, my voice held certain frustration.

I will believe it when I see it, she responded before disappearing to the back of my mind again. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. She acted like a child, a spoiled child.

By the time noon was upon us, I had finished searching the whole field and making sure the crops were properly watered. I was riding back to the barn with Blaze by my side when suddenly, a big brown wolf appeared in front of us.

The wolf crouched down in a stalking manner as he walked towards us. Blaze was getting more nervous with each step the wolf took and I was sure he was going to drop me and run if I didn’t do something soon. Getting off his back, I turned to face the wolf and let my wolf out, I could feel my eyes glowing as my eyesight improved.

My eyes met the other wolf’s. “Shift, now,” I ordered, leaving no room for hesitations.

The wolf looked at me and a slight whine left its muzzle. Slowly, it closed its eyes and I watched as the fur on its back was replaced with pale skin. Once Elizabeth was back in human form, she was covering her body with her hands. “You are no fun, Katherine Greenwood,” she said with a slight pout.

I shook my head and let out a deep sigh to keep from yelling at her.

“And you are not funny. Take things seriously, please,” I said as I walked over to Blaze who was calmer now, there was even a confused look on his face. Thankfully, I had brought a blanket, just in case I had to need one like Elizabeth was now. I handed her the blanket and waited for her to get up before continuing. “Where are your clothes?” I asked considering I hadn’t seen them nearby.

Elizabeth let out a nervous chuckle and pointed to the forest behind us. “I left them a couple of meters that way.” My eyes widened and she quickly responded, “I’ll go get them now. I will meet you back at your house, don’t worry.” Before I could reply, she was running towards the trees, out of ear range.

I sighed and looked at Blaze. “Let’s go boy. I don’t think she’s going to be back anytime soon.” Blaze let out a huff and began to follow me as both of us walked to the barn.

After Blaze was back in his stable, I locked the barn and headed to my house. My mother was in the living room, finishing sewing a dress and looked up to see me. “Dear, I am going to have to take this dress to the Smiths’ Residence soon. Would you mind eating alone today?” she asked sheepishly, and I politely waved her off.

“Don’t worry mother. It is no problem. Besides, I think Elizabeth is going to be here soon,” I said with a shrug as I headed to the bathroom to wash my body.

“Elizabeth has been here a lot recently. Is there something wrong?” she called; her voice sounded worried.

I shook my head, even though she couldn’t see me all the way from the living room. “No, mother. We are just spending more time together now since she is going to get married soon,” I explained, it was a valid argument considering that was actually happening.

“Really?” my mother asked in surprise.

I let out a laugh as I took off my clothes in the bathroom. “Don’t pretend you haven’t noticed the ring on her finger, mother,” I teased as I began to wash my body.

I heard my mother chuckle, but she didn’t deny it. If my mother was the most observant person I had ever met, she could notice any small change from afar.

The minutes passed and my mother walked over to the bathroom door. “Dear, I am leaving. I will be back soon. Oh, and can you help me look for my glasses after lunch, please? I think I remember seeing them last in the storage room upstairs.”

 “Yes mother, it’s alright. Take care,” I said, and I heard her footsteps retreat before the door closed after her. From afar, I could make out distant murmurs and I was guessing Elizabeth had arrived and had met my mother on her way out.

Quickly, I finished washing my body and hair and putting on my dress. In a hurry, I walked out of the bathroom and into my room in search of my hairbrush. Elizabeth was still outside talking to my mother and just in time, I finished brushing my hair.

Elizabeth stepped inside my house and instantly searched the room for me. “I’m here,” I said as I walked out of my room, tying my hair in a bun behind me.

Elizabeth smiled and pointed at the door, “I just saw your mother outside. She said I could come in and get something to eat.”

I nodded my head and led the way to the kitchen, “let’s eat.”

Now that we were werewolves, we ate noticeably more. My mother had been surprised to see my change in portions when I ate and she had even questioned me if I was pregnant. To her, it made no since that I was starting to eat more. Neither did it make for me but I just did what my body asked me to do.

