A World Unknown

4. Woke

*Tiara*

I hardly slept the night before. My head was swirling with thoughts and the possibility of seeing my dad again. Plus, it was hard to keep it all secret. I watched as the sun rose through the slightly parted curtains of our hotel room. Grandma was a morning person so I knew she would be up soon. I watched the rising and falling of her chest as she snored softly. She rolled to the side facing me and blinked her eyes open.

“Girl, did you sleep at all?” Grandma asked.

“A little bit. I was hoping to get an early start and head back to the house.” I said.

“Well, I definitely don’t want to go without someone who knows the area a little better. I think the local police would be ok.” She explained.

“Sounds good! I’ll get up and get dressed.” I replied excitedly. Grandma let out a heavy sigh and sat herself up in bed.

“I’m not doing anything without a cup of coffee.” she remarked.

“Well, you’re in luck because we even have a coffee maker in our room!” I nearly shouted. How cool was that? It was like being in a mini house. She must have paid extra to have the coffee maker put in.

“I guess some hotel coffee will do. I wouldn’t know where to get a good iced coffee in these parts.”

I got up to make Grandma some coffee. I took out a filter and poured a packet of coffee grounds inside. Grandma had a coffee maker at home and had taught me how to use it. She liked having me do little stuff like that for her. I filled the reservoir with water and put the pot on. While it brewed, I went to the bathroom to freshen up. I wasn’t sure how today would go and a nervous excitement was pulsing through me. I splashed some water on my hair and pulled it back into a neat ponytail. As I finished up I could smell the coffee and heard the ready light illuminate. I don’t know how I hear sounds like that, but I use it to my advantage. I poured Grandma a tall cup of coffee with two sugars and one cream, just the way she likes it.

“Thank you, my sweet baby,” she said as I brought the cup to her.

“Grandma, I’m not a baby. I’m a teenager!” I corrected her. She giggled at my response.

“I missed the whole baby phase so as long as I draw breath, you are my baby, ok?” she retorted. I couldn’t help but laugh. It was a shame I didn’t know how much she loved me until I lost my mom. I got dressed. I wore my favorite shirt. I could tell my uncle all about it when I saw him again. The thought of seeing him again made my heart flutter. Right now, he was the closest thing to my dad.

We decided to grab a quick bite before heading back to my hometown. We were about 10 miles away and there was a little diner off the main road. We decided to stop in. I never went to any restaurants. Mom and dad cooked everything we ate or we got food from the street vendors in town. We went through the glass double doors and a bell rang as we entered. The diner had a heavy smell. There weren’t a lot of people, but they all had a smell too, mixed in with the food. It was a lot for my head to deal with. I tried my best not to show how uncomfortable I was to Grandma. A young woman quickly came to greet us and seat us at our table.

While we were seated and waiting on the server to take our order, Grandma pulled out her phone and dialed the police department.

“Let’s see if they can offer any assistance,” Grandma said.

She explained to the operator what she needed and it seemed like they were able to do what she asked.

“They’ll have a unit down there in about 30 minutes. We can meet them there,” she told me.

We ordered some breakfast. Grandma had an omelet and I decided to try some pancakes. They definitely were not as good as my mom’s. Grandma and I sat there, eating in silence. I was becoming more nervous as the meal was ending. I think Grandma was too.

“We better get a move on. I’m not sure how much time they will give us,” she insisted.

Grandma paid and we were on our way back to the house. It was just a few minutes drive from the restaurant. As we pulled into the long driveway, the patrol car was coming into view in front of the house. I cracked the window to see if I could catch a whiff of strawberries. I figured that would be a clue that my uncle was around. I don’t know why everything was getting so smelly lately.

We parked next to the patrol car and there was an older man, probably my Grandma’s age, sitting in the car, listening to some music. He didn’t notice us pulling up. As he turned to us, he jumped a little and turned his radio down. He stepped out of the car and came to Grandma’s window.

“Good Morning, ma’am, I’m Sheriff Carlton. You called about getting into this house?”

“Yes,” she replied, “my granddaughter has a key. This is her home.”

The sheriff looked at me and then looked at Grandma again. “You’re the Blackstone girl?” he asked.

“Yes,” I answered. I didn’t have much to say. I just wanted to get back to the woods without anyone following me.

“Our department was told to keep an eye on the property. Make sure no one tries to vandalize it. Are ya’ll moving in?” the sheriff inquired.

“No, we’re just stopping by. I just thought it was strange how well kept the property has been after all this time. That’s why I called for an escort. I don’t want no funny business happening with my granddaughter here,” Grandma answered.

“I assure you the area is safe. Whomever owns the property must be maintaining it as well,” said the sheriff.

He was giving me hope that my dad was out there somewhere. I just didn’t understand why he wouldn’t try to find me. Suddenly, the faint scent of strawberries wafted in the air and tickled my nose. My heart started pumping out of my chest and I was devising a plan in my head of how I would get away.

