Chapter 10

Skeletons, cobwebs, chains, rats, cells, the smell of death, there was none of that. If this were what they called a dungeon I'd love to see what they put in the playroom--if they had one.

There was, however, thick wide wooden doors each with padlocks that lined down the underground brick archway. No one would think anyone would put time and effort to build a basement/dungeon this beautifully crafted to look like the inside of a medieval castle. Crystal chandeliers hung on the ceiling and a vintage red rug decorated the floor. Not a speck of dust dirtied the area.

"So what do you think?" Laura claps her hands together, smiling like a house realtor.

"I think people wouldn't mind staying in here." I certainly wouldn't mind. This is way better than the two-bedroom apartment I lived in back home.

She chuckled. "The rooms don't have windows, but they do have ventilation. The last six rooms on the very end have no light and people who need to isolate for a while to reflect on what they did wrong are placed there."

I feel like she filtered her words as not to scare me.

"Wrong...what kind of wrong things?" I suspect their idea of a bad crime is: Peeing on a tree. Barking at the squirrels. Chewing up pairs of shoes.

"Brutal murder, treason, obtaining illegal arms...that kind of stuff." She spoke the fact blandly as if it was of no importance than traffic alert.

My jaw literally almost disconnects from my skull. "And you don't mind living above these sorts of people! Is this some sort of House above a prison?!" I take tentative steps towards the stairs, staring at the locked doors where murderers could be dwelling on the other side.

"It's safe. I assure you. These doors are hardcore stuff and guards are on standby twenty four seven." She steps in front of a large picture frame and knocks on the glass. A different knock responds back. "The guards are on the other side of this frame. They see us, we can't see them."

That's really creepy. I'm never going to look at a frame the same way again. And despite her assurance, I'm not comfortable being in here.

Now she's a flight attendant waving her arms in direction. "There are a total of twenty rooms, only four are occupied. Two of these occupants are not criminals." She points to the first two rooms near the stairs. "Miles and Levi are temporary dormers. They have recently shifted and are learning to control their wolves. Right now, they are a danger to you and me, so they stay in there.

"Any male with a small inkling of werewolf blood can turn into a werewolf at the ripe age of 16. However, their innate instincts are activated when they're near a pack. If not, they live out their lives as humans." She pauses while I take in this information.

"And the two that are criminals?" I'm more concern about them.

"Harmless. Those boys can't hurt a fly! Do you have questions? Now's the time to ask, since we are in a tour and all." She purposely averts the subject.

"Are there no female werewolves?" So far I haven't seen any, but I could be wrong. Greyson's sister looked tough enough to be one.

"Werewolves are only male."

"That's stereotypical."

She nods her head. "Think on the bright side, we don't grow hair all over our bodies."

She's got a point.

"So how did these guys become werewolves?"

"That's a long story, but I'll give you the shorter version." She clears her throat and begins. "Some paranoid medieval King got a hold of dark magic. Traded gold with a witch. He asked her to turn his strongest and most trusted knight into a wolf to protect himself from conspirators wishing to kill him. Little did he know; his eldest daughter was infatuated by that knight. The knight secretly loved the girl as well, but feared the Kings wrath. During the night of the Eclipse the knight is at his most strongest, as well as his weakest when his beast form is in full control. Knowing this the princess releases this is her only chance to be with him. That night she sneaks out her chambers to find him.

That same night she falls pregnant. The King finds out and becomes outraged, almost killing his daughter. The knight saves the princess costing him the king's trust. The knight threatens to expose the king's use of dark magic if any harms either the princess, or their unborn child. From that threat the king banishes the couple to a faraway land. They have many kids but the oldest one, a male, inherits most of his father's powerful magical traits. That son's first born also inherits those powerful traits. The magic is then passed down every generation all the way to now."

She pauses and looks at me waiting for my response.

"And Greyson is the next in line of powerful heirs."I clarify.

"Yes. We call them Alphas. My husband Bennett is the current Alpha of this pack. But Greyson will take over once he turns twenty-five that's in six months."

"Are there are more of these packs?"

She nods her head once and crosses her arms. "The six other children of the princess and knight carried the werewolf gene. They're offspring started their own packs but they're not as powerful as this one, but we do not communicate with them anymore. They do not consider us their equals for this pack holds more power compared to theirs. "

"So, this house the estate the Princess was banished in?" I note the medical castle design again.

Laura nods. "It's an old house but over the years, it's been renovated to appeal to the current decade."

At that moment, the door above the stairs clicked closed and Greyson appeared. "How's the tour going?"

As soon as his presence fills the room, it's like I feel a little lighter. I can't explain it, but it feels like I'm kind of...glad? Dopamine does that to you. Oh my god...did someone spike my drink? I swear the glass of water I drank earlier tasted clean.

