Chapter Twenty Nine
Can one really forgive and forget?
An hour later Scarlet emerges from the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her, her mother helps her into her room where Scarlet insists that she is capable to dress herself, and her mother leaves to check on everyone down stairs. Feeling warm and refreshed, though she could use a good nap, she forces herself to walk away from her bed and step behind her changing screen, where she dresses herself in a warm, thick dark blue dress.
Knock, Knock.
There's two sharp thumps on the door before Luca enters slowly, shutting the door behind him. Scarlet peeks around the screen before emerging fully whilst adjusting the strings of her corset - Luca subtly eyeing off her half exposed chest with his hazel eyes. "Feeling better?" He asks, sitting on the end of the bed.
"Yes, thank you."
"Good." He pauses. "We need to talk."
"I know." She finishes lacing her corset and retrieves her hair brush. "What did you tell my grandmother?"
"Nothing. I said that you'd be able to relay the story better than I could."
"And what story am I going to tell everyone?" She brushes out her tangled damp hair and begins braiding it.
"That's up to you. If you want to tell them what happened then that's your choice."
"Why do I have to make all the big decisions?" She looks at him in the mirror. He smirks and walks over to her.
"If you want to lie then I'll help with a story. But it's your decision." He kisses her shoulder lightly. "Keeping in mind, if they take it badly the whole village will quickly learn the truth and I'm sure they'll all come running with their pitchforks." They hold each other's gaze in the mirror, a fearful expression wandering over her features. "I won't kill anyone if they want to fight, but I won't be able to stay here. You know that right?" Luca adds, unsure if her expression is for him or the villagers.
"I know." She sighs. "We'll lie. For now." Luca nods and kisses her shoulder lightly again before walking back over to the bed.
"Any ideas?"
"After it jumped the wall, the wound on its shoulder became too much to bare and it dropped me and continued on whilst I crawled away and hid in the undergrowth before it could circle back." She starts.
"And what about me? The village already thinks I'm gone."
"Well." She paces in front of him. "Um, you were leaving when you wandered past me and I got your attention. You pulled me from the undergrowth and helped me back to the village."
"Why was I leaving?" He begins poking for flaws in the story so they have every possible base covered.
"Um, at first you had already planned on leaving because … because you were in love with me and couldn't bear to live here knowing that you couldn't have me. But after you heard the wolf had taken me then you decided to hunt the wolf in the direction you were heading in." She cringes slightly, thinking that that doesn't sound quite right.
"Alright. Why didn't we use the front gates?"
"We did. You carried me and you slipped past everyone to avoid attention, wanting to deliver me home first."
"Okay, think you'll be alright telling that convincingly?" Scarlet shrugs and goes over the lie in her head. "Well, you've got time to practice it. Do you want to talk about something else? Any questions you want to get out of the way?"
"I have a thousand." She breathes looking him in the eye. Luca smirks and nods, sliding back to the head of the bed, crossing his long legs he beckons for Scarlet to sit down. She crawls forward and sits in front of him. "The first night you arrived, why did you –" She tries to replace the word attack. "'Terrorise' the village?" She bites her lip hoping that she didn't offend him.
"To be honest, I don't really know. I wouldn't have done it if I didn't know about your already present werewolf problem. I suppose I half thought that if I made a big enough scene then they would reveal themselves to me and we'd just discuss terms then and there. Werewolves are usually territorial, unlike me with my nomadic lifestyle, and I haven't met many and I know it probably wasn't the best way to get their attention." He pauses and scratches the back of his head. "I wasn't really thinking, I wasn't planning on breaking anything, I just caught your scent and it was … intoxicating." His eyes flutter closed as he inhales in remembrance. "You smell mouth-watering when I'm in this form, and it only intensifies when I'm in wolf form." He explains. "I was never going to hurt you, I promise. It was just … my mind was half switched off so I wasn't considering the trauma that I might cause you. And I'm truly sorry about that, if I could go back … I wouldn't have done it." Scarlet nods in understanding.
"Okay, that makes me feel a little better." She admits. "So, when you're the wolf, are you in control?"
"Yes and no." He winces. "It's hard to explain. Mentally I'm mostly there, but most of the time the rational side of my brain switches off and I just … lose myself a little I suppose."
"But last night, you responded to me, you understood me, yes?"
"Yes, I tried obeying your commands but it proved to be difficult with thirty plus men jabbing at you with spears."
"Your wound." Scarlet remembers. "You healed, but I saw how bad that was. There's no way that could have healed overnight."
