•9• A Mark That Burns

I was still in Sebastian's room when they all left me there. I was alone there my mind is till wondering and thinking about what happened. I could not wrap my head around everything that happened today. Werewolves exist and apparently witches too, if the burn I feel in my wrist is anything to go with. I looked at my wrist only to find a mark on it. The mark was slightly red, like a burn, and it looked like a small chain all around my wrist.

I heard the click of the door opening, so I looked up to find Sebastian standing there. He took slow steps, careful even, as he entered the room. "hey" his voice was quiet and cautious as if he was worried, I would snap at him. I did not reply, so he just continued waking until he was standing right next to the bed. "I just wanted to check on you"

"I'm fine" I said, looking away. "I mean it's not like I just discovered that werewolves and witches exist, and one of said witches casted a sort of a spell on me" I mumbled sarcastically.

"Look I understand how hard this is, and believe me I wouldn't have involved you in any of this. It is just somehow troubles keep finding their way to you" he sighed and slowly sat on the edge of the bed, "Perhaps part of it is my fault. I just really wanted to know you" he stuttered slightly, "I couldn't help getting to know you"

I scoffed, "don't pull that Edward shit on me"

He quirked an eyebrow, "what? Who's Edward"

"Edward Cullen, twilight?" I sat straighter, "you don't know twilight?" I asked shocked.

"resembling this to a fiction book is quite absurd" he said in distaste.

"So?" I asked expectantly.

"So?"

"Are there vampires too?" I asked. I mean it sounded logical that with werewolves and witches existance that there would be other things too, and vampires do not seem that far-fetched anymore.

He chuckled, "none like Edward Cullen, if that's what you're asking"

"so what are they like?"

"you're taking this way better than most people would" he noted with furrowed eyebrows.

"Well I think you can thank modern literature; they made believing in such things quite easy" I tucked a strand hair behind my ear, "Also, I was never one to believe in impossibilities. I mean I think everything in this world is possible. What's to say that something or another cannot happen?"

He smiled, "I think that's why I find you so interesting, that's why I felt attracted to you the moment I saw you"

I grinned and bit my lower lip in hopes of hiding it. "I like you too Sebastian." It was then that a moment of clarity hit me. "I don't know how I feel about you turning into one huge wolf though" my eyes widened, "Wait, do werewolves have mates like in the novels?"

He chuckled, "You mean like someone we drool over and they are the center of our universe?" When I nodded my head, he shook his head. "Not in that sense. Some wolves, they are very few and very rare, have someone who they are most compatible with. They can live without this person, they will not die or anything like that, but they will never be truly complete without this person"

"And when they meet this someone, do they know?"

He nodded his head, "they do, yes. They get it from a look, perhaps a touch" he had this far away look on his face, "It is almost impossible to happen. Even if your one exists, what are the chances that you'd meet them. Do you know how many werewolves are out there?"

I started to wonder what if he met his one, how would he react? If and only if we are together at the time, would he leave me for her? I started to think about that attraction I felt the moment I met him, why did I feel that way? Now, what should I do with these feelings?

"Hey" I heard him call me. I looked up and he said, "Lorraine, this is a very much of an impossible thing to happen. I know this will not happen with us" he paused for a second, "If you're willing to have an 'us' in the future"

I remained quiet for a second or maybe two; I did not want to set anything about this relationship right now. I needed more time to think, "Maybe we should talk about this later. We have other things to consider right now" he looked disappointed, so I tried to change the subject. "Do you know why these wolves are killing people? I mean of they are crazy and deranged why did they start now?"

"They just arrived, they traveled between the forests of the state when they arrived here for a reason or another they have become more vicious. As we explained before, they never used to consume the human flesh, but from what we have seen so far, at least with the state of Sally's body"

I nodded my head in understanding, "So, maybe of we figure out what led to the change we will be able to stop them"

His face turned rigid and his body rigid, "Lorraine, you should not involve yourself in this"

I raised an eyebrow, "Sebastian, I am already involved in this. I am part of it, from the moment those wolves attacked me up until I became aware of what's happening" I argued, "And Lucy has not shown up so far, and she works for my grandmother, so again I am involved" when I mentioned my grandmother, I remembered that I have been here for a long time, "Oh my god" I jumped off the bed, "My grandmother! What time is it? She must be extremely worried right now"

Sebastian stood up, "don't worry. Ava called her, she told her that you are staying the night with her"

I raised an eyebrow, "and nana bought it? I mean I was just on a date with you and then somehow I ended up in your house and staying over with Ava who is not even my friend?" the whole thing sounded suspicious, there is no way that nana would believe this.

