the next generation

The story continues

Waking up I imediately remembered the great evening I had with Monica and the Bellator Brothers. Hm, that sounds good, the Bellator Brothers. I guess I made them a new nickname. I went out of bed and went for a shower. My thoughts wondering back to the night with Oliver in the library. Mary might be right, I should not be so quick to judge. The longer I wait to figure it out, the more awkward I would feel. So I decided that today would be the day I would cycle to the library down hill and borrow the book Mary told me about. I dried off, put on some clothes and went straight ahead to the library. Even some breakfast could not stop me, finally I had the courage and determination and I was to afraid to lose it. 

*Nates POV* 

I enjoyed myself last night, having the whole family together. At least, the ones I like to live with. Monica has always been very loyal to my father and now to me so I could not ask for a better mate for my brother than her. Also, she was a great tracker and nurse. Monica her caring nature was the womans touch we all needed in this house. Especially after our mother died eight years ago. Since the night was so composed and enjoyable I was able to handle being near Elisabeth better. The need was calmer when everybody was around distracting me. Today I wanted to finish covering her house up, so it could not become even more damaged by the weather. I should ask one of my nephews to look at it and let him deside what would be best. As I walked down the stairs into the living room Monica was already waiting for me. "Goodmorning Alpha, care to fill me in with the details?", she asked me upfront with a big smirk on her face. "I don't think I can skip this talk now, can I?" I winked back at her as she was shaking her head as an answer. I seated myself in a chair and started explaining that Elisabeth is definately my mate, but that it was still something secretive. She needed some background to understand that Elisabeth was still not exploring her powers or even figured out how the real world worked. Monica was intriged by how the mind can take even the strong instinctive feelings away if  you try hard enough. "I know it's weird, but father is pressing the matter that she really has to find out everything in her own pace. I may not rush her because of my.. longings.". I let out a sighed. It was okay for me to show my feelings here in the house with the people I love. For the outside world, and the rest of the pack, I always had to be determined and strong. "I understand brother. Maybe we can all push her a bit in the right direction? Very subtle I mean.". I laughed. "As if I not already ordered father to fill her in a bit. He told her the history of the town but she still has no idea of our part in it. Or her part.". Monica gave a nodd, rubbed my shoulder and then walked out of the room. My queue to go as well. First I needed to visit my newphew, my pack duties could wait a couple of hours. 

* END Nates POV* 

The moment I walked into the library the  lady working there was looking at me as if I was lost. She kept an eye on every step I took. God, town people can be so nozy. I went to the history department first. In my mind it would be more fitting to search between the folklore stories but I wanted to give Olivers story a chance and this would be the first step to do it. I scanned through the titles untill I saw a huge brown book with our towns name on it. I decided to take a look and took it off the shelf. I seated myself in a readingchair and scanned through the index. One of the titles of the chapters was about the towns contracts made through time. I found an old copy of a contract that was written. It said that in return for protection of the town folks they would get land, taxmoney and honourable political titles. Guess in that moment in time it would be landlords and stuff. Could they be the werewolves Oliver was talking about? The town did need protection so at least that part was true. How could I find out about the creatures? Maybe try the biology section. As if it was faith I bumped into the correct book within seconds. I don't know it I believe in faith, or a moon goddes creating mates for every werewolf, but it was conveniant enough. The book talked about the different creatures people said would have been seen near the town. Werewolves, they had their own chapter. The chapters described a lot of different creatures of which I never heard of. It talked about healers, seer, and witches. Sure, why not witches as well. I rolled my eyes as I read in silence. I skipped everything and  went to the chapter of the werewolves. The book told me that they lived in packs, were stronger and faster then normal human men. The beasts were only beasts in the light of the full moon but still in their normal human form they would posses enormous powers. The wolves seemed to be scattered al over town in different positions and sometimes took those positions by force. Nobody would dare to get in their way. The wolves had the status as violent beasts as well as the pretectors of those who needed and deserved it. They were cunning and had healed faster as normal humans. I took some time to just take in the information, a lot sounded like the fairytales my parents used to tell me when I was a little girl. Did they tell me those stories as a bedtime story? It they knew Oliver they might have thought werewolves were real as well. Or whatever is left of them. Stronger.. Faster.. Josh was very fast.. He always rans out of the house like it is nothing without breaking a sweat. No, it can't be true. They do feel like a very bonded family.. maybe like a pack. Even Monica fits in perfectly. Who would be the alpha? Suddenly I thought about the house.. It was a house of status, old as time itself, it had a lot of land. The house belonged to Nate instead of to his father. Can Nate be the Alpha? Is that why he has everything anyone can wish for at such a youngh age? I never see him work or call for work for that matter. He is just out whenever he pleases.. Maybe  he does not have to work at all? It is just a birth right or something? My mind kept spinning, trying to connect little details and fill in a story in which werewolves would be a thing. I borrowed the book and went back to the house. 

    When I arrived at the Bellator property the only ones home seemed to be Gertrude and Monica. "Lizzy Honey, would you like to take a walk with me?", Monica asked me up front the moment I walked in. "Uh.. yeah.. sure, did you wait for me?". I felt awkward standing there, with the creature book in my hand. She glared at it for a bit but I guess she decided to just let it go. "No silly, I was just going for a walk and since you came back I invited you. So, shall we?", she was walking towards the door behind me suggesting I had to hurry. I placed the book on the kitchen table and just walked out with her. 

    We walked for an hour or so through the woods. I was not familiar with this part. I never went this deep in alone. There aren't a lot of people living there and if you get lost you might have a big problem on hand. Nobody to find you or, nobody to safe you when you are disturbed. Monica seemed to know the woods better than I did, which was strange for me since I lived here all my life and she did not. She seemed determined to go even further in. After a few minutes of walking in silence she stopped and looked at me. "Can you smell that Liz?". "I'm sorry, what do you mean? I don't smell anything except the normal smell of wood and earth". She let out a sigh, dissapointed with my answer. "Maybe try a little harder, close your eyes and focus. Let your nose smell what is laying ahead of us.". Why would Monica pry on this so hard? Whatever, I wanted to be her friend, she could make my life a lot easier among all those Bellator Brothers. I closed my eyes and listened for a moment. I focused on my own breathing, how my feet were connecting with the earth beneath me. I inhealed as the wind was blowing and smelled it. I looked up in excitement. "Water! We are near the stream!". She laughed at me. "Very good Honey. You're a girl, you should train yourself to be aware of your surroundings more". Maybe she had a point there. We walked back to the house and as we stumbeled into the garden it was already getting dark. 

    I ate with the whole family. Somehow it was different from yesterday, everybody was waiting, looking at me, wondering. An awkward silence next to the sounds of Josh devouring his food. "Did you enjoy the book, Elisabeth?", Oliver asked me out of the blue. f**k. I left the book in the kitchen. They must think I have read it, maybe think I believe it, or believe Oliver. Is that why everybody is looking at me? Does that mean everybody here believes in werewolves and other creatures? Are they, werewolves? "Oh. Uh. s**t, I'm sorry I left it on the kitchen table. f**k. Oh s**t I'm sorry I'm cursing I should not do that." I kept on mumbling. My breathing became high and I was starting to feel warm. "I need some air. I'm sorry. Excuse me for a bit.". My hart was pounding. Was I having a panick attack? All I wanted to do was get out of that room and breathe. I walked out and went outside, to the small bench beneath my bedroom window. The bench were Nate once sat with me and breathed.