Chapter 10: Chapter 10

We get back to the house much more quicker than I expect. I am annoyed at myself because I barely focused on the road, I didn't mark the path he followed. It was very irresponsible of me.

My mind is stuck. It has been so for a while. A while that means a few minutes.

As he kills the engine, I pull out the bags and get out of the car. He is surprised at the speed I use.

"Thank you, for the clothes." I say and he nods, his eyes holding confusion at my sudden change of mood.

"My pleasure."

I don't wait for him to say anything else. I walk to my new room and arrange the clothes the way I can.

When I am done, I retort to taking a nap. It does a lot of good to me because when I wake up, I am much more stronger.

Truth is that I just don't want to face Nathan, and if I want anything that I have planned to work, I have to gather my thoughts together.

With a yawn, I walk to the living room with my fingers crossed.

"Erm, Jasmine?" I frown once I spot Jasmine in the kitchen on my way to the living room.

She hears me and turns to my direction. When she sees me, she frowns also.

"I had a hunch that you were living with him. It looks like I was right." She smiles. "If you're looking for Sir Nathan, he isn't in the house. He'll be back before tomorrow afternoon, I guess."

She guess? That isn't much assuring.

I take steps into the kitchen as her eyes skims down my body.

"It seems like someone wants to impress Sir Nathan." Jasmine says when she observes my thin and revealing clothing.

"What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be looking after your shop?" I ask. "Or do you work for Nathan too."

"Sir Nathan only needs help with cooking." She beckons me to come closer and when I do so, I sit on one of the counter chairs.

This counter is a lot bigger than the one in the small living room.

"He doesn't know how to cook..."

"He prepares delicious meals but that's only because..." Her face twists in thought. "I don't even know why but all I can say is that he doesn't know anything about the suitable ingredients."

My mind wanders to the gooey stuff he made before. It was delicious but not that edible. My tummy would want to eat it again and at the same time, I don't want to taste it again.

"His food is delicious." My voice turns dreamy but when she starts staring at me awkwardly, I frown. "What is it?"

"Are you going out like that?" She points to my nightgown, making my frown deepen more.

"No, it's for sleeping and besides, I am not going out today."

"But I want to take you on a tour?"

"I thought I had one yesterday."

She scoffs. "You bought some clothes, yes, but that wasn't a tour. I am sure Sir Nathan didn't show you around so I have the chance to do so today."

"Erm, I don't feel like going out today, sorry." I force out a smile, half wondering where Nathan has gone to.

"Oh come on, why not?" Her voice comes out in a whiny tone and it surprises me. I never knew that she could act this way. She almost seems like a different person all together.

"Now go and wear something nice." Before I know what's happening, I am been shooed away. "Wait, wait!"

I stop on my tracks as she rushes to me, holding a bowl in her hands.

"You haven't tried my food yet."

She stretches out her arms and I look into the bowl.

"Okay??"

____________    ____________

My eyes scan the strange environment as I try to get used to it.

"Where are you taking me again?"

Jasmine continues to walk in front of me, her long dark hair is swaying with the wind. Her smile is wide as she turns to me briefly.

"Like I said, we are going on a tour."

I don't share her glee or enthusiasm. I only followed her out because she insisted and she dragged me by the arm. Somehow, I managed to put on some clothes after eating her meal.

Turns out that I didn't just have a nap, I slept into the next morning.

"Where did Nathan go again?" I ask her once the silence is too much for me to bear. Normally, I love the silence but this one just isn't right.

"Oh." I can imagine her face turning into a frown. "He went on a trip, a business trip."

"He has a business? I find that very hard to believe." I tell her.

"Yes, a man with his status has a job. I found it hard to grasp too but that's all in the past now."

"All in the past." I don't know why I find myself muttering under my breath.

"Jasmine?" I call out and when she tilts her head in my direction, I continue. "Could you tell me more about Nathan. I mean, the parts that everybody here knows."

"Of course, I guess that you need to know more about him. After all, you are his mate."

Boom.

My head explodes. It explodes and my feet stops moving, the air filled with my shock.

"What?" My voice comes out like a squeal and Jasmine stops, turning to me.

"Aren't you his mate?" Her brows furrows in confusion. "I thought you were."

"I am. I just... I am surprised how you caught up to it so quickly."

"It's actually very easy." She smiles. "I noticed how he didn't take his eyes off you, not even once and the glimmer in his eyes... well, that was something I has never seen in him before."

