Adeline could only watch as her aunt handed the keys to her cell to Clyde. The male nodded once, his eyes hard and severe. The Luna didn't say a word to her niece, didn't even look her way before spinning on her heel and storming out of the basement. Both of them flinched when the door slammed closed behind her. It was silent in the basement for several minutes, but the air was thick with tension. Unspoken words, perhaps between both of them or something else entirely, hung heavy. It loomed in the shadows, refusing to come forward. And neither of them was brave enough to address it.
With a churning stomach, Adeline tugged at her chains. "Can you unchain me, please?"
"Oh, yeah..." Her request almost seemed to startle him. He fumbled with the keys before sliding the right one into the keyhole. The door unlocked with a click and swung open, but he hesitated at the doorway. His green eyes roved over her, but warring emotions played across his face. Familiarity, joy, uncertainty, and even a touch of suspicion.
The uncertainty was the one that pissed her off the most. But her pissy attitude wasn't directed at him. He should be uncertain whether or not to unlock her cell. Hell, he should even be reluctant to set her free from the chains wrapped around her flesh. Adeline knew that she would be, had the roles been reversed. There was no way that he could trust her. Hell, there was no way that anyone should trust her, not when her Beast was as volatile as it was. And not when she was as weak as she was.
She jerked her chin to the right. "There's wolfsbane in that cabinet. Yes, right there. Top shelf. You can administer it really anywhere; it doesn't matter."
They were silent as he got the shot ready. And they were silent when he stepped into the cell, swabbed a spot on her thigh, and injected the medication into her bloodstream. The burning sensation immediately hit, clawing through her blood vessels and setting her nerves ablaze. Despite the discomfort, she thought back to her first time getting the medicine. It had been excruciating, and she had clawed and kicked to get away from the needle. No matter how hard she'd tried to escape, though, the wolfsbane was stronger. The pain was still terrible, but it was nothing compared to that very first time.
Clyde winced as he withdrew the needle from her skin. "You're lucky that we spent some time on basic medical aid. We even had a small unit about this type of stuff. Natural suppressants specifically block the link connecting a Lycan to their beast. Wolfsbane is pretty intense stuff, you know? Especially at the dosage you're at now."
Adeline chewed on her bottom lip as he began to work on unchaining her wrists. "Yeah, they tried azalea extract first, but that didn't work. They then tried silver, but it didn't work either. Wolfsbane has been the only thing that can suppress my wolf, at least to some degree." She rubbed at her wrists, wincing at the raw flesh.
Clyde was silent, but she could feel the questions rolling off him. How much had her aunt and uncle filled him in on? Was he aware of the Hell that had become her life? It'd been two years since the first attack, and he'd left for enforcer training just days before. He hadn't been there... He didn't see her lose control and hurt those who meant the most to her. And, had he been there, she would've hurt him too.
Pulling herself up, her legs shook like a newborn foal's. Stumbling forward, she went to grab the bars, but Clyde was there. With gentle hands, he grabbed her shoulders and held her in place until she was steady on her feet. There was a soft smile on his face, but his eyes were full of pity. She hated pity.
Adeline's response was curt, perhaps a tad cold. "I'm good, thanks."
His hands lingered for a second longer before dropping to his sides. "You're welcome. I'm here to catch you anytime, especially when you're about to faceplant into some metal bars. Next time you're getting up off the floor, it's okay to ask for help, ya know?"
At his ridiculous wink, she had to resist the urge to roll her eyes. But a smile played at the corners of her lips. She couldn't help herself. He was regular ole' Clyde, just a couple of years old, taller, and more muscular. But he was just as goofy and ridiculous as always. Apparently, you could take the wolf out of the circus, but you couldn't take the circus out of the wolf... or however that damn saying went. And Clyde in his teenage years was, indeed, the whole damn circus.
On the way out of the basement, she was careful to avoid touching him. Not only was she coming down from the chaos that was a rage-filled attack, but she was also not too keen on physical affection. He didn't seem to get the memo. Clyde practically stuck to her like glue. As they walked, his shoulder brushed against hers occasionally, especially when they were rounding a corner. By the time that they got to her bedroom, her skin was crawling from his occasional shoulder bumps. She kept her mouth closed, though. After all, it was very kind of him to escort her back to her room. She had to remind herself of that fact.
