Chapter 4: Scars
1561 Words
Arcus grasped at the beautiful wolf, a very unique one, it was a cute little wolf, but he was not able to process that anymore because Arinya’s wolf was in a frenzy out of fear! Arcus thought that she perhaps didn’t know what was happening at all!
Sharp paws pieced Arcus' neck, shoulders, and chest as Ari's white wolf tried to get away.
Arcus was shocked to the bone, werewolves mostly turned when they reached 15 to 16 and Ari was only 13. Though at a shock, Arcus never lost his focus and it was to keep Ari safe.
He held on her tighter, he was afraid that she would run far away as her wolf still tried to escape. He still felt her fear and he knew she would run.
He held her in his arms despite her efforts to flee, making sure that she would not get hurt despite blood pooling from a deep cut on his chest caused by Ari's claws.
"It's ok, little one, calm down." He slid on the floor and gently embraced Ari's wolf, whispering to her ears.
"What the hell happened!?"
Luna Daniela shouted when she saw a bloody Arcus with a frenzy wolf in his arms.
"Mother, Ari, she changed."
"Ari! Where is Ari!?" Alpha Orion's booming voice woke up Ari in her trance.
Ari felt too warm, too warm in the insides, but she was trembling as if it was freaking cold..
"Ari, don't be afraid. It's me, Rinya, your wolf."
Ari couldn't believe it at first, but she realized she was not in her human body but in her wolf form.
Did she really turn? How did that happen? She was too young!
"You were scared. So scared that your fear awoke me, Ari."
"I-I awoke you?"
"Yes. You're not supposed to though. At least not yet."
"But now you're awake? Hmm, I'm sorry?"
"Apology accepted, Ari."
"Ari, you're gonna be okay. You'll be okay. Come back, Ari."
Her soul realized it was Arcus, he was calling for her to come back.
"Little Star, please, Ari."
She heard her father, too. She wanted to go back now, but how?
"Rinya, how will I go back to my human form?"
"Hhhmm, next question, please."
"Wha-what do you mean, Rinya? Please don't tell me you don't know how."
"Did your father teach you? Because as I have just told you, I was sleeping my entire life and it was just my first time meeting you. How am I supposed to know how to go back? Did you study how to do it or something?"
"Grrr.. riiight… father taught this to me before though just very briefly"
"Good, what did he say?"
Rinya was apparently also curious.
"He said I just have to imagine myself becoming human again."
"Okay, then do it, Ari."
"Think of it like breaking out from a cocoon, Ari. Think of your wolf as a closed shelter that you will tear apart so you can get out. Imagine yourself turning back to human as you tear your wolf's skin apart."
Arcus soon realized that Ari was already in the right mind. She stopped moving and her wolf was in a trance which was still in his arms.
"It's gonna be alright, Ari. You can do it, I'm just here. Just here for you, Ari." He watched as her violet eyes gleamed as her bones began to move.
She could hear Arcus' whispered words with those clearer instructions.
"I am going to retreive for now, Ari. We will meet very soon."
Suddenly afraid to be alone, she asked, “when will I talk with you again, Rinya?"
“When the time is right, I will resurface and it will be for good, Ari.”
“Rinya…”
“Good bye for now, Ari.”
“Rinya!” She trembled.
But that was her last words to her wolf before she already managed to tear away her other form. Her bones started reconnecting, rebreaking, and lengthening.
"She's changing." Arcus shouted. Alpha Orion was quick to cover her with a blanket served by one of the maids..
"A-Arcus?"
"I'm here, dear little one." Arcus covered her small hand with his large one. He released the breath that he had been holding. "Damn, Ari, you scared the hell out of me!"
"Little star…" Ari realized that they were not alone, when she looked up, she saw her father, Alpha Zeke and his wife, her stepmother and sisters and Beta Xander. Some staff of the castle were also looking at her. And they were all looking in awe.
