I couldn't shake the unease feeling within me when Lisa used the name Reinhart again. It wasn't a name I had never associated myself with or heard in any conversations with my parents. I tried to brush it off as a simple mistake and focused on the task at hand, assisting all these workers in repairing the house.

"We are on the final touches. I will recommend you install another barricade in front of the kitchen door. The frame points are weak, and another blast will definitely blow that door again." Lisa said, after analyzing the damage in the kitchen.

"I can't afford extra expenses right now, Lisa. Honestly, I have no idea how I'm going to pay for all these repairs as it is."

"This won't be directly charged to you, Mr. Reinhart." Lisa smiled, then turned around facing her crew. "The repairs will be credited directly to the estate's account. We are also scheduling a housekeeper and a personal valet to help you with the upkeep of the estate."

"Wait a second. What do you mean with...valet?"

"There are four estates in Adams Town, each belonging to the founding families, complete with their own servitude staff. Once we received the news the Reinhart's have returned to Adams, we took the initiative to contact the servitude families. They should be here, tomorrow morning."

I stood there, realizing just how little I knew about this house or the customs of Adams Town. The massive size of the estate had already made it clear that the upkeep would be nearly impossible for my father and I alone, but the idea of having servants? That was something It never crossed my mind.

"Do what you see pertinent, Lisa. I trust your ability to keep me safe."

"Excellent," Lisa said, as her cheeks took on a faint blush. "Now I understand why everyone expected your return."

Her cryptic words left me puzzled. She said they expected my return. I hadn't met anyone from Adams Town until now. Perhaps they were confusing me with someone else—maybe my father, who had a history here and met my mother in this strange place.

I left the kitchen and wandered further into the house, my eyes falling on the door beneath the left staircase. It had caught my curiosity since we arrived, and now, with everything that had happened, I felt the need to investigate. I reached for the doorknob, turning it slowly. The door creaked open, revealing a narrow staircase descending into darkness. The air from below was cool and damp, carrying a faint, musty scent that had me hesitating for a moment before I took the first step down.

I flipped the switch by the door several times, but the light refused to come on. "Well, that's convenient."

I turned back to my father's belongings, scattered in a corner of the receiving room. Rummaging through his backpack, I found a flashlight and something else that immediately caught my eye, a strange silver medallion. Picking it up, I examined the design: two wolves intertwined, encircled by what appeared to be a circle of flames. I placed the medallion back into his backpack and proceeded to what I believe is the entrance to the basement.

With the flashlight in hand, I approached the door to the basement. The creaking of the old wooden floorboards echoed through the silent house, amplifying the sense of unease that had been growing within me, ever since I stepped in this house. I couldn't shake the feeling that something—or someone, was watching me from the shadows. I took the first step down into the darkness, as the beam of the flashlight struggled to pierce the thick gloom that enveloped the stairs.

I caught sight of a small chain dangling from the ceiling. I quickly pulled it, and to my surprise, the lights flickered to life. But what I saw only deepened the sense of unease gnawing at me. This wasn't a normal basement. It looked more like a dungeon. The walls, made of brick and solid rock, exuded an oppressive atmosphere as if they had witnessed things no one should ever know.

The stairs led into a narrow hallway with six heavy metal doors, each lined with deep scratches. The sight of those gouges chilled me to the core, igniting a flurry of unsettling questions about what had been confined here.

Lost in thought, I barely noticed the light creaking of the old stairs behind me. I jumped, when a voice broke through the absolute silence, causing me to spin around. "Reparations have been completed, my Lord," Lisa said.

"Lisa!" I yelled, taking a deep breath. "You almost gave me a heart attack."

"I apologize, Mr. Reinhart. I thought you were aware of my intrusion. The Restitution Team has finished with the alterations. We hope they will be to your liking."

I pushed aside the creeping feeling lingering in my mind from exploring the dungeon-like basement. I had little choice but to trust Lisa and her team, especially given how little I knew about Adams Town. "I'm sure it will be, Lisa. I have no reason to doubt your team's ability to deliver."

"Thank you, Mr. Reinhart. I must say, your trust in our abilities is quite flattering."

"I have a question for you, Lisa. What kind of animals did the last owners used to shelter here?"

Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

Lisa hesitated before replying. "I'm afraid, I cannot answer that question, Mr. Reinhart. The answer you seek falls outside the scope of my responsibilities, it's part of our contract. We serve the four families with a neutral approach, just as it has been conducted for centuries."

Her answer didn't surprise me. There is an atmosphere of mystery surrounding this house and the people living in Adams Town.

"My team is waiting for me, my Lord. I must ask to be excused."

"Thank you for your help, Lisa."

"My pleasure."

I walked Lisa upstairs until I noticed another room in the basement. Intrigued by it, I paused briefly and then decided to turn back to explore further. The door leading to the room bears the same round medallion, just like the one I found in my father's bag, depicting an image of two wolves intertwined, encircled in fire.

When I entered the room, I was met with a space that felt frozen in time, untouched for years. The rich red velvet walls gave the room a sense of opulence and mystery as if it had been a place of great importance. Four large portraits adorned the walls, each capturing the essence of figures who seemed to play an important role in the history of this house.