"Werewolves heal fast. The flesh healed last night and the muscles and tendons have fully mended now." He places a hand on his shoulder and rotates it. "Injuries that would hinder ordinary men, or prove to be lethal, aren't to me. In wolf form I can continue on and heal whilst doing so, but in human form the process is slower but still fast compared to the average human." Scarlet crawls forward and moves his shirt aside so she can get a better look at where a gaping hole should be. Her palm caress the area, heat immediately pulsing through him into her.
"That's incredible." She breathes in wonder.
"Can I ask you a question?" He questions and she nods as she leans back in her place. "When Grey was about to throw that spear you tried to stop him, and then when he did you moved yourself in front of it. Why?"
"I don't know." She mumbles. "I guess I accepted the fact that if you were going to kill me then I was going to die and there was nothing that could have stopped that. And in that moment, when I thought I saw you respond, I suppose I thought there was no harm in testing a theory before I died." She mumbles and Luca takes her hand. "And when I became more than half sure that you were obeying my commands … I don't know. I suppose there was a brief moment when I wasn't afraid, but curious. I don't know why I threw myself in front of you. Something inside me just couldn't let you, even though I didn't know it was you, be killed." She entwines their fingers.
"Well I'm grateful for that."
"Yeah, great lot of good it did." She scoffs and stares at his shoulder.
"It's the thought that counts." He smiles and leans forward, his lips gently fluttering against hers. "Any more questions?"
"Plenty." He leans back and awaits further questioning. "Can find the other werewolf?"
"I suppose so, if I actively made an effort to talk to every single villager."
"You can tell just by talking to them?"
"Just by making eye contact actually. I, well I suppose all of us, get this tingling feeling along the surface of our skin when we stare at one another for long enough."
"Can you kill them?" She doesn't hesitate in asking. Luca stares at her for a moment, observing her seriousness.
"Depends."
"On what?"
"There's two types of werewolves, you're either born or bitten. If you're born you're stronger, more … better, for lack of a better word, then those of us who are bitten." He shrugs. "And that strength also increases along 'born' bloodlines. Each generation being bigger, stronger, better than the one before. You said that you've been living with this for three generations."
"What generation are you?" She cuts in.
"Technically 11th."
"11th! Then you are way stronger!"
"Shh! We don't want your family to hear." He raises a finger to his lips. "And that might not be entirely true."
"What do you mean not true? Luca, I saw you. You're huge. You're colossal."
"Yes, but you see where I came from the land is owned, was owned, by this Barron – and his family carried the werewolf bloodline. His wife, unable to bear a child, the Barron then took matters into his own hand and adopted and turned my father, who at the time work as a servant boy in his house."
"So why does that make a difference?"
"Because the bloodline was altered. Yes my abilities come from a long bloodline, but I'm not actually part of that lineage. Does that make sense?"
"…Yes. So if you have a lineage of bitten werewolves, does the … power or strength or whatever get increased by each generation?"
"Yes but not as much as a born bloodline. For example, a 6th generation bitten bloodline may only be as 'powerful' as a 3rd generation born bloodline."
"So what does that make you?"
"I don't know, I didn't exactly give my father the chance to explain." He growls slightly to himself. "I want to say I'm stronger than a 3rd generation born, but I've never fought another wolf before. And we don't even know if this wolf is born or bitten. I don't know what I am compared to others, I don't know the statistics for my kind of situation. I don't know if I count as 2nd generation or 11th."
"Well, if we found out who it is, would you be able to tell by just looking at them or whatever you do?"
"No. I'd have to ask." He laughs mirthlessly. "Excuse me, were you bitten or born? And by the way depending on your answer I plan on fighting you to the death." He reclines into the pillows. "Yes I'm sure that'll turn out well."
"Okay well we'll work on a plan. One thing at a time." Scarlet moves forward a tiny bit and places her hands on his knees, drawing lazy circles with her fingers. "Moving on. So you can't turn into a werewolf during the day?" She continues on with her trivia questions while she formulates a plan to kill the other wolf in the back of her mind.
"No I can't but –"
"But what?"
"But I still have my heightened senses. And I can do stuff whilst it's daytime but only during a full moon."
"Stuff?"
"I don't want to scare you."
"It's okay, I want to see. I think I'm over my initial fear." She tries to reassure but Luca just cocks an eyebrow. "I am. I won't be scared. I promise." She sits on her knees eagerly, honestly feeling more comfortable with him, the fear and anger that she previously felt now almost gone.
