C5: "The Starting End"

Our beloved Island, the one I was born in, where I was given talents I had to master, and skills I had to learn.

This is W. D'neraux, Ririel Rhieo's best friend. And the history that stays unsaid, are the best out of all of them.

I have lived in it, and I will keep telling the tale.

It was a good day, a normal day at the woodland edge for me, training pups and mastering my skills.

"The glade, Warr..." Maira, my wife, came to me with a confused expression.

I hurriedly ran there as the rest of the warrior pack followed us.

At the glade, the howling stopped. Which was unusual, but what confused me even more was this light, shining blindly-bright on the very center of the place.

"What is that?" I asked, but none of us had any idea.

As soon as the light was gone, the bright full moon has shown itself and Maria walked up to the middle, we were all left in shock as soon as we heard a baby cry.

"A human being!" Maria exclaimed, everybody in a stance, scared for our lives. It has been the very first time in thousands of years that a human being has stepped foot on our island. It was very impossible. "Wait, pack..calm down!" My wife shouted.

We were all waiting for her signal to attack the infant,

"Let it go, Maria." I ordered.

"The island is speaking." She said which made all of us silent, the leaves were swaying and the wind was howling. She was closing her eyes for so long, we waited and anticipated.

Once she opened her eyes, she looked at the baby for so long, admiring it like it was hers.

"Ririel is his name, he will be called Aelpha, the highest leader among all of us. The life he has is given by the island, and he comes from the remains of Theresa. He will be treated as the island's son..capable of almost anything, we will raise him like he is ours." She relayed.

And so we did, Ririel grew up to become our leader like he was given life to be. He was my best friend, I was there when he failed, when he learned, when he realized, when he wanted to do all things and discover the limit of his own powers.

"You can build mountains, Ririel." I chuckled, proud of him for discovering this new talent.

He grew up to be bold and strong, but just like anyone, he needed a companion to be with him all through the rest of his life.

"Lana, she is the woman given to me by the island." Ririel introduced to everyone.

We respected Lana like how we respected him, we honored them, and we believed that Ririel was the island in a half human and half wolf form. He was seen highly. We feared yet we loved him.

His orders aren't just orders for us, it was an honor to be tasked to do something for him.

"And by the island's name and all the witnesses we have today, Lana and Ririel are one. Lana will be treated the way we treat Ririel, she will be the mother of all of us, and Ririel will stand tall as our father." Warr announced.

I declared them as one.

"A human has found the island, Ririel." I reported.

"Impossible." He said, leaving his cabin and following me towards the outer layer.

Ririel closed his eyes to communicate with the island,

"How are we seen, how are we visible?" He whispered.

"It remains a mystery." I answered.

"What is happening here, my wife?" Lana came, she followed us to witness the situation herself.

"How can a human be inches away from the island?" Ririel asked.

Lana took a closer look, "Valer Barlowe."

"You know him?" I asked.

"Yes, he was the human who knew about the island, he is the sailor who once saw the island. He died and I found him when I was hunting for humans from the last full moon...he is a reborn, I made him a reborn." Lana honestly answered.

"He is immortal, my wife?" Ririel asked.

"Not really, only a reborn can kill a reborn. And I am that, so I can kill him." Lana answered her husband.

"Does that answer Ririel's question, Lana?" I asked.

"Yes, Warr. He is a reborn, which means he now has knowledge and full understanding about our island. He can choose to live here now, and stay here forever." I answered.

"So he is not an enemy?" I asked.

"Anyone can be an enemy, we'll see." Lana answered and went out to show herself to Valer. Ririel followed after her, and so did I.

"Valer Barlowe...what made you change your mind?" Lana asked.

"I did not change my mind, I came here for answers." Valer answered.

"Answers to which questions?" She asked.

"If I deny the invitation of the island, will I be able to see the island again, or even step foot?" He asked.

"No, never again." Lana answered.

"Being a reborn, is that a curse?" He asked.

"Depends on how you see it, but keep this a secret until your last breath. A reborn is much more important than you think you are, you are chosen. I was asked by the island itself to make you one, so make good use of it." Lana said.

"I will keep everything a secret, but I will decline the island's invitation, Lana." Valer said bowing before leaving.

