A Howl In The Night by Lorelei Sutton (best novels for students TXT) 📖

to let this all sink in... for my head might explode if any more changes occur.

"Why do you act this way towards Xavier?" he questions, sitting beside me. My eyes flutter open, and I let my gaze drink in Jake's head of sparkling white hair, his bright emerald eyes.

"He just annoys me," I shrug slightly, leaning against the headrest. Jake grins, his eyes alight.

"Well, you're stuck with him now," he laughs, "since we kidnapped you."

I groan with irritation. "I thought it was called adoption."

"You know that's not true; though I am old enough to be your grandfather many times over," he points out, his face of mischief, "you really are our prisoner."

"What?"

"Think about it," he smiles, "you are surrounded by five incredibly handsome werewolves that could overpower you in under a second, and they all want you to stay in this house. To top it off, you're my new daughter."

I frown, my uneasiness blooming under the soft white lights. "You idiot," I laugh, turning on my side, away from the monster, "Xavier wouldn't make me do anything I didn't want to do."

"But what about the rest of us?" Jake's eyes suddenly turn eerie, his voice jesting. "We don't exactly have the same policy."

I don't even shudder as he leans towards me on the plush bed, glaring at me with his now ferocious green eyes. "Xavier will protect me," I say confidently, trying once again to turn away, but I am caught by his strong arm. "Leave me alone," I command, my heart finally starting to beat faster with nervousness at our physical contact.

"You have complete faith in Xavier, even though you don't love him?" The searing question rips through my defenses, introducing more questions that I am not truly prepared to answer. I shove them to the edge of my mind, forcing the matter at hand to surface.

"He has never let me down before," I shrug, leading Jake to shake his head.

"You just won't accept it," he says, his tone matter-of-factly.

"Go away, Daddy." I twist so I am lying face down on the comfy bed, dwelling in my thoughts. The word Daddy, even though I say it in jest, feels strange on my tongue, almost retreating back inside my mouth. I have not said that word in many, many years.

There are footsteps, then complete and utter silence. I am alone.

Comfort enters me, twisting its way into my heart as I lay on the plush comforter, soothing my soul. It is true that I am a prisoner here, but I can't help but realize that I am now basking in luxury that far out-shadows my situation at the orphanage. A 3D TV stretches against the left wall, one of the biggest I've ever seen, right beside a stack of movies that reaches four feet tall. The bed I'm in is king-size, big enough to swallow about five of me in its gigantic berth. Everything is absolutely luxurious, drenching my eyes with pure splendor. Where do they get all this money?

I crawl further into the bed's center, pulling back the comforter. I slip under it with ease, gaping at the huge size of the mattress. It is pure heaven, almost like the water from this morning, easing my pain.

Looking to the side, I spot a remote that is nearly as big as my arm. With delight, I grab the board of buttons, examining the temperature controls, the wonder knobs that induce prime massages.

This really isn't necessary.

Maybe they are using all this to bribe me into submission. I shouldn't be touching this pleasurable remote, or delving through the flurry of sheets into the colossal mattress.

Closing my eyes, I try not to focus on the ripples of opulence surrounding me. I imagine myself as a fierce warrior battling a bunch of familiar werewolves for freedom. Even the thought brings a smile to my face.

But I have to be honest to myself; is that fantasy really possible? Could I battle those gifted werewolves and have even the smallest chance of winning? Could I take on even one?

I give up on all hope for resistance, and sink into the cushiony depths of heaven.

 

***

 

My eyes fly open as screams and yells erupt elsewhere. Slipping to my feet, I pad to the doorway, trying to find the source of all the noise. However, another thought comes to my attention before I step outside my new room.

The ground scratches my toes as I retreat in search of some clothing not rumpled by sleep. I have no suitcase, my old clothes too pitiful for the guys to kidnap along with me. Ruffling in the drawers, I find nothing except dust and old screws. "Where are they?" I mutter to myself after pulling the final drawer open, "those all-knowing werewolves had to put some shirts somewhere."

 A gust of horrific wind blasts the window open, the glass pounding against the stone walls. Leaves swept by the gales soon follow, flying into my room by the dozen. Racing to the problem, I swing it shut, the sound resounding within the mansion.

I gaze into the horizon through the transparent surface, marveling at the turmoil before my eyes. Wind swirls around, framed by a barrage of dark gray clouds that hang in the baby blue skies. Leaves fall like confetti towards the dark, muddy ground, energy in their movements. If I squint, the faint outlines of heavy rainfall are visible in the far distance, heading our way with incredible speed.

Looks like I'm staying in tonight.

Sighing, I bend to pick up the new additions to an almost-flawless room. Many of them are scattered among the drawers, one dwindling on the conspicuous handle of a thin, white door. Once I think about it, that does look a lot like a closet.

That's it! With feelings of triumph racing through my blood, I race to the door, yanking it open with a ferocious amount of raw energy. What comes to meet the eyes, though, is much more wonderful than a closet.

