“I wasn't cursed like this!” A menacing growl erupted from the Alpha's chest, causing the hair on my arms to stand on end as I took a step back. His contempt for humans was evident, making it difficult to understand why he had gotten involved with a human or why he had saved me.
I took a few more steps towards the surrounding forest; the cabin was in the middle of nowhere, and there was no one to come to our rescue. Before I could decide to run, a brown and gray wolf leaped menacingly towards me from among the trees, its fangs bared, making it clear that it was ready to attack. Still in his human form, the Lycan king showed no rivalry, leading me to conclude that the menacing wolf that threatened me was his minion.
A she-wolf emerged from behind him, passing by me; her tones were beautiful in a blend of cream and white, and her stride was majestic and elegant. She walked up to the Alpha in her lupine form, stopping by his side and politely saying,
“Brother, forgive this foolish human; humans are irrational when they feel cornered; fear speaks for them.”
“Don't interfere in this, Victoria!” A thunderous growl erupted from his chest, causing her to shrink her shoulders and lower her ears. She sighed, sitting on her hind legs and looking at me.
“Let us go, please.” I pleaded again with tears in my eyes, aware of the disadvantage I was at.
“Go where? You can't protect him from my enemies; don't be foolish!” He bellowed in fury, his eyes ablaze.
“If you let me go with him, I'll ensure our safety... I can...”
Before I could protest, the massive head of the wolf that had threatened me earlier was alarmingly inches away from my body, threatening to devour me in just one bite.
“Did you even notice Oliver's approach?” he taunted.
I took a deep breath, determined to escape. “Test me,” I proposed. “If I can escape your little wolf here, will you leave us alone forever?” I raised my chin proudly in his direction, swelling my chest with courage, aware that I would have to be cunning to defeat the wolf growling at my back.
In a sinister laugh, the Alpha ran his tongue over his lips, as if savoring the proposal.
“Let's do this, human,” his eyes sparkled, and there I was sure his counterproposal would be cruel. “You will run until nightfall, which will happen soon, and if you're not caught by me,” he paused, smiling menacingly, and I could see his predatory countenance relishing the situation. “You can leave with the child.”
“What? You can't...” His sister tried to object but was immediately silenced by his threat to bite her, forcing her to lose her majestic posture.
“So, human, what do you say?” Lycan kept his chin up in a declared challenge.
“I...” Conan started to fidget in my lap, grumbling from the tension emanating in that forest. “Shh, my brave one, I'll be fine, okay?”
I smiled gently at the small being in my arms, who seemed to understand every word I uttered to calm him. The alpha was assessing my interaction and reaction with his cub.
“Victoria, I allow you to transform and take my cub, leading him safely inside.” He smiled. “It's time for Daddy to hunt his prey.”
The she-wolf nodded, even though her transformation took longer than her brother's, it was still beautiful to behold. The fur gradually disappeared, meeting with the skin; her once massive claws gave way to delicate, graceful nails; her long snout yielded to fine and delicate features; and the gray eyes were replaced by a mottled blue, neither gray nor very blue. She was even more beautiful as a human than as a wolf, if that was possible!
“Excuse me, human, let me take him out of this... I know you want to protect him; he'll be safe here with me when you return.” Her smile was warm and her eyes kind; I felt the truth in the beginning of her conversation, but I noticed the wavering tone when she hinted at my return.
“Just don't hurt him, alright?” I ran my hand over the tip of my brave little one's nose. “I'll take care of another big bad wolf, I'll be back for you soon. Listen to Auntie Wolf!”
The word “auntie” seemed to have surprised the woman in front of me, who nodded with a faint smile, taking my world into her hands. Smelling the baby, she cradled him carefully and sang softly as she moved towards the cabin.
“Give me your word that he'll be safe!” I demanded, afraid I might not return.
“Alpha's word, human... Shall we start the hunt?” He skillfully shifted from his human form to that of a lupine. “I'll give you the advantage of running ahead; I'll count to 100, so you can get away.”
“How fair...” I teased. “If I manage to hide until nightfall, we'll be free.” I asked, looking at him for confirmation.