The three of us watched as the reborn sailed away until he was out of sight,

"What if he eats the human population at the connecting cities and makes the dead ones a reborn, my wife?" Ririel asked as we walked back to the bayou.

"No, he cannot do that. A reborn does not crave for blood, he lives normally. He could have been of use, but he declined the island's invitation. We need to make sure the enemy does not know about it, or he could be used against us and kill me, kill everyone here and let the enemies win." Lana said firmly.

Valer Barlowe was never seen ever again, but then enemies came, it was the first biggest war that the island would ever experience.

"Warr, go far away." Ririel ordered me.

"I can fight, Ririel. I am stronger than you think." I tried fighting.

"But, I am the strongest and I am the Aelpha. So you will follow me." He was firm with his decision.

"With enough wolves, we can defeat that in no time." I argued.

"No, Lana and I can handle it."

Left with no choice, I backed down.

Ririel and Lana stood back to back, holding hands as they fought. They did not even sweat.

Ririel was a nice leader, and with his wife by his side, they made a perfect team. But with their island-given powers, we almost seemed useless.

Aelpha can fight, like the warrior pack could, and even more. He could howl, louder than anyone can, and he has Lana who now has given birth to a wolfire, the first ever half vampire and half wolf in the island, the next Aelpha..which the mother pack was assigned to do so, to reproduce.

He commanded us and we followed. We felt like we had no voices, no choices, no free will. Like the skills that took hundreds of years to master was not even needed or important.

I now have a daughter, Kainda, who grew up with the wolfire, Aurora. Ririel and Lana Rhieo's daughter.

Best friends of the next generation.

But then another war came, it was harsh.

"This time, can we help?" I asked Ririel.

"Flee the island." He said as he built another temporary island for us while they fight the enemies.

Once again, we weren't heard.

They both died, leaving a mystery to all of us, leaving Aurora to

-----

"That was it?" I asked as I closed the book. "It was unfinished? Not even five pages?" I whined but what I read was what I needed.

Ares came into my cabin, "Is that the history book you have been looking for?" He asked.

"Yes, but it is unfinished." I sighed.

"At least, you found it." He said. "And the librum 40."

"How did you..."

"Kainda."

"Oh, right."

"Should I create alliances now?" I asked.

"With whom?" He chuckled.

"I want to read what is in that librum." I sighed.

"And create war?" Ares asked.

"N-no." I dropped my back on my bed, and sighed very heavily.

"The next full moon is the day after tomorrow." I sighed.

"Days pass by so quickly." Ares laid down beside me, we both stared at the ceiling.

"I know, how do I find alliances?" I asked.

"The witches." He answered.

"They won't fight against their families." I said.

We were both silent for a while, until I saw the book on my hand.

"The wolves." I sat down, realizing something.

If there was one lesson I learned from that unfinished book, it is that they were not heard. When my father ruled, he could do anything they could, leaving them behind every step of the way...so, it is them I need right now.

"Gather everyone at the glade." I ordered him.

"O-ok." He said before standing up and leaving, I stood up with him and went back to the woodland edge to get the last librum.

"What's going on, Aurora?" Kainda asked, panicking and confused as soon as she saw everyone walk towards the open area at the glade.

"I'll explain later, go on. I'll follow." I answered before walking back to the shed, I took the librum with me. Careful enough to not open the book.

I hurriedly ran towards the glade as soon as I saw no other wolves with me at the woodland edge.

When I got there, every wolf in the community was confused, whispering, some even guessing what was about to happen.

I stood right in front of them, on top of the rock where I saw everyone from there.

"Pack..." I started. "A few weeks have passed ever since I have started the mission. Almost two months already."

I heard whispers and murmurs alongside as I talked.

"And yes, Kainda and Ares know about it. The rumors about a witch, three to be specific, are true."

They gasped, "Are you putting us in danger, Aelpha? No disrespect intended." A wolf spoke from the crowd.

"No, to be honest, we are in danger and so are they." I stated.

"An enemy from the ocean's floor?" One asked.

"No, none of those...this.." I raised the librum. Whispers were getting louder and louder. "The same fog from the dagger I found in my mother's chest. It is lingering on 40 librums, under the possession of the strong and powerful witches and wizards in the coven." I explained.

"What is that?" Maria asked.

