Logan It’s the strangest feeling, to go somewhere unfamiliar, and yet still get a sense that you’re coming home.
Then again, everything that matters happened here; this is where my parents met, where I was born, where I spent the first year of my life before they uprooted us all.
Every significant moment of my existence started in this place that I’ve only heard stories about.
Already, my throat is clogging up with the memories my parents must have had.
I can see them with my mind’s eye taking a stroll around the park when they were my age, about to start a family.
I can picture my dad pushing a toddler version of me on the swing as I laugh my heart out, and my mom sitting by the benches, watching us with a warm smile.
Their presence is everywhere, and the nostalgia that comes with it hits me harder the closer we get to the house.
The loss is still very fresh, and no matter where I go, it still stings.
“Whoa,” Reena whispers when the compound comes into view.
I’m pretty amazed myself.
It’s much bigger than our place in Maine, with more than enough personal space for all of us, and for the others coming in tomorrow, too.
The most impressive thing about it, though, is the fifty years of history behind it, which shows in every brick of the wall surrounding it all.
Inside, the grass surrounding the gravel road is overgrown and vibrant green.
Malcolm, our keeper, has apparently been taking good care of it in our absence.
Identical two-story houses are spread around, about a dozen or so.
There’s also the training center, the hospital, the school, and right behind the pack house, the playground for the younger members.
In the center of the compound is where the main pack house is built, the biggest building in the compound.
I park right out in its driveway and get my suitcase shared with Reena out.
I carry it effortlessly up the wide stone steps that lead to the entrance and drop it by the door so that I can get my keys out.
Once in, I cough for a moment; dust has been settling for almost twenty years, and while Malcolm is responsible of maintaining the public spots in the compound as well as manning the gate, he’s not allowed in any of the houses.
Every piece of furniture is covered with sheets; in the living room, kitchen, dining room, game room, all nine bedrooms plus the three guest rooms.
The building is four stories high with a basement and an attic; it has to be to contain this many rooms that would house the alpha and beta’s families.
The pack house is by far the largest building, which is where I will be living from now on.
“Welcome to our new home,” I say with little enthusiasm.
Reena detects my tone of voice, but she doesn’t comment on it, knowing that the eight werewolves following behind us would hear her no matter how low she whispers.
She knows she has to wait till we’re alone to talk.
It’s only when we get inside to our soundproofed room that she finally says what’s on her mind.
“You know we really didn’t have to come here,” she tells me for the second time.
“He left me this task for a reason, Ree,” I remind her.
“I need to find out what it means.” “I understand that,” she assures me.
“I just meant that you could have made a weekend project out of it or something.
Or maybe sent out Cade to do it.” “I have to do this myself,” I insist.
“Besides, I didn’t force anyone to come with me; the pack agreed.
They’re strongest when they’re with their alpha.
Everybody has ties here, anyway, so we’re not starting completely anew.” A look of sadness crosses her eyes, and she averts her gaze.
“I don’t.
I have no one here.
Not anywhere.” I wrap my arm around her waist as a comforting gesture and pull her toward me.
Then, I plant a light kiss on her forehead.
“You have me,” I point out, “and your family.
So long as we’re with you, you won’t be alone, not anymore.” She leans into me, seeking the support only I have ever been able to give her.
“Promise you won’t leave me the whole time we’re here?” The reason I came back is still a mystery to me.
That’s why I can’t involve Reena in it, because I don’t want to put her in harm in case it turns out to be more dangerous than it appears.
But I still promise to stay with her anyway.
After that, I immediately go find Cade, knowing he’s probably waiting for me in the office by now.
I’m proved correct moments later, when I open the door right outside my bedroom that leads to my dad’s old office.
Like all the bedrooms in the house, it’s soundproofed, which is why I’ll be working on my dad’s project in there from now on.
The few pictures I have seen of the office are too old.
Right now, instead of being filled with books, the shelves are empty and dusty.
The desk and chair are covered with white sheets, and the window behind them is in extreme need of cleaning.
The entire room is, to be honest; it even smells like ash, for some reason.
Cade is standing right by the window when I walk in, looking out at the view of the playground.
He turns around when he hears me coming.
“Is it me, or has this place always been this dusty?” he attempts to make light of the otherwise serious situation.
Still, I manage a half smile.
“We’ll get around to cleaning everything.
Where’s Sadie?” “She’s getting everything ready for tomorrow,” he tells me.
“This is the first time she changes schools, so she’s a little nervous.” “She’ll be fine,” I assure him.
Sadie is easily likeable; she’ll make new friends before any of us.
“The U-Haul will be here any minute, and I’m sure the cleaning crew won’t be far behind.
We should get going; I don’t want to stay out too late.
The guys can help set up everything while we’re gone.” Right before I’m about to leave, he takes two quick strides toward me, and grabs my arm from over the desk.
“Wait,” he says.
“Before we go, I just got off the phone with your uncle Cliff.
He said he tried calling you but that your phone was off.” I pull my phone out of my pocket and find that it is indeed off.
“The battery must have died on the way.” I was using it for music on the road, but I turned the radio off when we got to the first station, and I must have forgotten to unplug the AUX.
Putting it back in, I face Cade again.
“What did he say?” “Your dad signed a treaty with a pack eighteen years ago,” he informs me.
“Apparently, he allowed them to live on our land indefinitely.
They’ll probably need a renewal from you, unless of course you don’t want them here anymore.” Confused as to why he thought this is urgent, I frown.
“O-kay…
why did I need to know that before we leave?”