Page 15 of Destined to the Lycan
“That’s amazing!” Amara said with wonder. “I guess nothing beats a mother’s instinct to protect and nurture a youngling in need. But how did you reconnect with the pack?”
“A little after I turned two years old, the pack came hunting on her territory. Mama tried to protect me and my siblings, but I ended up being the one protecting all of them,” I said wistfully, then chuckled at her bemused expression. “Even though we’re not the same species, I will always think of her and her cubs as my family, since they technically were in the first crucial years of my life.”
“I can see that,” Amara replied with approval, which touched me further. “But how did you protect them? Did you attack the pack?”
I shook my head. “I just took a menacing stance in front of them, and the pack kind of freaked out when they saw me. As I had never learned how to speak, I had no idea what they were saying. But I found out later that they thought I was a demon or a revenant. They just hightailed it out of there. As one of the Wise of the pack, Misty came to investigate. It took many days of her carefully approaching and enticing me to earn my trust.”
“Wow! So your relationship goes a long way back!”
I nodded. “If not for her, I would have remained a feral beast. After a couple of months, she finally convinced me to come with her,” I said, my heart filling with love for the elderly woman. “I don’t think I could have done so without Mama’s blessing. But a part of her understood that I needed to go to my people to reach my full potential. I continued to visit her until her passing a few years ago.”
“Do you still see your siblings?” she asked gently.
“No. Most of them moved on as soon as they reached maturity. They were also growing uncomfortable with me the more ‘human’ I became,” I explained pensively. “To better fit in, I was now almost always in my human form, whereas I hadspent the first couple of years exclusively in my wolf form. It wasn’t easy learning to speak, walk on two legs, use my hands and utensils, cook food and all that other weird stuff people do. Wearing clothes was definitely the most annoying part.”
Amara snorted, and her eyes slightly went out of focus as she was likely trying to picture the younger version of myself throwing a tantrum at being asked to put clothes on.
“But how was life for you here after the pack accepted you?” she asked carefully.
I snorted with self-derision. “To this day, none of the packs have fully accepted me. They mostly tolerate me because of Misty. Now, things are better than back in the day, but I’m still somewhat of an outcast. They’re afraid of me.”
“Why is that?” she asked in the same soft voice thankfully devoid of any condemnation or suspicion.
“My blood and all my bodily fluids contain a low concentration of the demon wolf’s venom. It is the weakest in my urine and saliva, meaning that neither could cause harm to anyone exposed to them. But frequent exposure to any of my other fluids would result in death.”
“Hmmm… I can see why that would worry people, but unless you’re planning on bleeding or sweating all over them, their fear seems a little excessive,” Amara mused aloud.
The way I shifted uneasily didn’t go unnoticed. My Twin Flame immediately gave me an intense gaze as she waited for me to continue.
“Over the years, they had in fact gradually relaxed around me until I hit puberty. From that moment forward, I became negatively affected by the full moon. I kind of… become rabid until sunrise.”
My chest constricted, and I swallowed hard when Amara slightly recoiled, a shocked expression descending over her features. Although she didn’t display the horror such aconfession usually triggered in others, my words clearly struck her hard. I just couldn’t interpret what emotions were coursing through her. But a lifetime of rejection made me fear hers came from a similar place.
“The full moon?” she echoed, her wheels spinning. “I wonder if that’s why the Weaver told me to wait until after the full moon to come. What happens to you then? What do you do?”
That also hit a nerve. Had the Weaver foreseen that no one else but me would consider taking her on that mission? Had she specifically requested Amara delay her arrival until it was safe to be around me?
“Nothing,” I replied forcefully. “I have many safe places that I lock myself in until the sun rises. While enraged, I’m too mindless to unlock the door of my cage. And as a second safety measure, there is a magic circle surrounding each of them that will not let me out until my mind is at peace again. So no one has to worry about me ever causing harm during that night.”
My heart soared when her shoulders relaxed almost imperceptibly with relief.
“That’s good then. It sounds like you have it all under control.” She hesitated, licked her lips nervously before carefully asking the question I expected. “Have there ever been incidents?”
I shook my head. “Never, not even the first time it happened. There are sufficient signs that the change is upon me hours prior, which allows me to go into a safe place first. Anyway, the pack would have taken me out a long time ago if my rage ever harmed anyone.”
The glowing smile she bestowed upon me had me melting from the inside out.
“Then that’s all good enough for me. The question is whether you consent to be my guide. I’m not above begging. I desperately need your help,” she said, her eyes flicking between mine.
I heaved a sigh.
“Every fiber of my being is shouting for me to shut down such an insane request. Logic demands I say no,” I replied gently.
“But?” she insisted with a voice filled with hope.
I hesitated and gave her an assessing look. “Can you even make it there? Ranael dwells in a plateau beyond the Dark Woods. It is a hard road, and we can only ride so far before we have to set out on foot. This involves a long and difficult climb. No flying mounts will take us there. With your current health, you might not be able to handle it. The weather can be very temperamental in these areas. And sometimes, we may not even find a cave to shelter in.”
“I will keep going even if I have to crawl,” she stated with determination. “I’m dying, Remus. The Weaver said I must reach the Cursed Wolf at least one week before the full moon. Whatever it takes, even if I have to set off on my own, I will get there. I refuse to just sit idly while my life is fading away.”
