After celebrating Lysander's appointment as the new leader, I retreated to my room, overwhelmed by exhaustion from the day's events. I removed my armor and lit the candles on the chandelier, casting a soft glow around the room. That night, I experienced something unusual.

A cold breeze brushed against my face, rousing me from my sleep. My eyes fluttered open to a startling sight—glowing red eyes observing me from the darkness. The shock was enough to jolt me out of bed abruptly as I stepped back from the ominous presence.

Standing across my bed was a white wolf, calmed and composed. The realization hit me quickly - it was Lysander, in his wolf form.

"Lysander!"

His presence in this form, especially at this late hour, meant that he must have discovered something significant, likely related to the other werewolf he had mentioned earlier. Lysander's actions were clear, even without words. He paused to look at me, before quickly moving towards the window.

"Are you asking me to follow you?"

He leaped out of the window, quickly disappearing into the night, running towards the town. Whiteout wasting any time, I grabbed my coat and sword, running towards the barn to get Billy ready for a quick run into town.

Mounting my horse, I spurred it into a quick gallop, following the direction Lysander had taken. Arriving at the town square, Lysander stood still, his posture aggressive as he growled towards the shadows between the buildings. It was clear he had sensed or seen something that had put him on high alert.

Moments later, a black wolf cautiously stepped into view. It was noticeably smaller than Lysander, and its body language was noticeable different. Rather than displaying aggression, this black wolf showed signs of submission, perhaps acknowledging my brother's dominance.

The situation escalated quickly as Lysander, in a display of protective aggression, charged towards the black wolf. But just as the confrontation seemed about to turn violent, a figure emerged from the shadows, halting Lysander's attack with a commanding shout.

"Stop! Don't hurt him."

To my surprise, it was Audrey, who stepped in front of the black wolf, utilizing her body as a barrier between the wolves. "I beg you, stop. He's, my brother."

Surprised by Audrey's unexpected intervention, I slowly sheathed my sword, looking for a way to deescalate the situation and avoid unwanted attention from the people sleeping peacefully around town. "Audrey, explain yourself."

Lysander paced back and forth in front of Audrey and her brother, transforming back into his human form. Yet, his attention remained on the black wolf, clearly still on alert despite Audrey's protective stance.

"I've spent a considerable period searching for a remedy, a cure that can restore my brother's humanity and free him from his inner beast."

The sound of breaking bones, the slight wince as his flesh teared apart reverberated around the town's square. The transformation of the black wolf back into a human form was a gradual and agonizing process, notably more difficult than Lysander's smoother transition.

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The man, now in human form, stepped forward, offering a handshake. "I'm Caleb. I never intended to cause any trouble."

"You guys understand, you are naked in front of a lady. right?" I said, understanding that my comment has been completely ignored.

Lysander cautiously extended his hand to shake Caleb's. "Why are you wandering around town?" he asked.

"I need to let the beast out occasionally, to roam freely. If I don't, it becomes harder to revert to my human form once it's unleashed."

"Then you should do it on the northern forest, like I do."

Caleb's reaction to Lysander's suggestion was one of immediate fear and apprehension. He stepped back, his expression fraught with anxiety. "I will never go back to that damned forest, ever."

"We better take this conversation inside my wagon. I don't want to wake up the people of this town." Audrey said.

Following Audrey's suggestion, we made our way to her wagon, ensuring that our discussion remained private and did not disturb the townspeople. Inside, Audrey took a seat at her table.

"We left town this evening, as I promised. As I mentioned before, my quest has been to find a cure for my brother's lycanthropy. Unfortunately, I haven't been successful in finding it yet."

Caleb retrieved a small jar from a shelf and placed it on the table. Inside the jar was a purple flower, immediately drawing our attention.

"This plant is called Wolfsbane. We believed it might be the key to curing Caleb, to transform him permanently back into a human. But instead, it nearly killed him."

Audrey carefully opened the jar, moving it closer to Lysander for him to examine. Almost instantly, Lysander reacted, beginning to sneeze repeatedly.

"That smell, is burning my nose."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to cause any harm, but it was necessary to show you, its potency. The petals of this flower, when concentrated, could be lethal. Naturally, as a wolf, if you catch the scent of this flower in the air, you will instinctively stay away from it."

Audrey quickly replaced the lid on the jar, sealing the potent Wolfsbane inside, and carefully stored it away. "There's another plant, called monkshood, similar to Wolfsbane but with yellow flowers. According to old manuscripts, this plant possesses a quality that could be key to what I'm seeking."

Caleb retrieved a book from a nearby stand. He opened it to a page displaying a drawing of the monkshood flower, showing it to Lysander. "It looks like this."

"But unfortunately for us, we can't go past the old bridge in the mountains. It has been taken," Audrey said.

Audrey's comment about the bridge being taken was alarming. "Taken by who?"

"A horde of barbarians from the northern plains. They've taken control of the area around the old bridge. Based on their advance through the mountains, it could take them a couple of days to discover this town."

"We will defend this town with our lives," Lysander said.

Caleb turns to Lysander responding to his comment. "You are outnumbered, one to a hundred. I've seen it with my own eyes. These men are savages. They don't believe in rules or truce. They will take what they want, by force."

As I handed Lysander his sword, Audrey's eyes widened noticeably upon seeing the town's seal emblazoned on the holster.

"You are the Lord of this town? Do they know you share your soul with a demon?"

Lysander stand, looking straight at Audrey. " We will send a scout tomorrow morning. They might just be passing through."

Audrey grew irritated by Lysander's approach. "I already told your brother what will happen to this town. Caleb and I will move east tonight. If I were you, I would find a place to hide. There will be nothing left of this town when they arrive."

"Brother, let's go." Lysander said.

"Your ignorance will cost the people of this town their lives. If you are truly the lord of the manor, you should prioritize their well-being. These barbarians will take no prisoners, and you will be responsible for every life they take," Audrey said, as we exited her wagon.

Uncertainty plagued my heart. Audrey's words resonated in my mind, understanding, that if these barbarians decide to attack the gates, our militia will be no match for their numbers.

Stepping outside, I reached out, grasping Lysander's arm to stop him. "Lysander, wait! She might be right. It might be best if we reveal your true identity to everyone."

He glanced at me for a few seconds, then turned around and continued his walk home.