"I can't say...I have seen and read the contents inside the other 39 librums, the wizards and witches has let me seen and they consciously gave me their librums...which proves zero unwanted intentions." I stated.

"So open that one for us to see." Hunts' brows were furrowed.

"That's just it, I can't." I sighed. "I tried...but Morgan Marin, the strongest witch of the coven line, warned me. And don't get me or Morgan wrong..when I tried opening the book, there was a blue light. So bright it almost blinded me, then strong winds came, so strong it made Kainda fall along with the three other witches I was on this mission with. Morgan reversed the winds for us, I know I am not so sure yet, but she was helping us...for sure." I exhaled.

"Is that true?" I heard Hunts ask Kainda, they all looked at her to hear her response, she nodded for agreement.

"We cannot open the book, Morgan warned us, she said...if I open the book and learn its contents..war will come." I was also worried, but the feeling wasn't visible on my face.

"So it's basically, some of our lives over the book?" A teen wolf from the warrior pack asked.

"Basically right." I exhaled.

"How important is the book on the scale from one to ten, Aurora?" Warr asked.

"11, Warr. It could be the answer to the death of my parents, which I have been looking for, for over three centuries now." I smiled tightly. "But..surely not as important as everyone's lives."

"I-if it is that important then...I, Warr, the Alpha of the warrior pack, agrees to open the book and see whatever is inside it." My eyes widened with his declaration.

When someone declares a decision, especially when it comes from the three Alphas of each pack..Ares, Warr, and Maria, the pack that they lead shall decide whether to agree or not. Those who do shall stay with the pack that the Alpha leads and do what was declared. Those who do not, well..will pretty much become no one. Just a wolf who lives here, no tasks, no duty, no purpose.

"If Warr agrees to fight and have a war for our first Aelpha, Ririel, and his wife, Lana. Then I, Maira D'neraux. The alpha of the mother pack will agree to get the strongest pack ready for battle." Maria stepped forward.

"Well then, I, Ares D'neraux, Alpha of the howl pack shall be ready to warn and fight with everyone else in this war that this island will be about to encounter, under the ruling of Aurora Rhieo."

"Pack, we don't have to declare." I calmed them down.

"But, the answer is in front of you, Aurora. We were born to fight, which we haven't done in more than a thousand years." Warr looked at me in the eyes as if he knew I read his unfinished book.

"Are you sure, Alphas?" I asked, swallowing.

"More than ever." Ares answered.

"I, Aurora Rhieo..the Aelpha and the first wolfire of Island Old Rhieo..grants the declaration." I sighed.

They started to split into three for each pack, those wolves who belong in their certain pack have to agree with the declaration and move with their Alpha, and so they will stand behind them. Those who disagree shall stay in the middle. They are still protected, they have rights and privileges. It is just their will to fight or not, they should have a choice.

"Wolves, know that the island will wait for those who choose to stay with the newborn pups and not fight. I promise, I will not think less of you." I stated.

I was surprised to see no wolf in the middle, meaning everyone will fight.

"I-is this final?" I asked.

"Yes, Aelpha." They all said.

"Open the librum now, Aurora." Kainda smiled warmly.

I inhaled deeply before exhaling big, I took the book and showed it to everyone, I was just as anxious as everyone else was.

Thoughts like, could there be magic in the book? Could it kill us as soon as we finish reading it? Or maybe, everyone will be magically controlled or what? All those questions were on my mind.

"Here I go.." I said, I faced the book towards me, I opened it and just as I relayed, the same blue, bright, and blinding light was present.

Yet before the light could disappear, we were all shaken by a very strong rain along with an earthquake, it was very strong that the ground started cracking.

"What is happening?" Warr asked.

My eyes were wide, observing the place as I saw my pack hide in fear underneath shelters that could protect them.

I tried to reverse and fight the earthquake and the rain with my own elemental powers. But the wind and fire would clash with the rain, and it would only do everybody else a greater harm.

I was panicking, not knowing what to do,

"Aurora, the book!" Kainda shouted from underneath the huge tree.

I looked at the open book, its light was about to fade I hurried and closed it, we cannot let the book stay open. As Morgan said, war might start.

I closed my eyes and used every power in me to stop the island's natural phenomenon. I knew I couldn't, but I tried anyways.

