Chapter Two:

Back at the house I felt a little better. I decided to work a little in the garden. That would calm my nerves. I busied myself by pulling weeds.

          There was no way that the wolf from the dreamscape was The Lycan Prince. And there was no way in he'll that I could tell Belladonna about it. She would have my head. She told me to never interfere with someone in a dreamscape.

           But why would the lycan prince be stuck in human form anyway? What would cause that? How old was he anyway?

    I let out a small groan. This was ridiculous. I didn't need to be thinking about stuff like this anyway. I wince as the ringing started on my ears again. But this time it was accompanied by a strange humming in my head.

    What the hell  was going on with me? I sigh and stand to my feet. Someone lightly touches my shoulder causing me to shriek! I jump away from the hand and spin around. My hand to my chest I eye the woman curiously. Who the- the woman was probably in the late thirties and her hair was a beautiful dark brown color. She wore a simple white gown.

    She just stares at me for a moment. She has a flawless ivory skin stone and I do mean flawless. Not even a freckle in sight. Her eyes made my heart skip a beat. They were the same cobalt color as mine. I inhale a shaky breath.

                              "You've grown little starlight." My heart ached strangely. I could feel my eyebrows draw together.

                                              "I'm sorry do I know you?" The woman gives me a sad smile.

                                 "My name is Aradia." My eyes went wide and my stomach dropped. Aradia? Queen Of Witches? Daughter of The Goddess Diana?! She's been missing for forty years!!! Why would she appear to me?!

      Aradia laughs gently.

                                 "Why I chose to show myself isn't of any importance. What 8s important is you Eritrea. Who you are and what you will become." I give her a doubtful look. Obviously this lady had no idea that I wasn't any good with basic magic.

                                                    "I'm pretty sure you have the wrong witch." She frowns slightly and shakes her head.

                                  "But I know that I don't. You saved someone everyone thought to be lost to his spirit beast. You've done the impossible." I gasp as she grabs my wrist. I wince as my wrist becomes unbearably hot under her touch. I struggle in her grip for a moment before she let's go.

   I look down at my wrist and frown.

What the hell?! She branded me with the triple goddess symbol?! What was her problem?! I look back up but she was gone.

    Aradia must be half crazy. That's why she disappeared. Yep that has to be it. And now she's randomly going around branding people. But how had she known about the shifter? And why were her eyes the exact same color as mine?

      Dear lord please don't let her be a distant relative. That's the last thing I needed. I shake my head and head into the house.

     Belladonna wouldn't be home for a while which was a good thing. I didn't want to answer any questions that she might have. Because honestly she wasn't stupid she would put two and two together and I would end up getting my ass chewed. I knew I would.

    I walk over to the fridge pulling out leftovers from last night. Which was a roast with garden vegetables. And a bottle of tea.

     I ate and stared out the window. The stupid brand still burned. I wonder if I needed to hide it from Belladonna. I didn't really see the need of telling her and I didn't want her to freak out and put more wards around the house.

                                 "Ery are you here?" I roll my eyes and pull my sleeve down. Speak of the devil and she shall appear.  I turn around as she enters the kitchen. Her eyebrows draw together.

                                   "You were in the garden I see." I suppress an eye roll at her.

                                                  "Yes I was in the garden. I was pulling the weeds." I force a smile which only makes her shake her head. I really wanted to ask her about that lycan prince. But I was afraid she would get suspicious.

     Groaning I take a drink of my tea.

                                                   "So what's the deal with that Lycan Prince? Why was he stuck in his wolf form?" Belladonna was pulling out leftovers and a bottle of water. She sighs and glances at me. I kept my face neutral. I didn't want to seem to interested.

                            "Well, he had a mate but she was killed. When a shifter loses his mate it can kill a peice of them and sometimes it can kill them. But I suppose giving into his wolf side was the only way to survive. Then he couldn't shift back. Strange how today he was able to do so." She eyes me. I bite the inside of me cheek and shrug.

                                                  "Yeah that's super weird. Have they gotten the wolf to say anything?" Belladonna grunts and takes a drink of her water.

