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THE CARRIAGE MOVED SMOOTHLY, exiting the palace grounds. I could neither hide my excitement nor cover the budding curiosity that Lord Dilmond Langley fuelled all the more while the duke was away. I might have forgotten how it felt to be outdoors, visiting a town or a city that I had been hoping for this very day to come.

The hours I dreaded to end inside my chambers for the first two days since getting acquainted with Lord Dilly, took a hundred and eighty degree turn for the better. His lessons were nothing strict, they were rather frolicsome. And with that, the week easily passed by, and without a doubt, I was learning to take pleasure in living a second life.

"Your smile is a deadly one today. That is not a good sign for my dearest friend who is away." Dilly uttered, lifting a brow as usual.

I grinned, keeping my chin raised, spine kept straight, and fingers calmly settled on my lap. "Why there is nothing wrong with my smile, milord. And I am sure the duke does not even care what I do for as long as I stay in the castle under your surveillance."

Dilly chuckled, leaning his elbow on the window sill. "Well you impress me beyond words, milady. The way you act, the way you talk..." He rubbed his chin with his finger. "...you look more like a lady of the high court in that fashion and posture. My entire gratitude goes to the man sitting in front of you." He smugly smirked, slow- clapping himself.

"Do I even need to sit there and tap you on the back?" I jested, looking pointedly at the space beside him whilst returning a genuine smile. Our laughter instantly kicked in. By God, I was so comfortable being with this man. He was as though the brother I never had.

As the coachman drove the carriage faster, the dewy morning breeze touched my skin, elevating the sense of freedom from seclusion in the Castle of Therion. I watched as the forests narrowed, stretching out into plains of corn and wheat. I had always wondered why they kept on saying it would be autumn by the next two weeks when in fact the crops were still plenty. A bountiful harvest it would be indeed.

Soon the green and yellow farmlands were replaced by the view of medieval houses in rows, typical of the standard steeped- roof homes I had seen in Alberta before. I peeked once more, pulling the small curtain of the coach window to observe another interesting environment in Apollo's Kingdom.

The carriage must have taken a turn in a curved road as it swayed both Dilly and I from our seats a little, causing me to retreat. Fortunately, the veil gave a gap for me to still see where we were rounding about. There were women in brown and grey skirts, carrying either a basket or a child on their hip. The sound of children laughing, infants crying, and the various voices of people vending and conversing filled the picture of a village market place.

It was a refreshing sight. It was a painting of the joy and normalcy I once adored witnessing in my homeland. Oh how I longed to see them again. Not a night went by without me chanting prayers for them to the gods above.

The coach slowed down, easing my yearning heart a bit. Maybe moving on with my new life was not that easy. But what power did I have to cast me back to where I came from? Nothing.

"Keep your spirits up. We are almost there." Dilly said, dusting off his breeches.

"Where are we, milord?" I asked.

"In Villagio Lupus. The center town of Therion." He briefly answered just at the same time the coachman halted the horses.

"Here we are." The earl was first to depart from the carriage, holding out a hand to me as I bunched my skirts a little in my hand while carefully stepping out.

Lifting my vision from the cobblestones, I was welcomed by a plaza crowded by werewolves, looking out and about different directions as the area was uplifted by their colourful auras, yellow and orange being the most dominant.

"Sweet corn and cheese!" A child gaily shouted, riding a mid- size brown wolf, his fingers clutching its furs. The wolf carrying two baskets on his sides moved about and the boy giggled. "Sweet corn and cheese!" I watched as they were soon swallowed by the crowd.

In here, wolves were free from human judgment. A part of me wanted to believe that what they once told me in the high court was true; that this is where we truly belonged... in a kingdom of our own. But then it was simply too good to be true...

"Oh do you want corn and cheese?" Dilly asked after dismissing the coachman.

"N- nay, milord." I said softly.

"You were lingeringly gazing at the boy." Lord Dilmond said, keeping me close to him as he walked us towards the heavy mass. The scent of various summer fruits wafted in the air.

"My lord, it was nothing. It's just that I don't often see werewolves riding their own kind while selling goods in public." I dismissed.

"Really? That is normal in our kingdom."

He pulled me closer to him as we joined the loitering buyers, the stench of fish and fresh meat replaced the good scent of fruits. I scrunched my nose at the sight of a lamb being butchered. "And you know you can always call me Dilly outside the palace." He muttered near my ear, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.

I was sure everyone who had seen us would have thought we were lovers strolling in the market with hearts trailing our footsteps. "Alright, Dilly. Now where are you going to take me? I'm sure I have no money to buy anything."