I inhaled and raised my hands, hearing all the sounds that the nature around me was giving, I can feel heat and warmth yet coldness and breeze at the same time.

I raised both my hands higher, and to all our surprise, I stopped it.

"Wh-what happened?" I looked at my hands, amazed of what I just did.

"How did you.." Maria came up to me, smiling. But just before she could even congratulate me, I fell.

I only woke up to the familiar sight of my cabin,

"Aurora.." Kainda was beside me, so was Ares and Hunts.

"What happened?" I asked.

"You fainted, it could have been from all the powers you used." Kainda answered.

"The book?" I asked.

"It's safe, right there." Hunts pointed at the librum stacked along with my other books on my shelf, right across my bed.

"I...I felt different." I stated.

"Different..how?" Ares asked.

"It was like I was stronger, like I was old and not..me." I stuttered.

"Elaborate." Kainda sat beside me on my bed.

"Like I had more in me." I sighed.

"Well, we hope you feel better, Aurora. The whole pack is worried." Kainda said before leaving.

"I'll rest, I got it. You may now go back to your respective tasks, Hunts, Ares." I ordered.

"Aelpha Aurora, understood." They said before leaving my cabin as well.

I sighed as I stared at the librum across me,

"How could opening that book create war?" I asked myself, "Would it create supernatural happenings, or rather, cause trouble to all of us? I don't understand!"

The power I felt a while ago, it felt different, it was not mine...

"The fire you used to break the vine, it was not yours entirely."

It was what Morgan told me when she caught us at the woodland edge,

"Not mine, then whose magic is it?" I asked, biting my thumb. Exhausted from all of the wonders and history I just knew about.

A history about my mother and father's past is hard enough to understand, not to say, finding out about it on my own!

My attention was on to Ares who suddenly came back, bringing some sugar cookies for me.

"The mother pack baked those?" I asked.

"No, a wizard came handing us these." He answered.

"A wizard?" I was confused. But I immediately knew it was from Wallock. "How did he get inside safely?"

"He was with Phoebe, she is already a recognized witch." Ares answered.

"Aelpha!" Wallock and Phoebe entered my cabin.

"Speaking of.." Ares smiled.

"Why are you here?!" I asked.

"You needed alliances?" Wallock asked.

"Yes..Phoebe told you, I suppose." I chuckled.

"I'll go ask the wizards for your help, I'm good at convincing!" Wallock was very cheery and not so shy anymore.

"Are you sure? It could put your lives in danger.." My brows furrowed.

"Don't worry about us, magic would keep their mouths and power-spitting hands off." Phoebe smiled.

"We just came to check on you and ask for your permission, we would not want to do a step that would completely ruin your plan." Wallock said.

"O-ok..be careful and thanks for those." I pointed at the plate full of sugar cookies that Ares brought in for me.

"Anytime, Aelpha." He said before leaving.

"You really made friends with the mysterious wizards and witches, huh?" Ares chuckled as he placed down the cookies and sat beside me.

"It happened so unexpectedly, I thought they were enemies." I laughed a little.

"They could still be." Ares said.

"Anyone could be an enemy, we'll see."

My mom's words came back to me, "I really hope not."

"It has been a while since we had a trip around the island, just deep talks before we come home..." Ares looked at me.

"I know what you're suggesting." I chuckled.

"Yeah?"

"Uh huh.."

"So?"

"We are in the midst of crisis and possible war, Ares. My head is spinning in confusion."

"A good reason for a good look at the setting sun."

I stopped to think, "Hmm..okay, fine." I said before he dragged me out.

When the door swung open, we saw Kainda and Hunts having another war before the real one could even start.

"You want this? Then eat." Kainda shoved the cookies inside Hunts' mouth.

"That hurt! I could have died, choking!" Hunts whined.

"That is a great way of killing you, nice idea."

"What if I kill you now?"

"Kill me!? You're going to kill me? You stupid freak." Kainda started hitting Hunts on his shoulder, then they started doing their usual again. Fighting until someone gets hurt and wounded.

"Oh, what a cute love you have, hurting each other is your sign language, is it?" Ares teased.

"Do you want to die with Hunts, Ares?" Kainda's attention was now at Ares.

"Aurora.." Ares walked and hid behind me.

"Being protected and protecting each other is your love language?" Hunts teased back.

