15 Chapter 15 - Werewolf (1)

Ingredients of Tragic Love.

Two different creatures.

Two different souls.

Two different minds.

One desire.

Truly a chaos awaiting its time in the darkness.

So I suggest, don't fall in love.

-Excerpt from 'The Essential Book of Human Survival'.

Jonathan Lorth.

• • ⊱∘────·☽༓☾·────∘⊰ • •

She stares at the ground, lifeless steps carefully tracing the path towards Ruby's cottage, face turning solemn the closer she gets to her destination. Her earlier confidence and determination has evaporated when she realises the sun has set completely.

Pouting her lips, she kicks little pebbles along the way, her mind brings up lots of scenarios that would probably happen if she came empty handed in front of Alin.

What should I do?

Raiene raises her head. The person she happens to find standing a few steps away in front of her has successfully startled her, taking a deep breath. Raiene tries to gain courage and approach the unapproachable presence in front of her.

Alin stares at the small figure in front of her, eyes on the ground without a single prey within sight.

"Get inside. Ruby is waiting for you."

Alin turned around and walked ahead. Raiene followed along, she sighs and glances at the ground once again, but she wasn't prepared for the words Alin utter next.

"Tomorrow. The first sun. We will hunt."

Those words cause her earlier sour expression to change completely, eyes lit up like torches, white pearl teeth and dimples visibly seen, she nods her head and moves to walk alongside Alin.

Though the girl in black immediately put distance between them, she still managed to let her walk by her side. Raiene was too happy to notice that. Hearing Alin had taken the initiative to hunt with her, her heart beat in anticipation, she truly wanted to improve herself.

Raiene had truly wondered what caused Alin to change her mind, though she wasn't going to ask that question. Afraid Alin would dismiss the idea and reject her like before.

One thing she didn't know, Alin respected Ruby beyond measure. The minute Ruby eyes softened and explained the little backstory of the human girl that she invited along, she couldn't keep her hatred.

That is why she will give this human a chance.

A single chance.

• • ⊱∘────·☽༓☾·────∘⊰ • •

Never be indebted to someone.

The Queen had always told her children that sentence over and over again. Once indebted, a creature's value over that debt should increase and be paid with double the amount. It is to show their gratitude and not belittle their offered hands.

Surely, as a son who listened to his mother's words very well, the reason why Artha needed to meet that girl once again was to pay the debt towards her.

He was out of his mind. If not, how else could one easily understand the reason behind those actions he did without reprimanding himself first and foremost?

The spell he had easily uttered in order to confuse her yesterday and circling her movement into returning back to the lake. The spell that needed two years of practice inside the dense forest of Suttern. The one that repeatedly needed assistance by his mother when he was a child, before he could actually master it.

How was that spell able to flow out of his tongue?

And how did his wolf leap out into the forest?

Detecting an animal within a second, tearing it down with immense power and dragging it to the place where she would appear, where the girl then stared at him stood above the wild animal. Chin raised high and gazed at that sparkling amber waiting expectantly for a single compliment.

How did that all happen?

It was all his wolf.

Artha had convinced himself.

Repeatedly.

Strange.

Else, why would he come to the forest when his wolf would usually demand to hunt?

It had been almost half a day, but his wolf didn't whine for a flesh of meat or bother him with memories. It was the first time that the wolf inside Artha behaved without being told, though he did become aware of the wolf's strange change of behaviour and movement that considerably jumped around when he retrieved information from Alron just yesterday.

Artha tries to dismiss that idea, she is a witch and a hunter.

One strange thing though, as far as Artha remembers, witches would only use animals in order to complete their potions and spells while hunters trade their animals for consumption.

Artha finds it as a strange combination of race and occupation that are entirely hard to believe could happen. However, No matter how odd, that is her identity. Despite all the confusion, he will still repay her for the potion she poured for him without thinking.

Then he will disappear out of her vision. As simple as that. That is the whole plan all along.

Besides, there is nothing good for a Crown Prince of Suttern to start a relationship with a witch, no matter how pure that relationship starts. It was a common knowledge among creatures, the witch of Fussyorl carry deep grudges towards both the mighty Suttern and aloof Qye.

