Werewolf Destiny

  Table of Contents

  Section 1

  Chapter I

  Chapter II

  Chapter III

  Chapter IV

  Chapter V

  Chapter VI

  Chapter VII

  Chapter VIII

  Chapter IX

  Chapter X

  Chapter XI

  Chapter XII

  Chapter XIII

  Chapter XIV

  Chapter XV

  Chapter XVI

  Chapter XVII

  Chapter XVIII

  Epilogue

  Werewolf Destiny

  Elsie Townsend

  Chapter I

  She was sitting in a small room when the phone rang unexpectedly.

  She was afraid to look at the display so as not to get her false hopes up again. She was still clinging to the version that she would find a job by the end of the month and pay the rent, but there was less and less time left and the roof over her head was slowly getting out of material reach.

  With her trembling hand, she reached for a flat object and moved the green phone.

  - Excuse me? - Her voice seemed squeaky and unnatural, and the cramped room became even smaller.

  - Amanda Hale? - A male baritone sounded, which awakened in the girl the remains of common sense.

  - Yes, it was me," she confirmed. - How can I help you?

  She had the impression that there was a cynical laughter on the other side, but she quickly chased that thought away. She did not want it to be true.

  - The Library of the Institute of Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology - enlightened it not very subtly. - I invite you to an interview tomorrow.

  - I don't understand - she whispered to the headset - after all, I didn't fold any papers there.

  At least she didn't remember to do it, and she still had a good memory. Besides, who would have accepted her there without any education. She barely made ends meet, and fate deprived her of a chance to study. She was lucky that she managed to finish high school.

  - Tomorrow you will arrive in the main building at eleven o'clock - rudely interrupted by a man - and you better not be late. I will be waiting at the porter's lodge. See you there.

  He hung up, without waiting for further comments from the scared girl. Anyway, it is not his business. He got the order and followed it, so he didn't mean to bother proving to the naive Miss Hale that he was right.

  He didn't have it, he knew it perfectly well and she knew it too, but why bury the case. She needed work and money to have something to live on, and here she gets it.

  - You got it, Hopkins? - A tall, stiff man stood in the office door and gave the old man a cool look of penetrating blue eyes.

  - Yes - he purrred, rubbing sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief. - But I still don't understand why this is all this.

  - You don't have to understand anything," the intruder said in response. - You only have to follow orders.

  The man got a little confused, but eventually he let go.

  He has lived long enough in this world and in this family to know that you do not like it when someone knows too much.

  - What should I do with it? - He sighed, admiring the modest library decorating the room. - I don't think she has any idea about books.

  - He doesn't have to know about them - he purrs gloomily. - He just has to come here to work. I will take care of the rest myself.

  Hopkins wiped his forehead once again with a white piece of material and the resigned one hid his face in his hands. This was all absurd, although he knew why.

  - Wataha needs a mother," his companion confirmed.

  - What if the mother doesn't need cotton wool? - he suggested mixed up.

  A golden twitch was a sufficient answer.

  - I am not interested in the opinion of a girl who is twice as young as I am," Jasper made his subordinate aware of his powerful tone.

  - Twelve years to be exact, and this is not twice," Hopkins quietly corrected, but when he saw the expression on his master's face, he immediately fell silent.

  - I already know - this time the werewolf's mouth stretched out in a wide smile. - Put it in the archive, let it sort out files with old documents. Maybe he will find something by the way... interesting.

  - So be it - the old man reluctantly agreed, saying goodbye to the alpha with a slight nod. - I will do everything I can to make your plan a success.

  - Another possibility is not even an option, Hopkins - in the eyes of the man he fogged a dangerous flame before leaving the office, leaving his friend with complete inner chaos.

  Meanwhile, Amanda took a shower, did her laundry, ate dinner and went to bed, completely unbelieving in what had happened.

  She was only hoping that when she came to the Institute tomorrow, she wouldn't be informed about the fatal mistake that occurred through the coincidence of names. Only this hope allowed her to fall asleep and sleep well into the night.

  She did not even suspect that her greatest nightmare in life was just beginning.

  She took a deep breath, last time looking carefully at the sides and shyly pressed the old-fashioned handle.

  The door was shaking and reluctant to show the interior, which no haunted palace would have been able to create. She went up the wooden stairs and stopped in front of the next door, looking inside through dirty windows.

  He stood there and impatiently knocked out the rhythm with his shoe against the stone floor.

  - Go ahead, Miss Hale! - He yelled, and she got stupid.

  She fixed the bag on her shoulder and, tapping loudly with her heels, she approached the grey old man. The voice did not betray the real age of the man, but it was clear that he happily survived at least three times as many springs as she did.

  - Good morning - she greeted politely and not knowing what else she could add, she stretched out her hand towards the librarian.

  - Will it turn out to be good? - He sighed in response, squeezing Amanda's bony fingers tightly. - Follow me, please. We will talk in the upstairs office.