A spectacular bathroom lies before me, with granite countertops and top-notch accessories. A huge shower is to my right, big enough for maybe two or three people instead of just one. A big hair dryer and straightener is on the counter, along with nail polish, toothpaste, and even a brand new hairbrush. I almost scream, consumed with delight at the amazing amenities now at my disposal. At the orphanage, I had to share a shower with all the other girls, and I was always forced to be last shift. The knob was always stuck on cold, probably because Ms. Penn was so cheap. If I think hard, I can almost feel the icy river flood down my back as it had only a couple of days ago. It now seems so far away, as if it was a couple of weeks ago instead.

I walk over to another door, flinging it open to reveal the treasure I am seeking. A hoard of clothes lined from wall to wall jumps out at me, a true vision of incredulity lingering before my eyes. So many clothes...

With joy, I grab a random pair of jeans and a t-shirt, shaking off my earlier clothes as if I am shedding my skin. Racing into the hallway, I pound off in search of the mischievous wolves that are producing quite a racket.

The hallway ends, morphing into a giant room covered in bean bags. A giant, blank wall stretches over twenty feet horizontally, and is about the same height. From the high ceiling, a projector perches in its nest at the back of the room, shooting high definition images through the air to the blank space.

To the side, there is a marvelous food station, vending machines stocked with every sort of candy and drink imaginable. A popcorn station is right next to that, and a platter of delectable hotdogs.

But the star of the show is the plate of juicy steak, surrounded by a ring of eternal glory.

My mouth waters at the sight. How is this amount of food even possible?

"Hey Mona," a similarly mouthwatering voice speaks near my ear, causing me to jump.

"Xavier?"

"Um, yeah, that's me," he laughs, emerging into my line of vision. His blue hair shines like a rainbow in the dim lights, the eyes shining on their own. With a body just as beautiful, he seems almost ethereal, too good to be true.

The rest of the deathly attractive pack turns their heads at our conversation. Instantly Wes jumps to his feet, racing to my side. "We were waiting for you," he smiles enchantingly. His contagious attitude spreads like a virus to my emotions, causing a grin to bubble to the surface. However, I quickly quell it after a few moments of existence, noting the hurt look on Xavier's face. I feel a twinge of pity for the man.

Wes grabs my arm with sudden force, wrenching me from Xavier's side. "I will be escorting her to the steak," he announces, shooting a jesting look towards Xavier. He nearly roars in response, zooming to my side faster than a lightning bolt.

"No. I will," Xavier growls, grabbing my other arm.

"She likes me better," Wes smirks, holding me close. I can smell his minty breath, his sweet cologne that intoxicates me with every breath.

"Well, she's my mate!" Xavier points out, pulling me strongly. My bones are about to break, suspended between them like a twig surrounded by tree trunks.

In a sudden burst of energy, I rip away from them both, edging towards the table of delicacies. "I will be escorting myself, thank you," I state firmly, then turn away. An assortment of light chuckles and baritone laughs follow, the other werewolves probably finding amusement in my bitter words.

I reach the yummy steak, taking the whole plate into my arms. Plopping down on a stray beanbag, I start to dig in, chewing to my heart’s content. It is very similar to the awe-inspiring steak I had the day before, and absolutely scrumptious.

"This exquisite steak can only be found at our mansion," Wes grins, materializing by my side, "the meat is produced by yours truly." He bows, and I give him a round of applause.

"This really is delicious," I say excitedly, to Xavier's dismay.

"We all prepare it!" he growls, "the cows aren't just yours!" With a hilarious expression, he punches Wes in the arm.

"What gives it its spectacular taste is that our cows are like no other," Yi smiles, rising from his perch on a particularly big bean bag. Walking over to me, he leads me to one of the huge windows, beckoning for me to look out. Scattered on the emerald green grass are pure black animals that are truly...

"Monstrous," I conclude my thought out loud, staring into the sea of absolutely giant bulls. Horns protrude from their heads like sharpened spears, their glossy fur unmarred. Finally, their eyes are the same color as the grass, green as could be.

"They certainly are, aren't they?" Yi murmurs, watching my utter fascination with pleasure. "I, actually, like to think of them as a fantastic crossbreed between a buffalo and a bull. Oh, and a twinge of werewolf."

"What?!" I exclaim, "So it isn't pure steak?"

 "Don't you think it tastes better than steak?" he questions carelessly, "It is a concoction Wes came up with around fifty years ago. We all had a liking for steak, Wes in particular, so he made it his goal to produce the finest breed the world has ever known. He found a beautiful buffalo and a prime cow, and went on a trip to find many more animals. However, when he reached home, he discovered that the buffalo and the cow had a few calves, some of which were boys, and one a girl. They were very delicious, and so he allowed them to multiply. His goal was to get two perfect bull/buffalos. However, too many of them were handicapped or spotted. Finally, after a long period of agonizing, he offered them a very small bit of werewolf blood, which strengthened them and colored their eyes. And so,