№47|My Most Precious Thing
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Medusa stormed through the entrance of Dewei’s house in a fit of rage. “How dare he!” She shouted, throwing her notebook and recorder onto the couch. “How dare he make me choose between you and my research!”
“Medusa, just calm down.” Barron attempted to soothe his beloved mate, but there was no calming her down in this state.
“Don’t tell me to calm down, Barron!” Medusa snapped, her snakes hissing at the alpha. “How do you expect me to calm down when we’re in an impossible situation?!”
“It’s not impossible.” Barron rubbed her forearms, smiling at the researcher. Even though he was smiling on the outside, he was just as worried and angry as Medusa was.
His parents' lives were on the line, as well as Medusa’s research. No matter what he’d choose, he would lose someone he loves.
He stroked her hair, her snakes hissing softly at his touch. “It’s not impossible,” he placed a small kiss on her nose, “nothing is impossible.”
“Barron…” Medusa looked down at her feet, “my entire life’s work is in that book… I know you love your parents, but I can’t give up my research.”
“That’s why you won't have to give it up.” Barron replied, lifting up Medusa’s chin. “We’ll find a way to get my parents back without anybody losing anything.”
“That’s what makes this impossible.” Medusa escaped his grasp, walking over to the couch to pick up her notebook. “No matter what happens, someone ends up getting hurt.”
“That’s to be said about any situation.” Barron wrapped his arms around her. “We’ll get through this, Medusa.”
“And you know this how? If I don’t give up my research and if you don’t give up the packs your parents will die, Barron! You almost lost them once I can’t be the reason you lose them again!” Medusa scolded, clenching her notebook.
“I don’t know what he wants with my research, or with the notebook for that matter, but I can’t give this up to him.” Medusa held the notebook close to her chest. “I can’t let all their hard work go to waste!”
“Their?” Vanessa asked.
“The other people who wrote in this book. I can’t let their knowledge go to waste!” Medusa exclaimed. “I know it might be selfish, but I’m not giving up my knowledge.”
“You won't have to, Medusa.” Barron assured her, turning towards the group. “Nobody is giving up anything. We’ll be getting my parents back. That’s a promise.”
◥✥◤
Vanessa watched as Malakai sat on the edge of the bed, looking down at his hands in utter silence. Ever since they returned from the meeting, Malakai had been as quiet as a mouse, which irked Vanessa til days end.
“Malakai,” Vanessa crawled over towards the warlock, wrapping her arms around him, “what’s wrong?”
“What?” Malakai snapped out of his deep thought, smiling up at Vanessa. “Oh… just thinking…”
“About?” Vanessa asked, kissing along his shoulders.
Malakai remained silent, so Vanessa looked up at him. “Is it about that Balio guy? Who is he, anyways?”
“I was Balio’s apprentice.” Malakai sighed, raking his fingers through his hair.
“So he taught you everything you know?” Vanessa questioned, earning an answer from the nod she received.
“Yeah,” a small blue flame formed in Malakai’s palm, “I thought he was the best warlock ever…” the flame began to grow, “I couldn’t be more wrong…”
“Malakai,” Vanessa placed her hand on top of the flame, knowing Malakai’s magic would never hurt her, “did you do that to his eye?”
Malakai nodded, looking down in shame. “If you knew what he put me through, you’d take out his eye too.”
“Then tell me.” Vanessa kissed his cheek. “Tell me what he did.”
“I don’t want this to change how you view me.” Malakai whimpered.
“It won’t.” Vanessa assured him.
“When I was little, I adored Balio.” Malakai said, thinking back to those troubled days.
Harlyn, Malakai, and Zay were walking through the market when Malakai noticed a poster with ‘Balio The Great’ plastered on big bright letters.
“Mom! Look!” The 10 year old Malakai pulled the poster off the lamppost, rushing to show his mother. “It’s Balio!”
“Oh,” Harlyn inhaled sharply, clenching her fist, “he’s back… how fun.”
“Is everything alright, mom?” Malakai rested his hand on his mother’s clenched fist.
“Your mother and Balio were old friends… frenemies at best.” Zay explained, watching as his wife’s fist unclenched at Malakai’s touch.
“You knew Balio?!” Malakai gasped, his eyes the size of saucers.
“He isn’t all he’s cracked up to be, trust me.” Harlyn rolled her eyes, the family approaching a small fruit stand.
“What are you talking about, mom?! Balio is the best warlock in the land! I heard he’s fought this evil dragon with just one spell!” Malakai used a stick pretending to be like Balio as he fought an imaginary dragon.
“Trust me, kid, no dragon goes down with one spell. If that were true, you’re mother would’ve killed me on our first date.” Zay chuckled, placing a carton of blueberries in the grocery bag.