"You promise?"
"I promise." She press her hand to her heart. Luca sighs and rolls his eyes. He sits up slightly and raises his hands. Slow they change, the skin turns blackish, nails sharpening and elongating, the blackness spreading halfway down his forearms where long black fur starts to sprout. Scarlet gasps and tries not to look horrified, and truthfully she's not, well maybe a little but her wonder and curiosity overpower the feeling. She reaches out and her fingers wander over his black palms which now feel like paws of a dog. She traces down and pats the coarse but soft fur. She smiles and examines them again, avoiding the claws after frowning upon a brief consideration of touching them. Luca shakes his hands and they return to normal, Scarlet's fingers interlocking with his now that they're safe to do so. His palms feel normal again, still rough from working with an axe but much softer then what they just were. "What else?" She questions with excitement in her voice.
"Ah, I've been practicing with my ears."
"Practicing?" She cocks her head to the side.
"Yes darling, practicing. It doesn't just happen on command." She blushes in slight embarrassment but then smiles again.
"Show me." She insists, raising herself on her knees. He smiles genuinely at her eagerness and her acceptance of his other self. Luca closes his eyes and concentrates as he feels a tickling sensation engulf his ears as they blacken, soften, grow and re-shape. A gasp causes him to open his eyes. Scarlet's mouth hangs a gape and her eyes are wide with amusement. "Oh my." She exclaims quietly. Now resembling those of a dogs standing tall and just breaching past the top of his hair, his ears twitch forward. Scarlet gasps quietly again in amusement.
"Don't laugh." He shoves her a little and she has to cover her mouth to stop her laughter from reach downstairs.
"I'm sorry." She wheezes. "You just look so –" She falls forward in laughter, Luca's legs open allowing her room to fall.
"It's not that funny." He insists but she just nods her head enthusiastically in argument whilst laughing silently. His ears fold to the sides and then over again like a sad puppy dog's. Scarlet gasps loudly and then reaches out her hands.
"Aww…" She moans "You look so adorable." Her fingers graze his ears before her whole hand grabs them. "Oh my god they're so soft!" She exclaims, touching and patting them with her fingertips. She collapse atop of him and continues to play with his ears whilst her lips collide with his. Taken off guard Luca struggles to keep up with her movements but eventually finds the rhythm and wraps his hands around her waist whilst he deepens the kiss. "Sorry." She smiles when they break for air.
"Don't be." He chuckles and she pushes herself up slightly.
"They're so soft." She whines in adoration, continuing to stroke them, strokes slowly turning into scratching when she moves just behind his ears. Luca's eyes widen and he whines in pleasure and tries to restrain from panting. Scarlet smiles devilishly at her new found power over him and continues scratching all around behind his ears, driving Luca crazy with pleasure until he grabs her hands and pulls them away.
"Okay." He breathes heavily while Scarlet smirks mischievously. "That's enough of that." Scarlet leans down again and they kiss lightly. "So does this mean you're okay now?" He asks and releases her hands.
"I think so." She smiles in relief. "It's still strange when I think about it but I think I'm okay with it."
"Good." He returns her smile with a slight glimmer of tears glazing his autumn orbs.
"You're not that scary. You're just a big puppy dog." She touches his ears again and starts blubbering on with puppy dog talk.
"Hey, hey, hey. This puppy dog will eat you."
"No you won't." She kisses him. "I trust you."
"Thank you." He whispers and they kiss again. Luca's ears twitch and they return to normal. "Jackson is coming." Luca breaks their lips apart. They both sit up.
"How do you know?"
"I can hear him." Luca opens the door as Jackson raises his hand to knock. "Hey buddy." He smiles down and Jackson returns with a brief smile before entering and hugging his sister.
"Hey." She says. "I'm okay. You didn't think I'd let that mean old wolf eat me did you?" She tries to ease her brother's tension. "Come on, let's go down stairs and I'll explain everything." She takes her brother's hand and the three of them make their way into the lounge room where their mother and grandmother are waiting.
"How are you feeling?" Her grandmother asks.
"Better thank you." Jackson goes and sits on his mother's lap whilst Scarlet sits next to them and Luca next to her.
"Are you alright to tell us what happened?" Her mother asks.
