Blood & Romance
Strike I - Collision
Endymion, known to the current era as Darien, pinched the bridge of his nose as he looked through the pile of files that the damn humans wanted him to read through. For heaven's sake, he left the company for three days and shit happens. How dare the human workers corrupted the company's funds, this is why he doesn't trust them enough to give them a high position.
Over centuries, Darien had transact business to give privilages to him and the whole pack such luxuries that made humans drool. And of course, changing names and identities isn't all hard if an individual has cash to burn. But he had the most privilages in the pack ever since he earned his title as an Alpha. From authority to his own personal needs, his life has been in smooth sailing so far, excluding rivalries, threats and minor problems. He used to have a calm mood every moment of the day, even in dire situations, but as the years come by, his mood swings every now and then.
He is constantly on the edge, even on little things, and he fear that his time will come sooner than he thought. His time to become the damned. And that what both he and his pack feared.
What has the reason he became like this? The answer is simple, mate.
He still haven't found his yet. Lycaons are one of the creatures that only mates to one significant other for as long they lived. And the significant other is their lifemate that soothes them and their beast inside. Only she could stop him from becoming the damned. And what's the worst? Lycaons dreams their lifemates ever since they become aware of their own existence. Everytime they shut close their eyelids, they dreamt of their lifemate's form entangled with them, as they dance and mark their bodies into one. Those visions haunt them, giving them a reason to live through, yet at the same time, frustrates their beast for being not able to find them yet. An unmated Lycaon rages worser than a female on a menstrual period.
His head aches like gunshot wound. Looks like he needs a stroll.
Closing his eyes, he let his body morph into a dire wolf. He then leaped outside through his window, landing on the ground with grace. Then he went towards to the woods, where he would take his frustration on his prey, maybe a deer or two. Oh how his wolf howled with the thought of blood.
Serenity disobeyed her parents when she ran off into the woods again. Wearing the red jacket with hood that her mother personally sewed for her, she skipped her way while humming his favorite song, The Second Star to the Right.
Serenity was well aware of the pitch black darkness of the woods. But that makes it more fun. She could see the stars and fireflies into the woods at night. Plus, she is never scared of anything- well maybe except her mother's wrath when she returns home, but other than that, she's a happy-go-lucky kid. The whole village loves her, but of course, she was well aware of their hidden fear to her father. He is the king after all.
Her mother on the other hand, was treated as an outcast of the village except for a few close friends that is considered as a family and her father. All because her mother is half-mortal, but that doesn't mean that she's a human. Her mother is graceful, beautiful, kind and strong, but she's a wholesome terrifying creature than her father when her anger is provoked. But Serenity and her father enjoys every moment her mother gets downright angry. That's the time that even the villagers who outcasted her, fear her more than the king himself. Also, as her father would say, her mom's cute when she fumes.
By narrating her thoughts, Serenity has already reached past the center of the woods, and when she spotted the meadow with the deers and does, a playful thought crossed her sneaky mind. It is time to show off the skills that her father trained her. Licking her lips, she glided towards a deer, quietly and gracefully. Bringing home a prey will make her father damn proud of her.
As she grabbed the deer's neck in one fluid motion, cracking it in the process. But then she sense a presence not of a prey, but rather a dominant aura somewhat similar to her father, yet differ in- she furrowed her eyebrows- wait, did she just envision a wolf?
Her eyes glowed for a second before facing the wolf eye-to-eye. Serenity swore that she sense the wolf tensed at her presence. Oddly it was not a battle mode tense, but rather it was same way as her cousin Andrew tensed when she met his mate, Reika, who is also her mother's human friend.
Could it be that this wolf-
"Aren't you going to attack me?" Serenity asked with innocent yet observing eyes.
Darien blinked back in surprise at her question. He growled at the mere thought of attacking or placing her in any harm.
He finally found her. His lifemate, oh how blessed he is on this moment. He couldn't hold his excitement and he had to bit back an ever grinning face. He could see her form despite of the darkness. Her gold locks that is tucked in the red hood of hers, and her beautiful clear blue orbs, sucking him in. Granted that she was still a child, but he could envision of what her grown-up form would be. And men would surely flock towards her. His wolf growled possessively at the thought.
