Page 41 of Cursed Beasts

“Mr. Potter, they aren’t my biggest fans,” I said, feeling anxious.

“Those boys are harmless,” he said, like he actually meant it.

“I think you need to reevaluate your definition of harmless. Zev almost killed me, if it hadn’t been for Aeon, who pulled me away at the last minute.” I showed him my arm so he could see what he did and what he could have done.

“I will admit Zev does have a temper on him, but I think he might be the one who would be able to help you the most.” He smiled. “Lucien is the baby of the group, but he might have some answers for you or be able to get you the information you need.”

“What about Aeon?” I asked, thinking about straddling him and grinding into him, making me blush.

It was like I had the libido and the mind of a teenage boy.

“Aeon usually defers to Zev, but Lucien makes him softer. Aeon might have the same knowledge as Zev,” he said, looking thoughtful.

“So, what you're saying is I need Lucien to butter up Aeon who then might butter up Zev for some information?”

“I don’t know what ‘butter up’ means but it sounds about right,” he chuckled, shaking his head. “I really do enjoy the way you speak, Ms. Katarina.”

“Thanks,” I said, unsure if it was a compliment or not.

“Well, eat up and if I have time maybe I'll bring some cookies to the library.” He smiled at me. “I’ll also have a discussion with the boys about how to treat a lady.”

I barked a laugh thinking I had never been referred to as a lady before. He disappeared before I could say anything, leaving me to wonder if he was really going to speak to them.

At least he was a ghost so if one of them did get mad at him, he was covered, and he didn’t have to worry about being maimed. But I was curious if they would even listen to him. He did say he watched them grow up, he also said he considered them like his sons.

The thought of him sticking up for me had me on edge though, wishing that I didn’t need any help, hoping they didn’t see that as weak. With wolves I knew everything in their culture was based on a hierarchy. They frowned upon weakness, and only the strong survived.

I pursed my lips together wondering how his conversation was going to go as I turned to pick up a fork and stab the quiche Mr. Potter had made. Of course, it was delicious, eliciting a groan from me at the amazing flavors.

It wasn’t long before my plate was empty, and it was already five till three. I stretched a little to help ease the insane amount of food I had just eaten. Mr. Potter really was an amazing cook, I was definitely going to gain weight while I was here. Maybe I needed to do more cardio, on my back, and off it.

I rolled my eyes at my awful joke.

Grabbing my bag off the floor, I opened the door silently, checking to see if anyone was in the hallway. The coast was clear as I slipped out of my own room, and walked towards the library.

Now that I had gone this way several times, I knew the path by memory. Walking into the library hadn’t lost its wonder. As soon as I crossed the threshold, my shoulders relaxed, I smiled, and I felt lighter.

Going back to the same spot I had been at for the last couple of days, I put my bag down, pulling the book out of it with my notebook full of notes. At this rate of note taking, I was going to have to get Mr. Potter to get me some office supplies.

I put back the book I had taken, looking for the small piece of paper I left in its space. Whoever took care of the library, didn’t seem to have a system to organize but I didn’t want to disturb anything just in case it was organized in a way I didn’t notice.

Once I had it back to its rightful place, I tried something different. Turning around, I headed back to the table that had all of my things. I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath, picturing a book that would help me.

The hair on my neck stood up again, making me believe I was being watched again. An awareness prickled in my mind: these past couple of days someone was watching me, but I didn’t know who it was.

I assumed it was Aeon or Lucien. Zev was so angry that I think he would have cornered me by now, demanding to know what the hell I was doing. Just the thought of his anger made me shiver. I should have thought his action was abhorrent but a small part of me loved his anger. The thrill it sent through me was like a shot of adrenaline.

Stretching my neck from side to side, I banished the thought of the guys from my mind. The spell would not break itself, so I needed to concentrate. Breathing through my nose, I exhaled slowly, trying to feel for anything.

My intuition had always been very good; I was hoping it would lead me somewhere. Disappointment flared to life in me when nothing happened. One last deep breath and another prickle of awareness shot through me. It was stronger than the last time, making me open my eyes, looking around for one of the guys.

I didn’t see them or Mr. Potter around, but the feeling still didn’t go away. I took a step forward and another which made the feeling grow a little stronger.

My feet moved on their own until I passed shelves that felt like they were tugging me back. Stepping back, I looked on either side, seeing which side I should go to. I turned to my right, but the tugging sensation pulled me back, making me turn around to the other side.

Excitement coursed through me at the thought of finding something useful or even a direction to go towards. My head looked up at the shelf, locking on to a book that looked oddly familiar. The binding was purple, and I couldn’t tell if the writing was in English or not.

That was the book I needed. I turned around, walking to grab a chair from the table I was using, when I noticed a plate of cookies by my bag. They smelled like oatmeal cookies that made my mouth water.

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