MELTING A WEREWOLF'S HEART

GOING BACK TO AVEL

We dressed up properly and set to leave. Muin came in to inform us they were ready. Muin was not the special adviser to the alpha.

"Are you ready?" He asked as he came in, bowing.

"Let's go." I told Ray and we started leaving.

I was very scared and nervous. I didn't know how she would feel seeing me. I left her for good two years after lying to her and telling her that I won't be long.

"Woo woo." Raya came running to hug me. She licked my all round. I laughed hard seeing her reaction.

Raya has been in a really critical state since the war. She stayed beside Muin when he started fighting but then, she got hit and was injured badly. She just started to recover.

Raya left me and jumped on Ray. He is her best buddy after all. Ray smiled at her and gave her a light hug.

"Let go buddy. You miss mamma right?" I said to her and she barked happily.

***
We got to my home. Raya and i didn't wait for us to get to the door. Immediately we saw it from afar, we started running immediately towards the door. Raya barked happily as she ran.

"Mum! Mum!!" I shouted happily as I got to the door. But then......I stopped instantly. Everywhere looked strange.

I slowly slid the door open and entered the house. It was all scattered and tattered. I got scared immediately.

"Mum!" I called again.

"Was there an ambush here?" Muin asked as they came inside.

I looked at him. "How is that possible? How will come and ambush my mum? Rudolph?" My first suspect wet to the dead alpha.

Ray came closer to inspect. Muin did the same. "This is not a werewolf. It's a human." Ray said with a cold voice.

"On top of that, this looks like it's been long. It wasn't recently." Muin added.

Tears started forming it's way throw my eyes. My mum. Where is she? How is she?

"Do you or your mum have any enemies?" Muin asked.

"No. I've never seen or met anyone. Apart from when we went to that village. I've been living in the forest with my mum for sixteen years. Alone. We never had any visitors. You can ask Raya. She's been staying with us for two years."

"Did your mum tell you any stories, the reason you've not had any visitors or left the forest?"

"No. Nothing apart from what I told you." I was already trembling with fear.

Ray started checking the whole house and Muin joined him. I hope they find something.

"What's this?" Muin brought a golden bracelet.

"It's my mum's bracelet."

"It's pure gold."

"No it's not. It's fake."

"Elena this is pure gold. I have studied a lot about humans....... this is royalty."

Right now I was lost. I didn't understand what Muin was saying.

"I think your mum tried to fight them. Look at this." Ray brought a badge.

"What's that." I asked looking confused.

"This is a badge royalty guards wear. It's their evidence of loyalty." Muin explained.

He collected the badge from Ray and inspected it. "My pledge to Avel" was the inscription Muin read out.

"Who is Avel?" Ray asked.

"Maybe the king's name." Muin guessed.

"No. That's where my mum came from. I remember her telling me she was from the city of Avel." I thought hard as I spoke.

"So it means, guards from the palace of Avel came to kidnap your mum. But Why? And yo confirmed this bracelet is your mum's." Ray compiled.

"Yes.........but it can't be that my mum is royalty. Can it?" I was shocked at all these information in hearing.

"It's possible. But for now, were going to Avel. We have to find out this confusing riddle." Ray ordered and we quickly went back to our cart.

All these information were too much for me to process. How can my mum be royalty and I never know? Why did she come to live in the forest? Why did they come to kidnap her? I can only find out after I reach Avel. I already hate that name even before getting there.

***
We reached the city. It was so quiet and lonely. I was looking in awe. Shocked at the building in was seeing. In the village there, there were no buildings like this. This was magnificent.

"How do we get to the palace?" I asked looking at the confusing roads.

"We need to ask around." Muin suggested.

"But how?" I was feeling anxious talking to humans like me. Especially these ones living in the city.

Muin came down from the cart and asked someone. The person gave a well detailed explanation and he thanked him.

"Let's go this way." He said as he came back to the cart.

***
We got to the from of the palace. We came down from our cart and went to the gate.

"How are we supposed to enter? There no road." I asked looking irritated.

"This is a gate Elena. We have to knock." Ray said and started knocking.

A security guard came to answer us. Muin spoke to him some words. We didn't har what he said, my the security guard opened the door.

It was a magnificent 8-storey building. I look med at how tall the building was. How do I find my mum in this chaos of a building.

"We have to go in like travellers." Muin said.

"But why?" Ray asked.

"That's what I told the security. I had to lie so they could let us in."

"Okay then." Ray and I said.

The guards came to usher us inside the palace. Immediately we entered, I was shocked at what I saw. 'This is heaven.' I said to myself.

"Focus on the main issue here. Don't get distracted by worldly possessions." Muin warned he hearing my thoughts.

We saw a man in early 40s sitting on the throne. The security went to inform him what Muin told him. We didn't hear their conversation.

"Great. Let them in. You are welcome." He said, coming closer to us. "My name is king Cane. I looked forward to helping you is assisting out city." He extended his hands and Muin took it.

"We won't disappoint you. Thank you so much for your support." Muin replied.

"Oh! And I love your dog." He said to me. Raya twitched closer to me. She grabbed me tight and I reciprocated. "Ah! Don't worry. I'm just complementing. I won't take her." He assured.

They offered us our room. And we went in to rest after a long day of travelling. It was already very late in the night. We have been travelling since morning.