"We barely even started. I was giving Celeste a history lesson. Aren't you supposed to be in the kitchen washing the dishes?" Laura made eye contact with him and he ignored her scowl for his eyes were fixated on me. He grins nervously hoping to be rewarded with a smile back.

I turn my head, much to his disappointment.

His mood deters and he answers his mom with a crisp dry tone. "All finished. And if you need proof, I took a picture. You can call also call dad--he is my witness."

Laura glances at me knowing very well why her son had a stick up his butt. "No need. I was just telling Celeste about how you became alpha."

"That's not a very interesting story to tell...I was born into it."

"You're the eldest son, therefore you are the pride leader." I rehearse, though in my head I'm imagining Lion King. And apparently, I'm supposed to be Nala? At least she didn't get kidnapped.

"Pack. Pack leader." Greyson corrects me, though there's a hint of amusement hidden underneath his tough facade.

"Yes, Mr. Pack Man...Whatever helps you sleep at night," I roll my eyes.

He tilts his chin up, amused by my sassy tone. "I'm glad to hear how concerned you are towards my wellbeing, sweetheart. Sleeping at night with you in my arms as we spoon will be the ticket to my good night's sleep."

I point daggers at him with my eyes. "Touch me and I swear, you're going to need another set of balls."

Laura made a chocking sound. My gaze remained glued at the cocky jerk.

He lowered his mischievous blue eyes and whispered low enough so that his mother wouldn't hear. "I'd rather you bite me." When he pulled back, I watched as his tongue licked his bottom lip and tremor ran down my body making my stomach dip. My hand automatically swung to his face attempting to slap the silly grin, but he dodged it with finesse.

He looked absolutely pleased with himself.

"Love the sizzling chemistry between you two, but I can leave if you want. Don't want to be the third wheel." Laura puckered her lips and her pupils bobbled back and forth between us.

"No."

"Please."

Greyson and I say in accord.

"Stay." I beg her.

"I'll take care of her always." Again he places his hand on the small of my back and literally corners me to the wall so that I can't back away from his touch.

"Wow there Fluffy, I need breathing space!"

Greyson's eyes flickered and he shot e a glare. "Stop calling my wolf Fluffy!"

Laura seems as though she wants a seat and a bowl of popcorn. I expected her to stop our bickering, but all hope fails when she innocently pats my shoulder. "Don't kill each other while I'm gone. Greyson, don't do anything stupid. Remember, the pack depends on the both of you. Our survival is in your hands." She points at Greyson. "And your stomach." She points at me with a conniving smile.

My stomach...WTF?!

"Huh?"

"Mom, the teasing is getting really old." There was a hint of warning in his voice that wasn't showing on his face.

"Love you too, my handsome boy." She giggles and goes on her tippy toes to kiss him on his cheek. "Your face is prickly-you need to shave. Celeste would appreciate not kissing a dog." She sends me a wink.

"Ah...no I wouldn't. And I'm not kissing anyone."

"Mom." Greyson bites back another warning.

"Alright. Alright, I know when I've embarrassed you enough." She sighs and heads up the stairs mumbling something about boys and their silly tough guy attitudes. Her departure releases the awkward tension in the room.

"I'd like to see your exit doors." I tell him.

"Why? So you can escape?"

Yes. "No you idiot. I want to know where to go in case of a fire! I thought you said my safety is your first priority."

"It is, but if there was a fire you and I would be the last ones out."

I'm sure he's just pulling my leg. "You're shitting me?"

"No." He looked at me dumbfounded. "And nice vocabulary by the way. As pack leaders, we make sure everyone is safe before considering our wellbeing."

Again with the pride rock talk. I'm surprised the song, Circle of Life hasn't turned on.

"I've never been the leader-type. At school, I was the team player but I never stepped up to bat. I was the last person anyone would pick for a game." That was because I was stubborn and my classmates didn't like how impulsive I was. It didn't mean I sucked at extracurricular. Not to be narcissistic; but with the body I have, it can't be lean and agile by sitting in front of the television all day. "If that's what you are looking for in a girl, you stole the wrong one."

"I didn't make a mistake. You are mine."

I groaned. "Mine, mine, mine." He sounded like a freaking mocking bird. "Can you just show me around already? Isn't that's what we are supposed to be doing?"

"Don't get angry. I'm trying my best to make you feel comfortable."

"You really want to know what would make me comfortable." He looked at me for a long time and then nodded. "Take. Me. Home." I said each word crisply.

He breathed out heavily. "That's impossible."

"No it isn't. Lead me through the maze, and I can walk home myself."

"Aren't you a ball of sunshine?" Greyson and I both swung our heads to the dirty blond leaning against the wall.

What hole did he come out from? I didn't even hear him come in.

