Shudder

18

The woman before me had spoke in a soft, lilting manner meant to soothe me, yet the power that radiated from her had me a bit on edge. She was stunning -- gorgeous even -- with her beautiful auburn hair and burning green eyes. She didn't look much older than her mid-twenties to thirty at the latest.

Suddenly I shook my head as I processed what she had said. "Roman? Where's my brother? Where's Cole? Who are you? Where am I?"

My face had scrunched in worry and confusion as I watched the woman crack a small, soft smile.

"My name is Annalise. You are in my home with my pack. I help run it with my husband and mate, Yorik. Roman is downstairs," Annalise answered almost all of my questions, but the one I wanted most.

"Okay, uhm, Annalise, why am I here? What happened to Cole and those people and Claire?"

Annalise's brow furrowed as she thought over my questions. After a minute she murmured, "You're here because we saved you, my pack who Roman is apart of. You had been stabbed by a blade dipped in Wolf's Bane, a Lupus' poison. Had we not arrived in time you would've been dead."

She paused as I sucked in a deep breath. "Does silver hurt us too?"

Annalise chuckled and shook her head. "No. Simple metals do not work on us, rather ones that are enchanted though finding a willing witch is hard. As for your brother and this woman named Claire you speak of, they had to have left with someone. No one else, but the Jaecars, the people as you put it remained.."

More questions whirled through my head and I struggled with the overload of information and my chest seizing in panic over Claire being apart of the...the Jaecars and taking Cole.

I sucked in a sharp breath, exhaling slowly as I struggled with where to start, but it seemed Annalise was prepared for at least one of my questions. She had moved forward and settled herself in a large round, wicker chair that hung from the ceiling, swaying slightly.

"Please sit," she instructed and I did as she asked.

"The Jaecars are people, normal human beings, who know too much about the supernatural beings of this world and are recruited as hunters. People who seek out and kill us and other supernatural beings simply because they do not think we should be in this world. They have weapons and know how to kill us fairly well, but they do not know everything," Annalise finished, sighing heavily.

"T-they killed my mother and father," I stammered as images rose up from my recent nightmare.

Annalise's eyes softened as she gazed at me. "I am sorry, little one."

I nodded, but needed to know more about myself.. I'd ask Roman more about the Jaecars later. "Does the full moon affect werewolves?"

"Lupus," Annalise corrected. "Werewolf is a very...human term for what we are and no, it does not. However, we do celebrate under almost every full moon."

I nodded, feeling more relieved. "D-do Lupus eat raw meat like...wild animals?"

Annalise nodded and grinned. "We hunt. Often. I assume you shall join us on a pack hunt once your settled here."

"Settled here? But I can't stay here. I barely know you!" I exclaimed, flailing about with wide eyes.

"You are Lupus now. One of us. You're more than welcome here, plus I do not think Roman would allow you to leave," she chuckled.

I blushed slightly, but then remembered before the mayhem that he had almost kissed Eva and my mood turned sour. I was about to ask something else when a knock sounded on the door.