Author note: So after Piety and Prejudice I had a few short story ideas based on the Otherworld but every time I started to type it out I realised that it was a much bigger project than I anticipated, so after many discarded ideas I finally decided to write this one. Why? Simply because it has Jeremy in it and is a huge risk, I hope I haven't butchered his character too much but I'll let you lovely readers decide (If I have please don't kill me hehehe). This story will have two chapters and isn't a romance.
Also this has nothing to do with the story but one of my reviewers for my previous story asked about the name Durrah, who was one of my original characters for Piety and Prejudice. It is an Arabic name and means pearl.
Disclaimer/Warning: I do not own any of the characters/settings/anything that you recognise. Also any indecent/offensive comments will be removed and reported
Expect the unexpected
It is sudden and too soon thinks Jeremy, as he watches his grandfather being snatched away from him by the most unlikely culprit, illness.
For a werewolf such a thing is unheard off, premature deaths are common occurrences within the lifestyle of a werewolf and most rarely lived to see their early thirties. In that respect many had deemed Edward Danvers to be lucky, having managed to outlive most of his pack brothers but it didn't mean that he didn't collect painful scars over the years.
A close fight with a mutt had left him with limp and out of the Alpha race to Malcolm Danvers's greatest disgust. His son would much rather have seen him in a coffin than limping around Stone Haven in his weak physique.
A disgrace to the Danvers name
The elderly Danvers breathes with great difficulty while handing his precious grandchild his last will of testament, setting in stone the heir of their family property. As he closes his eyes a part of him is relieved knowing that he has managed to fulfil his last duty while his son lurks in the shadows.
Malcolm Danvers anticipates for the last breath, eyes gleaming and he is almost impatient.
He has been waiting for this moment for nearly two decades.
In the doomed silence Edward speaks.
"Malcolm, come here," his voice raspy, he is tittering on the edge of death and yet he still cannot hide the disappointment in his voice.
"Jeremy, can you leave us?" Voice now barely a whisper but his grandson hears him clearly. Jeremy gives one last cold look at his father and then a painful glance towards his grandfather before making his way out the room in a composed stride.
Edward waits for the door to click shut softly, hardening his soft expression he turns to his son, no not his son. His son died a long time ago instead he turns to Malcolm.
The name which once held such delight to his lips feels bitter as he worries about the future. Could Jeremy take up such a responsibility?
Although his will would ensure protection for his grandson from the worst, dealing with Malcolm is another matter entirely.
Nobody could control the rogue that his son has become, but as his time slowly ticks away he has no choice left but hope.
"I've failed you" Edward says, perhaps far too harshly than it sounded in his mind. Malcolm however is unperturbed, almost bored.
"You don't want to hear this do you?" Asks Edward
"I'll humour you father, afterall can't call myself a man of honour if I don't hear out a dying man. Although I know what you're going to say." Malcolm sits on Jeremy's vacant chair, legs propped casually on the bed. Feet inches away from his father's face, his bold actions conveying more than his words could ever do.
You're beneath me
Edward tries to sit up, mustering the last of his energy to provide a stern warning. Malcolm watches in glee the suffering of his old man, drinks in his anxiety etched face as he thinks of his passing.
The question of 'what will happen to Jeremy?' imprinted on his face as clear as day.
Not that the old fool had anything to worry about thinks Malcolm, leaving Stone Haven and all its assets to his grandson meant that he would not be able to touch a hair on his head.
Through financial stability Edward Danvers has reduced Malcolm to being beholden to his despised son. A perfect retribution some would say but Edward knows better.
Malcolm is a force to be reckoned it with so he adds his final threat.
"That envelope contains more than just a will; it also has evidence of your murders that will go straight to the alpha if you so much as even touch Jeremy. Everyone knows what you get up to and those papers will be just the proof Dominic needs to send you to an early grave." For the first time in years Edward looks at Malcolm in the eyes. To ensure that he is serious, although Malcolm doesn't doubt his estranged father for a second.
Where Jeremy succeeded in securing the soft corner in Edward Danvers's heart Malcolm failed. The countless deaths of innocents, the rapid growth of his formidable reputation did not hold the same value to Edward than it did to Malcolm.
It is only natural that their contrasting mentalities would lead Edward to the unfortunate conclusion that salvation is too late for Malcolm Danvers.
If Edward lived to see the bloody years which followed because of his son he would have perceived his inevitable death as a sign of mercy.
