Chapter 22

Mike looked back and forth between me and Viktor. "Does someone want to let me know what is going on?" He asked, his gaze finally landing on me.

"Nope, I'm going back to bed. Viktor can explain," I replied with a huge grin on my face. Viktor wanted me to start my own House, that was fine.

But I refused to deal with it right now.

I slowly got up from the couch as if I was 1,000 years old. I patted Mike on the shoulder as I made my way past him.

One foot in front of the other, I slowly made my way back to the guest room where I could sleep for a couple of days. Hopefully.

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"You going to explain?" Mike asked, turning his attention to Viktor.

Viktor held out his hand, signaling for Mike to take a seat. He waited until Mike got comfortable before pouring two glasses of Tuica and handed him one.

"Am I going to need this?" Mike asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Probably, it is a traditional plum brandy from the Old Country. Try a small sip, then we will talk," replied Viktor taking a seat and his own sip of the alcohol.

"What are Houses, why does Nads have her own and what is the Beta position?" Mike asked, tired of being one step behind everyone else.

"What do you know of monsters, Sergeant Volasko," said Viktor, staring at Mike, judging him and his reactions.

"I know a lot about human monsters, if you are talking about anything else, they don't exist."

"I can assure you, Sergeant, they do exist, and Pui just invited you into that world. Are you going to take that step? I'm afraid that there is no way back if you change your mind," Viktor warned, taking another sip of his drink, allowing the liquid to burn down his throat before settling in his stomach.

He closed his eyes, reveling in the taste and warmth of a long-forgotten time.

"Can you at least tell me what a Beta is?" asked Mike, feeling like he had a hundred questions and not a single answer.

"Do you know anything about wolf packs?" replied Viktor, not answering the question.

"Some."

"A Beta, in its purest sense, is the Alpha's second. They are responsible for managing a pack, for enforcing the rules, and most importantly, for stepping up if the Alpha is unable to."

Mike looked at Viktor, willing to wait out the younger man.

"A Beta is the Alpha's eyes, mouth, arms, and legs. They are the most important person in a pack outside of the Alpha."

"And what does a pack have to do with what we are talking about?" Asked Mike, coming to an understanding of what was going on, but waiting for Viktor to confirm.

"I don't know. Are you going to step into the position offered? Or are you going to walk out the door?"

"How deep is Nads into this?"

"As of right now, she is in up to her head. Something like this is not a thing that you can ignore or pretend never happened. But even if she didn't grow up learning this, I will train and protect her until she can stand on her own."

Mike closed his eyes. The grey hair on his head and fine lines on his face spoke of his years of experience. He had been living the last 30 years of his life alone, only caring about his job. But now that he was 50, he had to start thinking of what his life would look like when he retired.

Would he be like one of those old-school police officers that couldn't live without the job? That needed something to keep them going after they left the force?

Nads was the closest thing that he had to a family and if this was something that she was inviting him into, then he would jump in with both feet.

At least he would finally have a family at the end of the day.

The words came out of him like a spell. Eyes still closed, Mike opened his eyes and said, "I, Michael Brian Volasko accept the position of Beta from Natalia Nadezda Sokol Tesalor, Head of the House of Tesalor."

They say that words have power, and if that was the case, it would explain the warm wind that Mike felt swirling up around him. Starting at his feet, it encircled him with its heat in a hug and once the feeling evaporated, Mike was left feeling stronger and younger than he had in years.

"Are you going to tell me what I agree to now?" He asked Viktor, shooting down the rest of the brandy.

"Welcome to the world of monsters, Volasko. Allow me to properly introduce myself. My name is Viktor Van Helsing, and I am the Head of the House Van Helsing," smiled Viktor getting up.

He walked over to the shelf holding the liquor and brought the bottle of Tuica back to the coffee table.

"Van Helsing? As in the monster hunter who killed Dracula and Frankenstein?"

"The very one," replied Viktor with a slight smile. "But then they were reborn, and remain a pain in my ass to this day."

"They are still alive?"

"Yup. Vlad is the Head of the House Vampyre and Frankenstein's monster is the Head of the House Monstru. But a word of advice, if you do ever meet her, don't call her Frankenstein, it's still a sore point for her after all these years."

"Her? Frankenstein is a woman?"

"Yes. Her name is Mary Frank. The stories didn't get everything right, Volasko," informed Viktor.

"And Nads? Where does she fit in?" asked Mike as he picked up the bottle of plum brandy and poured himself another glass.

"Nad is the descendant of the first family of Gypsies, the Tesalors," said Viktor.

"What do Gypsies have to do with monsters?" Mike was confused. This was not how he expected this conversation to go.

"Gypsies are the most important of all of us," sighed Viktor, a rare look of vulnerability crossing his face.