“Still, Balio is the best!” Malakai cheered. He looked down at the flyer, reading the bottom half, “Mom! He’s looking for apprentices!”
“No way.” Harlyn stated, shaking her head. “You are not becoming his apprentice. What about Sidney? He’s looking for an apprentice.”
“I don't wanna be Sidney’s apprentice, I wanna be Balio’s appentience!” Malakai showed his mother the flyer once more. “Mom! He’s ‘Balio The Gre-”
“Malakai!” Harlyn snapped. “That’s enough! You’re not going to be Balio’s apprentice, and that’s final. Am I clear?”
“Yes, mom…” Malakai whimpered, looking down at his feet.
Harlyn sighed, crouching down in front of Malakai. “I’m just trying to keep you safe.”
“I know…” Malakai whispered, nodding sadly.
“How about we go home and make some blueberry muffins? Those are your favorite!” Harlyn suggested, tapping Malakai’s nose, gaining a smile from the little boy.
“Yay!” Malakai cheered, holding his mother’s hand as Zay, Harlyn, and Malakai walked back home.
Later that day, Malakai gazed out his bedroom window, glancing up at the stars. He sighed, looking at his bed to see a travel bag and his coat. He clenched the flyer of Balio in his hands, nodding with determination as he put on his coat and grabbing his bag.
Malakai carefully sneaked down stairs, stopping to see his mother and father asleep in each other's arms. “Sorry mom… sorry dad… I gotta do this.” Malakai whispered, walking out the door.
Closing the door behind him, Malakai released a shaky breath, “You can do this.” His words said one thing, but the fear in the small boy’s eyes said another. He looked down at his map. “Okay, just need to find the train station.”
With that, the small boy took a hesitant step forward, beginning his journey.
“You ran from home?” Vanessa asked, smei-shocked at her mate. She’d never picture Malakai as the ‘run from home’ type.
“At the time I thought it was a good idea…” Malakai frowned, soon shaking his head, “now I wish I never stepped foot outside of it.” A flame lit in his palm, and he began to intensively stare at it.
Malakai curled up in his seat on the train, gazing out the frost covered window as the train made its way through his hometown of Valhalla. One of the train attendants came by with a trolley full of sweets when she noticed the small boy eyeing the trolley with hunger. Smiling softly, she passed Malakai a brownie. “Eat up. It looks like you’re going on a long journey.”
Malakai nibbled on the brownie, looking up at the lady with a smile. “Thank you…”
“Where you headed, honey?” The woman asked, stroking Malakai’s hair.
Malakai showed her the flyer. “Ah!” The woman nodded, “you look offly young for an apprentice… your parents did say it was okay to go, right?”
Malakai gulped, ultimately nodding.
She knew Malakai was lying, but said nothing of it, and simply patted his shoulder. “Just know you can always go back home, kid.”
“I hope so…” Malakai muttered as the lady walked off.
“I don’t get it, Malakai, so you ran off. Big deal. Everyone does that at some point in their lives.” Vanessa rolled her eyes jokingly.
“The real trouble began when I got to Balio’s…” Malakai continued to gaze into the flame, his eyes radiating a bright storm blue.
Rain crashed down on the Blue Gull Forest as Malakai fought through the strong wind. His small feet took large strides as his brown eyes locked onto the small cabin ahead of him.
Smiling widely, Malakai rushed towards the cabin, knocking on the door. Light from the inside shined down on Malakai as he gazed up in wonder at his hero. “Mister Balio!” Malakai raised his voice to be heard over the rain. “I’m Malakai,” he extended his hand, “I’m your new apprentice.”
A sly smirk graced Balio’s lips. His heterochromia blue and gray eyes grew a malicious glin. “Come inside, Malakai.” Balio ushed the young boy inside, closing the door behind him.
“Mister Balio, you have no idea what an honor it is to be your apprentice.” Malakai smiled widely as he placed his bag down on the table, rushing over towards his idol.
Balio went into the top cupboard, pulling out a scroll and some ink. “Sign here.” Balio pointed to the dotted line.
Without reading a single letter of the contract, Malakai quickly signed the contract, glancing back up at his hero with doe eyes.
Balio handed Malakai and mop and a bucket. “Get to cleaning.”
“Cleaning?” Malakai tilted his head in confusion. “Oh! This is some Mister Miyagi type stuff, right?”
“Yeah, sure, just get to cleaning.” Balio repeated, throwing him a towel.
Malakai saluted his mentor and began to follow his order, a wide smile on his face from being so close to his hero.
After a hard day’s work of cleaning, Malakai wiped the sweat off his forehead as he placed the broom, mop, and mop bucket back in their respective places. He turned towards Balio, a bright sparkle twinkling in the warlock’s eyes. “Okay! Cleaning is finished. Can you teach me some spells?”