"She told her that she met with us in the restaurant and you guys got along right away and decided to spend the night getting to know each other better"

"It's a school night, Sebastian. I have to go home"

"It's past midnight Raine. I think it's better if you stay the night and I will drive you home before school tomorrow"

I nodded my head slowly and sat slowly on the bed, "Well then, what do you think is the reason behind these wolves to act that way?"

He shook his head, sitting down as well, "I am not sure. There is nothing that I can think of that would cause this"

"I need to know more about this, do you perhaps have any books about it? Anything that would help me understand things better; I am sure if I know more, I would be able to help"

He shook his head, "I still feel that you shouldn't get involved"

I huffed, "dude I am not saying I will go and fight them with my bare hands, just that I will research and see what I can find. I am very good with researching"

He sighed, "alright, we can go to the meeting room. My mom and Ava are already researching this"

I was slightly surprised that they have a meeting room in their house, but when I left the room, I was even more surprised. They did not live in a house; it was a freaking mansion. High ceiling, classical furniture, and deep red carpets. We were walking in a very long hallway: it seemed endless, and the Victorian style enhanced the gothic sense of the décor. The hallway had paintings and a couple of statues, we passed by several doors, until we reached one with a golden doorknob, unlike all the others. Sebastian knocked faintly on the door for three consecutive times then he opened it slowly, peeking inside with his head first. "Ava" I heard him call.

"Come on in" she told him in what sounded to me like a tired voice.

Sebastian turned to me and nodded his head towards the room. I followed his steps inside only to be welcomed with shelves upon shelves covering every wall my eyes fell on inside the room. There was a huge glass window opposite the door, what looked like a wooden rectangular meeting table in the middle of the room, and on the far right there was this cozy corner with one dark red armchair in front of a fireplace. I was bewildered by the beauty of this place, this room on its own is enough with book upon books.

"What are you doing here? I expected that you would rest until the morning" Ava said, standing up the second she saw me. She did not look bothered, but she gave me this feeling that my presence made her uncomfortable for a reason or another.

"She wants to help with the research" Sebastian said in a hurried voice.

"Help? Help how Sebastian?" her tone was blaming and held this accusing voice. She walked and stood right in his face nudging him with her pointer while saying, "She should not even be involved in any of this. Do you understand how dangerous her presence is? Now you want her to help?"

"I volunteered to help" I interjected. I think my presence and the kind of knowledge I hold at the moment did not settle well with Ava. "I think I should at least help with the research, it's really the least I could do" I walked closer to them, "I understand that you do not like the fact that I know about all of this, but I already do. So, maybe instead of pointing fingers and blaming each other I can try and help you get rid of those murderers"

She gave me a long assessing look, but her attacking stance loosened and her shoulders slumped slightly with a sight, "come here" she walked back to the meeting table and took her seat back, "I know that I will regret this later" she shook her head.

There were many books sprawled in front of her, so I grabbed one of them. "Mythical Creatures: from the shifters to the Gods" I read.

"Nothing is here. I already went through the whole thing" Ava said tiredly.

Sebastian took a seat next to Ava then said, "We need to find why the change happened or what triggered it. Why are the wolves behaving differently now?"

"I don't think there's book around here saying 'Changes in Mythical Creatures and how to spot them'" I scoffed.

"Don't be sassy" Sebastian stated with a small side smile.

"We have to go through the information about werewolves, but I just cannot even know where to begin" Ava ruffled her hair tiredly.

"Maybe we should check the history of werewolves" I suggested. I saw them looking at me expectantly, so I continued, "What are the chances that this is one-of-a-kind incident? Maybe something similar happened before, and if so then it would be written in one book or another about the mysterious history of the werewolf nation"

Ava turned to Sebastian, "Is she always that sarcastic?"

"She is right here, and No I'm usually not. But today is just exceptional" I sat down and pushed the book slightly away, "SO what do you guys think?"

"I think it's worth the shot" Sebastian shrugged, "We don't have anything to go by anyway"

Ava nodded her head slowly, but before she could say anything, Mr. Addington rushed through the doors. "They found another body"

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