The Monsters We Hide

Chapter 21

We had walked for hours. I wanted to shift into wolf form so badly, because the forest floor was hurting my bare feet, but I wasn't sure if they'd have a spare change of clothes for me wherever we were going.

       It surprised me when Mom offered to come with me. I hadn't expected her to do something so… noble? Selfless? I wasn't exactly sure what to call it, but it was definitely stupid. 

       "How far is it," I asked the lycan leader, whose name I learned was Chris. 

       "Not too much further. We should reach it within half an hour," Chris answered. I held onto Logan's hand, knowing that we were all tired and exhausted, but we had business to take care of first before we could rest.

       A little while later, a large house came into view and Chris said that we were almost there. It was a two story brick Victorian, that seemed to be modern but with a hint of antique elegance. 

       Chris led us inside and the interior was just as extravagant as the exterior. He told us to wait in the living room and have a seat on one of the various couches. I sat on the biggest one, while Logan sat on one side, Mom on the other, and Lukas sat on the other side of Logan.

       Mom was twirling one of her honey blonde locks between her fingers, which meant that she was nervous and fidgety.

       Logan sat alert beside me and never let go of my hand as he scanned the surroundings. Lukas seemed as though he were feigning boredom and he'd rather do anything else. I didn't blame him though, if that were the case.

       A few moments later, Chris came back with a larger man who had the same hazel eyes and caramel brown hair as Chris, but he was bulkier and seemed to be more aged. 

       "Hello," the man greeted us. "I am Hunter Kayne. I am sorry the unfortunate intrusion and disarray, but we need your Caster wolf's help." 

       I felt the need to stand up and I faced the man. "I'm the Caster wolf. Shyanne. What exactly do you need help with," I asked him skeptically. He glanced at the people around me and said "Let's speak in my office, shall we?" I nodded and waved Logan off when he stood up to follow. 

       Hunter led me down a corridor to a door on the end. He opened it for me and I stepped inside the brightly lit room. There was a large desk in the middle of the room, a small sofa on one of the walls, a set of comfy looking chairs in front of the wooden desk, and a bookshelf that lined the far wall. It kind of reminded me of the headmasters office, but it smelled like peppermint in here instead of the cigar smoke like the office at school  smelt.

       He gestured for me to sit down, which I did in one of the chairs. It wasn't as comfortable as it looked. Hunter sat across from me and leaned his elbows on the desk, making a steeple with his hands.

       "I feel the power you carry, but it's not as strong as it should be, though our sources tell me that you're the most powerful Caster wolf out there. How long have you been aware of it?"

      I shrugged. "A couple hours before we came here," I answered. His eyebrows lifted in surprise. "You have no clue how to use your powers do you," the man asked. I looked down at my hands and shook my head.

       "Well, that's quite alright. We have someone to mentor you. Teach you how to yield your magic and use it to your will," he told me. I had a few questions first though.    

       "What exactly am I protecting your pack from," I asked. 

       He studied my face for a moment, like he was searching for something, but for what, I don't know. "I'm not completely sure. But our Salutary has recieved an omen and all she has told me was that we needed you to save us."

       "If this is dangerous or threatening for my pack or my friends and family then I will immediately drop out of this. Understood? I want to help, but I will not, under any circumstances, put my loved ones at risk, and I don't care if your pack dies to keep mine safe." He nodded with a smile.

       "You are very tenacious and protective when it comes to your family and friends. You would make an excellent leader. You are a Luna as well, correct?" 

        I nodded once, not bothering to tell him that I haven't done the Luna ritual yet. His smile seemed warm and genuine and I found that I kind of liked this man.

        "Well then Logan is lucky to have you," he stated. I thanked him and then asked my own question. 

        "May I speak to your Salutary?" He nodded and stood. 

       "I'll go fetch her," he said. He walked out, leaving me alone to look around his office. There weren't many personal things like family photos but there was a giant painting on one of the walls.

       It looked old but we'll taken care of. The frame looked rather new. It was a painting of a family, I think. When I looked closer, I realized that I recognized some of the people. The man sitting on the throne with a crown on his head was Hunter. The younger man beside him, who also had a crown though not as big, was Chris. The woman standing on the other side stood with a hand on Hunter's shoulder, whom I have yet to meet. 

        There was one more man. He was quite good looking, and eerily familiar, but I didn't who he was. I think I would have remembered him. He had the same black hair as the rest of the family, with deep, ocean blue eyes, which were similar to mine. His strong jaw line looked clean and smooth and he stood with a hint of importance.

       I looked down at the little tag at the bottom of the frame. The Royal Lycan family. Reigned from 1572-1896. My eyes widened. These people were ancient. I quickly did the math in my head. They ruled for 324 years, and they were even older than that, considering it was the twenty-first century.

       My thoughts were disturbed by the door opening again. I turned to see a young woman walk in and close the door behind her. She gave me a kind smile and her lips stretched wide over her perfect white teeth. She seemed to be in her mid-twenties. She was very pretty too. With wavy blonde hair that went a little past her shoulders, tanned skin, and big blue eyes, she was deemed beautiful in the human world. In the supernatural world, she was a as average looking as I was.

      "Hello Shyanne. I'm Paisley. Hunter said that you wanted to meet with me," she said. I nodded as she sat down in the chair beside me.

       "Hunter said that all you told him was that you needed me to save your pack right?" She nodded. "What are you keeping from him?" Her eyes widened at my blunt question but I didn't have time to beat around the bush.

       "N- nothing," she stuttered. 

       "Please don't lie to me Paisley. I think I deserve the right to know what I'm protecting you from."

       She looked down at her fidgeting fingers. "I- I can't. I want to, but I can't. If I tell you then we will fail. I've looked at the various futures after the omen was given to me, and if I tell you, then you won't be able to save us. I have to keep it from even the Alpha."

      I nodded once. "Okay then. I guess we'll just have to wait for it to come. But first, tell me this. "Is this dangerous to my family? And if you can't answer this one, then I'm walking away right now. I will not help in any way if they don't come out of this alive," I said sternly, my mind made up. 

       "It's not dangerous for your family but…" She trailed off.

       "But what? Paisley, this is no time for secrets or lies. She looked up at my words, her pale blue eyes staring into mine. 

       "But you won't make it through this," she whispered. I took a sharp breath.