Raised by Centuars

Chapter 2

     Zarek lead everybody back to their castle.  Zarek, Harmony, and Steven went into Zarek's chambers to talk about Steven's presense.  "I know we all have a lot of questions," Zarek started looking at both Harmony and Steven, "but first Steven what are your intentions?"

     "I don't want to harm anybody," Steven reassured Zarek, "I was walking by the forest when I caught the scent of my mate and I followed that scent, which in turn lead me to this beautiful lady."

     "I see," Zarek replied rubbing his chin with his hand, "the thing is that Harmony here has been left in my care by her mother."

     "My I ask why and where is her mother?"  Steven asked in return while Harmony is listening to the conversation still trying to digest what she was hearing about being mates and what it might mean.

     "All I know is that she was being followed by whom she called rogues who wanted to kill her and her daughter," Zarek explaining looking at Harmony, "she came into this forest to hide from the rogues.  After I chased them off I found her and she begged me to take Harmony in and take care and hide her while she lead them elsewhere,  as to what happened to her I do not know."

      "Did she tell you anything else?"  Harmony asked inquisitively.

     "She said she was the Queen of the werewolves and someone was trying to take over the kingdom,"  Zarek replied with soft eyes, "then on after I took Harmony in as my own and taught her our ways and even how to defend herself."

     "So she is the true Queen of the werewolf kingdom," Steven replied with shock on his face, "I thought they all passed away."

     "It was imperative for everybody to think that from my understanding," Zarek replied, "if anybody were to find out who she was her life would be in danger."

     "I see," Steven replied looking at Harmony like she was the most beautiful creature that he has ever seen, "I think it should be time for people to know that she is alive and for her to take her place on the thrown."

     "She is only sixteen though,"  Zarek commented only to be interrupted by Harmony.

     "First off I only recently found out that I am a werewolf," Harmony spoke up, "secondly I don't know anything about living with other werewolves I have lived here all my life and secondly you say I am your mate I don't even know what that means."

     "You do have a point beautiful," Steven smiled, "I think before she introduces herself to the rest of the werewolf community, I can come here and teach you everything, it would be good to have a true heir to the thrown back life right now is rough with the fake king on the thrown."

     "That might be a good idea," Zarek looking at Harmony, "I know this is all you know but being with your kind will help you more than being with us."

     "But I love it here and I don't know if I can be a queen to the werewolves," Harmony sighed.

     "But you won't be so alone with your kind,"  Zarek replied with a small smile, "and it is not like you are leaving us for good you are always welcome here honey."

     "How about this I come stay here after taking care of a few things at home and teach show you our life, and teach you about your kingdom and when you are ready to take your place on the thrown I will be right by your side," Steven suggested.

     "I can live with that, but answer me this what do you mean by following the scent of your mate and it leading to me?" Allison questioned.

     "Each of us is fated to be with each other by the goddess which are supposed to find when we turn eighteen, but sometimes we don't find our mates at eighteen like me I am twenty two," Steven started to explain, "and there is a distinctive smell that help us find our mates and you smell of lilacs."

     "I just met you how can we be fated to each other?"  Harmony asked in disbelief.

     "Some don't meet for years and some never meet their mates for some unknown circumstances," Steven replied, "and there are some who meet their mates and for stupid reason's they reject their mates which hurts both their wolves and if they other doesn't accept the rejection end up becoming a rogue and or dying in the process, but if they do accept the rejection it will open a possibility of finding another mate."

     "So you are saying if I were to reject you it would kill both of us?"  Harmony asked.

     "Yes it would and I will say this I spent four years trying to find my mate, and I will not reject her or accept her rejection without giving us a chance to see what happens," Steven stated, "and in return I will ask you to please give us a chance, I will do everything in my power to earn your trust and make you happy and protected."

     "Well we will start with you teaching me about werewolves and then we will go from there," Harmony agrees.

     "Well we will get a room prepared for you to stay in," Zarek states as Allison and Steven get up from their seats, "I will also make sure that you have safe passage in the forest, but keep in mind if you cause any problems it will change."

     "I do not want to cause any conflict with anybody here I come here in peace,"  Steven reassured Zarek, "and I will do everything in my power to make sure you all stay unharmed, but I do have to go back to my territory to collect some clothes and let my mother and father the current Luna and Alpha of my pack what is happening."

     "That will give us enough time to get things prepared in your room,"  Zarek replied shaking Steven's hand before walking out of the Chamber with Harmony coming out behind them.  Harmony was hungry for a while but with all the information she just gathered she forgot about her hunger and walked to her room to think about everything that has happened in the past twenty four hours.  First she finds out that she is a werewolf, then she finds out she is royalty of the werewolf community and that she is mated to a future Alpha of a pack and all she knows is what Zarek has taught her.  She lays on her bed just thinking when she dozed off about an hour later she hears a knock on her door.

     "Come in," Harmony yells with a  sleepy voice.

     Raven peaks her head in, "Harmony honey you didn't come down for dinner are you okay?"

     "Yes I think from the excitement I was just tired and fell asleep," Allison replies rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.  

     "Well if your hungry I can bring something up to you and if you want to talk I will listen to what you have to say," Raven smiled at her reassuring Harmony reassuring that she is there for her.

     "Thank you,"  Harmony replies, "that would be nice."