  She did not dare to deny it. For the time being, she was spoiled by the thought that maybe she didn't get here by mistake and actually has a chance to get a job and thus earn a living. Mrs. Correns had already asked for the outstanding money several times, and Hale still assured that she would, of course, give back every penny.

  - Do you like books? - He asked unexpectedly, and she almost stopped impressed.

  The last time she read a book in high school, and that was good a few years ago.

  - I like it," she confirmed, because the lack of time did not rule out a love of literature.

  - That's it - Hopkins sent the girl a disappointing look and stopped in front of the mahogany door to the study.

  Sweat appeared on his forehead again when he realized that there was already someone inside.

  Alpha was not famous for his patience, but the old man did not expect to mark his territory right away. Miss Hale lifted her eyebrows slightly, looking at the frightened face of her companion.

  - Something happened? - She was worried, looking vigilantly at the corridor, but did not notice anyone.

  She was not a werewolf and did not catch the threat. She did not smell the man she was supposed to spend the rest of her life with. Hopkins' head was being flown through by hundreds of thoughts per minute, and her accelerated breath irritated Jasper, hiding on the other side of the door.

  - Please," he pointed to the entrance to the office and held his breath, "someone is already waiting for you there.

  Before she could ask, he rushed away, as if he remembered that the iron had been burning his shirt for an hour. What was she supposed to do? She knocked insecurely and, hearing a silent invitation, crossed the threshold with a mad
ly beating heart.

  By the window in the corner of the room stood a tall, well-built man, with a rather Aryan beauty, as her grandmother described it.

  The light falling on his face perfectly emphasized the smallest details, including sharp facial features. He had very light hair, eyebrows and eyelashes, and eyes in dark blue. He was dressed in a black shirt, which further emphasized his unusual beauty, jeans and sneakers. The last element of the closet matched the elegant Victorian style, but was as tangible as possible. It seemed to create a certain manners characteristic for a man.

  - Jasper Withell - he threw it away from the unwittingly, making her wonderfully stunned.

  Actually, since she went inside, she felt quite... strange. She had the impression that she couldn't breathe as freely as she did in the corridor, but the window was open and through a wide crack the autumn air was getting into the room.

  - Amanda Hale - choked out, on her shaking legs approaching the desk, where three chairs upholstered in navy blue were placed.

  Withell got used to her presence and slowly silenced his inner beast, which was commanding him to throw himself at her.

  Miss Hale was a medium-sized brunette with a sensual look and a captivating smile. Blushes were still falling on her cheeks, making her constantly embarrassed. She was narrow in shoulders, but had rounder hips and a slightly scratched waist. She barely held on to the pins in which she came and you didn't have to be a genius to immediately realize that she didn't walk in them too often.

  - Please sit down - he suggested a slightly hoarse voice and the girl obeyed the order.

  Her behavior was unusual and the werewolf was capturing more and more interesting details.

  She did not ask questions, she did not spin around, she did not look around with interest. She simply sat, had her hands folded on her knees and seemed to be waiting for further instructions. He himself did not know what was bothering him so much about her, but it was probably the stoic calm she emanated.

  - Miss Hale - he took up the topic - it will be your responsibility to segregate the outdated documents in the archive, which is located under the Institute and in the library on the first floor. Both rooms are connected with each other, so you will not be too much of a stray. The other staff will explain to you what to do and how to do it. You look smart, so I don't expect any complications and to be clear... I don't want to expect any complications, but Jasper deliberately caused such a reaction to her.

  He wanted to see how this stoic calm is disturbed and how this change affects the girl.

  - The final salary will depend on your actions and progress. Today you will stay for a trial day, tomorrow it will start at eight o'clock. The hours vary, it will not always be eight. Maybe you have some questions?

  Amanda had a lot of questions, actually the questions themselves, but something in this man scared her and she was not going to ask them.

  - No, everything is understandable to me - she whispered. - Thank you very much for the conversation - she wanted to give a hand to the man, but at the last moment she thought out.

  - Mr. Hopkins will take you to the library and familiarize you with the regulations, the rest of the staff and, above all, with your new duties - he said a cool farewell to her, and she got up and walked to the door as soon as possible.

  When her hand was resting safely on the handle, Mr Withell spoke unexpectedly.

  - Please be careful when segregating these papers - there was an ominous note in his voice. - Nothing was there by accident.

  She nodded her head and came out to the corridor with relief. Only now did she realize that she was breathing again.

  Chapter II

  - This is your place of work," Hopkins said in a voice without emotion, "and these are your colleagues and superiors.

  The old man pointed out a young woman, passionately staring at the computer screen and another, much older one, who was putting some dusty books on the shelves.

  He looked around the library and finally noticed among a large pile of other employees.

  - Arthur Cullen, the caretaker of this place and Fergas Smith, his deputy - middle-aged men - did not even notice the new one, which felt very awkward at this point.

  - Is that everybody? - She asked shyly, but Hopkins firmly denied.

  - Of course not! There are a lot more of them, the rest are working in the archive - he squinted under his nose - it all doesn't matter anyway! I don't know why I'm telling you this at all.

