DIANA'S POV
EVERYTHING around here gave the impression of being merry. The warm smiles on people's faces are as bright as the sun glow at midday. The natural music of the children's laughter were all over the place while the moon lanterns were being hung up in place. It looked like gum balls, I hear them say. At every turn of our car, more artisanal markets selling wood carvings, moonstones, and pretty silver ornaments teemed every corner. However, in the midst of gorging on the sight of the idyllic hamlets and charmingly simple homes, a stifling feels run at the back of my head thinking this town is not too ordinary as it seem.
Welcome to Vrkān: Land of the Wolves
I read a greeting in an arched signage carved on a redwood as we go farther. It is a complete shock to see how deviated from my thoughts of how it is going to be when I finally see Scott's old town. The quaint town of wolves appear to be normal, with just happy people walking around. Everyone seemed friendly, loud and touchy feely. It's like every person know each other their whole lives, as they exchange wondrous greetings, easy smiles, and gift trades with every person they meet along the way. I see no amount of sadness on anyone, just plain happiness. Must be the effect of the upcoming full moon. How... outlandish.
Shifting my gaze to my side, I stared at Scott momentarily. Steering the wheel, he looked sharper as he focus on the steep road. His thick brows furrowed above his low bridge square sun glasses, giving him that very chiseled and stern look. He glanced at me and offered his dashing smile showing more of his effortless charm...
I used to think that love is nothing but blue skies and rainbows. You get to be one hundred percent sure when you find the right one. The slow romance of first encounters, lovely courtships, and random dates were like vines creeping up the wall. All beautiful and perfect. However, in reality... it wasn't anything like that. Love turned foreign to me. Scott wandered through my life by the power of the imprint, that my visions of love became too bright, too overwhelming, and too precious for my hands. As a person who always like control at my fingertips, and adored walking on a straight line, Scott gave me something that I didn't know how to handle, nor to keep. It was so sudden, so fierce and terrifyingly real. Love was more like a thunderbolt ripping in the sky. Frighteningly beautiful. Then again, he's mine and I'm glad.
Scott drove along a steep diversion road away from the town. It was beautifully sheltered by large magnolia trees of different shades of green. Reaching the end, he drove in a yard with a beautiful garden filled with roses and lavenders. I opened the window and the smell is just how I imagined. Up ahead, there's this dreamy French country cottage made of bricks and stones. The steeply pitched roof seemed to have overcome thick snows and storms. With deep scratches, and thick mosses, its walls held stories woven in the fabric of time. It was marvelously stunning.
"Were here", Scott turned off the car engine and unbuckled his seatbelt.
"This is your home?", I looked out with my mouth open astonished with the view. It was truly a home that came out straight from a postcard.
"My parent's home", he went down, rushed to my side, and opened the car door for me.
"The Devlins?", I asked, as I slowly get out of my truck.
"No, the Lockwoods.", Scott said, as he peck on my cheek wrapping his arm around my waist. A quiet form of sadness tightened my lips. This home is ones amongst the last memoirs Scott has with his parents. Being here makes me feel officially recognized as part of his life.
Walking to the front door, someone greeted us from behind. "Hello Alpha! Welcome home", an old man in a brown shirt and baggy trousers removed his straw hat as he greeted Scott.
"Hello Gregory, has everything been arranged?", Scott casually asked.
"Yes, Alpha.", Gregory replied with a smile. His smile slowly faded, as he knit his brows looking at me.
"Good. Gregory, this is Diana, my Luna.", Scott introduced me that suddenly changed the old man's mood.
"Oh! Finally, a Luna for the clan.. a female wolf befit for an Alpha", Gregory gave me an awkward smile as he elaborate the words 'female wolf'. He seemed unwelcoming towards me, giving me lowered glances, refusing to meet me in the eye.
"You may go Greg. I'll have you called if we need anything.", Scott shrugged off Gregory as if he didn't noticed how aloof the old man was to me. "Luna, Shall we?", the wooden curved door creaked as he open it wide.
Flabbergasted with the Lockwoods entirety, the interior made my haw drop on the floor. It looked absolutely the same with Scott's home in the city. The loft-type Lockwood cottage has white and wood country home interior, accented with a variety of indoor plants, similar to Scott's humble abode. From the type of seats, to kinds of doors, every tiny detail is identical except for the console table full of family pictures. I observed the whole place as I waltz in slowly, then I turned around to face him in amusement.
"It's the same. I made sure my home in the city mirrors the Lockwoods home. I find solace in familiar things.. It reminds me of the beautiful memories I had with my mom and dad", Scott explained before I even ask. So, this man who has a strong character appears to be conventional and sentimental when it comes to his parents. "Am I weird?", he asked as he stood by the door, bringing in all of our bags.
"We all have comfort zones that are hard to get out of. Surprising as it seems, I didn't know my Scott is a softy", I said with a smile. Being fastened to something relevant in your life related to a love one's demise isn't weird. I find it terribly sad. I continued to look around while Scott brought all of our luggage in. My attention shifted to the console table with lots of family pictures on it. I walked closer and bended over to see each snap.
Looking at the pictures, Scott have always had a good physique ever since he was a young boy. His grey eyes must've broken the hearts of several women in every nearby town. There's one photo who seemed like his younger self together with a man and a woman, which caught my eye. Must be his parents, I thought. The full-figured woman in a green dress and smocked sleeves is incredibly beautiful, with platinum blond hair and gray eyes. While the shirtless man on her side, is thin and tall with quiff dark brown hair and black eyes. In this picture, Scott seemed like five years old at that time.
"They were my parents. Viktor and Karin Lockwood.", Scott was already beside me, bent over as well staring at the same picture I'm looking at.
"Your mother was beautiful", I said, as I stand upright.
"She was. In and out.", he said as he held my hand and placed it on his shoulders. "Let's freshen up. We need to go back to the town plaza to touch up a few things for tonight's torch ceremony", he added as he held my waist and pulled me closer to him. By the time his lips almost brushed mine, we heard a loud howl from outside.