     "Okay I will be right back with some food and we can talk about today's events," Raven smiles, "and what is troubling your mind."  Raven was always good at reading Harmony's face and knowing that something was troubling her, which annoyed but also relieved Harmony because when she was ready to talk she was always able to talk to Raven about anything that was on her mind, and Raven was a good listener and that helped her through what ever she is going through.  Harmony lays back down on her bed staring at the ceiling with today's events on her mind and how she truly felt, which had her stomach in knots.  A short time later Raven returns with  a tray of food which was fruits, vegetables, some steaks, which made Harmony's mouth water at the site of them, some potatoes and some rolls.  Raven sets the tray in front of Harmony after she sat up and waits quietly for Harmony to start talking about how she was feeling.

     "Raven are you and Zarek mates," Harmony asks.

     "Well I would have never called us mates, but we been together since we were teenagers and fell in love and we been by each others sides since," Raven replied with a smile, "if that's what mates are then I guess that is what we are."

      "I don't know if I can do this," Harmony sighs, "I mean queen I never even thought of being a queen I just thought I would be living here for the rest of my life considering this is all I ever known."

     "Harmony sweetheart, you to me are a queen," Raven stated lightly pulling her face to look at her in her eyes, "you have the strength considering you have lived her with us being different and you never let I bother you."

     "But you never treated me differently," Harmony smiled, "so in my mind I may not look like you, but I consider myself a centaur."

     "You will always be a part of this family no matter what," Raven smiled, "and whatever your decision is you dad and I will stand beside you and encourage you to do what you want, but I think you should give this a chance, you have the strength and ability."

     "Thank you Mom," Harmony smiled, "I will, but I am still not sure as of right now."

     "Just wait and see what happens," Raven smiled as she was leaving the room, "and I will come back for your tray when you are done eating."  With that Harmony started eating and thinking about everything.  As she ate the last of the food on her plate she gets up and starts to take the tray down stairs to the kitchen.  Noticing that I was late afternoon she decided to practice her training to get her mind off of things.  She makes her way to the training grounds to find Malick and Serenity there training and goes to join them.

     "About time you showed up," Malick teased.

     "Malick stop," Serenity scolded, "you know the last twenty four hours have been trying for her."

     "But it doesn't mean that I can't hold my own against you guys," Harmony smirked with a  challenge.

     "But we can't defend against you if you are in wolf form," Malick shaking his head.

     "I didn't say I would spar in my wolf form Malick," Harmony replied, "that would be unfair for one and another I have only spared in my human form considering I just found out I am a wolf."  Harmony picks up her shield and sparring sword.

     "In that case I take the challenge," Malick smirked picking up his sparring weapons.  Zarek looks on to see what would unfold, and to intercede just in case Harmony does accidently shift into her wolf form.  They start to spar when Steven arrives back with a nap sack of clothes and a few books for Harmony to read.

     "What is going on here?" Steven asks.

     "Just a sparring match between Malick and Harmony," Zarek states not taking eyes off of them, "they always spar between each other, Harmony is pretty good at combat."  

     "We will see," Steven stated, "We train differently than you guys we don't have weapons or shields."

     "Oh she is good at hand to hand combat as well," Zarek replied, "she can take Malick down quickly."

     "So she can fight with weapons and in hand to hand," Steven stated, "and considering she just shifted for the first time she hasn't been trained in her wolf form."

     "No she hasn't," Zarek replied looking at Steven questioningly.

     " I can help out with that," Steven stated, "it will be essential for her to learn how to fight as a wolf it will help her survive."

     "Help her survive," Zarek raises his eyebrow above his left eye, "I won't stand it if she is hurt."

     "That is what I am going to prevent,"  Steven stated looking at Zarek, "but I will say when she is ready to take her place on the thrown there will be a battle and she will need to be able to defend herself in all forms."

     "You didn't say anything about a battle," Zarek stated irritably, "She is my daughter...…"

     "Don't worry Zarek," Steven reassured him, "I will be there to make sure she is protected but she will have to fight the fake king that is sitting on the thrown and his followers and they won't go down without a fight."

     "You should have said something when we were talking in my chambers," Zarek stated.

     "I didn't want to scare her," Steven stated, "and she won't be fighting alone, she has me by her side."

     "Well she will have us Centaurs as well," Zarek stated.

     "You haven't set foot outside this forest ever," Steven stated, "how are you going to help in the battle if you won't leave this forest."

     "Like I said she is my daughter," Zarek stated, "and she has the respect of the Centaurs here they will be willing to protect her."

     "You know if you come out of the forest everybody including humans will be scared of you," Steven stated.

     "Ah but this forest is wide and vast if and it connects to other forests," Zarek smiled, "we can stay hidden from humans and help protect her."  Harmony comes up to them during their discussion and causes them to stop.  "Harmony are you feeling better?"

     "I am, but what are you guys talking about?"  Harmony asks.

     "We will worry about that tomorrow," Zarek tells her, "in the mean time dinner is going to be served soon, "why don't both of you get cleaned up and meet us in the dining hall."

     "Sounds good to me," Steven replies."

     "Let me show you to your room,"  Raven says coming up to them.

     "Yes ma'am thank you," Steven says following Raven to his room.  Harmony looks at Zarek and Steven wondering what they were talking about.  All she heard was protect her, and that made wonder what she needs protection from, but instead of pressing the issue she just heads up to her room to get refreshed from sparing with Malick.  With everything that has been going on she is exhausted, and all she wants to do is curl up in a corner and pretend she didn't exist, but she knew that she couldn't do that.