Anna realized that there were two cars behind and two in front of the one she was in. It was a convoy, as if she were some kind of rare jewel that had to be protected. They stopped in front of an old building, but for some unknown reason, Anna liked it. Someone handed her a sandwich, and Anna understood that this was to be her lunch and ate it quickly. She watched as men in black suits got out of the car behind and entered the building. They stayed for a few minutes and then came out with Jenna, who was downcast but still wearing a friendly smile. She got into the car with Anna and they drove off.
"Are you all right?" Anna asked after a while.
"Better now that I've been released." She said calmly. "And you? How are you?"
Anna looked straight ahead and her face turned red. She didn't want them to hear.
Jenna noticed.
"It's a bit late to worry about the werewolves' listening ears, Anna. You already know what they are and... You should also know that they can hear over a long distance, and can sense everything the Alpha senses, when he lets them, of course. And the boss wouldn't deprive his pack of pleasure, so..."
"Do they know everything that happened between us today?"
"The chief's emotions were... strong. Intense. I think that since he'd never felt it before, he didn't know how to control it and block it out. They didn't see you, but they felt it."
"That's no consolation. It makes everything more... shameful."
"Ah! Don't feel that way. The Alpha, nurturing positive feelings for you, makes all the werewolves feel it too."
"Caricature didn't seem to feel any sympathy for me."
Jenna laughed.
"He's a transformed werewolf, Anna. History always refers to them as... Rebellious, unpredictable and dangerous."
"History? Can't you observe that yourselves?"
"We can now. But we've been without an Alpha for over a hundred years. And only an Alpha can turn a human into a werewolf."
"I still haven't got my head around the whole werewolf thing."
Jenna stared at her mysteriously.
"I'm surprised you've never heard of them..."
"Uhm... I've seen a few movies..."
"Forget everything you've seen. Your mother knew about them. It's not fiction, Anna. Your mother should have passed on her knowledge to you."
"I don't think she had time." Anna said and looked down the road. The car was slow. "They... Why do they turn into monsters? Were they bitten by wolves or something?"
"No. Werewolves are born that way, except for the transformed ones, of course."
"Do you know the difference between a transformed werewolf and a born one?"
"It's not hard to tell. Born werewolves have a material and immaterial heritage. The material inheritance is passed down from their ancestors, it's their money, their name, their reputation. The immaterial inheritance is that they can give birth to werewolf children and the transformed have none of these inheritances."
"Knowing that brings me some relief."
"Really?"
Anna thought she should explain herself.
"Well, for two reasons. The first is knowing that now I can tell them apart, I think that will be easy, since their past histories are stamped on their foreheads." She said wryly.
"And secondly?" Jenna said, laughing at Anna's wit.
"I don't fit in either way, so I don't need to worry about generating a werewolf in my womb."
"You knew my mother?"
Jenna was silent for a few minutes.
"Yes. I loved your mother, Anna."
"My father was always very... Reticent when talking about her. I don't know why I remember so little about her, since when she died, I was already ten years old and... I'm ashamed to reveal this, but I don't remember the funeral."
"It's not something you should remember, Anna. Cherish the memory of her smile."
"What do you know about her death?"
"I know she was murdered."
Anna shook her head.
"No."
"Did you know Sarah?"
Anna turned her face to Jenna.
"What are you trying to tell me?"
"Sarah killed your mother. She betrayed her father's trust and..."
"What reason would she have to do that?"
"Her father was prosperous. She wanted to be his wife, and envied everything her mother had."
"Did killing my mother take her away from that purpose?"
"No, Anna. But your father was... desolate and that's how he got into addictions. Your mother was pregnant when she was murdered, and it took your father many years to recover from that trauma."
"Sarah killed my mother and my brother... What is she doing among the werewolves?"
Jenna thought for several minutes. She shouldn't reveal more to Anna just yet.
"Do you know where we're going?"
"No. They didn't tell me anything."
"They told me to take you shopping, take you to the salon to get your hair washed. Adam said not to let them cut more than two centimeters, because he likes your hair long and... if you want, we can also do some waxing and buy your study materials."
"Studies?"
"The boss has hired teachers for you, you'll study at home until you're ready for university..."
Anna was speechless for three seconds.
"Did he choose my course too?"
"Well... That would be the obvious thing to expect from him, since he likes to control everything and everyone, but no. This time, he did his research. He had a lot of time to do it while you were playing around the world with Allister. He found the letters from the universities that you sent."
"Is he going to let me be a lawyer? The first thing I'm going to do is sue him." Anna said laughing.
"He must be waiting for that."
"He's paying for what he took from me. I don't feel right accepting these things. They should have told me, and I would have refused immediately. I can't get paid for something I wanted either."
Jenna laughed.
"That's not payment. The Alpha never pays. He's giving you a gift."
"I..." Anna said and stared at Jenna. "Are you going to shave too?"
"No. I don't need to."
"What do you mean? Every woman needs..." Anna understood and leaned back in her seat. "You're not a woman."