“Well, my granddaughter tells me her father owns the property. We haven’t seen or heard from him in over a year. I don’t know how a man can just abandon his family like that. My granddaughter was all alone when…well…I’m sure you’re aware of the circumstances,” she tried to say. I took that as an opportunity to go to the woods.

“Hey, Grandma. Since we have a little more time and someone to keep us company, do you mind if spend a little time in the woods?” I asked. Grandma looked me up and down and then turned to the sheriff.

“Are these woods safe? The last thing I need is someone snatching her up out there.”

“Ma’am you have nothing to worry about. This is a safe area. Just a few animals running around out here. I can keep you company while she goes.”

“That sounds like a good idea,” Grandma smiled. The sheriff smiled back and I was starting to smell something I never smelled before. It was like sweat but sweeter. It really didn’t matter. This was looking like the perfect escape plan.

“Well, I won’t be gone too long. I’ll run inside for a few more things and head out. Thank you, Grandma, for bringing me back. I love you,” I said as I gave her a sleeper hold hug around her neck and smashed my lips into her face.”

“I love you more, baby,” she said, “Now let me go! Go on and get!”

I laughed as I hopped out of the truck and skipped the steps with a big jump onto the porch. I fumbled with the lock and went inside. Everything looked the same as yesterday. I grabbed the few pictures we had off the walls and some drawing paper and pencils. As I was coming out of the house, I glanced back to take one last look. This was home. I was so happy here and it all ended so suddenly. My eyes stung with tears and my lip trembled as they fell uncontrollably. I stifled my crying. My mom was so frail in her last days. I didn’t want to remember her that way. I got down on my knees with my eyes closed and prayed that my mom was feeling better and watching over me and telling her how much I loved her. The smell of strawberries was much stronger than before and I got up to go to the woods. I closed and locked the door then went to the truck to drop off the other things I wanted to take. The sheriff and Grandma were chatting away. She was giggling. Giggling! I had never seen her giggle like that. I think she was flirting with the sheriff!

“Oh, Pete, you are such a ham!” Grandma exclaimed.

Pete? She’s definitely flirting. I put my things inside the truck and ran to the clearing in the woods. It was no sweat getting to the old stump and I wasn’t out of breath at all. The smell of strawberries filled my senses and was a little calming. My eyes darted around and I waited silently to see if he was close by.

“Hey Tiara,” a voice said from behind me. I spun around and was standing in front of the closest person to my dad. Anthony had the same features as my dad. His hair had wisps of gray around his temples and sideburns and his hair was reddish brown. It blended beautifully his brown skin and his amber colored eyes. He reminded me so much of my dad it made my heart skip a beat.

“Hey, um, Anthony…uh Un- Uncle. Uncle Anthony?” I questioned. I wasn’t sure what he wanted me to call him.

“You can call me Uncle Ant. You have more than one uncle,” he said as he smiled at me. “You look so much like your father. He must have been so proud.”

“Do you know where he is?” I asked, filled with hope and worry. The smile faded from his face and a serious look replaced it. I cupped my hands to my mouth and shook my head in disbelief.

“No, he can’t be dead too!” I cried. I had held on for so long just praying he would find me one day.

“What happened?” I asked him.

“Before I can explain I need to know something first. Your birthday is in 3 days, is that right?” he asked. I shook my head yes and wondered what this had to do with what happened to my dad. “And you’re turning 13, right?” he asked. I shook my head yes again. “Have you noticed anything strange lately? Like, you’re able to hear things a little better or notice any smells?”

“Well, Grandma always says I have a hypersensitive nose. I guess I’ve been smelling things in weird places. Like, when I was here yesterday, I was smelling strawberries. Then I smelled it again right before you found me at the vending machine. Now that I think about it, you smell like strawberries. Grandma smells like mint. Even that sheriff had a smell. I don’t know what it is though.” I explained to him.

“Sandalwood,” He replied.

“You smell him too?” I asked, curiously. Maybe it was a hereditary trait on my dad’s side.

“Tiara, your father was no ordinary man. In fact, he was no man at all. He was a werewolf. We’re brothers so that would make me one too. The sense of smell is just one of the many gifts Moon Goddess has bestowed upon our race,” he told me. I was in shock. A werewolf?

“Does that mean-,” I started.

“We weren’t sure if you would be a wolf like us since your mother was human. It seems you are,” he assured me.

“So, like, if I’m a werewolf, am I gonna turn into a wolf?” I asked.

“Well, you’ll have the ability to shift into a wolf. Your wolf is a gift from Moon Goddess and has its own name and personality,” he said.

All this information was making my head spin. Moon Goddess? A wolf with it’s own personality? How does a goddess give you a wolf?

“Listen, Tiara, I wish I could explain it all to you now, but it’s too much to explain in only a few minutes. On the next full moon after you thirteenth birthday you will need to shift. Us wolves usually have a ceremony for the pups coming of age and having their first shift. This will be tricky since you are not in the pack.”

