5

Dinner was over for me. Maxim was not. Alina said that he urgently left on business. Alex, to my great joy, was also absent. Three of us sat at the table, and Alina and this Viola talked. By the way, she never spoke to me. Only Alina asked a few questions, I answered sparingly, and no one else distracted me from eating during dinner.

Viola quickly finished the meal and, saying goodbye only to Alina! left on "very important matters". Now I understand Alina - the most unpleasant person. With her departure, it even somehow became easier to breathe.

Alina dragged me to the second floor to her room, closed the doors tightly, and quietly informed me of her brother's order to think over the details of the legend for me. She thrust a notebook into my hands and made me write down all the nuances of their relatives, and now, according to legend, my connections.

I was surprised by their surname - Ametrinovs, I became interested in its unusualness.

Alina lay down on the bed and, resting her head on her hand, gave me a thoughtful look. A minute later she answered - "Ametrine, a semi-precious stone of purple color, from dark purple to very light."

To be honest, I didn’t catch the connection right now - an endless day and an abundance of information made themselves felt. Alina was silent, but I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes. Without waiting for my questions, she continued:

- Here you have, for example, the surname Yantarskaya was passed down from your father. One has only to look into your eyes and the question - why, will immediately disappear by itself. I am Ametrinova, my she-wolf is black, but the tips of the tail and ears have a peculiar coloration, like the color of Ametrin.

- What? - I could not resist.

- In the forest, among the trees, you won't even notice. But in the light of the sun's rays, they are slightly purple, - she leaned back, putting her hands under her head, - Although Maxim and I are similar, but the shades are different.

- Yeah? ... And what's the difference? - Alinka chuckled. Realizing that she caught me, she was embarrassed and tried to get out: - What is your color?

- I have a fair one, but no matter how strange it may sound, purple is clearly seen. And-and-and ... - fell silent. The devil felt my curiosity about the appearance of her brother's wolf, but apparently she was waiting for a question from me. Silence reigned in the room, and I did not dare to ask the question I wanted to.

I thought - amber, ametrine. Maxim mentioned some kind of Slavka Oniksov - all these are semi-precious stones and the names are appropriate, and his mother from the Silver flock is metal.

- What are you going to do tomorrow?

She shuddered and looked at me sleepily.

- Listen, I fell asleep. Nightmare, today was a busy day for me.

Yeah, her day doesn't even compare to mine.

- What will I do tomorrow? Oh, we're running tomorrow.

- On the run?

She stretched.

- Well, yes - several times during the summer the youth of the pack gathers and runs to the central lake to rest. Who cares, I'm for three, four days, some for a week. Well, this is not taking into account the roads - sometimes we run during the day and spend the night already there. It happens differently. - Alina abruptly sat down, and her eyes sparkled with excitement. - Listen, maybe come with us? Get to know everyone. True, the werewolves are running mostly my age, but it will be fun with us,” she looked at me with expectation. And I realized that if they run, then they turn around and most likely not only girls, but also guys. No. I am not yet ready for such a feat.

- Excuse me, but no, - I saw how the corners of her lips drooped in disappointment, continued: - I just arrived today, I haven’t even really looked around yet. I don't know anyone. Didn't Maxim tell you how far he left?

She shook her head and yawned.

- No, but what?

- Yes, we were supposed to discuss everything regarding my stay here after dinner today.

- Hmm, I see. But I think not for long - maybe three days, no more. If he travels for a long time, he takes things with him. But if you want - I'll call, ask?

"No," I shook my head, "it's not worth it. Okay, I'll go, I'm also tired and want to sleep. Good night.

In the morning I woke up early, took a shower, put myself in order and looked out into the corridor. There was complete silence in the house.

I remembered the magnificent lawn next to the house and even began to pinch my toes, I so wanted to wander barefoot on it. She went out into the street and, taking off her shoes, stepped onto the soft grass, covered with morning dew. I had no idea how much simple action can bring so much pleasure.

Taking her shoes in her hands, she walked around the house, and after going around it, she stopped in admiration - after five hundred meters the forest began. Tall, mighty trees, like giants, stood with their tops slightly swaying.

