Knowing Storm Forest

Magda's POV

Two months are more than enough to do my job.
So far, I have had tremendous luck on my side. I met Jace who is the Beta of that same Jasper I thought I would have to search for at least two weeks. I've heard Jasper's side of the story and it sounded great.
And then the sister, Ruth, who is studying in Human Town. I'm shifting investigating on her for later.
The pack has priority now; they are the cause of Saray's leave. I'm still lying on the bed after my talk with Saray and start to doze off. A sudden knock on the door awakes me. "Come on in," I yell, and as expected, Jace stands at the door. "It's lunchtime. Are you coming? I'm starving, I can easily eat a bear now without effort". I roll my eyes laughing, this sentence sounds so familiar. Together we walk to the dining room and there I see the Alpha sitting at the head of the table. Next to him, the chair is empty, it is most likely meant for his Luna. Esis also has me sit exactly like that next to him at our long table.
Jace and another man flank the Alpha.
"Hi, I'm Cleo, the Head Warrior of Storm Forest," the man introduces himself but doesn't shake my hand. When he notices the confusion on my face, he smiles. "It's custom that when someone is mated, you don't touch each other, Luna. You wear the mark of an Alpha and I want to live a few more years," he explains cheerfully. Jace chuckles and beckons me to sit next to him. "That's true, Magda. I took a huge risk by getting too close to you. If Alpha Esis finds my scent on you, I'll have a lot of explaining to do," he defines. The airy mood of the men is so infectious, I almost forget why I'm here for. They make me feel so relaxed in their company.
Servants come in and put a lot of food on the table. Meat, meat and more meat, of course.
I watch the Alpha discreetly, wanting to know so much more about him. When I tell Saray about him, I want to be able to answer all her questions. "Who wants to tell me about the pack? I am so curious about what I will see there. Do you have a fascinating history?" I ask interestedly. Content the Alpha looks up at me, my question clearly doing him good.
"Well, in my office, I have the writings of the elders. The oldest person in Storm Forest is Elder Antonius and he is only three hundred years old," he sighs disappointedly. A cry of surprise escapes me. "Three hundred years? Alpha, are you speaking the truth? No man gets that old," I let out. The men burst into laughter. "Magda, we are werewolves. Three hundred years is nothing. A special breed found among the Lycans, is even immortal," the Alpha answers me. "Midnight Moon has Elders of even five hundred years." With an open mouth, I stare at him now. Esis hasn't told me anything about this, but maybe he's waiting for me to visit the pack. I have barely recovered from his confession of being a werewolf, so I would be utterly shocked at such information.
"What I want to say is that all we know of Storm Forest began three hundred years ago. But Elder Antonius claims that we are much older and that our origins begin with a profound tragedy," the Alpha continued. "A great war has raged among the werewolves for almost a hundred years and when it ended, the packs regrouped. The Kingdom of Royal Werewolves was totally destroyed and had to be rearranged as well. Were-laws for the whole werewolf community and precepts within packs were made, hence the establishment of the Council to see to it that no one, not even high-ranking, did not violate the rules".
The Alpha's story is so intriguing, I hang on to his every word coming out of his mouth, absorbing everything he shares.
"But how does this Elder Nicolas know all this when he is only three hundred years old? He says the pack is older than him," I verify. "Do you have any facts to which you can test his story for truth?" He bobs his head drily. "Yep. The elders of the other packs confirm his story. Their writings are older, but strangely, nowhere is Storm Forest mentioned. It's as if my pack didn't exist then and suddenly appeared," he reveals. This surprises me. How can a pack suddenly exist? Then where did those wolves come from? "Alpha, that seems so impossible. Surely the members of your pack must know how their ancestors got to the area where you live?"
"Believe me, it's a mystery we haven't had an answer to so far," he responds. "It is indeed as if we fell from the sky, the Moon Goddess created our ancestors single-handedly and put them here. Jace went through the packs and checked their books. The name Storm Forest is nowhere mentioned". A most strange story. I mean, I don't know much about the werewolf culture and Moon Goddess they worship, but it's unlikely that this goddess is still in the process of creating werewolves other than per natural multiplication. Or it's that werewolves love those exciting fairy tales that make it easier to lull their children to sleep at night. I make a mental note to tell this story to Esis as soon as we speak again.
I feel Jace glancing at me and as I turn to him, I give him a wink.
This Beta is a smart guy, I have to keep close attention on him or he will pierce through my plan in no time. He already suspects me, and I have to shake him off. In the pack I will have a better chance of doing that, I will definitely meet more people there and mingle. He laughs at my bold attitude. "Alpha, your stories are so exciting, I could listen to you for hours," I praise the man. "Would it be strange for me to visit Elder Nicolas? You will have little time to engage with me all the time, and the Elder is the source of the story."
"Don't worry, Magda. As soon as you are settled in the packhouse, I will take you to him," Jace promised. "Elder Nicolas is fond of reminiscing about the past. He can go on for hours, and from the looks of it, you're seriously interested". The men smile like they are hiding something. But I don't object to them poking fun at me. It distracts them, allowing me to easily observe the pack and ask about Saray. Jace is my only source of concern....