Asphalt Moon

Chapter 4 – "The Journal"

Tío Ray locked himself in the office for two hours.

I paced the garage. Cade sat on a tool chest, watching me. Nellie read the labels on oil cans out loud.

"Ten-W thirty. Five-W twenty. High mileage. Synthetic blend…"

"Nellie."

"Just trying to help."

"You're not helping."

She put the can down. "Okay, new plan. I kick the door open, you grab the journal, we run."

"That's a terrible plan."

"You got a better one?"

I looked at the office door. It was old wood. A good kick would probably break the lock. But Tío Ray was my dad. I couldn't just..

The door opened.

Tío Ray stood there. The journal was tucked under his arm. His face was tired.

"Sit down, Lena."

"I don't want to sit. I want Mom's journal."

"And you'll get it. But first, you listen."

Cade stood up. "Mr. Calderon, maybe we should give her some space…"

"You sit too, boy. You're in this now."

Cade sat.

Nellie raised her hand. "Should I wait outside?"

"You stay too. Someone has to keep Lena from running off."

Nellie gave me a look. I shrugged.

Tío Ray sat on the edge of his desk. Held the journal like it was made of glass.

"I knew Hale a long time ago. He wasn't always an old man in a suit. He used to be someone important in the wolf world. A leader."

"What happened?" I asked.

"He got pushed out. Lost his pack. Now he collects information. Sells it to whoever pays." Tío Ray tapped the journal. "This? It's real. Your mother wrote it. But Hale didn't give it to you out of kindness. He wants something."

"What?"

"I don't know yet. But we find out before you read a single page."

I stood up. "That's not fair. It's my mom's words. I have a right to read them."

"You have a right to stay alive." Tío Ray's voice cracked. "I already lost her. I'm not losing you too."

The garage went quiet.

Cade put his hand on my back. "Maybe he's right. We should check if the journal is safe first."

"It's a book. How unsafe can it be?"

"Wolfsbane on the pages," Nellie said. "Or a tracking spell. Or a curse that makes your hair fall out."

"That's not a thing."

"Is it? I don't know. I'm new to this werewolf stuff."

Despite everything, I almost laughed.

Tío Ray stood up. "I'm keeping the journal for three days. I'll have someone I trust examine it. Then you can read it. Promise."

"Who?"

"An old friend. Not a wolf. Just someone who knows things."

I wanted to argue. But his face was so tired. So scared.

"Three days," I said.

"Three days."

He locked the journal in the office safe. Then he walked past me and went inside the house.

The garage felt empty without him.

Nellie broke the silence. "So. Three days. What do we do until then?"

"School," Cade said.

"Boring."

"Survive," I said. "Damon said the rogue's friends might come for me. We need to be ready."

Cade nodded. "I'll talk to my pack. Set up patrols around your place and the garage."

"And I'll make a schedule," Nellie said. "Someone stays with Lena at all times."

"I don't need a babysitter."

"Too bad. You're getting one."

I rubbed my face. "Fine. But I'm sleeping in my own bed."

"Then I'm sleeping on your floor."

"Nellie…"

"Non-negotiable, girlfriend. I brought snacks."

She pulled a bag of chips from her backpack.

I gave up. "Fine."

That night, Nellie slept on an old mattress on my floor.

She snored. Loudly.

I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. The moon was two days from full. The pull in my chest was stronger now. Like a rubber band stretching.

Around 2 AM, I couldn't take it anymore.

I got up. Crept past Nellie. Went downstairs.

The garage office was dark. The safe was in the corner, behind a stack of old tires. I knew the combination. Mom's birthday.

I shouldn't open it.

Tío Ray said three days.

But the journal was right there. And I couldn't wait.

My fingers dialed the combination. The lock clicked.

I pulled out the journal.

The leather was warm. Like it had been held recently.

I sat on the floor, turned to the first page, and read.