“Pack? Like, a pack of wolves? Are you serious right now?” I was in disbelief. My dad was dead, but he was also a wolf that belonged to a pack. Just like real wolves. It was amazing and terrifying. How was I going to shift into a wolf?! I was feeling lightheaded and my legs were buckling underneath me. Uncle Ant caught me before I fell. His body was so warm and I somehow felt a lot better in his arms.

“Are you OK?” He asked with worry in his voice.

“This is too much. How am I supposed to know what to do on the night of the full moon? Me and Grandma will be heading home tomorrow. We live about four hours away. How will I ever see you again?” I asked with tears threatening to spill down my face.

“Tiara, I’ve been coming here for months since you left. I made sure the locals knew that this house isn’t abandoned, in case you found a way back here. Your dad didn’t tell us much about you and your mom, but I never saw him happier than when he met her and they had you. All I ever had were pictures and stories. It’s not common for wolves to mate with humans. He said your mom was his fated mate. He knew our parents would not condone such a relationship, so he felt he had to keep you all secret. He told me he found a witch to cast a spell to hide your mother’s mark so no humans would ever be suspicious of her. He loved your mother, but was living in two worlds. It’s not right, what our parents did. Making him keep her outside of the pack, but it’s hard to go against tradition. I can’t change the past, but I’m here to change the future. You should be with your pack. You should be with us.”

The thought of leaving Grandma was saddening, but I was really intrigued by this whole wolf thing. Besides that, this was my family. I had to see them.

“I don’t know how I can get away from Grandma without telling her about you.” I said.

“We’ll figure that out soon. For now, can you give me your address? In order for this shift to happen, you’ll need someone with experience to guide you. I’m all you got right now,” he answered.

He handed me his phone for me to type the address. I had never really used a cell phone so I stared at it, not sure what to do. He stood there while I stood there and drew his arm back.

“How about you tell me the address,” he conceded.

I told him the addressed and he typed it into his phone.

“By my calendar, the next full moon will be on a Friday night. I’m going to get a plan together to get to you and help you with your first shift. After that, it will be important that you come with me. You can’t be a lone wolf in the city. You need your pack for survival,” he said with a serious expression.

“Grandma takes real good care of me. I don’t see what the big deal is,” I said nonchalantly.

“Tiara, you are a supernatural being and there are other supernatural beings out there that could do you some harm. I would never forgive myself if I lost my niece and my brother’s only child.”

His voice was shaky at the end. I could tell he cared for me and given that I knew nothing about what was ahead of me, it was probably best that I trust him.

“I don’t know how you’re going to get me away from Grandma, but I’ll trust you. I guess I don’t really have a choice.” I said solemnly. Just when I was getting adjusted to a new life, everything was turned upside down. Uncle Ant took out his wallet and gave me his business card.

“This is my cell phone number. You can call me anytime you want, just don’t use your grandmother’s phone. It’s not time for her to get involved just yet,” he told me.

I took the card and stood there. I felt like I should give him a hug or something, but he was pretty much a stranger. He took a step towards me and pulled me into his arms. As he hugged me I could hear him breathing deeply over my head and it seemed to relax him. I did the same and felt so much more relaxed in his arms. It was amazing how this stranger made me feel so safe and comforted. We pulled away and I looked at the sun, knowing I had been here probably longer than I should have.

“TIARA!” I heard Grandma yelling. Uncle Ant looked up anxiously.

“I better go. Call me anytime, Tiara. Anytime. I’m here for you,” he said as he darted into the woods. The scent of strawberries fading until I couldn’t smell it anymore. I ran in the direction of Grandma’s yelling. She was at the edge of the woods, afraid to enter.

“Sorry, Grandma. I guess I lost track of time,” I said. I hoped I didn’t look like I had been crying. I didn’t want her to ask too many questions.

“Baby, are you alright? You look like you’ve been crying,” she asked.

“I’m ok,” I said, “It’s just…it’s nice to be able to visit again,” I replied.

“Anytime you ladies need an escort back down here, you be sure to give me a call. I would be happy to oblige,” Sheriff Carlton said to Grandma.

“We’ll just have to see about that, sheriff,” Grandma said to him with the sweetest sounding voice I’d ever heard her use. There goes that sweet sweaty smell again. So weird. The sheriff walked back to his car and grabbed a card from the glove box. He handed it to Grandma, touching her hand slightly as he pulled away.

“Thank you, sheriff. I’ll definitely be speaking to you soon,” Grandma told him. He was grinning from ear to ear and blushing. He wasn’t a bad looking guy. Tan skin and silver hair perfectly cut. He had muscles, but not too much. He was old after all. Grandma seemed to take a liking to him.

We got in the truck to head back to the hotel. Today was one of the most interesting days I had ever had. I found out my dad had died, but didn’t know how. I found out the reason my senses seemed to be in overdrive was because I was a wolf, just like dad. I can’t believe I’m a wolf. I rest my head on the seat and close my eyes as we pull off. I had less than a week to prepare for something I wasn’t nearly ready for.