1

A phone call woke me from my sleep. Glancing at the screen frowningly, I realized that I would not be able to sleep today.

- Listen, - I answered, trying not to yawn into the phone.

- Chief, the girl was found and now she is on her way.

- Vlad, let's be specific.

- The girl was found, talked, convinced that for security reasons she should be on the territory of our pack. They explained that this was also her mother's request.

- Did you believe it?

- For persuasiveness, they gave her a ring that was removed from her mother's body. They said that she left it in the agreed place so that her daughter would not have any doubts.

"Yeah, that's convincing," I chuckled.

- They gave money for a ticket, promised to resolve all issues with the owner of her apartment and sent her to Krasnoyarsk.

- Do you have an escort?

- Chief, offend! Two with her in the car, two in the next.

- When to expect?

- She left this afternoon, so in a day and a half.

Was she being followed?

- Not for her, for us. These boobies could not find the threads connecting mother and daughter, so they became attached to us.

- It's clear. Where are you?

- I'm flying to Chelyabinsk.

- Chelyabinsk? Why go there?

- So my cousin wanted to stay with us for a long time, so the opportunity presented itself. I'll kill two birds with one stone: I'll bring my sister, and I'll take the girl out from under the blow.

- Not afraid? What will happen to your sister?

- Is it with Elina? - surprise was heard.

- Is this the one that is engaged in triathlon and is going to the championship?

- Well, yes, she is dear. Well, if these morons try to steal her, she will twist them into a ram's horn and not sweat.

- Well done! - I still laughed.

- By the way, chief, there were also two foxes spinning.

- And this is already interesting ... Where are they now?

- They have already left in the direction of their pack, my guys find out what kind of interest they have and where the legs grow from this interest.

- Okay, Vlad. Let's fetch my sister and go home, rest.

CHAPTER 1

Wallia

"People are like the moon:

We all have a dark side

which we hide from everyone.

Mark Twain

The last two hours, approaching Krasnoyarsk, the train dragged along like an old horse that is going to die, but out of stubbornness pulls the load to the final stop. At times, the pace accelerated, but not for long, and the composition, slowing down, crawled forward again.

I sat in a second-class carriage and looked out the window, covering my ears with my hands. Nearby, collecting things, the parents of three children fussed - damn it. In fact, three days of children's squeals, screams, endless - why and why. Moreover, the extraction of information was carried out from the passengers of the entire car, and if the answer did not suit the little imps, the interrogation was transferred to the person sitting, standing or passing by. So, all those present in the car could be proud of the educational feat.

The train was passing by the industrial part of the city. My gaze glided over the gray, dull buildings, but I stubbornly did not tear myself away from the window, so that no one would touch me, pull me, or ask me anything. Finally, our Ferdinand dragged himself to the platform, pulled the train a couple of times and died. Grabbing my things, I rushed out. Departing from the car to the platform, she slowed down with relief.

Early morning the weather did not please - a small, nasty rain was drizzling. Overtaking the noisy crowd, I went to the Krasnoyarsk railway station building. Passing through it, I found a taxi rank. Having chosen the nearest car, she arranged a trip and flopped into the back seat with relief. The taxi driver said that it would take about twenty minutes to get to the square where I was supposed to be met, if I was lucky and there were no traffic jams. That's good, it's time to take a breath.

Raindrops ran down the misted glass ... and I remembered how more than five years ago, alone, I came to the then-unknown Petrozavodsk to start learning to live on my own. On that day, I was riding a tram, it was also drizzling with dull rain, and it was scary and insanely lonely ...

I was a little over four years old when my mother, having finally quarreled with my grandmother, gathered our things, grabbed me in an armful and actually ran away from her home. Since then, our wanderings around the country began. From city to city, my mother fled, hiding from my father. But, despite all the precautions, he constantly found us. Every time he visited, my mother hid me with the neighbors. If she didn’t have time, then she locked herself in the room or in the kitchen with an order - in no case should she go out.