"Potzblitz! You have unlimited coins from the duke. You are his betrothed. Tens, hundreds, a thousand shillings! You have them all more than I." He murmured, turning us into an alley at the left, less narrow than the swarmed street we left.

Looking around, there were no more wet market stalls but glassed shops with dresses, hats, and jeweleries on display. Men in well- tailored waistcoats and shiny shoes dusted off their own shops. The scent of flowers and strong perfumes neared our path.

Dilly pulled me by the waist as we entered a store thronged with concentrated spoors. I knew it was about to come so I turned my back and covered my face.

Sneeze!

"God, that was relieving." I muttered, glad that I had gloves on and none of them were soiled.

"Bless you." A woman chimed.

"By god, woman! You sound like a boar!" Dilly exclaimed, looking at me in disgust.

"Excuse me." I chortled and shrugged my shoulders, averting my gaze back to the woman who was now staring at me with cheerful eyes. I was incapable of telling whether she was truly happy to see me or I was only dazed by the scents of perfume tickling my nostrils that I saw her that way.

But she did confirm her fascination as she grabbed me by the shoulder and hugged me tight. "Oh you are so beautiful!" she exclaimed.

Imagine my shock and confusion! I stiffly stood there with the stranger's arms entangling my body, awkwardly patting her back as I sent a bewildered gaze to Lord Dilly who mouthed the words, 'say thank you.'

"T- thank you." I stuttered as she finally decided to release me from that warm embrace. She was so giddy but she fake- coughed thereafter, straightening her spine.

In truth, her beauty was imperial. Had I noticed it earlier, if she did not surprise me much, I would've curtsied in utter respect. Dilly once told me that I could easily determine who the members of high society or 'the ton' were if I assess the way they dressed and behaved. It could be the latter that made me doubt at first.

"You are most welcome, my dear." She nodded, turning her face to Lord Dilly who seemed quite face- palming himself mentally. Well this man could only be the one to enlighten me from this maiden's appearance.

"Freya, have you forgotten your manners?" He crossed his arms in front of his chest, giving me a meaningful look. I scowled at him for a second. I was not the one who tackled her with a hug!

But what was I to lose if I argued with this impossible earl? And so, I curtsied with the most grace I could possibly demonstrate. "Freya Eugene White." I smiled.

"Good gracious, Dilmond! Is she the duchess?" The woman peered, holding back an obvious tone of thrill in her voice.

"Not yet. Not until she accepts the duke's hand, Your Grace. I am still trying to convince her."

If there were times when I hated Dilly, those would be of the moments he kept on gushing about his friend and how good and mighty he was despite his surreptitious image. I hardly believed everything he said about the daunting duke. I had seen his aura glowing darker than ashes and smoke before for me to fear him.

"But why not?!" The woman cried. She looked devastated by what she had heard, glancing at me with her beautiful blue doe eyes as if pleading.

"Why he is the most handsome man in the world! He is a man of good standing, son of the King! He's always been a good child. I never thought a day like this would come when I would meet a woman who has no penchant for Apollo!"

Dear lord, was she in love with him? She was by far the most astounding woman I have ever met in this realm. And her eyes were speaking words of disbelief and endless query. Couldn't I have the liberty to reject a man I did not desire?

I wanted to explain my reasons and to lay them down so she would understand. But she had overtaken the movement of my lips.

"Is my son not good enough?" She held a hand against her heart.

Son?

My blood turned cold from the tips of my fingers down to my toes. "You mean you're-

I passed a look at the two people before me, stopping at Dilly. "She's-

"She is the reigning Queen." Dilly sighed, no longer resisting, raking his hand through his hair.

I froze, mouth agape, rapidly closing the petals of my lips as I swallowed hard and absorbed the rest of what had been spoken. B- but why was I only being introduced to her now? Had she been in the castle with me all along?

"My apologies for surprising you, sweet child. 'Tis unlikely to see and meet you in this way." The blonde woman held both of my hands and pulled me lightly to sit down on the settee behind us.

My body shook, unable to calm down knowing that the woman beside me was once the 'bearer' of the bearer of death. The same blood was running through her veins and it was as though a scientific breakthrough had unfolded.

Dilly took a seat on the stool beside us. Still clutching my hands with hers, the queen visibly relaxed.

"Aye, I am Robin Godfrey, Apollo's mother. And I am sorely heartbroken and disappointed to hear that you are not fond of my son." Her voice cracked as if her heart was really bleeding, brows creasing as she pursed her lips.

"Tell me what bothers you about him." She was putting me on the hot seat. Could I tell her about his misgivings? His dark threats? His scornful ambitions? Our incompatibilities? If I could only evade those sea- blue eyes, I thought deeply.

"I-I... gue-

"Catherine!" Dilly exclaimed.

Oh Thank God!

