Chapter Fifty-Three - Jessica

I followed Mason up the steps toward the library. I’d never been in the library or seen the books my wolf spoke about.

Part of me was curious as to how she knew anything, but the other part of me felt scared. Scared of how she knew the things she did and what she planned on doing.

I didn’t have control over her yet. What if she tried to take over the pack or attack one of the wolves again? I couldn’t fight her off. She was stronger than me by far.

I wouldn’t want Mason to risk his place in the pack for me. Though I knew he would in a heartbeat. I loved everything about Mason. His strength and his kind heart.

I had a bad feeling my wolf would take advantage of him if given the chance. The library was on the opposite end of the hallway from our bedroom.

The double doors opened into a giant high-vaulted ceiling room with bookshelves as walls. A desk sat in the far corner in front of giant windows that reminded me of something plucked from a fairytale.

Why hadn’t I ventured in here before? Maybe in a different situation or life, I would have. A lounge chair sat in the opposite corner with a book open on it.

Jacob watched as we entered the room and walked toward the bookshelves. He trailed his index finger against the shelves and grabbed a thick leatherbound book from the shelf.

It meant nothing to me, but my wolf stirred inside my stomach, running happy circles at the sight of it. Mason felt her excitement and gave me a look.

One that I could only gawk at. I was just as surprised as him.

Jacob tossed the book onto the desk with a plop and gestured toward it. I swallowed the lump of dread in my throat. I didn’t want to step on any toes but my wolf wanted to stomp on them apparently.

Dust particles danced in the sunbeams as I walked over and sat down in the large high-back chair. My wolf purred as I sat down, making me slide my palms over the desk.

I felt everyone staring at me. I felt oddly comfortable in that seat. Mason’s brow furrowed at my sense of knowing. I did, too. Why did this seat feel so right?

I grabbed the edge of the book and opened it. By the looks of it, no one had read this in ages. The yellow pages were frail in my hands as I turned one page and then the other.

It was small handwriting on the pages. Nothing printed from a publishing company. This was a manmade book. One that I didn’t know what to do with.

The last page, my wolf said.

I swallowed and flipped the pages until I stared at the back cover. One of the members chuckled but I didn’t look up.

My fingers ran across the back cover’s edge. I pulled it off slowly. Liam gasped at the monstrosity of ruining a book when I saw several pages folded inside of the flap.

My wolf began to pace in anticipation inside of me while the room grew silent. I tugged the folded pages out of the back and pressed the edge back down the best I could.

The pages were written out on notebook paper in a similar writing as the book. My gaze shifted over the writing until Jacob plucked it from my hands. His furrowed brow and tense shoulders told me everything I needed to know.

My wolf did in fact know more things than him.

At least about this book she did.

I dared a glance at the other pack members. Dad looked white as a ghost, while Aaron stood awkwardly by the door.

Seth seemed unbothered but he drummed his fingertips against his forearm crossed over his chest.

Mason was the only one I could truly read. He was proud. I felt it coursing through me. Then again, he was scared.

Because none of us knew what this meant.

Jacob finally cleared his throat to gather everyone’s attention. Even though you could hear a pin drop.

“This is the elixir for the lycans. It’s wolf’s blood and some other things,” he mumbled. “The other pages are similar instructions on different breeds of

enemies. How to stop them. How to…how to keep our town safe.”

His gaze lifted toward mine. “I need to speak with Jessica alone.”

The pack almost ran from the room, all but Mason. Jacob looked over at him, but Mason shook his head. “I’m not leaving her alone.”

Jacob slid his tongue over his teeth and lifted his hand. “What is this? How on Earth do you know about this, Jessica?”

I shrugged, sliding my palms against the desk. “I don’t know. I don’t know anything. My wolf does.”

Jacob stared daggers into me. “It doesn’t make sense.”

“No,” I said. “It doesn’t. She just knows things. I can’t explain it to you. I didn’t even know she existed a few days ago.”

Jacob tossed the pages onto the desk. “It has to do with the double bloodline,” he said.

I knew that wasn’t true. I felt it in my bones. It was something more, something bigger than all of us.

But I didn’t have the words to fix it.

Mason shook his head and interlaced his fingers around the back of his neck. “I don’t think it’s that.”

“Then what is it?” Jacob asked.

“I don’t know,” Mason said softly. “I think it’s one of the reasons your grandmother wanted her to inherit the estate. She knew something we didn’t.”

Jacob stared at Mason as they had a silent conversation that I wasn’t invited to apparently. “Maybe you’re right. Did grandmother leave you anything in the house? A note? A clue?”

I didn’t want to tell him anything yet. Not until I figured it all out. If it was news that I was stronger than Jacob or supposed to take his spot like my wolf thought, I couldn’t risk it.

“No,” I lied.

Mason’s gaze shifted slowly away from mine as I lied to Jacob’s face. I didn’t want to. I loved my cousin, but I had to save my knowledge until I knew more.

“OK,” Jacob said. “I’m going to work on the elixir. It’s things I can get pretty easily. I’ll have it ready for the festival tomorrow.” He stalked toward the door and stopped with his hand on the knob. “If your wolf has any more ideas or helpful hints, please tell her to share. I don’t know why she knows them, but they are helping us.”

My wolf pushed against my insides. Like she felt proud of herself for knowing so much.

“I will tell you if she says anything else,” I said.

Jacob left the room suddenly. Mason turned to me, his handsome face hard. “Jessica…”

“I can’t tell him about the diary until I figure everything out,” I whispered.

Mason closed his eyes. I knew this would put him between a rock and a hard place. I felt it. But I couldn’t stop myself. “We just need to wait a little bit longer,” I whispered.

Mason stepped over and I stood to face him. His rough palms cupped the back of my neck. “I love you, Jessica. You know that, right? But we can not drive a wedge between alpha and beta. We have to tell him. I’ll give you a few more days to read, but then, we have to tell him the truth. Whatever it is that your grandmother was…it’s obviously inside of you.”

That struck me in my gut.

Maybe grandmother knew that.

Had she given me the estate because she knew she’d passed something down to me?

Tears pricked the sides of my eyes. If I’d visited more often, I would have known. She would have told me.

But I didn’t. I was obsessed with my life in Denver. A life I had given up for Slade Springs.

There was no going back. I knew that in my stomach. I was meant to be in Slade Springs for far more reasons than my wolf.

I just didn’t know why yet.