The sun began to fall on the outside of town.

"Hurry, Elizabeth. Close the curtains please honey", I walk over to the living room window and shut the curtains. I walk back to the couch and sit back down, returning my eyes to the television. Looking over at my mother after a short moment. "What?" I ask. 

"I just worry Elizabeth. You never know what could happen around at night near these woods." My mother glances at the window. "Mom, you're overreacting. Nothing has ever happened and I don't believe it will." I glue my eyes back to the screen. I can hear the heavy footsteps of my father. 

"Luna, my darling please come to bed." My fathers booming voice echoes down the grand staircase and into a large living room where mother and I sat. My mother's smile was a full bloom looking at my father appear around the corner. She stood up fixing her shirt as she walked to his side giving him a kiss on the jaw, giving that he was towering over her, it was all she could reach. "Elizabeth do not stay up too late now. You need to help your mother in the greenhouse tomorrow morning." My father informed trying to make eye contact with me. "Thomas and I will be going to the neighboring pack in the East to accompany me in the meeting with Alpha Harold." I only nod my head and continue to watch the nonsense on the screen. I heard the heavy stomps climb up the steps, disappearing down the long hallway. 

After a few minutes, I go and walk up to the large window that faced the acres of land that held the garden, pool, and lounge area. I reach my hand up to draw back the curtain. 

"You know mother would disprove." A low voice whispers from the archway.

"Jesus Thomas! You scared me there." My hand retraces its movements back to my side as I turn around. A low chuckle slips his lips. I roll my eyes and brush past his arm and into the kitchen to get a glass of water. Thomas follows and takes a seat at the bar stool. 

"Why do you think mother always makes me cover all the windows when dusk hits?" I ask, sipping my water as I walk to the counter across from Thomas. "I don't know. Why do you ask questions you know the answer to?" Thomas chuckled with a smirk on his face. 

I frown.  

I turn around to get more water from the sink. I hear a long breath from behind. "You know the stories. Of what has happens in the Collin Woods." He says with his head low almost pondering of what really happens. No one really knows. "Only one way to find out Elizabeth." I look up to see Thomas with an almost devilish smirk. Thomas gets up from his seat and begins to walk out of the kitchen and to his room. "You know I was joking sister. No one knows what happens in those woods." I hear his voice soften as he walks farther away. My head turning to the small window above the sink, the dark red curtain blocking from the view from outside. "I know."

I place my now empty glass into the sink and make my way back to the living room grabbing the remote and turning off the television. I sigh. Dragging my body down the archway and up the staircase. I make my way to the wing where my brother and I's rooms are held. Walking down to the end of the hallway, seeing my door slightly ajar. I push my weight on the heavy oak door for it to slide open with a few creaks. Walking in and pushing the door closed again. Seeing it very dark in my room with the curtains being drawn. Shaking my head knowing my mother was the one that slipped in here and closed the window from sight, leaving the door open. I walk to the coffee table by the couch and turn on the lamp. A small glow of light shined brightly throughout the room leaving shadows across the dark corners of the tall ceiling. Not feeling tired, I take the couple steps to the fireplace and place a few logs into the pit and grab the matchbox in the drawer a few feet over. I strike the match and drop it into the logs watching the flame slowly grow as the wood burned. Sitting back down on the couch, locking my gaze into crackling of the fireplace. The noise settling me to ease. I lean forward to turn off the lamp, looking and frown at the sight of the blankets on the identical couch across from me. I felt cold but not cold enough to get up and get the blanket. Deciding to take a hot bath. I gather the strength to push me from the couch. I walk to the french doors and open with ease. Brushing my feet across the cold marble floor, inching my way to the claw foot tub. I twist the handle on the warm water comes flowing out. Grabbing the gold chain with the plugger to stop the water. I open the drawer on my vanity to grab lavender bath salts and drop a handful in. Setting the container back to its rightful place. I walk to the closet and grab a white fluffy towel and lay it on the counter. I take a seat at my vanity and pull my hair from my tight ponytail. Watching it fall to my waist. My long brown hair slightly knotted. I grab my brush and start to work my way through the tangled nest. After I'm done I begin to strip off my now smoked smelled clothes, placing them in the dirty hamper in the coset. I stop the water flow, seeing that the tub was full to my liking. I look in the mirror to see the soft glow of the fireplace that enters the bathroom. I see the silhouette of my body. I wasn't bone thin, I had meat on my bones. I had hips, bigger breast, and taller than most. I was a spitting image of my mother. I walk to the bath slipping in, letting the steam of lavender hit my nose, calming me. I don't know why I feel so uneasy. The night has always made me circus but never has trumped me with worry. I knew of the stories. Everyone has, they are dark, horrid, and troubling. They struck the fear into the townspeople. The whole country knows of the darkness that lingers in the night. I've never felt the terror that people feel towards the Collin Woods. I didn't see the need. It was only talk. No one really knows the real horrors that go on in the thick wood, except one man. 

Alpha Jacob's. 

The man behind all the stories that have passed down from generations, scaring the young hearts of the children warning them about the night, but I knew I couldn't always be true. There couldn't be a thousand-year-old alpha. Yes, us werewolf live much longer than the average human. We mostly stop aging around our twenties, but living for over a thousand years seems like folklore. But the stories about the same man have been passed down so someone is behind it all. Like Thomas said "only one way to find out", but no one dares to go lurking. Not in the Collin Woods. I break my train of thought at the sound of my bedroom door opening and seeing Thomas peer his head around the corner looking for my gaze. 

"Yes?" I lower myself into the tub more to make sure my body was hidden from his sight.

"I thought I smelt wood burning, just wanted to make sure everything was okay?" He said taking a step into my room looking at the fire. "But I see the smoke is contained." He took a quick seat on the edge of my bed, not looking towards the bathroom knowing that I left the doors open. "Couldn't sleep?". I look up to see him locking gaze with fire mesmerized by the yellow flame.

"No." I say in a hushed tone. Only getting a grunt in return.

I hear the creak of the wood bedpost, seeing Thomas standing up and heading to the door. "Goodnight Elizabeth." 

"Goodnight Thomas." I wait to hear the sound of the door click shut. I pull the gold chain and watch the water start to twist down the drain. I step out of the tub and grab my towel wrapping it around my body. I pat down my body drying my warm skin. I walk to the closet and slip on some comfy clothes and make my way to my room. Glancing at the fire as I walk to my bed. I wrap the heavy duvet around my body feeling the warmth enclose around me. The sound of crackling fire puts me to sleep.

__________

Photo is of Elizabeths house.