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  “This is fantastic.” I said and continued to enjoy my breakfast.

  “This Greek sausage is so delicious and juicy.” Rae purred at me.

  We continued to drive north, Kosta was pointing out landmarks and sights during the drive. He was a wealth of information on Greek history. The first werewolves descended from Greeks thanks to the Greek Gods. He told me the story of the first werewolf, King Lycoan of Arcadia was turned into a werewolf by Zeus.

  “Is the beast of Greece really a descendant of King Lycoan?” I asked.

  Kosta nearly spit his coffee out at the mention of the beast. “You know about the beast?” He asked nervously.

  “Leo and Rocky are the other two wolves in my dorm. They told me about him.” I answered, not wanting to give him the full details at the night club in case he was reporting back to my father.

  “The beast in an old children’s tale to get naughty pups to behave.” He told me. I could sense a nervous under tone.

  “Look, we’re almost there.” He said changing the topic. We were climbing the beautiful hill sides on a two lane road. The scenic view was spectacular! It made me wonder how the ancients made the journey to the higher elevation.

  We slowed down and Kosta turned into the second parking lot. A motorcycle passed us by, and I tried to get a better look at the driver. He looked like the same rider from this morning, surely this wasn’t the same motorcycle from Athens. Was it?

  Chapter 7 – Delphi

  “Know Thyself.” Kosta read the Greek inscription at the front of the temple entrance as I stared up at it.

  “It’s one of the many Delphic commandments inscribed around here. There are one hundred and forty-seven of them, like words of wisdom; nothing in excess, obey the laws, respect your parents, worship the Gods.” He added.

  “Do you have a favorite one?” I asked him.

  “Be on your guard.” He replied.

  “Really? Is that really one of the commandments?”

  “Of course it is. Ancient Greeks were always at war or preparing for war.” He said.

  This ancient site was not only where the temple of Apollo was at; but also had numerous treasuries from different Greek tribes dedicated to several Gods in which tithings and tributes were offered to the Gods. Every time a Greek tribe won a war they paid homage to the Gods by erecting treasuries filled with offerings. We walked the sacred path and looked at statues, sanctuaries and alters. The area had lots of olive trees growing and even some almond trees, I reached out and grabbed a few almonds off a tree to crack open.

  “Did you know that Delphi is the belly button of the earth?” Kosta said. “Legend says that Zeus released two eagles from opposite ends of the world, and they crossed paths right over here, he declared it the center of the word. There’s a stone just over there called the omphalos, which is the navel, marking the spot.”

  We visited the Tholos at the Sanctuary of Athena, the site of the oracle, the stadium which was home of the Pythian games, and the theater with stunning views from Mount Parnassus. I looked out at the mountains and Kosta pointed out the fault line where tectonic plates clashed causing earthquakes which often attributed to the Gods in Ancient Greece.

  Kosta stepped away to find a restroom and I stood in front of the slope at the Apollo temple taking pictures with my phone. There was such a mystical feel in the air and a connection that pulsed through me. This place would have been mesmerizing to see in its prime all those centuries ago.

  I lifted the camera and aimed it towards the temple, a man caught my eye who appeared to be watching me. I snapped the picture and acted like I hadn’t noticed him. Turning around slowly, I zoomed in on the photo to get a better look at him.

  “Should we take a selfie together?” His voice startled me; he was looking over my shoulder smiling.

  “Who are you?” I turned to face him; I could feel his wolf but couldn’t scent him.

  “I think the more important question here is, who are you?” He asked.

  This was definitely the motorcycle rider from Athens, he was wearing the same black riding boots, jeans and jacket. His light brown hair was wavy and ear length, his eyes a beautiful shade of green.

  “Are you following me?” I asked.

  “Maybe you’re following me. You are the one snapping pictures of me after all.” He grinned at me.

  “You seem a little full of yourself.” I laughed.

  “I like your kefi, you’ve got spunk.” He smiled. I understood the Greek word kefi to mean spirit or passion and wondered if he was patronizing me.

  “Niko?” Kosta called out. “What are you doing here?” He seemed to know the young man.