The train chugs along at a slow pace, steadily making its way to Missouri. Jeremy drowns out the chatter of passengers through his grief. His grandfather had passed away a week ago leaving a gaping hole in his heart.
Antonio had tried to ease the pain but in the end he had to get away from the ghosts which haunted him from the walls of Stone Haven. Each morning he expected to hear the familiar scraping of the cane against the polished wooden floors, instead he is greeted by a blast of icy emptiness.
A reminder that now only two people live at Stone Haven. Malcolm left the day after the funeral but not before filling his pockets with some cash and sparing a belittling comment or two.
So on a Monday morning he locks up Stone Haven and just leaves. Not caring where or how. He takes the first train out of Syracuse, Bear Valley, which happened to be a train to Missouri.
The recklessness of his decision surprises even him but he knows this is exactly what he needs.
A getaway just for a while and then he'll return to take full responsibility, as his grandfather expected from him.
"Excuse me?"
"Hello? Excuse me? Can you hear me?" It takes a stomp of impatience and a clicking of fingers beneath his nose for Jeremy to pull away from his thoughts. Looking up he notices a girl around his age, or so he guesses looking at him with an irritated smile.
"Can I help you?"
"Yes sir that's my seat," she says, tone laced with a Southern accent.
Nodding politely he moves to the opposite seat.
"Wow didn't think I was going to make it, then again I've never missed a train and not about to start now." Jeremy tries to maintain a façade of politeness but it seemed of no use. After putting away her luggage she casually slumped on to her seat and began a very one-sided conversation.
"So I'm going to visit my family, you know they don't like me studying so far away, so like every holiday they expect me to go back home. I know crazy right! If they didn't pay my fares then I would only go back once a year, a poor student like me can't afford such luxury of two to three trips a year. But you know daddy just likes to spoil his children rotten and me being the only girl and all…..well you can imagine. Sometimes it can be so suffocating living in such a big family but then again I can't imagine living without them. After all as the saying goes home sweet home and then when I've my ma's cooking mmmm it's like heaven on earth. So what brings you down to Missouri? You don't sound like southerner or even look like one, no offence." Her fast paced taking stopped as she waited for Jeremy to speak.
When he gives her a ghost of a smile, she frowns.
"What's wrong? Don't you talk? You know you look like some hillbilly ran off with your woman. Is that it? Love troubles?"
Jeremy kept his attention fixed on the scenery outside.
"Don't worry, you can tell me, my friends tell me that I'm great at solving problems."
"No thank you I'd just like to be left to myself," Jeremy says, biting back a snarl of irritance. Strangely the grief has managed to wear down his ever resilient patience.
"Don't be silly who wants to be alone. I say that loneliness is the worst thing ever it really kills the heart and leads to depression. Being alone is simply not healthy, you know you're really worrying me now mr…..what is your name? Oh look at that, we haven't even done introductions. I'm May Beth Sawyer and you're?"
She waits for him to respond with a raised eyebrow.
"Jeremy Danvers," he replies after a while in a slightly clipped tone.
"Oh that's a nice name so Jeremy what is the problem?"
She couldn't be serious, did she really expect him to pour out his inner worries to a stranger but the unwavering smile told him otherwise.
"My grandfather passed away." He finally says to the crazy woman, if only in hope that she will stop bothering him.
May Beth gasps in horror, hands immediately flying to her lips.
"Oh I'm so sorry, you poor, poor thing!" She mutters, "That's terrible but you know what that is the way it is. God's plan, you should stop thinking about it. I know this might sound crazy to you but I believe in the ripping the band aid philosophy, painful at the first but only for a moment. "
Jeremy sighs
"May…Beth is it?"
She nods vigorously, dark curly hair bobbing along making her look rather ridiculous.
"Well with all due respect could you please just leave me alone," he repeated, tiredness now sinking into his body.
"But….."
"Please," he says firmly.
"Okay, okay you I'll zip these up and stop my yacking but only because you seem like a polite fellow and I like," she then proceeded to mime a zipping movement, relieved at the silence Jeremy closes his eyes and leans back in his seat.
In minutes he is fast asleep.
When he flutters his eyelids open May Beth is snoozing, sprawled across her seat with a thin travelling blanket.
Looking outside confirms that it is already night, picking up his backpack he decides to find another place to sit.
The last thing he needed is to be harassed by May Beth again, creeping away from the vivacious southern female he makes his way down the aisle. Hoping his presence will not disturb the other sleeping passengers.
As he reached the end of the carriage a familiar voice shrieks his name.
"Jeremy what are you doing!"
