The wizard, Albus

... IT WILL HELP TO KEEP YOUR HEAD SAFE ON YOUR NECK...

That part of the sentence echoed in Isabella's mind again and again and again until she could hear the words engraving themselves into the walls of her memory. 

"... I'm not trying to scare you..." 

Of course not! Isabella wasn't scared, was she? She was just... What was the word?

Shaken? Yes, she was shaken to her core and scared—very scared.

"... You don't seem like the type to stay out at night, so I think it will be pretty easy for you..."

Isabella swallowed. She moved her head up and brought it down, nodding twice, slowly. 

Ralph's attention was more focused on the beauty of the lady before him, else he would have seen the fear in her eyes, and the obvious second-thoughts swarming around her head in invisible wips of smoke.

"At exactly twelve at night, nobody moves, at least, for the entirety of that period. The rule also applies early in the morning by four. Trust me, this law is the most important." 

Isabella wished she had eaten enough before coming to the pack. Iora had tried to persuade her with a bowl of appetizing porridge, but Isabella was too anxious to eat. Now, hunger was gnawing at the lining of her empty intestines. The things pouring out of Ralph's mouth wasn't helping at all.

"Is there a reason for this law?" she asked quietly, now drained of almost all her strength. 

"Yes, there is, and that is entirely a law made for the welfare of the pack." Ralph threw her a smile that said "I'm not saying more than that" before licking his dry lips. "I guess that won't be an issue for you, would it?"

"Not at all... Master Ralph." 

"Good. I guess that's the most important law. You must have heard the others: be respectful to the alpha, be punctual and ready at all times to serve the alpha, don't get into fights (well, you won't have much interactions with those lousy workers since you live up here), and... Oh, you haven't heard this one; ensure the alpha takes his medications and report how he feels to Albus."

Isabella was reeling. She swallowed all the information with a gulp. It didn't seem like much, but why so much attention on Alpha Damon? 

The answer came after she sighed.

She had, specifically, walked into the pack in search of the position of an exclusive maid for the alpha. 

And it seemed the people who were previously in charge of his care were more than relived to pass the burden to someone else.

"I don't know who Albus is." 

"Oh, you will meet him today. After that, you will get the alpha what he asked for." 

Isabella snapped to attention. "What did he ask for?" 

"Ginger cakes. I've told Margaux to prepare them. All you have to do is fetch them from the kitchen and serve Alpha Damon." 

Isabella realized that she was going to see the alpha more often than she expected. Her first job was already laying in the corner, waiting patiently for execution.

"You said something about medications."

"Yes, I did. Albus will be the one to explain that." Ralph smiled without exposing his teeth. "Do you have any questions?"

"No. Everything is clear."

"Good. I guess we can head over to Albus' now, right?" 

Isabella took a deep exhale. "Yes, we can." 

 *. *. *. *.*

The walk to Albus's house made Isabella feel better. For one, Ralph's unending conversations distracted her, and they didn't encounter a lot of people on their way. 

"That's where we're headed." Ralph pointed to a building in the distance.

Isabealla stopped walking. The building (if she could call it that) was a wolf. 

Yes, a huge realistic wolf with yellow eyes! 

"That is..." 

"Breathtaking?" Ralph offered, smiling. 

"Yes, breathtaking." She was still in so much awe that it was difficult to move. 

"When Albus came into the pack, he didn't like all the buildings offered to him. This magnificent wolf structure is a product of one of his many crazy ideas. What's funny is how beautiful it is, and you can even see it as far as from the mansion. I don't know if your room has a window facing this way." He looked back. They had walked so fast. "If there is, you will be able to see this building any time you want." 

Isabella smiled and continued walking, an indication for Ralph to follow. 

"If you are ever curious and need to go anywhere within the pack, just let me know. I will take you." 

Isabella slightly lowered her head and smiled. She shouldn't have, but Ralph's gentlemanliness was making her feel strangely warm. 

"Thank you." 

"You're welcome." 

The remaining walk was done in silence. The gentleman was too busy trying to calm his racing thoughts, and Isabella was unadmittedly memorizing the buildings and trees to save herself the stress of enquiring whenever she had to go to Albus alone. 