"Love, what's that?" Ares scoffed.

My brows furrowed when I heard him scoff, I turned around to look at him standing behind me, he was tall so he easily over towered me.

"Really, Ares?" I smirked.

"Y-yeah! Really." He was avoiding my stares and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Is there something we don't know about, A?" Hunts asked as they both approached us, a distance between each other.

I smiled and Ares was hesitating,

"Ares...has an avoidable feeling of love for this lucky lady around the community!" I exclaimed.

But Kainda and Hunts' expression did not change, their face was still as a rock, not even surprised, one bit.

"Gu-guys, I said, Ares has a crush." I repeated.

"Yeah, it's you, is it?" Kainda asked, brows furrowed.

"What?!" Ares and I shouted in sync.

"No...guys, that couldn't be." I whispered as I looked at Ares.

"Yeah..stop assuming things." Ares turned his back on me.

"But you just asked me last night if-" Hunts was stopped by Ares' palm covering his mouth.

"I asked him about what was happening around the community..Aurora." Ares finished Hunt's sentence for him.

"Ares..I can read minds." I smirked.

"Right.." He let go of Hunt's mind, kind of disappointed.

"But, I'll never use that to forcibly know something. I promise, it's your choice." I looked at Ares with my doe eyes.

"I swear you have that very long time crush on her..it was the last I know." Kainda whispered.

"N-no, that couldn't be right. I have Vexon!" I chuckled awkwardly.

"Yeah, she has..Vex." Ares said.

"But Ares came first-"

"No, Kainda..stop it. That's not, no..I, ok. Just stop." Ares said.

"You guys are joking." I chuckled.

He smiled at me, "Do you still want to have a walk, Aurora?" Ares scratched the back of his neck.

"Why wouldn't I?" I chuckled.

"This..got awkward, well follow me." He said before walking first.

I jogged to catch up on him,

"D-don't mind them, they were joking to tease me." Ares defended.

"I know, Ares..come on, they've been like that since I don't remember when!" I smiled and lightly pushed his shoulders.

"Yeah.."

"So, where are you taking me?" I asked.

"Wherever you want to go."

"How about, a walk along the outer layer of the island? You know, it feels nice to feel the ocean water sometimes." I suggested.

"Or a walk towards the wishing pond of mysteries? The fresh water fishes there are very beautiful at this time." Ares suggested.

"How can we see the sunset from there? That is deep inside the island, in between our community and the witches'."

"Have you seen the fairy's community?" Ares asked.

"Is there one?" I asked, eyes wide. I never knew there was.

"Yeah, but it almost doesn't have life to it, the trees there never grow back its leaves. Its cute ladybugs never appeared anymore, and it was never lit up, or became colorful since they were extinct. Only the wishing pond of mysteries was left." He said.

"How do you know all of these!?" I chuckled.

"Books and pictures, Warr used to send me photographed photos of the fairy land, but they never knew how or why it got extinct. So they assumed it was because of something the fairies did horribly, but Warr was friends with them, so he knew they were good fairies."

"Were there ever bad ones that existed?" I asked.

"Rebels, there were a few, Warr even thought it was because of them that made their own kind extinct. But, he stopped assuming things and moved on, but both of us still believed that some fairies somehow survived, hiding inside the wishing pond of mysteries."

"May I see the pictures?" I asked and he nodded.

"Take it, bring it here. It is inside our cave, at the very dark edge, there is a rock shelf, get it from there." He instructed.

I closed my eyes and used my powers to make his album of pictures float towards us, we weren't very far so I did not have a hard time.

"I see a brown and old book." I relayed what I saw in my mind.

"Get it, that's it."

"Okay, any minute now." I smiled, eyes are now open.

In a few minutes, the album came forward to us, and so I stopped my magic.

"Here." He handed me printed, photographed photos of what used to be the fairy land.

In one photo was Warr, celebrating with them. A feast of mushrooms, berries, and leaves were served on a long table.

Fairies were flying in the background, and the place looked so bright. Like life was very much present. Mushroom houses and leaf stairs, wooden houses out of sticks, fireflies, beautiful creatures, and caves that are so tiny.

"Wow." I exclaimed.

"Do you want to see what that land looks like right now?" Ares asked.

"Sure." I exhaled.

