Author’s note*
Please forgive any errors in this chapter 🙏🏼 I literally just finished writing it this morning, and haven’t done the final editing. I promise to do better 😩
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Lysida•
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Winina comes closer and kneels beside my bed with a careful smile. “Perhaps we should help her… by introducing ourselves officially” she says, looking at others for some sort of approval.
Stalina flicks a piece of grime off her skin, nodding eagerly. “Yes! It’ll help her remember. Or at least feel a little less confused.”
So one by one, all of themthey gather closer, forming a semi-circle around the bed like a strange little family waiting to bring me into their circle. And maybe I want to be part of it—if only for the comfort they seem to offer.
Winina places a hand over her heart and says, “I am Winina. I’m twenty eight, and the oldest here., I suppose. I mostly handle laundry, mending garments, kitchen duty, and making sure everyone else doesn’t starve or fall apart.” She smiles at me, soft and motherly. “You used to say I was like a walking scold, but I know you meant it in love.”
I giggle “You don’t seem like one”
Stalina jumps in next. “I’m Stalina! ImTwenty one years old. I clean the upper floors of the pack house, help in the kitchens, and sometimes sneak sweets for everyone.” She winks, bouncing on her butt. “We all work, but I like to think I’m the smile in the group.”
I nod at her with a smile.
Then comes DrKon, sweet and calm like a stone that doesn’t shift no matter how hard the storm hits. “DrKon as you already know. I’m twenty five and I do most of the training in the field,” he says simply. “Heavy lifting, fixing weapons, keeping peace when tempers flare in the quarters. And I… I try to keep everyone grounded”
“He’s like our daddy” Staline announces proudly.
I can definitely see why.
Mai steps forward, not speaking at first. Her blond hair covers part of her face as she looks at me and nods. “I’m Mai. Seventeen” she says in a voice so soft I almost miss it. “I clean, and I write sometimes. I don’t talk much, but I do listen.”
I nod back at her.
“Then we have Trekk, who is Twenty seven” DrKon says, looking at the door Trekk banged earlier “He’s a bit sensitive right now, and isn’t himself. So do not take whatever he does to heart”
Feeling uneasy about him, I ask “Why is he like that? What happened, exactly?”
DrKon sighs, and is about to answer my questionswhen he gets interrupted.
The door flings open with a bang, scaring the shit out of me. This time, a boy—young, filthy with wild brown hair and teary eyes—bursts into the room. He looks like he’s been running barefoot through thorns, but there’s a light in his eyes that shines brighter than any lantern, drawing me to him.
“Lysida!” he cries, running toward me at the speed of light.
I have no time to react, but freeze.
He throws himself onto me in a hug so tight it knocks the air from my lungs. “You’re back! I missed you so much. I’ve been so good, Mama! I’ve been good just like you told me. I didn’t make trouble, not even when—”
“Mama?” I whisper, confused beyond words. My eyes scan the others for help.
Winina chuckles, gentling patting the boy’s shoulder. “This is Laz” she explains. “He’s your adopted son, or the group’s adopted son as we like to put it.”
I look back and forth between my adopted son and Winina in confusion. “I beg your pardon?”
“You took him in two years before… before you disappeared” Mai says softly from the side. “He was almost killed by a mob for being a… special wizard.”
My mouth goes dry. Laz is clinging to me like a lifeline. His head is buried in my shoulders, and I can feel the wetness of his tears soaking through the fabric. I softly stroke a hand through his hair. I don’t remember him. But something inside me responds. It’s as though my heart recognizes him even if my mind doesn’t.
“I don’t… I don’t understand” I murmur. “What is a special wizard, and why is that a crime?”
Stalina shakes her head, as if she too doesn’t understand such madness. “He was born a Tula wizard. His mother is a witch and his father is a demon. And he mistakenly burned down a shop in the market square cause he couldn’t control his power…”
I couldn’t believe this “So people decided to kill him for that?!”
“People are scared of Tula witches in the first place, now add one who cannot control his powers into the mix, and you have chaos” Stalina explains.
Laz hugs me tighter.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you, Lysi. I’m stronger now”
Winina gently helps Laz off me and places him on the bed “She needs to rest, Laz. Are you done with the boots?”
“I’ll finish them later. I want to spend time with Mama”
I giggle at his cuteness.
“We’re all orphans here” she says. “It’s why we live in the servant quarters. We were all born here in Moon-veil Pack, but due to some circumstances… we now serve them in exchange for food, shelter, and survival.”
