WITCH - The Queen

Bonus 10

Finn was lying on his bed.

For two days now, he refused to leave the house. The little boy barely got out of his room. Elodie was very worried about her five-year-old son.

Two days ago, early in the morning, he had wanted to play outside with two other young wolves. But the other two children were rough with each other. They also didn't understand that they had to be more careful with Finn.

Frederik, her husband, had gone outside with the boy. Elodie was taking a bath. Of course, her husband told the playmates to be careful. And he watched the events closely, should it be necessary to intervene. Finn needed playmates. He was alone too often. Therefore, Frederik did not want to prevent him from playing with other wolves. But in the one second, he hadn't looked, it had happened.

A pack member distracted Beta Frederik, some disaster had happened at members of the pack and they desperately needed help. Then Finn screamed.

Elodie heard the scream and she hurried outside, frightened and only wearing a towel.

Elodie wanted to rip her husband's head off at first, but it wasn't his fault. It was an accident. The children played too stormy and of course, they were not careful.

Both legs broken.

It took some time for the fractures to heal. That was part of the rare wolf disease. Just like an increased sensation of pain. Something about which Finn would basically remain silent a few years later. He would even ignore it. But that was the future and his mother knew nothing about it.

It wasn't the first injury, but it was the first that really scared Finn.

"Little wolf?" She sat down next to him on the bed and stroked his head. "I want to go for a walk. And maybe to the market? Do we want to come with me?"

"No." Finn snorted. "I'm staying here! I'm not going out."

"But sweety. You can't always stay in bed. Or in the house. I don't like that. And if mom carries you?"

"No."

Elodie felt helpless. How could she help her boy?

With horror, she remembered his first transformation into a wolf. Werewolves instinctively transformed as soon as they reached the age of two. At the first full moon after their birthday. She had known it was going to be bad. But no one could prevent the first transformation.

She hadn't known how bad it was going to be.

The transformation took hours instead of seconds. She held her boy in her arms while he screamed. After that, he had not dared to transform back for a month. But no werewolf could stay in wolf form for more than a month. Eventually, their body forced them back into their human body. The werewolves believed this happened because they weren't fully wolves. They always had to return to their human form. But they weren't quite human either. Therefore, every toddler turned into a wolf for the first time at some point.

But only the first transformation could not be prevented. After that, they were free to decide. They were always a bit wolf, but never quite a wolf.

When Finn transformed back, in the middle of the night, it was terrible again. He never again took the form of a wolf. He couldn't. His bones did not heal fast enough to guarantee a smooth and almost painless transformation.

And now?

Now he didn't want to leave the house. "Hm... Should I bring you something from the market?"

Finn smiled. "Cake!", he said. "With chocolate!"

"Oh. A chocolate cake? A whole one? Can you eat all that?"

"Yes!" Finn grinned. "I can do it."

"Or can Dad and I have a piece too?"

"Maybe!" Finn sat up and leaned against the painted wall. Elodie had painted him a forest and the mountains on the walls of his small room.

"Just maybe? What a pity. But such a cake is big", she said, amused.

"And?" Finn stuck his tongue out at her. "I'm a big boy! I'm already five!"

"Good. I go and buy my big boy a chocolate cake! Let's hope that the chocolate cake is not sold out yet. Your dad is down with the alpha. In the living room. Okay? The market is not far away." Elodie didn't want to leave Finn alone in his room, but she had run out of supplies. She had to go to the market, which would soon close. And she didn't want to force Finn. Not if he was so afraid.

Finn nodded. "A whole chocolate cake!"

"Yes, if it's not sold out. Then I find another delicious cake. I'm on my way then!" She gently kissed his forehead and went to the market. The old wolf who was selling her cakes was already packing her goods. But when she saw Elodie, she paused. There was still a small chocolate cake on her stall. Relieved, Elodie smiled.

"Do you want to buy something? Beta Elodie?", the wolf asked with a smile. "You're not here with your son today too?"

"Finn is not doing well. He doesn't want to leave the house... He had an accident."

"Oh. I heard about it. I hope he gets better soon!" The old woman smiled sympathetically. The wolf was already eighty years old, but she sold cakes and pies at the market twice a week.

"The bones are already intact, but it has shaken him very much. I would like to buy this chocolate cake. For Finn. He wished for it." Elodie pointed to the cake.

"Oh. No! I'll give it to you for free, Beta." The old wolf refused to accept money.

When Elodie had done all the shopping and put everything in her pantry, she went to her son's room with the cake. She heard her husband and alpha laughing in the living room. And Finn's room wasn't quiet either. When she opened the door, she saw Finn standing giggling at his window.

In the house opposite, the youngest son of the alpha stood at his window and grimaced. Marko stuck out his tongue and fooled around. Finn watched the show happily. But when Marko noticed Elodie in the room, he hurried away.

Finn turned to his mother with a grin. "Chocolate cake!", he shouted.

(c: sasi)