Back stiff, shoulders hunched and with a grimace Jeremy turns around to see none other than May Beth.
"Look you can't end it. That's not what God would want for you, I know you're grieving but that ain't no excuse to give your precious soul away to the devil."
For a second he has the urge to yell but that passes just as quickly as it came, so instead he turns around and murmurs something demurely.
"Thank God you gave me quite a scare!" Her voice so loud that Jeremy winces inwardly, a few passengers now awake have drifted their attention towards them.
"Let's just get back to our seats,"
"Wait!" She almost shouted while clinging to his hand, Jeremy froze. Trying his hardest to hide his irritation he slowly turns around to asks politely for her to let go of his hand.
"Ok but you promise that you won't kill yourself!"
Maybe it is the genuine concern upon her face but Jeremy finds himself softening, if only just a little.
"I promise,"
May Beth bestows upon him a heart-warming smile as they make their way back to their seats, followed by stares from the rest of the passengers.
"Hey what are you all looking at? Mind your business!" Snaps May Beth. Hands on hips she glares at anyone who dared to look her in the eye, then almost immediately conversation starts again between the passengers.
Jeremy is relieved to be finally off center stage while May Beth literally skips her way back to their seats, unfazed by her actions while Jeremy inwardly questioned her mental health and bizarre attitude.
It isn't until they are both once again opposite each other that without surprise May Beth once again breaks the lull.
"Oh that's right I wanted to ask you something, do you've a girlfriend?"
"Excuse me?" He is almost flabbergasted by her question.
"You know someone that you love?"
"No," Jeremy says, deciding that it was probably easier to just give simple answers.
"Really a guy like you? Well I do his name is David Lane, I met him while studying but my family is so conservative that I know that they will never accept him so I'm going to run away." Jeremy blinks with astonishment, blown away at her secret confession and nonchalant attitude.
"May Beth you can't run away."
"Why not?"
"Running away causes more harm than good think about your family once they realise that you're missing. The pain that you'll inflict upon them instead you should try to reason with your family."
May Beth shakes her head, "Bad option, I know my family they're just a stubborn as I am. They'll never accept him."
"So you think running away is a good option?" Jeremy challenged.
"Of course all is fair in love and war."
Jeremy tries to keep his face passive but how can he? The whole situation is ludicrous. Running away is never a good option, he knows better than anyone. At the age of the fourteen he had watched his best friend run away with the girl he loved, at the time he had supported Antonio. Their youth and passion clearly clouding their minds while they planned late into the night Antonio's romantic escape.
A year later Antonio returned with his new born son and hard learnt life lessons that they both would not forget in the long run.
"May Beth you should think about what you're saying."
"I have Jeremy but you know what this is my life and even if everything goes wrong I have no one but myself to blame. I know many people say learn from me but the truth is unless you get burnt you'll never know why you shouldn't touch a hot pan. You're probably thinking I'm so idealistic fool but I'm in love so I don't care what anyone thinks of me."
"No you don't." Says Jeremy with a slightly crooked smile, silence envelopes them as they both think about the future, May Beth dreams about being married to David. While Jeremy thinks about his impending role of owner of Stone Haven, he is anxious about the responsibilities that would entail looking after not just the family property but also his father.
The man who has despised him since his birth, so absorbed in their thoughts that they didn't notice the train approaching Missouri station, it takes the loud whistle and the train coming to a sudden halt to cut their thoughts short.
Jeremy needed to get back, as exhilarating as the train ride was he knows now is the time to return.
"So where are you going from here?" Asks May Beth,
"Do you've family?" For a second Jeremy wants to tell her that he will stay at a hotel for a few days and maybe do some sightseeing but the thought of lying to May Beth suddenly didn't sit right with him.
She had been nothing but honest with him
"I'm going to head back to Syracuse,"
"What straight away? You can't Jeremy not before staying at least a day or two. Why don't you stay with my family for a few days?"
"I can't May Beth that wouldn't be right," May Beth shakes her head.
"If you think I'm going to let you leave Missouri without experiencing some good old Southern hospitality then you've another thing coming to you. Besides my family is waiting for me they won't let you leave if they see you with me."
Jeremy sighs, the thought of spending time with strangers irked him, werewolves rarely enjoyed the company of strangers and Jeremy has always been an introvert. He loved maintaining his privacy and enjoying seclusion because it meant his father was not at home. At one point in his life silence truly did mean peace but now the thought of returning to the empty remains of Stone Haven felt oddly discomforting and lonely.
So strangely he finds himself agreeing, if only for a day.