Arcus carefully stood up while still carrying her. “How are you feeling, dear Ari?” It was the second time he called her dear and she felt warmth in her chest. Unconsciously, she pressed her cheek on his chest.
“Tired, Arcus, I feel tired.” She confessed.
Footsteps followed them, Ari could hear, but she never dared to look. She never said it to Arcus or would never dare say it but she felt ashamed. She knew she was the center of attention again and it was not a good kind of attention. She turned at such a young age and she herself didn't know why!
As Arcus carefully laid her down on the bed, he suddenly gasped, “your wound, it was gone, Ari!" Arcus suddenly said. His hot breath brushed her face. She reached up to her cheek with a cut and she could not feel any bump or cut there.
"It healed?"
"Yeah, Ari. It's, it's gone!" Arcus couldn't believe that Ari turning into her wolf would help her heal that fast. A deep cut like that would take him at least a few weeks to fully erase the scar but Ari did it by just turning into a wolf and her papery smooth face was now left with no flaws at all.
Meanwhile, Orion carefully watched the two. He was stunned at his daughters’ ability as well, but more than that, there was uneasiness in his heart. He was hesitant to break in between Arcus and Ari. He felt like intruding by just looking at them and so he didn't speak.
"Ari, could you also heal faster than others?"
Luna Daniela's inquiry which interrupted Alpha Orion in his trance.
"Yes, she heals faster than usual."
"Just like her mother." Alpha Daniela smiled meaningfully at Arinya.
Selda rolled her eyes. Isbeth and Dessa were still in shock.
"Dessa, get Ari a new set of clothes."
"Yes, father."
All looked at Alpha Orion, they knew they had to leave to let Ari change. But they were hesitant. They wanted to ask questions. Was it the first time that Ari turned?
Arcus was the first one to move. He got up, still staring at Ari as if afraid to let her out of his sight.
He smiled at her, "you'll be alright, Ari."
She was about to nod, but she suddenly saw Arcus' wounds.
She immediately knew that she was the one who hurt Arcus. He had scratches on his neck, while his shirt was drenched with blood.
Lips parted and eyes filled with guilt, Ari sat up clumsily.
"No, Ari, you need to lie down." Arcus pushed her gently on the bed.
"Arcus, I hurt you, didn't I? As I lost my mind after turning, I hurt you!?" She felt utter guilt, Ari, never wanted to hurt anyone and much more Arcus! But she did! Council of Gods, she hurt him!!
Ari's lips quivered and tears started pooling in her eyes. As she let Arcus push her back on her bed.
"I'm alright, Ari. Your short, little claws didn't hurt me that much." Arcus said it with a teasing tone but Ari did not buy it. She saw his blood drenched shirt. She bet she did more damage than what Arcus was trying to tell.
Ari turned her back from Arcus as she silently cried.
"Don't, Ari." Before she turned her face from him, he already saw her tears and Arcus didn't know what to do about it. His heart was a mess seeing her cry and added to that the fact that she turned her back from him!
Ari, damn it!
Arcus cursed in his head.
"Son, we need to leave Ari alone first so she can change and take a rest." Alpha Zeke consoled.
Arcus still didn't leave Ari.
"Arcus." This time it was a low growl with a warning from Alpha Zeke.
A louder growl came out from Arcus. He was still looking down at Ari.
"Are you disobeying your Alpha, Arcus?" Alpha Zeke was getting angry now.
"Son, let Ari take her rest. She needs to calm down herself. You also need to fix your wound."
Daniela knew how stubborn the two could be, she had to do her soft intervention. And Arcus would listen more in a diplomatic manner, she had learned of that through the years of observing him.
Arcus stood up and silently walked out of the room.
He was too angry but he didn't know why. He was so damn angry that he felt his wolf Blaze surfacing. He tore off his bloodied shirt and tossed it to the ground. He kept running to the forest until there was no one around him. He let Blaze take over and he ran. He ran and ran.
- Writer
