The wolf in the painting

Camille's POV

It's was nice to have my work exhibited at AX Gallery although most people didn't come to look at my painting because Katherine, a popular artist had her painting beside me. The few people who came to my side, I explained the meaning behind my painting. I wished I could be like Katherine who was great. 

"Hello, Katherine," I came over to her side and waved at her. 

She seemed to notice me as she waved back and smiled at me. "Your wolf painting is amazing," she commented. "Can you tell me the stories behind the painting?" Katherine left her exhibitions and came over to look at my paintings posted on the wall. "Your collection is amazing!" Another comment that got me smiling like an idiot. 

Who wouldn't smile when their favorite artist is admiring their work? 

"Thank you for the opportunity, Katherine. The first painting is....." I explained the story behind each painting and Katherine stared at me in awe. 

"You must like wolves right?" Katherine questioned. 

Why does everyone keep asking me that? I have never met any wolf but telling people that I haven't made me sound like a weirdo. Who would ever believe I never saw a wolf but all my paintings were of a wolf? Most people would think that I had gone crazy. 

"Yeah," I lied. 

"They are pretty. You should put them for auction." She advised. 

"Really?" I smiled. "Thank you, Katherine."

"Right. Excuse me, I need to see a friend." She left my side and walked over to a man opposite me. He was a sculptor with an amazing sculpture of a woman whose eyes were covered with a mask. The woman had two swords in her left hand and a stone in her other hand. It's was beautiful to watch but I had no idea who the sculptor was. 

"Must be someone who is not famous like me," I thought as I continued staring at his work. 

"That's GFK," A familiar voice sounded beside me, and when I turned, it was Remi. "He doesn't use his real name because he doesn't like attention. He is a famous Sculptor back in Nigeria."

"Wow!" I exclaimed. "Do you know the story behind every art here?" I questioned him. 

"Will you like to take a tour with me?" Remi offered. 

Who would turn down such an offer from a curator who knows everything about art? No one. 

"Sure," I answered and followed him. 

The first Art Remi showed me was a wood carving. A lot of people gathered around the carving because it's was worth it. It's was a carving of a woman who held her child in her arms. "This is called Motherhood by T.Y" Remi explained. "The carver is not here today but T.Y is a popular woman."

I couldn't believe what I heard. "A woman did this?" 

"Yes, T.Y is a woman." Remi smiled and walked away while I trailed behind him. "You are just as good as most of the artists here today," Remi said to me. 

"Thank you," I smiled at him and turned back to look at the carving. The mother stared at her child with love and it's made me long for the warmth of a mother. I never knew my mother since I was left in an orphanage home. There was a tiny hole inside of me that I hoped to close one day and I will once I found my mother. 

"You okay?" Remi touched my shoulder which caught me unaware. I jumped in fear and lost my balance. I saw the ground welcoming me but before I could reach the ground, a man with a mask on reached out to help me. I landed on his arm and met his hazel eyes. They were beautiful and I felt lost in them. 

"You should look where you go young lady," The voice was deep and enchanting.

The man helped me stand comfortably on the ground and smiled at me. His smile was charming and I wished I could see the face behind the mask but before I could thank him, he had walked away. 

"Camille," Remi grabbed my hand. "You okay?" He asked. 

I nodded in response but found myself staring at the man who had helped me from embarrassing myself in front of everyone. "Who is he?"

"Probably one of those that had come for the exhibition. Let's go," Remi grabbed my hand and pulled me behind him. 

The next art he showed was photorealism. There were two works exhibited. One was a man who was smoking while the second was of a girl swimming   It's looked so real that I thought they were there. "This is amazing!" I commented. 

The artist behind the beautiful piece of art was a young boy who looked like a teenager. The boy looked Asian and when I looked closely at him, my assumptions were right. He was Chinese with his double eyelid and purple hair. He looked like a rockstar instead of an artist. 

 Remi greeted the boy and introduced me to him. "Hey, Cjay. This is Camille, she is a wolf painter."

"Nice to meet you, Camille, I am Cjay." The boy stretched forth his arm and I gladly took it. 

"You have a nice work Cjay," I commented on his work. 

"It takes a lot of time to perfect it but it's coming out great." Cjay smiled. "So you are a wolf painter huh?" He questioned. 

I looked at Remi and nodded in response. "Yes, I am."

"Cool. I love wolves." He laughed and I also started laughing. 

There was nothing funny about wolves. "I would have loved to see your work but I have a lot of people to talk to," Cjay pointed to a long queue of people who had come for his autograph. They were mostly teenagers. 

"No problem CJay," I waved at him and left his side. 

"So where are we heading to next?" I asked Remi who seemed to be on call. 

He raised his hand and pointed to his phone. "I am sorry Camille but I need to take this," he said to me, and in a blink of an eye, he was out of my sight. 

"I guess I have to do the tour myself," I heaved a sigh and continue walking to see different Artwork. 

