123
Lucy
“Is that likely?” I asked.
“Some people think another war is inevitable,” he said and sighed. “That the way the werewolf population was split and how little it’s managed will lead to another civil war. A lot of people hopes it does just so we wipe ourselves out.”
I fiddled with the edge of my shirt. “I can’t believe that everyone wants us to… to just die.”
“Not everyone, but enough people. There are a lot of stories about werewolves causing a shit ton of issues for everyone else. “
“Irrational, prone to violence, they’re regarded mostly as heavy infantry really. Like… the human marines.” He tilted his head. “They were certainly used and designed to be that way.”
“Designed?” I blinked and thought back to my research. I pulled it out of my bag. “You mean that the Moon Goddess created the werewolf virus?”
He winced. “You’ve been looking into this.”
“Since… the first dream I had.” I swallowed and opened my notes. “I… I just want answers.”
Luke tilted his head. “What sort of answers, Lucy?”
I hesitated, not sure of how to phrase it. The words felt jumbled in my head.
“… You want a way out,” the young man said, his voice was soft and understanding. “You’re in luck.”
I blinked and grabbed my pen. “Why do you say that?”
“Because… you have the spine to set yourself free.” He tilted his head. “And perhaps, you will set others free as well. That’s very rare for someone who has been through as much as you have.”
The weight of his words settled on me. I didn’t know what he meant, but it made me feel brave, like my plans to enter law enforcement was a good one.
"When you said counter points, what did you mean?” I asked as I started to jot down notes. “Why do the children of black wolves only come into their powers after death? And what about the other types of wolves?"
Luke's gaze grew distant for a moment before refocusing on me. "The other two are pretty simple. Werewolves that retained the use of magic, active magic like spell casting, and then normal werewolves who simply have the ability to pass on the virus. People have been studying the four types to get a sense of her plan, but I think it’s pretty obvious.”
My stomach dropped. “Y-You think… she was building an army, right?”
There was no other explanation that made sense. I could almost see the battlefield in my mind.
“You’ve got it. Foot soldiers and recruitment, heavy combat soldiers, long-distance firepower, and a general to strategize and keep them all in line.”
I licked my lips. “The… black wolves are the generals?”
He smiled. “Of course. The shifting abilities of black wolves and their powers are tied to a delicate balance. When one black wolf passes away, their powers are transferred to the next in line, ensuring the balance is maintained and the lineage continues. Parent to child all the way to the end. It is a cycle that has endured for centuries, connecting the spirits of the departed to the living through their lineage… It’s also made sure that there was never a time in which the number of black wolves outnumbered white wolves, and not so many black wolves to start a different sort of army."
I stopped writing. “Why would that matter? What would happen if there was more than one black wolf of the same bloodline?"
Luke's expression turned somber as he spoke. "I suppose… the Moon Goddess’ curse would be close to lifting and those Blue Moon Wolves better watch themselves.”
“Are they… stronger or something?”
He nodded. “Among other things. Black wolves are the only werewolf line that could, in theory, retain the powers of other lineages if they exist in the bloodline.”
I frowned. “You mean… their genetics override the werewolf virus?”
“In a sense,” he said. “A child of a black wolf and a… dragon shifter for instance, would likely have an affinity for whatever kind of fire their dragon shifter ancestor have. When you consider how many races of supernatural beings there are… a black wolf with enough of a mixed heritage could be a major threat.”
I blinked. “Why would… someone like that be trying to connect with me?”
Luke shook his head. “I couldn’t say. Ask them the next time you see them.”
“It’s possible that they sense your need for protection,” the young man said. “Other than their impressive lineage, they’re known to be very protective, defensive. Despite all of their power they tend to want and command peace.”
I sat back, looking down at my notes. “Do you think I can trust them?”
“Between white and black wolves? I’ll bet on black every time.”
I nodded. “You said that the moon goddess brings nothing but trouble. Why did you say that?”
“Because it’s true,” he chuckled. “Look how much of a headache she’s causing you right now.”
I looked between the two of them. “Does… she come to you too?”
His lips twitched. “Yes, and I have a great time telling her to go fuck herself at every opportunity.”
I chuckled. “That… sounds like something Duke would do.”
“I encourage it,” he said. “No matter how they’re related, no one has the right to tell you what to do or control your choices. You’re a being with freewill.”
He sighed. “Now, the difficult part is actually acting on it.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Most werewolves are conditioned to simply… follow their instincts because the community is so absorbed in the mythos of the Moon Goddess, but those instincts are compulsions embedded in the werewolf virus.”
My gut churned. “E-Everything?”
He nodded. “It takes a lot of willpower to resist, a lot of magical training to undo and fight it off. It’s a struggle that most don’t bother to undertake no matter how harmful it is to other people.”
His eyes turned cold. “Some people just escape in any way they can.”
He shook his head. “The woman known to us as the moon goddess was a cruel, power-hungry woman. It was a service to everyone that she died…. Now if only she would stay dead.”
I frowned. “They said that there was more than one. That when one died another was born.”
“That’s true.”
“I can’t believe they were all terrible.”
His lips twitched. “You’re a sweetheart, and you’re right, but you’ll find that the ones who weren’t terrible never fell into the moniker of the moon goddess.”
I nodded. “Will my training with you help me control some of these messages?”
“Some of them.” Luke wiggled his hand. “Unconscious connections are a little iffy, on your side or theirs. There’s also the matter of the virus bolstering some connections more than others.”
He hummed. “If the black wolf is actually a black wolf and not a conjuring of your desire for protection, then he’s probably pretty powerful to have intruded on a moon goddess’ message.”
“I’ve seen him both time,” I said. “H-He was on the path I was heading down the first time. The second time he came out of the forest when I was in the clearing.”
He frowned. “He found you…”
“And led me to a beach.” I smiled, remembering. “He stayed with me until I went to sleep.”
“It’s likely, that he took you into his own dreams,” he said. “Maybe the black wolf is someone from Shell Cove.”
“With purple eyes?” His eyes widened. The young man let out a low whistle. “What? Is that something special?”
“Aren’t you a lucky young woman?” The young man asked.
Before I could ask what he meant by that, Duke groaned and swayed on his feet. I got up, rushing toward him but he stopped midair and floated to lie on the other couch.
“What happened?”
“You went into a trance,” Luke said, pulling out another blanket and draping it over Duke. “How are you feeling?”
He looked up at Luke and then to the young man. The young man smiled at him.
“I’m perfectly all right. If Luke had let me get much farther, I’d have shifted and either filled the coven with water or died from asphyxiation.”
I frowned and looked at him. “Why?”
“My merfolk form can’t breathe above water,” he said. “It’s a quirk all merfolk have. The water is just a survival instinct.” He gestured to the necklace around his neck that was still glowing. It looked like it was made of sapphires and seashells. “It’s been a while since I’ve had to come on land, so my anchor, so to speak, needed a bit of fine-tuning.”
I thought back to the woman in the water and swallowed. “Do you know people from Shell Cove?”
He smiled. “I am from Shell Cove, and it is very nice to meet you, Lucy Graves.”
I swallowed. “Who… are you exactly?”
“My name is Triton, and I’m the prince of the sea.” His lips twitched. “And no, I don’t have any daughters.”
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