                             "Apparently the only answer he would give was starlight saved him." I turn away from Belladonna. My face felt hot. What the hell was wrong with me?! Why was I blushing over something stupid like that.

      I finish my food and wash my dishes. I avoided close contact to Belladonna. She was able to read someone's feelings if she touched them and I'm sure my anxiety would be a dead give away.

    I half ran to my room and plop down on my bed letting out a frustrated sigh.

       Why was everything getting so weird all of a sudden?! Why couldn't I just be normal? I close my eyes and focus on my breathing.

   I just needed to forget about all of it and move on with my life. I'm sure I won't ever see that prince so I have nothing to worry about. And hopefully I never see Aradia again.

       A soft knock on my door draws my attention. I scramble for the book on my bed side table and sit cross legged opening the book to a random page. The door opens and Belladonna peeks inside. She walks in and sits down on the bed infront of me.

                                 "So I've decided to give you a bonus for all your hard work." I smile brightly. A bonus?! That meant more money that I could spend at food stalls! Belladonna chuckles.

                                  "Honestly child. I feel as if you don't care if you are alone forever as long as there is food." I shrug.

                                                   "What's so great about a pair bond anyway? They just boss you around and think they know what's best for you. And if their station is high enough they can stop you from doing what you really want."

            Belladonna looks a little surprised at my statement.

                               "Do you honestly believe that little dove? Not all pair bonds are like that. They help you grow. They are there to protect you and they love you just because you are you. They make you a better version of yourself." I bite the inside of my cheek. I felt a bit bad. Belladonna loved her husband and he was killed by a wolf that had gone crazy.

     My heart broke for her. He had died a year after Belladonna had found me. I never got to know him. I take her hand in mine and give it a gentle squeeze.

                                                "I'm sorry Belladonna." She gives me a small smile and squeezes my fingers.

                           "Get some sleep. We will go shopping tomorrow for the festival." I watch her leave and let out a long sigh. I knew that I had upset her. I felt awful. But honestly how was I suppose to feel about pair bonds? After all the ones I had seen?

         DreamScape.                 

            I groan as I sit up and I am in the same clearing as before. But the sun was setting now. It was peaceful here. But why was I thrown back here?

            I know that I wasn't thinking about them before I went to sleep. I stand up and begin walking toward the tree line. I do know that I did not want to run into him either way.

    I made it to the trees and I notice a small stream with a log across it. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I let out a small growl. Damn it! Someone was behind me.

       I slowly turn. The wolf was sitting there staring at me curiously. I give him a nervous smile.

                                                   "Hey wolfie. I swear I'm not doing this on purpose."  Laughter fills the air and I swing around looking for a person but can't find any sign of one. I turn back to the wolf with wide eyes.

                'Hello.' My knees felt strangely weak at the sound of his deep gentle voice.

                                                    "I see that you've taken back control. That's good." I bite the inside of my cheek and look everywhere but the wolf.

                 'My name's Kyro. What's your name?"  I exhale a rigid breath and look at him. Oh holy night! He was the Lycan Prince and that meant I really did do something stupid!

                                                       " That's not important is it?"  Oh goddess! Belladonna was going to kill me. Laughter fills my ears again.

                  'Yes. You stirred me awake. Your touch calmed my wolf allowing me to take my human form again. You saved us.'

       I step back as Kyro in wolf form comes closer to me. He tilts his head at me.

                  'Are you afraid of me tiny starlight?'  I scoff. Did he just call me tiny?!

                                                       "I'm afraid of what you might be hoping for." I stiffen as he sticks his nose against the bend of my neck and breathes in deep.

          **        **               **            **          **

       I just awake and look around. My face and ears were on fire. What did I say?! Why did I say it?! I throw the covers off and March over to my closet pulling out a pink long sleeved shirt and dark denim jeans and quickly put them on.

         I throw my hair into a high pony tail and put my flats on. I open my door and jump back. Belladonna was there and looked like she was about to knock. She chuckles.

                      "Are you ready to go?"