Then he stared back at her. That's when he realized that she's waiting his answer. He concentrated on his thoughts and tried to communicate her.
Serenity could feel a tug in her mind, and that was when she realized that he wanted a permission to talk her through mindlink. She open the link, and revelation dawned upon her. But she made sure that she blocked him from seeing all of her thoughts and memories.
'No my cherub. I would never attack you nor even thought of it ever.' he stated.
'We are lifemates aren't we?' she confirmed it from him.
'So many questions but we could-'
'Wolfie I won't go with you. I'm still a child and is protected. Goodbye.' she answered curtly cutting of the link. She was about to fled however the wolf beat her to it by leaping forward and landed in front of her.
"Let go or I'll scream," Serenity warned. Darien couldn't hold his bewilderment of how his child lifemate could act and speak like a calm adult.
"How old are you?" Darien blurted out the question as he changed back to his human form. Serenity had a knowing smile.
"A hundred two and a half years old. Please excuse me," that was all she said before she threw a gas from her pocket and moved swiftly passed him, her form could be only seen as a blur as she escaped.
Darien coughed as the gas wore off. He glanced around, she was gone, and so is her scent for him to track. He growled in anger. Well that was smart of her, it was close! So close to take her to his place, and will take care of her as a brother or father figure for years, not until she is old enough to recognize him as a mate. But then, she wasn't really a child, despite of her physical form.
He was glad that at least her age cleared him of his doubts of her being a mortal, not that it was a problem, still he won't have to spend limited years with her as mortals do, and will perish along with her. But that give another confusion to him. If she's a past hundred years old child wandering in the woods at night, then what kind is she?
It looks like his mate is more handful than he thought.
Serenity ran back straight home. It was a good thing that she brought the gas that erases scent for 2 hours after release. She brought a lot of that gas whenever she had fun stroll in the woods and use it before she leave the village.
She reached for the door and ran immediately to her room. But a hand stop her, an she spun around only to reveal her pissed mother, and her father not too far away, casually leaning by the wall, waiting for the moment her mother will blow.
"Where have you been Serenity?!" Flora, her mother hissed in a low tune. She could smell her dad's scent all over her mom. Well that explains why there was a frustrated glint both on her parents' eyes. She must have disturbed their personal time.
"Out." she answered curtly. She didn't mean to answer that disrespectful, but her insides was like jelly. She was just so stunned that she found her lifemate in odd circumstances and wrong time. Also, she could sense that wolfie loves submissive creatures, which she sucks at, considering that she was raised by her father the king, and her strong-willed mom who doesn't submits nor bow down to anyone, although that doesn't mean that her mom is all prideful.
Suddenly her mother's pupils dilated. It was as if it was one of the times where she have visions-
"You met him." Her mother stated as her father approached them with confusion marred on his face. Serenity bit back her lips.
"Who met Serenity?" he asked, his interest peaked.
Flora glanced at her husband for a moment before staring at her daughter's eyes with a soft, yet slight mournful look.
"Your lifemate, Endymion." Flora downcasted her eyes as her husband stiffed.
"The Alpha wolf?" her father spoked with venom as his eyes glowed in hatred.
Kevin casted his alpha a worried look. All morning, after his run on the woods with an impaled deer, he came back with a grin on his face. Like something significant happened. Then Darien's mood occasionally shifts to an angry one, growling, then back to grinning. Has the alpha gone crazy?
Kevin looked around, looks like it's not only him who noticed. Rei, Jaden, Nathan, Ami and Zachary all stared at Darien with the same look as Kevin did.
"Man, the hell happened to you?" Jaden was the one who had the guts to ask first. Darien stared at him oddly.
"I met her, my mate." He stated as if it was the most obvious answer. It took a full damned minute before everything sinked in.
Then Rei squealed. "Oh my gosh!" she said as the others followed saying to him Congrats. "So where is she?" Rei asked, and that was when all hell break loose. Darien growled dangerously, but not directed to Rei.
"She escaped." He answered in a low voice.
