Say What?

Chapter 18

 I put some jeans on as, I'm going to have to climb through the window as he never gave me a key.  We drive into town and get drive through on the way to my uncle's house.  We park up in front and I take a calming breath.  "I'll climb up and let you in" Nate says I give him a smile and think its nice having someone have my back.   

I get out and walk to the front door and wait for it to open.  Its not to long before the door opens and I go in and close and lock the door after us. The house is a mess, take out cartons and beer cans as well as whiskey bottles all over the floor. The smell is terrible we walk through the mess to the basement door.  

Nate pulls the door open and we turn the light on and walk down the stairs. In contrast to the main house this basement is orderly and clean. 

"Why wouldn't he let me down here?" I ask "does the basement seem a little off to the footprint of the house?" Nate asks.  We start to walk around the walls. 

"Hey, look here" Nate says. I walk over to him and he points to the floor, there is plaster dust and what looks like scratch marks.  I knock on the wall and the sound is hollow, Nate starts running his hands over the wall.   He then pushes on it and it pops open, we open the concealed door and walk in. 

The far wall is covered in pictures, maps, red marker lines and circles. My parents are up there, and me. There is, even pictures of the crash that killed them.  I look at the desk and pickup a note pad and read some of it. 

"He wanted the seer to give him all power, whatever that means? It mentions my great Grandfather and the fact he was a great seer and was recruited by the council to work for them. 

My parents ran away with me, because my great Grandfather wanted to take me to America and have be bought up by the council. They had to run not just from him, but their pack who found out about me" I say. 

"Let's take pictures and we'll take the note books and let's get out of here" Nate suggests.  

He takes pictures of what is on the wall.  I collect all three note pads, Nate then tears down the things all hung on the wall and rolls it together. "Come on" he says, I nod and we leave the secrete room and push the door shut.  Nate rubs the plaster dust away and we walk up the stairs, Nate walks to the back door and unlocks it. He stuffs the papers and things in a tin garage can and then pours lighter fuel on it which he picked up from the kitchen counter. I walk out and give him the gas lighter.  

He lights it and watch's it, burn for a little bit then. Takes my hand we walk back into the house and lock the door "I've locked your bedroom window now" he tells me.  I nod and then see my uncle's, keys something makes me grab them as we leave the house.   I lock it with the deadbolt.

We walk to the car and get in, as we head back to the pack house, I read more of the note books.

"He believed that I would make him king of the world" I state sceptically. "A little crazy, the first note book is his rantings of being told about me and trying to find me. He then writes about his luck changing when the English authorities got in touch with him asking if he would take responsibility for me. He then gets mad when he can't smell wolf on me.  He thought he could make me shift if he hurt me enough" I stop reading as my stomach feels a little sick.  

"I'm not going to read any more, if you want to read them then please, you can give them to your father if you want" I tell Nate.  He puts his hand on my knee "I'm beside you now, and the pack has your back" he comforts me. "I also have a wolf that can be kind of bad ass" I say "yes, I can" my wolf says sitting up straight and puffing her chest out.  I smile at her and mentally pat her head.  We pull up to the pack house and park the car.  

On our way towards the stairs Mr. Strong tells us that Christopher Ruby is here in the office.  I give Nate the note books and he runs upstairs while, I slowly move towards the office.  

"I was in the area and just thought, I would pop in and see how Holly is fitting in" I hear him say. I take a breath and knock on the door. 

I open the door "Holly" Nate calls "hi" I answer and we walk into the room together.  I stand rather than sit.

"Mr. Ruby, I didn't think, I would be seeing you so soon?" I look straight at him and wait for his reply. "I was just telling Alpha Strong I was in the area" he says "I see" again I wait. 

He coughs "how are you settling in?" he asks "Mr. Ruby, we are neither friends or family so why would you want to go out of your way to enquire of me?" I ask

His face goes a little red before he answers "I feel a connection to you" he says "why?" I raise my eyebrow and wait for his answer. 

"I did think we might become friends" he states. "I'm sorry Mr. Ruby, my friends are all under the age of 30 and I don't think I need anymore friends. If I'm honest your interest in me makes me feel uncomfortable.  I think is would be best if you stay in your place and I will stay in mine" I tell him clearly. 

"I see, sorry for making you feel uncomfortable.  I just thought as I was friends with your great Grandfather. I feel as though, I should take an interest in you" he says. 

"I never knew the man, so feel no connection with him" I say simply. 

"If that is all?  Mr. Strong and Mrs. Strong promised to tell me a little of the pack's histories" I say.

"Right, I will take no more of your time then. Good to see you again Alpha Strong, Holly" he stands up and bows a little as he leaves the room. Only once he has left do I sit down on the sofa.

Nate sits next to me and takes my hand.  I close my eyes and focus on Mr. Ruby "she still, has her walls up, I couldn't read her at all. She doesn't seem to think much of her great Grandfather. I can't tell her that he wanted her to work for us. I don't even know if she has his gift.  We'll just have to wait and see if she opens up a bit. Yes, see you when I get back." 

I open my eyes "they want me to work for them and he was sent to see if he could read me. I'm not sure what that means, they are going to wait and see if, I open up a little more, given time" I inform them. 

"I hope you didn't mind my white lie? I thought he might ask to stay and I wouldn't have liked that" I add.

"No, I thought you handled him very well. Without fear and still without being rude" he tells me.

I wonder if someone might, listening in on us and imagine a clear cover going around the pack house and office. 

"We found some note books and other things at my uncles house" I tell him. "I've hid them for the time being making sure that certain people are actually far away" Nate says. 

Nate passes his phone to his Dad and he looks at the pictures and stuff on the walls of the basement. "We will look at this later. Take a breath and relax for a bit, leave running for another day" Mr. Strong advises.  

What does the council really want from Holly?  😊