—(Mark)—
It was a quiet morning, and I was halfway through my breakfast when my phone buzzed on the kitchen counter. I glanced at the screen and saw Chris Argent's name flashing. I answered the call, hoping for some news.
"Hey, Chris," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.
"Mark, I've found something about the Ambrose name in the Argent archives," Chris replied without preamble. "We should meet tonight to discuss it. How about the diner at 7 PM?"
"Sounds good. Thanks, Chris," I said, a mix of anxiety and curiosity swirling inside me.
Throughout the school day, I noticed that both Scott and Stiles were avoiding me. Their usual cheerful greetings and joking comments were conspicuously absent. It hurt, but I understood. Last night's lesson had been harsh, and they probably needed time to process it. If they didn't want to be friends anymore, that would be fine, but I would still keep an eye out for Scott.
At swim practice, I mentioned to the team that my birthday was coming up next week. "I don't plan on doing anything special," I said nonchalantly as we stretched by the poolside.
Charlie, never one to miss an opportunity, made a dig. "Probably because you don't have any friends to invite, right?"
I ignored him, focusing instead on my stretches. Michael and Kadin, however, were not so easily deterred.
"Come on, Mark," Michael said, throwing an arm around my shoulders. "You should at least do something small. How about a little party at your place?"
Kadin nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it doesn't have to be anything big. Just us and a few guys from the team."
I hesitated, but the genuine enthusiasm in their eyes made me relent. "Alright, a small party. But only because you two insist."
"Awesome!" Michael grinned. "It's going to be great, you'll see."
Practice went by in a blur, my thoughts divided between the upcoming meeting with Chris and the unexpected birthday plans. After practice, I headed home, trying to focus on my homework but finding it impossible. The weight of what Chris might have discovered pressed heavily on my mind.
Finally, it was time to leave. I arrived at the diner a few minutes early and found Chris already seated in a booth. He looked up as I walked in, giving me a nod.
"Evening, Mark," Chris greeted as I slid into the seat opposite him.
"Evening, Chris. What did you find?" I wanted to get more information on my family lineage.
Chris leaned forward, his expression serious. "The Ambrose family was well known for their mediation skills. They acted as go-betweens for hunters and the supernatural. According to the records, they were respected by both sides."
I listened intently as Chris continued. "However, the Ambrose lineage was thought to have been wiped out. They just disappeared one day, and no one knows what happened to them. The records we have are from so far back that they've been translated multiple times. The initial information was written in ancient Greek."
"Ancient Greek?" I repeated, surprised.
Chris nodded. "Yes. It wasn't even part of our archives but was passed down to us when other hunter families had no heirs. It's a miracle the information is still available."
I sat back, processing what he had just told me. The idea that my family had once played such a crucial role was both awe-inspiring and overwhelming. "Thank you, Chris. This means a lot," I said quietly.
Chris gave me a simple nod. "You're welcome, Mark. If you need any more help, don't hesitate to ask."
I nodded, still deep in thought as I left the diner. The drive home was a blur, my mind racing with everything I had learned. My ancestors had once been mediators, respected by both hunters and the supernatural. But what had happened to them? Why had they disappeared?
Back at home, I sat in my room, trying to piece together the puzzle of my heritage. The knowledge that the Ambrose family had once played such an important role gave me a new sense of purpose. Maybe this was why I had been drawn to Beacon Hills, why I had felt the need to protect those around me and to limit the chance of conflict from both sides.
Now, I just had to figure out what it all meant for my future.
It was late, but I couldn't wait any longer. I needed to share the news with James. My mind was racing with the details Chris had provided, and I hoped James could help make sense of it all. I picked up my phone and dialed his number.
After a few rings, James answered. "Hey, Mark. What's up?"
"Hey, James. I've got some news about my ancestors," I said, unable to keep the excitement and curiosity out of my voice. "I talked to Chris Argent, and he found something in the Argent archives about the Ambrose family."
"Really? What did he find?" James asked, his interest piqued.
"Apparently, the Ambrose family was well-known for their mediation skills. They acted as go-betweens for hunters and the supernatural," I explained. "They were respected by both sides. But here's the kicker: the last mention of them was during Ancient Greece."
"Ancient Greece?" James repeated, sounding both surprised and intrigued. "That's a long time ago. What happened to them?"
"That's the thing. They just disappeared. No one knows what happened to them," I said, leaning back in my chair. "Chris said the records have been translated multiple times and were originally written in ancient Greek. The information was passed down through hunter families when there were no heirs, so it's a miracle the records even survived."
James was silent for a moment, processing the information. "So your family was basically mediators between hunters and the supernatural. That's pretty significant, Mark. It is difficult at the best of times to keep the peace between the hunter and supernaturals."
"Yeah, it does," I agreed. "But it also raises a lot of questions. Why did they disappear? And why haven't there been any mentions of them until now?"
"Those are good questions," James said thoughtfully. "Maybe they were targeted because of their role. Being mediators would have made them powerful and potentially threatening to those who wanted to keep the two sides at odds."
"That's a possibility," I said, considering his theory. "But it still doesn't explain why they vanished without any trace of them left behind. Some type of struggle would have been recorded. Maybe it was, but we still haven't found it."
"True," James conceded. "We need more information. Maybe there are other records out there, or maybe there are people who know more about this history."
"I was thinking the same thing," I said. "I'm going to keep digging. There has to be more out there. I can't just leave it at this."
"Absolutely. And I'll help in any way I can," James offered. "We'll get to the bottom of this, Mark. Your family deserves to be remembered."
"Thanks, James. I appreciate it," I said, feeling a sense of relief and determination. "I'll let you know if I find anything else."
"Sounds good. And Mark? Be careful. If your family was targeted before, there might still be people who don't want this history to come to light," James warned.
"I will," I promised. "Thanks for the heads-up."
After hanging up, I decided to go to sleep and look for more details at a later time.