She headed in that direction, stepping with pleasure on the slightly damp grass and smiling blissfully like an idiot. Maybe precisely because I was immersed in my feelings, contemplation of the forest and did not notice the she-wolf that ran up to me. Big, graceful, black - she caught all this at the last moment, before she jumped on me and knocked me over.

In the first moments, horror flooded and I almost screamed with fear, but the she-wolf had already jumped to the side, bent over, fell on her front paws and whined. Instant look at her and recognition:

- Alina! Here's the damn thing! - I hissed at her, rising, - You scared me! - I examined myself, - and wet it!

Light purple tips of the ears, as if tinted. She jumped up and began to jump and spin around. A minute later I was already laughing at her tricks, but suddenly, from the side of the forest, I heard an inviting howl. I shuddered... and then on the side, very close, another one! It was Alina who answered with a howl, frightening me for the second time. She ran up to me, put her hand under my arm, I patted her fluffy withers and looked into her eyes:

- Be careful, okay? - I somehow very quickly felt trust in this bright girl and I myself was surprised at my feeling of concern for her.

A cunning flashed in the wolf's eyes, and the wolf's mouth bared its teeth, I wanted to think in a smile. She followed her gaze, watching as she disappeared into the forest thickets.

How I wish I could turn around and run after her! Throwing another dreary glance, she turned away and wandered back.

Young girls scurried around the house, talking cheerfully, putting things in order. One of them openly looked at me good-naturedly, greeted me and said that they were waiting for me in the kitchen. Having passed along the corridor, to be honest, I quickly oriented myself - by the smell from which saliva flowed, I carefully looked into the spacious kitchen, where two girls, two women who looked about 50 years old, were sitting at a table by the window and drinking tea, talking quietly and laughing. The woman, who was sitting with her back to me, already said in a full voice: “Here is our guest,” and everyone, turning around, looked at me with good-natured smiles.

- Well, hello, hello. And why are you standing at the door, come in, sit down with us, if you don’t disdain, - she waited until I sat down, continued: - And who will you be? The name of?

- Wallia, a relative of Maximilian and Alina. Here, I came to visit.

- It's good, - the same woman continued, - and I'm Miroslava, call Mira, the cook. This is it, - she nodded at the woman sitting next to her, - this is ...

- Oh, Mira, at least let me introduce myself, - the woman interrupted the cook with a grin. - I'm Antonina, the housekeeper, or, as it is fashionable to say now, the manager. But these two mice are our helpers, - she nodded at the young girls.

“Vesta,” one introduced herself.

“We already know each other,” said the second. She looked at me inquisitively - remember or not her name.

- Yes, we have already met Anya, - I answered, smiling, because it was she who escorted me to the dining room yesterday. The girl beamed, pleased that I hadn't forgotten her name.

- Well, why did you miss breakfast? Where did you run? Are you hungry?

Mira was already placing plates of sliced ​​cheese, meat, and buns on the table. A bowl of porridge appeared in front of me.

While I was eating, the leisurely conversation resumed. Listening, I realized that the alfushka, as Maximilyan Mir called, was not expected today, and Antonina decided to do a general cleaning. The girls rustled all over the house.

I frankly burst out like an elephant, and no one looked at me accusingly or in surprise, and it was very warm and comfortable in their company. After about 20 minutes the girls and Antonina got up, cleaned up after themselves and went to work.

“Well, what are you going to do?” Mira asked.

I answered that I needed to take care of personal things, I still haven’t really unpacked, because I didn’t know how long I would stay here.

- Okay, go ahead, mind your own business. If you wish, come in, until six in the evening I will be here or in the gazebo behind the house.

Thanking, I went to unpack, although it did not take much time, things were one, two, and miscalculated.

An hour later, she returned to the kitchen. I was solemnly handed an apron and joined the process of preparations. Mira, taking advantage of the absence of tenants, sold out in earnest.

We prepared different types of dough, peeled vegetables and fruits, cut and packaged meat, made dumplings and dumplings with various fillings, and sent all this for freezing. In general, I didn’t even notice: when it was time for dinner, I fell down from fatigue.

With a sense of accomplishment, they sat down to drink tea with berry and mushroom pies.

After dinner, the girls helped with the cleaning and ran home. Only Mira and I were left. While wiping the dishes and placing them on the shelf, they were talking quietly when her phone rang. As the conversation progressed, her face grew gloomy, and only by exclamations: “When? Where? How is she?" I realized that something happened.