  “Same as everyone else. I’m taking in the sights; it’s been a while since I’ve been here.” He smiled.

  “Imagine that, a true Greek, born and raised here and he’s out sightseeing like a tourist.” Kosta said laced in sarcasm.

  “The same could be said about you.” Niko replied.

  “I’ve got a visiting client.”

  “I see that. Are you not going to introduce us uncle?”

  “No, I’m not.” Kosta folded his arms across his chest with his biceps bulging.

  Wait, did he just say uncle? Niko had to be a wolf too. Damn these Greeks and their scent masking herbs.

  “Princess must be pretty special to have you at her service.” Niko said.

  “She’s no one that would interest you.” Kosta told him.

  “Her aura would suggest otherwise.” Niko replied and eyed me.

  “You are mistaken, and we are leaving.” Kosta said and held my elbow leading me away.

  “Keep walking.” Kosta whispered to me. He was looking around, scanning our surroundings and went into high alert. We walked quickly to the car and Kosta opened the door. “Quick, quick.” He said.

  Moments later we were back on the road heading down the slopes of the mountain. I looked behind us to see if the motorcycle was following but saw nothing.

  “Kosta, was that your nephew?” I asked.

  “Yes, my late brothers’ son.”

  “He’s a wolf.” It was more of a statement then a question.

  “Yes, he is.”

  “Why did we have to leave so quickly?”

  “My job is to protect you and Niko runs with some very dangerous people. It’s best to avoid them all together.” Kosta said sounding nervous and looking at his rear view mirrors.

  “What is this herb that masks scents? Should I try to find some?”

  “It’s a Greek weed called Evvie, it grows in the northern mountains. Difficult to find, but not impossible. You steep it in water and drink it. It will mask your scent for three to five days depending on how strong it is.” He told me.

  “Where can I find some? I’m getting tired of everyone scenting me when I can’t scent them.” I asked.

  “It’s mostly found on the black market for wolves, it might hide your scent, but another wolf will still be able to sense your aura. You’re an Alpha wolf and you radiate strength; you won’t be able to hide that Raven.”

  “I was able to sense Niko, is he a higher ranked wolf?”

  “He’s Beta Born, just as I am.” Kosta told me.

  “What happened to your brother?” It slipped out before I could control myself, but I was glad when he answered.

  “He was killed trying to do the right thing. Our pack fell apart and some of us now live amongst the humans. Not necessarily rogues, more like lone wolfs.” He said.

  His phone rang and he answered it speaking in Greek. I looked down at my phone and zoomed in on the picture of Niko. He didn’t look dangerous or scary to me. His Beta aura was strong, much stronger than Rocky’s. I could sense his immediately.

  “Should we stop for some food?” Kosta asked me.

  “That would be great.”

  We stopped at the Hermes Souvlaki and Gyro stand near Delphi. I ordered the chicken souvlaki pita and Kosta had the Gyro. We grabbed our drinks and headed back to the car. K
osta seemed anxious to get back on the road and further away from here. I wondered if we were near pack territory.

  The ride back was uneventful, and I replayed the conversation Niko and Kosta had. I wondered why Niko had been interested in me and why he had followed us to Delphi. It was late afternoon when we arrived back at the dormitory.

  Kosta opened the car door for me and then walked me to the front lobby doors. “Raven, it’s best if you avoid any unknown wolves. If Niko is interested in you, it can’t be good.”

  “Thank you Kosta, I promise to stay away from anyone I don’t already know.” I smiled at him.

  I walked into my dorm and stripped off my clothes, then I stepped into the shower. After my shower, I realized that my laundry hamper was piled up and I had just used the last clean bath towel. I slipped on a shirt and shorts, then I carried my laundry hamper into the elevator.

  I stepped off the elevator and into the laundry room. Then I loaded my laundry in two machines and opened my locker to get my detergents out. I dropped a token into each machine and started it. We had to purchase tokens from Karla to run the washers and dryers.

  The elevator doors opened up and I heard Rocky call out my name. “Raven.”