She gave him a smile that had to look painfully forced. "Thank you for walking me back... I- I'm just gonna clean up a bit and get some clean clothes on. Hopefully Alexan- erm, Luna, can fill us in on what's going on. A- And we'll see from there."
Just as she was about to escape into her room, he grabbed her forearm. His hand was warm and gentle, but it felt so... strange against her skin. Teenage Adeline would have loved it if Clyde had touched her, really in any way. She would've been blushing and giggling, even squealing internally. Apparently, her childhood crush had withered away to dust during their time apart.
Perhaps it was due to something else entirely, not necessarily two years of no contact... or rather, someone else. Someone with amber eyes that had been haunting her ever since that dream. Even now, as she looked up into Clyde's eyes, she could only see amber. Amber orbs that glowed in a way that no Lycan's ever could.
Clyde's green eyes were bright, but there was still that ounce of pity lingering. He smiled at her. "I really like your hair, by the way. It really suits you. You don't see short hair on females too often, but I like it."
She muttered a quick "um, thanks," yanked her arm from his grasp, and then escaped into the safety of her room.
Adeline refused to come out of her room until her aunt came for her. And, even then, she didn't dare step foot out into the hall. It felt like hours before the Luna had knocked on her door, and the whole time she had paced her room. She'd been at war with herself, fighting with too many sides of herself that wanted entirely different things.
And now, even though Alexandra had long since left, she still struggled to make sense of her emotions. With wringing hands and a pounding heart, she continued to pace. That spot on her chest still ached, but it was a dull pain now... hardly noticeable. But she still rubbed at it. Right before Alexandra had knocked, she'd been staring at it in the mirror. Even though it'd been many hours since being unchained, it didn't appear to have grown at all.
That had been the first question her aunt had asked.
"How's that thing on your chest doing, sweetie?"Alexandra asked as she stepped into the room. In her hands was a bowl of clam chowder and a piece of buttered bread. Normally, Adeline's mouth would've watered at the sight. She loved clam chowder, but her stomach rolled at the thought of eating. She chalked it up to just anxiety.
Adeline absently-mindedly rubbed at the marks. "It's fine, I guess. It's not hurting as badly. It still aches, but it's not feeling like a hot poker on my skin anymore."
Her aunt nodded, but she was silent. Her dark eyes roved Adeline's body from head to toe, only to look down at the bowl in her hands. She appeared to be fighting for words for a moment.
Alexandra finally spoke. "You should eat something, dear. It's clam chowder, your favorite. It's still quite warm, but I think it'll help you feel better."
"It looks good, thank you. You can just put it on my nightstand and I'll get to it."
Her aunt gave her a 'you better eat it' look before setting it down. She then let out a heavy sigh. With her hands on her hips, she looked the part of a stressed-out leader. There were dark bags under her eyes, and her normally perfect hair had some flyaways. But, deep below the leadership position she was in, there was the worry of an aunt. Adeline knew that, beneath all of her aunt's responsibilities and duties, she was still the sweet woman she remembered as a child. She was still her mother's sister.
"So... We got the okay from the Oracle, and we'll be leaving here first thing in the morning. I know that this is really short notice, but you'll need to pack enough clothes for about a week."
That got Adeline's full attention. Her eyes began to widen, and her heart, which had been heavy, began to beat just a little bit faster in her chest. Hope was unfurling in her soul, stretching out to all corners and brightening her mind. But there, in just one corner, the light wasn't able to touch. It was a mass of darkness, pulsating but silent. Fear raced down her spine like a bolt of lightning.
"That- that's amazing! But... how am I going to get there? And does she know just how unpredictable I am? I can't control it, and I'm sometimes not even getting warning signs before an attack... She knows that, right?"
Brown eyes searched frantic blue ones. "For the ride over, we'll have to sedate you. You'll most likely be asleep the entire time. It'll be a long ride, around eight hours, but we'll also secure you to the gurney just in case." At Adeline's sigh of relief, the Luna continued. "As for when we get there, the Oracle said that she has guards there that will be with you the entire time, and she is having a space prepared for you... should an attack happen. We'll bring plenty of wolfsbane, too. We're also planning to increase the dosage, just as a preventative measure."
