“Rem?” Alijah called out to me.

Fearing his approach and the ultimate rejection from him seeing my eyes, I shifted my eyes away from him.

This can’t happen, not when I finally get closer to you. I don’t want to lose it!

After all, no normal luma would ever have crimson eyes like him. Humans didn’t have naturally occurring red color orbs like vampires. Neither did Lycans.

You can’t see! You’ll know I’m of silver blood.

Even the blue in my other eye differed from those found in humans, allowing Alijah to piece together everything. This wolf was many things, but dumb wasn’t one.

“I said I’m fine. I just have to rest my eyes, that’s all. Something I did must’ve strained them.” I lied through my teeth.

It didn’t stop his approach.

Please... don’t...

“You know this is hilarious. How will I ever trust you if you won’t trust me?” He growled.

His words sting in my heart. I closed my eyes and shook my head, trying not to think too much about it.

If you see my eyes or hair, it’ll be all over! I can’t relent!

Sadly, once something was in the grumpy wolf’s mind, he wouldn’t relent. Instead of backing off, he took another step towards me.

“I’m sorry,” I mumbled, voice quivering.

He unexpectedly grabbed me by the shoulder, causing me to yelp in surprise.

“Show me,” Alijah ordered.

I tried to pull away from him but couldn’t. His grip was too firm this time. My head was scrambled, unable to make a coherent thought to argue with.

I’m not a fighter. I never was meant to be one, especially with my condition.

“No!” I yelled.

Alijah didn’t care for what I wanted, though. Forcing me against a chest the merchant used as storage, he pulled my chin to meet with his gaze. However, I held my eyes shut.

“Rem, stop being such a baby and let me see,” He growled.

However, the cart hit another rough bump before he could look closer, triggering us to tumble inside.

Instead of allowing me to hit the wall, he held me in his arms as his back was the one who slammed the hardwood. The blow caused him to hiss in response.

“Damn it! What the fuck was that?!” Alijah cursed, holding me close to him.

This time, the merchant was unresponsive. We were in the air the next moment as something smashed into the cart, sending us onto the ground outside. The scent of blood was in the air as everything that happened next was so fast.

Part of me couldn’t grasp it was even happening, even when we hit the ground. The black wolf held onto me protectively as we rolled on it, preventing me from injuring myself. In return, his arms and back were scrapped from the rocks we had spun on.

It was nothing too major for a Lycan such as himself, but he had protected me again—something I didn’t expect, leaving me wide open.

Why… did you…

Even though he desired to kill me, he kept me safe—a perfect contradiction to his previous words.

That fall… wouldn’t have killed me, you could’ve let me suffer, why… did you…

He sat me up, checking if I was injured at all. Out of breath, this wolf still…

Why?

Unable to help it, I smothered myself on his shirt, unable to swap gears quickly.

“Rem, it’s okay.” He breathed, grasping me by the back of my head and holding me close to his chest.

My body shook where I was as I held onto him. However, something caught his attention, triggering him to tug away from me. Everything had left me stunned as my brain struggled to follow everything that happened.

This... isn’t how…

“Alijah,” I called out as my body struggled to catch up.

“Shh…” He silenced me as he took a step towards the cart.

He flinched instantly, triggering me to reach to him as he reached to his neck. From it, he pulled out a small dart.

“What the…” He trailed off as his gait suddenly staggered.

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“Ali… jah?” I mumbled as my shaking legs failed me.

“Rem... run.” The wolf struggled to say, falling on all four.

Instinctively, I jumped at him, allowing him to fall into my arms unconscious.

“Alijah!” I screamed.

My mind was lagging as it couldn’t figure out what was happening. Until I noticed the thing, he pulled out in his hands.

That… isn’t that one of Dad’s tranquilizers?!

Cerberus used them when they needed to control a raging Lycan.

Why’s one here?! I thought only…

Cerberus was supposed to be the only one to have them in their possession. My panic rose as my inexperience came into play.

This world… isn’t…

The smell of blood that filled the air wasn’t only from Alijah—someone else was also injured nearby. Even though I tried to build the puzzle of what was going on quickly, something hit my head the next moment, knocking me into darkness.

The following bits were dark while my consciousness struggled to keep up.

“Woah, Loren! You were right! He’s a mother fucking Lycan!” One raider said, yanking off Alijah’s hat.

I mumbled, unable to see anything coherent thanks to the blow my head endured. It had left me with a head-breaking headache. Even though I was healing, it wasn’t fast enough.

I… I…

The blow probably cracked my skull, too. It didn’t go deep enough to end me, but enough to disorientate me.

“Well, tracking them was worth it, then. He’ll bring big bucks! The boss will be glad!” Another noted.

My body refused to move as everything was too blurry for me to tell what was happening.

I can’t... let them…

“What about the other one?” A female raider with a familiar voice asked, placing their foot on my back.

Ah… is this a dream? Please… be a nightmare I’ll wake up from soon.

