What Lies Beneath His Pelt?

CHAPTER 9: TALKS UNDER THE MOONLIGHT

Orange was the color of enthusiasm, energy, happiness, and, in a spiritual sense, the color of the sacral chakra that dealt with the person's creativity and self-confidence. However, in this scenario, I didn't feel enthusiasm or happiness, I felt fear, uncertainty, and hell.

Orange flames covered the entire room and they trapped me inside effectively. I was once again strapped to a metal bed with ability suppressants.

Smoke started to fill the room and as I tried to remove my restraints, it got tighter.

Suddenly, the scene shifted. I wasn't in a burning room anymore, I was inside a cave trying to tend to the dying embers of the bonfire.

The full moon peeked through and I could feel my muscles as they spasmed and my bones contorted. I looked down at my hands as my nails grew longer and sharper, I was getting bigger.

A long howl echoed outside and I howled back. A moment of silence passed before a loud growl echoed back and a figure stood near the mouth of the cave.

It had the torso and legs of a human but its head was that of a wolf with antlers. Its nails were sharp and long, its arms muscular but human. Instead of human feet, though, the creature had bear paws. It raised a finger and beckoned me out.

I tried to fight the urge to follow but after a few seconds of struggling, I lost control of my body and moved toward it.

The closer I got, the heavier my feelings became. When I finally reached it, I was shocked to find that I had been staring into a mirror.

"No! No! I am not a Fabukage! I'm not!" I screamed as I punched the glass and it cracked.

I tried to break the mirror but it held on. As much as I wanted to continue, my knuckles were already raw and bleeding and I lost all strength. I looked in the mirror one last time and saw my grandfather in it, his face filled with anger and disappointment.

"I. WILL. HAVE. YOUR. HAIR."

"Calum!" I jolted from my bed and found Ciara looking at me worriedly. The lights in the room were bright and I realized I was sweating and breathing heavily.

"Calum, are you with me?" Her voice was soothing when she reached out to me and cupped my face. She forced me to look her straight in the eye.

"Calum, deep breath." She instructed. I pulled her closer to me instead and rested my head on the crook of her shoulder, inhaling her scent. It was calm, soothing, and warm.

"Alright, follow my lead." She continued as she began deep breathing. I followed suit and soon our breaths were in sync with one another.

After I calmed down, I released her and apologized.

"It's alright. You needed it. Water?" I simply nodded as I took the glass she handed. As I drank, I finally managed to look at her.

She wore a huge baseball jersey shirt, knee-high socks, and her hair was in twin braids. She looked beautiful in whatever clothes she wore and I realized I stared at her too hard, so I looked away.

"So uh, was I that loud that you heard me? I mean your room is right next to mine...of course, you'll hear me…" I trailed off.

“Yes actually. I was on my way back to the room when I felt your distress, so I checked up on you and, well, found you like this,” she said as she gestured towards me and I looked at myself.

I wore nothing but my boxers and I was sweaty. My hair was a rat’s nest and when I looked at my pillow and bedding, it was ripped into shreds. The onyx pendant I wore underneath my clothes was still there and I noticed that Ciara was fixated on the pendant. Or my pecs? I must say, my scorpion tattoo can draw attention.

“I apologize. I had a nightmare and I think it triggered my Pre-Change Syndrome...” I mumbled as I rubbed the back of my neck. I was expecting her to laugh or get mad but I was surprised when she threw me some pants and an oversized knitted sweater that smelled strongly of her. Her scent is warm and comforting indeed.

“Join me for a walk? The clothes have heaters in them, so you don’t have to worry about getting cold. I’ll ask the servanuli to clean your room and get you some ability suppressants. Maybe some calming-”

“No. No ability suppressants, please. I kinda feel uncomfortable without my abilities. The only suppressants I use are rut suppressants.” I mused as I pulled on the clothes and tied my hair in a messy bun. She took a moment to stare before she nodded.

She snapped her fingers and at once, servanuli came and she gave instructions before she called me again.

The mansion was quiet and dim-lit as we walked through the corridors, our footsteps muffled by the carpet. The silence was peaceful and when we went out to the back part of the wrap-around porch, a line of gothic lanterns hung around it, illuminating the area. Wooden tables and chairs, even a sofa bed rested on both sides and potted plants softened the area.

She led me down the steps towards the garden and I found myself staring at a natural stream smack in the middle. It flowed down twin pools and it led to the pine forest within. On one side of the stream was a fire pit and on the other side was an open area. Above, the moon hovered over the thicket of pine trees and the cool wind brushed against my skin.

I looked at her and was surprised to see that she now wore a faux fur wolf hoodie with the hood up. I was able to see wolf's ears on it.

“Well, well, well, someone seems to have a fascination with wolves. Does that fascination extend to me as well?” I teased and a blush appeared on her face.

“Oh, shut up! But yes, I had a fascination with wolves long before you came, so don’t think I like you or anything! Tch.” She defended and I couldn’t help but laugh at her expression.

“You’re kinda cute, you know that?” I complimented and she dared to flip her hair back.

“I know, kinda hot as well, yeah?” She teased back and heat rushed through my cheeks.

A moment of silence fell as we walked through the forest and it was only broken when she spoke again.

“So, why are you interested in Hadansmuto?”

I looked at her and gave a long sigh before I stopped in the middle of the forest path. I realized we were already in the thick part of the forest.

“Why are you asking me that? You must have read it when we met.” I mused as I sat down in one of the fallen trees.

“I just read your desire to find Hadansmuto but not the reason why. It was like I was being blocked or something from accessing your energy fully,” she replied as she sat beside me. Her arms brushed against mine.

“What do you mean you were blocked?”

“Your pendant. It’s onyx, isn’t it? It absorbs negative emotions and protects you from them, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah. It also protects my aura and is very useful for cleansing dark magic. Yes. Do you think that is the cause why you are blocked? Because it protects my energy?”

“Yeah, but let’s not go off-topic, yeah? Now tell me, why are you interested in Hadansmuto?”

I sighed.

“It’s because I need its pelt to remove the curse I was born with.”

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Thank you so much for your support and patience! You can see chapter art from the story on my i********:, artbyellysse, or my Deviantart, reza-delavega. Do not forget to leave a comment if you want!