"You're trying to say that he shows many emotions now that I am here."

"Yes, that is exactly what I am saying." She nods. "In all my years of knowing him he has never stayed home this long. He is always out, on a job or just traveling."

So me been here have caused him to stop his normal activities, this may involves meeting up with the other gods...

"Do you know what he is doing on this business trip?" I ask her and her answer disappoints me but it was expected.

"Not really but if I did, that's not what I would tell you, sorry. If you really want some more information you could talk to him when he gets back." She suggests. "For now, just stay here. I totally forgot that I had something to do before now. I will be back in a few minutes."

When she doesn't receive a word from me, she hurries away and disappears into one of the many buildings in this place.

I didn't notice this before but why is this place so empty and quiet. There are barely a vast number of people here. Perhaps they don't like coming out of their homes.

"Hey there, lady!"

Is there something out here that stops people from coming out or it's just that they have jobs and I came out on a busy day. They may be cleaning their homes right now.

"Lady?"

Judging by the buildings, this place is populated, at least, children should be playing around.

"Lady!! Hey!"

Feeling a pinch on my arm, I look up with a gasp. The feeling of shock floods my body until I notice that they are only little children.

I breathe out in relief and lower my arms. "Hello, how may I be of help to you."

"We want you to sign our ball."

I come face to face with two little kids. Two little boys with a ball in one of the little kids' hands, a ball that is been outstretched in my direction. It looks like the one that has the ball in his grasp is the youngest.

He has a darker shade of hair than the other one, and his looks are more feminine. The older one however has a strong look, he has a small scar across his left eye.

What throws me off guard is the hard eyes the older one stares at me with. It leaves shills in my bones and I am briefly paralyzed by it.

"Lady? Are you alright?"

I become aware of the little one staring at me in confusion and then staring back at his older brother.

"I only wanted you to sign my ball. If you don't want to, that's okay." The younger boy's voice turns sullen. His eyes showing how sad he is about to be.

I act quickly.

"No, no. Of course not." Taking the ball from his chubby little hands, his eyes sparkles and I smile. "Now, I just need a pen."

"You didn't even ask why I ask for your autograph." He tilts his head and I frown.

"Er... Why did you ask for my autograph?" Now that is actually a great question.

"You're the werewolf princess right? The older one out of the two princesses." The older boy speaks, his head also tilting to the side slowly.

So they are brothers. I know they are.

"That is correct. Do you need something from me? Anything that I can assist you with."

I know that it isn't that advisable to expose my identity but again, these are only children and I feel like they have no intention of hurting me.

Not like children can hurt me.

"Sign my brother's ball. He believes that you are the princess too since you have a strong resemblance to her." The older boy continues. His words make me know that he doesn't believe that I am who I claim to be.

He aloof reaction also proves me right.

The younger brother grins widely. "Yes, sign it. Pretty please."

I look down at the ball and back at them. "Do you have a pen with you?"

His face falls drastically. "Oh, I forgot about that. Wait a minute, you could follow us back home and get a pen."

"Er..." Where did Jasmine head to again?

The little boy notices how I glance around and the older brother eyes narrows at me.

"It will be a honour to have you sign my ball, lady. Will you follow us back home?"

"Sure." Jasmine won't be coming back now so I can go to their house and come right back in a few minutes. "I hope it isn't far away from here. I am kinda waiting on a friend."

"No, lady. It's close by, just before the city's lake."

"The city's lake? What's that?" I ask as I hand over the ball to him and he grabs my fingers, trying to direct me.

The older brother doesn't say a word as he begins to follow us. He walks slowly, behind us, almost like he is trying to watch over his little brother. It warms my heart.

"It's a lake in the city and it's close to my home too. You would love it when you see it."

The younger boy continues to lead me along a part and I begin to wonder why I put myself into this mess in the first place.

He stops when we are in front of a medium building. They are not poor, not rich either. I am guessing that they are in the middle.

The building reminds me of a small cottage but it's anything like it. It's just a normal modern home with the air of freshly baked bread surrounding it.

"That's our home. Come on! You have to meet our older brother." The younger kid drags me into the house, past the brown door while the other brother follows behind us.

The smell of baked bread flows into my nostrils and I contain the strong urge to sneeze. Please don't tell me that I have allergies now.

