Anaya stared at the rows of square lights hanging in the center of the wooden ceiling, trying to quell the terrible ache in her chest. It had only been a day, but the absence of Icarus was becoming unbearable. Every time she closed her eyes, vivid memories of him and their moments together flashed through her mind. She missed his smile, his voice, his touch, and just his overall presence. She'd grown so accustomed to the way he filled every space around her, like the very air she breathed, that she felt a strange sense of unease without him. Never again, she thought to herself, sighing.

"What on earth were you thinking?" Casey reprimanded, pacing back and forth in front of the bed. "You were too reckless!" 

Anaya let out another sigh, expressing her annoyance. "Can you stop repeating the same thing?"

"Only if you listen to me."

"Fine! I will be careful next time." 

Casey cast her a stern look. "Promise me." 

She rolled her eyes but couldn't stop the small smile that tugged at the corners of her lips. "I promise. Can I get up now?"

"No, you need to rest for at least a week."

"What? No way!"

"Your wounds may have closed, but they haven't fully healed. My powers can only do so much."

"Come on, I'm fine," she insisted, pushing herself up from the bed. She knew she needed to recuperate, but there was no harm in leaving the cottage for some fresh air.

Casey pushed her back down, receiving a sharp glare in return. "You won't be able to fight Lupinneaus if you don't rest."

"I don't think I can," she admitted in a low voice. She always thought she was brave, but her encounter with Lupinnaeus made her feel otherwise. Its ferocity was unlike anything she'd ever seen, leaving her shaken for the first time in a long while. There was no way she could attack it without getting herself killed, so she had no choice but to be reckless to get close to it.

"Rasharaya wouldn't have sent you here if you weren't capable of defeating it."

Casey had a valid point. Her mother was no ordinary woman. She was the queen of their kingdom, with knowledge and power beyond their comprehension.

"But how? My strength is no match for it."

"What do you know about Lupinnaeus?" Casey asked, trying to come up with a plan.

"Not much," she replied, her frustration palpable. "There's nothing about it in Icarus' library."

"There has to be something, no? Is there another library we can check?"

Anaya took a moment to think. "Maybe in the packhouse?"

"Okay. I'll find out."

"I'll come with you." Anaya frowned at Casey when she opened her mouth to protest. "It's not a battleground."

Casey relented with a nod and teleported them to the packhouse. To avoid drawing attention, she quickly worked her magic, transforming them into Immanuel and Jade.

They walked the long corridors, pushing open every door in search of the library. Many pack members bowed to them and continued on their way. Anaya couldn't help but feel guilty about it. Though she didn't have any ill intentions, she had many secrets. Secrets were like a ticking time bomb. It was only a matter of time before they exploded.

She took a deep breath to calm her racing thoughts and concentrated on the task at hand. They eventually came across the library and wasted no time stepping inside and locking the door to ensure their privacy. The familiar smell of ink and pages greeted them. Anaya's heart lifted at the sight of the towering shelves, filled to the brim with old and new books, each one a potential treasure trove of knowledge. She began scanning the spines for any mention of Lupinneaus, while Casey trailed behind her, picking up random books and flipping through the pages.

Minutes turned into hours, but they could find nothing. Anaya slid to the floor, tucking her body between the shelves. She had never felt so out of her depth, so unprepared.

"Icarus was right. Nobody survived to tell the tale."

"We will figure it out." Casey grabbed her arms, pulling her up from the floor.

Anaya nodded. She had to do something, anything, to defeat Lupinnaeus. "I am tired."

"Let's go back to the cottage."

"No! We are running out of time. You should meet Rasharaya and get some clues. I think she knows more about the beast."

"I can't leave—"

"Don't worry about me."

"I'll see you tomorrow then." Casey disappeared into thin air.

Anaya smiled to herself, pleased that she could finally see Icarus. For some reason, Casey didn't approve of her relationship with him, so it was the only way she could spend time with him.

As she wasn't fully healed, the teleportation sapped more of her energy than she expected, causing her to stumble as the room spun before her eyes. Her replica walked over to her with quick steps and caught her just when she was about to fall to the floor.

After drinking a glass of water, she felt better enough to merge with her replica. Memories rushed through her, accompanied by a warmth that made her smile. Icarus and she had been holed up in his office mostly to finish the reports as the month was coming to an end.

She walked into their walk-in closet and changed into a T-shirt and sweatpants. Although the days were becoming hotter, the nights remained cool. She grabbed a new book from the shelf and climbed into bed, intending to read, but the comfort and silence of the room lulled her into a deep slumber.

❃❃❃

Anaya jolted awake and sat up, switching on the bedside lamp. She couldn't tell what had disturbed her sleep, but her mind felt distorted. Rubbing her eyes with the back of her hands, she blinked at the clock before her. It was almost midnight, and Icarus wasn't beside her, but his warmth still lingered in the sheets.

She waited for him to come out of the washroom but soon realized he wasn't inside when she noticed the lock. She kicked off the sheets and got out of bed to look for him.

"Icarus?" she called, walking into his office.

Receiving no response, she checked the library, but he wasn't there either. Panic slowly set in as she wondered where he could have gone at such an ungodly hour. 

She descended the stairs and spotted him walking out the front door. Her shoulders sagged in relief as she followed him, but she knew something was off when he started to remove his clothes in an almost robotic manner.

Time seemed to slow down as she watched midnight black fur sprout from his skin, covering him from head to toe. His body convulsed, thickening and contorting in grotesque ways, causing him to writhe in agony. It was like his bones were breaking and reforming into something new. She'd seen him shift before but never had it been so horrifying. Dread washed over her, turning her blood to ice, as wings unfurled from his back and his tail elongated into a serpent. He leaped into the sky, soaring above the trees before disappearing behind the mountains.

She stood there, paralyzed with shock and disbelief, refusing to believe what she had just witnessed. The image was burned into her mind, but there had to be some other explanation for it. Perhaps she was mistaken, and it wasn't Icarus. He wouldn't kill his own kind. The werewolves were his family. And he certainly wouldn't lie to her. The man she loved, who had always been kind and gentle, could never do anything as cruel as taking lives.

She made her way back to the bedroom, her feet dragging heavily on the tiled floor, and collapsed onto the bed. When Icarus returned, he slipped under the covers without a word, ignoring her presence, even though she was right next to him. Flabbergasted, she could only stare at his sleeping figure. It was then that she realized he wasn't aware of any of his actions.

The reality of the situation hit her like a ton of bricks, and she gripped the sheets in her fists, tears spilling from her eyes and streaming down her cheeks. She slapped a hand over her mouth to muffle the sounds, feeling her throat tighten and heart constrict with each sob, making it difficult for her to breathe.

Her world had just been turned upside down, and she didn't know how to pick up the pieces. A battle raged inside her, overwhelming her senses until she was reduced to nothing but a chaotic mess of emotions.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, and she shuffled closer to him, crying against his chest. His steady breathing and the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest were a stark contrast to the conflicts choking her.

"I love you." The words spilled from her lips again and again—a desperate plea, like a prayer to keep them together and keep their love alive.

Hello! What do you think of the twist? Shocked or did you see it coming? 👀