Yil

The merry sounds of soft music flowed about the dining hall. The music notes hit the four walls gently and produced a melodious tune, a stark contrast to the turbulent feelings brewing within me. They swirled and danced in high spirits as they created a multiplication of the uneasiness and anxiety that plagued my whole being.

"You look wonderful," Rae appraised from behind me with his hands wrapped around my waist. "Beautiful, enchanting, mesmerising.." he continued and with each word he gave a peck to the base of my neck, my cheek, and my ear.

I relaxed into his embrace, his solid build provided a warm anchor to my sinking form before I turned in his arms and smiled genuinely up at him. His face was one of utmost joy and happiness, no doubt for the announcement we were about to make.

After my emotionally draining workout and the subsequent revelation concerning the ancient power box I had postponed telling my parents about Rae and I, much to his dismay. I was fraught with conflict as my mind was thorn between saving my pack and going back to my mate. Zena and I had snuck into Measer Fern's study a couple of times in an effort to find any literature on the white-wolf power box but it all ended up in nought. Even the small in-house library was not forthcoming, it was almost as if the box was nothing but a figment of Zena's imagination.

However, she was adamant that she had read about the power box on her nightly juvenile sneak into Measer Fern's study. Besides, there was one place we had not dared to venture into. His shed at Misty Hallows. We had agreed to meet up several times but at the last minute something would always come up. The lunar festival, the warrior dedications, my parents anniversary party. One celebration after another, consequently stalling the barely contained pandora box that Zena and I had dared to peer into. It's contents if opened were sure to overshadow the merriment and joy we were currently relishing in.

But just as usual another celebration was currently underway, unbeknownst to the pack, as I had finally decided to go on with the announcement at our weekly Sunday pack dinner. Rae had been very patient and understanding once I told him yet again that I needed to think about the marking. However, with each week that passed I knew he was fighting against the feelings of unwantedness that he might feel at my reluctance and I never wanted him to feel that way.

So I had been resolute in my decision to choose him as my marked mate and as I stared into Rae's loving eyes I had no regrets. I would do literally anything to make him smile.

That was not to say that I wasn't apprehensive about the future of our conjoinment once he marked me or his reaction once he found out that I had not told him about my newfound mate but I couldn't lose him. Call me selfish but I'd rather he was mad at me for not being truthful to him than if he refused to mark me.

He was dressed in a pair of denim with a tight fitted black tee which outlined his lean physique. Over the past few weeks he had grown out his blonde hair and it now came down to his neck but tonight he had packed it in a low ponytail.

I still wondered if he had not trimmed it because throughout the past weeks he had been feeling desolate at my reluctance rather than the new hairstyle he claimed it to be. Regardless of the reasons I was more than ready to spend every waking day making it up to him

Tonight I opted for a simple floral summer dress with a pair of sandals and no make-up but with the way he stared at me you would think I was the sun in his orbit.

"You look absolutely ravishing as well," I purred, contentedly and Ava even let out a soft growl. I guess distance made the mate bond wear thinner...... She growled warningly at me and retreated into her cage, a sign that she was still hurt by our mate's absence. ....or not.

"It makes me happy to know you think so," he growled as his eyes flickered to dark black, a show of Xavier's presence. "But I don't come close to your ethereal beauty," he tampered Xavier's lust-filled expression with a trace of my lips and smiled.

"Hmm someone's mouth is full of honey," I joked. "Too sweet," I squealed lightly and giggled.

"Would you like a taste?" he asked, huskily and I was sure my cheeks were redder than roses. Before he could make good on his tease, someone bumped, softly, into us and Rae instinctively placed his hands to the small of my back to stop me from falling.

"My sincere apologies," Zena said, rising to fix her dress. "But since you guys haven't made your relationship public, I suggest you stop smooching outside the dining hall lest the Alpha sees you,"

I had completely forgotten that I had stopped outside of the hall in an effort to psych myself up to enter into the pack's midst and announce our marking.

"She's an intoxicating drug that I can't get enough of. It's my fault that we are still out here," Rae stated as he pulled me towards him in a tight but gentle hold.

"Besides we were just about to go in," I coughed awkwardly.