"Big brother! Big brother!" The little boy begins to shout out and I watch him silently. "We have a guest."

The older brother behind us, closes the door and slowly walks away while mumbling under his breath. "I'm going to bring the pen."

The next thing that comes to my mind is that they are humans. Everyone in this place, except me, are humans. I am not completely sure of it but this is what I believe.

The younger child stops calling out when a voice sounds in the air.

"That's enough, Todd. Where is David?"

Before me is a man who has a strong resemblance to the two boys I have met today. He is the older brother that the little boy is talking about.

Todd and David.

Those are the little children's names and I believe the younger one is Todd while David is the other one.

Unlike David, this older brother of theirs doesn't have a scar, not any that I have seen so far and his eyes aren't as guarded as David.

It makes me wonder what that little child may have gone through.

The eldest brother notices me for the first time and he turns to me, not concealing his shock.

"Who are you?"

"This is the princess. The werewolf princess. Don't you recognize her, she is the one from my books." Todd tells him.

His books...

I actually want to know more about these books.

Slow footsteps comes out way and before the eldest brother can say another word, David appears.

"Here is the pen." He stretches it to me and takes the ball out of his little brother's hands, giving all to me and I take it, scribbling my autograph almost immediately.

"Here you go, little one." I give the ball back to little Todd and he grins happily. Then I hand over the pen to David before looking up at the eldest brother. "I apologize for any inconveniences I may cause. I only came here for an autograph and now that it's done, I will be off."

The shock that cloaks his face almost gets to me. "Er... Wait, maybe you could stay a little. I have been baking a few loafs of bread, I would love it if you join us."

"Again, I am sorry. I left with your brother while waiting for a friend. I better be back or she will be looking for me." I tell him, already moving towards the door.

"I see. Then maybe another time." I hear him say. "I would love to accompany you back. You seem like you don't know these paths very well."

He walks to my side and opens the door for me, throwing a brief glance at his younger brothers, Todd and David.

"You both should stay inside. I will be back in a while. If you are hungry, there is food in the kitchen."

I step outside, already in a hurry to go back from where I came.

"Goodbye, princess. Come visit us some other time." Todd shouts out as the door closes behind me.

The eldest brother of the little boys turns to me. "What's your name?"

"What's your name?"

"I asked you first, lady." He laughs. "So you should answer first."

"Isabella." I tell him. "That's my name."

"Well, I am Andrew, it's a pleasure to meet you." He smiles. "So it seems that my little brother thinks you are the princess."

"He is correct but I probably shouldn't go around saying it carelessly. Who knows what could be lurking around."

"Great point."

"Though I am curious on how he knew it was me. I don't recall ever having a magazine full of my pictures or something like that." I say in confusion.

It is true. This makes me wonder who knows about me too. Jasmine maybe? This shouldn't bother me that much, they are humans but again, they could be working for Nathan and who knows what goes on in that head of his.

"Descriptions." He tells me. "Todd is good with those kind of stuffs and puzzles too. He has heard a great deal of you and he is a huge fan."

Fan of me sleeping around??

"What did he hear of me?" I ask. "What makes him admire me that much?"

"I have no clue. Believe me, I have asked him but he won't say. All I can get is that you are awesome." He laughs again. "But I do know that you are also beautiful, maybe that's why he likes you so much."

Hot flames engulfs my cheeks and he smiles. I am not sure that he notices but I am blushing.

My wolf presence is felt as she shakes her head at me.

'What are you still doing here? Aren't you supposed to be moving! I wish my mate was here to see this nitwit flirt with you.'

He isn't flirting with me, wolf.

"Ooh, I forgot. How about you tell me where you live and I can show you the way."

"Actually, you can just follow me from where I met your brothers while I follow my nose."

"Werewolf senses right?" He smirks. "That's beyond cool."

I raise my nose to the air and sniff. I have been following my scent and the little boys scents for a while now. Unfortunately, the scents are changing, the wind is just too much and it has blown the scents away, leaving only the scent of the sea and plants.

"I lost the scent." I sigh as dread fills me.  "And I certainly don't know where we are."

"I didn't expect that." Andrew stops when he sees that I am not moving. "But no worries, we will just head back to the way we came. I am sure that Todd and David can remember where they met you."

In just a few seconds, his happiness turns into confusion as his eyes moves around the place we are.

"Please don't tell me that you don't know where we are too." I wail.