The Aftermath

"And Alas! The great protector of Wolfsberg! The beast, standing tall on the highest mountain." the man, inviting, was the first person to catch the sight.

"Behold, the Alpha wolf of Wolfsberg! The beast, standing tall on the highest mountain."

Adrian and Maria got to the fest right in time. Stormie was already on the highest mountain. She slit out Jerry's throat and cut out his monstrous head, which was in vampire form. Showing it to everybody. They yelled out at her, admiring her bravery and courage. Some children yelled at her for joy as she held the vampire lord's head for everyone to see. Then she threw it into the night air, in the graveyard's direction. To warn other vampires away.

"Owwww! Oowwwww!! Owwwww!!!"

She kept on howling, warning off any more vampires that might lurk in the night. The moon brightened the night sky, making it feel like day.

"That is my daughter. The Alpha Beast of Wolfsberg." Jessica cried in the crowd. She stood right beside Sir Shkodra.

"It's her destiny. Is it hard to believe?"

"I'm getting used to it." Jessica replied, with a small smile. "It's just a lot of responsibility for a 14-year-old girl."

"Girl is no longer girl, Mrs. Knight. Girl is now leader."

"Hoooowwwwllll!" Stormie's wolf growled louder.

"Stormie!" Jessica hailed from where she was standing.

"I said it? The Alpha Beast would show up!" Paul told his granddaughter, Suzy.

"Yeah grandpa. Seeing is believing." She snapped at him, crushing on the bubble gum in her mouth and taking a picture. She shared it to her social media handles and tagged, #fullmoon #Wolfsbergalphasaga.

"There's something I want to ask." Maria brought up.

"Yes. You can ask me anything." Adrian gave a go ahead.

"What happened to the guy I first met? The shy, innocent one."

He chuckled into a soft laugh as if  Maria had just said a joke. "I'm sorry, but... I'm never going to be the guy you met in the shop that day."

"I understand. As long as he's not completely gone."

"No, he isn't." Adrian replied, holding her hand. Maria, I am still the same person. I came to Wolfsberg, and it changed me. I feel at home.

"It's okay. Sometimes, change is good." She told Adrian and held him in a side hug, watching the Alpha wolf.

"Where is your sister?" Maria asked.

"She's fine. She definitely watching us from somewhere." He explained as they ended up staring into each other's eyes. Maria timidly looked away, while Adrian smirked at her attitude.

Later that night, they walked home, discussing. Even the crickets and frogs had gone silent.

"You are an exceptional girl, Maria." Adrian opened up. "I have some questions for you."

"Really?" she gave a tight lip to his words.

"Yes... I'm curious to know about you. I know that man wasn't your true dad. Who is he?"

"Tobias is my foster dad. I don't mean to be rude, but sincerely, he deserves a death like that. They agreed to care for me when I was only 10. Tobias stabbed his wife, Muni. She was pregnant with their baby. By then, I was 13. I had to keep her death a secret. He was always drunk because he lost his job at the Miller. After he killed his wife and child, he still kept on blaming himself. And I had to suffer the consequences, so... I just stayed with him. Well... There's another thing." Maria pointed out.

"What's it, Maria?" His eyes glittered, interestedly.

"I'm a bloodline werewolf, though I never met my actual parents." She paused, staring at him intensely. "I haven't had my first transformation either."

"What? So you knew when I got infected through blood transfusion?" Adrian asked Maria.

"I could sense you, but I was still puzzled. And when Sir Shkodra injected you with the solution, I figured out." She explained, intelligently.

Adrian smirked from behind, watching her as they walked through the silent woods.

"So, you're a werewolf. Why didn't you fight back with your foster dad? Or escape from his clutches?"

"Fight back by biting him? He would transform into a werewolf and torture me in more terrible ways. And... I have no one, Adrian. No where to run to. I had to work as a maid with two households during weekdays, and the grocery store during weekends just to put something on the table." She paused, wiping off the tears in her eyes, and sniffed.

"My life is so pathetic, right?"

"No, Maria. I just realize that you are the special one for me. I've always wanted to be prince charming, and that is what I am. Maria, you are my Cinderella. My freckles, my mate."

Getting home that day, Adrian introduced Maria to the family, and Sir Shkodra tested Stormie's blood. With Jessica by her side, she felt calm.

"L. B 217, bloodline of werewolf." Sir Shkodra announced.

They smiled, knowing it's definitely true. Who would have imagined?

In the morning, the five of them had breakfast together. Maria went to take her morning bath while the rest of the family sat down to gist.

"Why do you have a picture of me?" Stormie asked, looking at an old black and white framed photo.

"It's not you, girl. That's Magdalena." Sir Shkodra replied. "When she turned 14. Right before her first full moon. Right before she became a werewolf."

"They look exactly the same." Adrian lamented.

"Yes."

"Do you know all along, Sir Shkodra, that I was..."

"In the cemetery, yes." He pointed out before Stormie could ask the question. "I know you are a werewolf."

"How?" Adrian intervened.

"On Madam Magdalena's grave stone. You could read the writing. Only eyes of werewolf could do this." Sir Shkodra explained. "It was Magdalena's way of protecting the secret."

The main door opened and an old lady walked in. She had milk-grey hair that was permed and packed to the back of her head in a bun. With another big, black box in her hand, she walked towards them.

"Hello everyone." Her calm voice greeted. "How do you do?"

"Red riding hood!" Stormie shrieked. "What are you doing here?"

It puzzled everyone by how she knew the old woman.

"Mum, this is the woman I told you about!" she pointed.

"Please." The old woman interrupted. "Let me introduce myself."

They focused their gaze at her.

"My name is Madam Valerie Miller. I am the executive of your aunt's estate."

"You could have just told me instead of acting up!"

"I was acting on your aunt's behalf." She explained calmly, and placed the box before them. Unwrapping a red bowtie.

"My job is to look after you until certain situations are resolved. And Mrs knight... They have, I presume?"

"Yes, they have." Jessica agreed.

"Good. Then we can proceed." She brought out an envelope and handed it to Jessica. She opened it and brought out a file. Surprised plastered her face as she read through.

"With your signature, ma'am." The old lady continued. "Wolfsberg manor will officially be passed to the Knight's family. This will also stipulate that there will be a home and a place of employment at Wolfsberg's manor for Sir Shkodra."

They caught a genuine smile on his lips for the first time. There was no sound of any creaking door in the background. Without hesitation, Jessica signed the form. Madam Valerie then handed her a check.

"What's this?" her eyebrows furrowed at the amount.

"This is the remaining amount of money in her account and she required I give you." Madam Valerie explained.

"Wow, mum!" Adrian gasped seeing the amount on the cash. It was 1 trillion U. S dollars.

"I told you, we are rich!" Stormie jumped out of her seat excitedly.

"So, does this mean we have to keep our house?" Adrian asked, amidst his suppressed laugh.

"This means we have to keep them both." Jessica replied her kids, and they giggled to the good news.

"If there's nothing else, then I have to leave. Madam Valerie stood up, adjusting her lady-jacket before going. Yesterday was so fun... Bye now."

"Um, before you leave, ma'am." Jessica called her back. "I'm just curious. Where did a single woman like Magdalena get all this money?"

"She was an amazing ballet dancer." Stormie looked at Sir Shkodra and they chuckled softly.