The Luna's Nerd

~Chapter 10~

There's a building and it's large. It has too many stories for me to count alone and outside is a garden with a pond surrounded by kids playing in the water. A few men stalk around the clearing as if searching for danger. The entrance to the building has 2 doors and they are both open. "Farah, can you take me to her... Madrid?" I ask gulping.

"Of course! I may not know where she is exactly right now, but I know places she can be." Farah let's go of my neck and I let her go. She grabs my hand and pulls me toward the entrance.

"Hi Farah!" Calls one of the kids playing in the water as he waves at her. She waves back with her that isn't holding mine.

"No running!" Someone else yells as we enter. Farah slows down. "Farah, darling, is that you?" She pauses and turns to a woman who's holding a stack of plates. She frowns at Farah, and the woman stares at me. "Dear Goddess..." She drops the stack of plates and she's staring at me like she's seeing a ghost.

"Mama this is Tyler. He's looking for his grandmother, Madrid." Farah explains.

Her mother grabs Farah's arm and yanks her away from me. "You stay away from my daughter!" Growls the woman protectively.

"Moooom." Groans Farah.

"Ma'am, I-I don't want any trouble. I just want to-"

"I'm calling Alpha Titus." She turns away.

"Wait!" I shout after her. "Please don't call my brother. I-I don't want trouble... Just to talk to Madrid. I swear." I plead the woman who cautiously turns back around. She's still pale and breathes in and out.

"She's in the gallery..." Informs the woman.

"I'll show him!" Farah ran over to my side and hugged my leg. "Pretty please, mama. He won't hurt me. Not around all these people, at least." She begs.

The woman sighs and gives me a look, "Fine. Don't you dare wander off ever again, Farah. You here me?" Farah nods and takes my hand again.

"I promise!" She turns away from her mother and drags me onto the opposite door from her mother. "Madrid will be so happy to see you, Ty." She tells me and turns to look at me for a split second and smile. I return it but I'm secretly creeped out by this entire situation.

"Your family lives here?"

Farah nods, "Yes, and another families. Even yours." Farah stops in front of another set of double doors. "Stay here." She whispers.

Farah opens the door and carefully walks in. "Hi Madrid!" I hear her say.

"Farah, come here, child." Another voice croaks. It's old and feminine voice filled with so much life.

"I can't. I have a birthday gift for you." Replies Farah.

"My birthday was 6 months ago." The voice chuckled.

"I know, but I feel like you'll love this gift." Farah groans.

"How could I love anything else more than your drawing?" Madrid questions.

"Well, drum roll please, I present to you," there's a long pause, and Farah opens the door revealing me. "Ty!" She points to me, and I stare at Madrid's piercing eyes.

"Farah, please go help your mother with the dishes." She whispers without breaking eye contact with me.

"Okay!" She runs off without a question.

"Shut the door." Madrid orders. I do as she says and close both the doors. When I turn around, she's right in front of me and slaps me hard.

"Ow! What the hell?" I yell as I hold my cheek and Madrid glares at me with fire in her eyes.

"Why are you impersonating my grandson. Tell me, why!" Her eyes are welling with tears. "He died in a car crash with his parents 4 years ago. You tell me who you are and what you want!"

"I-I'm Tyler." I don't know how to respond to her. I don't even know her. I can't run away because I've already gone too far.

"Tell me!" She growls. "I'll have you put in the pack prison until Titus comes up with a sentence for you!" She spits.

I look into her eyes, and they're torn and I realize I've just broken and old woman's heart. "I'm sorry." I look down. How am I meant to prove to her my identity? "Wait a minute." I take off my backpack. "I know I've seen you somewhere." I open it and pull out one of my old sketchbooks. It's the first one I received after the accident.

"Give me that!" She tries to grab it, but I pull it from her.

"Please understand." I open it and flip through the first couple of pages until I land on the one that looks like her, except she's happier and younger.

"Boy-" She pauses and stares at the drawing. "Where did you get that?" She growls.

"It was my first gift after the accident. Titus gave it to me."

The tears finally fall from her eyes and she bawls out wailing. "Oh, Ty! I knew it!" She wraps her arms around me and hugs me tightly. "Don't you remember me?" She asks. I feel bad I don't remember her. It's moments like these where I despise my memory.

"I'm sorry... I don't remember you. I'm sometimes triggered by events, places, and people, but other than that I don't remember a lot from the accident and before that." I explain softly.

"I don't even care. I'm just glad you're alive. I'm going to have Titus's ass when he comes-"

"No!" I stop her. "You can't tell Titus. Not yet. He'll lock me away forever if he finds out I was here." I tell Madrid.

She nods her head, "Okay, fine. When you do give me a heads up so I can beat him for keeping you away from me." She's flipping through my sketchbook completely amazed. She looks up, "Sorry for hitting you."

"It's-Its fine." I clear my throat and she hands me back my sketchbook.

"You're very talented, Tyler. I wish I could have been there for you." She frowns.

"I don't understand why Titus kept me away from you, or all of this. I want answers."

Madrid turns away. "Follow me." She requests and I do as so. She walks to a wall of the room filled with art. Every work is gorgeous, and it's so fascinating to see other people's work.  "Tyler, do you know who painted these?" She asks.

I shrug in response.

"Your mother. She loved art so much. The two of you were like 2 peas in a pod. You had your own little easel and you'd paint side by side." She explains. "I miss her. She's my only daughter-in-law. Your father was a great son, but your mother was the daughter I never had."

I nod and slightly brush over the art. I had no idea my mother was an artist. "Do you see what I'm trying to say?" She asks.

"No." I reply.

"This is a safe haven. I'm old, and my memory is probably worse than yours."

Madrid turns to me and her blue eyes bore into mine  "You came here for the wrong answers, Ty."