I look at each of them—dirty faces, torn clothes, calloused hands. That explains why they look particularly different from other pack members i’ve seen so far. But why? Aren’t they pack members with equal rights?
The questions keep on growing.
“Orphans… you say?” I say, frowning. “I’m so sorry for your loss”
“It’s been long. We’re over it”
One of the growing questions nags at me “What about me?” I shift in my seat “Who exactly am I? Do I have parents?”
“You have” Winina says quietly. “But they’re dead too”
I shouldn’t feel anything, since I never knew them or experienced their warmth. But a part of my heart breaks. The tingling feeling of sadness seeps into me. “Oh… wow”
Winina sighs, meeting me solemn eyes “Well, not exactly. You aren’t an orphan per se, but you always referred to yourself as one.” She clarifies “Your mother died when you were fifteen. And your father—though still alive—has not been good to you since.”
My breath leaves me. I feel like I’ve been kicked in the gut. So an absent father, is it?
“My father is not in my life?” I say, shaking my head slowly. “That… that can’t be true.”
I turn to others for whatever it is I was hoping for…
But no one argues with me. Not even DrKon.
The silence stretches for too long. The truth sinks in slow and painful. It feels like cold water trickling down my spine, and I can’t wipe it off.
“I…” I try to say more, but my voice fails me. I’m still trying to come to terms with this new piece of information.
Winina touches my hand gently. “We’re your family now, Lysida. We always were, and we’ll always be”
“What about my mother?” I ask after gathering myself “How did she die?”
Mai’s voice, soft as ever speaks out “Suicide”
I look at her in shock. We both stare at each other with equal sadness. Mine, from the death of my mother. Hers, from what I don’t know.
I take a deep long breath as my gaze floats through each sad face in the room. I want to ask why she committed suicide, but the words feel so heavy in my heart, I’m scared my lips wouldn’t be able to carry them. So I just stay still, letting Laz’s hand rubs comfort me.
The long quiet is broken by Stalina, who hops to sit beside me. “We’ve been close since we were pups” she says with an encouraging grin. “We’ve always worked together, trained together. Even got into trouble together.”
“And you were always the strongest of us” DrKon adds, a small smile playing on his lips. “You were born with Lunar Empathy. A rare ability.”
“The reason… I was on that mount…” I murmur.
“Yes” he nods. “You can channel the moon’s power into yourself and others. You make our warriors stronger, faster, almost unstoppable. That’s why they blamed you for passing out during the fight.”
My heart twists “So they ezploit me for my powers?”
“Yes. They fear you will one day grow more powerful than them, so they intentionally do things that weaken you” Stalina says. I can feel the anger in her voice, no matter how calm she looks.
That shit was painful as hell. How did the other Lysida manage to survive many battles? And everyone says I am her? I would have willingly killed myself than endure such torture.
As if Stalina read my mind, she wraps an arm around my shoulder and says “You’re the real Lysida. This isn’t a dream. You didn’t time travel or fall into a story. You came back to where you belong”
DrKon nods solemnly. “And you’re a werewolf. Just like us.”
I sit there, absorbing it all. “I just don’t remember any of this…” I whisper.
“That’s alright” Winina says. “You will. In due time.”
Laz leaves the bed, and comes back, offering me a bowl of warm broth. I take it with slightly shaky hands.
“I can help, Winina” He looks at her with determination.
“No, Laz. We’ve talked about this. You’re not strong enough” She replies him with a stern face.
“Strong enough for what?” I ask, relishing the delicious soup.
Mai answers “He wants to perform Xafrim on you, to help you recover your memories”
She stops for a moment to look at Laz, then back at me “It involves you drinking the blood of the other Lysida… well, your blood, to reclaim her memories, as well as your lost ones”
This is crazy.
I widen my eyes in dread, and disgust. No way I’m drinking anybody’s blood. Fuck no. “I think I’ll pass”
Mai shrugs.
Laz grabs my hand fervently “It’s not bad, mama.” He then turns back to Winina “I promise I am strong enough. Im bigger and better now”
“Stop, Laz. We’ll talk about this later”
Laz huffs in annoyance, and plops back down on the bed, resting his head on my shoulders.
“There’s one thing I’m wondering about though. Why the hell did I leave here in the first place? And who is this father of mine?
DrKon rubs his temples, looking stressed as he contemplates my question. He then turns to look at Winina. I can feel them passing messages between themselves.
Must be the wolf thing.
Winina sighs “Just tell her. It’s not like we can hide it forever”
“Alright. Your father is the Alpha, Lysida” He says gently, gauging my face for my reaction.
Shock grips my body “What?”
He continues “It’s a long story…”
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