So much had seemed to change in the sleepy town of Bellingstone in just nine years since Albrecht had packed his few belongings and left Pennsylvania for the west coast. Granted, the small town had already been busy as it was before Al had hit the road. Yet, it just seemed far more lively now that he was back. That many people couldn't have possibly settled in the town during that time, right? The werewolf shook his head lightly as he gripped the steering wheel of his olive green Jeep. He'd decided, a few miles back, to remove the top and store it in the moving truck which wasn't too far away from him as drove down the highway outside of Bellingstone.
Whereas his brother had always been a motorcycle freak ever since he could drive, Albrecht preferred a four-wheeled vehicle much more. Besides, they looked much tougher in his opinion. A measly bike wouldn't hold up if hit by a car, now would it? Inside of the town now, Albrecht slowed the car as he moved through town.
"Holy shit," he muttered, looking through the sunglasses he wore at the surrounding buildings. While they all seemed to hold the same sense of normalcy that he remembered from his days as a boy, they also all looked so different. Perhaps that was due to the fact that the once refined town was now occupied by either vacationers or those who believed the little town was "cute" and "quaint". Al scoffed, running a hand quickly through his hair. Stupid...this was the furthest one could get from a cute little town. He still remembered reading in the papers when those hikers went missing. Although he hadn't contacted any of the pack, he knew for a fact that those God damn blood suckers were to blame. How dare they, he thought. They don't have to attack humans. We get on fine with just hunting animals.
Up in Washington, when he'd attended law school, he distinctly remembered a coven that stuck to drinking from game, not humans. If only the rest of the vampires were that progressively minded. But, then again, they were all as old as dirt. He couldn't really expect anything more from them. Stopped at a traffic light, he waved to a group of girls who looked at him quickly in confusion. Al's brow furrowed as he continued on to the townhouse he'd decided to rent, which was another thing that wasn't really around during his childhood. Then again, it was more like an old home that had been renovated to accommodate two separate families.
He was a bit confused by how the girls had looked at him. Were they confused to see a man his age waving at them or were they confused because they'd never seen him before? Hoping it was the last, because the former would have been disappointing, Al continued to the home and stopped before it. Before he'd had time to unlock the door, the moving truck of his few belongings stopped before the townhouse.
"Where d'you want these?" asked the driver, as he got out and leaned against his truck. Albrecht shrugged. He certainly didn't feel like unpacking yet.
"Just leave them on the porch or the lawn," he said, arms crossed. He'd decided extemporaneously to leave the boxes and furniture there for later while he enjoyed his first day back in Bellingstone. If the town was the way it used to be, he wouldn't have to worry about his belongings being tampered with. Leaving the mover to unload the truck himself, Albrecht shoved his hands into his pockets and started down the sidewalk back toward the heart of town.
Instinctively, he found his feet guiding him toward Axel's diner which, as far as he knew, was still his father's diner. He hadn't talked once with his little brother since he left so, of course he would have no idea that the man was Alpha. Even more worrisome was the fact that he walked the streets without a care, even though he was a lone wolf in another pack's territory. Of course, he didn't think such things because, as far as he knew, he was just a wolf back in his home. Al stopped before the door into the diner and sighed softly. How would they react when he showed his face?
Regardless of his worries, Albrecht pushed the door open and walked in. Almost instantly, his gaze fell upon a familiar female at the bar of the diner. No...it couldn't be her, could it? Hesitantly, he walked forward with his arm still crossed. Even as he sat beside her at the bar, his arms were crossed.
"Leanna...?" he asked, smiling broadly. "Leanna Romero?"
Whereas his brother had always been a motorcycle freak ever since he could drive, Albrecht preferred a four-wheeled vehicle much more. Besides, they looked much tougher in his opinion. A measly bike wouldn't hold up if hit by a car, now would it? Inside of the town now, Albrecht slowed the car as he moved through town.
"Holy shit," he muttered, looking through the sunglasses he wore at the surrounding buildings. While they all seemed to hold the same sense of normalcy that he remembered from his days as a boy, they also all looked so different. Perhaps that was due to the fact that the once refined town was now occupied by either vacationers or those who believed the little town was "cute" and "quaint". Al scoffed, running a hand quickly through his hair. Stupid...this was the furthest one could get from a cute little town. He still remembered reading in the papers when those hikers went missing. Although he hadn't contacted any of the pack, he knew for a fact that those God damn blood suckers were to blame. How dare they, he thought. They don't have to attack humans. We get on fine with just hunting animals.
Up in Washington, when he'd attended law school, he distinctly remembered a coven that stuck to drinking from game, not humans. If only the rest of the vampires were that progressively minded. But, then again, they were all as old as dirt. He couldn't really expect anything more from them. Stopped at a traffic light, he waved to a group of girls who looked at him quickly in confusion. Al's brow furrowed as he continued on to the townhouse he'd decided to rent, which was another thing that wasn't really around during his childhood. Then again, it was more like an old home that had been renovated to accommodate two separate families.
He was a bit confused by how the girls had looked at him. Were they confused to see a man his age waving at them or were they confused because they'd never seen him before? Hoping it was the last, because the former would have been disappointing, Al continued to the home and stopped before it. Before he'd had time to unlock the door, the moving truck of his few belongings stopped before the townhouse.
"Where d'you want these?" asked the driver, as he got out and leaned against his truck. Albrecht shrugged. He certainly didn't feel like unpacking yet.
"Just leave them on the porch or the lawn," he said, arms crossed. He'd decided extemporaneously to leave the boxes and furniture there for later while he enjoyed his first day back in Bellingstone. If the town was the way it used to be, he wouldn't have to worry about his belongings being tampered with. Leaving the mover to unload the truck himself, Albrecht shoved his hands into his pockets and started down the sidewalk back toward the heart of town.
Instinctively, he found his feet guiding him toward Axel's diner which, as far as he knew, was still his father's diner. He hadn't talked once with his little brother since he left so, of course he would have no idea that the man was Alpha. Even more worrisome was the fact that he walked the streets without a care, even though he was a lone wolf in another pack's territory. Of course, he didn't think such things because, as far as he knew, he was just a wolf back in his home. Al stopped before the door into the diner and sighed softly. How would they react when he showed his face?
Regardless of his worries, Albrecht pushed the door open and walked in. Almost instantly, his gaze fell upon a familiar female at the bar of the diner. No...it couldn't be her, could it? Hesitantly, he walked forward with his arm still crossed. Even as he sat beside her at the bar, his arms were crossed.
"Leanna...?" he asked, smiling broadly. "Leanna Romero?"