Pristine walls greeted Crystal as she regained her consciousness. This felt like a deja vu as she sat up straighter, looking around though unlike the previous time she now held knowledge.
She looked down at her attire to find herself clad in a thin silk thistle frock. Rather than calling out into the empty room like a fool, she decided to wait for someone to grace her with their presence. She took this time to inspect her surroundings, but as much as the previous time, it was vast and empty.
“I see you’re awake,” the sweet familiar voice of Fiona greeted her.
Twirling around, Crystal found herself face to face with her warlock spirit, aka chi; a radiant smile graced her lips as she stared at her chi. Fiona appeared to be as radiant as Crystal remembered. Though something was different in the halo that surrounded her, it seemed dimmed a little as compared to the first time they met.
“Finally, it was prime time you paid me a visit,” said Crystal, trying to lighten the mood.
A low giggle left Fiona as she motioned for Crystal to follow her. Walking a little distance, Fiona came to a standstill as her eyes darted to something before her. She then gracefully slid to her right to grant Crystal an unobstructed view.
On the white marble floor lay a white wolf, peacefully sleeping. The wolf seemed vaguely familiar to Crystal and as soon as the idea registered in her mind; the wolf pried its eyes open. The bright golden orbs staring into her soul.
“Hello Human,” a feminine voice rang through Crystal’s head, startling her.
“Is that you?” asked Crystal as her eyebrows knotted while she looked at the wolf that now stood tall before her.
“Precisely,” the voice replied again, registering that it was indeed the wolf.
Before Crystal could dive into questions, Fiona spoke, her melodic voice echoing around the room, “You might have several questions, but I would like to explain a few things first.”
Crystal turned her attention to her old spirit acquaintance, completely ignoring the white wolf before her. This kind of irked the wolf, but it let it slide as Fiona’s voice echoed around the room.
“You might know how your uncle had locked your powers when he left you in the forest,’’ she paused as Crystal nodded in understanding. “While doing so, he not only sealed your werewolf powers but also passed on a portion of his powers to you, the reason for my sole existence.
“His actions impulsed the existence of both a wolf and a chi to exist inside of you. We were to be awakened by the mate bond. When you first met your mate, the protection spell wore off and then the incident of saving your mate finally allowed me to breakthrough.”
Confusion laced Crystal’s face while her brain registered Fiona’s words.
A disgusted scoff sounded in her brain and she looked in the wolf's direction, but the wolf seemed to pay no attention to her as Fiona continued to speak.
“But since the protection spell was strong, you didn’t feel your wolf until much later. Since being a purple spirit you aren’t bound by the mate bond, your wolf found it extremely difficult to push through the barrier and the recent actions that took place forced her to push through it.”
Crystal’s mind wandered off to her and Xavier’s conversation, that was instantly followed by the bone-crushing pain.
“YOU ARE AN IDIOT” her wolf’s voice boomed through her head.
The wolf’s eyes zeroed on Crystal’s form before it stalked towards her, assessing Crystal’s form from head to toe the wolf snuggled closer. Its thick white fur tickling Crystal’s bare legs.
“The one you were talking to earlier wasn’t your mate?” Her wolf said.
“Huh? But? How?” asked Crystal, her brain fuzzing over. ‘Why can’t anything be simple,’ she thought.
“Cuz, drama loves you,” her wolf replied, making Crystal scowl at her.
“Who’s my mate then?” asked Crystal.
“You’ll find out soon, but first things first.” Her wolf said as she walked over to Fiona and stood beside her.
Crystal looked at the two in confusion.
“We cannot co-exist in our true forms, neither can we leave.” Fiona said, reading Crystal’s expression.
Dread filled Crystal’s heart as she didn’t want to get rid of her magical powers neither did she want to lose her wolf. She sounded selfish, but she wanted to have both of them close.
“Don’t look so frightened, none of us is leaving.” Her wolf spoke.