The clinking of the wind chime sounded as the frail girl whom I met days ago after rising from the dead, entered the shop, carrying a bag of tulips and roses. She looked almost the same except that she had a bonnet hiding her silky blonde hair.

She looked at me with wide- eyes, curtsying to both the Queen and I. I did not even notice Lord Dilmond walking in front of her when he courteously grabbed the bag from her and placed it on a wooden island.

"Thank you, milord.'' She kept the formality. I knew Dilmond was enchanted by this girl as he had often told me before that Catherine was her childhood friend, and the closest one he had aside from Apollo.

"You are right on time, Catherine. Your papers will be transferred to Lady Freya's name on the morrow. You can come with her today if you desire." The Queen said, standing up.

Catherine smiled and blushed. She was keeping her head down. "I would love to, Your Grace."

I was flooded with relief that the queen's attention was no longer focused on my relationship with her son. I knew a time would come when this would be brought up by her again, and it could be overtaken by her son's return too.

But here was another strange thing on my plate. Catherine Garrison's papers as I was told were ones entitling me of her ownership. She was once a servant of the Queen, and though it is against my belief that a person should be called anyone's possession, I was willing to accept her. She was my sheep.

Granting Dilly's request, I would sign her papers tomorrow and keep her with me in the castle. I was going to do it because of the consequence of not renewing her contract. He said she might end up getting auctioned by the next month, and only God knows what kind of person would want to own her. She was a prize- a loyal and royal servant that the nobles would vie for, and Lord Dilmond had not enough shillings to purchase her contract.

As the afternoon arrived, Dilly and I spent time with the queen as she toured us in her humble home situated above the perfume shop she owned. All the while I was wondering why she detested living in the castle. She would often insert such innuendos on our conversations.

Strolling back to the attractions of Villagio Lupus, the queen and I had spoken to each other once again. She was a charming queen and she was indeed motherly and kind. She portrayed no attitude similar to Apollo.

"You know my son never told me about you. If I had not spoken to Dilmond about Catherine's contract expiration, I would not have any idea of your existence. My son has always been secretive. But I did not assume he would hide his betrothed from his mother." She said, keeping her hands clasped in front of her while she walked.

It was true. The man was hideous. I kept the words to myself. To offend her in any way was not in my desires.

"And this mission in the south with the Alpha of Crux is a wrong decision!" She suddenly exclaimed. "That boy never learned his lesson. That alpha is not good for him. And leaving you with a letter is shameful! I hope he did not depreciate your worth."

Oh he already did, I thought. I wouldn't be surprised if she would give him an earful on his return. His mother seemed to dislike his mischievous ways. But I did like his decision to leave, he was giving me some space to find myself again, I wanted to argue.

"Only a little." I lied. He despised me. He ditched me after the night we almost kissed! Not that I wanted to be kissed. I despised him too.

"My dear, I understand. But please, my hopes are high you would give my son a chance when he returns." She bargained. "Did he say when his arrival will be?"

I tried to keep the crooked smile. "Lord Dilmond said, after the period of sixty moons and a quarter." I replied.

"Do you know how long that is?" The queen's eyes widened.

I shook my head. "Nay. I do not know whether in our world moons mean days, months or years." I honestly replied.

"Well it means days according to your books. But that aside, I cannot believe my son can survive more than two months away from you! Such a foolish child." She frowned, muttering incoherent words under her breath.

The words I caught were merely 'God' 'consarn' 'damn' and 'bloody.'

As the sun rose higher, somehow, the afternoon breeze changed for me. The moisture in the air was beginning to bite my skin. What a sudden turn, I thought.

"Are you alright, milady?" Catherine asked, concerned by me suddenly halting.

"Aye." I replied, hoping I would feel better later on, though the air was instantaneously bothering me.

In the midst of our stroll in the plaza, my fear began to solidify. Little by little, my feet gobbled heat inside my shoes. The feel of the petticoats of my skirts began to irritate my skin.

I breathed in, exhaling longer, composing myself. But then the air in my lungs seemed trapped. I wanted to tear my bodice.

My limbs turned numbed and my body started producing heat. I was sweating excessively, having urges to dive in a pool of ice- cold water. It was beginning to burn me. It was happening again.

The feral instincts were clawing against my consciousness. It was taking over the rational side of my nature.

The pain was thunderstrike.

'Quia opus ei' A soft voice whispered in my ear.

My legs trembled, losing strength. I slumped on the street, arms clutching my waist. I screamed in pain, everything was turning upside down.

'Quia opus ei'

Where was it coming from? What is happening to me?

"Who are you?" I mumbled. She was coming from my head. I had to get her out, her fire was causing the pain. But this fire was blue...

