"Wait a second old man," William stands interrupting the story. " I have heard that gypsies can turn into werewolves as well."

I take a sip of my ale, addressing William's interruption. "Impatient, are we?"

⊱─━━━━⊱༻●༺⊰━━━━─⊰

That day, I came face to face with genuine fear. Audrey sat there, visibly shaken, her eyes wide open, frozen in place.

Her reaction was startling to me. Until that moment, I had harbored doubts about her abilities to truly delve into someone's mind. But the sheer terror in her eyes suggested she had indeed glimpsed something profound and unsettling within Lysander's soul.

Gently, I helped Audrey to sit down, deeply concerned about what she might have seen or experienced during her brief contact with Lysander.

"Audrey, what did you saw?"

She took a moment to compose herself, closing her eyes and crossing her arms, as if to gather her thoughts. "The same cards appearing twice was a clear sign. The first, 'Death', often signifies change, transformation, or even rebirth. It suggests the end of one phase of life and the beginning of another. The 'Ten of Swords' that followed is a card of conclusion, a definitive end. It implies that something significant in his life is drawing to a close, and it's beyond his control. The third card, 'The Devil', was reversed. This typically signifies a struggle against one's inner emotions or conflicts. It suggests that he is still fighting something or someone within him, perhaps edging towards a path of light and resistance against darker impulses."

Audrey removed her bandana and buried her face in her hands. "Inside his mind, even a few seconds can become an eternity. I saw visions of calamity befalling this town-- fire, suffering, and starvation. A period of great oppression looms over Bertoli, and he will find himself helpless to prevent it. But the most terrifying part was the emergence of a dark creature, the red-eyed monster within him. I came into contact with it, staring at my face with an intense fire in his eyes, feeding off my fear. This entity is biding its time, waiting for the moment to fully seize control over him, and once it does, there will be no turning back. This monster I sensed within him... it's the purest essence of evil I have ever encountered."

Audrey's reaction took a sudden turn, as she abruptly stood up and directed her attention to a storage box beside the table. "I know it's here. I saw it before we came to this town."

She rummaged through the box and eventually pulled out a book. Holding it in her hands, she examined it with an intensity that suggested she found what she was looking for. She placed the book on the table and began to browse through the pages rapidly, searching for something specific.

"Here." She said, pointing at an image in the book, an old illustration depicting a man with the head of a wolf.

"Your brother is a werewolf, but not just any werewolf. He descends from a rare and ancient bloodline, a unique lineage. His ancestry can be traced back to the Reinhart's, a family that was known to be cursed, reigning this area centuries ago."

Audrey flipped through the pages of the book until she landed on a detailed family tree, its lineage tracing back several centuries.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"The legendary Reinhart lineage, a once powerful and influential family, who were afflicted by a dreadful curse - the curse of the demon wolf. This curse is now known as a pure form of Lycanthropy. The distinctive traits of their hair, white as snow and the blazing red eyes, are unique markers of the Reinhart bloodline."

Audrey's hand trembled slightly as she turned to the next page. She seemed deeply affected by the information she was relaying, fear clearly visible within her.

"In a state of balance, the man controls the beast within. But in times of chaos, the beast dominates the man. There have been numerous tales throughout history about a white demon, a creature that assumes the form of a wolf. This entity is not just a myth; it's a living, breathing manifestation of the Reinhart curse."

Reflecting on the years spent with Lysander, I realized that my intuition about his true nature had been correct. Despite the revelations about his cursed bloodline and the potential danger it entailed, my experiences with him painted a different picture. I had witnessed more instances of goodness, compassion, and humanity in him than any malevolent traits that his curse might suggest.

"My brother is no demon."

Audrey closed the book abruptly and placed it back in the box. "What I'm about to say might sound harsh, but soon enough, you'll see the truth in it. What I experienced with him wasn't just a vision; it was a warning. And if I were in your position, I'd take all necessary measures to prevent the impending catastrophe looming over this town."

"Even killing your own brother? That's what you're saying?"

Audrey drew a smirk on her face, "You're in a fortunate position. It should be easier for you. I can assure you, that man is not your brother."

I rose from the table, as an overwhelming feeling of anger swirled through my veins. "You are in no position to discuss these family matters. I'll look forward for your departure and send my blessings with you. Have a safe journey, Ms. Audrey."

"Do not ignore the warning, Randall. The lives of the people living in this town hang by the thread of your decisions."

I quickly glanced at her, the closed the door behind me. Stepping out of the wagon, the fresh air did little to clear the barrage of questions racing through my mind. Audrey's perspective seemed to ignore the complex bond between Lysander and me. Her suggestion of a straightforward, almost barbaric solution to what she perceived as an inevitable tragedy, felt overly simplistic. It failed to acknowledge the depth of our relationship and the possibility that Lysander, despite his cursed heritage, might still possess more humanity than the beast within him.

The situation I found myself in was anything but simple. Lysander wasn't just a part of my life; he was like a brother to me.

Audrey's revelation about Lysander's lineage, the ancient curse of the Reinhart family, made me suspect that she might be hiding more information than she wanted to share. It led me to wonder, if she had a dark secret, just like Lysander's and choses to keep it a secret from everyone around her.

As I stepped outside, I found Lysander waiting, his expression holding an unusual seriousness.

"Brother, let's wrap up our tasks and call it a day."

"I couldn't see what she was showing you, but I heard everything."

Lysander's admission that he had overheard our conversation despite the distance from Audrey's wagon took me by surprise.

"Don't worry about it. If what she predicted does happen, we'll find a way to deal with it."

However, as we were walking, Lysander suddenly came to a halt, his expression turning serious. "Tell me, Randall, what else did she show you about the Reinhart family?"

"She showed me a book. It spoke of a cursed bloodline, one that seems to share the same distinctive eyes as yours. She seemed genuinely afraid after seeing visions related to you, which is why she asked you to leave."

As we continued our walk towards the house, Lysander abruptly stopped again. This time, he began sniffing the air. "Wait, Randall, something is not right."

"What is it?"

He glanced around the area, his eyes moving quickly as if following someone or something that was adept at blending in with the crowd. "I lost him."

"You lost who?"

"Another one like me."