Chapter Thirty-nine: The Library

We walk towards where I remember the Elders stayed, but taking a slight left and head towards a small squares shaped building. The outside section had some stairs leading up to it and the outside was surrounded by columns, which looked like they supported it.

The building itself looked much older than many other buildings I had seen so far in the packs territory. I wonder if it out dated them all?

As we walk up to the front doors, which looked very large and heavy, I look to see that no one was around.

“Does no one come here?” I asked as I continue to look around.

“There are a few wolves that are interested. They come but usually take something then leave and read it elsewhere. Not many people stay inside to read a book.” Lukas says, a bit sulkily.

I ignore his attitude as I push forward and push the doors which end up being fairly light to push. Inside, the place is lit up from the glass roof which is probably a newer addition to the building than when it was first built. It brings in enough light that we can look around and I scan the area in awe.

There are several rows of bookshelves in this place, all filled to the brim with books. I start walking up to the closest one to me and I start to scan the books to see their names. I continue making my way through the library to see what seems to be thousands upon thousands of books.

I’ve loved reading books my whole life and whenever I’ve had the chance to pick up the book and read it, I swarm it, unable to put it down after starting it.

I can’t help but love the place I am in but I already know that what I want to try and find won’t be here. I make a mental note that I must come back here to read as many books as possible to quench my thirst for reading.

I turn round to Lukas who has been looking at me with his golden orbs. He has a slight frown on as if he knows what I’m about to request.

I roll my eyes at him, having enough of his charade. “So? Are you going to take me to this forbidden section or what?” I say, emphasising the word forbidden.

I can tell he’s getting slightly pissed. Well I hope he is after dropping that bombshell on me. He has a slight huff and he then loosens up a bit after taking a deep breath. He moves his hand in the direction my right where we see a room which is closed.

“It’s over there. Let’s go as I have a key.” He pulls a small looking key out of his pocket and heads to the door with a sullen expression on his face.

I follow him but I start to get a sinking feeling. I look to the floor as I try and think about how much he’s been through and the way he’s been speaking to me lately. Yesterday, last night, then this morning, it’s all been very quick for me, but he’s been looking for me for weeks. I make a mental note of remembering to do something for him to make up for lost time, but I can tell he’s stressed and it’s starting to seep through. I don’t like arguing with him but I also need him to understand I didn’t know I was away for a long time. I hope the Elders can shine some light on what happened to me in the lake.

We reach the door and he slides the key in, opening it with a single turn. He pushes the door open with one hand, and looks to me. “All yours. Feel free to pick up what you need or want and read, but please do not take anything inside this room out of the library.”

“Thank you. I’ll try and not take long.”

He nods his head at me. I take over holding the door and he immediately pulls away, walking towards the exit.

I look back at him slightly surprised. I guess he didn’t want to stay? I frown, watching him as he exits the library and heads down the stairs we came up. I stand for a further minute, unsure what to do. I shake my head, deciding to stay and then walk into the room, making sure I close the door behind me.

I take a look around and see a few, much smaller book cases in here, and a small desk but with no chair. I walk up to the closest bookcase and can see that these are larger, more like record keeping books up at the front. I pick the one that’s closest to me and I can see to the right of this one there are older, more worn looking ones with more dust along the top.

I pull the closest one out and see the title, which is hand written; ‘Alpha line of Crescent Moon’. It’s really heavy so I heave it towards the small desk just besides the bookcase.

I place it down and a few specks of dust whoosh out from between the pages. I cough and wave my hand to shoo the dust away. I open the pages and can see the first page that reads out ‘The life and choices of the Alphas of crescent Moon’.

I decide not to dwell on the fact that each choice and outcome of each Alpha is being recorded here. I flick through the pages and go right towards the middle where the pages seem to be blank. I flip through the previous pages and I come across a few pages with writing. I start to flick back and then I see the last set of records, titled ‘Alpha Lukas Moon’.

I skim over the words in the book which go over his take over from Markus, some laws he changed a bit after that, and then it seems on his twentieth birthday he discussed with the Elders a contingency plan on his successor. Seems he had decided on his twentieth birthday he wouldn’t try until he was twenty-five. I can feel Athena growl in the back of my mind, not liking this one bit, and I can’t help but agree with her. But I’m interested on reading more.

I carry on and I start seeing red. He’s left out a bit of information from me which is probably why he wanted to leave me here. I feel my teeth grinding as I carry on.
It seems he has not been trying this with just Sara…but also Emma. Emma was his first choice, it seems. After a year of trying with her, he’s moved onto Sara.

I tut, and I whack the book closed, frustrated, and I can tell Athena feels the same.

I decide to pick up the book and place it back where I found it. I inhale, taking a deep breath and exhale. It’s in the past and I should forget about it. I know he’d be loyal to me, but I still don’t like the thought. I decide to clean the slate and won’t chase him up about it again.

I start to brush my index finger along the books on each bookcase, not finding anything really special, based on the titles. A few of these I already had seen and read in the elven community.

I continue to do this, whilst also having a look through some pages of some books until I find myself at the last bookshelf towards the back. I can see that no one had been here in a while as there were a few cobwebs and dust all over the books. I wipe my hand against all of the books to reveal their names upon the covers. A lot of these look like history books but none of which jump out of me. I get towards the right side, still wiping the dust away for each book and see a leather based book, enclosed by buckles.

I can’t understand the title from the side as it’s been scratched off. I pull the book out gently, afraid that I'll rip something in the process.

I look to the front of the book but that has also seemingly been scratched off as well, and I’m unable to read any of the contents on the front, spine or the back.

I suddenly jump, as I feel a hand on my shoulder. I quickly turn to see Lukas looking at me intensely, with curiosity in his eyes. He looks down at the book in my hand, then back up into my eyes.

“Are you ok? You’ve been here a while.” He says, slightly worried.

“Yes, I’ve just been looking into all the books here, I didn’t realise there were so many.” I say back to him.

He looks back down at the book in my hand again and frowns. “We’ve never been able to open that one.” He says matter-of-factly.

Before I ask him anything else, he follows on. “It’s the oldest book here, even older than when there was a King, from what we can tell. No one has dared to rip it apart or try and pry it open. The Elders have tried everything. It’s been left in the corner, mostly forgotten about. The buckles are sealed shut and cannot be opened.”

I raise an eyebrow. So, no one’s opened it. I wonder what’s inside and what’s causing it to be so secure.

Without answering him, I turn the book in my hands having a look at the edges, corners and the pages enclosed between the front and back of the book cover. I try and pick at the buckles, and he’s right, they don’t move and inch. I try to flip it by trying to pick the tip of the buckle with my finger nail but nothing. I rub my thumbs across the front, back and spine of the book, feeling nothing. I then rub my thumb down the pages and accidentally go down it a bit too quickly, which then gave me a small paper cut.

I see Lukas look to my eyes and a pang of worry shoots through him. I smile up at him to let me know I’m ok. I place my thumb over the buckle as I move the book under my arm when I hear a clipping sound.

The buckle just opened as if it wasn’t being held anymore.