Happy New Year!
thirty one
I sneak into the kitchen doing my best to open all the cupboards silently. I need food, at least enough to get me through a couple days and this kitchen is always stocked up.
"Isabelle?" I jump at the sound of my name, spinning on my heels to see Dexter standing behind me.
"Dexter?" I manage dumbfounded, where does this guy come from? Why is he always popping up?
"Why are you stealing snacks from the kitchen?" Dexter asks craning his neck to see the bag behind me bulging with food.
"Why are you here?" I say dodging his question; two can play at this game.
"Are you leaving?" Dexter probes moving towards me a strange look on his face.
"Why would I answer any of your questions?" I say simply folding my arms over my chest. Trusting Dexter is like trusting .... he always has ulterior motives and I'm over it.
"Because I want to help you."
"Are you joking? All you've done since I met you is be crazy cryptic about everything and then you just disappear and reappear at the weirdest times." I say waving my arms around, "it's past midnight why are you here in this kitchen, why are you even awake?"
Dexter raises his eyebrows, "I could ask you the same questions Isabelle. You're even more elusive than me, always changing your personality, pulling off impossible feat but somehow remaining completely unaware of everything."
I open my mouth to respond but nothing intelligent comes to mind, he's right. Just like what Theo and Xavier have said, it's unbelievable that I could be so clueless about so many things that directly affect me.
"Dexter, I don't know how much you know about me and my story. In all honesty you probably have a better grasp on my past than I do. But know that from the time I can remember I have been treated exactly as a human, I only took classes relating to the mundane world, I only ever read books written by human authors, everything I was exposed to came from the human world. I can tell you all about the history of humanity, their belief in evolution, religion, the issues with racism and explain the entire political system to you. I was never able to learn about the supernatural world, hell up until a few months ago I didn't even know there was a supernatural world. So please forgive my naivety and lack of awareness, because no one ever taught me the truth and even still no one will ever tell me it." I stare Dexter down, he wants to call me out fine, I'll be honest.
Dexter lets out an audible gulp, "Isabelle I di-."
"Dexter?" Dexter and I both jump as a new voice enters the conversation, "Isabelle what are you doing here?" I turn my head to see Xavier staring right at us, his eyes trailing down to the pile of snacks.
"I couldn't sleep." I say keeping my eyes glued to the wall behind Xavier, I'm a terribly liar, one look in my eyes and I'm finished.
"Why are you here Dexter?" I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding, he bought it.
"Oh you know just doing my job." I raise my eyebrows, doing his job? Is Dexter's job to follow me around and confront me at random times?
"This isn't your job." There goes that word again, job. Neither men seem at all effected by this choice of vernacular, as if they know something I don't; which is probably the case.
"Someone has to do it and you're asleep at the wheel." Dexter replies lowering his voice for the last part as if we aren't all standing in an echoe-y kitchen one metre apart from each other.
Xavier just shakes his head turning his eyes back to me, I stand staring off into the distance as Xavier studies the situation before him. Cocking his head to the side, Xavier lets out a deep sigh, "I'm going back to bed."
"Did he just leave?" I say sceptically, looking over at Dexter.
"He's a busy man Isabelle, Xavier needs all the sleep he can get."
"What does that have to do with anything?" I reply bundling the snacks into my arms, it's cold and this conversation is getting old.
"He trusts me."
"Trusts you to what?" I probe Dexter, even if I can guess what he's implying I want him to say it.
"Isabelle." Dexter says sternly his eyes moving from side to side.
"You've had no issue voicing your concerns with me up until this point, go on, tell me what's really happening?" I say staring him down, Dexter is consistently popping up in my life, somehow trusted by both Theo and Xavier. Sure, he's been evasive and cagey but Dexter has never lied to me and I can't imagine what he would gain from starting now.
Dexter opens his mouth to say something but hesitation flickers across his face, "it's nothing Isabelle just go back to sleep."
"Go back to sleep?! You're seriously just going to let all of this go, me in the middle of the night hoarding snacks?" I say frustration boiling inside of me, haven't I already said I'm sick of not knowing the whole truth? Dexter the crazy suspicious character who keeps appearing in my life is going to let this go?
"Isabelle," Dexter says looking at me like a little lion cub that's lost her mum.
"I'm not a scorned child Dexter, you're not my dad, that tone isn't going to work on me." I say standing my ground, there's something else to this and if I don't find out now then I'll never know.
"I'm just around to watch over you, keep tabs on your movements."
"You mean monitoring me?" I reply folding my arms, who would even ask him to do that?
"That's all I can say, I'm sorry Isabelle, really I am. I wish I could say more."
"Of course you can't elaborate, god forbid I actually know the whole picture. But why stop there, why not just burn the box, destroy 99% of the puzzle pieces then hand me one and say you are the greatest puzzle master to of ever lived."
"Isabelle I w-."
I hold up my hand, "I know you can't elaborate no matter what I say. It's not like it affects me anyway, accept without an explanation you're basically stalking me!" I exclaim doing my best to make Dexter as uncomfortable as possible, I need something, anything. Just a shred of a hint and then I have something to go off.
"Just know that this is for the best, it's the only way."
I stare at Dexter, "have you joined a cult recently?"
"What are you talking about?" Dexter replies cocking his head to the side.
I shake my head, "It doesn't matter, can you please just tell me what's going on? Not half the story, or what's best for me to hear, just exactly what's happening."
"Isabelle, there's so much you don't understand. The supernatural world has a delicate balance, just like human politics, but unlike humans we are far less domesticated. The dangers of this world are far more prevalent and much harder to distinguish hence the need for so much secrecy." Dexter begins taking a seat behind the kitchen bench.
"Well you're talking like a politician right now with all these vague descriptions." I say folding my arms.
Dexter raises his hand, "let me finish."
His eyes meet mine. "You are a true Luna and even if you haven't unlocked them yet there is potential for you to have astronomical powers beyond being able to shift into a big dog. Which means you offset the natural order. All these packs wanting you as their Luna, they want to control you Isabelle. They don't know you can't shift all they know is you are a true Luna and if history is anything to go off, you will possess great powers. These packs want to control you, once you become a Luna, you are bound by blood to the protect the Alpha and the pack, regardless of your own personal beliefs."
"Wait, what?!" I cry, that seems like a crucial detail all these Alphas have left out.
Dexter nods sadly, "the ceremonies are irreversible. That's why there's a witch-hunt for you, and while it is currently only werewolf packs it will expand. Witches, vampires and every other creature will be after you as well. You're a true Luna who is the mate of Alpha Xavier, an invaluable asset and powerful bargaining chip."
Dexter stands up, moving towards me until I'm certain he can hear my heartbeat. "You are the most valuable player in the supernatural world, if this was chess, you would be the Queen."
Dexter says beginning to pluck the snacks from my arms, "hey! I need those." I say flailing my arms but it's not use.
"And to top it all off, you're about to run away." My head shoots up at Dexter's words, how did he know? "Isabelle, you're rummaging around a pantry after midnight, collecting snacks like money. It's like you're not even trying."
"I u--."
For the second tonight Dexter raises his hand in my face, "I was honest with you Isabelle. I don't know if it did you any good since you're shaking but you asked for it. So now it's my turn to ask, be honest with me Isabelle. Why are you running away?"
"Because I, I've, should Xavier be here for this?" I ask peering around Dexter, half expecting Xavier to appear as if he'd been here the whole time.
Dexter hesitates, his eyes lock with mine a thick silence filling the air. Without saying a word Dexter shakes his head.