Chapter 15

~Eliana~

I had been calling Alistair’s number severally, but he had refused to pick up his calls. If this was payback, then, payback freaking hurts! I was sorry for ignoring him, but any sane person would have done what I did had they been in my shoes.

Since it was a Saturday, there was no way he could be at work. Garrett had started working with Carrie in her Veterinary clinic. Apparently, Alistair had gotten him a job in a big hospital, to work in the animal section, as a veterinarian.

However, after meeting Carrie at the beach a week ago, he had decided to work with her when she had told him she needed help in her clinic. It was amazing how they just took to each other, especially since Carrie was introverted and closed off to people she wasn’t familiar with. Garrett was jovial and funny, and had somehow managed to catch her attention.

Lately, all Carrie ever spoke about was what Garrett did and what he didn’t do. I needed to see Alistair in person, so, we could talk like he had earlier suggested, but since I didn’t know his house or wherever he could be at the moment, I had to get Garrett’s phone number through Carrie, so that he could disclose the whereabouts of Alistair.

Garrett was so eager to help me out, and he forwarded Alistair’s address to me, and even said he could help me get past the security at the gate. All I was to do was just say that I wanted to see him, in order for him to be called upon and pick me up from the estate’s gate, as he wasn’t s sure Alistair would be willing to, especially since I had confided in him that we had an issue that needed to be solved.

“Duke Estate,” I said, reading the two words, which had been engraved deeply in the walls of the estate, and was so surrounded by green trees and flowers. Once Davies got to the gate, a security guard flagged down the car, just as Garrett had predicted, and immediately, Davies stepped on the brakes, bringing the vehicle to a stop.

“Who do you want to see, miss?” The security guard asked.

“Garrett,” I responded.

“Can you call him on the phone?” He asked.

“Yeah. Sure,” I responded, and did just as I had been instructed.

Surely, thieves would have a hard time in getting into this building, and I could beat my chest and say that they probably hadn’t even been robbed for as long as they had lived there.

A few minutes later, Garrett showed up, and gave the security guard the nod, then he stepped into my car, and we were soon on our way inside.

“Thank you,” I said.

He smiled. “You’re welcome. I heard you put in a good word for me with Carrie, so, I was only just returning the favour,” He said.

I smiled back at him. “All I did was to just tell her the truth that you seem like a good person, and she should give you a chance. Trust me, I did nothing,” I said.

He shrugged. “Little things matter, you know. If you had told her I seemed like a playboy, which everyone says by the way, she wouldn’t have probably given me a chance. Although it’s just a few words, it could mean a whole lot,” He said.

I nodded my head, agreeing with his statement. “You’re right. Words are never just words,” I said.

“Exactly. Um... Pull over here,” He said to Davies.

“Is this Alistair’s home?” I asked.

“I won’t really call it a home. You know there’s a difference between a house and a home, right?” He asked.

I simply nodded, as a response to his question.

“This is where Alistair lives. I hope you guys can settle whatever issue you have. You look really great together,” He said, opening the door, and alighting from the car.

“Davies, wait for me. I’ll be right back,” I said.

“Yes, ma’am,” He said.

I stepped out of the car, and slammed it shut behind me. I wanted to call out to Garrett and tell him I was thankful again, but he was already out of sight.

I heaved a sigh, and stepped on Alistair’s porch, after which I rang a bell. I stood there for a few seconds, and was about ringing the bell again, when he opened up the door.

Surprise was visibly written on his face, which had been expected, because never in a million years would he have believed I’d just show up on his porch on a sunny Saturday afternoon, hoping to have a talk with him.

“What are you doing here? How did you know where I live?” He asked, breaking the awkward silence that had fallen upon us.

“I decided to show up at your door, and see if you’d slam the door in my face, the same way you’ve been deliberately not picking up my calls,” I responded.

He scoffed. “It’s funny how you’re the first to complain, when you ignored me first,” He said.

“So, this is payback? You call yourself a man, and you’re so petty. That’s disappointing,” I said.

“If you came to insult me, then, you may as well get out. Again, what are you doing here? How the hell did you find out where I live?” He asked, in an authoritative and frightening tone, which made my heart jump.

