The Red Wolf's Daughter (Book 3 Part 2: The Making of the Siran)

Chapter 40

"Well?" Fernos asked and raised an eyebrow in question.He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat. "What is it? What do you want to discuss?"

"When are you going to let him out?" I asked, asking one of the many questions that I had and wanted answered. "I am sure that it has been more than a few years that you have let him out, and I have a feeling that he is getting antsy."

Fernos narrowed his eyes and set his jaw. His eyes turned a dark shade of red, and his face slowly started to peel away as if I had awoken the beast that lived inside him, and the beast wanted to come out and play.

I didn't say a word and stared at him with a blank look on my face, not showing any fear or anything like that because I was not afraid of him or the "power" that he possessed.

Fernos broke the staring contest between us first and closed his eyes, setting his jaw. He hissed and turned his head away from me, shuddering and controlling the monster until his face was back to normal.

I leaned forward in my seat and stared at him in concern. My heart pounded hard and fast in my chest, and my mouth grew dry. "Well?" I asked and rested my forearms against my legs while I stared at him. I cocked my head and studied him, biting the inside of my lip. "How long ago?"

"Don't," Fernos said and shook his head. "Do not ask unless you want to know the full force of it." His voice shook from the strain that he was under, and I bit back a small scoff and rolled my eyes.

"I already asked, Fernos," I said and cocked my head to the side, studying him, my heart pounding hard in my chest. "I want to know." I paused and cleared my throat while I shifted in my seat. "Please, Fernos. I'm begging you. How long has it been?"

Fernos narrowed his eyes and set his jaw, not answering my question. His whole body was tense, and I could tell that he didn't want to answer my question, no matter how much I pushed him.

"I'm not going to let up until I know, Fernos," I said with a small shake of my head before I looked at him head on. "I need to know. We need to do something before the mask fully comes off, and you can't control him until it's too late."

Still Fernos didn't say a word, but his eyes slowly started to red again. He stared at me hard, and I knew that he wanted me to start quaking in fear, but I didn't; I couldn't.

I stared at him with a pleading look on my face. My heart ached, and I prayed that he would finally answer my question and let me know how long it has been.

I sighed and moved a hand through my hair before I shook my head and cleared my throat, grimacing. "Goddess, Fernos," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "You as well as I know that it will get too painful for you to ignore. You're starting to lose that mask you wear every single day, and one of these days, it is going to come off without your permission unless you let him out."

Fernos set his jaw before he bit back a sigh and shook his head, moving a hand through his hair, relenting. "Fine," he grumbled before he cleared his throat, leaning back in his seat. He folded his arms across his chest and looked at me, his eyes still red but his face not peeling off to reveal the "monster" underneath. "Do you think you can handle the truth?"

I bit back a small scoff and rolled my eyes, scowling. "I will be able to handle the truth, Fernos," I grumbled and folded my arms across my chest. "How long ago has it been since you last let him out?"

Fernos set his jaw tighter and shook his head while he bit back a small sigh. "It's been a while," he admitted before he cleared his throat and shifted in his seat. "I haven't let him out in a while, and I know that I need to, but I have not been able to."