The Mermaid and the Werewolf: Adella’s Tale

Moving forward

Adella was pretty sure her jaw was on the floor with that statement. “How can that be?”

“That, I am unsure. Nonetheless here I am.” He looked at his arms. “I think I have changed bodies a few times, but I retain all my memories.” He tapped a finger to her forehead.

“I am sure you are familiar with our story as merpeople?”

Adella could only nod her head.

“Well then we will start there.” He sat back as if to get comfortable. “After all the reproduction for my genes and I saw progress being made I decided to fake my death so to speak. It was time for the merpeople to find their own way. I could not do it for them.” He paused.

“I journeyed down a deep, deep crevasse in the ocean floor. I am not sure what was guiding me, I suppose my own curiosity. It was dark, so dark I could not even see my hands before my face. I was feeling my way when I was pulled into a cave. There I met Alter, an octopus. He was able to speak to me inside my head.

I was there so long I lost track of time. He told me of my journey, but that it was not finished. I had to wait, wait for The One that would be tossed out of the sea.” Caspian stopped and looked at Adella. ‘He told me that The One would lead our kind to the heavens above. Our minds are being held captive by the ocean. We have a great many things to accomplish in this world.” He leaned forward and whispered “You are The One.”

“What?”

“Only The One would be able to find me here. Honestly I was starting to doubt there was going to be The One at all. It had taken so long. He had said the orange tailed one would be a sign. I wasn’t sure there would ever be an orange tailed mermaid, but who am I to question that?”

“Talia had an orange tail. I had never seen that before. Was she supposed to be The One at not me?” Adella was starting to question everything she had ever known.

“I wouldn’t go that direction, Fishy. You are The One, she was just a signal that it was time. Time for us to start to leave the ocean, time for us to allow our magic to make the world a better place.” He waved his hands above his head. “You see, we can control a great many things with our minds, even when we don’t know we are doing it. Well, some can and some can’t, it’s not perfect.”

“All the extra food, the healthy animals, the army of men swept into the sea. They were supposed to come get me first. I was protecting myself from someone I didn’t even know was coming?” She questioned.

“You control a great many things around you, things that protect you, things that feed you, things that keep bound to those that you need the most.” He nodded toward her midsection. “Your mate will protect you with his life and that is what you need. His seed grows inside you.”

“What?” Adella instinctively covered her belly.

“My task is done here. You must return to your mate. Find away to control his wild half and you will find forgiveness in your heart.” Caspain began to slide into the portal.

Shock in her eyes and anxiety in her voice “I don’t know how to get back to him.”

“You do, Fishy, you do.” He slid into the water and he was gone. He had finally fulfilled the prophecy and he could rest in peace.

Adella knew that he was right. She only needed to follow her heart .Still conflicted Adella slid into the water. She looked up the crevice wall and decided to follow it for a bit. She dragged her fingers on the rock just thinking about everything that he had told her. She was trying to wrap her head around being the one to bring them out of the ocean. Did that mean all the merpeople alive? Maybe it meant just her children? Was she supposed to find more mermaids like her? She absentmindedly placed her hand on her abdomen as she made her way. So much to think about now.

Baron

His heart was breaking and he could hardly function without her there with him. He was sitting across the fire from Pax, who seemed to be the leader of this group of people just like him.

“We heard the howl and we had to follow it. You are our leader. It is that simple.” Pax was getting frustrated. Could he not feel the bond they all feel?

Baron stood up, feeling frustrated himself. He felt something from this guy looking back at him. “It’s time for me to retire. Good night. Everyone is welcome to stay.” He turned and strode into his home. The home that was filled with her scent, her everything.

Overwhelmed he sat on the edge of their bed and cried. He thought of the look on her face, the bruises that Sortas left on her and anger welled up inside him. ‘Why? Why would you do that to her?’ He asked him.

‘I dominate. That’s what I do. It is in my nature.’ Sortas returned.

‘Not the one you love, the one you are supposed to protect, to die for.’ Baron retorted. ‘Now she is gone. You cannot dominate your mate.’ It was a lesson learned too late though. His heart sank. He laid back in his bed and her scent engulfed him like a hug.

Sortas powered forward and ran out of the door and as soon as his paws his the dirt he howled a long lonely howle. He was looking for her, his love. He howled again and his pack howled with him. It was a symphony of yearning and hurt mixed with support and felt anguish. He ran and ran until he felt lungs on fire, his breath uncatchable and pain zipped through his whole body, but he found it did not lessen the pain of losing her.

He found himself at the edge of the ocean. Looking out over the endless sea before him, the sun setting on the horizon. He saw a school of dolphins lurching out of the ocean. He drew his deepest breath and howled as deep and as long as he could. Wishing he could reach into the ocean and pluck her out, bring her back. Beg for forgiveness, he would grovel for her, only her. She makes him whole; he realizes that now.

He remembered seeing her for the first time, her hair a mess, her dressing gown hiding her perfect figure and her eyes. Oh her eyes, so big and beautiful like pools he could swim in all day. The feelings he had for her scared him. Like he wanted to just hand over his will to her without question. It made him feel slightly defensive. It was a new space for him, to share his power with some other being.

After a while he felt someone was there, he turned to look and saw Pax standing there in his wolf form. He came and sat next to him. He didn’t say anything, he didn’t need to. Baron could hear him inside, feel his unwavering support.

He laid his head down on his paws and closed his eyes wishing his heart would stop hurting so much. Regret washing over him in waves. He closed his eyes and prayed that she was safe. With each loud empty heartbeat he could feel that she was further and further away. He fell into a fitful sleep, nightmares of her face sinking into the water full of anger looking at him. He had betrayed her, betrayed her trust.

Eventually the sun rose and Baron was lying there in his human form. The ocean surf hitting the rocks below him and the wind blowing his hair around him and he saw the dark clouds rolling toward the shoreline with a menacing thunder captured inside. Pax stepped up next to him.

“Alpha, we should return.” Pax didn’t need to ask what was wrong, he already knew. He had lost his mate. He only hoped his alpha was strong enough to get through it.

Baron nodded turning away from the ocean, he shifted and began trotting back to his home. Suddenly it was like the wind of taken right out of his lungs, he could feel her trying to break the bond. He felt hatred, anger and sadness flow through the bond as she pulled. After a bit he caught his breath but he knew she didn’t break the bond. Pax stood guard, never asking questions. Baron liked having him around. It was better than being alone.

Sortas got back up and continued on, he knew he had to keep going. As much as he just wanted to throw himself in the ocean, he knew he couldn’t. He had to get back to his homestead and make it better. Work on himself in case she comes home. He needed to prove that he had changed. He trotted a little faster even breaking into a gallop as he changed his focus from what if to what could be.