We walked towards the wishing pond of mysteries, with the photo on my hand.

"I have been here before, but I never ever saw anything related to fairies." I said.

"Look around." Ares said.

I did look around, and there I saw...things. Things that amused me so much, their house camouflages with the trees, the nature, and the dead mushrooms.

"It's..sad." I sighed.

"There used to be different fairies for every different element of earth, but everyone was the same, they were family."

"Like our pack, we each have different packs for every task, but we are one, we are a family." I smiled as I walked towards the wishing pond.

"Exactly." He smiled. "Do you want to know my greatest wish, Aurora?" He asked after a long pause.

"What is it?" I turned to look at him.

"For my uncle's wish to come true." He smiled.

"And what is that wish exactly?"

"To see those fairy friends again, to see them live here, again."

"I..I don't think that's possible, Ares." I sighed.

"I know, but it's Island Old Rhieo after all." He chuckled.

"Shall we give this place a tour?" I asked.

"Well, we're here already after all." He smiled cheekily.

I took a closer look around the dead trees that stood still after all these years but never grew leaves anymore, there I found many...many houses, cute ones.

"I think we can try bringing this place back to life, right?" I suggested to the busy Ares, touring the place.

"How?" He asked.

"Uh, the wishing pond of mysteries?" I asked.

"I come here every once in a while, wishing for the exact same thing, Aurora. None." He shrugged.

"My elemental powers?" I suggested. "After all, I haven't fully discovered the full capacity of powers that both of the elements could possess." I sarcastically said.

"Yeah, great idea! Oh, how lucky I am to have you, Aurora!" He jumped up and down in excitement.

"Wh-what?" I asked, blinking really fast.

"Do it now." He commanded with hoping eyes.

"I was joking..Ares." I chuckled awkwardly.

"I know, I know! Come on...wait huh?"

"I was joking, I cannot give life to what is now dead." I smiled.

"Oh."

"Sorry, I cannot purposely bite all of them to make the fairies live again and make them live as reborns, can I?"

"No, certainly not." He sighed.

"But, I do believe that there are still other fairies here, alive and hiding." I said to comfort him.

"So you can't blow wind and give life?" He asked again.

"No, possibly not." I bit the inside of my cheeks under the tension of awkwardness.

"You had my hopes too high there." He sighed.

"Sorry."

"No, it's okay. Where do you want to go next?" He asked.

"Can we stay alongside the river for a while? I just love hearing the birds and I have a lot on my mind." I suggested.

"We can do that." He agreed.

We walked towards the river in between the glade and the bayou, where a few rocks were present. There was also a medium-sized spot with no trees, where we sat and observed the flow of the water.

"Feels nice to be here." I exhaled so heavily as I closed my eyes.

"I know, being here with you, especially." He sighed with me.

"Oh..right, about what Kainda said a while ago," I opened my eyes to look at him.

"Oh that? Don't mind her. She was fooling around."

"I know, but..about the girl you love, uhm, when are you planning to get ready to lose her?" I asked.

"Wh-what?" He asked, facing me.

"You said, you'd confess your love for her once you are ready to lose her, so when is that?"

"I'm trying, but not now, not yet. Why'd you ask?"

"I just feel like, one of my friends should be able to have off springs now, a new generation for the pack, don't you?"

"Off springs!?" He exclaimed.

"Yes, we are already living way too long and we need new generations now. I think we are all ready to have young ones, aren't we?"

"Are you?" He asked.

"Huh?

"Do you want young ones now?"

"With Vex? No." I chuckled.

"What? You boast about him, you talk about him almost all the time, you want him forever, so why not?"

"He is human." I said straightly.

"Oh, what's wrong with it?"

"A human cannot come inside the island, can they? They can't even see it." I chuckled.

"Then..have young ones and bring them here, they are half, just like you. They should be accepted, right?"

"Half a magical dead body, that's what I am, Ares. A half human...we never had one before. No, not with him, not yet."

"So whom do you want pups with?'

"Depends on the island, right?"

"The island never spoke to us for centuries, Aurora." He shrugged.

"But that doesn't mean he's not watching, that doesn't mean I do not get to have his approval like all of our parents did back then, right?"

"You really believe, the same red and glowing butterfly would fly on your wedding day as a sign of the island's approval of the marriage will still show up?" He asked.

