Lycan's unexpected mate

Princess's mate

Artemissi

What a morning this is! When a huge explosion woke me up, I didn't expect to come face to face with our Princess Atalanta. And mainly, I didn't expect my security system to be this powerful. As I was preparing the oxygen-creating spells for both my sister and the Princess, my Lycan Vesta wouldn't stop pestering me for hurting them.

I have already apologised several times to both Tyche and the Princess and I still feel guilty. I am afraid that she will punish me, or worse, that her father, our King Triton will find out and punish me. I can't face the Princess when she asks about the security incantation but Tyche mindlinks me: "Do tell her. She'll understand."

At her nod, I let out a long breath and say: "You know how I have spent ten years with the Royal Sorcerers, right?" When the Princess nods, I go on: "And, well, Princess, I've learnt some incantations that can also be performed by non-wizards. And you and Tyche have encountered a security one."

She stares at me wide-eyed. "So, you mean that whoever comes to your house is blasted away by a spell?"

'This didn't come out the way it should,' Vesta pips up in our mind.

I look at the Princess and whisper: "It shouldn't have blasted you."

"Excuse me?" the Princess exclaims while sitting up straight.

Okay, here goes nothing.

I inhale and explain awkwardly: "This security incantation was only, and I really mean only, meant to zap you. There shouldn't have been any explosion."

Tyche shrugs and puts more wood into the fire so to say. "Well, my dear sister, the incantation did make a boom. So tell us, what went wrong? Why are we on oxygen?"

"Um . . ." I stutter. How would I know? This has never happened! "I'm not so sure. I think I may have put too much furlong in it but I'm not certain at all."

"Fur-what?" the Princess asks.

"Furlong. It's a mixture of monkshood with animal furs, like foxes, deer, bear, wolves . . ." My voice dies down as I realise that they really don't want and need to know what I have put in it.

"Monkshood? Why does this sound familiar? And the furs? How do the wizards get them?" the Princess keeps wondering aloud.

I shake my head. I can't exactly tell anyone that I am using wolfsbane. It's not prohibited but you need special permission for handling it. I look at the Princess and finish with: "That would be an explanation for a whole day that we don't have. Maybe later. And this brings me to why you came to my house this early in the morning?"

"We . . . I need a favour," the Princess announces.

"A favour?" I ask and she nods. "And what is so urgent that you came this early?"

Tyche speaks up next to me. "Well, we didn't want many people to know, Missi. But our plan has been blasted."

I sigh once more. That is a bad habit of mine that I have developed due to being asked of almost impossible things. What is their plan, for Moon Goddess' sake?

The Princess speaks up just then: "Artemissi, I need your help to track down a werewolf. I know that you still have some acquaintances with other species that would keep it a secret that a Lycan princess needs such information."

I close my eyes. This is something I'm okay with. I was worried that they would need me to perform sorcery. "Fine, okay, I'll do it. I'll just bring my notepad so that I can write it all down."

I grant Tyche a bothered look and walk out of the room. The notebook is just where I left last evening, so I find it fast. The pen is in its pocket. As I return, I look through the pages for a clean one, then I place the pen between as a bookmark. I pull the nearest chair to the Princess and sit down, demanding: "So, who is the werewolf?"

"I don't know," the Princess says bluntly.

Finally, I realise that this is going to be tougher than I thought. I won't be getting much out of her and that is why she has come here. "OK, so what is their name?"

"I'm not sure."

I give the Princess an exasperated look before glaring at Tyche. "I can't find a ghost without basic details, you know?"

The Princess interrupts me: "That's why I need your help. I don't know who the man is or what his real name is, for that matter, but he was a witness during one of the rogue attacks on a werewolf pack. And I believe he has vital information about it."

I think about what she has just said. If the man is a witness, he won't want to be recognised, much less found easily. And these attacks are getting more frequent. I heard that the last one was a ma*sacre. This man has to be scared for his life if he knows who is behind the attacks. I return my sight to the Princess. "I've heard of the attacks. The last big one almost wiped out the whole pack, right?"

Tyche then adds with a nod: "Princess here has been losing sleep over the man and with the baby, she has saved from the pack, people barely see her around. Your help would be so much appreciated by everyone because we could exit the cursed cycle of dead-ends."

I can sense Princess's embarrassment, so I touch her shoulder reassuringly. "Tell me everything you know about the he-wolf."

The Princess inhales. "So, I saw this man after the attack and he was awfully familiar with the pack. Well, at first, I saw him in his wolf form, then as a human, but anyway . . ." She coughs. "Sorry, I got carried away."

"It's no problem. Looks like the encounter was pretty traumatic for you?" I suggest calmly while opening my notebook a preparing to write down the important things.

The Princess says: "I met him near the pack hospital wearing only hospital trousers. At first, I thought he was a patient, but I found out otherwise."

"He didn't come in his human form, then, right?" I ask just to be sure. If he came in his wolf form, then he had to be a member or a former member of the pack, otherwise, they wouldn't let him pass the borders and kill him as a rogue. This could help with finding him. I write down my thought and demand: "So, have you seen his face?"

"Yes, yes, I have."

"Do you think you can make his portrait? That would help a lot," I admit hesitantly. I don't know if she can draw or if the image will be of any use but I have to get as much as I can.

"I can give it a try, but not now," she tells me and I shake my head in surprise. The anticipation is getting the best of me and I know that I am beginning to tremble with the willingness to do something.

"Of course, of course. I wouldn't dare to ask for it right now, what with the blast and such."

I scan my notes and ask: "Tell me anything you saw. And the portrait, you can give or send it to me by tomorrow?"

