My Stepbrother is a Werewolf?!

8.

***

Lily arrived shortly after we got home, and she threw her bag down at the door, then immediately turned me over to make sure I wasn’t injured.

“I’m fine, L,” I said. “She didn’t do that much damage.”

“That b***h!” Lily cried. “When I heard what happened, I was ready to beat the s**t out of her. But she’d already left by the time I found out. The next time I see her, she’s going to get a black eye to go with her personality.”

“There’s no need for that?” I said. “I’m sure she’s not going to try that again.”

“Did Asher really step in to help you?” she asked.

“Yeah,” I replied. “Alicia tried to make it seem like I was the one who attacked her, but he wasn’t buying it. He was… terrifying.”

“Did someone say my name?” Asher’s voice suddenly came as he stepped into the living room. He froze when he saw Lily, and an inexplicable feeling crept over his face. Lily also froze at the sight of him, which I found strange as she’d never been intimidated by a guy before.

“Asher, this is Lily,” I said. “I don’t believe you guys have ever had the pleasure of meeting.”

Asher glanced at her with a muted gaze, and he turned away awkwardly before he said, “Silva.”

“Coleman,” Lily replied, inclining her head towards him. I stared at both of them in confusion, wondering where this hostility was coming from. But I barely had time to register it before Asher walked away and headed for the kitchen, where Amelia was busy making lunch.

“What was that all about?” I asked.

“Beats me,” Lily shrugged. “Anyway, we were talking about the queen of bitches.”

“Hold on…” I said, as I heard Asher and his mother talking in hushed tones. Maybe this would be my opportunity to finally catch them talking about his secret. I gestured for Lily to stay quiet, and we slowly made our way to the kitchen, where we heard them having a strange conversation.

“Any idea where they came from?” Asher asked.

“I don’t know,” Amelia replied. “It’s mostly assumed that they came from the east. But this is bad, Asher. If wolves have been sighted in Crestfall, it could be a bad omen.”

Lily stiffened beside me, but I held her hand and pressed my finger to my lips, urging her to stay silent.

“Do you think it has anything to do with him?” Asher asked, a chill in his voice.

“Most likely,” she replied. “But you need to stay away from anywhere they might be roaming, Asher. It’s far too dangerous.”

“I can handle myself,” he snapped.

“Against a pack of wild wolves?”

“Don’t you trust me?”

“I do. But you cannot pretend that this isn’t a bad time. If you are caught wandering about, it could be dangerous. You know the rules we have to follow in order to remain in Crestfall.”

“Are you two going to continue spying on us or are you going to come inside?” Asher suddenly asked, and I jumped when I realised he was referring to us.

“We should go,” Lily said, turning away. But I held her in place, my mind made up.

“It’s too late,” I said. “We’ve been caught already.”

As we slowly walked into the kitchen, I noticed the apprehensive look on Amelia’s face, while Asher was smirking at me as he leaned against the counter.

“Now, girls, it’s not nice to eavesdrop,” Amelia said. “If you have anything on your mind, then you’re supposed to ask. But it’s rude to listen in on other people’s conversations.”

“We’re sorry,” I said quickly. “We just heard about the wolves, and it all seems so scary.”

“I suppose it is,” she said, blinking as her gaze shifted towards Lily. “But don’t worry. I’m sure the sheriff will have it handled. They won’t harm anyone.”

“But why are wolves showing up in Crestfall?” I asked. “I thought they prefer colder temperatures. This town is nothing but mountains, and the forest hardly has any animals for them to feed on.”

“Enaya, don’t you know the history of this town?” Amelia asked, and I shook my head.

“This town’s history has always been tied with wolves,” Asher said, then he suddenly froze as if he’d said too much.

“It’s an old folktale,” Amelia said, stepping forward. “They say that the first settlers in this town were guided by wolf spirits, who led them here and helped them to build their homes. The magical creatures were said to be incredibly powerful, and they understood their human nature in a way that seemed almost impossible. But then, as technology and civilisation swept through Crestfall, the wolves were slowly forgotten, and they became nothing more than an old tale.”

“But now they’re back?” I asked.

“It would appear so,” Amelia sighed. “Two wolves were spotted on the edge of the woods earlier this morning. The sheriff says it’s nothing to worry about, and they’re handling it. They plan to drive the creatures back into the woods, and force them far east beyond the mountains so they won’t come back. So you two don’t need to worry about anything.”

“That’s a relief,” Lily said, taking my hand and turning towards the door. “Thank you for the news, Mrs. Coleman. We appreciate it.”