“Eh, leave her there. I dislike killing women, and taking her with us isn’t good. Lumas are useless to sell to the mainland. No demand equals no profit,” Another male answered.

The female took her foot off me, walking away.

Sell? No... it can’t be. No... I... Alijah!

The next moment, my consciousness wavered again, driving me into darkness. When my eyes flew open, an orb floated above me.

Are you okay, kid? The friendly ghost asked.

I groggily sat up, holding onto my throbbing head.

“Arg... What happened?” I asked, wincing.

The ghost flew towards the merchant’s severed body by the cart.

You got attacked by traffickers. He pointed out the obvious.

Peering around, I noticed something even more alarming.

Where is…

My heart dropped as I lost my cool.

“Alijah?!” I screamed, standing up from the ground only to receive no answer.

He was nowhere to be found.

Is that the Black Lycan? If it is, they took him, dear. The ghost informed, floating towards where they went before returning to me.

They dare take you away from me! Unforgivable…

“No... No... why?!” I screamed as loud as I could.

My blood boiled as every fiber in my being wanted to sink my teeth into those who had wronged me.

How can they take you?! Why?! This can’t happen! I won’t allow it!

I had left Alijah defenseless when I bonded him. He couldn’t use his power for anything, which was all my fault.

I should’ve known that we wouldn’t always meet friendly people. I was a fool. Damn it! Alijah...

They’re smugglers that come here from time to time. They probably took your pretty face friend to sell him and all the goodies inside the cart. You should have known that Lycans are very sought after here. The ghost notified me.

It was right. I knew that, so I wanted to hide Alijah until we exited Celestelia.

I thought… I did a good job, but… Damn it!

I had failed him in more ways than one, and worse yet, I had neutered the wolf within him, even if it meant protecting himself.

Argh! I never thought it was going to be needed unless we faced Cerberus. I’m so stupid!

That thought made me feel the urgency to find Alijah even more. Dad once spoke to Caden and Aiden about smugglers within Celestelia and on the mainland. He taught us they were people who abducted others to sell them off as sex slaves or worse.

My wolf couldn’t fall into that ever again. It would only solidify his beliefs in this world even more.

Not that you’re entirely wrong.

Dad and Mom had tried to change the world for the better, and they had, but not all evil was gone. Prejudice and hatred still prevailed in our time. I was a fool to forget because of all the love my family gave me.

“Oh, by the gods... I have to go.” I mumbled, unable to take a step without falling to the ground.

My legs were weak because of the emotions that were surging within me. The dread was soon joined by the rage that rushed through me as my Lycan blood boiled.

They have a hovercraft, which means they’re probably long gone and far from your reach. It continued to comment.

I glared at the orb.

That’s something I want to hear! You can’t be gone, Alijah! You can’t be!

“Then show me!” I ordered, standing up before taking a few steps toward the ghost.

It slowly backed away from me.

W-what? It stumbled, confused by my words.

I clasped my hands around its ethereal form, preventing its escape. My body gave off a purple in response to my emotions. I rarely used my magic because it made me unstable and vulnerable, but this wasn’t a time to be hesitant.

No, I have to be reckless if I want to find you! No, I have to find you!

“I said, show me!” I demanded, causing a boom of energy to erupt around me.

Images of what happened invaded my mind.

Hmm… Three unknown males.

However, what caught my attention the most was that the female hybrid we had seen in the town was also there. They had taken Alijah, traveling in a hovercraft filled with other victims. Somehow, that hybrid had made the black wolf back in the town.

Releasing the ghost from my grasp, more appeared, attracted by the magical essence erupting around me.

They are probably miles away by now. I need to…

I had no way to catch up unless I shifted. Every time my dad encouraged us to do so when we were children, I felt the darkness want to swallow me, stopping me in my tracks. I had lied and said I couldn’t shift because it terrified me of what would happen if I did.

That, combined with the blood lust that surged through me every time I used my powers, made me unable to control the beast within me.

I’ll lose control even if I don’t lose myself in death’s embrace, but I can’t just stand here and do nothing! To find you, I need to…

Closing my eyes, I let go of all the fears that held me back for years.

I need to… let go. What I’m about to do will endanger anyone in my path, but if I do nothing, I’ll lose Alijah. I’m sorry, Mom… Dad… but I can’t let that happen!

“If you are listening... I willingly give you my body. All I ask is his safety! I don’t care who you hurt if you take me to him!” I shouted into the empty desert.

Ghosts continued to gather around me. Images of Alijah in the cage with the other Lycans and elves became clearer. My body morphed, turning into my beast form for the first time. Well, before everything went dark.

Pictures of the black wolf continued to flow through me as I saw him wake up from the drug in his system. I felt connected to every ghost; my sole focus was finding him.

I’ll find you no matter what!

Even as something took over me and the darkness consumed my consciousness, I would find him... at all costs.