Chapter 24

The werewolf teams are definitely NOT up to sparring today. They're all nursing various injuries, partially healed, and are beyond hungover. Elven wine seems to hit them especially hard, they actually look in worse shape now than they were 3 hours ago when we packed up camp.

"When I'm feeling up to listening I've got some serious questions for you Little Lycan" Jake insists, adopting what seems to be everyone's chosen nickname for me.

"Right?" Jurgen agrees "What have you done for training? I know Lycans are strong, but not even the vaunted Alpha Petros could keep up to you on the battlefield. It was like someone sent a furry avenging angel down to reap the masses. Even with the buffs from Mary we couldn't keep up with your speed." That's when it hit me, Mary hadn't refreshed my physical enhancements once after the fight started, I fought the entire day under my own power, and it was enough to keep up with even my Alpha.

"I'll show you later, if you're sticking around" I assure them. "I won't let you fall behind, it'd make the werewolves look bad."

Laughter ensues at my teasing and I say a quick goodbye, promising to talk to them when they're feeling better and heading off to find Alpha Petros, who also insists on knowing what happened to increase my strength and speed to such a degree. Holding nothing back from the man I'd trust with my life, I tell him all about the mana gems from the beasts, how they dissolve when you eat them, and how the mages helped me circulate them. He sits in rapt attention, mind obviously going a mile a minute, before asking if we had any left.

"Well, yes. But the few we have left are in Karl's possession, so I'm not sure if he still has them, has experimented on them, or has used them for himself" Alpha Petros gets a worried look at that and starts dragging me back towards the lounge where Karl can usually be found

"I've gotta secure one of those for myself. If you can catch me with a single use, imagine the repercussions if another Alpha found out the secret? It'd upset the entire Lycan hierarchy if they started using that power to take over the Packs."

"And you wouldn't?" I half tease, knowing he only remains as Alpha of the Pack because he hasn't found anyone worthy of taking over his title so he could retire. The thought makes him snort in amusement.

"If I take over any packs I'm making you run them Little Lycan"

Laughing we walk side by side into the lounge, finding Mary, but no Karl. Her eyes dart up in panic, then relax when she sees it's just us "Karl said I've got until he gets back to finish this summoning circle. I thought I'd run out of time." Good, Karl will be back soon then.

Barely a minute later, Mary exclaims in joy that she's finally done her circle, and I hear Karl's boots coming from the direction of the dining room. He's talking with someone I can't hear, laughing about how great a surprise is going to be. Coming around the corner, I can see Lala perched on his hip, the bunny visibly excited for whatever secret they've been sharing.

"Ah, Alpha Petros, what brings you to my not so humble abode?" Karl jokes, seeing Petros's serious expression.

"I need you to do to me what you did to the Little Lycan" He demands without explanation

"Well, alright, but you should know, that I don't usually swing that way"

"Damn you Mage, I walked right into that one" Petros laughs off the crude joke "I mean the thing with the stone" Alpha Petros goes on to explain the details of local Lycan politics in a condensed version to Karl, and the necessity for the strongest to remain the strongest to maintain order.

Reluctantly Karl agrees, and tried to set Lala down to get to work. However, she refuses, insisting that she gets to see what the big fuss is and how we've all gotten so strong. Meeting eyes, I can see that none of us has a problem with this, or a reason to keep it secret from Lala, at least not now that she's not writing up a mission report that would expose it to everyone else.

Karl pulls the stone from his pocket and Lala gasps. "Hey, I know those. They're mana cores! These ones look only partially formed, they're still kinda squishy and not perfectly round. But you can use them to awaken your cultivation." This of course requires much more explanation.

"In my world, we've got Mages, Normals and Cultivators. Mages build their power, with the goal of becoming powerful enough to bind an elemental of their aspect and gain its lifespan. Normals, like me, we just exist. The 99 percent of the population that didn't luck out or have the determination to succeed in a quest for immortality. Cultivators on the other hand, did have the drive and talent to succeed. Taking in a mana core and opening your veins is the very first step. It's not the only way, but it's how normals who want to join a cultivation sect usually try to do it. Without help from an experienced cultivator, most die trying though. I've never heard of a mage doing things that way, but maybe they do and just don't tell anyone? It seems to have worked out alright for you three." Lala finally stops to catch her breath.

"Kat would be considered an entry level cultivator now I guess. She's definitely stronger than when we first met. I don't actually know much more though. Somehow you need to increase the energy and make your body stronger, but you'd need a cultivator to teach you that." Petros nods along, taking in the information.

"So, if I follow the process I can become a cultivator like Kat?" Alpha Petros queries her.

"Yep, should work just the same. Just let them do their thing until your energy veins are opened and the sac starts to form in your Dantian and you should start generating your own energy to cultivate, just like Kat. The rest is up to you" Lala looks pretty worn out, she said she wasn't sleeping well to begin with.

Karl notices too "How about you and the Little Lycan run off for a bit and I'll wake you for dinner?" he says, patting Lala "You can show her the surprise you had me make"

Surprise? Oh, I like surprises. Lala hops down from Karl's arms and grabs my hand dragging me towards my bedroom. "Bye everyone, see you at dinner" she cheers, making Petros laugh at her enthusiasm.

Dragging me into my room with a 'tada!' Lala waits for me to take in the changes. Pictures of the group and a few of my old Pack hang framed on the wall, a purple spotted leopard rug adorns the floor, drapes hide much of the wall facing the garden and most confusingly, a large cage stands in the far corner by the window, where my unused second night stand once stood. I cast a second glance around the room, feeling how much more homey it's become with just a few updates. But I must address the elephant in the room, as it were.

"This is amazing Lala. So comfortable, you did a great job" I begin while she hugs me in happiness "But there's one really big thing I just have to ask you." Lala pulls back, a bit worried at what it might be. "What's up with the cage?"

"Oh, my cage! I had Karl make me one!" Yeah, that doesn't really clear things up, except for its intended occupant.

Seeing my confusion she continues "I always slept in a cage, unless I was sharing a bed with someone. I don't feel right alone in a bed, so I had Karl make me one to put in here for the days you're gone. It'll smell like us, not just me, and I'll have somewhere safe to curl up and nap while I wait" Lala looks very proud of her ingenuity.

"What did you tell Karl about the cage?" I ask, feeling a bad omen coming over my peaceful state.

"Just that I liked them. I was going to tell him all that I told you, but he patted my head and assured me you'd understand. He said he'd leave some things for you in your closet. Maybe cleaning supplies? But the rooms clean themselves so I'm not sure. He taught me how to change the settings so that it doesn't erase our individual scents anymore too. He said it'd feel more like home that way." Thank Moon Goddess for that, the sterile never used scent of the overly clean rooms is downright disturbing to a nose as sensitive as mine.

Feeling a bit worn out, I head for the closet to change for our nap. I throw an oversized shirt to Lala to wear as a night gown and noticed a box on the floor, wrapped in shiny black paper with a red bow. It's very pretty, but it's giving me that bad omen feeling again. In front of it is a folded letter with my name on it.

Dearest Kat,

I thought you and the bunny could use a few odds and ends to make your time together more comfortable. Hopefully they're up to your standards.

Keep it safe, sane and consensual

Karl

Oh no.