"Whatever you say Mr and Miss hot and spicy" Zena dismissed with a giggle "Anyway, I need help with the food platters in the kitchen," she continued. "Since you've forgotten that we feed a pack of hungry wolves who are chomping down on the food by the second," she said, turning to face me with a raise of her eyebrows.

"Shoot I totally forgot, kitchen duties," I stated with an apologetic look towards Rae.

"But what of the announcement?" He asked, trying to hide the hurt look that crossed his face.

"I won't be long," I promised. "Besides dinner is far from over, my father still has to say the toast and that's only when we are all seated," I reasoned.

"She's right," Zena agreed. "And there are only about three full platters of food left. Won't even take us more than a minute," she assured.

"I could help you out," he offered.

"No, you don't need to," I said, waving my hands then I moved closer to him and standing on my tippy toes I held his face in my hands. "I won't be long. I'll be back before you can say Yil's hotter than fire," I promised and he chuckled lightly before giving me a quick kiss on the lips.

"Don't be long," he murmured and with one final dimple filled smile he turned reluctantly towards the dining hall.

"Okay let's get this show on the road," Zena announced and pulled me into the kitchen but we didn't stop until we were in the store room.

"If I remember correctly we don't usually leave food platters lying around in the store," I said dryly and she rolled her eyes.

"He was stuck to you like glue. I had to think on my feet dammit," she swore irritatedly. "Measer Fern is in the hall at the moment so this is our chance to check his shed,"

"Do you really think he'll be able to find us?" I whined, growing really tired. Everyday since I set eyes on Aryn my feelings had become a restless, jumbled mess. All I wanted at this point in my life was just peace and I could only get it if I banished him from my mind and fully embraced Rae. Something the Sky Lordians were making incredibly difficult.

"The box is probably just magic and if I remember correctly they are just lycanthropes. They'll never be able to manipulate it," I reasoned. "Not without magic,"

"We are unaware of the full extent of their world. Remember Jayce and Jared are not lycanthropes yet Aryn and his beta are. What's your explanation for that?" She asked, wryly. "My guess is that they are far more intelligent and complex than we know. Come to think of it we know next to nothing about them," she said with a raise of her hands. "So in short we can never underestimate them or else we might pay dearly for that," she then turned to open a portal. "And not just us now but the whole pack," she acknowledged with her back turned towards me.

She was right, we knew next to nothing about them. From young we were always taught never to venture out of the pack because the other's out there were brutal and unforgiving. A stark contrast to what our pack stood for. However, we never knew the extent of their brutality or what they even looked liked or what they ate or how different they were from us. Nothing. It was like the ghoulish stories you were told as a child with little to know facts. You tended to believe them because an adult, much more experienced than you told them to you. However, despite the little facts you had concerning their truth or falsehood, you still never attempted to disregard them for fear that they may in fact be true.

In other words the real truth of the outside world was unknown and no one dared to check into the truth of the stories. Well, that was until me and my unwilling friend portalled there.

"Are you coming in or what?" Zena called out from the portal entrance.

"Sure," I replied and followed her in, hoping to the heavens that I made it back in time for my father's toast or I'd have broken my promise to Rae. Again.

☘︎

The breeze blew in slow drifts of mist at this part of the forest. The forest was one of utmost wonder and amazement, no doubt where it's name emanated from. The Wonderan forest. It was divided into three parts-Misty Hallows, Enchantral lake and the flower fields-with each part having its own different and unique allure.

Just up ahead was the dormant volcano which peaked amidst the thick fog that hid its whole form. The volcano was known to emit nightly sparks of energy which mixed with the mist to form an overhead banner of colorful rays of rainbow lights. All around Misty Hallows were rows of rose bushes with glowing stems together with star shaped flowers that floated around the star fruit tree in suspended little bubbles.

A bubble floated towards me which I popped and out of it drifted the small star flower unto my opened palms. It emitted wisps of sweet smelling incense which calmed my nerves greatly.

"Finally!" Zena exclaimed with a fist bump and I looked towards her. "You'd think he was a blacksmith or security expert with the numerous bolts and padlocks on one door,"

She had been trying to pick the lock of the shed door for the past five minutes and I had resulted to staring at our surroundings in an attempt to calm down my nerves. I checked my watch and hypothesized that my father was about to make his speech. I was going to be late. Again.