There will always be visible tension whenever witches visit the two Kingdoms, sometimes resulting in petty fights among creatures, but it never went big. Though it is known that witches residing within Qye are of different values of their ancestor inside Fussyorl.

Artha slowly takes a step towards the lake, a splash of water could be heard, he raises his head and stares straight at the scene before him. 

As soon as the view catches his eyes, he grit his teeth as both of his fists clenched tightly, eyes flashing dangerously. His mind goes back to the time Alron's face flushed red looking flustered.

That little monster.

Artha knows the reason now.

• • ⊱∘────·☽༓☾·────∘⊰ • •

"For now, catch anything you can. I will teach you later. It will be pointless if I teach you now and you forget it within three days."

Alin had informed her in the morning before she rushed to the forest, leaving behind Raiene without anything much to do. So then, she decided to take a bath at the lake she visited yesterday.

She could remember quite well the blue magical colour and soothing ripple of water, the lake had thoroughly enticed her to explore it herself, though it is winter at the moment, she didn't feel the bitter cold biting her skin.

It was probably because Qye was being protected by a powerful spell that was casted every winter to prevent it reaching the land. Ruby had once told her that it had been the former King of Qye habit to order the spell being casted by a witch every winter. She had said it was for the first daughter of Qye. His daughter.

The first daughter of Qye is famously sensitive to cold. It is thus known throughout the whole land that Qye never experienced winter. Despite the fact that King's daughter had moved to Suttern, this spell is still being casted, many believe that it will continue to do so.

Raiene takes this opportunity to dip her small feet into the water, warmth greets her skin as she giggles in anticipation. Taking off the first layer of her cloth, she begins to hum a song and continues to undress.

Taking steps inside, she couldn't suppress her laugh and began to swim to the middle. The sky had lowered considerably, as the only thing she could hear were a few birds chirping around the trees that surround the lake.

Apart from flying, she had one other ability that most common humans don't have. Her hearing is sometimes able to pick sounds that others couldn't catch, thus the reason why she didn't pay any attention to her surroundings.

She believed no one would come around the lake and by the time someone did come, she could immediately dress herself and run from the place.

However, she didn't expect that her ear wouldn't work that afternoon. A cough suddenly heard from behind her, stopping her from singing. Shivers begin to run down her back as her eyes widen in fright, she gulps in fear.

Raiene turns around and finds a wolf standing aloof with cold purple eyes staring at her. Eyebrows raised and a snicker on its face, taunting her. Taking a relief breath, she glares back at him. Before a smile stretched on her lips and uttered.

"Come here."

Raiene recognised the wolf she encountered yesterday and called upon him. There's not much meaning behind her words and she was just being playful when she called the wolf. She never really intended on taking a bath with a wolf that roams around nearby.

Although she can't hear his voice and gain any information of her surroundings from the wolf, she still finds the familiar wolf presence to be quite comforting.

When she was about to scold and command him to stay a few paces away from the lake, the wolf let out devilish chuckles, as if mocking her command. Raiene couldn't even blink in confusion, when the big sturdy grey wolf suddenly morphed into a man within seconds. 

A half naked man, as his lower half was covered by the surrounding plant.

A very attractive man.

Eyes bulging in fright, Raiene shrieks and turns around immediately. She drowns herself until only half of her face is shown, feeling heat rushed through her head within a short amount of time. Baffled by the sudden turn of events, she could only scream at the man.

"Stay away!"

Though the temperature of the water was warm and not scalding her skin, her skin still turned red within minutes. She felt humiliated. Her hand instinctively covers her flat chest, as her head slowly turns dizzy from various questions barging her mind out of blue.

"Didn't you tell me to come?" a low voice sounded out from behind, sounding confused.

The sound of rippling water could be heard, further making her flustered as she screamed frantically. Distancing herself from the unknown danger, Raiene swam further away from the edge and almost slipped while doing so.

It was certainly a wolf standing by the lake just a moment ago. The same wolf she had spent time with just yesterday. The one who stole her prey and standing with arrogance emitted from his bearings, eyes locked into hers and seemingly looking down on her.

So then?

How come?

Her eyes widen in realisation, she grit her teeth in disbelief and scream at the top of her lungs, declaring his identity.

"Werewolf!"

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