  Amanda took the old man's words as a point of contact with the lack of education, but he meant something completely different. He had the respect of his master, but this whole circus was not needed. They could simply kidnap this girl and suddenly make her aware of the truth, or imprison her in Jasper's apartment until she understood the importance of her existence.

  The attention of the future mother of the pack could be gained in many ways, and this one was the most absurd of all. Alpha invented that the girl first had to discover the truth herself, finding it in the archive between piles of doctoral theses and other scientific duperels.

  But what could she have thought of when she found research on the extinct cross between wolves and humans? That it's a crazy scientist who has spent too much time among dusty books!

  - I understand," she said quietly, but Hopkins didn't pay attention to it.

  W bibliotece pracowali ludzie i wilkołaki, oczywiście każde zdając sobie sprawę z istnienia tego drugiego. Panna Hale nie nosiła jeszcze na sobie zapachu władcy, ale Others were properly instructed and did not intend to give the girl any discounted rates.

  - Let's go downstairs - he proposed a resigned one and led Amanda down the narrow stairs to the lowest floor of the university.

  It was a bit darker there, the light was given only by lamps placed on long tables with chairs and armchairs. Under the walls, bookcases were piled up, and in them whole masses of books of different thickness and content. There were also plenty of closets with drawers, hand-signed, and piles of old magazines, papers and documents that looked destroyed and forgotten were piled up around the floors.

  Despite its claustrophobic character, the interior was very cozy. The wall was not visible anyway, as it was covered with wooden shelves, and the lack of daylight was rewarded by various lamps and colorful seats.

  - Gina Verber - she was greeted by a red-haired woman with a sincere smile. - I will help you to find yourself in this alien environment.

  Above the head of the surprised girl she gave Hopkins a triumphant look. He knew what it meant. Luna liked Gina and she did not intend to hurt her, let alone cheat. As usual, Jasper did not predict that pawns were not just pawns.

  - I'll leave you here - the old man squinted, going back to the narrow staircase - just don't exaggerate, Verber - instructed the woman.

  She shrugged her shoulders, making it clear to him what she thinks about him. As soon as he disappeared on the stairs, she led Hale to the table and sat down in an armchair.

  - The whole of that corner is yours - she pointed to the most neglected part of the room. - Whatever surprises you, come to me. You don't have to be afraid of anyone here. We are at your disposal.

  Amanda looked at the red-haired one uncertainly. She didn't want to ask stupid questions, but it was extremely pressing on her lips.

  - What should I actually do? - she threw herself out.

  Mrs. Verber smiled kindly, in the spirit of cursing idiotic alpha ideas.

  - Thematically segregate the works, then the magazines, preferably by date and number, at the very end of the book, but this is not yet this stage.

  She wanted to dispel all the girl's doubts and admit that whatever she does with what she sees, it wouldn't matter.

  She was only supposed to discover the truth here, and it will not take her more than a few days. Once he has learned the preliminary news, Jasper will trap her in his sophisticated suite and start acting.

  Gina regretted that Amanda would probably never come to terms with her fate. She f
elt it in her heart, and her heart was never wrong.

  She was sitting over exceptionally tangled papers, which did not fit into anything she had managed to arrange so far.

  She had a headache and the picture blurred in front of her eyes when she tried to focus on her work again.

  - Everything okay? - Gina was hanging around all the time, seemingly by accident, slipping newer and newer finds under Amanda's nose.

  - Yes - the girl got a gentle smile - it's nice that you ask.

  Verber saw tiredness in the eyes of her co-workers, but could not yet let Hale go upstairs. Not while he was patiently waiting in the building for the wrong steps of the destined one.

  Everyone felt that he was on the verge of endurance and would be happy to change his own plans if the situation requires it. The wolf wasn't going to let go of the alphabet so easily, and he certainly won't let it destroy the psyche of the future hatch.

  - Just a moment more and I think we will finish today - she promised, perfectly aware of the fact that she cannot imprison a girl indefinitely. - Do you live somewhere nearby?

  She was only interested in this because she did not want Jasper to take Hale home. It would not have ended well. Not today.

  - No - the brunette denied it and Gina sighed quietly. - I am commuting by public transport from the northern part of the city.

  - Have you been going long? - She was nervous, asking Withell to finally leave the Institute and take care of something useful.

  - Half an hour, sometimes a little longer, if there are traffic jams," she admitted, putting the document she had pressed in her hands to a random place that seemed to her most appropriate.

  - Maybe I can give you a ride? I have a car, and in fact I'm going that way - Verber begged the girl not to refuse.

  She already opposed the orders, but did not intend to give up Amanda without a fight.

  - I will be very grateful - she was happy - for these pins, my legs hurt terribly. I can pay you back for the fuel - she offered.

  - No way - Gina twisted her head - I'm on my way anyway. Our Lily lives in those parts, but today she had to take a vacation on demand. Someone from the family got sick, and she promised to take care of the children in his absence.