I got bored so I asked if I could go to the library to read a book. The butler was surprised to see me awake so he asked if he could get me a cup of hot cocoa. I sniffed and he happily leaned forward. He smelled like oak. I asked if I could go to the library. The werewolf in charge of the estate is named Jesse. He was a man in his thirties. He was thin but not malnourished. His thick hair was styled casually. His outfit was more Gen Z style. I asked for permission to use the library. He chuckled, "Mi casa e su casa" I frowned, "This is your home and I am your guest. Manners dictates I require your permission." Jesse smiled, "You call us your family. So feel free to roam around as you please." I leaned forward and explained that there is an intruder in the building and I would like to stay out of everyone's way they deal with him accordingly.
Jesse's eyes went from friendly to angry. He let out a howl and the werewolves in the entire poured in. I was escorted to a different direction as Oleg turned around and went hunting. The others followed not far behind. I was quickly directed towards a safe room. I stayed there as I sensed my husband found the man question. He was captured and taken to the basement. Oleg asked nicely why he was here of all places. The man shuffled his feet as he muttered that he was lost and he was simply here asking for directions. I heard his heartbeat and tell that he was lying through his teeth. I simply passed it along and he was brought to me. As an alpha I can connect with others through mind comms. I connected with the pack and I bit the man on his forearms. His blood told me that he was a resident of Eventide. He was here for a chance to be bitten and taken away from his miserable life. When I retracted my fangs he was frozen in a state of blissful serenity.
The werewolves looked enlightened. Jesse smiled, "So this is how vampires see things when they take a bite. When we are changing we see bits and pieces of the memory of the one that sired us. Just enough to pledge our loyalty." Jesse escorted me to the library and I sat down with a book. The butler got me hot chocolate as I extended my senses before using echolocation for further extension. I heard everyone at the same time. After a few minutes I hopped from one conversation to the next till boredom got to me. I yawned as I retracted my senses. After a search above ground I did an underground search and discovered a hoard of zombies roaming back forth foraging for food. I put down the book and asked if I could go change my outfit to go hunting. I was told to remain as these zombies were kept as a precautionary measure to keep intruders out. Jesse had placed acoustic sensors covertly and strategically all over the sewers and all the storm drains. This device is used to detect the sound of gunfire. Which is a dead give away that people are trying to sneak in as they will have to shoot their way to safety. I applauded to approve his genius and he courtesied.
I leaned back into the comfortable armchair to remember a time when I was by myself. It was after I was retired from being a police officer working in LA. Marcus and others were placed all over the Citadel. I disguise myself as a child to play hide and seek with the children in the nearby town. I walked by the house my uncle/Dad had bought for me. The man living there was lean built with a viking like attitude. I walk past him in the grocery store to grab a popsicle. The man walking like he had just came out to do some sort of battle. He held his wallet like it was a sword and the shopping cart like was a shield. Turns out his wife decided to go on a shopping spree. He was trying to figure out a solution to distact her so he can go back to football game.
So he decided to walk out the door leaving her behind. He made about ten paces when she caught him. She asked him to get her a milk carton and orange juice carton. He simply nodded his head as he pushed the cart close to her and casually and slowly dragged his feet towards the door. The security noticed and thought he was a shoplifter so they detained him for questioning. He finally admitted what he was up to and the questioner felt for him so he helped him escape so he could continue to enjoy his game. His wife came with a bag of canned goods and smacked him on the head. I remember telling the one of the eavesdropping neighbors what he had done. The woman tutted that he had dug his own grave with his own hands after leaving her wife during shopping day. The woman said that he is definitely going to ICU today. The others were trying to figure out what outfit to wear for his funeral.
I heard a distinct rumble of laughter. I saw that the entire werewolf tribe was sitting around me fighting the urge to stop laughing. A few had their lips shut tightly while their cheeks puffed like a balloon. It took me thirty seconds to figure out we are still linked. I quietly severed the connection. Oleg was asked if I do this often and he simply tilted his head and soon the entire library was filled with laughter. I quietly snuck a peak as they were shown the memory of the trampoline jumper and a tiny version of me hitting the washing machine. Like a bunch of big brothers these guys were changed to be more teasing end of the spectrum.
I was escorted to the city hall. It looked like a barn but well kept. I walked in and sat down on one of the seats. Recalling the days I was a farmer. Oleg tapped me and said that my seat is elsewhere. I pouted as I dragged my legs to the front. I tapped Oleg to say I was spacing out for a little bit because I was having a moment of nostalgia. I spaced out recalling the days I used farm potatoes and lemonade. I used to feed the neighborhood kids french fries and lemonade. It was a simple stand with a table, a chair and a box full of goodies. I would clean out in twenty minutes. I would go back to Valentina and see werewolves plucking apples and oranges or sorting the goods. After which they go to I built for them specifically. They would change into werewolves and roam the grounds every night I would on the look out for anyone who might harm them.
Satisfied I snapped out of it to see the entire werewolf colony staring at me with awe. I blushed red as I asked my husband if he had shared this memory with the crowd. He chuckled, "Obviously". One of the werewolves said, "Since you had been so helpful to us werewolves going so far as to protect us from Saber then why did it take so long for us to decree that you are off limits." I shrugged, "Rogue werewolves. Some are primal and they don't like change. Or those that are power hungry want to be on top of the food chain. Wanting full immunity from their weaknesses so they can do anything they want." These guys wanted answers that I can provide. So I showed them memories of how manipulating these people were. Some were doctors who had used their positions to hide their own but used that very same knowledge to place innocent people in jail with false positive. Others were in law enforcement agencies. Who had done nothing but go on a killing spree and blamed the few that stood up to them. One incident where a family tied up and the eldest was told by a werewolf in a police uniform to choose in which order their family should die in. The werewolves were in horror as they saw the memory of how I had to save the family. Since I hadn't learned any of my gifts I was forced to tell him to break his own neck. The horror I felt as he complied. I felt I had lost a relative. The audience stared in shame that this was their history. I was hoping that everyone would put aside their differences because both sides have superb merits on their own but together they achieve greatness. I believe that we are all interdependent so the day one of us losses eventually we will lose. The werewolves were profoundly interested in this speech. They pledged to be as honest and just as possible since I had believed this present moment was what they obviously meant to be.