Chapter 3:Jared

Jared shouldered his backpack. He took a deep breath of the cool, raw night breeze. He looked around curiously. Everything looked different to him. Of course, it is me who has changed, thought Jared.

He thought back to the time he had to say goodbye to his family. His parents and brothers did not judge him for his decision. "It will be difficult to live alone, wolves are pack animals," Jared remembered his old master saying this. He knew he couldn't live alone for a long time. Before leaving the house, his father had drawn him aside and given him an address. "Even though you are tough you need someone behind you. For now, go to this address, my friend lives there. He too left the pack a long while back." His father paused and gave him a credit card. "This has all your inheritance. I knew this day would come so I kept it safe ... And never forget this... what ever you are doing don't ever forget that you are a human too", saying this his father embraced him.

Jared took the subway. Being night , there were not many passengers on the train. Other than an old woman knitting and a sleeping man there was nobody else. Jared sat across the knitting lady and stared outside the window. The old woman paused her knitting to look at Jared. She saw the backpack in hand and smiled knowingly. "Running from home" , she asked. Jared turned towards her and replied, " Not really, I left home." "A fight at home?",she asked. " No?.. Then it must be for love. " "Ah! There is no need to be startled" , she said ,seeing his startled face. " Love is a beautiful thing. It makes sense to run away for love. Love is more stronger and sadder than any other force, except maybe revenge. Remember this the heart remembers a love more than the body does." She reached across and took his hand and stared at the birthmark he had on his inner arm. Before he could snatch it away, she let go of the hand and stood up. "Your destiny calls you strongly. It is up to you whether to answer to it or not" , she said. The train began slowing. It had reached a station.

"You think you are tough, but you need someone with you",she continued, eerily saying the same words his father told him. "Find her.".. It was a command . Then the old lady winked, walked to the door and got down from the train.

Jared spent the rest of the train journey in silence. His mind kept whirring around the old lady's words.

At last he reached the station. It began raining.He hailed a taxi and was soon in his way to his foster father's friends house.

The house was a normal two storeyed house with a beautiful garden. The house itself looked normal . It did not show the fact that the occupant was not entirely a human. Only on nearing the garden, Jared understood that some of the plants in the garden was wolfsbane. The tonic made using wolfsbane helped to cure the fever and weaknesses the new moon brought to the werewolves. The tonic was hard to make, and Jared was surprised to see that the man made the tonic himself.

He walked to the main door and rang the bell. A tall man opened the door. He looked at Jared for a while and said," You look like Sam. " Jared froze. This man knew his father. His real father. "You...knew my dad?" ,Jared asked. "Of course, we were best friends until I left the pack.... By the way I'm Thomas Salvinder. Call me Thomas" ,he said stretching out his hand. Jared gave his hand. "You better freshen up. Your room is next to the staircase. We had a lot to talk about."

...

"Where should I start...I knew your father since we were cubs. We watched and helped each other grow up. We both had different dreams. He always wanted to have a beautiful family whereas I wanted to teach. He found your mom, and they bonded instantly. He believed that he found his soulmate. He often asked me to find one for myself. I knew I was meant to be a bachelor. Your mom soon became pregnant and she gave birth to you. Soon later, I left the pack to chase my dreams. It seemed that your father had found his dream. We corresponded regularly. I also became a teacher. After eight years you father's dream shattered. You know the rest of the story." Thomas said. "I don't know why you chose the same path as me....But now get to bed. You have to wake up early."

"Why?",Jared asked.

" Of course you have classes tomorrow. I have enrolled you to my school for one year. You are required to study for one more year in human community to become an adult. Did you forgot that I'm a teacher also? ",he said.

Jared opened his mouth to protest. "No buts..." ,Thomas said firmly. "You have no choice, endure it. I have already enrolled you as my nephew."

Jared closed the door of his room. His head was spinning with things Thomas said about his parents. He collapsed in the bed. Just before drifting into sleep he remembered the old lady's last words"Find her ." He had thought of her as a crazy old woman but, was she? He got the feeling that the old lady was asking him to find the girl he met nine years ago. His first love.

.....