Chapter 3: After Many Summers

*Pheobe*

    I opened my eyes to the sound of birds chirping in the morning. Oh damn! I did it again. I looked all around to my surroundings, I was in the woods. Father was going to be mad again. But I did not care. I slept outside so what? But I should really stop making this a habit of mine. Then again, at this point, I doubt I even possess the ability to stop.

The cool morning breeze blew dried leaves in my face. Please don't ask Why dried leaves fell in the middle of summer? I don't know. I also found it surprising too. but the dried leaves only came from one tree. Looking at that big hollow in its trunk, I can't help but remember that day.

It was five years ago...

I left home for the first time. I don't remember Why I did it, but I do remember feeling suffocated. I was tired of it all and just wanted a breather. So I hid from the pack and ran out into the woods. It was a night unlike most that day, a full moon-the last one of the month. It was always a tradition in the family to let the young cubs run wild and have fun on the last day of the lunar's fullness. But I was less than interested in running around with newly turned cubs and their enthusiasm towards a new world.

I mean seriously, I had my first transformation when I was seven. In wolf years I could already be considered an adult. My father was so proud. He said it was the earliest in the history of our family.  That the potential I displayed might even give the family enough strength to finally drive those bloodsuckers back to hell. And so discussions with the elders would arise regularly on finding me a mate as strong and pure a bloodline as mine.

Those sick old perverts, how dare they? What did they take me for? Do I look like a breeding dog to them? Those idiots had the guts to decide to make decisions about my body like it was some commodity. 'My own' body. The thought of it was so sickening and blood boiling that I had to bite on my hand several times, just to keep myself from transforming out of mere anger alone.

And so, I went out that night to enjoy a little fresh air. A little me and nature time to clear the fog in my mind. I had barely gone far when I saw two newly turned cubs stalking prey. Their tracking and hiding skills were so shitty, it made me feel the need to go down there and teach them how it was properly done. Besides I am still the first daughter of the chief-I do have a duty to the tribe. The thought of being a tutor had barely crossed my mind when it changed on whom to help.

The reason was quite simple. From the smell, I found that the cub heading the hunt was the son of Elder Gion. One of the old farts seriously pushing for my acquisition of a mate. I heard his son Andrew was the first to turn after me. But the slowpoke did it when he became thirteen. What a shame. An absolute lack of true talent if you ask me.

I decided to help the weak unsuspecting human instead. Just to spite the fool. Nothing hurts a wolf's feelings like taking meat from its jaws. I stole the human from their claws and ran deep into the night. Even though it was easy distracting the first wolf, it was not easy for the second. Am sure that was a bloodline ability. It kept following everywhere we went and to make matters worse, I could have sworn the human was groping me.

We found a place to hide but I could not take the 'cubs' persistence anymore, I had to activate two of my bloodline abilities. 'Clear Illusion' and 'Nature Concealment'.  I activated them in full force. The senses of a wolf were not easily deceived, and this took a toll on me. My head suddenly ached and the last thing I remember was feeling very tired.

I woke up the next morning in surprise at my surroundings. I was inside the hollow of a tree with a shirt over my body. I sat upright in a panic. I took the shirt to my face, the smell felt familiar.  A thought hit me and out of womanly reflexes, I checked my girly parts. I remembered saving a human male the night before and... damn, "What happened after that?"  I could recall nothing.

The deep-seated pride running in my veins did not allow me to give up on last night's pursuit and that cost me to activate two bloodline abilities at once. It was the first time I ever did that. I checked my clothes and all seemed to be well. at least am sure it was.

The sweet smell of roasted rat drifted into my temporary room and my stomach groaned in response to its allure. i hurried out of the tree to the makeshift campfire. There sat the reason for the roasted rat. I wanted to approach the meat but was too sceptical about the human making the delicacy. He turned to me and surprisingly offered me the biggest one by the fire. "You must be hungry, would you like one?" I wanted to refuse but my hand had already grasped the meat from his hand.

Oh! how embarrassing, the first daughter of the 'Great Poison claw' clan eating forest meat like a savage. It was not my fault, I was crazy-hungry. Bloodline abilities take a lot to activate, and even more to refill. And mine was incredible. If I concentrated hard enough, I could even deceive the chief-my father.

He looked at me and laughed.  "What was he laughing at? Was it me? How dare he!?" I was about to go slap the fun out of his face when he said it, "It feels good, doesn't it? the freedom... You look it. like something has held you down for so long and you are enjoying your escape."

I paused in the middle of my meal. "How did he know? Did I tell him in my sleep? How did he look into my chest and unwrap my burden?" These were the thoughts anchored in my mind. He laid on the ground and looked at me, "Me too." He said

As he lay\, I looked closely at his face. He was suddenly not looking just like a walking bag of meat anymore but a lot... Ahmmm. *cough* I mean\, a 'bit' more alluring. He had bold black hair and nicely carved facial features-the kind one would only see from the work of an unhurried artist.