Dear Lena,

If you're reading this, I'm probably gone. I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you everything myself, but some secrets are dangerous to say out loud.

I was born a wolf. So were my parents, and their parents. The wolf is in our blood. It doesn't skip. It waits.

When I met your father, he had already walked away from the pack. He thought he was human. I let him believe that. Because I loved him, and I wanted a normal life.

Then you were born.

You were perfect. Human eyes. Human heartbeat. No wolf.

I was so relieved.

But the wolf doesn't skip. It waits.

On your first birthday, you shifted in your crib. Just for a second. Your eyes glowed gold. Then you were a baby again, crying like nothing happened.

I knew then that you would grow up with the wolf inside you. I just didn't know when it would wake up.

I'm writing this so you know the truth: the wolf is not a curse. It's a gift. But it's also a target.

There are people who want our bloodline. They think it has power. One of them killed your grandmother. Another tried to kill me.

I don't have much time. So I'll say this: trust your heart. Not the bond. Not the pack. Not the moon. Your heart.

It will lead you to the right person. The right choice.

I love you, mija. More than the moon. More than the wolf.

—Mom

My hands were shaking.

I read it three times.

I shifted. At one year old. My whole life, I thought I was human. But the wolf was always there. Waiting.

Now it was waking up.

The garage door creaked.

I looked up.

Tío Ray stood in the doorway. His face was unreadable.

"You opened the safe."

"You said three days. I couldn't wait."

He walked over. Sat next to me on the floor.

"What did she write?"

I handed him the journal. He read it in silence. When he finished, his eyes were wet.

"I didn't know you shifted as a baby," he said. "She never told me."

"She was protecting you."

"Yeah." He handed the journal back. "She was always protecting everyone."

"What do I do now? The wolf is waking up. Hale said the rogue's friends will come. And Damon keeps talking about the bond."

Tío Ray put his hand on my shoulder. "You do what your mother said. You trust your heart. Not the moon. Not some ancient bond. Your heart."

"And if my heart is confused?"

He almost smiled. "Then you wait. The right answer always comes."

The next morning, Cade showed up early.

Nellie was still asleep on my floor. She'd rolled off the mattress at some point and was hugging my dirty laundry basket.

"Should we wake her?" Cade whispered.

"Absolutely not. This is the quietest she's been all night."

We walked to the garage. Cade made coffee. I sat on the workbench and told him about the journal.

"So you're a wolf," he said. "You always were."

"Looks like it."

"Does that change anything?"

I looked at him. He was leaning against the counter, coffee in hand, hair messy. Completely human. Completely steady.

"It changes everything," I said. "But not us."

He smiled. "Good. Because I'm not going anywhere."

Nellie stumbled in, still half asleep. "Did someone say coffee?"

"There's a pot on the counter."

"I love you both." She poured a cup and drank it black. Made a face. "Ugh. Who made this?"

"Cade."

"That explains it."

The garage phone rang.

I picked it up. "Calderon's Garage."

A voice I didn't recognize. Male. Low.

"Lena Calderon?"

"Who's asking?"

"Someone who knew your mother. Meet me at the old bridge on River Road. Noon. Come alone."

The line went dead.

I put the phone down.

Cade saw my face. "Who was that?"

"I don't know. But he wants to meet. Alone. At noon."

"Absolutely not," Nellie said.

"I have to go. He said he knew my mom."

"Then we go with you."

"He said alone."

Cade grabbed his jacket. "I don't care what he said. We're coming."

I wanted to argue. But I was scared. And I didn't want to be alone either.

"Fine. But you stay hidden. If he sees you, he might run."

"Deal."

We grabbed our helmets and headed for the door.

Nellie grabbed a tire iron. "What? For protection."

"Put that back."

"It's my emotional support tire iron."

I didn't have the energy to fight her.

We rode toward River Road.

The sun was high. The air was hot. And somewhere ahead, a stranger was waiting with answers about my mom.

Or a trap.

Either way, I was done waiting.