He nodded, his serious gaze indicating that this was our only chance.
“And if you catch me?” My voice trembled with fear as I asked that question.
The wolf howled in response, his voice echoing through the dark forest.
“I'll kill her mercilessly!” she declared ferociously.
I swallowed hard, realizing that I was facing a dangerous predator who saw me as a little mouse that would play until nightfall. I took a deep breath, preparing to run. Luckily, I used to be an athlete back in school, and I still had the habit of running. I turned my back, facing the forest, but before taking the first steps, I glanced over my shoulder and saw the wolf impatiently staring at me, ready to hunt me down.
“One, two, three, time is ticking, human... Four,” he taunted.
I started running as fast as I could, passing through bushes and dry trees, venturing deeper into that unfamiliar forest. I knew absolutely nothing about the environment. Furthermore, I jumped over a fallen log in my path, scratching my arms on a lower tree branch. Likewise, I was desperate, looking back and calculating in my head the time I had before the wolf caught up with me.
My heart raced with every step, and every sound in the forest made me jump to the side, startled. Suddenly, I stumbled upon a mud puddle covered in moss, reminding me of the necklace my sister used to force me to wear. I smeared the slime all over my body, hoping to become “invisible” to the beast's sense of smell. I continued running even deeper into the forest, spotting a massive tree in the center with some hollows. Furthermore, I approached it, taking the risk of climbing. If my hunter couldn't smell me or see me, I might just overcome this challenge.
I reached the highest possible point as nightfall approached, scanning the area below with my eyes in search of any sign of the wolf that was hunting me. I knew that the countdown had already ended some time ago, and I heard soft branches breaking on the ground, unable to determine if they were coming from the beast that was searching for me or from another animal in the forest.Likewise, I tried to calm my breathing until a deep, menacing voice echoed through the wilderness: “AAAA, little human, you're more cunning than I imagined, masking your scent!” A sinister laugh followed, “You've made things more interesting!”I covered my mouth when I realized that its heavy paws were rapidly approaching me. I prayed in my mind, begging any available deity to make me invisible to my mortal enemy. “I'm going to find you, little mouse!” His growling and amused howl indicated he was clearly reveling in his games.I attempted to climb even higher, fearing being seen. My feet slipped on the branc
It didn't take long for a group of wolves to emerge from the depths of the forest, as if they had deleted the imminent threat. The Alpha had transformed into his lupine form just before the pack approached.“They are many!” I exclaimed, concerned, gripping my trusty dagger in my hand and pointing it at the beasts surrounding us. “Aren't you a king? Where's your pack?” I looked at him for answers, making him laugh at my words.“For these pests, only my Beta and I are enough,” he said confidently, and I couldn't tell if it was his ego or madness.“The human belongs to us, Alpha, return her, and we will leave you in peace without much harm,” growled a dark-toned wolf, seeming to be the leader of the small group.“Is the human an ally of yours?” Beta Oliver exclaimed.The dark wolf sniffed in my direction, trying to recognize me, until he stopped, narrowing his eyes in doubt.“Your appearance is identical, but your scent is not the same. What kind of sorcery is this? I've never seen anyth
I abruptly woke up with the sun's rays invading the room through the window. My first sight was of the bed I had been in before. However, I realized that something was different. I got up, disoriented, and began to frantically search for Conan, my heart racing as my search proved to be in vain. He was no longer in his crib.A wave of fear washed over me, flooding my mind with distressing thoughts. Would I never see him again? Would I never feel his sweet baby scent again? My anxious footsteps took me back and forth across the room, and my hands trembled as I tried to open the locked door. A chair near the window caught my attention, and in a fit of anger and despair, I threw it with force. I felt exhausted and completely nervous.Screaming, I ran my hands through my hair and took a deep breath, trying to regain my composure. “Agatha, what mess have you gotten us into?” I exclaimed, directing my frustration at myself.Finally, the door unlocked, and Victoria entered the room with a gen