“You’re always welcome,” she said, as Lily dragged me out of the kitchen and up to my room.

“Hey,” I said. “What’s going on?”

“I don’t like this, E,” she said. “All this talk about wolves is giving me the creeps. My dad was talking about it this morning as well. Apparently the last time wolves showed up in Crestfall, they killed a boy and attacked several people. This is a bad sign.”

“But you heard Amelia,” I said. “The sheriff is handling it.”

“He’s just saying that to keep everyone calm,” she said. “This is bad. You have no idea how vicious wolves can be. They’re dangerous creatures, and their thirst for blood is the only thing that guides them.”

“How do you know so much about wolves?” I asked.

“Just hear me out,” she said. “The story she just told us is true, but she left something out. It is said that a hundred years ago, when the first settlers came to Crestfall, they sort of bonded with the creatures in a way. Crestfall was home to a coven of witches at the time, who shared their territory with the wolves, and a deal was struck that allowed the humans to live here. They say that a blood ceremony took place, and both creatures were united as one. This gave some of the humans the ability to transform into wolves, so they could learn the ways of the creatures and become one with nature.”

“And you believe that story?” I asked. “It’s just an old legend, L. It’s the sort of story mothers tell their kids to scare them into submission.”

“All legends are rooted in some element of truth,” she said nervously. “Look, I don’t know why Asher and his mother seem so interested in the wolves, but they’re hiding something from you. We need to find out what it is, and if they’re doing something reckless, you need to get them to stop. Talk to your dad if you have to, or call the sheriff. This is not a joke.”

“Lily, are you seriously telling me to call the cops on my family?” I asked. “Over some old town legend? That’s ridiculous.”

She seemed nervous as she began to pace the length of the room, and I didn’t understand where this was coming from. Did she seriously believe that there were humans who could turn into wolves? Or that witches really existed? It didn’t make any sense. But the fear in her eyes was evident, and I could see how agitated she was. I took her hand slowly, and made her look at me.

“Lily, listen to me,” I said. “There’s no reason to be afraid. This is all just a story that will blow over in a few days. The wolves will be dealt with, and everything will go back to normal. You have nothing to be afraid of.”

“You don’t know that,” she said. “You don’t know what they’re like.”

“I promise you that everything is going to be fine,” I said. “Just trust me, okay?”

She took a deep breath and sighed, and she finally sat down beside me, resting her head on my shoulder. I could feel her shaking, and my heart broke at the thought of her being so afraid that she would become this way. What happened to her? Did someone do something to her?

I suddenly remembered her fearful expression from yesterday, and how she shut down as soon as her father showed up. I didn’t know how to ask the question, but I needed to know if she was in some sort of trouble.

“L?”

“Hm?”

“Is there something wrong between you and your father?”

She stiffened at my question, then slowly looked up at me. “Why do you ask?”

“I noticed how you became quiet yesterday when he showed up,” I said. “I don’t know, but I just thought that there was something there. You would tell me if you were in trouble, right?”

“I’m fine, E,” she replied. “It’s just… I don’t even know what it is. Ever since he came back, things have been awkward between us. It’s like he’s a different man entirely. And he keeps trying to rebuild our relationship, but in the craziest way possible. He doesn’t even know me anymore.”

“I’m sorry,” I said, squeezing her hand.

“When we were in the Cayman Islands, he told me we should go out with a couple of his friends,” she said. “I thought it was just for a regular night out, but that night I saw him for who he has become. He’s not the man I used to know.”

“Have you spoken to him about this?”

“I tried to, but my stepmom insists that I should just give him some space and let him come back to his senses,” she said. “I think she’s just glad that he’s back home, but then I hear them arguing all the time, and it’s just so f****d out in that house. I hate going back home, and I hate listening to them every single night. I think she’s seeing someone behind his back, and I know for a fact that he’s seeing other women too. It’s just too much to handle.”

I didn’t know what to say, so I simply held her as she started to cry. I held her as she shook violently, and my own tears began to flow as my heart broke for her. Lily didn’t deserve this. She was the sweetest person I know, and I couldn’t believe that she had to endure this. I wished I could take it all away, and make her happy again. Nobody deserved to go through this, especially not her.

We sat there for a very long time, just crying our hearts out and holding onto each other for dear life. As we held each other, it felt like the world outside melted away, and it was just the two of us against the world. No matter what happened, I knew that Lily would be there for me. And I told myself that I was going to find a way to fix this problem for her.

I needed to find a way to talk to her father.

***