"Leonardo, what are you still doing here? I thought you already gone home." Greyson blocked my view of Leo.

What is it with him? Every time Leo is concerned, Greyson acts like a shield?

"Working late night, tonight...official business." The cockiness rippled off Leo like waves.

"Go home Leo. I relieve you of your duties."

"Are you sure? It looks like you need help taming that girl."

"That girl, is standing right here." I waved from behind Greyson's tall form. I wish he would move over so that I could see. The plain of Greyson's back was not interesting to look at. It was a lot larger than Trent's back, or my father's. More muscular, that's for sure. I've never seen a guy as perfect as Greyson...

SHIT...stop drooling over him!

"Celeste, why don't you head upstairs and wait for me while I talk to Leonardo."

"You really think, I'm going to listen to you?"

"No. I don't" The poor guy looked defeated. And for a second-just a second. I felt sorry for him.

"I thought so." I tilted my chin at him.

Leo interrupted by laughing. "Dude...she's got you whipped already."

"Shut up, runt." Greyson growled starkly. The simple command should not have shut Leo's big mouth, yet it did. The humor was still in his eyes, but his lips pressed together in a tight line almost like it was glued together. "How did Vincent respond to my message?"

"You mean the rock?"

"Yeah."

"I throw it at his head like you wanted me to-

"That's horrible!" I exclaimed. "You could have killed him!" Imagining the size of that thing, I'm sure Vincent could very well be in the hospital right now. "You devils!"

The two jerks didn't look at all ashamed.

"Relax, cupcake. My brother sensed it in time and it grazed him across the cheek."

And that's supposed to be better?!

"Did you tell him it was from me?" Greyson was serious!

Leo chuckled. "Yeah, the twerp looked like he was about to pee his pants."

"Did he really?" Greyson arched his brow.

"He looked perturbed, but no...I wish he did though. I would never let him live it down." He smiled astutely. "So what are you two doing down here? Aren't couples supposed to be kissing on top of a hill looking over a beautiful sunset, or some shit like that?"

My face twisted in disgust. They acted as if this were a day to day conversation.

"Watch the language." Greyson muttered, while his eyes darted to me.

"Puh-lease, I'm not immune to that sort of language."

"Awesome." Leo snickered and let out a whole slur of explicit words just to test me.

Greyson groaned and palmed his face. "From now on don't reel him on." Leo sung out a whole rap song, before Greyson stopped him. "Leo, that's enough!"

"Are you sure? I think Celeste is enjoying herself."

"I'm not. You are giving me a headache" I uncover my ears.

"I second that." Greyson adds.

The scowl on both Greyson and mine faces, erased the comic expression on his face. Leo's shoulders slump and his hands grasp both sides of his hips. "You know what? The two of you are perfectly matched-grumpy, uptight and mean. This pack will have mighty fine leaders." He says sarcastically.

With that, Greyson walks over to him and punches him square in the face. Heck, I wanted to take my turn. And normally, I'm nonviolent. This is what happens when you spend too long with animals. I've become barbaric in a matter of twenty-four hours.

Leo unpleasantly falls on his side cradling his abused cheek. "You little shit!"

"Take it like a man!" Greyson mocks.

"Do you abuse people in a daily bases?" I ask him.

"Not all the time." He says bashfully.

"Yes he does." Leo grumbled, receiving a kick to his side.

Greyson met my accusing eyes and reddens. "It's not going to hurt him. Look, he's already healing."

I do look and just like he said, the welt that was supposed to be forming on Leo's face was back to his normal skin color.

"Holy...how did you do that!" I reached out to touch Leo's cheek and Greyson seized my hand as if he wouldn't allow it. Leo saw it and rolled his eyes. He got up and brushed his ass if dust covered his jeans.

"Werewolves have healing capabilities."

"Indestructible." Leo smirked.

"But we aren't Superman. We can be killed by big wounds." Greyson explained.

"Silver bullets?" Thinking back to the pseudoscience I gathered from Halloween movies.

Both men burst out into fits of laughter.

"Grey, she's kidding right?" Leo clutched his stomach.

"That's Alpha Grey to you-and no unfortunately she's not." Greyson, at least tried to hide his laugh behind his hand.

"Oh god, next thing you know she will be talking about us turning on a full moon!" They laughed again.

I frowned. Okay, maybe that was my next question, but still...

"You two suck." My vocabulary needs some work.

"Suck what?" Leo grinned and continued with his hysterics.

Greyson on the other hand stopped laughing. "That wasn't funny."

I crossed my arms. "I'm clearly uninformed, so why don't you two explain to me how this circus works?"

Leo pretended to wipe a tear from his low eye lid. "After you, boss."

