Heroes and Wolves [book 1]

Chapter fifty-three

Admittedly, Maylock has looked out for me. He is caring, kind and there was a tiny part of me that used this to stop myself from leaving when he asked. Maybe its okay to work with someone? With Maylock...

     "Can you remember anything of last night?" Baymin asks, his eyes glazed in curiosity and slight caution.

     "Not really" I remember being in the city, then flying to Miscellania but then my mind blanks with only a few snapshots of pain and darkness.

     "Your first is always a blur until you learn to control it" he states simply.

     "My first?" I frown as the wrinkles on his face crinkle from thought and anticipation. He then breathes in heavily and exhales at the same rate, furthering the pause between my question and need for an answer.

     "Transformation" he quietly states. "You're a werewolf Layla. You were bitten by the Monster of Folklore so every full moon, you will turn into one"

I feel wounded, absolutely spellbound.

"So I..." my voice falters as I realise that I broke the shelf and table, I snapped the chain loops and hurt Baymin.

I hurt Baymin! 

    "Yes, this was you" Baymin indicates to the scratch marks on the floor. "This was all you" I claw my hands down my face.

"I am a monster"

"No you're not"

"I broke out of chains, smashed a shelf in half. I... I..." I point to Baymin's neck but stop myself from stating and therefore admitting that I was the one who put the bruises on his neck.

     "Bruises heal Layla" he calms. "There are ways to control this" 

     "Can you teach me?" his words give me a metaphorical plaster to soothe the pain of his words.

"Unfortunately, I cannot" the hopeful plaster has been ripped off completely, my mind raw from this revelation.

     "What was the point in saying that then!" I flay my arms up in despair and stand up. "So now every bloody full moon I turn into a monster. I have no say in the matter and there is no one to help me control it. Brilliant!" I shout angrily and slight pain splices within my head which makes me wince.

     "Woah Layla, you need to stop because if you get angry or your heart rate rises then it will result in you changing. Breathe."

"Thought you didn't know how to control it?" I glare at him but take his advice on board and breathe in and out slowly.

     "I don't Layla." though it takes a while for Baymin to utter those three words. It's as if he had to think about what he was going to say. "I got that information from things I have read and learnt over time" 

"There's a werewolf A-Z book?" I snap sarcastically "Well good job you polished up on supernatural beings that actually exist" I roll my eyes for good measure.

     "As a matter of fact, that was one of the books I read" he remarks and I recognise the name.

   "I read that book" My sarcastic tone and rage quickly mellow in replace of enlightenment as we have something in common.

     "It was a good book. It told me all what I know about werewolves, vampires and a whole lot of other fantasy beings"

     "And just one has become a reality. My reality"

     "So you can imagine my surprise when I found a bag with blood and mud sodden clothes outside of Miscellania"

 Oh no, I completely forgot about that bag.

     "Urm, well, I didn't want anyone to see"

     "So you thought throwing it out of a window was a good idea? I knew something else happened just from the state of those clothes. Mavlins are annoying opponents but cannot inflict the injuries you had. You should have told me"

     "You? Just you?" I pick up on his non inclusive term. "I thought you were together with the Guardians on this but I get it now. Instead of having a hold over just Maylock, you have a hold over this entire place and its people within, don't you?"

     "What? Where's this come from?" he frowns.

     "You just want to know everything. It's so contradictory. It was just convenient that you found me last night. You wouldn't have known anything"

     "Well that's incredibly stupid" he scolds. "So, let's get something straight before you tread into territory you know absolutely nothing about" his voice turns cold, fierce and I'm taken aback by it "One, I don't have a hold over Miscellania and its entire populace. Two, you should be glad I found you when you were on the verge of transforming because who knows what you would have done and where you would have woken up and three, I am only looking out for you, something that we all do, that Maylock does"

"Yeah, since he is your puppet on a string. You have him wrapped around your little finger. He can't say the things he wants too without you stepping in and don't think I haven't seen the looks of approval he gives you, like you are controlling what he actually does say and eliminating any chance of free speech."

     "Layla, that's not true" he shakes his head.

     "How? I've seen it multiple times!"

     "He is like that as a result of what I did for him"

     "You must have done something big because you have him programmed not to answer anything"

     "I saved him from himself" he snaps and I stop. "He was near to going down a path of destruction and I stopped him at the right time. We will just keep it at that but I don't have a hold over him Layla. He chooses when to say things and when not too. This is new to us, having to protect someone. I know that we do it all the time with the people of Lakeintown but it's actually a lot harder with just one. Especially, when they want to leave which will put them more at risk" he stabs aiming his words directly at me.

     "Well, I'm staying now. I want to knuckle down the answer as to why I'm in danger"

     "Why are you so hung up on finding out a reason? We don't know else apart from what was stated in your dads letter. Maylock said that it mentioned Adicus as a possible danger for you as well as the monster." I nod. "You need to be careful because now that you're a werewolf may attract the monsters' attention more than ever and Adicus is just a mad man so leaving without anyone to escort you is something you should avoid"

     "Okay"

     "Did you just agree with me?" his eyes widen in surprise. "You're not going to ignore my instruction and try to leave?"

     "I never believed the supposed danger from the monster when I was told the first time, but in that letter, my dad said we were being hunted down by them."

This has put everything into perspective; I can't be alone anymore. I need the Guardians.

     "Now that Adicus might be involved somehow makes me wonder what is going on. Nothing was explained in that letter but since you don't know anything, I don't know anything, it really does make me in danger of the unknown so we could work this out together and I'll stay here until we find a reason why"

     "That sounds like a great plan"

     "But you're not going to tell anyone what happened last night are you? What I have now become?" This vital make or break question comes to mind.

     "You cannot keep this to yourself Layla. It's dangerous. They need to know"

     "Where would I even start?"

     "With the truth. Tell them what really happened, that's all you can do. They should be coming back any time now. I will be here if you want" he offers and I nod as I walk out with him behind me.