Blessing or curse

"A blessing you say?" Devlin scoffed "Don't say what you know nothing about, man"

"Yes, I don't know anything about this but c'mon man! Doesn't being stronger and faster than everyone else counts for something? I was amazed by your wolf that day when we were ambushed, especially when I saw you climb up a wall with ease like you were Spiderman.

That was so cool! I have never seen a wolf like yours before in my entire life. I would be happy if I was the one with the gift I tell you. If there's a way you could transfer it to me man, then I'm open to receive." Keith said animatedly

Justin couldn't help but chuckle in amusement as he watched Keith talked in excitement

"Yes, I'm way stronger and faster than before and can also do a lot of crazy moves in my wolf form but I hurt you just now. You're family and I hurt you. Do you think I enjoy doing that!?...

It takes a lot for me to control this new wolf, you know. I'm an Alpha of the fourth biggest pack in North America. I am also the chairman of one of the biggest conglomerates in the world yet I don't have a hold on my wolf, isn't that ridiculous?

What if, one day, I mistakenly hurt Mariana or any of the pack members? Most of them call me the devil behind my back because I took over their packs by challenging to duels and beating their old Alphas. I don't want them to see me as an actual devil. I don't want to be another Dylan, man."

Keith nodded

"I understand you, now. Thank you for letting me know this," he said.

"I want to ask you a question but you don't have to answer me if you don't want to, okay?"

Devlin chuckled

"I know you want to know how I come about this new wolf. You've been dying to find out for long."

Keith grinned

"Well, now that you mentioned it, then tell me how you came about this gift. Two heads are better than one. Who knows, maybe we can both figure out the issue of controlling your wolf from there."

"Okay..." Devlin replied and exhaled

"There was a girl. She told me she would help me get revenge on those that killed our parents. I didn't know any better then... Well, not that I could refuse her offer, even if I knew."

Keith frowned

"A girl? Who is she?" He asked

"She was about Marianna's age, if not younger... It was the day after mom and dad were murdered, seven years ago. I was still reeling in shock. Feeling overwhelmed by everything, like the whole world was pressing down on me. I wanted to get away from it all so I decided to go for a run.

I was deep in the woods when I happened upon her in a small clearing. It was raining and this human girl who was about ten years old was just standing there all alone..." A frown appeared on his face then.

"No, she was not just standing, more like she was frozen in place in an awkward position. Her face was turned away from the direction her body was facing.

She saw me when I shifted from my wolf to my human form and didn't even move a muscle. Couldn't move a muscle I mean, apart from her facial expression that looked scared. She just stood there, helpless.

I asked where was her parents. What she was doing in the woods all by herself. Why she wasn't attempting to shield herself from the rain or run when she saw my wolf but all she did was cry and whimper for me not to hurt her.

I was concerned for her. After much talking - I did the talking, she was finally convinced I wasn't going to hurt her. It was then she told me she was caught in a witch's trap..."

"Wait, a witch's trap!?" Keith's eyes widened in disbelief as he asked

"She told me it was an invincible trap that no one could see. That was why she was standing in that awkward position.

After then, she went ahead and spun me a tale about her father being a senator and how she was kidnapped by a witch who wanted to use her for some kind of ritual. She promised to help me get revenge on those that killed my parents if I help her get out of the trap."

"Woah! Hold up! Didn't you just meet her? How did she know you were grieving in the first place?"

"That question also crossed my mind... How did she know I was grieving and how can a kid like her help me get revenge on those that kill our parents but I didn't ask her..."

"You didn't? Why not?"

"Well not like I don't want to ask her, I just couldn't get myself to ask. Don't ask me why, strangely, I don't know myself. All I wanted to do right then was help her get out of the trap like it was my life mission.

"That's strange"

"Yeah... Any time I think about that day, It felt like I was her zombie." Devlin replied with a bitter chuckle.

"She sent me further into the woods to dig up some kind of root for her. I got the root, she asked me to put it in her mouth, sand and all. I did and she chewed, then, voila! She was free, fell to the ground in relief."

"Wao..."

"Yeah. Strange as it all seemed, I still offered to help her return home. She laughed like I just said the funniest joke of the year. Her eyes - there was something about her eyes. They looked - kinda older. Older with this strange and unsettling gleam in them.

The way she smirked and cackled in laughter gave me goosebumps... And then she started to walk around me as she talked - her words were incoherent, gibberish, or maybe she was speaking in a strange language? I don't know. Her voice felt like about ten of her were speaking at the same time."

"Holy shit!" Keith exclaimed softly, shifting to the edge of his chair

"I was already going out of my mind right then. I couldn't move. I just stood rooted to the floor. One moment I was standing and feeling dizzy with my eyes following her movements as she circled around me, the next, I was seized by this violent spasm and I fell to the ground, writhing in pain.

It was like I wanted to shift for the first time, just that this time, the pain was worse. I felt my bones snapped and reform while my skin stretched and tear to accommodate what was growing in me. Then I passed out.

Keith slumped back in his chair and wiped imaginary sweat from his face with his hand. His eyes bored into Devlin's like the video of the scene Devlin just painted was playing on his face

"When I woke up, I found myself surrounded by some witch hunters. I was interrogated. They wanted to know if I come across any body while running in the woods."

"Anybody?"

"Yeah. According to them, a dangerous witch, who was also a master manipulator and a shapeshifter who could take the shape of anyone or anything. Apparently they already caught her in their trap but she somehow managed to escape."

"Fucking hell, That was her! The ten year old girl was the dangerous witch they were looking for?" Keith said questioningly and Devlin nodded

"I helped a killer escape, Keith. She turned my wolf into something I could hardly control. Do you still think it's a blessing?"

Keith sighed

"No. I wouldn't call it that anymore because of where it came from and how unstable it is... but we still can't deny the fact that we wouldn't have gotten out of that ambush alive if it wasn't for what she did to your wolf. We would have died that day."

"Yeah, we would have..." Devlin reluctantly agreed.

"That's why I'm sure we can defeat Dylan if we go to war with his pack. You're more than capable, Dev."

"No..." Devlin disagreed this time

There's a huge difference between an ambush and a war, Keith. Especially if the pack you're going to war with is the biggest and oldest pack in North America. Even though we've also grown our pack to the fourth largest, Dylan's Red moon pack still has the number on us.

And this isn't about me, you and Mariana wanting revenge anymore. We have pack members, among whom are the elderlies, she-wolves, and pups. These set of people can't really defend themselves. They depend on us to keep them safe.

I will not act rashly by declaring war on the oldest and largest pack in the whole of North America if I'm not sure I can keep my people safe. I will not, Keith!"

Keith exhaled

"You're right. So how do you intend to use Dylan's daughter against him?"

"Bitch is ambitious. Wants to be my Luna."

"What!?... Please, Dev! Don't tell me you're considering granting her wish!?" Keith asked, appalled and Devlin laughed.

"Hell no! I just want to string her on long enough to find out what's going on inside Dylan's clan."

Keith heaved a sigh of relief

"Oh, okay... Whatever you say, boss." He replied a smile

"Now that that's out of the way, what's on my schedule for today? We're running late already." Devlin asked as he stood from where he was sitting.

Keith's face suddenly transformed into a huge grin

"You're gonna love this, Dev. Roman Walker, the Alpha of the second largest pack in the whole of North America requested for a meeting."

"Oh, is that so?" He asked with surprise. "Victory is nearer than I thought then. I can smell it"