Truth Stranger Than Fiction

Baylor POV

When we walked through the door of the conference room ’Shammus’ started chanting again as the staring guy came forward with his hand extended to shake mine. “Baylor, good to see you. I am Clive Kelly and this is Phineas Brody my best friend as you would say. The other fellows here are Fergus, Aidin, and Arthur,” Clive said as introductions. “This is Kenneth Goldberg and Mitchum Averman, my best friends.” 

Clive began to speak, “Right well, Kenneth and Mitchum can….” but Phineas cut him off, “It isn’t going to be necessary, these are the other two I could smell yesterday.” Clive gave him a curious look and said, “I truly can’t smell them are you sure?” Phineas nodded and said, “Yes, I told you something smelled off. It is like they are bound.” Mitchum pipes in, “Listen we just showered this morning and none of us stink. So, I don’t know what you’re smelling that’s off, but it isn’t us.” 

Clive chuckled and said, “Oh dear, this just became more complex. Well come on let’s everyone sit and we’ll get started. It seems that though we're here specifically for Baylor,  we will be enlightening all three of you fellows.”

As we all sat down, I had a million thoughts and questions running through my mind after hearing Clive and Phineas talk. Clive looks directly at me and asks if I was ready for this and that I needed to hear him out and keep an open mind. “Sure this is getting stranger by the minute, but I am here and interested to know what this is all about,” I tell him even though I am nervous inside. Clive nods and says, “I am going to ask a question first ok?” I nod and he continues. “Has your wolf told you his name yet?” he asks. I am speechless and can’t even breathe, meanwhile Mitchum is cackling about fictional movie characters. 

Once I am able to breathe again I utter “Shammus.” Mitchum stops cackling and he looks at me and says, “You believe this crap? You think you are some sort of werewolf or something?” As I begin to nod my head, Phineas says, “Yes he is a werewolf, the same as you and your other friend here. Just as Clive, myself, and these other men are.”  “I call bullshit,'' Mitchum says. 

I look over, I can see Kenneth is sheet white and staring blankly. I touched his arm and said, “Hey are you ok?” It was as if he was in a trance and was snapped out of it when I touched his arm. Then he spoke, “This morning I was worried this was something about Monroeville, but this is way worse. I am a broken werewolf.” He looks a little green and his voice is monotone as he says this. Phineas looked at Kenneth and said, “I said you seem to be bound, not broken. How old are you son?” Kenneth responds, “I have been 18 since January.” Phineas looked at Kenneth amazed and said, “18 and you have never communicated with your wolf, nor have you shifted?” Kenneth shook his head. “No sir. I had no idea until you just told me. And you are saying that Bay, Mitchum and I are all bound werewolves?” he questioned. “Actually Bay as you call him is not bound. And I am not sure why the two of you are or who did this to you, but we can ask the Crone to check for an unbinding spell when we return home,” Phineas replied.

“Ok Baylor…” Clive started to speak. “It’s Bay, please. I don’t go by Baylor to my friends and since you appear to know more about me than I know myself, please just call me Bay,” I tell him. “Ok, I can call you that for now, but I cannot do so in the future for respect purposes, but we’ll get into that further momentarily.” I nod and continue to listen. 

“Bay, I realize you didn’t know before today that you are a werewolf, but there are several things about our culture I need to explain. First let me ask, do you remember your parents at all?” Clive asked with a concerned look on his face. “I have a picture of them in my head, but I don’t really have any defined memories of them,” I replied. 

“I didn’t suspect that you would, but Connor and Sophie Dunne were the alpha and luna of our pack. That makes you the alpha heir. After it was learned that your parents died while on vacation while here in the states a very powerful band of rogues attacked while we were in mourning for your parents and you. Cillian and his crew slaughtered every high ranking wolf. The Skatom Mochain Pack has been forced to seek asylum with other local packs to avoid becoming rouges themselves. When the Crone was able to do a successful locator spell after you turned 16, you became the hope that our pack needs.” 

I listened as Clive and Phineas continued to tell me of my past and nodded my head as I took things in and tried to make some sense of what I was hearing. “You said Crone…so that must mean witches are real too?” I asked skeptically. Yes young Alpha Baylor, witches are very real, as are vampires and several other were-species,” Clive told me. “Skatom Mochain, what does that mean?” I asked. “Shadow Moon would be what it translates to in english from celtic,” he replied.

 “So I am the alpha heir of this Skatom Mochain Pack that is located in Ireland? And the whole reason the U.S. authorities never found any records of my parents when they tried to locate any family to take me is because they/we are werewolves and they don’t have records of people who are not fully human?” I asked, trying to wrap my head around things. 

“Yes, I think that sums up quite a bit. There is much more, but you know the important parts at this time. Will you consider returning to Ireland with us to take your rightful place as the Alpha of the Skatom Mochain Pack?” he asked cautiously. 

“I have wanted my whole life to know the truth and to be able to return to Ireland one day and find answers. But Kenneth and Mitchum are the only family I have known for years and I can’t leave them behind,” I said, suddenly sad at the thought of losing my friends. “Then bring them with you, they are werewolves too and hopefully the Crone can unbind their wolves for them.” 

I turned to look at Mitchum and Kenneth and said, “Well guys, what do you think? Wanna move to Ireland with me?” Kenneth grins and says, “I will follow you anywhere, Alpha” as he pokes me in the shoulder. 

We both looked at Mitchum who looked like he just drank a gallon of vinegar and I said, “What about you Mitchum?” He’s looking at the table and he looks up and says, “Yeah, how soon do we pack?” Clive interjected, “We have to be back before the full moon in 4 days time for Alpha Baylor’s first shift, so we need to leave no later than tomorrow at noon.” Then he asks, “Do you boys need luggage? And you will need to write down your address, so that we may pick you up for the airport.” I shook my head and said, “None of us have anything more than duffle bags, so we’ll need proper luggage.” Clive smiled and patted my shoulder, “We can have some dropped to your apartment in a couple of hours. Fergus can drop you there now so that you can get started packing.”