"Well you finally managed to open it," I sauntered over to her side. "I was starting to think your lock-picking royalties were nothing but a big fat farce," I teased.

"Hmm I earned that fair and square," she said, standing up to dust off her dress. Her face had smudges of tar and her shins were dirty. "So let's get this done fast and sweet. We've already wasted time opening this tight fort," she opened up the door with her foot and we both waited with bated breath.

It was not beyond Measer Fern to set traps for unsuspecting trespassers. Many unruly pups had cried back to the pack with a needle shot of itchy serum lodged in their arm, backs or butt.

"How do we know the trap hasn't been set?" I questioned breaking the silence.

"You could go on your highness and check it out for us," she answered with a sweet smile and a motion of her arms.

"Why me? I don't want to have to itch my body for a week or be covered in hideous rashes," I shivered at the thought and hugged myself.

"I've been sacrificing my life a lot this past few weeks and I'm sorry this won't be one of them," she shook her head defiantly.

We were not going to get anywhere with this and so I looked around me for a way out. The suspended bubbles caught my eyes and I moved towards them with a plan.

"Mission aborted?" She asked, incredulously. "You'd think the adventurous, brave, powerful Yil would never be dettered by a few itchy serums," she teased.

"There's a difference between stupidity and genius and I am certainly not the latter," I turned towards her with one bubble and quirked an eyebrow with a slight smile.

"Now's not the time for bubble picking," she said with a cross of her arms and a slight tilt of her head.

"Shhh just watch the genius at work," I placated. "It's not everyday you get to see this," I added smugly and she huffed with a roll of her eyes.

I released the bubble into the darkness and as if on cue Zena formed a fireball in her open palm to create an illumination to the thick darkness. We watched as the bubble floated into the dark shed and after a moment wooden shots of serum flittered past in rapid succession with one piercing the bubble.

"His traps are even sensitive to bubbles," Zena whispered in disbelief.

"They wouldn't be made by the friendly but dangerous Measer Fern if they weren't," I mirrored her shocked expression as we stayed outside of the shed for a few minutes debating on whether it was safe to enter or not.

"Are you up for another bubble test?" She asked dryly. "Or when is your highness going to get a move on?" She groaned in frustration.

"Whose decision was it for me to be the guinea pig?"

"A unanimous unilateral decision between me, my wolf, Kent, his wolf, my mother, her wolf..."

"I get it," I interrupted before she named the whole pack. "I'll go in," I announced and she smiled in agreement.

I took a cautious step before treading carefully into the shed. I placed my fingers lightly on the walls as I tried to feel for the hung lantern. In order to see into the shed I could just make a fireball but if the trap could sense a bubble then I was a sitting duck if I tried that. Besides the moon casted a soft glow of light into the shed making most of my surroundings visible to the naked eye.

I sighted a shelf just ahead and wondered if one of the books was the one containing the secrets of the power box.

"Yil?" Zena called out but I refused to answer. I was content that the shed was now safe but I was going to get her back for using me as a test run.

I sighted the lantern and carefully released its latch before lifting it off the wall then I hid behind the shelf.

"Yil?!" She tried again and waited for another moment probably listening to catch even the faint sound of my breathing. "Don't tell me there's another trap besides the itchy shot thingys," she muttered. "Why me huh?"

From my position behind the shelf I could make out her silhouette as she stared at the sky with her hands positioned by her waist. Then she turned towards the shed and eyed it warily before moving to enter. I waited patiently until she reached the middle of the room before I hopped out from behind the shelf and with one loud flick I directed a small fire source into the lantern.

She dropped to the floor with her hands over her head and I doubled over with rambunctious, uncontrollable laughter. She raised her head cautiously from the ground and peered carefully about her body, trying to find any needle lodgings.

"What the actual hell, Yil!!" she swore fiercely and locked her heated gaze on my rolled up form.

"That's-what-you-get-for..." I trailed off as I struggled to get the words out of my lips as my laughter took over.

"Very funny," she responded wryly and got up to dust her dress as she moved to the shelf. "Unlike you I would like to be done with this on time so once you've had your fill of fun come help me out,"

Once my laughter had quieted down to hiccups I got up and moved beside her and together we worked relentlessly as we flipped through numerous books with my hiccups being the only frequent disturbance.