                  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Axel POV

Humans and their weird smells. As I walked into the gallery, my nose was overwhelmed with different smells. Some of the humans smelled like sweat while some had different smells. There were too many of them so it's was difficult to differentiate their smell. 

"Humans and their disgusting smell," Nal, my lycan complained like he always does but I gave him no response. 

"Sir, Katherine is here," Penelope informed me and I nodded in response. 

"I'll see her once I've greeted the important artist" I stated. 

"Okay. The first artist on your list is Anjit, " Penelope informed and walked in front of me leading me to whosoever Anjit was. Turns out that Anjit was an Indian man who had come to Mecianda to exhibit his work. 

"Namaste!" And it greeted us as he saw us heading towards him. "Mr. Banks. It's a pleasure to meet you." 

"Namaste!" Penelope answered on my behalf. I didn't say anything but made the Namaste gesture. 

"Mr. Anjit is a Calligrapher famous back in Indian and some part of the world." Penelope pointed to Anjit's works and they were all great. They were all well written in Indian. 

"What does that mean?" I pointed to the first calligraphy hanging on the wall. 

"It means freedom is ours," Anjit told me. "My works are all about rights and freedom. This one said lose me or leave me alone to die." Anjit explained the meaning behind his other works. 

"That's great Anjit. You have a great calligraphy skills. Your works are all nice." I commented and turned to leave. 

"Thank you, Mr. Banks," Anjit did the Namaste gesture and I also did the same before walking away. 

"Next are two artists. Ryan and Stacy," Penelope said and led me to an art installation. "They are both twins and are known for their works. AX gallery had sighed both of them exclusively."

"Hello, Mr banks," they both greeted.

"Hi," I answered. 

The Twins had different skin colors, Ryan was white while Stacy was black making them look different. How are they even twins when they are not alike?

"We are not related,"  Stacy must have caught me staring at them. "people called us the Amazing twins because of our works. "

"Oh, okay." My eyes went over to their work and I stared in awe at their amazing work. "This is an aquatic art installation," Ryan explained and pointed into what seemed to be a pool. "The bottom is dry but the surface has water." 

"What Ryan is trying to say is that there is a glass separating the surface and the bottom. It's set to create an illusion and make fantasies. " Stacy's explanation was more understanding than Ryan's. 

"You have amazing work and I am happy. You are one of our exclusive arts" 

"It's our pleasure Mr. Banks," They bowed their head. 

"Our last artist is Katherine who had just signed an exclusive contract with us," Penelope informed. 

"Oh, Katherine!" Nal screamed in excitement. 

"Shut it Nal, Katherine is married," I told him. 

"Ewwww, that's so sad." Nal expressed his sadness over Katherine. 

"This is Katherine's work and it's a painting of......." Penelope's voice turned into a whisper as I saw a painting of a wolf. 

It's wasn't just a wolf, it's was a Lycan. My hand shook terribly as I couldn't believe what I saw. I touched the painting and stared in awe. 

 The Wolf in the painting was Nal, my Lycan. No one had ever seen me in my Lycan form not even Nathan my beta or Penelope who had been with me since the beginning. 

The Amazing thing about the painting was that it talked about my past. All the paintings were right, it's was as if the painter knew me in the past. 

"Wow! Who has been spying on us?" Nal questioned as he also was surprised to see himself painted on the wall. 

"Are you okay sir?" Penelope grabbed my arm breaking me out of my thought. "Katherine is waiting for us," she pointed to Katherine who waved at me. 

I didn't respond to her because I wasn't interested in her instead I was interested in the painting of my Lycan. "Who painted this wolf?" I asked Penelope. 

"I have no idea, sir. Remi and Isabella picked the artist. Is there a problem sir?" Penelope questioned. 

Yes, there was a problem because it's not every day you see a painting of your Lycan. 

"Go get them. I need to know who painted the wolf." 

"I did." An angelic voice sounded behind me. The voice was soothing and I had to turn around to look at the person who painted a picture of my Lycan. 

The first thing I saw was her eyes. They were dark like the devil's soul and her face was a face I never expected to see again. Kourtney, My First mate who died because of my sins. I inhaled her scents, it's was just like Kourtney's. Strawberry and Forest scent. 

"Mate," Nal whispered in my head but I couldn't dare whisper it out. 

"Is there any problem with my painting sir?" She asked, her voice sounding exactly like Kourtney. 

Why was fate against me? 

"You painted the wolf?" I questioned and bites my lower lips trying to keep my emotions in check because if I don't, Nal might take over and mark her on spot. 

"Yes, they are all mine." She answered with a smile on her face. 

That's smile sent my heart racing. "Mark her," Nal shouted in my head. "We found our mate after five hundred years. Mark her Axel." He shouted. 

Beads of sweat trailed down my face and my whole body began to shake. This isn't happening. Before I could reveal my true identity, I grabbed the girl's hand and dragged her with me. 

If fate was playing a mindless game, I needed to know how to be a winner.