"Yes." She says and takes Luca's hand, exchanging a glance with him. "After Grey wounded the beast with his spear, it launched at me and carried me on its shoulder whilst it leaped over the wall. After a few yards, its wound became too much to bear and it dropped me and continued on while I crawled and hid under the undergrowth before it could circle back, but it never did. When the morning came I was too scared to come out from my hiding spot so I stayed there, until I heard something. I thought for sure that it was the wolf and it was going to find me. But it wasn't. I turned so I could see out through the bushes and to my relief, I saw boots instead of paws. I tried to call out for help but I could only manage a chocked yelp. Nevertheless, he heard me. And he looked around and finally found me and pulled from the undergrowth." She pauses to look up at Luca and squeezes his hand for effect.
"But I don't understand." Her grandmother cuts in. "Why were you leaving? No one could find you?" She directs her question at Luca.
"I was leaving because I'm in love with your granddaughter." He pauses and her grandmother and mother exchange glances. "And I couldn't stay here knowing that she'd be with another man." He squeezes her hand again and warps his other arm around her waist. "That's why I wasn't at the ceremony. I was packing my things. And when I heard the screaming I came to help but that beast flung me against a wall and I fell un-conscious. When I came through the beast had gone and everyone was saying that it had taken Scarlet." He pauses again, sniffling as if he was holding back tears. "I apologise for not coming to pay my respects before I left but I've never been good at mourning and I didn't think I could find the courage to face you all. I left early, just before light, and decide to hunt the beast in the direction in which I was heading. There are no words to describe the feeling I felt when I heard that small yelp." He smiles at her and she leans into him. Her mother and grandmother exchange wide-eyed glances at the new revelation. "And I'm sorry that I asked you to keep things quite, I just thought that Scarlet wouldn't want the whole village barging in here to gawk at her."
"Yes, thank you for that. And thank you for bringing her home safely." Her mother states. "But I think it's time to notify the rest of the town." Her grandmother agrees and Scarlet just nods and stays in Luca's warm embrace. Her mother stands up and Jackson scoots closer to his sister whilst his mother unlocks the door and wanders out to inform the rest of the town.
During the next couple of hours the house plays host to almost the whole village. Scarlet replays their story over and over and over again, Luca only intervening when questions are asked. Scarlet accepts many hugs and listens to almost everyone say how glad they are and how worried and sad they were. Mr Volgosung comes by and states his joy to Scarlet that he's relieved to see her returned safe and sound. He exchanges words of thanks with Luca, as does most of the village, and asks for a few words in private with Luca. He agrees and they talk out the front while Scarlet retells her story to more guests. News soon travelled to Scarlet of Mr Volgosung's standoff with Grey this morning, and she's pleased that someone finally stood up for her but she's not so thrilled about the words he used. Luca returns and retakes his place next to Scarlet.
"What was that all about?" She asks him quietly.
"Nothing of importance." He replies with a smile.
"Don't start lying now." She whines to him and squeezes his bicep.
"I'm not lying. I'll tell you later, it was nothing to worry about, I promise." He presses his forehead against hers and resists the urge to kiss her. "How are you feeling?"
"Tired." She admits with a sigh of frustration.
"Okay, bedtime then."
"What, I can't go to bed with all these people here."
"Yes you can." Luca pulls her off the couch and leads her through the crowd of people. "Scarlet's exhausted and I'm taking her to bed." He informs her mother who is standing at the foot of the stairs.
"Oh, of course. I'll be up later to check on you." She cups her daughters face. "Get some rest darling." She smiles at her mother and walks around her to ascend the staircase. Luca is following until they both her a small voice.
"Red!" They turn to find Jackson half asleep, weaving his way towards them. Luca jumps down the stairs to retrieve Jackson and bring him to bed as well. "I don't like all these people here." He mumbles in Luca's ear when he has the boy in his arms.
"I know. Don't worry they'll be gone soon." He mumbles back and turns back to find Scarlet waiting on the staircase, her eyes on them until something else out the door grabs her attention and her expression changes. Luca follows her line of sight to find Grey bounding in the door. He's already at the foot of the stairs before Luca can react, everyone's eyes on them.
"You're alive!" He races up to her. "I thought I lost you." He cups her cheeks.
"No thanks to you." She pulls out of his grip.
"Scarlet." He protests. Luca puts Jackson down and gestures him to go to his mother before exchanging glances with Mr Volgosung.
"You said you killed it. You said it was safe." She hisses at him.
"I made a mistake and I'll regret it for the rest of my life. I'm so sorry." He grabs her wrist. "But you're okay now, you're safe. And we can be marred in the morning."
"Are you serious?" She pulls her arm free.
