“This is it?” Nova stood mouth agape. Crisp white siding was accentuated with the bright red and black accents that drew the eye to the window boxes and deep front porch. The Victorian home sat back on the lot. Weeds and leaves gathered near the fence and the corners of the house.

  Amari stepped forward, the anxiety radiating off the younger girl was punctuated with the jingle of the keys dangling from her fingers. “Do you want to go in?”

  At her gentle nod, Amari guided her with a light touch. Stairs wide enough to hold them three across led up to a black door with a grand gold lion head knocker. Crowded into the small hall, Amari stood onto the lowest step, the ornately carved wooden banister pressing into her stomach. Past Benjamin through thick door frames, she saw the corner of a hospital bed. Rich wood wainscoting followed up the stairs and down the wall. Converted, wrought iron scones dotted the garnet damask wallpaper. Amari reached to flip on the overhead light to break the oppressive dimness. Nova’s family had wealth at some point.

  “This is mine?” Disbelief quieted Nova’s question.

  “Lucky girl.” Benjamin caught Amari’s eyes through the gilded mirror.

  “Nova, just take a breath. This would be a lot for anyone. We can just walk through the house. There are no decisions to be made today.” Amari’s mind tallied the list of tasks. There were a lot of decisions. First of all, had there been a funeral? She gently shook her head for not even thinking about it before. Ashamedly she smiled at Benjamin’s curious look.

  A floorboard squeaked as Nova stepped into the parlor. “I like the artwork.”

  Putting aside the questions running through her mind, she wanted to be present for Nova. Stepping across the floral throw rug. The painting in a simple wooden frame, though a little rudimentary, Nova had good taste. Amari leaned closer to the beautiful fantastical landscape. Bold ‘LB’ initials were scrawled in the corner. “What was Mr. Barron’s first name again?”

  “Levi.” Benjamin called over his shoulder. Nearly completely covered in dense lacy curtains, he tested the security of the old latch.

  “Mr. Barron might have been the artist of this unique work.” Amari swept over the details. Bob Ross would have been proud, though she never remembered him putting a castle nor happy little dragon in his paintings.

  “I saw a detached garage out back. Perhaps we can find a studio? I’ll check out back in the garage, how about you ladies go upstairs?” Benjamin backed down the hall towards the kitchen as he spoke.

  Amari nodded, guiding Nova up the stairs. Their feet left prints as they curled the stairs. A single stream of light from the window seat behind them lit the narrow, short hallway. Nova looked at Amari who shrugged and pointed. A solid wood door creaked open as they turned the opaque glass knob.

  Colors of a beautifully crafted quilt jumped the room to life. Two tallboys matching the ornate design of the bedframe boasted family history with little marks and nicks.

  “I think this is a guest room.” Amari opened a drawer to spare blankets and a cross-stitched pillow.

  “But look at these.” Nova traced her finger lightly over the side of the tall boy in the corner. “Levi and Faith. And there are years.”

  “A height chart on a beautiful antique.” Amari ran her tongue over her teeth. “Don’t see that everyday.”

  “Faith. Do you think that was his sister?”

  “I wouldn’t be surprised.” Amari tugged Nova under her arm.

  “Do you think she could be part of Ben’s pack like his secretary mentioned?”

  “I don’t know. But would that change your mind?”

  “Maybe. She’s family.” Nova looked at her feet.

  Amari sensed there was something more that Nova’s mind chewed on but hesitated to push. “Let’s go see if we can find some more clues.”

  “Right.” Nova kept wistfully looking over her shoulder to the marks.

  Amari knew that look. Years of displacement and nowhere to put your history but within yourself. It cut a little. Still did for her anyway despite her nearly two decades with her siblings. That history warmed her when the lost years wanted to drown her. She pressed Nova in a little tighter, how else could she convey her understanding without sounding cheap?

  “Oh, this must have been their bedroom.” Amari opened the door to a larger room with a massive bed in the center of a paisley throw rug.

  “Smells like stale cigars.” Nova covered her nose, eyes watering.

  “I wonder if that happened before or after his wife died.” Amari set her mind on ignoring what smells she could identify.

  Nova chuckled as she sat on the edge of the bed nearest the door. An old polaroid picture sat in a silver frame. “Looks like someone didn’t know how to focus, but she’s pretty.”

  “Don’t knock the old technology, that camera was prime back in the day.” Amari pressed her hand on the mattress. “He really liked his flannels. There are like twenty in here.”

  “Is that a lot.”

  “If my brothers can be a reference point they have like twenty shirts all in.” Amari grimaced at the metal screech as she pulled the hangers. “Hey look at this.”

  This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Amari laid a garment bag over the cross and crown patterned quilt.

  “Is that his uniform?”

  “Look at all these medals.” Amari traced her fingers over the medallions hanging from ribbons. A few familiar from promotion ceremonies for her siblings. “This one is for bravery.”

  “Really?” Nova touched it gently. “What do you think happened?”

  “We could look it up in the local archives.” Amari commented. The solid blue of the jacket was similar to what half her siblings wore.

  “Yeah.”

  “Nova, it will take time but we will find as much history as we can for you.”

  “Let’s see what the last room holds.” Nova brushed off the sentimentality. Stepping around Amari, she left the room. “Amari?”