  “Hi Rocky. How’s it going?” I asked.

  “Well, Leo and I just finished a big project and my brain is a little fried.” She laughed.

  “I feel you on that, Angela and I have been working on a project as well. Has she come back yet?”

  “No, Karla has been pacing the floor waiting for her. If she’s not back by tomorrow, they will have to notify her family. She may have just gone out on a party cruise to one of the islands. Last year Leo and I got stuck for two days when we missed the return time and the boat left without us.” Rocky laughed.

  “Hope she doesn’t leave me hanging for the rest of the project we’re working on.” I said.

  “This is Greece! The Dionysus festival starts next weekend. People will go missing for days and will eventually turn up.”

  Rocky collected her laundry from the dryer, and we went back up the elevator to the sixth floor. We stepped out and Leo was just coming out of his dorm.

  “Hey girls.” He smiled.

  “Hey Leo.” I smiled back.

  “I was thinking about grilling steaks on the rooftop tonight for dinner.” He said.

  “Now he’s speaking my language.” Rae pepped up.

  “Sounds great.” Rocky said.

  “I’m going to run over to the market and grab the steaks.” Leo told us.

  “Hey Leo, did you eat the rest of my moussaka last night?” I asked.

  “Oh, you had moussaka last night. And didn’t invite me?” He grinned.

  “I’m being serious. Yesterday I got home late, picked up my dinner from Cristopalous Taverna, sat down at my desk and ate half the moussaka. Then I took a shower and when I got out of the shower, it was gone.” I said.

  “It wasn’t me.” Rocky said holding her hands up in surrender.

  “It wasn’t me either and I love moussaka.” Leo said confused.

  I wonder if Karla had an extra key. I would have scented a human in my room. It’s not like someone could climb up to a sixth floor window.

  “Get to the store Leo, we’ll meet you on the roof, I’ve got vegetables to grill with the steaks.” Rocky said.

  “Be right back.” He smiled.

  Rocky and I took the stairs to the rooftop. We sat in the patio club chairs waiting for Leo to grill dinner. “We’re going to the beach tomorrow, to an island about forty-five minutes away from here. The water is crystal clear like the Caribbean, and the sand is beautiful. Would you like to come with us?”

  “YES! That sounds wonderful.” I said.

  “Great, we’ll be leaving about 8:00am to catch the ferry.”

  “I went to Delphi today, met a man, well actually a wolf, who I believe is from Athens.”

  “Ohhhh, do tell!” She leaned in smiling at wide.

  “Handsome, tall, early to mid-twenties, beautiful green eyes, his name was Niko.” I told her.

  “Niko is a very common Greek name; did he say which pack he was from?”

  Ugh, why didn’t I ask him? Why didn’t I ask Kosta? Actually, now that I think about it, Kosta may have deliberately not wanted to tell me his pack name. In fact, he wanted to make sure I stayed away from him. He even warned me about some of the dangerous people that Niko associates with.

  “No, I didn’t get a chance to ask, but I have a feeling I’ll be seeing him again soon.” I smiled.

  Chapter 8 – Agistri

  I was running late. I jumped out of bed and dashed to the bathroom to brush my hair and teeth. I really wanted to tie my hair up in a ponytail but clipped the top half back instead. I rarely ever wore a ponytail because I didn’t want anyone to see the crescent moon mark on the nape of my neck. I might be able to pass it off as a pack tattoo since I was from Crescent Moon Pack, but I wasn’t sure if someone might actually recognize it as the mark of a gifted wolf.

  I slipped on my two-piece turquoise bikini, then a yellow sundress and sandals. I grabbed my backpack and stuffed my towel, sunscreen, magazine, lip balm, cell phone, sunglasses, lighter and money in it. I knocked on Rocky’s door and she opened it ready to go. Leo also stepped out of his dorm and we took the elevator to the Lobby.

  It’s Sunday morning and Karla was probably still at mass, so we didn’t see her on the way out. We took a taxi to the Port of Piraeus on the Athens coast; it was a thirty minute ride. We made our way to the high speed ferry ticket booth and purchased three round trip tickets on the flying dolphin ferry. The high speed ferry was nearly twice as fast as the regular ferry and a little more expensive.

