Alone

Chapter 8

                                                                                            William

    I hadn’t realized tears were running down my face, till Anna tentatively reached out a hand and wiped a tear as it rolled down my cheek.

    “William,” Anna started shakily. “I’m sorry I said you were a murderer. I had assumed you were all killers, when you said you were a werewolf I didn’t think you had a human side. I am sorry but it is going to take some time before I can trust you. I don’t even know if I can ever can. The thing I saw that night had no sympathy, no remorse.” She goes quiet looking deep into my eyes searching for something. When I think she find its she bits her lip as if in thought. “I just want to know what makes you think I should believe story? Why did you tell me all this? And most importantly, what do you want from me?”

    I get up from my seat and look around. I had been so preoccupied with what I need to tell her that I hadn’t taken in my surroundings. The parlor that she had taken me to was beautifully decorated. Obviously, the work of a woman. The walls were of a cream color with paintings hanging on each wall, drapes made of deep blue hang down and tethered on each side of two windows. There were couches and chairs in an almost U formation, all made of the same deep blue of the drapes, with little end tables made of beautifully crafted mahogany. It was all exquisitely made but nothing too lavish.

    “Why do you not live more lavishly? Is this not a Moreau estate?” I question.

    “Yes, this is one of many Moreau estates, why do you ask?” She looked so beautiful in her rose-colored gown, sitting so prettily. Her lips looked so kissable, so bitable.

    “Well I have heard so much about the Moreau’s, about their wealth, land, and power. I was just wondering why you live so conservatively. Are the rumors not true?” I feel like I might have overstepped, but I have told her so much I was just curious.

    “Although, this is none of your concern, my family is quite well off. The reason we live less lavishly than others is because we do not care to keep up appearances like that. I would much rather travel the world, and collect books rather than spend it on gowns, and decorations that don’t really matter. The only things I want, money can not buy. And I have to live with that for the rest of my days.” I realize that somehow, we always come back to what we have lost, we never think of what we have gained. We bring ourselves down and try to live in the deep well that we can never escape from.

    “My darling, I just realized we are alive, but we are not really living. When is the last time you have traveled anywhere? Done something for yourself? Felt human?” Anna’s face grows with concentration, as if she was trying to remember the last time she was happy. “Because I don’t know about you, but when I saw you in the ballroom yesterday it was like I was finally able to breathe clean air. Like I have been underwater for all these centuries, and I was not able to reach the surface. But then I saw you and everything changed. You are my last hope Anna.”

    “Last hope for what William?” Anna asked.

    “To be able to start a family. You see, my darling, there are different kinds of were’s. There are feline were’s, and of course werewolves. You see, both species has a different kind of power. For instance, werecats they have the power to see into the future, while werewolves have strength. That is how werecats have not gone extinct like my own kind. They use their power to stay a step ahead of the hunters. My kind were not so lucky, and even with our strength it was not enough with the number of hunters that day. When my brother, James, was killed that only left my sister and I to continue the werewolf legacy.”

    “Can werewolves not reproduce? How else can there be more of you?”

    “Only those of royal blood can actually make more of my kind. Of course, made were’s aren’t as strong, and it takes longer to shift. They can have children but they are born half were, half human. And it becomes more and more diluted unless they too are bitten. My father was a made were. But sense my mother was born a werewolf, my siblings and I were stronger, and were able to carry on the royal blood.”

                                                                                            Anna

    Royal blood? I wasn’t sure I heard him quite right. “You are telling me you are of royal blood?”

    “Yes, that is what I said, my dear.” He said.

    “But, what bloodline? Whose?”

    “Thousands of years ago the moon goddess, Arianrhod, and a Scottish king fell in love. And out of that love a baby was born. A son named Callum. Unfortunately, the Scottish king was married, so when his wife discovered his affair and the child that came of it, she ordered to have him killed, which created the hunters. Arianrhod being the moon goddess, was not able to always protect her son. She made sure he would always be able to protect himself. That is how the very first lycan was created.”

    I mull over everything. There was so much that could not possibly be true. How could this be happening to me? I thought. What did I do to deserve all this craziness? Then a question struck me. “So you are telling me, that the only way you can reproduce is with someone of royal blood. Is that why you picked me?”

    William is quiet for a second too long. “You have to understand Anna, what I feel for you is not just something to just benefit my kind. You are my mate. Werewolves can only have one in their life time, and that’s it. You are my life, now. Even if you didn’t want anything to do with me, I can not leave you alone. I do not want to scare you, but you are stuck with me. Even if it’s from afar, I cannot live without seeing you ever again.” He becomes hesitant. “Do you…Do think you could ever…. feel something for me?” His voice sound kind of defeated, as if he already knew the answer.

    I think about the fact that he is a werewolf. But I think about everything he has told me. Everything he has entrusted to me. Could I ever fall for a monster? No! Not a monster, a werewolf. A person with feelings. Someone I have actually felt comfortable telling my secrets. Someone I felt safe with, something I have not felt in years. I bit my lip “Yes, William, I can maybe. Maybe! See you in my life. One day!”

    Williams face splits in two. Crinkles develop around his mouth and eyes. Those beautiful hazel eyes. William quickly walks over to me from the center of the room and kneels in front of me. “Let’s go somewhere! A carriage ride, go for a picnic, stroll in the park. Anything just say the word, my darling.”

    I look into his eyes; can I really trust this man to go with him? By myself, without a chaperon? Auntie and my uncle had left for a brunch with their friends earlier this afternoon and that left me by myself. We had some servants, for cooking mostly, but for the most part it was just us in the house to fend for ourselves. No one would know if I left with him. He hasn’t done anything for you to mistrust him, I thought. You wanted an adventure, well here is one. Now take it. “Wherever you want. Let us go, I don’t care where.”

                                                                                        The Hunters

    Across the street from the Moreau’s estate stand two figures. Even if they didn’t have their faces covered one could tell they do not belong in this part of town. But no self-respecting person would dare comment on it. These were not the kind of men one would try to talk to. These were the kind of men one would cross the street to avoid. These were the kind of men that knew what hard labor.

    “The boss is not going to be f*****g happy about this.” Hunter 1 says to the other. They watch as it helps the young lady into the open carriage.

    “We should have f*****g killed it when we had the f*****g chance. But I’m definitely not going to tell him what it’s doing.” Hunter 2 proclaims, he still remembers the last time he gave the boss bad news. He shivers from the memory.

    “Stop being a b***h. Our orders are to follow it, not to engage….for now. But very soon he’s going to be begging for us to take it. I wouldn’t want to lose my last family member, but then again they are just animals.”