The Princess lies down and completely ignores my question as her face gets a far-away look. She starts to tell us about her encounter with the unknown werewolf. "Well, okay. The man, who introduced himself as Zeus, but I so doubt this is his real name, ehm, well, the man was very well-built and muscular."

As I jot down his name, I can't help but frown. This name is strange. I look at the Princess: "Are you sure he said Zeus? Because . . ."

". . . that would be a normal name for a Lycan, I am aware of that," she finishes instead of me. "It could be a nickname, for all we know."

"Or he's hiding his identity due to his pack and has a code name," Tyche adds her opinion.

"Maybe, sis, maybe," I tell her thoughtfully while writing down my idea of his relatives knowing about the Lycans, being a hybrid (but that's almost impossible) or it being a coincidence. Two huge question marks follow the words. "Princess, please, go on," I suggest.

She closes her eyes and speaks up: "About his other features, no tattoos, no pendants, bracelets or anything. He has dark black hair, about five centimetres long, and brown eyes. . . . No, that's not right. It's not the usual brown of wood. It's the light brown, like . . . like liquid caramel or wood honey?"

I smile at the Princess knowingly. Either this man is her mate, or she has created a protective sisterly bond with him. But why wouldn't they acknowledge one another? Didn't he feel the pull as well? This doesn't seem that the meeting was traumatic at all, it was probably rather hot. I stare at the Princess's face, attempting to read her feelings, when I hear Tyche snicker silently. "Wait, are you describing a dessert or a man?"

The Princess ignores my lovely sister and looks me straight in the eyes. "Anyway, he looked quite handsome and he was about my height or a bit higher."

'For real, huh?' Vesta says calmly.

'Maybe she'll tell us later. Let's wait and see where this goes, right?' I suggest and my Lycan agrees. "Alright, so tall and handsome. This applies to at least a million men," I tell them with a long sigh, hoping the Princess will take the bait. "Do you know how old he was?"

"Not really. He was young, surely less than twenty-five," the Princess says before quickly adding, "Oh, and he wasn't mated."

I smile at her, however, I want her to either support or disagree with my opinion. "Good, that's good. This has significantly diminished the number of false alarms. Now, what about his wolf?"

The Princess grants us a million-watt smile and I just know without her using any words. Nevertheless, Tyche notices, too, and she begins laughing. I chuckle at the Princess's failed attempt to hide the truth. Tyche even says: "Oh my God, she has fallen in love with his wolf."

I don't prod the topic because the Princess is as red as a tomato. "I like it because I have never seen such a wolf," she admits. "But liking a wolf doesn't mean anything. He isn't my mate or anything and finding him is pure business."

I interrupt her just then. "And how do you know?"

She frowns slightly. "Know what?"

I smack my lips and explain further. "That he isn't your mate?"

"Easy," she answers. "No scent, no stopping of my heart, even Diana didn't feel the connection to his wolf."

Now, this is strange. But according to how the Princess behaves, the man got very close to her and her heart. Even though they didn't have an inter*course, she has to be feeling something for him, or at least his wolf. In the back of my mind, I hear Tyche ask something but my mind was too occupied. The Princess has all the symptoms of meeting her true mate but he didn't let her know and he even didn't let her smell him. Maybe it was a potion? Vesta pushes me back outside where I can hear the Princess explain the situation further: ". . . no scent coming off of him whatsoever. If I didn't see him with my very eyes, smelling nothing, I wouldn't believe it, either."

I close my book and decide to tell them about the potion. "I believe you. Sorcerers do have spells that can hide one's smell and make them appear human. But it requires hours and hours to make it right and only strong wizards ever manage to create it strong enough to confuse a Lycan."

The Princess stares at me in shock. "So, the wolf cooperates with a strong witch?"

"No," I disagree fast. "Not a witch, only a male wizard can do that. We will have to tread lightly from now on. If sorcerers are involved, it will make it all both harder and easier to find your werewolf."

The Princess frowns but I refuse to say anything more. At least not now.

"As I was about to say," the Princess continues, "his wolf was completely white and his fur was gleaming under the moonlight."

I don't know how to react. I decide to play the part and encourage her before I get some time alone to think. "Wow, that must have been a sight!" I exclaim and look at my watch. "You should better be going if you want to return to the palace without anyone questioning you."

Tyche understands and they begin to prepare for the return. I lend my hand to the Princess and once we're ready to go, I remind her: "Don't forget the image, Princess."

"Of course, Artemissi," she answers. "See you tomorrow."

With that, my sister leads them away and I close the door quickly. I return to the chair and collapse on it.

'What do you think, Vesta?' I ask my Lycan.

'The truth?' she tries negotiating but at my resolute look, she gives in. 'I'm afraid that the werewolf is really our future King with the way how our Princess spoke about him.'

'Yeah, I believe so, too, but the colour is shocking. Completely white wolves are extremely rare and they are often exiled from their packs for bringing bad luck.'

'Artemissi, remember how we talked with Idris? She told us about the "ghost werewolf". And that he is rumoured to be the personification of all rogues whose death was unjustified.'

I think about it. I remember the conversation because I believed she was drunk at that time. Well, maybe she wasn't. 'So, this looks like we have a starting point. And the ghost is pretty much alive and kicking.'

'This isn't funny, young lady,' Vesta reprimands me for joking about such a subject.

'Sorry, I couldn't help it,' I apologise. At Vesta's huff, I get up and walk to the kitchen. 'Anyway, what's on the menu today?"

'Don't you dare eat roots and vegetables again,' Vesta warns me.

"We'll see, we'll see."