Chapter 4
Shea's gaze drifted to the worn leather satchel sitting on the bed beside her. "Wait, Aunt Penelope," she said, her brow furrowing. "Before you start, there's something I need to show you."
Reaching into the bag, Shea carefully withdrew a neatly folded envelope. "My mom gave me this letter and told me to only open it in front of you. She said you would know what it means."
Penelope's eyes widened slightly as Shea handed her the letter. "I see," she murmured, her fingers tracing the delicate script on the envelope. Taking a deep breath, she slid her finger under the seal and gently pulled out the contents.
Shea watched anxiously as her aunt's gaze scanned the pages, her expression growing more somber with each passing moment. Finally, Penelope looked up, her eyes shining with a mixture of sorrow and resolve.
"Your mother was right," she said softly. "This letter... it changes everything." Penelope paused, her grip tightening on the papers. "Shea, what I'm about to tell you may be difficult to hear, but it's vital that you understand the truth."
Shea felt her heart skip a beat, a thousand questions swirling in her mind. "The truth?" she echoed, her voice barely above a whisper. "About what happened to Dad?"
Penelope nodded solemnly. "Yes, about that night... and about the creatures that chased you all those years ago."
Shea's brow furrowed, her gaze searching her aunt's face. "What are you saying, Aunt Penelope? What really happened that night?"
Finally, Penelope looked up, her gaze meeting Shea's. "Shea, what I'm about to tell you... it may be difficult to believe. But I need you to listen with an open mind, for the truth of that night is far from ordinary."
Shea felt her heart race, a thousand questions swirling in her mind. "Aunt Penelope, what are you saying? What really happened to Dad?"
Penelope took a deep, steadying breath. "Shea, the creatures that pursued your family that night... they weren't normal animals." She paused, her eyes searching Shea's face. "They were... something else. Something not normal to this world."
Shea felt a chill run down her spine, her mind reeling at the implication. "Not normal to this world?" she echoed, her voice barely above a whisper. "You mean... supernatural?"
Penelope nodded solemnly. "Yes, Shea." She reached out and squeezed Shea's hand reassuringly. "Your father, Vincent, he... he wasn't just a victim of those creatures. He was protecting you and your mother, sacrificing himself to ensure your escape."
"Shea, those supernatural creatures were… werewolves"
Shea's eyes widened, her mind struggling to process Penelope's startling revelation. "Werewolves?" she breathed, the word feeling foreign on her tongue. "You mean those creatures were... people who could turn into animals?"
Penelope nodded solemnly. "Yes, Shea. The people of Lockewood have long guarded a dark secret - that there are those among us who possess the ability to shapeshift into powerful, feral beasts during the full moon, there are even some who can shapeshift at any time of the day." Her brow furrowed with a mixture of grief and concern. "And it was these werewolves who pursued your family that night, intent on...on destroying you."
Shea felt her heart pounding in her chest, a whirlwind of emotions churning within her. Disbelief, fear, anger - how could this be possible? Werewolves, the stuff of myth and legend, were real? And they had been the ones responsible for her father's death?
"But why?" Shea asked, her voice trembling. "Why would they attack us? What did we do?"
Penelope's expression grew grave. "I'm afraid the reasons run deeper than any of us could have imagined, Shea. You see, the werewolves of Lockewood are a proud, territorial people. They view the forests and lands around our town as their domain, and they are fiercely protective of it."
She paused, her gaze downcast. "Your father, Vincent, he was...well, he was more than just a veterinarian to the people of this town. He was a...a guardian, of sorts, tasked with maintaining the delicate balance between our world and theirs."
Shea felt a lump form in her throat, realization slowly dawning on her. "So they killed him...because he was protecting us?"
Penelope nodded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Yes, Shea. Your father sacrificed himself to save you and your mother from the werewolves' wrath. He knew they would never stop hunting you, not as long as you remained in Lockewood."
Shea's hands trembled as she processed this earth-shattering information. Werewolves, her father's death, the dark secrets of Lockewood - it was all too much to comprehend. She felt overwhelmed, her world turned upside down in a matter of minutes.
Shea sat in stunned silence, her mind racing as Penelope's words sank in. Werewolves – the very idea seemed so fantastical, so impossible, and yet the more she thought about it, the more it seemed to explain the inexplicable events of that fateful night.
She remembered the towering, hulking silhouettes that had chased their van, their movements unnaturally swift and agile. And her father's final, desperate act – sacrificing himself to buy them time to escape. It all made a terrible, twisted sense now.
Shea's hands clenched into fists, her nails biting into her palms. "So my father... he was trying to protect us from these werewolves?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Penelope nodded solemnly. "Yes, Shea. Vincent knew the danger you and your mother were in, and he made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure your safety."
A shudder ran through Shea's body as she pictured those savage, inhuman creatures tearing her father apart. Her eyes stung with unshed tears, but she refused to let them fall. She had to be strong, to understand, to find a way to make sense of this nightmare.
"And you're telling me these werewolves are real?" she asked, her gaze searching Penelope's face for any hint of deception. "They actually exist, right here in Lockewood?"
"I'm afraid so, my dear," Penelope replied, her own expression grave. "The people of this town have guarded this secret for generations, living in uneasy coexistence with the werewolves who roam the forests. Your father was one of the few entrusted with the truth, tasked with maintaining the delicate balance between our worlds."
Shea's mind whirled, trying to reconcile this newfound knowledge with the life she had known. Werewolves, shapeshifters, a secret society – it was all so fantastical, so unbelievable. And yet, deep down, she couldn't deny the sense of recognition, the feeling that it all fit together in a way she couldn't quite explain.
''No wonder," Shea spoke. "Why would such creatures attack us for no reason, and it makes sense why mom wants revenge, it's because she knew, she knew about the werewolves."
Penelope's expression grew somber as she unfolded the letter from Emilia again. "There's more, Shea. Something your mother felt you needed to know, but only when you were ready."
Shea leaned forward, her heart pounding in anticipation. "What is it, Aunt Penelope?"
Clearing her throat, Penelope began to read aloud. "My dearest Shea, if you are reading this, then the time has come for you to learn the truth about your father, Vincent."
Shea's breath caught in her throat, and she listened intently as Penelope continued.
"Your father was not an ordinary man. He was a werewolf, born with the ability to shift between human and wolf form. This was a secret he kept hidden, not only to protect himself, but to shield you and me from the dangers that lurk in the shadows of Lockewood."
Shea's eyes widened in shock, her mind reeling from this new revelation. Her father, a werewolf? It seemed impossible, and yet, as Penelope read on, the pieces began to fall into place.
"Vincent dedicated his life to maintaining the delicate balance between our world and the world of the werewolves. He used his unique abilities to keep the more... savage members of the pack at bay, preventing them from harming the innocent people of Lockewood."
Penelope paused, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "And on that fateful night, when you were all fleeing for your lives, your father made the ultimate sacrifice. He stayed behind to hold off the werewolves, buying you and your mother time to escape."
Shea felt a lump in her throat, her heart aching with the realization of her father's true nature and the price he had paid to protect them. "So, he was one of them?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
Penelope nodded solemnly. "Yes, my dear. Your father was a werewolf, but he was also a protector..."
"The guardian of our town."