My Winter Romance: The Lost Lycan Luna

Cassie’s POV I unwrap the letter, grazing my mother’s signature on the brown paper. She always signed “E” in the most elegant of ways. “Hi madam Elizabeth,” I greet the letter chirping. I miss my mother like crazy. It’s been almost 6 months since my last visit to my small town, Redfield. One of the only three towns amongst the human settlements. The total human population was only about 30,000 and while the central city housed the least people and richfolk, the townfolk did all the work. The farmers and cattlerearers were all townfolk although they all had to remit their produce to the central police, who in turn gave only a little back. Life in the central city was very different from life in Redfield. The towns were poor and I remember dreaming of working in the city and now, here I am. A couple more months till I graduate as a lawyer. A couple more months till I bring my mom here too. My mother single handedly runs the only orphanage in Redfield and before I was adopted, she did it all herself. I was left at her door when I was only a month old. Thanks to law school though, I’ve had to leave her for months at a time and it crushes me everyday. I open the letter and do away with the wrapper, tossing it into my bedside bin. My eyes meet my mom’s writing and my vision blurs. It was the same bad news after bad news. “The central police just increased our tax to 20%.” The second to last line said. “Perhaps I should close the orphanage. The kids barely eat two meals a day now.” Another line said. I squeeze the paper into a ball and into my bin. “f*****g central police.” I curse, before standing up from my bed. They would milk my people till they’re skin if they could. Their greed was insatiable. My eyes go to my wall clock and it reads 7:11am. Ample time to prepare for the last week of court attachment at my firm. One more week of bearing sitting next to snot nosed city raised humans who had no empathy for the townfolk who actually kept food on their table. I need to wrap up this school year and go help my mom. The orphanage is her life and how she found me, at her doorstep 21 years ago. I can’t let her give up on it. If the central police is going to keep increasing their taxes, I’m just going to have to take on more jobs after the winter break. The last year of my law school is next year, ample time to move my mother to the capital. She’s the only reason why I work so hard. My tears threaten to pool out of my eyes and that’s my queue to begin my day. My feet hit the ice cold floor, causing me to jump back on my bed. “Ow!” It got really cold during the winter here. I guess it came fully last night. My eyes go to my window– no snow yet. I shake off the occult feeling in the back of my mind. Citizens of the central city were mainly wall worshippers. Across the Redfield river was a huge wall, one that our history books say has been erected for the past 200 years. People worship the wall, believing that it has been the protection between us humans and crazy magical beasts on the other side. A long time ago allegedly, humans and magical beasts like elves and trolls and superhuman lycans lived in harmony. However after some unidentified dispute, a magical wall was erected by the elves on the command of their sovereign ruler, the lycan king. I didn’t believe in that crap of course. The citizens further from the wall, the central city, could believe that folly because they didn’t get to farm and hunt and lose their lives doing so. They no longer had cattle and our lands are in dire need of fallowing. If the wall was truly god’s divine entity, it was bullshit and prejudiced because my people are hungry and they don’t deserve to starve because of unbelief or geographical luck. Beyond that stupid wall has to be better vegetation and animals. But everyone’s too scared because of the wall worshippers and central police. No one was to expedite the wall. The walk to my law firm is barely 7 minutes. I clutch my coat, thankful for my eye and ear mittens. The sound of carriages zoom past me, they’re carrying the crops from Redfield, Northborough and Creekside, all very small farming villages that surround the central city. “Those barbarians at Creekside attacked our last carriage! Nearly killed the merchant!” I overhear as I walk past a group of central citizens. Served them right. I dare not say out loud. A few of the soldiers on the carriages laugh, the sound of their drunken laughter like pins in my ear. Humanity is so cruel, I hate them all. I approach the main door to my firm and take a step when I hear them. “Repent, repent! The winter solstice is near!” One of the city’s clergymen yells. He’s surrounded by a few more members who harass the pedestrians. I slip into my building before s**t gets any weirder. This was life in the central city for a town girl like me. I never actually dreamed of ever being a student in the capital, very few kids from my town got any tertiary education. I got here two years ago when I followed my mother to the courthouse. It was to renew some documents for her orphanage where I pocket picked a scholarship form. I really didn’t think I would get it and when I did, nobody was happy about it, my mother even looked terrified. She didn’t know that I did it for her and that I would do anything for her. Including live in a city where I’m seen as not worthy and endure constant harassment from your professor and colleagues. That’s right, For the past year, my Tort professor has been trying to get in my pants. So far I’ve been successful in running. Anyways, five more days till Winter break. No more weird city people. And since my mother’s recent news of missing people, I need to be home. “Oof.” I bump into a wall. “Would you look who it is, Cassie the town girl. Almost late for class?” Laura taunted like a high school bully. I hate her. Your crazy church folk distracted me, I dare not say out loud. “Stop it, Laura, we talked about this.” I hear Dominic say. Dominic Harrold is the son of our college board so yeah, he’s a top shot. He also is one of the only people that treated me like I was a person. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say I think he likes me. I don’t know, it’s not like I’ll ever actually pursue it. Dominic’s also rather snotty to other classmates. So I know he is definitely giving me preferential treatment. “Alright, guys. Let’s all head inside.” He says and everyone turns towards the entrance. He approaches me, his pearly white teeth say hello before I hear his smooth voice. “You alright, Cassie?” He asks and I shiver inside. The man was fine, something about his buzzcut spoke to me. I swallow, throat suddenly dry. “Yes, just great. I’m going to be late for class.” I announce nervously. Move out of the way, handsome man. “Then let’s walk together.” He says and I definitely blush. “Okay.” I make out a whisper. He does something even crazier, holding my hand, he tugs me lightly. “Let’s go.” We walk together to class. He shocks me by seating next to me in class and walking me home. Now outside my building, he’s holding my hand again. “You’ve been looking stressed lately, is everything alright? You know you can talk to me, right?” He asks me. My heart sinks in my chest. Should I? His dad is head of college board. Maybe he can help. “I wanted to ask if you knew professor Bakers?” “Bakers? Of course. He works for my father.” “Well…” What am I thinking? I can’t tell him— “hey, Cassie. You can trust me.” Dominic’s voice cuts through my thoughts. He holds my hand and I break. “He’s been asking me to come over to his office… or car.” I hint without really giving much away. “What? Are you serious, Cassie? f**k, I’m sorry. Of course you’re serious. That fucker!” He believes me? My eyes begin to water. I blink, “I didn’t think anyone would believe me so I didn’t tell anyone.” I admit. “I believe you, Cassie. And good job on not telling anyone else. Not everyone should be trusted around here.” “I actually can’t believe this. I was considering transferring for the rest of my school year haha.” I say nervously. “What? You were really going to just leave?” Why does he sound hurt? “Come with me to our annual winter dinner this weekend.” He blurts out. “The same one where the wall—“ I start. It was a dinner for wall worshippers in preparation for the winter solstice. “I know you don’t believe in the wall. But I want you to meet my dad. He can help.” He squeezes my hand. “O-okay.” I hear myself say. Okay? Okay? Are you sure, Cassie? I hear my subconscious ask. I don’t know. My panic hits a high when he bends down and plants a kiss on my cheek. “See you this weekend.” He says before hopping down the stairs, leaving me feeling out my right cheek. A gush of cold wind sends me inside. I finally have some news other than my bleak internship days and it was about a boy. Madam Elizabeth was in for a surprise. I can’t shake off my discomfort though. The annual winter dinner was a gathering of rich wall worshippers and no place for a town girl like me. I wonder if it’s alright for me to be happy I was invited.