“Do you know why we have Lunarmorte and other packs don’t?” He continued in her easy company.
Caia shook her head, her brow creasing. “I didn’t know it was something only we did. I mean, I know we’re the only ones that call it that, but I assumed the concept was universal.”
“Not really. It has to do with where our pack began.”
They walked further into the woods until he touched her shoulder and indicated for her to start walking in a different direction. She seemed more relaxed around him now, for that he was grateful.
He smiled slightly when she glanced back up at him, her eyes expectant for the story.
“The pack’s story really began with our ancestor Aurelio Lorenço,” he began. The words came easily to him as he had told this story a million times to the kids of the pack, who for some reason requested it as a bedtime story more often than not. He snorted, lykans really were weird. “You see many, many years before Aurelio’s time the blood of the lykan had found its way into the family gene pool. We’re not sure who, or when, as these things have a tendency to become confused and marred by rumor and gossip over the centuries. What we do know is that the Lorenço’s were a prosperous family of aristocratic lineage. Aurelio was in fact the brother of a Baron, Godofredo Lorenço. They were lykans but … two very different kinds. Godofredo, like the rest of his family and his ancestors, did not harm humans, in fact he married one. Aurelio, on the other hand, believed humans were beneath the touch of his family and hunted them like game. He was furious when his brother married a human girl, and soon began causing trouble. Before, his murders had been committed outside of their county. Godofredo knew of his brothers crimes, and other than some fervent pleading with him, did nothing to stop him. He loved him, wanted to protect him. When Godofredo married, however, Aurelio began taking humans from their local village. The people only began to suspect the Lorenço family after Godofredo’s wife became one of the victims, and Aurelio showed no signs of grief. In fact, he seemed to revel in her death quite publicly. Godofredo was devastated and banished Aurelio from the county. But it was too late. The people had grown suspicious of the true nature of the Lorenços, and they drove them from the county, and eventually the country. Our pack became nomads, visiting everywhere and settling nowhere. That’s one of the many reasons this pack forbids marriage to humans.”
He sighed and caught her gaze as she looked up at him. “We were settled before the Hunter, of course. And now, we’re settled again. But the history of the Lorenço family gives you an idea of why we have the rituals we have. With some nobility, and as was with the Lorenço line, the line is held through primogeniture. However, as seen with human nobility, sometimes a first born son never comes along. That’s why the Lorenço’s created what we call Lunarmorte.”
Caia shook her head, gazing in front of her, her cat eyes wide.
“What? What are you thinking?” he asked, and was surprised to realize that he really wanted to know. Ryder was right. Different was fascinating.
She laughed, a light feathery laugh that hit him low in his belly. “I’m just in awe, I guess.” She shook her head. “I can’t believe how old the pack is. I always thought we were a pretty young pack.”
“Well we are.” Lucien smirked. “We’re early modern. There are packs out there that can trace their ancestry as far back to Charlemagne.”
“Wow.”
“I’ll say. But that’s nothing compared to how old some of the families of the other supernaturals are.”
“I always liked history in school.”
“You said.” He smiled, and Caia caught his look, chuckling as she too remembered his awkward attempt at conversation with her yesterday in his car. It seemed a million years away now.
“Will we turn back?”
Caia nodded. “I’m pretty beat.”
His eyes narrowed in on the dark circles under her eyes; the weariness in them matched the limpness of her body. He sighed. “Tomorrow will be a better day.”
She nodded, but her eyes looked almost longingly behind him into the woods, and then she turned to gaze in the direction that would lead them to the house. Lucien felt his breath catch, watching the play of emotions across her face. She really didn’t want to be here with the pack, with him.
Well, too bad.
Without thinking he gently took hold of her elbow and started guiding her back to the house. He let go when she complied and ignored the questions in her eyes.
7 - Friend or Foe?
The rest of the week passed in a blur for Caia. There were so many members of the pack that came over to discuss their problems with Lucien, some even to introduce themselves to her again. It eased her worries a little. With the exception of Alexa, who hadn’t spoken to her since their last exchange in the lunchroom, and Yvana, whom she hadn’t seen again, the pack had so far been friendly and welcoming. Ryder hung around a lot and always made her feel like a long lost sister - joking with her, bringing her some movies to watch. It felt nice.
By the end of the week, she was sure her exhaustion was unparalleled. But she had one more performance to put in because Jaeden and her family were staying for dinner that night. She was up in her room, beating her head against the wall over a problem in her calculus homework, when she heard the two cars coming up the gravel driveway. She glanced at her watch. It was seven o’clock. The aromas coming from the kitchen had been mouth-watering since she had gotten home from school. Again, Ella had refused her help.
“I’d like to cook sometime. Do anything to, you know, do my bit,” Caia had told her as Ella physically shooed her out of the kitchen.
“Oh of course, honey.” Ella had smiled brightly. “And you will. Just not today.”
“I could set the table.”
“Irini is going to do that.”
“I could tidy the sitting room.” She’d gestured towards said room from the hallway.
Ella had frowned at that. “I did that already,” she’d replied, sounding piqued.