Elizabeth and I had made sure to rationalize our meals and were now laying on the floor, looking up at the ceiling as if it were the most interesting thing in the room. “Did you dream of anything last night?” Elizabeth asked, breaking the silence.

I shook my head and I heard her sigh. “Me neither. I wish I could have dreams like yours.”

I scoffed and shook my head again as I sat up. “Believe me, you don’t.”

I got up as I remembered what my mother had asked me to do before leaving. “Will you help me look for my mother’s glasses? She thinks she left them in the storage room upstairs.”

Elizabeth nodded and was quickly on her feet. Both of us headed up the stairs and towards the room next to my parent’s room. Inside, it was colder than any other room in the house and a small shiver ran through me.

We walked towards the closet and my eyes widened. I didn’t remember a lot of boxes being kept here. “They might be inside,” Elizabeth suggested as she shifted her weight.

I sighed and took out two boxes and handed them to Elizabeth, “you take these, and I’ll take these. Hopefully we’ll find them here and soon.”

As we opened the boxes and searched inside, we worked in silence. In the boxes I had taken, there were only pieces of cloth and a couple of loose strings. I took all of the things inside, just to make sure I had gone through everything and from the corner of my eye, I saw Elizabeth get up to get more boxes from the closet.

I was too busy searching through the cloths that I barely heard my friend’s gasp. “Katherine is this yours?” she asked slowly as she took out a small green baby blanket from the box.

My eyes widened as I recognized the small piece of fabric. Gently, I took it from Elizbeth’s hand. I ran my hand over it, feeling its soft texture and, unconsciously, I brought it to my nose. Its smell was still the same. It was clean but there was still a hint of another smell in it. A smell I couldn’t exactly recognize but it made my wolf perk up and become restless. Do you know who this belonged to? I asked her and my wolf shook her big head in my mind.

No, I cannot remember but something about it feels familiar, she responded, and I sighed.

“What else is in there?” I asked Elizabeth, who was watching me closely. When I turned to look at her, she jumped and quickly looked through the box.

“Um, candles, a couple of ornaments and… oh, look, the glasses are here. Along with… this,” she said hesitantly as she took out a worn-out envelope. Her eyes widened and she turned to me, “I think this is for you.”

She extended out her hand and I took the envelope from her grasp. On the front of the envelope, was my name written in a handwriting I couldn’t recognize. I ran my fingers over the letter softly as if avoiding pressing on them by fear that they could be erased.

Slowly, I turned the envelope and found it open, my parents had read this letter and they had probably read it. Why didn’t they ever tell me about it? Why would they keep something so important from me? I couldn’t believe they could be capable of hiding what could be my parent’s last words to me from me.

Elizabeth placed a hand over mine, stopping me from taking out the folded letter inside and getting my attention. “Are you sure you want to know what is inside? Maybe your parents kept it from you because the truth can be hard, or maybe it doesn’t say anything important,” she suggested, trying to reason with me.

My gaze hardened and I pulled my hand back, “they had no right to decide for me. I am not a child any longer. Besides, I need answers.” Without another word, I took out the letter and began reading.

My dearest Katherine,

It is I, your mother. I am very sorry that I cannot accompany you in this life. We were in danger, and we needed to keep you safe. You are the future of our kind, you are special, my child. Someday you will know just how special you are. Until then, I leave you in the care of an old friend, Morgan, she will make sure to find you a nice home with people who will love you just as much as your father and I do.

My sweet child be strong, there are things out there you cannot even begin to understand, and you will be unprotected on your own. It will be your duty to reunite our bloodlines once again and keep our lineage, our mission alive.

One day you will understand. One day you will be old enough to know your place in this twisted world. Find Morgan, she will explain everything to you and restore the gaps in your memory. She will guide you on your quest to fulfill your destiny. You will never be alone, child. One day, you will find your kind and your true love, then you will understand what it is to be a Lupus. Because that’s your name, Katherine Lupus.

