May Seasons Come (Werewolf Romance)

Chapter One

Maybelle had just finished her art lesson, French lesson, and reading lesson for the day. It was a day like any other, and like any day, it was coming to an end. The sun was parting from the sky, setting beneath the clouds in an array of pinks and yellows. She had only a glimpse of it before her mother, known only as Mrs. Mabry, hinted that she should not stare at the sun for such a long time unless she wanted to be blinded by it.

"But mother," Came Maybelle's reply, "Is it not the most beautiful sunset you have ever seen?"

Her mother frowned briefly, and then with a curt shake of the head she responded shortly, "Why, May, it is like any other."

May knew that it may have appeared to be like any other sunset, but something about this particular one gave her an edge that it was indeed different. And when her mother had finally pushed her from the drawing room so that May could sit down for dinner within the dining halls, May could not help but steal one last glimpse at the sunset.

"How do you fair, my child?" Her father, who was already seated at the far end of the long table asked. May sat down at one of the many chairs and smiled softly, "I am well father, and yourself?"

"Quite well." He agreed. Mrs. Mabry sat down at the other end, and like all the nights before, May could not help but feel lonely despite her parents being there. Servants aligned the walls, and when it was time to eat, they came forth to the table to take the tops off of the platters that were scattered about on the table in a neat fashion.

As soon as Mr. Mabry had taken a roll for his plate, their butler approached him and gave word loud enough for the two other women to hear, "A man has come to speak to you about the earlier incident that has taken place near the river."

Mr. Mabry looked up at him with a curious but stern look, "You mean, about the ships that had taken harbor for the night?"

The butler nodded once, "Yes sir."

"Very well then," Mr. Mabry gave a defeated sigh and looked at his two women, "Duty calls." But neither woman seemed surprised by his getting up, as it was the usual he could not sit for an entire meal before being called upon for business. Afterall, Mr. Mabry was the mayor of London, and with being mayor, came an array of chores and duties.

The two women ate in silence for the rest of the meal, until it was time for May to play the piano from within the music room. She did, and her mother had listened with a solemn look on her face. And, as the night drew on, a dullness overcame the household as their daily routine continued. May had returned to her own room, and her mother to hers, but Mr. Mabry was nowhere to be seen and would probably not until late at night.

As May opened the door to her room, she could not help but admire the simple look to it, despite the many trinkets and perfumes that adorned her armoire, and the many books that filled her bookshelves.

She had collapsed onto her bed, with a single candle lit by her bedside, when she heard a noise of metal breaking. She stayed still for a long time, listening for the noise and when she was about to fool herself into imagining it, it resounded again. More curious than anything now, May sat up in her bed and looked around the room only for nothing to happen.

And when she heard the noise a final time, only then did she realize that it had come from the window. May got up from her bed and tiptoed to it, staring out at the now dark sky. When her eyes strayed lower, only then did she see the ironed gates that surrounded the yard to her home. And when she concentrated on something that seemed out of place, only then could she visibly see a hole in the gate.

She was drowned by an overwhelming curiosity to go look at it, but the fear of being caught was unbearable. Her mother would make her do more lessons out of punishment, even though she felt that her head would soon burst with knowledge. So, hoping for the best, May left her room and tiptoed down the dark hallways. She was careful not to make a noise going down the stairs and down the many more hallways, before she came upon the back door.

As soon as she opened the door, May had to hold her breath as she walked through the thick brush to the back of the gate. And when she came upon the gate, there were indeed three loose bars that had fallen slightly. She wondered how they had become so broken and how she had not noticed them before. She then wondered if it had to do with the noise she had heard only moments before, but thought better of it.

The broken bars made a hole in the gate, just large enough for her to fit through it. She realized this only seconds after seeing it, and looked back at her home pondering if she should go back and tell someone.

But, there was another feeling edging its way to the surface. It was the same feeling she had when she stood staring at the sunset, a feeling that change was about to happen. When she was just about to turn back to her house, she could hear her father's voice talking from the back door. Now, not wanting to get into trouble, May did the most rash and unthinkable thing, she went through the hole of the gate.

By the time she got to the other side, she did not stop there and instead strayed further and further away from her home. If only she knew, that she was not as alone as she thought, because there within the distance of the surrounding trees that covered her yard, was a man.

But he wasn't really a man.