Falling for Adrian

Downcast

Brie's heart skipped a beat. No, it couldn't be. Phina had made a mistake, right? Perhaps she wasn't referring to Damien, her only brother. Maybe there was another Damien close to Phina in the pack that had died?

"Damien?" Barely a whisper had escaped from Brie's trembling lips. But due to werewolf heightened hearing abilities, Phina heard it. Her eyes watered.

"Brie, I'm sorry. I'm sorry Dammy had to go that way." Phina met her friend's eyes. "You are strong, Brie. I know you are. You must be strong now. For yourself and for your father."

"Damien?" Brie asked again. It was slowly coming to her now. It pierced her heart, struck her deeply and painfully. Damien, her only brother, was gone.

"But how?" She managed between sobs.

"Father spread the news this morning. He mind-linked us. I guess he's going to tell your father personally because he asked me to tell you."

Phina rested Brie's head on her shoulders. The tears dropped in torrents.

It was a wonder that Brie's wolf hadn't come out, Phina thought. In moments of excess grief, werewolves shifted into their wolf form to let out some steam. If they bottled it, though, and refused to shift, it could lead to disastrous consequences; one of which was the inability to shift into wolf form, pushing their wolves to an almost, if not, extinct part of their minds.

"But how? Why?" Brie asked again, taking Phina off her contemplation for a while.

Phina repeatedly patted Brie's shoulder to soothe her.

"The details that were given are sketchy, Brie. The rebels attacked the village the Lycan Prince was residing in for a while. It was an ambush, but the Prince and his soldiers were already too immersed in the battle. The Lycan Prince would have died, had not Damien stepped in and taken a poisoned arrow shot at the Prince."

Brie sucked in her breath. She closed her eyes, and two teardrops quickly escaped her tightly shut eyelids.

"He gave his life for that of the Prince's." Brie muttered.

*****

Lycan Crown Prince Adrian swam in the cool turquoise Bank of the Castle's river. He was naked as a wolf pup being born in any of the packs. He swam gracefully, slow, determined, long strokes.

He arched his sleekly muscled back with each stroke, tensing and releasing. It was breath-taking to watch, apocalyptic almost.

But this was not merely an exercise. He tried to relieve the tension he felt. He could still hear the wails of the female wolves, the gnashing of canines, could still smell the acrid smell of burning houses.

It was too much to bear. But when the memories came to the Beta wolf, Damien, he broke. It was enough that his people had faced a rebel attack, but to have Damien die a death meant for him was heart-rending.

"His Highness, the Crown Prince."

Adrian turned absent-mindedly to face the gamma man-servant.

"I am sorry to disturb His Royal Highness, this servant has been trying to get the attention of Your Highness."

"For how long?" Adrian asked, the vague look still in his eyes.

"Half an hour now, your Highness."

'He must have been waiting while you swam. Surely this is important.' Ryder, his wolf muttered to him.

Adrian turned now to the servant, who was still bowed so low that Adrian thought for a second that he was about to fall.

"Speak, Feline." Adrian implored the middle-age wolf.

Feline looked up quickly, his cheeks slightly tinging red. For a servant to be addressed by his name was an honour. He had heard of the Crown Prince's benevolence, but never thought that it extended to such levels.

Adrian turned to look at the blushing male in front of him, a thick black eyebrow arched.

Feline recovered quickly under the Prince's stare.

"The King and Queen wish to speak to you, your Highness. They have invited you to lunch at the Summer Court." Feline said.

"Can't it be fixed at another time? I haven't yet recovered." Adrian immersed his body slowly, up to his neck in the crystal blue water.

"I'm sorry, your Highness. The King and Queen strongly urge your honorable presence at the Summer Court, your Highness." Feline said softly, but loud enough not to be found muttering. The Crown Prince may be benevolent, but he was not one to be trifled with or settle a score.

"Very well. It should be urgent enough to demand my presence, then. Relay my acceptance." With that, Adrian plunged into the soothing river.

Feline bowed low once more, and moved far away enough from the Prince's presence before turning back to relay the Prince's acceptance to his parents.

Stumps of trees away, were his battalion of aides. Even though Adrian had instructed them to rest and let him be, they lingered on.

They were more protective of their future King now, not because they could be hanged in the gallows at the end of the day if they neglected their duties, but because they loved the Prince.

They had grown to respect and honor Adrian. They would willingly lay their life for him.

*****

"Sweetie, he died a hero." Phina responded quickly to Brie's burgeoning accusation. "Leta is here." She announced.

Just then, Leta slipped in pale-faced. She was a tall, roundly built werewolf. Her light brown hair was packed in a ponytail and short strands of wet brown bangs lay matted across her forehead.

Obviously, she had jogged to the Alpha's house.

"Have to keep my human form fit, always," she usually replied when Brie or Phina asked why she didn't use her human form instead.

Leta's eyes met Phina's and they mind-linked each other , then her large brown eyes fell on Brie. She closed the gap between them in two long strides and crouched before Brie, wiping her tears with long, slender fingers.

"I heard the news, Brie. I'm so sorry. Damien was more than dear to everyone of us." She said.

Brie shook her head.

"There's nothing to be sorry for Letty. It's not your fault" Brie replied. Her eyes glared dangerously at nothing in particular.

"It is the Lycan Prince's fault." She cried out, her voice choked with sobs.

Phina and Leta started up, staring with concern at Brie.

"Brie-" Phina began.

"No. Don't stop me. But it's the truth. Surely there were other warriors? Damien wasn't supposed to die, giving his life for that of the Crown Prince's." Brie's trembling voice reduced to rasps. "He wasn't...he wasn't."

Leta stood up.

"We need to go on a run. Especially you, Brie. I understand what you're passing through this moment, but I won't lose you too. Let your wolf out. You really need it."

"Letty is right, Brie. Let's go for a run. You don't want to develop Wolfein syndrome."

Brie wiped her tears slowly. She was weak, so weak. The heavy feeling she had felt in the morning had only multiplied. She understood that she needed to let her wolf out and release the pent-up grief. But all she did now was accumulate it in her chest, and sink in it.

She vowed never to forget Damien, never to forget that he died because of the Crown Prince. She shook her head vigorously.

" I refuse to believe that Damien willingly gave his life for that of the Crown Prince's. How could he leave me and Dad like that? No, not Damien. He was murdered, and it's all the Lycan Prince's fault."

Leta had heard enough.

"Brie, you need to let it out."

Phina stood up. "Okay, Brie. I totally understand the toll this has taken on you. It has broken us too. Damien was one of us, we all loved him."

Brie consented after much persuasion.

They walked out of the mansion, a gust of cool air hitting them as they stepped out of the front porch.

Phina shifted first. Brie stood silently.

"After you." Leta elbowed her slightly from behind.

Brie tried to connect with Jade. She was far off, and Brie began to despair. She forced herself, and slowly, a very painful shift began. She groaned and cried out with the blinding pain of it.

She didn't know if the survived the shift, for in that moment her world had become blotched with darkness gradually, and she succumbed to the calling peace within.