I wish we could have had more time together. A year wasn’t enough. I hope one day you will remember what led us to this and understand why it was imperative we kept you safe. You are the future of our kind. You are a Princess by birthright. Never forget your place. Your father and I will be by your side, always. Even if you cannot see us.

Take care my dearest girl. We love you with all our hearts.

With all my love,

Queen Hala Lupus

The letter fell from my grasp as I felt all the blood drain from my face. I was suddenly weak. Unable to speak or move. “Katherine?” Elizabeth asked softly as she sat by my side. When I didn’t respond, she picked up the letter and begun reading it.

The gasp that left her lips made me cringe. “Does this mean… does this mean your parents were-“

I interrupted her with a nod, “my parents were werewolves and, apparently, they were hunted down because they were powerful, they were the rulers of werewolves.”

When I was little, I had always dreamt of meeting my parents, of finding them, somehow, someway and starting over with them. Now I was certain that was never going to happen. The thought alone made my heart jump painfully in my chest.

Elizabeth placed a comforting hand on my shoulder, but I barely felt it. My head was beginning to pound and the last thing I wanted was to snap at her. “Let’s put these boxes back in their place and then we’ll go to the kitchen to make you a cup of tea,” she whispered soothingly as she got up and started to pack everything.

Drowsily, I got to my feet and tried to help her. Once everything was back where it was supposed to be, my friend took my mother’s glasses and helped me to the table by the kitchen, the letter was still in my hand. I hadn’t said anything in minutes, and I could tell she was worried about me but nothing I said would make it go again, the doubt, the fear, the sadness.

I barely noticed when she placed a cup of tea in front of me and sat down next to me. Thankfully, she didn’t pressure me to talk, instead, she just sat there and rank her tea.

“I think you should leave, Elizabeth. I am starting to feel bad and I don’t want to take it out on you,” I said honestly, my voice sounded hoarse and dry.

She nodded her head and gave me a tight hug. “I understand, don’t worry about it. I’ll come back tomorrow to see how you’re doing. Okay?” I only nodded my head and I heard her move towards the door and then the sound of the door closing.

I sat there in silence, not really thinking about anything. My head was burning and the last thing I wanted to be was awake, but I was determined to wait for my mother. To confront her. I was mad.

When I heard footsteps outside, I stiffened. “I am back, sweetie. Oh, you found my glasses!” she said cheerfully as she reached the table. Normally I would look at her with a bright smile so when I didn’t, I could feel her worry rolling off her in waves. “Are you okay, Katherine?”

I didn’t respond. Instead, I raised my hand above the table, exposing the letter. When I turned to look at my mother, she looked tense and the color had drained from her face. “Where did you get that?” she whispered.

I scoffed and got to my feet, “I was going to ask you the same thing. In fact, I am curious to know why you never showed it to me.”

“Sweetie-“

“Don’t. I don’t want excuses. Why did you hide this from me? Did you plan to keep this a secret all my life?” My voice was beginning to rise but I didn’t care, I was furious.

“I had to, Katherine,” she said weakly.

A low, feral ground escaped my lips and my mother jumped back in surprise, her eyes wide in shock and confusion. Before she could as anything, I jumped in, “Answer the question, mother.” My teeth were tightly gritted together.

My mother sighed in defeat, knowing I wasn’t going to let it go. “I never wanted you to find that letter. I couldn’t let you read it.”

“Why?” I demanded; my voice tight.

“Because you are my daughter! And from what I read in that letter, I would rather protect you and leave you in ignorance to keep you from making rash decisions!” she yelled back, fire was beginning to ignite in her eyes.

“You had no right,” I said in a low voice, not backing down. “My name is Katherine Lupus, not Greenwood.” My words went like a punch to her heart and I saw her flinch and her eyes begin to water. I couldn’t bare to see my mother cry, no matter how furious I was.

“I am going to bed. My head is killing me,” I said, and I left her standing by the table alone as I headed to my room, with the letter in my hand.