#Chapter 21 The Lycan Diary
Helen POV
[I feel stronger], Joy told me as I transformed back into my human body.
I studied my reflection as I replied to her, [We are stronger I don’t know how or why, but we are stronger.]
“Are you looking for something? Did I hurt you?” Justin asked from behind me.
Turning to look at him in surprise, I said, “No! I just thought I looked—different.”
I felt stupid saying it out loud. My face flushed as embarrassment overtook my wonder; Joy went quiet the way she seemed to always do when Justin was speaking. My wolf was already more in love with my mate than with me.
Joy would have taken my side in every argument before I met Justin. The Lycan held a sway over her I could only blame on the matebond which was ridiculous since we weren’t mated yet as we hadn’t exchanged mate marks. 2
How could sex sway a wolf the way mine had been swayed? I’d never heard of it, but I didn’t have anyone to ask either. My parents wanted nothing to do with me as I was such a failure in their eyes.
Would things change if my wolf changed? I knew Joy had two colors only now. Could she become a pure Snow White like my sister’s wolf? Could that happen at my age?
I wished I had someone to ask, someone to give me answers and advice.
“I want to go to the library today,” Justin stated, surprising me again, “My beast is unstable. Worse than usual. I need to know why. There are Lycan books in the library here. You can read good?”
Nodding, I agreed, “I can read very well, yes. Why do you think they’ll have answers in the library? Haven’t you already read all the books on Lycans there? It’s your house.”
Justin snorted, “It’s my prison. I was locked in the same room you met me in for as long as I can remember. There’s a restricted section in the library. I wasn’t allowed to touch it or anything in it even when I was allowed to roam the house.”
“You can’t read?” I asked, then immediately apologized, “I’m sorry. Of course you can read. I just wondered why you asked if I could. Why wouldn’t I have learned to read? I went to school the same as any other wolfen in the pack.”
“Our pack didn’t allow women to read for a time. My mother told me some packs still held to those laws. I didn’t know if yours did or not. Can you tell me if you can read Latin? Or Spanish?” Justin asked.
I knew some Spanish and very little Latin. I was starting to feel more and more useless the longer we spoke.
“I know some Spanish, but not much Latin at all,” I admitted, “Why do you think it will be in Spanish or Latin?”
Justin got out of the bed and began to dress himself. He didn’t look at me as he answered, “Spanish was my mother’s language. Her Lycan family was from Spain.”
I hadn’t known Lycans came from anywhere. A part of me realized they had to have an origin, but I’d never thought enough about them to wonder where they’d made their home when they’d ruled the world. All I’d ever thought about Lycans was how glad I was they weren’t around to rule over me and my kind.
My family ruled over me enough. I didn’t need another set of masters.
“How are we supposed to get into a restricted section?” I asked, “Isn’t it locked or something?”
“It’s guarded,” Justin corrected, “Not locked. The locks on my father’s estate come in the form of men. He
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#Chapter 21 The 4ycan Diary
+25 BONUS
believes a man who guards his property is worth ten locks because you can pick a lock whereas a man? He can’t be broken with such a little tool.”
I thought of all the ways a man could be manipulated. Just had spent most of his life in chains, but I had grown up surrounded by wolves who would sell their own mothers if it meant more power for them.
“Your father isn’t as smart as he thinks,” I murmured, “Wolves I know will do plenty for money or power and money buys power. Are you sure we can get into this restricted section? What will we do? Bribe the man guarding it?”
Shaking his head ‘no,‘ Justin said, “The guard takes a lunch He eats outside the library because no food or drink is allowed near the books. They’re too valuable. They can’t be replaced, you know?”
I nodded because I did know what he meant by that. Many things weren’t able to be replaced whereas food and drink were necessities which could be taken in anywhere. I been made to eat scraps in a maid’s closet most of my life.
“You will go with me into the library. We will find the books on Lycans,” Justin declared.
“I will,” I agreed.
I’d never been in any library outside my school’s, but I would go to this one inside the Alpha King’s estate because it was where my mate wanted me to go.
“When will we do it?” I asked.
“Tonight,” Justin said, “Until then, we’ll do more pleasurable things.”
I wanted to say I agreed for any reason other than I wanted more of my Lycan mate’s touch.
I wouldn’t lie to myself though.
Desire pushed me into Justin’s arms and desire would keep me there as long as he wanted me back.
Night had fallen completely by the time Justin declared it time for us to go to the library inside the Alpha King’s estate. I was feeling energized from the day’s pleasure as much as from excitement or fear of the unknown we were walking into. I followed Justin’s lead through the estate.
The double doors of the library opened soundlessly for us; we slipped inside without using any lights and Justin closed the doors behind us so the guard would not know anyone had even entered.
I was stunned by the sheer amount of books around us. I didn’t know there could be so many books in one place without it being a public building. How were we going to find anything in here?
“Where—“I started to ask only for Justin to place his hand over my mouth, shaking his head at me.
We would not be speaking even though the guard was meant to be somewhere else.
Nodding I understood, I stepped behind Justin to show I would follow where he led.
There was virtually no light in the room, but our vision was good enough in the dimness to see where we were going. Justin took me around the main shelves all the way to the back of the library where a desk was surrounded on either side by wooden railings.
I could tell this area was being blocked off for some official reason. It must be the restricted section. I went to open the gate door beside the desk only for Justin to stop me again. He pointed to the lock though I couldn’t see what he meant.
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#Chapter 21 The Lycan Diary
+25 BONUS
Shaking his head, Justin picked me up and lifted me over the railing before putting me down. He jumped the railing himself to follow me and grasped my hand to lead me back to the shelves sunken into the back wall.
I studied the spines of the books with my phone being used as a source of light while Justin merely searched with his eyes alone.
We searched for long enough I was starting to think my heart would explode from panic. Justin had found nothing. I pulled out a slim book which was behind several other books. The cover said a word I had not heard before, but thought might be Spanish.
Gesturing to Justin, I showed him the cover. He touched it almost reverently, traced every letter out to show the word meant something to him.
“Sayda,” Justin murmured, “My mother.”
I realized we must have her diary and then I saw the doors open so I pushed at Justin who didn’t want to move.
“The guard!” I whispered urgently.
“I can fight him. No problem,” Justin said, frowning, but I didn’t want a fight.
Shoving at him, I finally resorted to clasping his face in my hands and pulling him down into a deep, scorching kiss. Justin let me kiss him and while we were kissing, allowed me to move him into the shadows so we would not be seen by the library guard. I kissed Justin until the guard had walked passed us and didn’t notice Justin smiling down at me as I made sure the way was clear.
We took the book with us as we snuck back out to our room, never noticing a man in black was watching us go with satisfied expression of his own on his face. 1
When we reached our room, Justin and I flipped through the book until the very last page where the sentence read, “A male Lycan can lose his power if he has sex with a virgin werewolf on the full moon, unless…”
“Unless what?” Justin asked, taking the book from me as I shrugged helplessly.
“The last page is missing. I don’t know.”
“We could go back,” Justin said, but I held onto his arm as I shook my head.
“The guard has returned. We’ll go again when he’s gone. We need to find the answer without alerting the King.”
Justin agreed with a kiss to my forehead as he studied the diary with his mother’s name.
We would need to get back into the library soon. We needed to know what the real last page said! 2
#Chapter 22 The Tournament Begins