And here I am, a little girl, huddled in a corner in an embrace with a shabby plush hare and I hear screams, swearing, something beats from the dishes, mom's crying, moans, growls. Time after time I tried to close myself, to hide from this nightmare. Do not listen! Not to hear!

After some time, the front door slammed, and my father again disappeared from my life. After such meetings, my mother hugged me, gave me money for some sweets, and lay down on the bed with a groan. She covered her with tears, stroked her, untangled her tousled hair, comforted her small child to the best of her ability. Mom, covered in bruises and strange scratches, whining like a beaten dog, slowly fell into a dream.

And the next day we packed again. Mom ran, took documents from school, quit her next job in order to leave again. Where? ... neither she nor I knew. Just to be further away. Hoping he won't find us again, won't hurt us. As I got older, I learned a secret that turned my world upside down... I am a werewolf!

That day I was at school. I became ill, and the school nurse, not particularly caring about my condition, sent me home, after informing my mother about work.

An hour later, already at home, I was whining and crying from the pain that twisted my insides into bundles. An excited mother was always there, soldering me with a bitter broth, which did not help at all. This whole nightmare lasted all night, and only in the morning she forgot herself in a heavy sleep. These were my first lunar days, the restructuring of the body and the awakening of the she-wolf, as my mother later explained.

Back then, werewolves were a completely closed topic for me. Of the films, I watched only "Guest from the Future" with Alisa Selezneva, I did not read fantasy. Therefore, my mother's confession was comparable to a miracle. Although, at that age, I would have easily believed in elves and Santa Claus. And when I saw with my own eyes my mother's turn into a black she-wolf with silver tips on her ears and tail, the fairy tale became a reality.

With the advent of the first blood, the she-wolf is just beginning to wake up, and in connection with this, the restructuring of the body begins. I had a lot of questions - how werewolves live, where the rest live, but from my mother I always heard the same: "The time will come, and I will explain everything to you." But the time never came.

The taxi rolled slowly across the square. Immersed in memories, I did not even notice that the car had stopped and that the rain had intensified. The driver's voice brought him out of his thoughts.

- Ay, ... girl, we are in place.

- What? Oh sorry, I thought.

After paying, she emerged from the salon. The man took my suitcase out of the trunk, and I tried to quickly hide from the rain under the roof of the cafe.

After standing in thought for a couple of minutes, I decided to go inside, have a bite to eat and drink coffee. I don't know how long I'll have to wait for these greeters. I ordered a cappuccino and a bun and called the number that Vlad gave me. The number didn't answer. Yeah, not happy ... I called again and again. Frustrated, I thought: "What if I cheated or the number is not correct? What should I do now?" A voice that sounded literally near my ear did not give a panic attack:

- Valeria?

Jumping up in surprise, she turned around. Behind him stood a man and openly smiled. Having examined the powerful broad-shouldered figure, she looked up and met the blue eyes of a short-haired, swarthy brunette.

- Are you Valeria?

- Uh-uh... yes. And you?

- Gregory. At your service and very pleased to meet you. I think we can sit for coffee while you have breakfast and drive. Alex? - He looked inquiringly at the young man standing a little further, whom I did not even notice, or rather did not pay attention to him. Another swarthy brunette was a little shorter than his companion, but just as broad in the shoulders.

"I don't mind," he nodded grimly.

They sat down at my table and ordered coffee from the smiling waitress who ran up.

- Valeria, as I understand it, you haven't had breakfast today?

- No, I haven't had time yet, - pointedly nodded at a cup of coffee and on a saucer with a small airy bun, - Here, I'm just going to.

- Well, then I'll keep you company so that it's not boring, - he ran his eyes over the menu that lay on the table, - Valeria, can I treat you? - noticing that I was going to refuse, chattered: - Please, do not refuse! You're just out of the way. Didn't have breakfast, probably didn't have dinner. And the last argument - this is actually a wonderful cafe, they cook very tasty food here.

- Mmm... to be honest, I'm confused.

- And what caused it?

- You still haven't answered: how do you know my name?

- Ah, so it's very simple - we were asked to meet you, gave the coordinates and described your appearance.