Jaden whistled. "Ooh, then she must be a witty and smart one to escape you, my friend." Darien glared at him wile Rei elbowed him by his stomach.
"Don't worry Endymion, he left his common sense somewhere far from here," Nathan assured, and Jaden blew a raspberry at him.
"She was odd though. A child like her shouldn't wander in woods at night, well she really isn't a child by age.." Darien trailed off.
"What do you mean by that Endymion?" Zachary asked.
"She's a hundred two and half child. She escaped me by fast speed and a gas that somehow wears off her scent," he answered.
"A past hundred in child form? An Anami perhaps?" Kevin suggested.
"Maybe, considering that Anami children have to stay in child form for centuries before they resume growth until their body molded permanently into a stunning 18 years old form. What does she look like, Endymion?" Zachary asked again.
"Golden blonde locks with blue orbs," Darien respond. Ami shifted slightly, but only Rei noticed.
"Well then, we will have a thorough search for a blond and blue eyed kid." Jaden stretched as he and the others left the room, leaving Darien staring at the wall. Looks like they don't want to deal with him in that state.
"Seeing that you found yours, it gives me more hope to find mine. Congratulations again, Endymion." Kevin stated before closing the door. Endymion could only nod, drifting his thoughts to his mate for the 10th time this morning. 'The next time I'll see you, I'll never let you out of my sight again..' with that, Darien made a new resolve.
Somewhere along in the afternoon, Rei spotted Ami and cornered her.
"Ok Ames, spill." She grasped Ami's elbow firmly, but not hurting her.
Ami avoided eye contact. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Rei narrowed her eyes. "Don't lie. You know something about the blonde mate of my brother." Ami shifted.
Ami quivered her lips before giving up. She sighed. "You win, but I'm not sure about this though.."
"I'm listening, so go ahead. Spill," Rei commanded.
"It has a great possibility that his mate is Serenity Levana Ceri," Ami nervously waited Rei's response.
Meanwhile Rei's mind digest the sudden information. Her brother's mate is what?!
"The daughter of the Anami king, Lucio Ceri?!" Rei shouted as Ami clamped her mouth shout.
"Sshh.. I'm still not sure about this. Sure, it fits the description, by I could be mistaken." Ami reason out.
After Ami removed her hand, Rei had calmed down. "Have you seen the child?" she asked slowly.
"Fifty-five years ago, before Zachary found me and keep me here. I was actually her nanny since she was born," Ami replied.
"Well you're an Anami and the child's past nanny, so I'll believe you for now. But still seeing the child personally could conform that," Rei stated.
"Nobody can get near the king's domain, much less have any contact to his wife and daughter unless you're a trusted member in their circle. I can't do that anymore, obviously, since I disappeared from them." Ami explained.
"But.. we can go pretending we're going to attack them, then surely the king will fight us off, while some sneak in to the domain to see the child for sure. On the bonus part, we can bring her back here!" Then Rei left.
"No wait, Rei!" Ami called after her, but it was too late. "That was the worse idea.." she whispered.
The Anami king may be calm, relax and laid back, but when it comes to his family, he's a terrifying creature that could behead and massacre thousands. She shuddered on the thought of her friends possibly be assassinated over the Anami's king wrath.
Ami only saw the infamous king's wrath once, and it had been when Flora was still carrying Serenity in her womb, and that she almost killed by an angry and jealous villager who had once been part of the high council. The Anami king didn't kill the villager directly, but rather massacre his entire family- burn them alive while letting the villager witness their horrific assassination. Then the villager was simply locked up, became the damned before killing him.
Zachary may have an easy way of getting her to the wolves residence, not that she complained, but the Alpha may have difficult and almost impossible ways of being near to the Anami princess. Actually, there's a slight easier way, but it test the Alpha's patience.
Any Anami is overly protective of their children as must as their mate. Unless their children is in the appropriate age- which is when the Anami child is already past the centuries old child form- then, the Anami parent/s is lean on their offspring. But Serenity is still not in appropriate age, therefore, if Darien won't play his cards right, then both parties may start another Anami-Lycaon war.
Ami hoped that Darien will be smart enough to see through the consequences of his possible actions, even with Rei's irrational ideas.