“Spells?” Balio chuckled, standing up from the couch, scoffing at Malakai. “Who ever said I’d teach you about spells?”
“Well, you said you need an apprentice… so I just thought-”
“I’d actually teach a little runt like you?” Balio flicked his forehead. “Please, I already have better apprentices than your little runt.”
“But… the flyer…” Malakai muttered, frowning as he bowed his head.
“Was a lie. I just needed someone to clean up the mess me and my apprentices left.” Balio stopped Malakai in his tracks as he rushed towards the door. “Where do you think you're going?”
“Home!” Malakai yelled, tears staining his cheeks. “Mom was right. You’re just a dirty liar!”
“No way, kid,” Balio gripped Malakai's wrist, pulling him up to the attic and throwing him inside, “you’re gonna stay in here until I need you.”
Malakai shuttered at Balio’s overarching shadow that loomed in the attic door, a malicious grin framing the famous warlock’s face. “If you know what’s best for you, you’ll stay put until I need you.” With a hard slam of the door, Malakai was left alone in the cold, dark attic… with nothing but his cries of pain and sorrow to fill the walls.
“He made you his slave?” Vanessa whimpered, resting her hand on his thigh. “So that’s why you were so pissed when you saw him…”
“Yeah,” Malakai buried his face in his hands, “I was locked up there for months… only being able to come out when he needed something.”
Vanessa rubbed his shoulder, placing a small but gentle kiss on his cheek. “How’d you get out?”
Malakai clenched the fabric on his pants till his knuckles turned white, thinking back to the fond day.
Malakai cried into his knees. It had been weeks since he left home, and all he wanted to do was go back to his loving father and mother.
His feeble 10 year old body curled up into a ball as he sobbed in the corner. “I wanna go home…” he whimpered, attempting to conjure up a flame for warmth, but only a tiny spark came to.
Suddenly, a loud roar pierced through Malakai’s ears. The warlock quickly sat up as the door to the attic tore down. Malakai winced at the bright lights shone into the attic, once his eyes adjusted to the light, he saw his mother standing there in all her glory.
“Malakai… Augustus… Santos!” Harlyn’s eyes flashed red as she rushed towards him. Malakai clenched his eyes shut in fear of getting hit, but was welcomed by his mothers loving arms. “Don't you dare run off like that again! You had me and your dad worried sick.”
“How’d you find me?” Malakai whimpered.
“I’m your mom. It’s my job to find you.” Harlyn stroked his cheek. “Plus your dad has amazing tracking abilities.”
“What about Balio?” Malakai frantically looked around for the warlock. “H-He’s gonna ki-kill you!”
“Don't worry about him-” a loud roar from the living room rippled throughout the home. Harlyn chuckled, shaking her head, “your dad and his dragon buddies are taking care of him as we speak.”
“What are they doing to him?” Malakai whispered, holding his mother’s hand as they left the attic. Malakai stopped at the doorway, hesitant to leave.
“Don’t worry,” Harlyn crouched down in front of him. “It’s okay, you can leave.”
Malakai slowly stepped out of the room, running into his mother’s arms. She giggled softly, holding Malakai close to her chest. Her heels clicked on the hardwood floor as she walked down to the living room to see blood splattered on the walls.
Balio quivered in the corner as Zay stood over him, an ominous aura filling the room. “Soo… which ligament should I break next? I already took out your eye… there’s plenty of body parents I can still break!” His heel dug into Balio’s kneecap.
“Dad…?” Malakai lifted his head, but Harlyn shook her head, resting Malakai’s head back down on her shoulder.
“Zay, don't kill him,” Harlyn growled, standing beside her husband, “leave him to the wolves.”
With that, Zayin whistled loudly as the wolves began to circle in. Balio attempted to stand, but was brought back down to his knees. “You’ll pay for this, Santos!” Balio roared out into the night as the wolves began to gnaw on him. “I swear you’ll pay!!”
However, Malakai and his family were long gone by now… Balio’s screams were nothing but an echo in the night.
Vanessa wrapped her arms around Malakai’s form. “Don't worry, Malakai,” Vanessa stroked his cheek, “he won’t hurt me or you, got that?”
“Vanessa… now that he’s back… he's gonna want blood… I can’t have your blood splattered on the walls because of me.” Malakai shook his head rapidly. “You mean too much to me!”
“Hey, hey, hey,” Vanessa cupped his cheeks, “did you forget who you’re mated to?”
“Vanessa, he-”
“Who are you mated to?” Vanessa asked sternly.
“You.” Malakai replied with squished cheeks.
“And who is the head beta of the Whiteclad pack?” Vanessa smirked, winking at her mate.
“You.” Malakai responded once more.
