The Cursed Bruma

 "Anna... Have you broken up with Sarah?"

 "On the contrary. I've only just started."

 "Kill her, soon. Don't prolong this."

 "Why do you say that?"

 "I know her. We live under the same roof, and I remember the kind of people who were looking for her. Desperate people who had no hope left and were willing to sell their souls to the devil to have their desires fulfilled. That's how they paid her. She marked them. There were very few times when she agreed to receive someone who wanted to pay money for her services. She only agreed to do her spells when the person paid her a small fortune or gave her their soul. And she never saved anything. She spent it all on drinks and young men. But when she received someone who was willing to sell their soul, she was overjoyed. She's no good. And she let herself be taken by you, even though she knew you would come and take your revenge. She has something in mind."

 "She stayed here because she had nowhere else to go. And you know that no one who knows the secret of the werewolves leaves here alive. It's their law, Kate. And I think that deep down, she never believed that I would be able to take revenge on her. And she can't escape. The place where I locked her up is very well guarded."

 Kate picked up her glass from the floor and stood up. Then she looked at Anna with a vacant stare.

 "And who says she wants to escape? She's exactly where she wants to be." Kate said and left, before Anna could ask what she was talking about.

 She got up and went into the kitchen to help prepare lunch. Idleness wasn't doing her any good. She arrived in the kitchen and Judite gave her a mountain of vegetables to peel and chop. She liked it. She needed to occupy her mind with things that weren't disturbing. She asked for Adam, but no one could tell her where he was.

 Adam showed up for lunch at two o'clock in the afternoon. Everyone was waiting for him at the table. He arrived in the company of Caricatura, and they both sat down. He greeted everyone and gave Ian a kiss on the head, then messed up his hair. Soon the cooks came and served lunch.

 It was a quiet moment. But Anna was surprised that there was no laughter. Everyone was eating quietly, but no one was talking. Something wasn't right, and Anna began to feel anxious. What if Adam had found out where her family was? What if he had already taken them hostage again? But it was nothing like she thought. As soon as he had finished his lunch, and the mansion staff had gathered around the table, he declared.

 "I advise everyone to stay indoors and not go outside for the next few hours. One of my men has passed on our entire security scheme to an enemy legion, humans with lethal weapons. They know what we are, and I think the main target will be the mansion and the residents, because I haven't bothered to turn some of the people who live in here into creatures of my kind. I've spent all morning gathering werewolves from all the neighboring packs, as well as allies. We'll go out and try not to let the war into the mansion. We'll close all the exits, and with the exception of Anna's father, no one else will enter or leave today."

 "How did you know?" Anna asked. "How do you know they're going to attack today?"

 "I have infiltrators in all the enemy factions."

 Ian exchanged a fearful glance with his mother. Like her, he feared that Adam might be hit.

 "You should stay here with us. Safe and protecting us... I still don't understand how humans could have found out about werewolves and how to kill them...." Anna said and followed Adam's gaze. Ryan was staring at her in mockery. Dester! Anna turned to Adam, now more anxious and worried. "Stay and protect me and Ian. Please!" She pleaded, trying to convince him. 

 Adam turned to Anna with a serious look, and she sensed that he wanted to live the challenge. And his voice was furious when he answered.

 "And let my men fight for my family alone? What kind of man would do that? I'm not a coward, Anna. And just as they are willing to give their lives to protect my legacy, so am I, and I will stand with them until the end."

 It was as if he had banged the gavel, and slowly, all the men left the table.

 Ian rushed over and hugged Adam tightly, teary-eyed, preventing him from leaving with the werewolves.

 "I..." Ian said and looked steadily at Adam and finished his sentence in his mind. He still couldn't say it in front of his mother. '...I love you Daddy.'

 "You're my boy." Adam said, and lifted up his shirt, revealing a gun, which he carried in the front of his pants. He took it out and handed it to Ian, who let go of it and looked at Adam with an inquiring look. "There will be men outside, and in here, looking out for you, but if, as a last resort, they manage to break in, protect your mother." Adam said, taking Ian in his arms and squeezing him, as if it was the last time he would see him, and left, after putting Ian back on the floor.

 Ian stayed there, with Anna and Kate. The staff had retired. Anna guessed that they must have gone to say goodbye to their partners.

 "Does he already know who the traitor is?" Anna asked, certain that Kate had all the answers.

 "No. The coward passed everything on by cell phone."

 "Mom... I'm going to my room." Ian said and Anna knew he wanted to cry, but he wouldn't do it in front of them.

 "All right, my son. I'll go and play for a while."

 Ian didn't answer and ran off.

 "He's so worried about Uncle Adam..." Kate commented debauchedly.

 "Aren't you worried?" Anna looked puzzled at Kate.

 "You... Anna, how can you be so absent-minded? Haven't you realized that Ian knows that Adam is more than just your uncle?"

 "Do you think he's discovered the truth?"

 "It's obvious that he has."

 "No. You're wrong. If he knew, he wouldn't keep it a secret from me and he wouldn't be counting the days until he's back with his father and brothers. He'd want to stay here."

 "He's counting the days, Anna, because he knows that the longer he lives with his father, the harder it will be to say goodbye. He doesn't know what to do. Ian is torn. Just like his mother."