Chapter 11: The Strange Village

It’s warm and cozy here, my eyes smiling when they found the fireplace. A piping hot bowl of venison stew beckoned me to sit beside the blazing fireplace.

I ate half of the food for ten minutes. Noticing the lavish royal blue curtain, I scooted away from the fireplace and pushed aside the curtains. I just realized that it served as the door between—

“This place is a village,” I breathed, wiping my mouth clean from eating. From just the look of the surroundings, I’m pretty sure this village is in the middle of the forest. And near a lake, the briny scent could never hide the smell of fresh forest rain. I watch the people who are busy doing their own businesses as I tend to my own business—being busy scanning the surroundings on where the fuck I am. The name of the place, who carried me here, and—

“Zarion,” I realized, calling his name as if he’s around. “ Zarion must know where I am, and probably the one who carried my ass here.” My eyes darted to a small cottage in the corner—to where several pups are running around and wagging their tails. Playful, their joyous shriek shrouded the village with warmth and vibrance. And happiness, unfeigned happiness.

The one I’ve never seen in my entire life inside the castle.

“Wow,” I murmured, enough for only the wind to hear. I didn’t know there was a village like this. Maybe this is far away from where I lived, pretty much far. The world is vast indeed, as vast as the ocean and as vast as the sky.

And I couldn’t wait to explore more.

But wait. Am I really safe here?

Before my own mind could answer my own question, a petite black lady with gorgeous braided curls that reached her shoulders slowly approached me. Smiling, she extended a hand to caress my long luscious hair. “You’re awake, little sheep.”

Seriously, little sheep?! My hand waved awkwardly at her. “H-Hi, you are—”

She laughed and grabbed my hand. “I’m Delilah Ferguson. You can call me Delilah.”

I faked a smile. “My name is Cassidy. You can call me Cass.”

My hands started fidgeting while I stared at the girl with hopeful eyes. “I was looking for a man named Zarion,” I paused, swallowing. “But I ended up here, woke up here.”

Upon uttering Zarions’ name, Delilah gasped, even cursed. “Don’t you dare mention that cursed name here!”

My brows furrowed at her reaction, she hissed back. “Why?

“He's the Alpha of this pack.” Fear now shone in her once-cheerful eyes. “He was banished because he didn't want to take responsibility for his position. Rumors say that he's out in the woods, looking for his mate, and…” she trailed off, leaving silence to sink deeper in my bones. This hut or cottage, whatever this is, is so small and simple, and quiet now that the pups are no longer in the area.

“And?” I swallowed, braced myself for whatever horrible word her tongue might utter.

“Kill her.” Delilah’s nose flared. “He wants to kill his mate.”

***

My eyes widened after hearing those words.

Words that I hardly knew.

But all I know is it’s cruel, utterly cruel. Mate. Killing. I don’t understand any of these things. These are all foreign to me.

“Delilah, what is a ‘mate’?”

“Are you crazy? Everyone is thinking and waiting for their mates in life. Your scent will be heavy once you turn eighteen, then you’re gonna meet each other accidentally or perhaps you already have met them in your life.” Delilah’s dreamy voice apparently might put me to sleep while talking about it. “And you’re gonna have baby pups running around your house and—” She stopped when she saw my incredulous reaction. Clearing her throat, she resumed. “Anyway, how old are you?"

“Eighteen,” I answered sharply. Piles of questions were now running inside my head, blocking my innocence and calmness. “That mate thing,” I asked, slowly but surely. “Is that a tradition, a part of your culture?”

“Yes, everyone knows that. Should know that. It's been passed from generation to generation.” Once again, she gave me ‘that’ look. And when I mean by that, it means an annoying, nasty one.

Bile rose in my throat. I have a very not-so-funny feeling that I don’t belong—that I should not be here. Whoever took me, may it be Zarion or not, must be mad.

As if Zarion isn’t always mad. I mused, Delilah’s unnerving gaze still lingering in my entirety.

After a couple of seconds of silence, I grinned. Awkwardly. “Oh, I did not know that. Pardon me.” The vibe inside the village shifted, from being immensely happy to wholly weird. Inhuman, unnatural. I could feel that there was something… something not normal for a mere human like me. Turning on my heel, I met Delilah's unabashed look.

And I almost shrieked until my throat exploded when I saw a muscular man turn into a wolf.

So it’s not a dog, but a wolf, then. Zarion’s words played in my mind. “Dog,” he nodded, scoffing. “It’s a wolf, kid. I thought you’re old enough to know the difference?”

“Whoa, whoa there,” I mumbled to myself. Trying to get back my breathing, I turn my back again from Delilah, exhaling and inhaling. “Hey, you okay—” she called, and I just lifted my hand to signal her yes.

That scene I saw yesterday night… I wasn’t dreaming. It was real. Zarion, like the rest of the species in this village, turned from a human into a wolf. Werewolves… my grandmother used to share stories about those animals in the woods. And they were not nice, she said. They were scary and dangerous. And ferocious.

I must find and talk to Zarion immediately. “Uhm, Delilah?” I curtsied with a smile towards her. She looks nice and friendly. I bet she’s going to transform, too, like the rest of them, if she’d like. Especially if I provoke her. I already know she’s one of them the moment I laid my eyes on hers.

“I’m going back now,” I cleared my throat, as if I’m not already panicking.

What if they eat me?! I thought. No, they won’t.

Right, they won’t. Zarion is with me, probably just smirking under the cloak of darkness, amusement dancing in his eyes as he watches me, his kid, panicking and no longer able to breathe and think properly.

“To where? Are you from a different pack?” she asked. Carefully. And now I must be careful with my words, too.

And now I am more curious about my existence. I tried to be calm, as serene as possible. The inside of my hand is almost bleeding, my scratching made it even worse.

“No,” I breathed. “Unfortunately, I don't belong to any pack.”