Greyson sneered at him. "We don't need a full moon to turn into wolves. That's all make-believe some wacko made up when he accidently saw one of our kind during the Middles Ages. People began adding more crazy assumptions after that. We have the same lifespan as humans, but we have animalistic traits: sight, sound, smell...you get the gest. Leonardo is my Beta. He is second in command when I'm unavailable to perform my duties. Though his behavior thus far has given me some second thoughts."

"Aww, some on...I take my job back home seriously. I was the one who gave you the 411 on her." He looked at me from the corner of his eyes.

"I knew it." I muttered under my breath but both guys heard.

"Yes. His other job as my beta is to make sure all is perfectly executed during the Taking."

Leo arrogantly lifted his chin feeling satisfied of himself. "And I did a damn good job."

"And look where I am." I hissed between clenched teeth.

"With me." Greyson seemed pissed by my exclamation.

"Yeah..." Suddenly I felt the weight of Greyson's stare on my face.

"Calm down, Grey. You're wolf is showing and we don't want to see that thing protruding." Leo patted his back, clearly looking down at Greyson's nether region.

Oh God. The snort escaped my nose and I couldn't stop it.

Leo wasn't this amusing when I first met him-what the hell happened to that solemn guy on the motorcycle?

Without a blink, Greyson clutched the hem of his shirt and dragged him towards the third padlock door.

"Wait, wait! Greyson-Alpha. I'm pulling your buttons, man! Seriously Greyson, I was merely trying to make Celeste more comfortable so that she would ease up on you. Man...man...we're best friends! Since our Clifford puppy days!"

Greyson unlocked the padlock and flung Leo inside as like a sack of flour. "I'll call your mother and tell her, you've been drinking again." He slammed the door and shut the lock.

Bang

Bang

"Greyson! It was just two shots with the guys! Don't tell my mother, she's going to blow a gasket and remember what happened last time that happened!"

"Well, that's your problem. And what the hell were you and the guys thinking? You're not supposed to be drinking on the job."

Bang

"The guys pressured me to do it! They said we were toasting to your engagement!"

I wanted to interject and tell him that there was no engagement but I didn't want to disrupt their argument.

"You're the Beta, you could have refused."

Leo didn't respond after that. Greyson placed his hand on the small of my back and lead me up the stairs, shutting the door after us. "Let's finish the tour."

I shadowed his footsteps and quietly listened to everything detail he described about the history of the house. There were five rooms in the send floor, two downstairs and one unoccupied, or emptied master's bedroom with office on the third floor. The house was of course better than Gran's.

Greyson explained how members of his pack lived back in town. That got me thinking-how many people back in Paradise Valley were werewolves? My memories took me back to the boys I saw running in their jeans. Were they werewolves too?

Then Vincent's face came into my subconscious. He was definitely a werewolf. The way Greyson casually touched me, mirrored the way Vincent touched my sister.

"Vincent is a werewolf." It was a statement, not a question.

"Leonardo is a werewolf."

"So yes...?"

"Yes...no."

"Will you stop talking in riddles?! Is Vincent going to hurt my sister or not?"

"Your sister?" He repeated what I said with the same exact tone.

I smacked him in the stomach, but it hardly bothered him. "Yes, you should already know that. Wasn't it in Leo's report?"

"He wouldn't harm her. If he did, I would deal with him personally. And no...he is not a werewolf yet. He will be soon. We transform the first time anytime between ages 16-17. Vincent is a late bloomer but he is already showing the signs. He would not risk harmer your sister after his transformation. You might find him here soon."

"Are you going to put him in the dungeon too?"

He nods. "It's routine for a new shifter. Vincent knows the drill."

"And Leonardo...Are we really going to leave him in there?"

With the mention of Leo, he send me a unhappy grimace. "A drunk wolf is useless and a drunk Beta is even more useless. I'm going to have to talk to the guys for giving him alcohol. They know that Leo is a lightweight, but they did it for their amusement. The occasion of the Taking gave them the chance to play him into their trap. Leo's usually not like that, so I won't punish him for his abnormal behavior."

"You would punish him?"

"There are rules and regulations in our community, you know. I enforce them, or else there would be chaos. But you-you keep me balanced. As an Alpha, there are times were my animal instincts get the best of me, as you have noticed. As I plan to tame your attitude, you will tame my beast."

NOTE: Dec 24, 2016

HAPPY HOLIDAYS YOU FREAKISHLY AMAZING PEOPLE!!! I'M BACK!!! I've graduated and I'm ready to write again after a year of constant chaos. I have edited this book again so you will find some changes to the style of writing. This book has been closed off from the public but I have made it visible once more. SO YOU BETTER BE GRATEFUL, you marshmallows! Let's make one thing clear though IF YOU COPY MY BOOK...I WILL FIND YOU.

BE WARNED. xo