The Alpha Beast

Chapter 11: The Library

Evelyn

"You're staying for the night right?" Asks Dianna.

"No, I have a lot… Ahm… I mean…I shouldn't!"

I rise my head towards Kira who is struggling with her words. Then I

shift my eyes to Theodore and Dianna.

"Because…I have a lot of work to do. But I obviously can't leave. The roads are still impassable. So I am staying. Yes. For the night." Says Kira putting on a grin.

I don't know what's funnier. Kira's attempts to go with their story or their faces trying to warn her to watch what she's saying. Kira is so terrible at lying. She is obviously a straightforward person.

Dianna is shaking her head slightly and Theodore is frowning, both of them avoiding to look at me.

But what they don't know is that I won't attempt to leave until a get some answers. If it's the truth that my father is also a lycanthrope, I have to know more. Although it's sad that I am going to know more about him now that he is gone. And from complete strangers.

I get sad again. Just now I realise how much I was enjoying this lunch today. I barely know and of these people but I can feel how close and caring for one another they are. I never felt so much warmth in my life. At thirteen I was sent to boarding school in England. After that I went to University of Oxford. I've seen my father only for holidays and birthdays. I mostly grow up around supervisors and other kids that weren't especially friendly.

After we finished with the lunch, me and Kira helped Dianna with the dishes.

They catch up some more and I feel like I got dragged into one of those warm family TV shows. I'm glad that I actually got a chance to meet a woman like Dianna and feel some of her care and kindness. I notice that she is not making any difference in treating Kira and me.

I find out that Kira and her brother Kane are actually not related to Dianna and Theodore but they were also orphans living in a house next to them. Kira's uncle John had trouble taking care for young twins so Dianna stepped in, taking care for the kids, the house and the food and John providing the finances.

"So Kira cut all her hair to look like the boys, so they would let her play with them!"

We all start to laugh.

"I actually remember how long my hair really was. But nothing would ever stop me from getting it my way!" Says Kira with determination.

"So did they let you play with them?"

"Ofcourse they did. But Nanna and Jo had to intervene."

"She never had short hair since then."

"Well me and my long hair have to go take a bath and make the bed. So, see you later." Kira waves and leaves.

***

I didn't see Kira since last night when she said she was going to make herself a bed in a room upstairs. I guess it was just an excuse and that she actually left the same night. It's very sunny outside and I guess the snow is slowly melting and with the communal services on their way, it shouldn't take long until I can leave here. Which means I should get moving, because I won't have a reason to stay here any longer.

It's eleven in the morning and it's probably the best if I go now to talk to Theodore.

He is again in his office, buried with the work.

I knock on the door.

"Come in."

I open the door and stay at the doorway. I can't make myself to come in, knowing what happened last time I was here. But today it's very light in here and it seems like that was just a bad dream.

"I was wondering if you could tell me more about lycanthropy."

"What do you want to know?"

"Everything."

He looks at me for a second.

"Then come with me." He says getting up and coming to me.

I take a step back by instinct but I don't actually feel scared. He gets past me and heads through the corridor. I get struck by how tall he is. Probably close to two meters high. No wonder he looked gigantic in his lycanthrope form.

I start to follow him. We take the stairs and as we pass the second floor I ask him where're we going.

"You'll see." He simply replies.

We go up to the third floor and turn to the right wing. He finally goes to big doors on the left and opens them.

I slowly follow him inside.

Oh my goodness!

I stop at the doorway and just gaze at the room. This enormous gorgeous room. The walls are covered in bookshelves with thousands of books. The ceiling is double the height and halfway up the walls have like little balcony way all around. The large windows are going from the ceiling to the floor. In front of them there are two comfy sofas and a coffee table. On the left there is a big fireplace with an armchair and an ottoman.

"What is it?"

"So many books…" I say enthusiastically.

"You like this?" Theodore is looking at me surprised and confused.

"I love this! Is this all yours?" I start walking around him, taking a better look of everything. This is truly fascinating!

"Yes... Well if you like it that much you can use it all you want. But, you'll have to start from this." He goes and takes a look at some shelves in a corner, finally grabbing a book.

"Here. There's a lot of books about werewolves but most of them are just myths and legends. But this one is quite accurate. When you finish it then we can talk." I take the book he is handing to me. It's rather small one, a pocketbook, in plain, worn, old leather dust jacket.