The invitation

Marilyn’s POV

The library smelled like dust and old pages, a scent I secretly enjoyed even though I never admitted that to Caroline. She was already stacking books in her arms, her blonde curls bouncing as she moved shelf by shelf. I laughed knowing she would never be able to finish reading all those books today.

“Take a look at this one, are you sure you don’t want it?” She called out, waving a massive hardcover book titled “ lunar legends and lore”

I raised an eyebrow. “ Come on Caroline, you know I don’t go for such.”

She laughed, the sound echoing through the almost empty library. “Come on, it’s about our history, you could use a reminder.”

I shushed her immediately.

We didn’t want those humans knowing what they were not supposed to.

“That’s not my history anymore, I stopped keeping up with all those stuffs years ago.” I said, flipping through the pages of the book.

Caroline sighed heavily, and I immediately knew what would follow, but I wasn’t ready for it. “ You can’t just pretend you never knew that place Marilyn, you can’t just simply erase it.”

“I didn’t erase it.” I said quietly, placing the book back on the shelf. “ I just moved on, it holds bad memories.”

Caroline didn’t push further, at least not right away. That was one of the things I loved about Caroline. She could talk for hours about boyfriends and fashion, but when I went quiet, she simply gave me my space. For a while, anyway.

“Soooooo.” She said sliding up beside me. “ where are you spending the holidays this year?”

“Where else if not here?” I said, looking up from the shelf. “Aunt Agnes wants to go over some house repairs and needs me around. I also have work at the café.”

She grinned, her eyes gleaming with mischief. “Or you can just come home with me instead.”

I blinked. “Home?”

“The pack lands. The blood moon pack. Marilyn, you’ve missed a lot from the interesting festivities to bonfire nights, pack runs and the likes. I know you’re going to love it.”

The word pack made my chest tighten.

“I can’t Caroline, you know how I feel about that place.” I said quietly.

“Yes, but it has been what? Eight years since you left that place. You were ten remember? Now you’re eighteen. You barely remember anything.”

“That’s kind of the point.” I murmured.

Caroline frowned, lowering her stack of books on the table. “ it’s been so long since you’ve been around our people. Don’t you ever……miss it?”

I shook my head before she could finish.

“There’s nothing to miss there. My parents died there remember? I don’t want to see another wolf ever again.”

Her expression softened. “ I am sorry Marilyn, I didn’t mean……”

“I know.” I forced a small smile. “ but it’s fine.”

The air between us grew heavy for a moment, until Caroline being Caroline, broke it with a teasing grin. “ You’re impossible you know that? Well fine, I’ll send you pictures of myself having the best time of my life without you.”

“Please do.” I said dryly. “ I’ll hang them in my ‘ things I don’t regret’ scrapbook.”

She laughed, bumping my shoulder.

“ you’ll regret this, I swear it.”

I didn’t answer, but the truth was, her words lingered long after we left the library.

**************

By the time I got home, the winter sun had already dipped below the city skyline. Our apartment was small but cozy, and Aunt Agnes kept a small corner with a shelf stacked with books just for me. Inside smelled of books, herbal scents, and Aunt Agnes endless collections of candles.

She was in the kitchen when I walked in, humming to herself as she stirred something in the pot. The air smelled of thyme and tomato.

“You’re late.” She said without looking at me. “ were you reading all the books in the library?”

“Caroline’s fault.” I said , dropping my bag on the couch. “ she wanted every book she could lay her hands on.”

“Of course, she’s such a sweet girl.” She laughed softly. Aunt Agnes turned, her sharp eyes softening when she saw me. She had the kind of face that looked stern even when she was smiling.

“I am happy you found someone like her.” She added.

“Yeah, well.” I muttered. “ she invited me to come home with her for the holidays.”

Aunt Agnes froze, spoon midair. “Home?”

“The blood moon pack.” I replied.

I couldn’t explain how nervous I felt when I saw the way her eyes brightened just at this little piece of information.

“And what was your reply?” Her eyes boring into mine.

“Of course I am not going to go.”

The spoon clattered against the pot. “ Marilyn,” she started.

“Aunt Agnes.” I said quickly, waving my hands frantically in the air. “ we’ve talked about this a million times, I am not………”

“………..going to hide from who you are forever.” She finished, her voice firm. “ You were born there, and spent some part of your life there. You belong there child.”

“No, I belong here.” I insisted. “ in a city where people don’t howl at the moon, and speak nonsense about destiny.”

“Don’t mock what you don’t understand.” She warned. “ You may have buried it, but it’s still part of you.”

I crossed my arms. “ Bravo! You sound just like Caroline now,”

“Smart girl, that Caroline.” Aunt Agnes wiped her hands on a towel and turned to face me fully. “ it’s time to go back Marilyn, see the pack. Face it.”

“Face what?” My voice cracked slightly, and I hated that it did. “My parents are gone, the people there barely remember me, and what’s worse? I don’t remember them too!”

Aunt Agnes expression softened,

“My dear, sometimes healing means walking through the path that hurt you,”

I looked away, blinking fast. “ That was sweet and poetic, but no thanks.”

She sighed. “ Then go for me. I have been meaning to visit the elders about something . But since I can’t travel in this season, I want you to go in my place.”

“What? No. That’s not fair.” I protested.

“Neither is running away from who you are.” She said, turning around to face the stove. “ You should get your things ready, Caroline would pick you up.”

My jaw dropped. “ You have spoken to her already haven’t you?”

“You haven’t wolfed out yet Marilyn, isn’t that at least concerning to you?” She asked dryly.

“It’s because I am not a wolf, can’t you see?” I said frantically.

She didn’t answer, which was answer enough.

“Pack your things.” She said, her tone leaving no room for argument.

I stared at the ceiling. The last place I wanted to go was blood moon pack, the only place where everything seems to fall apart. But the universe apparently has a twisted sense of humor.

“Fine.” I muttered under my breath. “ I’ll go, but I am not staying long.”

Aunt Agnes smiled faintly. “ we’ll see about that.”

That night, as I lay in bed staring at the moonlight spilling through my curtains, I told myself that it was just a trip. A few days at most. I could handle that.

But somewhere deep inside me, something stirred. It was a quiet, distant howl I had never heard before.

A part of me that had been sleeping for far too long had awakened.