"Well no one ever got married after my father died, so no one really knows yet."

"And, if not Vexon, who is it you'd like to bear a child with?"

"Someone. I love him, but a human being is not one with the island, Ares. You know the rule, no human being can step foot on this island, neither can either of us give knowledge about it and bring a human being here."

"So, Vexon is a no-go?" He asked.

"Vexon is a no-go as a father to my children. But he is a yes-progress as my husband."

"You can't possibly think about not having a child, Aurora."

"I can."

"The island needs and Aelpha."

I stopped talking as soon as I heard him, swallowed hard and looked away.

I mean, I could stay as the Aelpha forever, right?

No..I can't. We need and heir.

"Tomorrow is the second full moon, I'm off to the connecting cities again." I smiled.

"Vexy time!" He cheered very fakely.

"Vexy time?" I repeated, confused.

"Apparently, sexy time is what they call sex. Vexon...sexy time..vexy, haha okay..never mind."

"What the bloody fuck is vexy time!? No way! What I meant is that Kainda and Hunts' punishment has successfully lasted for two whole months now!"

"Right, you cupid. Love maker, how are they both doing?"

"Hmm, good. The fight is still present, but their relationship should improve after quite some time."

"You think they'd realize what you're doing?"

"Kainda knows, I just have that feeling they do care for each other, they have a great and reckless personality that I guarantee will be a perfect match for each other." I smiled.

"So you just hope they'd start caring for each other and not kill each other every second that their eyes meet?"

"I'm not hoping, Ares..they do care for each other. Wanna bet?"

"Bet what?"

"How many months until they actually start to show real emotions."

"So we're sitting here and you casually say you want to bet our friends' love timeline?" He laughed.

"So, are you in?" I asked.

"A month after your fifth full moon punishment." He smirked.

"The third month of my punishment." I bet.

"That's like a month from now, you sure?" He scoffed.

"Yeah, confident, 100%."

"I missed the way we used to be this free.." He sighed.

"Remember my hundredth birthday?" I asked.

"Yeah, when everybody thought you were dating me." He rolled his eyes.

"Yeah right, as if I liked the way they teased us."

"I did." He smiled.

"Yeah cause then you were a step closer to me!"

"You were very intimidating, hard to reach, uneasy, depressed, and unstable. How was I supposed to talk to you and joke around you?" He sat a little closer to me.

"I was? Remember when you disrespected me for the first time using your lame joke and everybody around us was about to chomp you down in seconds?" I laughed.

"Oh it sucked, but at least, you treated me like a friend the next day. That was like our friendship start, the friendship that I could joke around you and hurt your feelings intentionally..not what we had when we were about twenty years old, I was a friend but I don't feel like it!"

"Kainda was the only one I was damn close to, I remember." I chuckled.

"You wanted me to die every time I'd pull out a joke on you!"

"Yeah, I would always pull out the 'Mortiferum' command and you would sprint away." I laughed so hard I fell on my back, feeling the grass on it.

"I always wondered..." He said after we both calmed down from laughing.

"What?" I asked, still laying down.

"Why was it called a 'Mortiferum' command? Where did that come from?" He asked.

"Well..." I started thinking. "When I was born and onwards, I'd always hear father command that to the pack when there was war."

"They never explained the ruling methods to you?" He scoffed.

"I was never ready to become one, they never forced me..but I guess the fucking dagger wanted me to become the Aelpha, it wanted it so bad that I found the dagger inside my mother's chest before they could even explain those shits to me." I joked.

"You seriously love joking about your emotions and trauma, huh?"

"If I can't cry anymore about it, might as well just laugh about it, right?"

"You can find mysteries, move and create mountains, talk to the wind, but you do not know how to express your feelings in words, can you?"

"Ares...I-how..how do you talk it out when you never even know the right words to describe it?"

"Come closer." He smiled.

I was hesitant but I sat a little closer to him, his thighs touching mine from side to side.

"Yeah, what now?" I asked, eyes attached to him.

He was smiling but he was silent, and so was I. Only the river was making a calming sound for us.

His arms opened wide, he leaned towards me to give me a hug. None like the ones I have ever received before, the most genuine, and the most comforting hug ever.

