Werewolves??

"Let me guess.. she wanted something in return? She always does", Diana said.

"She did.. She wanted me to convince Karin to come to her. She's the Luna of a nearby clan. As you know, Tamara was obsessed with her. She admired her from the shadows, and stalked her from afar. I remember Karin being annoyed when she notices Tamara following her. Despite Tamara's annoying advances, Karin never lambasted or confronted her..", Daniel said with a soft sigh. "For some reason, I couldn't bring Karin to her, unlike her husband, Viktor, who's very easy to deceive", he added.

"What do you mean?", Diana asked

"I.. never liked Viktor.", Daniel's faced hardened for a bit. "We had different principles. Being Alphas coming from different clans, with divergent upbringing and distinct personal preferences, we were completely different. He was a very cruel Alpha. I hated how he looked down on his people, how he used violence to train his son, and how he punished his pack with brutality.", Diana noticed the change in Daniel's breathing as he clench his fist. He seemed to dislike the cursed Alpha of the Grayback Clan very much.

"What did you do?", Diana asked as she furrowed her brows.

"We were not formally enemies, as we have never clashed, not even once. But we're not particularly friends.. Viktor.. He's a ..", Daniel had a hard time spilling the beans to her daughter.

"What did you do?", Diana impatiently asked as she repeated the question.

"I bluffed him to go to Tamara, and make a wish for him to become the greatest Alpha of all clans..", Daniel answered.

"He believed easily? I thought everyone knew that it is never better for a wolf to work with a nagua", Diana asked as she swept her lose hair back.

"Let's just say, I had very good convincing skills.. and Viktor was all about himself. Becoming the strongest Alpha is one of his delusions…", pushed the cup of tea towards Diana. "I didn't know Tamara willl be turning him to a Lycan. If only I knew..", Daniel couldn't look at his daughter's eyes.

"Did you feel a little guilt?", Diana asked as she sipped on the cup of jasmine tea Daniel made.

"Guilt?", Daniel scoffed as he looked down. "I couldn't sleep after Viktor turned to a beast. Even your mother couldn't erase the bad feelings. Things got more awkward when Viktor and Karin called me for their consults. Viktor never blamed me but somehow, I felt blameworthy and responsible to get him out of that mess", Daniel answered.

"Sometimes, we do things we regret out of our emotions..", Diana replied. "What happened after Tamara cured me from the lycan's attack?", Diana asked.

"As for me, she made me a great physician with only a specific time to practice my expertise. And you, she cured you. Days after she treated you, you became well like nothing happened. What was left, was only the scars on your hips.", Daniel answered.

"But then.. I noticed the changes. I couldn't sense the wolf in you anymore. As soon as the night falls when my senses and therapeutic skills are at peak, I would collect your blood, small tissue on the skin and even a strand on your hair to give light on what she have really done to you. Nagualli are tricksters, something I knew from the start", a few lines started to appear on Daniel's forehead as he sighed sharply.

"Is that why you only take consults at night?", Diana asked.

"Yes. She limited my strength with the help of the stars. My eyes and even my ears could hardly sense during the day.. but at night, I'm strong just like any Alpha. I can operate even without tests. That's also the reason why the time when Viktor and Karin asked for my help, I only visit them at night", Daniel explained. "I even bring you in my late night consults with them. You would fell asleep in the couch as Karin sings you her lullabye so wouldn't be bothered by the screams and wails of Viktor from his silver binding", he added.

Diana realized how she knew Scott's lullabye. It was his mother singing to her. "Then how about my blood? What happened?", Diana asked.

"I became suspicious as she was always insisting to take you and even promised to take care of you with all the luxury she could give. She looks at you like a precious jewel. Then, I intended to find out what she turned you into. And after learning that the cells in your blood were encapsulated, like each cell is protected by some thick form of a strong membrane, I went back to Tamara. She said, you had to be a brand new person along with the cure she made for you. She changed you, Diana. That's why you will never shapeshift to a wolf, no super senses and strength ", Daniel said as felt sorry for his daughter.