It didn't take long for nightfall to approach. The moon in the sky was nearly full, indicating that the transformation was nearing. I felt my breath grow heavy, my instincts sharpen, and I could hear an owl in the background of the forest. On the ground, I could feel a snake slithering its way towards a nearby burrow. I looked out of the open window, sniffing various scents that filled the forest, from the dew on a plant to the damp mist that enveloped the woods.“I'm scared,” I confessed, squeezing my hands. The wolf sat there enigmatically, without uttering a single word.The pains in my joints began with a twist in my stomach, and my ribs felt like they were expanding from within, making room for a lupine soul. “Aiii, it hurts,” I moaned, crouching down and wrapping my arms around my belly. “I don't want this,” I pleaded, teary-eyed, looking at the Alpha in front of me. “Please, help me avoid this!”“Aiii, damn it, darn!” I yelled, surrendering to the pain. Cold sweat dripped down
“Why is this happening?” Sophie's voice was like a whisper, filled with confusion and pain.Unconsciously, she nuzzled her muzzle into the Alpha's neck, sending shivers down his fur. A mixture of desire and the need to possess her overwhelmed him. The wolf before him had just undergone a transformation without losing her rationality—a process unlike anything King Laycan had ever seen. She had been promised to him by her goddess. Its effects were already noticeable, and he was making a tremendous effort not to claim her. It was too early; she still needed to understand what she had become, needed to be trained to control her transformation, and then she should accept him as her mate. Before his eyes, he knew it wouldn't be an easy task, but the challenge of winning his prey was tempting.“Why was I cursed?” Sophie's question caught the Alpha off guard, pulling him from his dark reverie. Her voice sounded like a lament, tinged with sadness.Retracting his muzzle, she lay down on her paw
Exhausted, I plunged into a deep and enigmatic sleep, where I found myself in a dense, fog-shrouded forest. There, I came across my mother near a shadowy tree, accompanied by a giant wolf with light fur. Desperately, I tried to warn her:“Mom, be careful!”However, my words didn't reach her, as if I were invisible to both of them.“Are you sure about that?” the light-furred wolf inquired, rubbing his enormous head against her hip.“I am, my love...” She replied with a smile, stroking the wolf's head. “With this spell, they won't be able to find us!”“They”? Who were “they”? This question echoed in my mind, but no one seemed willing to answer it.My mother turned to face the beast, caressing its belly, and the wolf approached, sniffing and licking her belly.“We will protect them!”“Did you say 'them' in plural?” My mother brought her hand to her mouth in surprise. In the blink of an eye, the wolf in front of her transformed into a human, revealing a gentle smile as he took my mother's
“Is it possible for me to return to my human form?” I exclaimed with joy, wondering if I could become what I had once been.“Maintaining human form requires a great deal of effort, self-discipline, and training.” He turned away from me, glancing over his shoulder and gesturing with his snout for me to follow. “It consumes a lot of energy, so we spend most of our time in our wolf form.”“I thought you stayed that way to appear more intimidating,” I remarked as I started following him out of the hut.“That's true, but this is our most formidable form… You humans...” I hung my head when he mentioned it, as if I were still human. It seemed he had noticed. “They are quite fragile and weak!” His eyes sparkled as the wolf in front of me began to sniff the air, as if searching for something nearby.“How long can you remain in human form?” I began to imitate him, sniffing the air as I sought answers about what I had become.“That depends on your strength; we Alphas can stay in human form for e
I realized I was exhausted when I woke up to the sunlight streaming through the window and realized I had only just slept. I looked at the table in the room, and there was food kindly laid out.Was I asking for too much dexterity to eat with a fork and knife in lupine form? Furthermore, I thought to myself as I approached, trying to figure out how to accomplish this task.Ironically, I devoured my breakfast. I hated the shape I was in, but I knew I had to get stronger. I had to find out where Conan was being held, devise a rescue plan, retrieve him, and escape this madness! Moreover, I was determined to find the reclusive witches; perhaps they could help me break the curse. It was my last hope.That's when I noticed the door opening.“Don't you knock before you enter?” I asked the surly Alpha standing in front of me.“The hut is mine; why should I knock?” he replied rudely. “Have you decided to eat?”“Of course, I don't want to risk annoying you and being forced to hunt again!” I taun