Crystal looked at her with a weird expression, but before she could speak Fiona beat her to it.
“Gael would absorb my spirit. So that you can keep your warlock powers and werewolf form,” whispered Fiona, gesturing to the white wolf beside her.
Without missing a beat, Fiona’s halo glowed brighter whilst she slowly faded into the air. Moments later, Gael stood in front of a baffled Crystal with light purple streaks on her fur. Vivid images of her dreams flashed before Crystal as she watched Gael raced towards her and leapt into the air, a growl emitting her.
Crystal opened her eyes, startled to be met by a white ceiling. She thought she was back in her dream, but the weight on her left hand told otherwise. Looking down, she found a mop of black curls resting on the hospital bed that she lay on. Her left hand was tightly clasped within their hold.
She smiled and stroked their hair with her right hand; the person woke up to the touch. Disappointment filled Crystal’s heart as her blue orbs met with brown eyes contrary to the black orbs she expected. Her smile fell as she took in Xavier’s distorted look, her wolf scoffing in her head.
“I hate him,” Gael spoke. Crystal was a bit startled by the sudden voice in her head. This was all new, and a little uncomfortable, as now she constantly has someone reading her thoughts. She made a mental note to talk to Bennett about it.
“How are you feeling?” Xavier asked, breaking her thoughts.
Crystal didn’t want to indulge in any form of a conversation with him for some unknown reason. His presence was making her jittery. True, she was hurt by his rejection, but this feeling wasn’t because of that.
“Can you call my family?” Crystal’s voice came out harsher than intended.
A saddened look marred Xavier’s handsome features as he slowly nodded and went outside, probably to call her parents.
Seconds later, the door swung open to reveal a worried Madeleine and Frederick, with Bennet tailing behind them.
“My baby,” whispered Madeleine as she embraced Crystal in a motherly hug.
Crystal caught the mist in Frederick’s eyes over Madeleine’s shoulder. She extended her hand towards her father and soon they were in a big family hug.
“What’s your wolf-like?” Bennett eagerly asked, breaking the moment.
“She’s good, her name’s Gael,” replied Crystal.
“Good? Am Magnificent!” exclaimed Gael,
Crystal mentally scoffed as the room door swung open and the pack doctor then came sauntering through the door, a wrinkled smile on his face as he bowed to the royals. He then checked Crystal’s vitals, while Madeleine and Frederick stood huddled together.
“You can take her home,” the doctor replied and, with a final bow, left the room.
A content sigh left Madeleine’s lips as she turned to look at her daughter. Her eyes held a lot of questions, but she didn’t want to pry into Crystal’s life.
Though her mother’s thoughts failed to register with Crystal and she looked to her brother to help her get out of the questioning sessions.
“You both go ahead. I will bring her home,” Bennett said. He could sense the jittery thoughts of his sister; and his wolf was also going haywire with ecstasy to meet Gael.
“Alright, I will ask the cook to prepare some food,” Madeleine said, walking out of the room
“Take care of her,” came Frederick’s stern voice as he followed his mate.
“If I didn’t know better, I would say he hates me,” Bennett said, watching the retreating figure of his father as he sat down by the bedside.
“You shouldn’t be pushing your mother away,” said Gael.
“Can you help me block my wolf?” asked Crystal as soon as their parents were out of earshot.
Bennett gave her a questioning gaze before asking, “Why exactly?”
“She speaks a lot, and is always reprimanding me.”
Bennett gave out a hearty laugh, before saying “It’s easy, imagine building a wall in between your wolf and you.” He then looked towards the window. The leaves had turned yellowish, the air carrying a bit of chill.
“I had a strange dream a few days back,” said Crystal as she looked outside the window. “I saw a white wolf with purple streaks running through the autumn forest,” she added.
“Your wolf visited you in your dreams,” whispered Bennett as they both continued to stare into oblivion.