  The confusion and fear in her voice, Amari rushed out of the bedroom. “What is i-”

  Looking over Nova’ shoulder, the answer was obvious. Top to bottom, every square inch of surface had a picture or document. Books laid open covered in sticky notes. Amari squeezed past Nova’s frozen frame in the doorway.

  Amari pulled out her phone. A few clicks she held it up on speaker. Two rings.

  “Hello?” Elias’ voice filled with concern answered.

  “Hey E. We found Nova’s relative.”

  “That’s awesome. I am happy for her.”

  “Yeah.” Amari lifted her brows in question to Nova.

  “What’s wrong?” Elias seamlessly transitioned into protective mode.

  With Nova’s nod, Amari continued. “I am seeing an intense war room over here. I am going to send you an address. Can you be here tomorrow?”

  “A war room on what?” Noise over the line stilled.

  “I think the same thing.” Amari leaned over a particularly seasoned book.

  “What?” Elias’ whisper was barely audible.

  “There are documented sightings over decades since—” Amair followed a line back to the corner. Her finger pressed on a photo. “Since his sister disappeared after a wolf attack.”

  “Oh.” There was rustling and shuffling over the line. “I can be there by nine. Can you leave everything as it is?”

  “Sure.” Nova jumped in. Her hands pressed to the sides of her face.

  “Thanks E.”

  “Not a problem. I will see you both tomorrow.” The line went dead.

  “This was not what I was expecting.”

  “Yeah this is concerning.” Amari's heart clenched at the information splattered across the walls. “But it does lend more credence to the possibility your great aunt is in Benjamin’s pack.”

  “But this is bad.” Nova swiveled her finger around the room.

  “Yeah, I am stuck between hoping no one believed him and hoping he didn’t have to live that way.”

  “Do we tell Ben?”

  Amari opened her mouth and closed it. This was a whole new level of tightrope walking. SHe rubbed a hand over her mouth.

  “Ladies, I found the art studio. Be careful the back door locks automatically when you shut it and the yard is hard to traverse.” Benjamin called up from the bottom of the stairs.

  “Good to know.” Amari stepped to the little overlook. “It’s getting late and I am starving.”

  “Benjamin looked at his watch and pulled his head back. “I took a moment to call to get us rooms, I wasn’t sure we wanted to stay here.”

  Nova smiled.

  “Good call. How about we get a late dinner and start fresh in the morning? I would like to see that studio.” Amari skipped down the steps, landing playfully at the bottom.

  ***

  “Ben?”

  Benjamin looked quickly over to Amari up at the question in Nova’ voice. At Amari’s shrug, he focused on the girl next to her.

  “What would it look like to be a part of your pack?”

  “Ah.” Benjamin’s lips pulled down suppressing a smile. “Well we would get you a job, one that helps the pack in some way. You would have an apartment in the pack towers.”

  “You just give apartments to new pack members?” Nova tried to hide her surprise and excitement.

  “We thought it important to give a place where wolves could be wolves without worrying about human interference. It is on the far edge of town, there is a tunnel out to the woods where you can run with the others.” Benjamin leaned back, tossing an arm over the back of the chair next to him.

  “And what would it look like to have Amari and you do that cross pack thing?” Nova leaned onto the table, hands folded.

  Amari choked and spit out her water. Tears filled her eyes as she cleared her throat. Shooting a glare at Nova, she forced a smile to her face. “I did not put her up to that.”

  “Purely information gathering, I am sure.” Benjamin smirked, giving Nova a little wink. “That arrangement would need to go through Orion and my father as Alphas of the pack; they would need to approve any agreement that would support a cross pack relationship. Though I am open to such an arrangement. But that is another matter. What are you interested in pursuing? You want to attend school or a trade or something?”

  “I’m not good for anything.” Nova shrugged.

  “That is not true.” Amari lightly swatted her arm. “Elias found your records. Even switching schools a lot you held a solid B average.”

  “That is impressive. I know Amari had a little more trouble with grades until she found some stability.” Benjamin laughed then grunted as Amari kicked him under the table.

  Amari looked at him in warning. As he was there for most of her craziest rebellions he had all the dirt. Nothing that she wanted Nova to know about, at least not until she was an adult herself.

  “Anyway. I would think we could get you an internship. Maybe you could grab a coffee with Marley? She is one of our newest and just went through the process. It could be a good perspective for you. And I would like to offer my help in squaring away Mr. Barron. There hasn’t been a funeral.”

  “Oh.” Nova shrank in her seat. “I know nothing about that kind of thing.”

  “My people could handle that for you.” Benjamin held out his hand, then covered hers with his other. “Everything would go through you for final say but they can handle all the boring stuff.”

  “Could Faith be involved?” Nova looked up at Amari then back over to Benjamin.

  “Faith?” Benjamin tilted his head.

  “Levi’s little sister, we think, was named Faith. Is Faith the name of the woman you spoke of?” Nova pressed, barely concealed hope in her eyes.

  Benjamin’s face filtered through confusion to surprise. “Yes. I can have her run things. She could also help you with any pack questions you have.”

  “Thanks Ben.” Nova’s face lit up as she swallowed hard. Eyes wide, she laid her head in her hands and looked happily at Amari. “I have an aunt.”