  We zipped across the beautiful crystal blue waters of the Aegean Sea, the smell of the sea breeze and the mist of the water excited my senses and elemental gift. In the distance I could see our destination come into view, Agistri Island seemed to be covered in pine trees.

  “A forest! Think maybe I could stretch my legs out?” Rae asked.

  “Leo, what’s the island population like? Do you think we might be able to go out for a run in the forest?”

  “This is one of our favorite islands to run at.” He smiled back. “The island has less than twelve hundred inhabitants in three main areas. The forest has a steep trek, so the tourists tend to stay away and prefer the beaches.”

  “I could use a run too.” Rocky said.

  “We’ll take the last ferry back at 5:00pm so that we could run later in the afternoon when most tourists are either eating or going back to the mainland.” Leo explained the plan and we nodded our head in agreement.

  The ferry reached the port of Myloi and we disembarked. We walked through the village of Megalochori, it looked like something from a postcard with its beautiful scenery and architecture. “I need something to eat.” I said as my stomach growled at me.

  “There’s a place up ahead, we can grab something there. We usually have a late lunch at Raina’s Taverna, they have the freshest seafood on the island.” Rocky told me.

  “Sounds great” I said. Ten minutes later, we walked out of the small cafe and I was enjoying delicious spanakopita with a coke. We strolled through the village, towards the beach.

  The village has a quaint little charm to it, and everyone seems so happy. The roads and walkways are paved with brick, some are more artistically designed than others. The buildings are mostly whitewashed in that typical Greek island fashion and everything seems so clean.

  This island had a nice laid back contrast to the hustle and bustle of the city. The beach was beautiful, and the water was a gorgeous clear blue. We walked to the far end of the beach for more privacy to claim our spot. Leo set up a pop up shade canopy in case the sun got too hot. We set our bags down, stripped off our top layer of clothing and made a run for the water.

  “This feels amazing.” I called out.

  The water was the perfect temperature and I couldn’t get over how clean and clear it
was. I could see my own shadow beneath me as I swam around. Leo and Rocky had grown up together and were very competitive, they had a swim race out to a floating navigation buoy and back. I was the referee and watched as Rocky, who is smaller and more agile then Leo, swam back faster, beating him to the finish line. Once we cooled down, we headed back to the shore.

  “Leo, could we bury you in the sand?” Rocky asked.

  “Oh wow, I haven’t done that to anyone since my brothers and I buried my dad when we vacationed in Jamaica.” I said excitedly.

  “No way! I’m here to work on my tan, have to get ready for next weekend.” He smiled.

  “What’s next weekend?” I asked.

  “The Dionysus festival! Lots of parades, floats, costumes, wine, plays, festivities and debauchery for three days!” Leo’s face glowed with excitement.

  “Sounds like the Greek version of Mardi Gras.” I said.

  “Actually, we celebrate carnival here in Greece too, we call it Apokries. It’s one of the largest celebrations of the year in this country.” Rocky told me.

  “I can hardly wait.” I smiled.

  We pulled our towels out of our backpacks and dried off, then we rolled the towels up to serve as pillows. We laid on the sand soaking up the sun and flipping through magazines. Rocky and Leo argued over several celebrities featured in the magazine trying to determine who was a werewolf and who wasn’t.

  A few hours later, we were seated at Raina’s Taverna in the outdoor dining area overlooking the beautiful sea. Our table was under the shade of a really tall tree and the location was picturesque. A pitcher of ice water was placed in the middle of the table, it was beautiful and made from Greek blown glass. We sat quiet and studied the menu for a few minutes.

  “Kalispera.” The waitress greeted us.

  “Hello.” I responded.

  “Ah! English, no problem.” She seemed to recognize that I didn’t speak Greek, even though Rocky and Leo could’ve easily translated for me she switched to English.

  “Good afternoon, welcome to Raina’s, I’m Nathalie and I’ll be taking your order today. Do you have any menu questions I can assist you with?”