Wolf #1: The Pack [COMPLETED]

Chapter 15

Trigger Warning: Sexual Themes, Violence

Chapter 15

I'm back at it with the piano again. As predicted, my parents are away again. My father had an alarm system set up before they left, which did alleviate some of my fears. But not all. I've spent up a lot of my nervous energy by taking the house apart.

I have gone through Steph's room for what feels like the fiftieth time and has come up with nothing again. I'm hoping to come across hiding places I haven't thought of before, but to no avail.

But the piano is something I haven't explored as much. I have been lucky here once and find her journal, so I'm hoping to find something else.

I've taken the panels on the back off and find dried clumps of herbs and stones, just like in her room. I'm putting the panels back when I'm struck with revelation.

"The bench," I move over to it and pull at the cushion. It pops off after a bit more tugging.

There it is. I yelp in excitement—another notebook! I page through it and realize that this is what I have been looking for all along—it's a journal that details her thoughts, not a catalogue of her findings like the other two.

I rush upstairs with it to my bedroom. After I haul out all my notes I have gathered, along with the library books I have, I sit on my floor and begin to read her writings. It mostly details what Jace had already told me about Stephanie and her research on our family. Mostly, it's about family trees and ancestors. But not much else details why we are different from regular people. It doesn't mention anything about Wolves...but the word 'Healer' appears periodically.

Every now and again there's an entry on a special herb she had found or bought—one that's much harder to find than rosemary or dandelions. The second entry catches my eye because the herb she named sounds familiar.

Lupinus Oreganus is extremely hard to find. It usually grows in prairies and the outer edges of the forests—but I have yet to find any nearby. The only plant I've found was in the Siuslaw.

"Lupinus Oreganus..." I grab her notebook of herbs and flip through the pages until I find what I need. Lupines. A type of plant that is used for visions and clarity.

I realize that I have seen it in the library book Anne-Marie had found me, the one written by the Breccia Wolves. Tales of the Moonlands. Flipping through the pages, I find a large picture about it, though it details how it's believed to be poisonous to the people in the Moonlands. It's largely avoided and contradicts what Steph wrote.

"How were you able to ingest it, Steph..." I mumble as I reread what she wrote.

Bang!

I nearly jump out of my skin when something knocks on my window. I run over and peer out. Jace is leaning against his Jeep, smirking up at me.

"What are you doing?" I open the window.

He shrugs, "You are coming with me."

"I'm busy—"

"Amelia," His eyes flash amber and I freeze, "Grab your coat. And let's go."

A beat. A pause. Did...I really want to go...?

I grin. My heart somersaults and I grab my cardigan as I tear down the stairs and out the door.

Hadn't I been busy?

+ + +

"Where are we going?" I grin as his hands covers my eyes.

"We're nearly there," His breath is hot against my ear. He must have noticed the way my breath sharpens, because he presses his lips against my neck, "Are you excited?"