"How did the hunt go? Any progress?" Mr Volgosung calls from the entrance to the kitchen.
"Stay out of this woodsman!" Grey growls.
"He has more right to be here then you do!" Scarlet glares at Grey and that pulls everyone's attention to her.
"Excuse me, I've been out searching for you all morning."
"Well good job! I wouldn't have needed to be searched for if it wasn't for you!"
"Since when do you think you can talk to me like that?" He growls and goes to grab her again.
"Get away from her!" Luca barks from the bottom of the stairs and Grey turns to face him.
"Oh look who it is. Of course you'd be here. How 'bout you stay away from my wife!"
"If it wasn't for him then Scarlet would still be out there. Maybe dead!" Her grandmother yells.
"And I'm not your wife!" Scarlet protests. "I guess there was one good thing that happened last night!" She hisses and Grey spins around in rage, raising his arm.
"You little –"
"That's enough!" Scarlet's mother finally yells. "Don't you dare lay a hand on my daughter! I can't believe that I almost let you marry her. Get out of my house this instant!" Grey just begins to chuckle in disbelief.
"Are you serious? Or you'll what?" He questions her before turning to Scarlet.
"Or I'll throw you out." Luca answers and takes a step up.
"Ha! Will you now? Where were you last night? I didn't see you rushing to her aid when she was attacked."
"I was there and like most of the men in this town, I was flung aside by that thing. I'm surprised it didn't kill you actually, maybe it decided you were to disgusting to eat." Luca replies and half the house gasps in excitement at how this fight is turning out.
"You need to leave." Scarlet cuts in.
"You're an ungrateful bitch, you know that?" He storms down the few steps and shoulder barges Luca as he goes. "Have the filthy whore. She'll probably run off with next stranger who comes along." Scarlet bites her cheek and pretends that didn't sting but it did and the humiliation of everyone staring at her almost causes her to cry. Luca on the other hand clenches his jaw and smiles, turning to follow Grey out of the house. Scarlet races after him and everyone else rushes to the door as well to see what happens next.
"Hey!" Luca yells to get his attention, and he turns, only to meet Luca's fist which comes out of nowhere. Grey stumbles back holding his jaw but doesn't fall. Grey retaliates immediately and swings at him but misses and Luca's other fist collides with Grey's face. Luca lifts his leg and the bottom of his boot thrusts into Grey's stomach, sending him flying backwards and onto the ground. Luca is quickly on top of him, holding his collar with one hand whilst hammering into him with the other, delivering punch after punch.
"Luca!" Scarlet exclaims from their side, blood spluttering from Grey's nose and mouth. "Luca stop!" She screams and he does, bouncing to his feet and leaving Grey moaning in agony on the ground, blood covering half his face. His hunting party runs to his aid when Luca walks away, all of them fired up and ready to fight but none of them initiate the first punch.
"Take him home." Mr Volgosung instructs the pack whilst Luca grabs Scarlet and pulls her inside and up the stairs away from the village's prying eyes.
"Luca." Scarlet pulls her arm free once they're in her room.
"I'm sorry." He says and paces around the room, heaving heavily.
"Calm down."
"You have no idea how much I want to go and rip his head off." His voice barely human.
"And even though I completely agree with you; that would be very bad." She grabs his arms and forces him to stay still. "Thank you for doing that. But at the same time I wish you hadn't."
"You expected me to just stand there and let him leave after talking to you like that?"
"It would have been easier." Luca widens his eyes as his rage increases. "But I thank you nonetheless, now please calm down. Please." She caress the side of his face and he eventually stops vibrating with rage. "That's better." She soothes as he takes deep breaths. "Now come and lay down." She leads him to the bed where he reclines down and inhales deeply whilst closing his eyes. Scarlet shuts her door and locks it before climbing in next to Luca. "I just wanted to go to bed." She wipes her eyes and imagines the way the last ten minutes should have been.
"I'm sorry." Luca breathes.
"I know. It's okay." She runs her hand up and down his heaving chest. "I'm used to him ruining everything." She sighs. "Now I feel like I can sleep for a thousand years, and I would feel much better if you calmed down and went to sleep with me." She kisses his cheek and his eyes find hers.
"Alright. I'm sorry."
"It's okay." They kiss and Scarlet settles herself in Luca's arms, his breathing already returning to a slower rhythm. "Thank you." She mumbles into his chest before a wave of fatigue washes over her.
Author's Note: Just a couple more to go. Thank you all for being patient.