He told me his story. And I thought my life was sad as it was, but this guy's life was a total disaster. But that is a story I'll tell another time. The bottom line is, we had fun that day. I, the proud princess of a werewolf clan and he, the human experimental subject of a royal vampire lineage. At least we did until members of the pack and the coven came looking for us.

Even more surprising was how he just happened to be in the same class as me at my new school. I remember my heart fluttering when I saw him just sitting there. Oh! what I did in the three years that followed just to have opportunities to see him more. We were forbidden from ever making contact and the stupid things I called my friends ensured the obedience of that order from father. The assholes were not aware that we met here, at the hollow tree at least once a month.

However, on the last day of school two years ago, the fragile thing that beats in my bosom broke. And my chest became hollow just like that tree. An empty abomination. I lost the only colour I ever knew. The world suddenly plunged into grey and more grey for me.

To this day, I still asked myself questions. Why did he do that? He was smart. I know he was smart. He probably saw it coming, but why didn't he tell me? We could have run away together. Away from this hell hole. He just left me here, alone in this godforsaken place. And worst of all, Why did I believe it wouldn't end. I was so caught up in the moment that I did not notice the end of the story.

    It was two years ago...

    I came early to school like I usually did. No, it is not because of my love for education. Take a guess... don't worry I'll tell you anyway. It was because he always came late. And the sight of him walking into class did things in my head you'll only think possible in a movie. Oh! how I enjoyed it when he stole side glances at me as he walked past to his sit. I couldn't count how many beats my heart skipped in those short seconds. It always felt like a daring adventure.

But my adventure ended on that day. For the first time, he came early. How I beat myself till this day for not noticing this first sign of trouble. Next, was that barely at the beginning of chemistry class, he left. I did think something was wrong but I missed the problem by a long margin. I know humans could be so fragile. I mean, those guys could get sick like ten times a year. So I skipped the class too and made my way to the school nurse's office. I had Rebecca handle my books and workload and all that distracting stuff, and ran to check upon him.

I entered the nurse's office with the thought of first insulting his ever weak body then proceed to help the nurse give him a massage... Ahmmm. *cough* take care of him....*cough* I mean to assist the nurse. But on entering\, they was no one there. I wanted to leave but the thought of him walking through that door and finding me waiting here for him made me feel jiggle inside. "Did this count as waiting for him at home after work? Oh! my." If this was practice\, it would not be so bad you know. "Oh! what was I thinking? I haven't even told him I liked him yet and am already dreaming about being his wife."  I could feel my cheeks already turning red in embarrassment.

If I had continued daydreaming\, am sure some more inappropriate thoughts would spring out of my head. You know\, like him entering the office and seeing me in a tight nurse uniform. "Yeah\, maybe I should do that." ....Ahmmm. *cough* What was wrong with me today? My thoughts... I mean my throat. I should really drink more water.

I waited for more than an hour. It was already time for lunch. I was a bit disappointed. I mean, all that waiting for nothing. I left the nurse's office in annoyance. I had thoughts of giving him a piece of my mind today. How could he let me wait like that? Yes, that's what I'll do. Besides, we still had plans to meet by the hollow tree today. I did not know that morning was the last time I was ever going to see him.

I went to the cafeteria for lunch and scouted for him like I usually did. But he was no were to be found. What was stranger, were the murmurs all around me. My hearing has always been good. I mean, Hello! werewolf girl here!... The murmurs surrounded the topic of one person. Leon. My Leon.

The murmurs were all mixed up with a different version of the story. So I asked my faithful friend Rebecca. She said, "The Isaac familys' butler came to take Leon. He did not agree to go, so he was beaten and thrown into the car." Rumours had it that "the Isaacs were displeased with him. Everyone at school had heard of him trying to escape from the family several times. They were probably dissatisfied with him and thought it was time to put him out of his misery."

I felt my heart shatter on the spot. "How could they do that? What did he do wrong?" All he wanted was a little freedom. Freedom from this damn world. "Who did they think they were? What right did there have? There touched my LEON! my own Leon. What did that fragile soul ever do to them?" I ran to the nurse's office and buried my head in a bed in tears.

Questions created waves in my mind and the only conclusion I arrived at, was 'PRIDE'. Those useless, pride-filled bloodsuckers. They called him an heir, but he was just another bottle of blood juice to them. My Leon was gone and I didn't even get the chance to tell him how I felt. My Leon ripped away from my grasp. I would never see those blue eyes snick a peep at me again. Memories of our little time together came and went like the wind. But with its passing, a gaping hole was left in me. One so deep time only seemed to make it hurt more.

As far as I knew, this was all my fault. It was because I was too weak. I was weak, so they took him from me. Those daylight haters. They just hate anything that shines, so they took his bright smile from me. I wanted to kill myself several times after that, but I couldn't bring myself to end my own life. Not without revenge.

Revenge on all of them. On those bloodsuckers that took him, on those elders that advised my father to ensure we were separated, on my father for listening to them. On all of them!

What I needed was power, more power and I would use their blood to appease his soul.

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