The bitter winds swirled around me with a foul stench accompanying them. The trees were curled in melancholy. 

Stay hidden? Did he trust me that much to leave me alone? What if I found a way to return to Florencia? 

If I found a way that is. Since I was left alone stranded here, I will return the favour by causing him a headache. 

I ventured deep into the forest. The trees were supplicating for salvation. My endurance was left untrained for years; I easily got tired from my short walk. There was a gigantic tree that perched abnormally amid the forest. It was dead and crooked like the others. I unsteadily walked on its clumped roots that were twice my size. It was almost as tall as the castle, remaining glorious despite its downfall.

I brushed my hand against its trunk. There was a looming presence around me. A beast snarled; I expected it to be one of those chasing my brother, but I discovered that it was a different one. It was far bigger. 

It had russet coloured fur and pointed ears. Its face was elongated and that of a complete animal yet more presentable than the mantikhoras.

His bones popped and cracked, its fur melted into skin, and its elongated face shrank. The man stood up naked, giving me a toothed grin of malice.

"Delicieux (Delicious)..." He said, licking his lips. "What's a pretty little thing like you doing here in this rotten forest?"

He ambled my way.  He didn't seem like he would hurt me, but he wasn’t educated about the concept of personal space.

"Mmm...I can smell how sweet you are from here..."

He stood in front of me, giving my hips a squeeze.

"You smell...rotten,” I blankly commented. 

"I have been staying in this forest for quite some time now with my cousin. We are the only ones left in our pack, but he detests me..." He whispered while sniffing my neck.

"Ahh, I want to mate with you...you will provide me with beautiful children."

"Stop touching me." 

Where was Argo when I needed him to trample on someone?

He bit my earlobe, giving it licks and nibbles. "I'm sure Caleb wouldn't mind if I'm a little late."

A similar beastly rumble snatched our attention. Another one like him appeared but its fur was richer in black. Its golden eyes glared at him.

"Fenris...I was about to meet up with you. I found entertainment. We—We can share." The molester appeared very uneasy. 

Fenris wasn’t happy with the offer. He lashed out. As they fell, the man who groped me shifted back into his other form, attempting to maul the newcomer. Fenris snapped his teeth onto one of the rear legs and mangled on it mercilessly. 

The brown one released electric currents that were ineffective against the other. The latter dragged him around with his teeth. He proceeded to mangle his neck, tossing him away like a sack of feathers. He was overpowered and cornered against the tree. His whimpering and whining and the way he stared at Fenris with fear had flicked an uncomfortable response from me.

“Wait.”

Fenris felt my nearing presence. His eyes pinned to me.  His bared teeth were sealed away by his lips. His viciousness vanished like a switch was turned off. 

"Fenris, is it?" 

The creature's pointed ears fluttered. His hostile expression changed into delight. He moved back a bit and bent his head down in a bow. I knelt in front of him, moving my hand a few inches above his head.  His glowing eyes raised up. He nudged my gloved hand with his nose.

Was he asking me to remove it?

I pursed my lips in thought and decided to risk it. This creature seemed temperamental. One wrong move might cost my neck. I would need to play along. 

I slid off the glove, offering my palm to which he placed his paw on. A tickling sensation emerged in between our connected parts. My chest warmed up. My heart pounded with an unexplainable feeling. 

But just like the winds, my brother came and snatched me from my place.

The creature howled in dismay, causing a tight sensation in my thorax.

"I told you to stay hidden, chii! That werewolf could have killed you!" He scolded.

I kept my eyes glued to the forest. Lucius must have noticed my unresponsiveness. He became softer with his approach.

"Werewolves have been preying on the nearby villages. It is not good to trust them. "

"We left him..." 

"We don't know if that werewolf can be trusted," he explained.

I stared at my hand that came in touch with the werewolf's paw, still sensing the tingling feeling. Lucius grasped my wrist and proceeded with his assessments.

"What did you feel?" 

"Nothing..." I responded.

"Liar," he chuckled.

The questions ceased for a while. Lucius had fallen into deep thought. We landed in front of a village that was unharmed. Lucius squeezed my shoulder. 

"Don't worry about him...you'll be seeing him more frequently now."

"What do you mean?" 

He ruffled my hair. "This day came too soon. I don't think I'm prepared!"

I frowned. 

"You are being stupid. What did you mean by that?"

"My heart is weeping chii! I just can't believe it!" he dramatically exclaimed.

"You are stupid.”