I closed my eyes and hugged him back, smiling, and feeling the moment we were in.

"Perhaps this could help you feel better? No words. Not the need to find it." He said, remaining in the position.

I nodded which made him chuckled a little. We stayed like that for a while, and with every second that passed was making me feel so valued.

I let go, "Thank you, Ares." I stared deeply into his eyes.

"Aurora, as I sat here beside you..I have realized many things." He looked away.

"And those are..?"

"I value you so much, and..and I hope you feel the same way towards me."

"I value you too, what do you mean?" I chuckled wryly.

"Yeah, but..I realized I will never be ready to lose you. I will never be, ever. But I am ready to let you go now." He whispered but I heard anyway.

"Elaborate, Ares."

He looked at me and leaned closer, the tension between us made me swallow hard. I did not know what was in me, or what was happening but I leaned in as well.

Our lips came in contact, he kissed me first..but I kissed back. It was quick but it felt nice.

My eyes blinked fast and so did his eyes.

"I'm sorry..I..uhm, what did you mean again?" I asked, trying to make the atmosphere around us lighter.

"I love you, Aurora. I always have, I always will." He said so confidently.

"But, Ares.."

"You love someone else and he loves you back, I know..I always thought it shouldn't end there for me and the feelings I have for you. I always thought I should just keep it in and let you know when you're ready to reciprocate the feeling, but when I grew older..I realized it wasn't about that..you met Vexon Barlowe, and so then I realized, I'll confess when I'm ready to actually lose against him. To lose you. But at this very moment, I just thought, it's not about losing you against anyone, but letting you go and letting you be." He said continuously, not making me process every bit of what he said.

"Ares.."

"Now, I can proudly say, I love you. Aurora, you were the wolf I always wanted to love and none other, but it's time to let you go and let you be." He smiled.

"Ares, I never knew.."

"I never let you know about it."

"Since when?" I asked.

"Since I was 17, a teen wolf who admired you from afar. Who has now loved you for 333 years, and will love you for as long as I can until I couldn't anymore."

"For 333 years, you never thought to tell me about it?" I asked, brows furrowed.

"Yeah, you were the highest, the Aelpha, someone who could clear out a dozen army line of enemies without anyone's help. While I, I was just an Alpha of the howl pack, who could howl loud but not as loud as you can. Who could fight but not as well as the warrior pack, or you. How could I? Tell me."

"I used to love you..Ares." I confessed, my heart ached for some reason.

"You..you did?" He exhaled heavily, staring deep at me.

I nodded, "But you..I thought you liked Hashna." I smiled in disappointment, remembering that day.

"What?! Hashna from the mother pack? Why would you think that?" He asked, surprised.

"You were close to her, your tasks were the same as hers, she likes you, and you..you were on a mission with her. On my birthday, I heard her confess and you smiled so I left."

"And you didn't think about staying to hear what I said?"

I stayed silent, "I tried to move on and learn to stop loving you, for years I tried to, I hunted during the dawn after the full moon, and there I saw Vexon, and it was where ours started."

He scoffed, "So we could have..I could have skipped all those realizations and not even feel like letting you go?" He whispered underneath his breath, letting out a single tear fall down his cheek.

"I'm sorry." I sighed.

"No, don't be."

"But you love me, still.."

"I'm letting you go."

"Are you fine?" I was stupid enough to ask, now I blame myself, and I have no words left to speak.

"No one in my paws will be fine after hearing what could have been our love story, letting you go will take time, Aurora."

"I know.."

"But I love you still, and I'll always stay close. I just hope things will be far off good for me if I stay behind your back, ready to catch you..taking a step forward every time you take two. Instead of hoping I'd be right beside you, like I did for 3 centuries."

"I'm sorry.."

"Aelpha, apology accepted." He smiled tightly.

"I should have known."

"It's all in the past now, but may I ask a question?" He said.

"Alpha, permission granted." I looked at him.

"Would you ever learn to love me again if I try to stop letting you go and making you feel how you have always made me feel after all those years?" He asked. "Never mind your lover, never mind the things stopping you from answering.."

"You are good, you are a kind wolf, a great member of the pack I lead..but we should first work out on how you feel less than me, like you are weak or what..then, if I feel you value yourself, maybe then I'd let you value me again like you always had." I smiled.