Chapter Forty-One – The threat

Devan was standing in the common room along with Katlyn, Xavier, Lilith and Nadine. He’d started the broadcast from the very beginning, all of them watching as Henry Noye, titled as a CEO of some company and concerened citizen, was talking to the reporter about the concerns he had for these refugees. No one knew where they were from or why they had fled. Or even how they arrived.

“How did he even know” Katlyn wondered.

“I’m gonna take a wild guess and say Ariel” Devan answered her.

They were alone in the common room; Devan had chased all the younglings out now that the weather had cleared.

“What’s his problem anyway?” Talia asked once she joined the group, Adam following her closely with a frown on his face. He didn't like this added pressure.

“From what I know Henry blames the werewolf kind for his wife’s death” Nadine answered with a somber look. “Even though they had nothing to do with it. But it happened at the same time as that nomadic pack was terrorizing the town. The doctors were so busy tending to everyone else, the hospital is small, and the nearest one beside this one is hours away. She died on her way to surgery”

Everyone looked at Nadine with surprise.

“What? I went to school and lived here to, remember?” Nadine answered them with a shoulder shrug.

“But – that doesn’t explain his hatred today. And how can he even know that the people who crossed the borders are werewolves? It’s not like it’s printed into their forehead” Talia sighed. Why did people like this have to exist? Why did they have to live in democratic, friendly to all communities? Why not just buy a tropical island and declare themselves king of the island? If only things could have been that easy.

“He’s a madman blaming everyone else for his own mistakes” Lilith chipped in with a shrug. “You know the kind. Can’t hold on to a job, the boss doesn’t understand his value. Can’t hold on to a girlfriend, he’s too good for them. Everything is at the fault of someone else, never his”

*‘She’s a smart one’* Damir chipped in, wanting to be part of the conversation and share his views of the whole situation. Adam did appreciate it.

“So, what do we do then?” Nadine asked.

“We need a plan. Did you guys learn anything in the past hour or so?” Adam looked from Xavier to Lilith and Nadine. Neither of them seemed optimistic, he took it as a no.

“But we didn’t get to finish. This one here interrupted us” Xavier pointed to Katlyn.

“What, I thought this was important” She answered innocently. Truthfully, she just wanted to know what they were all doing down in the library. And she was bored.

“So – here’s the plan. You two, keep reading” Adam said, pointing to Nadine and Xavier. “Lilith, I need a favor from you. Can you pull out the records from that time, maybe that will give is some sort of insight as to why now, and not before” Lilith nodded.

“Can I come with you? I’d like to do that DNA test you talked about” Talia asked, feeling a little nervous.

“Sure. Xavier, can I use you as a reference?” Lilith turned to her friend, who shrugged. She took it as a yes.

“Okay – good. Devan, can you find out if the meeting will happen, and in that case, when?” Devan nodded and fished his phone out of pocket, undoubtedly already getting in touch with someone on the inside. Since Nadine was there with them, another secretary was covering for her.

“Is there anything I can do?” Katlyn asked hopeful, already stretching her arms above her head, getting her muscles warmed up.

“You’re coming with me; we’re going to have a chat with the mayor” Adam answered her.

Katlyn nodded with a smile on her face, almost bouncing at the idea.

“Who’ll look after the pack in the meantime?” Talia questioned. With both Adam and Devan, the alpha and beta, busy with this potential threat, who could make sure everything was in order at the house and ground?

“Don’t worry about that” Monica came into view, a large smile on her face. “Who do you think raised Adam to be the alpha he is today?”

“Thank you” Adam gave the older woman a heartfelt smile before he left the room, Katlyn following quickly after him.

“I’ll call you if I find out anything of use” Xavier assured Talia before going back down to the library with Nadine close on his tail. They had just scratched the surface, and he wasn’t going to stop before he knew everything of importance. Part of him wished that his grandparents had come with them, but another part was glad they hadn’t. It wouldn’t have been a good reunion.
–
“Are you sure about the DNA?” Lilith asked Talia once they were alone. “It’s very easy, I just have to take some swaps from your mouth. But you might not like what you find”

“So far, the truth has done nothing but hurt. I’m not expecting it to change anytime soon. But I might find out something that’s helpful. Maybe why, why me, why not someone else? There are just so many questions and so few answers. I want to try everything that might helpful”

Talia didn’t know what else to do. There were limits to what Lilith and everyone else could do, but she could at least confirm her heritage. And with that she could get some answers. Maybe. It was a long shot, but it was better than sitting around and doing nothing.

“I’ll do my very best” Lilith promised the younger woman. She could see the despair in her eyes, how she was reaching for a lifeline, for answers. They were all fumbling in the dark, searching for something they didn’t even know what was. It was exhausting.

“Thank you” Talia smiled as the two of them walked out of the house.

Despite everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours everyone at the house seemed to take it easy. The kids were playing in the grass outside, closely followed by parents or older siblings whose task was to watch over the younger once when they weren’t at school.

Others were just sitting around, enjoying the possibility of taking a break from running away, actually having time to sit and enjoy what was going on around them.

Talia envied them as she walked out of the gates separating the property from the dirt road that led to it. Lilith had parked her car just on the side of the road. Talia wasn’t used to traveling by car, she preferred to walk when she was at home. But she knew the risk, and she wasn’t taking any chances.

“Do you think he’ll actually get the mayor to call a meeting?” Talia asked once they were seated in Lilith’s car. Looking over he could see that Lilith was worrying, yet she pushed it away, smiling as she turned to look at Talia.

“I believe he will call a meeting anyway. But I don’t believe he will get very far with it. Most people don’t believe in supernatural creatures, thinking it’s more likely there is one or several Gods ruling the world than for humans to be able to shift between human and animal shape. But he’ll do his very best at making life miserable for everyone who lives there, and especially Adam. It was a well-kept secret for a long time, and now. You said Ariel attacked you, called him a monster, him and his kind. So, she knows, and judging from what we just heard, he knows as well. And if not, he'll know very soon.”

Neither one of them liked the thought of that, but it was a bridge they would have to cross when they got there. For now, it was only talk from one man. One man with great influence. But still just one man.

“I wonder – why is he so mad at the wolves and not the person who caused the accident?” Talia said aloud.

“That’s one of the things I’m gonna find out” Lilith answered.

“I’m guessing that’s the file Adam asked you to look into”

“Among others yes”

Talia looked over at Lilith. How could she even know which files to look at without him even voicing it out loud.

“What are the others?” Talia wondered curious.

“You’ll see when we get there. I might need your help” Lilith offered Talia another smile before turning her attention to the road, setting her car in gear and driving down the road, carefully avoiding every bump and hole.