"Sometimes, I feel like my skin is tightening then.. it feels like it's going to rip apart and.. there's warmth from inside my guts trying to steam off. It comes when I'm angry, or in danger", Diana sat at the edge of her seat as she show her arm to her father.

"Diana, you're my daughter. Your mother and I passed on the Alpha bloodline to you..", he smiled at the hope that Diana might be able to unleash her true form.. "Maybe my little girl is going to be an Alpha after all.", Daniel said with delight in his eyes.

"But still.., I can't shapeshift.", Diana pouted like a kid. She thought, if she would have spent her growing up years with Daniel, she would have been daddy's little girl.

"We'll figure that out, daughter", with only those few words, Diana felt secured and loved. 'So this is how it feels to have a father', she thought.

"My blood can mask other creatures' nature. Have you heard of vampires turning back to humans?" Diana sat at the edge of her seat as she asked Daniel.

"I haven't heard of that. But, I wouldn't be surprised if your blood is that strong to turn vampires to humans. Tamara told me your blood is wonderfully made… just like how it can supress a lycan", Daniel replied.

"It took me a while for me to find out that your blood can help Viktor supress the lycan. Sooner, he found out that it's your blood that I used to test on him. Eventually, he got impatient and pushy as he wanted you to stay alongside his family to become a source of their normal life for his later generations", Daniel explained.

"Is.. my blood the only cure?", Diana asked.

"No.. I took my chances, and tried my best to find alfernatives. There's this plant that I discovered. It has a few properties that does the same effect like your blood. Only, it is so potent, that the lycan is supressed permanently in a single ingestion. You just crush the leaves and flowers, add rainwater, a few of those herbs and some french cherry stalks ",he said as he show the ingredients on his shelf.

"How did you knew that it works?", Diana asked in confusion. She knew that experiments should be tested. And to figure out if the experiment is effective, it should be done to a selection of test recipients who are cursed wolves that becomes a lycan.

"I tested it.." Daniel stared at Diana before he completed his sentence. "on myself", he continued.

"Huh?", Diana squinted her eyes in bewilderment. "She.. did she cursed you too??", she asked.

Daniel smiled a little. "It didn't come to a point that I had to turn. I never wanted to use your blood. So I worked hard every night to find the cure.. When I tested it on myself, I was cured and never experienced the hardship of a lycan transformation. I just outsmart the nagua by using the gift she gave me so I can find another cure.", he said. "I wanted to give it to Viktor, but it was too late. The night that I was about to give it to him, the same night I wanted to take you away from Tamara, Viktor have already wrecked havoc. Karin, who distrusted me thinking that I ran away from them, even snatched your mother from me, leading to their death in the hands of Viktor in his lycan form.. ", he sadly narrated.

"How did I ended up with Tamara?", Diana asked.

"I lost you that night when I attacked Viktor from taking your mother. When I get back, I never saw you ever again. And that's when I knew Tamara took you.. I tried to look for you, but nagualli.. they only show up if they want to", Daniel said with pain visible in his eyes as he relive the times he loss his small family.

"I understand.. Dad, I don't know how to tell you this but..", Diana wet her lips with a sigh. "Scott Dev.. Scott Lockwood imprinted on me", she said.

"Who?", Daniel asked.

"Scott Lockwood. The son of Viktor and Karin. I'm his Luna", Diana answered as she watch her father gape in disbelief.

The father and daughter were startled when Kate slammed the door open and shut it close again loudly. "We've got company", Kate said as she nervously lean against the door.

Daniel tilted his head as his eyebrows twitch.

"Randall is here", he said.

"Those guys again? What do they want?", Diana stood up as she took out the marbles.

"What do you mean 'again'?", Daniel asked as he stood on his feet and went over the bookshelf.

"We bumped into them when we were being chased by some wolves..", Kate replied.

"What did you do that have angered the werewolves?", Daniel asked.

"They're werewolves??", Kate widened her eyes in fear as she go over Diana.

"Don't they shapeshift during the full moon?", Diana asked.

"Yes. They are slow but even if they don't shapeshift, they are strong and very dangerous", Daniel said as he rip a piece of paper from his old notebook and fold it in a small piece.