I, however, was not afraid. “I already told you what I’m doing here. As to how I found out where you live, I’ve been stalking you,” I replied.

“You’re lying,” He accused.

“I am? And how would you know that? Oh! Because you’re a werewolf who can tell that someone is lying when their heartbeat rises faster than usual, isn’t it? Common sense won’t tell you that my heartbeat probably increased, because of how scary you’re being right now,” I told him.

He rolled his eyes. “At least, I’m showing how scary I am to you. I’m being freaking real, unlike someone who acts all so innocent and sweet, when she is not,” He retorted.

I was taken aback. “What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked, feeling really hurt by his words.

“Eliana Venator, you’re a hunter, aren’t you?” He asked.

“What are you trying to say?” I asked back.

“Don’t play dumb with me. How did you get wolfsbane? Maybe you read about it because of your encounter, but how were you able to purchase such a rare item? How? You’ve killed werewolves before, haven’t you?” He asked.

“Is that what all this is about? Well, for your information, Alistair, I wasn’t lying when I said I got wolfsbane because of what happened to me ten years ago. I have never killed a werewolf, I’ve never even wanted to. I just found out today that I come from a family of werewolves hunters. I became so interested in proving to the world that werewolves exist, and that’s one of the reasons I studied about animals. Now, I write scripts concerning supernatural creatures for documentaries and movies, and submit them anonymously, and even get paid, but no one knows I do stuff like that. I’m just interested in that kind of stuff, and I’m not the murderer you think I am,” I explained to him, hoping he’d understand.

“Yesterday though, you didn’t seem terrified of me. Have you met other werewolves before me in the past?” He inquired.

I shook my head slowly, in negativity. “Apart from the beast, you’re the first werewolf I have ever met. I wasn’t fazed by it all because I already knew you were one, and I was just in denial of it,” I said.

“You knew?” He asked, looking really surprised.

“Well, I had my suspicions from the very first day at the cemetery. I took pictures of the injuries you had inflicted on me, and there was no doubt that they had been from the claws of a wolf. I also suspected it when you left the eatery that day; you had acted like you heard someone calling unto you, even before you pretended you got a message, so, I guessed it was a wolf’s howl you had heard.

“The last thing that had made me come to a conclusion that you were a werewolf, was when I saw that Jennifer’s wrist had been completely healed last Saturday, so I guessed she was also a werewolf. I then cut you with my hairpin when we were making out at the beach, and I watched it heal before my very own eyes. My head accepted the fact that you were a werewolf, but my heart didn’t want to, till you transformed into one yesterday,” I said, in conclusion.

Without warning, he drew me into his arms, and hugged me tightly. “You’re just one intelligent and sweet young woman, Eliana. I never want to lose you, and I’m sorry for being a jerk. I thought...”

“...that I’m like my parents?” I asked, not hugging him as well.

“Yes,” He replied, hesitating first.

“Well, I don’t believe in hunting people who have done me no wrong,” I said, pushing him away gently.

“What?” He asked.

“You can’t just hug me, Alistair. I need to know everything about you as well. Before that, we have more pressing issues at hand, and I think we could find a way to put an end to those issues once and for all,” I said.

“What are you talking about?” He asked, looking perplexed.

“The Beast of Vengeance,” I replied.

“And how would you know about it?” He asked, looking at me in amazement.

“It’s funny how you’re underestimating me, even after knowing all I’m capable of. You think I wouldn’t have done some digging into the beast that killed my friends? I did a long time ago, and I think I know how to stop it.” I told him.

“You’re so awesome, has anyone ever told you that?” He asked.

“You know no one has ever told me that,” I responded.

He patted my hair lovingly, and told me it was all going to be okay. At first, I had thought that coming here was not going to be beneficial, because of how we had been bickering earlier on, but I knew now that things were going to even get better between us, because we’d get closer while working on killing the Beast of Vengeance.

My initial reason for wanting to get closer to Alistair had been to conclude my theory, but now that it was almost done, I needed a new reason, and I didn’t have one. I just wanted to be with him.