Chapter 2

It was hard to concentrate on my walk since I was so distracted by the roar of city traffic. Despite all my exhaustion, my head was still pounding, and I had absolutely nowhere to go.

Above all, the weather was deteriorating and it was really dark. After a few minutes of walking, I was fatigued and decided to take a break under a tree.

As I rested my head against the tree's trunk and closed my eyes, I heard a whisper ringing inside my head. “I am sorry. Everything is happening because of me.”

These remarks were the last thing I heard before fainting in the room, It was strange how familiar the voice sounded, yet I couldn't recall when I first heard it.

Just as I was drifting off to sleep, a sudden blast of laughing startled me and nearly caused me to jump out of my skin. I was happy when I didn't see anyone, but then I realized it was already midnight, and I'd have to spend the night here. Sometimes, I couldn't help but chuckle about what I was going through.

As of right now, the misery in my life is about to get a whole lot worse.

Despite this, I had no idea what had happened to me in that room earlier today. I wasn't sure what had happened, but I was struck by how strong I felt.

Whatever, I attempted to relive the events of the day. but, everything seemed just a bit hazy. Oh, whatever. As I sat back down, I thought to myself, “I just want to sleep,” and rolled over.

But the throbbing in my brain prevented me from sleeping. Grumbling, I clenched my hands.

I've gotten used to being utterly isolated from the rest of the world. I supposed I had my mum after all. Assuming she was still alive, that is. I had no prior knowledge of her.

As I reflected about my uncle's first impression of me when we first met, I grinned sarcastically.

It was Mr. Xander's way of telling me that I had been cursed. “As you have achieved adulthood, your aging process has come to an end. You are immortal.”

That's a bunch of bull. That old nutcase...

Even though I shook my head and vowed never to think about it again, I couldn't ignore what he had said totally. he was an expert in fortune-telling and a member of my family. It's ludicrous that he'd come up with this story.

“Wow… Are you still convinced that he belongs in your family?”

My entire body went into a frosty stupor. Is it possible that someone was hiding in here? I didn't hear a peep out of it! I straightened my back, got to my feet, and met a strange man face to face. The moonlight illuminated his face, allowing me to see every detail of his face. In fact, the first thing I noticed was that he wasn't alone. He was flanked by a woman, and they were both staring directly at me.

The young woman wore a black robe over a long silver gown, which she wore with a hood. Crimson nail polish was applied to her fingernails, which were painted long and black. I couldn't help but notice her golden eyes, which drew my attention before I turned my attention to the man. Except for the silver scarf around his neck, he was dressed somewhat formally in all black. His thick, bushy eyebrows were framed by vivid yellow eyes beneath his dark hair.

Is it possible that they were cosplayers? Another option is that there was a medieval event going on nearby. Or perhaps they were petty criminals donning disguises to avoid detection? Like the Joker...

Finally, I snapped, understanding that I was in a predicament I couldn't escape. Fuck. Caroline. They're not worth your time.

Those thoughts of mine were cut off by a stranger. I was absolutely certain that I hadn't spoken them aloud. To defend myself, I dug up a heavy brick from the ground and threw it at the intruder.

“Who the heck are you?” Then I yelled. They didn't seem right. I could have been hallucinating.

He dodged my "attack" by moving his head just a hair to the left. He muttered, “Girl, you are rude!” as he focused his attention on me.

”Just tell me the answer to my fucked up query.” Inquiringly, I yelped. “Who the f*** are you?”

I felt afraid and enraged at the same time.

The woman approached, and I retreated cautiously.

“Queen Lola has appointed me as her secretary, and my name is Julie. I am a werewolf from the Blue Moon Pack. Ryder is a Queen's agent undercover. Never fear, we won't hurt you in any way.”

Stunned, I stood there, dumbfounded. Suddenly, this woman casually informed me that she was a werewolf as if we were discussing the weather. What the hell was going on here? No, I don't know what this is. As if reading my thinking, the man offered me a wicked smile.

“Queen Lola resides in Prythian Castle and she is our Luna from the Blood Moon Pack and… your biological mother.”

My brows twitched in amusement. The man was implying that the Queen was my mother in the most literal way possible. Wow… so they were nuts! I raised my hands in surrender and took another couple of steps back to create more distance between us. “Honestly, I'm not sure what you're talking about and I don't want to get into a fight. I won't bother you with the police and so if you just leave.”

Julie, the woman, sighed. “What he is saying is true. We are a part of a universe that is not visible to humans.”

Bullshit! How is it possible for there to be a planet other than our own? I started sweating profusely after a sudden realization.

“Am I dead?” While attempting to keep my hysterics in check, I inquired.

“Since you're an "Undead Lycan," you'll never die.” the woman chuckled.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. “So, what exactly is that?”

“Normal werewolves can't shift into their wolf form at will but are forced to shift with the full moon. This is because we are the children of the moon. However, you can shift to human or wolf form at any time. Since you can control when you shift, you are not a child of the moon, but an "Undead Lycan".” she explained

I was still perplexed. He took a step forward after clearing his throat. “It means that you are undead, an immortal without weaknesses,”

Stunned, I took a seat on the bench. “What on earth was going on here? Me? Immortal? No, you are not telling the truth at all.”

Julie walked up to me and placed a shoulder-to-shoulder squeeze on mine.

"Caroline, your dad was a human. He had met our Luna on one of her visits here and they fell in love. However, your mother left you here in the care of your father. The fact that you were born as a human meant she couldn't take you with her since she had to return to her royal duties. Prythian, as you can see, is off-limits to humans.”

Again, my head began to throb. My emotional and physical exhaustion had me unsure if she was telling the truth or not.

"Then what's the point?" That's what I was trying to figure out.

Ryder's amused expression made me wish I could remove it from his face.

“When you turned 18 two years ago, on your eighteenth birthday, you began to develop your abilities, but you weren't yet a full-blooded Lycan. 'Twas the Blood Moon yesterday, and only then could metamorphosis be complete.” He took a breath and looked me in the eyes. “The human world will only bring you distress if you decide to stay. Coming with us would be more beneficial for you.”

"How can I be sure you're telling the truth?" was my legitimate question.

“Your Mother is ill.” he said. “The mission was to track you down and deliver you to her before she dies.”

My mother was ill. And deliver me before she dies? But if I was an "Undead Lycan" or whatever the term meant, wouldn't that make my mother the same kind?  My eyes met his and he seemed to understand my turmoil.

“The two of you are not alike. The only Undead Lycan are you and me in Prythan.” He paused for a moment and drew a breath. “When you see her, everything will become plain to you. What do you think? Are you going or not?” He asked.

After a few moments, I clenched my teeth and nodded. "I vow I'll make you pay if you're lying to me."

Maybe, maybe my life will be different in another realm.