When they got to the front of one of the wolf's forelimbs which had a door attached to it, Isabella knew just how big the structure was.

Standing before it made it look even bigger!

There was no knob on the door. Isabella was already wondering how they were supposed to go in when the door suddenly creaked and opened by itself, revealing a lit passage. 

"Magic," Ralph grinned and led the stunned lady in. "Albus is a great wizard. He has worked for this pack and Alpha Damon for a very long time. His powers are top notch." 

Isabella did not require those information, but she was glad he offered them anyway. 

"This place feels..." She looked around, searching her head for the right word. The passage was very short and led to a staircase. "... magical." That was the only word she could spare. 

And once again, Isabella found herself going up, exercising the muscles in her leg like she had been doing all afternoon.

"Well, it is definitely magical. Most of the labour exercised to erect this structure came from Albus. If not for his powers at some certain stages, it wouldn't have been easy making a wolf house in a month." 

When they got to the top of the stairs, Isabella paused. 

For a wizard's settlement, she didn't expect the neatly-arranged settlement. 

Shelves with bottles that had shiny liquid inside them decorated the sides of the walls. The space looked more like a sitting room because of the presence of sofas. Two tables were close to the window, with bowls of things Isabella didn't want to know. 

The entire space was painted white, and the abundant sources of artificial illumination made it look whiter. By the right, there was a locked door that Isabella guessed was the wizard's room.

Her guess was correct. 

The door opened moments later and a man, who looked like an apprentice to the wizard, stepped out. 

Isabella bowed slightly and greeted. 

The man answered her with a smile before turning to Ralph was was also offering greetings. 

"How is Damon?" 

"He's doing great." Ralph led the lady beside him to a two-seater. "I brought her to you." He gestured to Isabella. "Meet Damon's new maid."

Isabella knitted her brows. Now she thought about it, this man seating opposite them had called the alpha by his first name. And now, Ralph was saying that she was brought to meet him.

"You must be Isabella." A smile was turned to the confused lady. "Nice to meet you."

"Where is Albus?" Isabella blurted out and looked around the space she was in. She didn't expect the reply that came. 

"I am Albus." 

A gasp escaped the shocked lady. It was followed by a chuckle from the wizard. 

Albus looked... 35. Isabella could not give the wizard anything above that age. 

The wizard's hair was completely white and silky, captured with a string and styled into a ponytail that touched his lower back. His dark eyes looked vibrant, young, energetic. One could even mistake him for 29 and wouldn't be wrong. 

The white of his gown greatly matched that of the room. 

"Yeah, I get that reaction a lot," Albus chuckled at the look of surprise on Isabella's face. "People always expect an old wrinkled man with sagging flesh." 

"Albus, you are old," Ralph said. 

"Not as old as you are, young man." 

"Still, you know you are over hundred, right?" 

Albus nodded. "Thanks for the reminder. It will also be good to remind you that you are more than thrice my age." 

Isabella gasped again. This time, she got a grip on herself on time. She felt so embarrassed and shocked. Not only was the wizard a very old man, but Ralph was... What could she call it? An ancient old man? 

She knew that wolves lived very long, but she had never met one! 

Outside the pack, most of the wolves she met were the new-generation ones who were hardly hundred. 

Even hundred seemed like a great age to her, especially when the people in question looked like youths with hot Greek-gods bodies. 

One could only guess how old Alpha Damon was... 

The two men were staring at her in fascinated amusement. 

Ralph broke the silence. "You don't know how wolves age, do you?" 

Isabella knew the question was directed to her, so she shook her head in the negative. 

"I just know your specie age very slowly," she answered.

"Okay, look at it like this..." Ralph tilted his head to the side in thought. "Hundred human years is like a thousand for wolves, and even at that, we age very slowly. When I mean very slowly, I mean that we hardly age at all." 

Of course, their specie was gifted with the everlasting blessing of endless youth. 

As for Albus who was a wizard... Isabella couldn't say. 

"Albus is only trying to imitate our specie," Ralph joked as if reading her mind. "I don't know what herbs and potions he uses on himself." 

"You always give me headaches," the wizard sighed. He turned to Isabella. "I assume you must have been briefed of the rules." 

Rules again?!