"I can't seem to find anything," she stated exasperatedly as she returned yet another book into its correct position.

We had searched for the brown paper back book for about fifteen minutes but we were no closer to finding it than we were a few weeks ago.

"Maybe it was just a figment of my imagination afterall," she sighed defeatedly. "But what about the drawings then?" She mused.

Once she noticed that I had not answered her, she looked towards me.

"Oy! What are you doing?"

I looked up momentarily from the book I was reading and motioned her over.

"Did you find it?" She asked excitedly as she sat cross legged beside me on the floor.

"No, but I found something better," I placed the book in the middle of the floor. "It's about the outside world," I explained and before she could ask more questions, I continued. "Jayce and Jared are basic humans," I stated and pointed to a vitruvian man for emphasis. "They don't have wolves and can't shift,"

"That's why they didn't have scents," Zena gasped, intercepting my explanation and I nodded. "But how's that possible?" She whisper-asked. "Isn't a human side meant to be complimented with its wolf?" She scrunched up her forehead in confusion.

"I have no idea," I replied. "But look at this as well," I turned to a page detailing an outside wolf with it's teeth bared as it attacked another viciously. With each page turn it was almost as if the wolf moved position and so I grabbed the pages in my hand. "Watch closely," I instructed Zena, who nodded, then I flipped the pages rapidly and with that the drawings came to life and told a story of wolves in battle.

They fought against each other violently, the blood dripped from their nuzzle as they clamped down on their prey's neck with force. Even the lycanthropes who were engaged in hand battle had a crazy, blood lust glint in their eyes as they attacked with great ferocity. The page flipping came to an end and with it the illustration of a half-shifted wolf perched on top of a throne, surrounded by the skulls of his prey provided a horrifying end to the show of terror. The survival of the fittest, a truly brutal world.

"Who were those and why were they killing?" I turned to Zena as she stared into the distance. "I'm not innocent to the ferality of our wolves but blood-lust is a whole new concept," she gradually brought her gaze to me and in her eyes were unshed tears. "They were ruthless," she whispered.

I couldn't even speak up, my words were stuck in my throat as the pictures that I had seen swirled speedily along my vision. Was Aryn just like these lycanthropes? With his imposing built and cold eyes, maybe he was just like them.

"I see you've seen for yourself what you were so eager to learn about,"

Measer Fern broke the silence in the shed and Zena and I scrambled disorientedly to our feet. We had been caught in the act.

"Measer Fern," Zena greeted with a sickly sweet smile. "We were just..."

"Save your energy and tell the lies to someone who cares," he cut her off with a raise of his palm and sauntered into the shed. "I'll need to double up that trap and these bolts," he mumbled as he set the destroyed bolts and locks on the table.

"Yeah we were eager to learn about the outside world so we broke into your shed to read this very informative book," I smiled and placed the book back into its position as I cringed slightly at my obvious lie.

Measer Fern grunted a reply as he arranged his glass bottles. I looked towards Zena and made a move to drag her out of the shed.

"The portal travel wasn't enough I see," he added. Zena and I turned towards him in unison and I saw the ghost of a smile tug at his lips. "And this must be the book you were looking for," he added as he produced a book from the side of his toga.

What do you know? Zena and I had been the butt of a very expensive joke. Measer Fern had literally walked around with the book fastened to his toga as he no doubt laughed at our folly as we frantically searched for a book that he had so cleverly hidden.

"Feeling cheated or played with?" He asked with a raise of his eyebrow and we kept quiet. I was personally done with this whole situation, I could say the same for Zena who slumped her shoulders in defeat. "That's what happens when you disobey rules," he reprimanded.

"Since you are in the know about everything," I sighed, not having the energy to argue. I was in the wrong anyway. "What do you propose we do?" I asked.

"We will start by telling your parents," he stated coolly.

"What? Have you lost your wits?" Zena sputtered, absolutely mortified.

"No they seem to still be about me, however, I'm not too sure of yours," he retorted and she stared back at him with her mouth agape. Even I was a little taken aback.

I knew Measer Fern could be quite harsh when he had to be but I was yet to witness it.

