Lycan Princess' Return

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Livy climbed back down and sat against the wall. Memories tickled her mind but a heavy fog kept them at bay. Amethyst curled in the back of her mind, at ease they were home and would soon figure out a way around this. They drifted off each in their own thoughts.

A loud creak of an old door being pushed open, had Livy on her feet, startled and ready to defend herself. The smell of meat wafted down the hallway and Livy realized how hungry she was. A hunched-over creature came to the bars with a tray of food. Livy sniffed but didn't recognize the scent, not wolf, not human, something old though. Pulling out a chain of keys, a dried-up and bony hand opened the door to Livy's cell. The skin reminded Livy of a tanned leather hide or the skin of a mummy from her school books.

"Who are you?" Livy asked quietly. When there was no response she said her words again louder, thinking maybe it hadn't heard her. The creature seemed to flinch at the loudness of her words and dropped the tray.

"I heard you the first time wolf." A scratchy voice, like an old woman who had smoked her whole life, answered her. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't yell."

"I'm sorry," Livy said, genuinely. " I meant no harm."

The creature huffed and backed out of the cell. It locked the door and went back up the winding stairs. Livy listened for the door to close but never heard it. A spark of hope entered Livy, giving her a boost of energy. But then she realized, she was stuck in the cell, she couldn't get to the door chained to the wall the way she was.

"Amethyst? Can you break the chain?"

"They will sense my power if we shift now, and we will both be weakened as it's the first time you've shifted."

"But my dream, I've seen you before." Livy thought she must have shifted before, that's the only way she could have seen Amethyst save her.

"That wasn't me that saved you. I watched it happen just as you did. We were too young to shift then and I had just woken in you that night at your birth hour." Livy could feel Amethyst's confusion. She had seen Livy's dream as well but knew as much as the wolf resembled her, it couldn't have been. Livy slumped against the wall. The food was less than appetizing but her stomach still grumbled.

"You should eat Livy, we will need our strength, I'm sure." Livy reached for the tray, and as soon as she touched it, her skin burned. Why would they deliver food on a silver tray? Livy whined. Amethyst thought they wanted to see her magik again and decided not to show it. She would heal Livy from the inside. Livy reached again for the food, sniffing deeply to see if the meat was poisoned. She didn't smell anything and took a small bite. She ate the rest of the steak and decided to wait to see if something happened. After what seemed like hours, Livy still felt fine. Though all the food was cold, she ate as much as she could without touching the tray. As she finished, a tantalizing scent washed over her and she realized, she was being watched. Livy decided to pretend she had not noticed. She knew who it was and was still angry that this was how he treated her. What a sick game the moon goddess had played with her love life. Still, his scent made her skin tingle, and warmth spread through her. Everything in her wanted to move towards the scent. Even Amethyst was encouraging her to go find her wolf. Her desire to speak with him again made Livy feel sick. Did she not remember where they were, what they had done? The man did, Amethyst snapped at her. Livy sighed and remained in place.

"Are you going to remain in the shadows?" Livy asked casually. Not sure if she wanted him to leave or come closer. She heard movement and instinctively looked towards the sound. All she could see was a blue glow of eyes watching her.

"The shadows are where I belong." His voice was husky, a touch of sadness, but strong. A desire to hear more hit Livy like a train. She stood up, wanting to be closer, but didn't move more than that.

"Whose choice is that?" She mumbled angrily. Suddenly he was at the cell door. Livy gasped, her body reacting before her mind. She stared at him, eyes roaming, as she took in his form. She quickly stopped herself, anger taking place of her awe.

"You act like I wanted this to happen." Conflict grew in his eyes as he stared at her.

"Then why are you doing it?"

"You started it. You killed my Beta years ago when we..." His eyes glowed blue again as Livy watched him struggle with his wolf.

"I did nothing. I was attacked as a child, someone came after my parents and I was told to run. A wolf tried to attack me and another white wolf killed him. She was kind to me. I don't remember anything after until my home where you took me from." Livy said frustrated and angry he thought she would kill someone for no reason, or at all. She'd never hurt anyone till her last day at school and that was Amethyst's actions. Damien looked at her confused. His eyes still glowing, his wolf barely contained.

"You speak truth." His wolf's voice came through and Livy's knees almost buckled. She had never felt such comfort from a voice alone. She wanted to run to him and stay safe in his arms. She took a step forward, unable to stop herself, until she heard the chain etch across the ground, snapping her out of it.

"Always." Livy made it a point not to lie, since she had to keep her heritage a secret. She simply let people believe what they wanted. Damien was the first one she had ever desperately wanted to convince him was wrong about her. The blue glow receded as Damien's wolf backed down. A calm look came over Damien. He unlocked the door to her cell and stepped in.

"You really didn't do it," Damien said more to himself than he did to her. "I thought all these years, then who?"

"I don't know," Livy whispered. Unsure if he really wanted her to answer or not. He raised his hand and went to touch Livy's face. Inches away from grazing her cheek he curled his fingers back and dropped his hand now in a fist. Anguish replaced the look of wonder. A trumpet sounded above their heads and Damien took a step back.

"I'm sorry, I- I just can't. You don't understand." Damien stepped back out of the cell and shut the door. "I'll be back."

Livy lunged towards the door, falling to her stomach as the chain caught her.

"Please!" Livy cried, heartbreak in her words. She didn't want to be alone, she didn't want him to leave her. He took one look back at her cry and turned and rushed up the stairs. "Please don't leave me here." Livy's voice was barely a whisper. Tears began and soon flooded down her cheeks. Her elbows were red and raw from the fall. She curled into a ball like a newborn baby and wailed.

"Why did he leave us here Amethyst?" Amethyst did not reply as she howled with her own grieving. Neither understood. He believed her, hadn't he? She did nothing wrong. He abandoned her. A new layer of hurt from this betrayal came over her. One thing Livy did know was that he spoke one truth, she did not and would not understand.