“Let me protect you, Malakai,” Vanessa kissed his nose, “that’s what us werewolves do for their mates… we protect the most precious things… and Malakai,” Vanessa blushed, biting her lower lip, “you’re my most precious thing…”
Malakai smiled, partaking her dull pink lips into his. “You’re my most precious thing too, my little caramel truffle.”
Vanessa giggled, pulling Malakai onto the bed as she wrapped her arms around him. “You’re mine, got that?”
“All yours, Vanessa,” Malakai whispered loving into her ear as he settled into her warm embrace, “all yours.”
◥✥◤
“Kalypso, let’s go to bed.” Rufus muttered, kissing along her shoulder. “You haven’t been sleeping well lately... have you been having nightmares again?”
Kalypso shook her head, rising from her bed as she walked over to the bathroom. “Not tonight, Rufus.”
“Is this about the Bryce dude?” Rufus unsheathed himself from the blankets and leaned against the bathroom doorway, watching his Kalypso study herself in the mirror.
“What’s wrong?” Rufus came into the mirror view, perplexed at what Kalypso was staring at. “It’s just your reflection.”
“Do you think I’m dumb?” Kalypso turned towards the dragon. “Do you think I’m stupid?”
“What?” Rufus chuckled slightly, fully entering the bathroom. “Who said you were stupid?”
“You heard Bryce-”
“Who is he anyways?” Rufus scoffed, turning away from Kalypso. “You seemed pretty excited when he showed up.”
“I hadn’t seen Bryce in years… not since when Sienna cut his head off.” Kalypso muttered, clenching the rim of the sink. “I’ve always blamed myself for not being able to save him.”
“To be honest, I don't know why you saved him.” Rufus murmured under his breath, but Kalypso heard him.
“He was my best friend, that's why.” Kalypso shot back.
“Honey, he’s a jerk. How could you ever be friends with someone like that?” Rufus chuckled, shaking his head. “I would’ve strangled him by now.”
“He’s not like that. Bryce just probably had a hard day.” Kalypso shrugged, trying to give him the benefit of the doubt. “The Bryce I knew was kind… sweet… gentle,” her hand rested on the cavity of her breast, her cheeks growing hot, “loving… passionate… caring…”
Rufus noticed her spacing out. “Kali? You okay?”
“What?” Kalypso snapped out of her thoughts, turning back towards Rufus. “Ye-Yeah, I'm good. Why would he say that, though?”
“He's a jerk, that's why.” Rufus replied, wrapping his arms around his soon to be mate. “Put him out of your mind, my love.” He whispered, kissing along her shoulders.
“Why do you think he's acting like this?” Kalypso questioned, tilting her head to allow more access to her neck.
“I don't know, but don't mind him. He’s old news.” Rufus muttered a reply, nipping softly at her skin.
“But he is normally so kind… so loving…” Kalypso mewled softly as Rufus’ kisses lead up to her neck. “Rufus, I’m worried about Bryce…”
“I can tell.” Rufus growled slightly.
“Don’t do that.” Kalypso sighed, turning around to face him. “Bryce is my past,” Kalypso cupped his face, “you’re my present and future.”
Rufus smiled, stroking her cheek. “I’m sorry for making you wait. I want our mating to be special, not just like any other time we have sex.” His eyes filled with love and devotion gazed deep into Kalypso’s doe eyes. “You mean so much to me Kali.”
“I know I do,” Kalypso whispered, hopping up onto the sink as she wrapped her arms around his neck, “I wanna mate with you Rufus… all this waiting is killing me.”
“I know, I know,” Rufus rubbed his nose against the pulse point on her neck, inhaling her sweet scent. He purred, his eyes flashing a deep storm blue. “How can you smell so damn good?”
“Body wash. You should try it sometime.” Kalypso tapped his nose, soon smirking at the dragon. “You know…” Kalypso walked her fingers up his chest, “why don’t we just mate now? It’d be the perfect fuck you to Bryce.”
“I know what you’re doing, Kalypso,” Rufus chuckled, cupping her hands, “you're trying to appease the jealous side of my dragon.” He tapped her nose. “Well, it won't work.”
“It isn’t because of me… right?” She gazed up at her dragon’s storm blue eyes.
“You’re not the reason why I want to wait... I just want our mating to be perfect.” Rufus wrapped his arms around her. “I want you to remember that night for the rest of your life.”
“Rufus, you don't have to make it some grand showcase,” Kalypso placed her hand on his heart, “I just want you.”
“And I you,” Rufus placed a small kiss on her lips, “but you deserve a special mating.”
Kalypso laughed, shaking her head. “You’re too much for me.”
Rufus smiled, cupping her cheeks, “don't worry, Kali. Once we do mate, it’ll be glorious.”