Moments later, the siblings threaded down the stony path to the castle in silence, enjoying the scenery. A distant giggle of children playing filled their ears as they crossed the park on their way. The children waved at them from a distance before continuing their game.
“We came a long way, from duelling against each other to taking walks,” said Bennett, with a light-hearted chuckle, breaking the silence.
“You know I still wonder why you suggested the duel,”
“It was stupid of me. I thought it could bring out your wolf, but it only ended up with me in the hospital.”
“Why did weird thought cross your brain?”
“You remember how Dad told me I used to run away from home. Well, I was searching for you,” the last words came out as a whisper.
“How-“
“Anonymous letter. It stated you were in one of the packs and if we didn’t hurry, we might lose you forever. Mom and Dad don’t know about it. The irrational side of me wanted to find out if this was a trap.
I travelled to all the nearest packs when I turned sixteen with no results, then one summer I met Alpha Michel and we grew close; I sought his help to find you when Dad confined me in the castle after my eighteenth birthday, but he too only met dead ends. Until years later, when I visited the Lunar Eclipse Pack, Alpha Xander was terrorized by my arrival. It kind of gave up that he was hiding something. With a minor threat to wipe his family clean, he blurted out the secret and the reasons for his action.”
“You did what?” Gasped Crystal, as she looked at her brother, horrified.
“It was just to scare him. I am not the killing type,” Bennett replied, a smirk playing on his lips. “Though it wasn’t of any use and you were far gone by then without a trace left behind. I wanted to meet your adoptive family but thought against it.” He added.
Crystal let out a relieved sigh, before adding, “They aren’t my adoptive family, they are my family.”
Bennett nodded at her in understanding.
“What were his reasons?” Crystal asked in a whisper;
He knew in an instance who Crystal was referring to and replied, “Now that you have to ask him yourself,” he turned to look at the Princess and found her scowling at him. “It’s better if you hear it from him.” He added, his voice carrying a tone of remorse.
Crystal thought of it to be strange, but she knew that when Bennett refused to speak of something, nobody could pry it out. Deciding to let it go, she resumed her walk, making a mental map of things to be done at once.
It was already dark when the siblings reached the castle. Madeleine and Frederick were waiting for them at the dining hall. The family had a sumptuous dinner while having light conversations.
As Crystal was about to ascend the stairs, Madeleine approached her with a solemn look. Worried, Crystal turned towards her mother. “What’s wrong?” she asked.
“It’s something that has been bothering me for a long time now, but I don’t know if this is the right time,” Madeleine said as she stared at her daughter with moist eyes.
“Whatever it is, you can tell me,” urged Crystal.
“I think you should go meet your other family,” whispered Madeleine. It seemed as if it hurt her to say the next words, “your Mama must be worried about you.” She added.
Her words pierced Crystal’s heart like a thousand arrows simultaneously as relief washed over her. She rebuked herself about not thinking about visiting earlier, while it also relieved her that Madeleine was okay with it.
“I can understand that you might also miss her, given she was your mother for twenty years. I will make the arrangements for your visit, and you can leave as soon as you want.”
Madeleine turned to leave when Crystal’s hands engulfed her in a hug. A sniffle sounded from the younger wolf as she embraced her mother. She was grateful to the Moon Goddess for giving her such good mothers who were both sweet and caring.
“Thanks, Mom, I will be back soon.” Crystal said, moving away from the hug.
Madeleine nodded at her before retreating towards her wing. Crystal watched her mother disappear around the corner as she bounded up the steps with a newfound zeal.
“You seem excited,” Gael spoke.
“Yes, I am. You would love them.” Crystal replied.
“I know I would,” Gael said, before retracting back into her mind.
That night, as Crystal went off to sleep, she had a vague thought lingering in her brain that left her restless in her sleep.
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A/N: Hello beautiful readers. It's been awhile. How are you all doing?
Well, Crystal is now a magical wolf. What do you guys think about it? Let me know in the comments.
Don't forget to vote and comment.
Love
~Annie~