- What happened?

- The daughter, the youngest, fell and something with her leg, the son is already carrying to the infirmary, - Mira's face was clouded with anxiety for the child.

“Well, run faster,” I answered immediately.

Mira, recollecting herself, quickly went to the exit, but turned around:

- And how are you, Leyushka?

- What about me? I'm not a child, I'll finish the dishes, arrange everything and go to sleep, I'm tired. Yes, you do not worry about me, run quickly.

She rushed to me, stopped, muttering something, ran to the exit as she was in an apron. And I ... I was left alone.

She rubbed clean dishes, put everything in its place and, turning off the light, went out of the kitchen. Only after taking a few steps down the corridor towards my room, I stopped in horror - I really was left alone! In someone else's house! I'm being hunted! And I'm alone!

After breathing, she tried to come to her senses... She went to the room - well, you think you're alone? She also lived alone in Petrozavodsk. Only here - I am in the core of a pack of werewolves, and their hearing is excellent, I will scream, the crowd will run. And there? Yes, even though she would tear her throat and scream until she was blue in the face, no one would have leaned out of the apartments. With these thoughts, I entered the room.

That night I slept soundly and, contrary to expectations, I never woke up either from rustles or from any extraneous sounds.

And in the morning I went down to the kitchen, where only Anya and Vesta were.

- Good morning, where is Mira, something serious with her daughter?

The girls greeted and said that Mira would not be, her daughter broke her leg and arm to boot. I climbed a tree, fell unsuccessfully, now at home under the supervision of my mother. And since Masimilyan had not yet returned, Mira decided to take a day off. In children, regeneration is much weaker than in adult werewolves, so it will lie down for a couple of days. We will again deal with blanks, Mira dictated a detailed list of cases by phone. All day we scrolled in the kitchen, the list was impressive.

By evening, after saying goodbye to the girls, she calmly turned off the lights everywhere. She quickly splashed in the bath. I didn’t feel like going to bed, and I wandered along the corridor in a nightgown, with my hair down, looking at the pictures.

She stopped at one and was so immersed in contemplation that when she heard a voice nearby: “I also like this picture,” she jumped!

She squealed in fear, backed away, got tangled in the hem of a long nightgown and fell on her ass. And only then it dawned on me that Maxim was standing next to the picture. Breathing out in relief, I gritted my teeth to keep from yelling at him. He stiffened from my actions, slightly dumbfounded, but after a moment he gradually approached and, clasping his shoulders, lifted me off the floor.

"Thanks." My voice was more like a hiss.

“I’m sorry I scared you… to be honest, I didn’t expect such a reaction from you. Wait, where is everyone? - Maxim asked, not letting go of me. One hand held her shoulder, the other hugged her waist.

I shrugged.

- Well, Alex, as far as I know, you sent it somewhere, Alina ran away to the lake, but Viola ... I don’t know, she wasn’t interested.

He looked at me in surprise, still not letting go.

Is there anyone else in the house besides you?

I shook my head. He, apparently in some unconscious gesture, drew me to him and said:

- Yours! And I completely forgot that Linka is going to run. And Alex was supposed to come back yesterday. Somehow slipped out of my head.

- Nothing, - I fidgeted and tried to free myself, but he frowned and only tightened his grip on his waist. I glanced at him, but he looked away, thoughtful.

- Maksim! I called and fidgeted again.

At that moment, he seemed to come to his senses, looked at me, was probably surprised at himself that he was pressing me and, removing his hands, took a step back, then another step:

"Sorry," he muttered.

“Nothing,” I repeated. - I'll go, I guess?

He nodded, then looked at me more meaningfully and laughed.

- What? - I did not understand.

Maxim shook his head.

- It's okay, go on, puritan, - still chuckling, he examined me.

And I ... I, proudly lifting my chin, went to my room and already there, going into the dressing room, I stopped in front of the mirror.

Nothing outstanding! All the bulges are hidden under a nightgown, very nice by the way - long, cambric, white with a purple flower, right up to the throat. The fabric is not thick and not thin, soft - very comfortable to sleep.

After examining herself again, she made sure that the cross was hidden in her bosom and he could not notice it. She shrugged her shoulders: “He is like that!” I muttered and went to bed.