Adeline took a long moment to soak all that in. It was pretty basic stuff, nothing she wasn't unfamiliar with. But what else could they possibly do? Preventatives only worked for so long before the fury of her wolf engulfed everything. And by that point, she was in a full-blown attack. There was no way to reason with her or peacefully talk her down. She was a mindless, feral, killing machine. The only reason she hadn't killed anyone yet was due to the enforcers that were assigned to her 24/7. Speaking of enforcers...
"Who's coming with me?"
"Your uncle wanted to come... but he needs to be here with the pack. So it's just going to be me, two enforcers, and Clyde."
Two enforcers... and Clyde? Adeline blinked. "Two enforcers... and Clyde? Didn't he just finish training?"
Alexandra gave her a soft, gentle smile. "Yes, he did. However, he asked to come along to get some experience in a different area. This is just between you, Uncle Dillon, and me... but Beta Wade has been thinking about stepping down soon. We don't know when, or if he's even really that serious about it, but he's made Clyde his heir. So, Clyde wants to start getting a feel for being Beta and see if it's something he's interested in. Isn't that exciting? But, please, don't say anything about this to anyone. Nothing's confirmed yet."
Clyde... could be the next Beta? Adeline was both thrilled about it but also confused. She was happy for him; he'd always wanted to be the Beta or even Alpha of a pack... but he had just finished training. Wasn't that a little fast? And Beta Wade wasn't even that old. She was pretty sure that he wasn't too much older than Uncle Dillon. What happened to cause him to want to step down early and give his position to his son?
The Luna stepped up to her niece and pulled her into a hug. "I know this is a lot. And, once the Oracle figures out what's wrong with you and you're all better, we'll fill you in on everything. Just focus on packing, eat some dinner, and get a good night's rest. We'll need you ready by six A.M..."
As her aunt rattled on, Adeline could only think of one thing. Over and over and over it rolled around in her mind. Alexandra gave her one last squeeze before turning to the door.
Once the Oracle figures out what's wrong with you.
Alexandra gave her a loving smile and opened the door. Two enforcers were standing guard on either side, ready to take action if she were to lose control again.
Once the Oracle figures out what's wrong with you.
The door closed behind her, and Adeline was left all alone.
"What is wrong with me?" Adeline whispered to herself. Shaking her head, she cleared the memories from her mind. Or at least tried to. Her aunt's words, said very innocently and without any bad intent, wouldn't leave her ears. Perhaps it was because Alexandra hadn't meant to insult her at all, but those words stung. And, much like a persistent wasp, they kept on stinging and stinging and stinging.
With an aching heart, she set to packing her bags. The task was a nice reprieve from the emotions rampaging throughout her body, and it allowed her mind to have a small break. But she didn't have a lot to pack as she had destroyed a good amount of her personal belongings. A couple of shirts, some leggings, a bra, underwear, and the like. That was all that was folded into her bag. There was no sentimental item sitting on the top of her bag, no old teddy bear or blanket. She'd collect those types of things when she was better; when she deserved to have anything of value.
Once everything was packed for the Oracle's, she settled into bed. And surprisingly, despite the dark thoughts and what-ifs that were buzzing like a swarm of bees, she found sleep rather quickly. But, before she did, she heard her aunt's voice again... so sweet, kind, and full of hope. And yet, it was still a blow to her stomach.
Once the Oracle figures out what's wrong with you.
But...
What if she doesn't?
•••••
~ Lucien ~
Once again, Lucien found himself kneeling at the feet of the Oracle. Even though she'd released him from the oath days ago, she still had this power over him that he just couldn't explain. He knew that he could resist her influence much better now, partly thanks to the fact that she couldn't simply command him to do something anymore... but he still had the urge to listen to her. To do as she said.
Both he and his tiger hated that. Hadn't he given enough to her already? Hell, he'd given her ten years of his life. For years, he'd served her and had done her bidding. He'd left his pride and all semblance of normalcy. He'd patrolled her territory and shielded her from harm. Lucien had become a killer... for her. He'd done all of that just for the promise of a better life for not only himself and his female, but their future children as well.
Now, he couldn't help but think that those ten years were nothing but a waste. How foolish was he to think that the Oracle would release him, just like that? He was one foolish male to think that he could've broken a family curse... one of servitude, sacrifice, and loneliness. He'd played right into her trap, much like the rest of the males of his family. They were all stubborn, idiotic bastards.
