Shadow of the Wolf Read Free

for a reason.
         Her fingers itched to open it.  If curiosity killed the cat, she would’ve been dead years ago.  So, she might as well take a small look.
         She knew she really shouldn’t, she was a nosy person, but something stronger than she compelled her to do just that. 
         Just a peek, she reasoned to herself.
         She opened to the first page and let out a surprised gasp. 
         The title read:  Shadow of the Wolf.  The Real Truth about Werewolves.
         Serenitee crinkled her brows tightly.  Surely, this was someone’s work of fiction?  There wasn’t any ‘real truth’ in werewolves.  They were merely a myth concocted by someone’s weird, albeit entertaining, imagination. 
         She shook her head and decided it was best to close the book for now.  She had more pressing matters and they didn’t involve old fables of the four legged kind.  But she couldn’t bring herself to put the lovely book back into the cavity of the floor.  Instead, she replaced the board and took the old book upstairs and put it in her nightstand. 
         Right now, she needed to finish dusting the living room book shelves before it got dark.
     
         Serenitee stepped into the shower and let the warm water sluice over her sweat drenched and sore body.  She managed to make a lot of headway today.  At least the kitchen was spotless.  She was starved and wanted to make herself a sandwich before retiring to bed----and to that peculiar book.
         She scrubbed herself until her skin shone and then washed her hair.  She wrapped a small towel around her head and wrapped a terry cloth robe around her body and padded her way to the kitchen. 
         She opened her now full refrigerator and got out the ingredients for a grilled c heese.  As she began putting the butter in her brand new, but seasoned iron skillet, she heard a terrible howl.  She looked out the kitchen window but saw nothing unusual.  
         It might be a hungry stray dog somewhere in the wooded area where she couldn’t see.  She would have to wait until morning to find out.  If it turned out to be a hungry dog, she would, at least, go pick up a bag of dog food at the store.
         After she finished eating and cleaning up her mess, she was eager to get into bed and take another look at that mysterious book.
         Around ten-thirty, she settled in and opened up the leather book and starting reading the first entry.
         “’February 4, 1865:
         “’I have finally accumulated enough wealth, selling quite a number of my slaves as I don’t see the point of having them anymore.  They have made up almost half of the population here since 1860.  I was always uncomfortable owning another human being but they were handed down to me by my father, James.  I can’t free them as by law.  I’m still waiting to see what else President Lincoln has to say on the matter as is the entire North and South.  But we’re still in this terrible Civil War and we have been for almost four years now. I don’t know how many lives will be lost for such a petty thing on whether owning slaves should still be allowed. I don’t understand why the South wants to expand their hold on these people.  I have no problem doing the work with my own two capable hands.
         “’I am p urchasing the entire town of Point Clearing with my earnings and renaming it Holden.
         “’This town will be handed d own to the men of my blood. My son, Elijah, is next in line.  I hope all the men in the Van Holden family make this town into a prosperous one.  It is a beautiful place here and worthy of a passionate owner.
         “’I just pray that the town of Holden is the only thing I pass down.  Every night, I beg and plead for no one to live with such a curse as the one I’m doomed to carry until death.
         “’Unfortunately, the tincture’s powers have worn down.  The resistance in my