Chapter 4. His existence

Levi’s POV

            I hate her. I thought she cared for me. I really believed she loved me. Who wouldn’t, when all my life I stood by her side, listening to her, abiding her sick ways of living, getting beaten and bullied for no reason, in hopes for some affection and love only a mother could offer.

            She was no mother. She was a monster. My anger rises every time I think how she tricked me all these years until I heard her talking to her demon, realizing that she was actually the one behind my parents’ death. The agony I felt...the pain...the fury...

            I’ve heard her speaking to herself many times, but somehow, I couldn’t decipher what she was saying, or who she was speaking to...until the day before my 18^th birthday, when everything changed.

Her demeanor and the way she acted towards me. I wasn’t her adoptive son anymore, the one who she rescued from the bewitched rogues who supposably killed my family, no... I became instantly her enemy. Therefore, she had me trapped in this place... whatever this place was, it was driving me mad. 7 years have passed, and I still don’t know how to get out of here.

My imprisonment.

My curse.

I exhale deeply looking away from the clear night sky I see every night. Every time the same.... I’m stuck in an endlessly loop. At first, I thought I was somewhere in a forest near a city of humans somehow, but seeing that every morning looked the same, every evening felt the same, even the same birds were chirping at the same time every day, spotting them in the same place...

Every.

Freaking.

Day…

It’s worse than being caged and beaten every day for not obeying the tasks my so-called mother would give me...

I cannot even remember how it feels to shift exactly. The last time I shifted, it was earlier on the day I was rebelling against her, trying to knock her down, right after hearing her conversation that opened my eyes for the first time to see the real face of the one who kept me by her side all these years...

FLASHBACK

7 years ago

After a run in our area, I cut my training short wanting to ask mother to extent the limit of my training area. Thunder is getting very restless that he is not allowed further on to run free and I’m having a rough time to control him and make him understand it is dangerous to wander off without protection. So, we we’re told. Whenever he tries to convince me with arguments, his voice becomes muffled, and a headache starts. I have to ask my mother about that, it’s happening more often and I cannot have a decent conversation with my wolf because of that.

“Not now I won’t!!” she hissed through her gritted teeth, “There is still time, I have a plan!” she said a bit louder, looking around her suspiciously, trying not to get caught.

“I know he is her mate!! I’m am not a fool, be careful what you are implying demon!! that only makes things worse!! I thought I could use his powers, but I’ll manage! Damn Selene!!” she said rubbing her temples seeming to be in great distress.

Who is she talking to?? Demon??! I try to stay hidden so that she doesn’t spot me. And whose powers is she referring to?

After a slight pause she added hissing with pure hatred in her eyes “I will bend him after my will, and toss him afterwards in the pits of hell, just like I did with his parents! Of all men on this earth, her mate is exactly who I need the most to finish them, once and for all!! Humph! Thinking they could live happily ever after...oh, no, no, no dear sister...no happy endings for you in this lifetime! I’ll have my full revenge soon!... just have to take care of my greatest asset a few more years...” she said in a loud whisper with a sinister smile on her face. “Just a couple more years... dearest son!” she added now caressing the gold diamond shaped pendant around her neck which had an intense purple colored crystal in the middle.

It was me!! I am the one who’s referring, but that means...she killed my parents??? I thought that... rogues killed them, and she had been my savior. I cannot even remember them that well, just glimpses of images. They we’re innocent. We had a quiet beautiful life in the forest...I was only 4...My anger is flaming and without thinking my claws emerge slightly scratching the wall.

She looked in the corner mirror at her reflection as if talking to herself, and I could see that one eye was glowing bright red, and the other one dark green as her witch powers were surging being fueled by her anger. I’ve seen that happening whenever she performs a spell, but I’ve never witnessed the red one. Just as the scratching sound was heard, in a fleet of a second she spotted my presence behind the wall line I used to hide myself to listen and with her heightened senses she knew right then that I was spying on her.

A blast of black electrifying energy was instantly emitted from her hand towards the wall making it blow, throwing me to the ground, shocked. She never shown me such a display of power. Fuck, she was strong.

With gritted teeth she asked “What are you doing here...dear?” the latter word being venomously spitted from her mouth, as her eyes were glowing bright in the poor lighted living room. “Are you spying on me...my son??” tilting her head like she was speaking to a small child.

“I am not your son!!!” I shouted, still shocked after her confession of murdering my parents, jumping right back on 2 feet with a swift move trying to pounce.

 I wanted to kill her, my wolf too, but yet again as I was assessing the situation with him, that headache came back, this time more powerful than ever, making me kneel before her, clutching my head between my palms, the pressure and loud ringing being too much.

“You really thought you could attack me??? Ungrateful brat!!” she yelled as she sent a small current in the pendant that she was now touching with her forefinger. Just then, I felt as someone electrocuted me and everything went black.

END OF FLASHBACK –

I woke up here, not knowing where “here” was.

I remembered the conversation with her, getting fired up again, this time no claws emerging. I sensed that something was amiss when I tried to reach Thunder, but it felt like he was locked away in a corner of my mind unable to free himself. For days I tried to reach him but it was useless.

 On the day of my 18^th birthday, as I woke up, staring at the wood ceiling of my prison-hut, I thought of my mate…If he/she existed in the first place. During my childhood years, and as a teenager I’ve just read some books about werewolves and their history, and so I’ve learned about the existence of the so-called soulmate one could have. A bond established by Selene, our Moon Goddess, through which every individual could learn to love unconditionally and to grow spiritually. At least that was the theory.

I tried to ask mother about it, and she said it was all just a fairytale, and that I have no use in investing my time in made-up stories. She wanted to throw the books away, but I was faster than her as I already hid them before our conversation. Remembering all those red flags I ignored growing up, another feeling of rage washes over me, and right then I’ve sensed another presence in me, one I never felt before, empowering me.

Just as I wanted to let it take over, whatever that was, my arms started glowing and golden chain-like tattoos appeared on them as suddenly an increasingly burning sensation took over them, spreading to my back and chest... kneeling me once again...

And that was just the first time...out of many... How am I going to end this torture? Is this really it?....