Chapter 3 Scents

It all started when I turned 16. For weeks, I'd anticipated my birthday. Mom bought me an emerald dress, and Dad was coming home for a week break just to celebrate with me. It was going to be the best birthday yet. I didn't put any thought into mating or being mated or the fated dream. I was just a girl looking forward to her birthday. Besides, I was told I wouldn't have the dream for years yet, considering my 'disabilities'. I paid it no mind.

So when I jerked awake, drenched in a cold sweat, a deafening roar in my ear, and a sinister laugh with the smell of cardamom and sandalwood lingering in my room, I knew something was wrong. Gasping for breath, I tear out of bed and race down to the kitchen where my mother is bringing out freshly baked buttermilk cookies.

"There you are, my birthday girl! Happy birthday, sweetheart," she says with a smile and drops the tray amongst the rest of the treats she had made. It looked like she'd been baking all night. The whole countertop was laden with brownies, cookies of different shapes, donuts, and beignets covered in powdered sugar. It was pastry heaven.

"I had the dream!" I exclaim.

"What dream, honey?" Mom says while taking off the oven mitts she had on.

"The fated dream, I dreamt of him, my mate."

My mother snorts with derision and leans down to my height.

"You're only 16, Claire, that's not possible."

"But I did dream of him, I swear. I know what he smells like."

"Oh? And what does he smell like?" she says, cocking her hip against the counter with arms folded.

"Sandalwood and Cardamom."

She laughs at my words and with a shake of her head brings out two jars with the same labeling.

"This is what you smelled, Claire. I was filling up the diffuser and wanted to try out new scents I think your father might like."

"But, I'm not lying, I felt him," I countered, growing increasingly frustrated when I realized that my mom was being dismissive.

"I know you want to belong just like the rest of the wolves at school, but this is not the way to do it," she says and starts walking away.

"But-"

"ENOUGH, CLAIRE! It didn't happen, and that's the last I want to hear about it."

"Now go on and get dressed, there's a lot to do."

I kept shut and stomped back upstairs to do as told and spent the rest of the day in a funk. Needless to say, I kinda ruined my birthday. Even Dad noticed my mood and made no comments. I'm sure Mommy filled him in. With the day's festivities well and truly done, my gifts opened, and thank yous said to my parents and Ally who came over a while later. She and I lounged by the porch, and I filled her in on what's happened. I barely finished speaking when she reached into her bag, stood up, and shoved a library card at me.

"What's this? We should go to the library?"

"We are going to the library," she replies and starts walking out the gate and onto the street. I scurry after her, and we make our way there. The library is a massive building with long pillars, carved out of white marble. It has cobbled steps that lead to the massive ornate, steel door with silver embellishments. The insignia of the Savonts and the emblem of the town are carved on it. The Savonts are keepers of knowledge. Too bad they couldn't keep our town's history well. We scan our school IDs and say hello to the librarian in charge, Mary Savont. She is Ally's aunt-in-law.

We head to the history section and find books on wolf packs and scents unique to them because all packs have scents. The Blackthorne wolves have the distinct smell of jasmine. I have that too with a touch of lilies thanks to my 'condition'. I flip to the page indicated for cardamom and find it's been ripped out completely. Someone tore it out. I'm confused and concerned. Ally takes note, nods her head, and gets up from the floor with a pile of books around us.

"Come on," she says and starts walking through the library, down a long hallway, two flights of stairs going down until we get to a small door. She takes out a necklace she wears with a key pendant and unlocks the door.

"What?" I exclaim.

"Shhhh," she makes a silent gesture with her hands to her lips.

"How do you have a key?" I ask, and she waves it off.

She steps through the door, and I follow cautiously after her. It's a small office of sorts, with bookshelves, showcases, and boxes all around, like the chief librarian's office. Ally moves with purpose, like she's been here a thousand times, and unlocks the drawer of the mahogany desk. She lifts a heavy book out. It's a bigger volume of pack scents. She sets it on the table, and we flip to the cardamom scent. There are no pages on it except one. The others seemingly missing just like the one upstairs. I read through the information praying that somehow I was right and that I did have my fated mate dream and it wasn't my mom playing with diffuser scents. It says, "Cardamom and Sandalwood, powerful scents belonging to the great clan of Lycaon. Lead by Lord Invar Lycaon the terrible, his son.......... the page cuts off.

"What, that's it? Where's the rest of it?"

"That's all there is," Ally replies looking as confused as I felt.

"It's like someone went through great trouble to wipe them out of history books but why?" I asked, throwing my hands up in defeat.

"Well, you won't know if it's his son unless you have the dream again," Ally says, packing up, and we leave the way we came.

"Yes, all I have to do is have the dream again and then I'll know, easy," I say, feeling hopeful.

"Maybe you'll have it tonight, don't you worry," Ally suggests, patting me on the shoulder as we exit the library and walk home.

"Yeah, you're right, tonight."

I bid her farewell and head home; she goes the opposite way. I wash up early, put on my best PJs, and get some sleep. I don't have the dream that night or any night after. He comes in the flesh years later.