And to make matters worse, Lucien's one true mate wasn't really his. Somehow, their creator had tangled the strands of their souls and bound three very different creatures together. Creatures that, truthfully, had no business being together. A wolf was very different from a tiger... and then include a bear in the bond as well?
Like the bastard he was, all of his doubts slipped away when the Oracle began talking about her.
The old woman clapped her hands together. "I know you both are excited to meet her. However, that's not all that I'm reading from you both. Perhaps that excitement is almost overshadowed by doubt and anxiety? Is that correct?"
Maxim snarled at the blasted female. "Get out of our minds."
She cackled at that. Her cloudy eyes were fixated on the males, but Lucien wasn't too sure if she could actually see them. They didn't seem to focus, and she almost seemed to be staring past the males. Or rather through them.
"Despite the good fortune ahead, you are still such a moody male, Maxim. I do pray that your female can bring some joy back into your life." The Oracle clucked her tongue. "However, please don't become chipper or jolly. Such a personality wouldn't fit you very well. It's always such a strange thing to have a happy Ursa around."
Despite his irritability, Lucien couldn't help himself. "You don't need to worry about that. I think Hell would freeze over well before he'd become a pleasant male to be around."
Maxim huffed at that, but Lucien couldn't quite tell if it was a sound of anger or agreement. Damn bears.
The quick pulse of the Oracle's magic drew his attention back to her. His tiger hissed at the sensation, but it didn't dare challenge her authority. The beast had long since learned not to mess with the old woman; volatile magic prowled just beneath her wrinkled skin.
The Oracle's eyes were glowing now. "I suppose I should address why I brought you both before me today, yes?"
The males stayed silent. Lucien gave a single nod.
"There has been a slight change of plans. Originally, your female was due to arrive the day after tomorrow. However... her arrival has changed. Tomorrow at noon is when she is expected to arrive."
If she sensed the males' shock and primal need, she didn't show it. Her voice began to rise, growing stronger and more forceful. More powerful. "HOWEVER. There will be some rules that both of you must respect and obey. She may be your fated mate, but she is my guest. She is to stay in my house, in the guest bedroom right next to mine. I will know if either of you tries to sneak into her room, whether it's through the door or the window. If either of you attempts to pressure her into anything, anything at all, I will have you both banned from my land. And your cadre brothers will be forced to end you, should you attempt to re-enter without permission. Do I make myself clear?"
She took their growling as 'yes.' "You both are good, honest males who have served me well. I know in my heart that the both of you will treat her well. But I cannot ignore the fact that you unbonded males are so incrediblystupid when it comes to your mates."
The Oracle took a single step closer to them. Slowly, bit by bit, her magic began to ease off the males. Maxim was the first to stagger to his feet, followed shortly behind by Lucien. The males looked ready to strangle her... but they didn't. There was a look on her face that stopped them in their tracks; a look neither had ever seen on her face before.
"The Moon didn't make a mistake when She created your triad-bond. Your female needs the both of you. She doesn't just need Maxim, nor does she just need Lucien. You males need to come together, set aside your jealousy and possessiveness, and be a solid rock for your female." The Oracle then let out a heavy, shaky sigh. "From what has been relayed to me... she's going to need a steady rock. She's in a dark place, your female. You two need to be a united front, if not for yourselves, then for her."
The old woman turned to leave, hobbling back towards her red-brick house that overlooked her land. A lot of work had been done on and inside the house, just within the past day or so. Construction had been going on 24/7, with several of his cadre brothers spending hours with hammers and drills in hand. He'd asked them what they'd been working on... They'd refused to tell him. Apparently, the Oracle had forbidden them from telling both him and Maxim. His stomach twisted.
They both watched as she disappeared from view, pulling her magic away with her. Lucien let out a sigh of relief. One that was short-lived.
"What do we do when she arrives tomorrow?" He hardly recognized that voice as his own. It was like he was several feet under water, watching as the world played out just above the surface.
Maxim let out a harsh breath of his own. But his voice held just a hint of dread, dread of the inevitable. "We just try to figure out what the Hell is going on. And pray that she doesn't go running and screaming when she meets us."
'What a mess.' Lucien thought.