The first portrait, positioned near the door, depicts a man elegantly holding a cup filled with red wine. The second portrait displays a woman dressed in a red gown; her face hidden beneath a black hat adorned with a delicate net. The third portrait portrays a man, his stance firm as he holds a gleaming sword with authority.

But it was the fourth portrait that sent a shockwave through me. It depicted a woman with an undeniable presence, surrounded by wolves, her aura exuding strength and command. Her flowing white hair covered one eye, while the other gleamed an intense, piercing red. As I gazed at her face, it struck me like a bolt of lightning—the resemblance was impossible to ignore.

"Mom?" I whispered the word softly, as I sorted the newly found information in my mind. Could it be possible that the woman in this portrait is really her?

Suddenly, the lights in the house flickered and then went out, plunging everything into darkness. I quickly retrieved my flashlight, switching it on. Its narrow beam cut through the blackness, guiding me as I tried to make sense of what was happening.

"Lisa?" I yelled, but there was no response, only silence.

I cautiously walked toward the stairs, the beam from my flashlight casting long shadows that seemed to stare at me as I walk by. Each creak of the floorboards beneath my feet added to the sense of unease I felt since I stepped in this house for the first time. As I made my way into the kitchen, it was clear that the room was as empty as the rest of the house.

"Hello?"

The only response is the echo of my own voice, bouncing off the walls. It seems as I thought, I was the only one left in the house.

Feeling a surge of panic, I quickly made my way toward the entrance door and swung it open, desperate to find a sign of life, or some reassurance that I wasn't alone.

But what greeted me was far from comforting.

The bushes lining the path to my house rustled and swayed, as though something—or someone was moving within them, hidden just out of sight.

My heart pounded louder with each passing second as I watched the shadows slither closer. Then, a soft growl was heard, followed by a sudden shadow slowly emerging from the bushes, walking towards the door. Without a second thought, I stumbled back inside, slamming the door shut and twisting the lock.

"What the hell was that?"

My pulse quickened even more when I glanced through the windows. The crimson moon hung ominously in the sky, its eerie glow bathing the glass panes in a strange, otherworldly light. It was unlike anything I'd ever seen. I couldn't decide if it was beautiful or terrifying—maybe both.

A sudden, violent bang on the door shattered the eerie silence, reverberating through the house. My heart leaped as a terrifying growl echoed from outside. The pounding on the door grew louder, more relentless with each strike. I stepped back, never taking my eyes off the door, expecting something frightening to claw its way into the house. And then, I remembered the reinforced rooms in the basement. Whatever was trying to get in wasn't friendly, and those rooms might be my only hope for survival.

The pounding suddenly ceased, leaving an unsettling silence in its wake. Shadows flitted past the windows, dashing in and out of sight with unnerving speed. I approached the front door, pressing my eye to the peephole. The house was eerily still as if whatever had tried to break in had vanished. I took a deep breath, hoping that the danger had passed.

But when I looked through the peephole again, my blood ran cold.

A glowing red eye stared back at me from the other side of the door. I stumbled backward in horror, unable to take my eyes away from the door. Then came a piercing howl, a bone-chilling, primal sound that seemed to reverberate through the entire house, filling every corner of the room with dread. Before I could react, a massive, clawed hand smashed through the door, splintering it into pieces. Heavy footsteps echoed through the receiving room, as the creature stepped forward, its red eyes glancing at me with murderous intent.

I couldn't move, my body paralyzed with fear as the creature loomed closer. The beast's deep voice resonated throughout the room, calling out a name I had only recently become familiar with. "Reinhart!" The beast yelled. "Are you the Reinhart's offspring?"

Another howl is let loose by the beast, the sound piercing through every pore of my skin. With a surge of adrenaline, I snapped out of my paralyzed state, running towards the basement. But as I touched the knob, wolves began to pour into the house, circling the terrifying beast. Their eyes gleamed with fierce intensity, their fangs bared in a menacing display of power.

"Tear him apart!" the beast said.

As I flung open the door, the beast's echoing howl still rang in my ears. With each step I took, my desperation grew, urging me to sprint toward the basement rooms. The sound of my own frantic breaths echoed in my head as I raced down the stairs, enveloped by total darkness.

I quickly entered one of the cells, struggling to shut the heavy door behind me. With trembling hands, I managed to lock it from the inside, creating a barrier between myself and the imminent danger lurking outside. The reinforced walls offered a sense of security, shielding me from the immediate threat that now prowled through the house.

I pressed myself against one of the corners inside the reinforced room, seeking refuge in the cold embrace of the cell's wall. The sound of heavy steps shattered the delicate silence around me, announcing the beast's imminent approach.

The sound of a door opened abruptly disrupted the calming sound in the basement. "There hasn't been an alpha in over a decade. The clan's days are over. Or maybe you're just a thief? Rest assured, this basement will become your grave."

The heavy footsteps drew nearer, each pounding in rhythm with my racing heart. The silence that followed was suffocating, amplifying the fear infused in my mind. I felt the presence of the beast, its menacing breath close to my ears as if it were lurking just outside the door, waiting for me to make a move.