"Because the moment you portalled out of this pack, that moment you made it the Alpha and Luna's business," he continued, unfazed by our reactions. "However, it's all going according to plan so it's not your fault," he relented with a shrug.

"What plan? Because I am sure as day not going to be mated willingly to an outsider," I spat. Especially not after that horror paper flip show. Ava tried to resist my resoluteness but I pushed her down. It was Rae or the highway.

"It's not your path to make," he said with a shake of his head.

"That's where you got it all wrong," I retorded with a dry laugh. "It is my path to make and I choose Rae," I stated defiantly.

"Tell that to Aryn," he murmured silently and turned to an orb.

"How did you know his name?" Zena asked, bewildered and he raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Actually never mind," she said waving her hands. "They don't call you eagle eye for nothing," she whispered under her breath.

"If you'd like to know," I continued. "He wasn't so happy to see me," I said with a fold of my arms as I tried to suffocate the pain that hit me square in the chest.

He had shown some curiosity in me but I could see that he wanted nothing to do with me. Not in the way Rae would want me and that had hurt.

"I wouldn't know," his voice was muffled as he bent into a cauldron to draw out water. He was moving about undisturbed by my distress and I felt the need to shake him till he noticed that it was my life we were talking about. Not some plaything that the Sky Lordians could pull and push about.

"Well I know," I said with a slight crack in my voice as I clenched my fist to my sides. I am not going to cry. I will not succumb. Never. "So you can tell your Sky Lordians to eat my dust," I spat out angrily and turned on my heels with Zena behind me.

I burst out into the cool night as tears streamed down my cheeks in a race to reach my chin. I swiped them away furiously, feeling the urge to run and howl out my frustration but Ava wouldn't let me. She refused to shift. Just darn great!

"Yil what's wrong?"

That was certainly not the voice I was hoping to hear nor was it the sweet vanilla scent I was hoping to smell. He couldn't have.

"Mom?" I looked back in disbelief and sighted both my parents. My mother ran towards me and embraced me in a hug while my father stood afar confused as to why he's daughter who was smiling just a few moments ago was crying?.... Or why she was at Misty Hallows?

"Alpha and Luna," Zena acknowledged with a slow bow.

"What is going on here?" My father asked with a stern voice. He wanted answers and he needed them now. No beating about the bush, no stalling, just straight to the point.

I didn't dare look at his face, I was still determined to hide everything from him for I could not bear the look of disappointment once he learned the truth.

"Yil!" He persisted with an authoritative tone.

"Sweetie what happened?" my mom's gentle voice probed as she urged me on with a silent plea.

I was quickly losing my consciousness and their voices sounded like faraway siren calls, promising total comfort once I confided in them but I was sure the promise would quickly dissipate once they learned the truth. It would be replaced by feelings that I couldn't bear to witness.

"She has made the journey into the outside world," Measer Fern announced, solemnly. He strode out of the shed and went to pluck a star fruit from the nearby tree.

"What exactly do you mean?" my father's deathly quiet voice still had the power to reverberate around the forest as his Alpha essence bounced off me. I wish it had the same effect that it had on the other wolves. At least I would be able to feel a certain degree of shame and submission. But I felt nothing. I was gradually detaching myself from the whole ordeal.

Zena cringed slightly behind me and I took a glance at my mother's mortified look. "Yil, it's not true right?" She asked as a shimmer of hope lit in her.

"Zena, is this true?" My father all but snarled as he tried to rein in his brewing anger.

"Y-y-yes Alpha," Zena stammered, timidly, as she stared fixated at the floor with her neck angled in submission.

The pandora box had been opened. All had been released and the cool phlegmatic feeling slowly crept up on me. I could hear my mother's sharp intake of breath as her hands, which provided warmth, left my shoulder to cover her mouth. My father's eyes sparked with power as the atmosphere around the lake gathered up momentum. Zena was still in her submissive position as she jittered from one feet to the other.

The sharp change in weather did not affect me at all for I had long embraced the black mist of cool and silence as my eyes rolled back into my skull and my being rejoiced in my still state. The only words accompanying my journey into unconsciousness was that of Measer Fern.

"Now that we have learnt of this inevitable journey we have to find a way forward,"

Yeah a way forward my ass more like a way backwards into the calm.
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