- Well, then I will agree to your proposal, - seeing how he flashed a smile again, corrected herself: - Have breakfast.

- That's fine! Alex, can I count on you?

- No, I'll limit myself to coffee, - threw the brunette.

- Well, - he clapped his hands, - now we will organize the order, - and left in the direction of the bar counter.

The waitress came up and put on the table a lot of plates and vases with all kinds of yummy. I did not regret at all that I agreed to the treat. Under the light chatter of Grisha, who asked to address him in this way, we ate the thinnest, delicate pancakes with a variety of jams, potato waffles with spicy spices, buns, bagels.

The wonderful mood was not spoiled even by Alex, who did not touch anything. He sat like that, sipping his third cup of coffee and more and more pointedly looked at the phone screen. After breakfast, our almost friendly company got into a decent SUV.

At first, I looked out the window with interest, listening to Gregory. He talked about sights flashing past, but, noticing that I was yawning and gradually dropping out of the conversation, he turned his attention to Alex sitting next to me.

Relaxing, at first she looked out the window, then she began to quietly examine the men sitting in front. Alex was driving the car and, frowning, was explaining something to Grisha. However, I didn't even want to listen.

From the first minutes of our acquaintance, he behaved aloofly, did not support the conversation. His glances, which I accidentally noticed, were alarming. Some kind of squeamish or something ... Of course, I'm not a beauty and looked far from so hot from the road, but it was still incomprehensible and a little unpleasant.

But Gregory, on the contrary, immediately tried to win over. Either with cheerful chatter, or by chance he moved a plate of pancakes closer and a lot of little things that also put me on my guard. During breakfast, he suggested calling him Grisha. He addressed me not with a full name, but switched to an abbreviated one - Lera, explaining this by the fact that I was very similar to his sister.

Under a slight motion sickness and a man's conversation, I fell asleep, and woke up when a car door opened next to me.

- Wake up and sing! That's it, Lera, get out - we've arrived! They delivered you safe and sound, - said Grigory and gave me his hand.

The car was parked near a two-story house. Alex was gone. She got out of the car and looked around.

Well, what a great house! I've seen pictures like this in magazines. A large terrace covered with lush greenery, just huge windows, a nice balcony stretches along the perimeter of the second floor. Emerald green lawn in front of the house. Looking at him, I really want to take off my shoes and walk on the grass.

While I was looking around, Grisha unloaded my things and, having said goodbye, left. And I was left alone. Yes, hospitable hosts here ...

Tired of standing, she sat down on the suitcase. A few minutes later, footsteps sounded behind me.

- Well, why are you sitting? - I grimaced when I heard Alex's voice.

“They didn’t invite me to come in,” she got up, looked at him, from which he grimaced in displeasure.

- Well, I invite you, you are welcome, - he muttered. He picked up my suitcase and went to the house.

“Thank you very much,” she replied, following him.

In the spacious hall we were met by a tall black-haired man who looked to be in his thirties. He examined me with a fixed, heavy look, as if trying to look into my soul. It made me want to shiver, and even better - to turn around and run away.

- Here, I brought it, - Alex muttered, plopping my suitcase on the floor.

I looked at him displeased.

- I see. Good afternoon, Valeria, I'm Maximilian, you can Maxim, - the man introduced himself.

His voice made me shudder, which made Alex chuckle. Silently nodded. Well, what, you don’t need to introduce yourself, but according to the reception and the hospitality shown, it’s not a good day for me.

- You must be tired from the road, - I nodded again, trying not to look away, - Let's do it this way - Alexei will now take you to the guest room. You will rest, freshen up and after ... - he glanced at the clock, - we will have lunch for two hours, after which we will talk.

“Great,” I muttered. No, not out of spite, just tired.

Alexey led me through the house, and I furtively squinted my eyes around.

A lot of wood and soft carpets, small lamps in the old style along the walls of the corridor, paintings without pretentiousness and gilding in frames, simple, calm landscapes - all this made the house cozy. The doors of some rooms were open, but I was so tired that I cast only fleeting glances inside, not noticing the decoration. All thoughts were about the soul and lie down, or better - sleep.