"Freya, can you hear me?" Dilly's voice was getting distant. Tears were brimming in my eyes. I had to stop myself from changing or blood would pool on the ground.

'Quis es?' (Who are you?) I asked.

I closed my eyes, losing the sense of hearing. I knew several hands were touching me, shaking my shoulders, and screaming at the top of their lungs. But their voices were no longer audible except for her.

'Quia opus ei' She repeated. I need him. That was all she had to say.

She was a ball of fire, calling out to me. The pain she was inflicting was torturous yet a part of my soul was too sympathetic. I was sharing her pain and I knew how unscrupulous it was to keep. The suddenness caused my claws to elongate, fangs painfully appeared and my body was aware of the familiar sensation of an achy first shift.

It was tearing me apart. She was tearing me apart.

"Argh!" I lashed, crying out in pain. The beast pushed herself in front of me, eyes blazing in anger, wanting to kill. All senses heightened, her ears pointed up at the sky.

The sound of people screaming alerted her and she was salivating, looking around, and tracking her victim. Dilly, Catherine, Queen Robin, and the guards surrounded her. She snarled at them, warning them to retreat or one of them would be her prey.

"Lady Freya, you need to calm down," Dilly said in monotone, holding out both hands to reach for my fur.

The beast growled, almost biting his finger off.

Dilly, stay away from me.

I was out of control; I couldn't feel my soul owning the beast's body. This had never happened before. She had never been this angry.

Trying to move forward, the beast took her steps slowly but carefully, eyeing an exit by taking the guard down in front of her. Would she be regretful if she aimed to kill the man? No. She had no mercy. Darkness consumed her, strangling my humanity. She had no care for what I was thinking.

She moved back, bracing her limbs, claws scratching the cobbles, eyes trained on the brave guard who had not yet even shifted. Upon doing so, she dashed forward, ready to attack anyone who would dare intrude her pace.

With a low growl, she lunged at the warrior carrying his sword. Had her eyes turned obsidian black or red, I could not tell, but the aura surrounding her was full of remorse, ire, and an ember of death. The warrior was ready to swing his sword against my wolf.

"Move out!" Lord Dilmond screamed, tackling the royal guard, allowing the beast to take her flight away from the crowd.

I was hoping to look back, to apologize, to return and cry for the fear I had induced to the many who had witnessed such a savage shift. Ominous was her image, and I cried, not recognizing who she was to exhibit her wrath to her own kind.

She ran without a care of whom or what she would chance upon or break. I was fighting for control, knocking on her mental consciousness, but she was no longer the same. She was a beast.

Apollo was right. Beasts only howled and growled. They had no ability to communicate.

The air thickened. The faster she went, the more the breeze cut through her like needles, but she was in rapture. She loved the pain.

'Quia opus ei.'

Beginning to lose my energy, I heard her once again.

Keeping my eyes opened, I watched the beast carry herself out to god knows where. The passers-by avoided her as if she were grenade. She was sniffing and growling, looking for someone or something that smelled like rosewater, earth, and ale.

As the streets she ran about were cleared of people, she slackened, slowing her pace. The area around her seemed like a slum, the foul stench of dead meat hovered in the air, clinging with the breeze.

"Mamma, please help me." The sound of a boy crying surfaced.

Her ears perked up, detecting the voice, and I knocked and knocked into her consciousness. Goddamit! She would kill him. She was already stalking the boy, hidden in the dumpster, she found him.

"Please do not hurt me." The boy sobbed, aura tainted with heavy fear.

Don't you dare touch the boy! I cried helplessly.

He was the young one selling corns earlier that morning. I would never forgive myself if my beast ever harmed him. No. I wouldn't. He was an innocent soul.

"Have pity on me, scary beast." He hiccupped.

The beast took a step closer, crushing the scattered corns underneath her feet. Please don't do this!

No matter how much I tried to push myself forward, the wolf had its eyes on the boy she wanted to devour. A predator seeing her own kind as her prey- she was ruthless.

"Leave him be!" A voice thundered. "You are more than that, Freya." He spoke, infuriating my wolf.

The boy scrambled on his feet, back hitting the wall, but my wolf no longer followed, as her attention turned to the intruder of her animalistic dance.

As my wolf turned her head, both of us had no idea what was awaiting us from behind. Danger spread through the atmosphere. And all I could ask myself was how?

I did not see him coming.



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I hope you guys liked the quick update. :) I didn't want to leave you hanging but I'm stirring the cauldron, ready to pour the exciting ingredients of the story on the following updates!

What do you guys think? Am I doing well? I'm sorry if I sometimes disappoint you. Sometimes I get lost and just write and write whatever I want. Lol.

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Ciao,

Lady Therese