The Rise of Carolyne Magna

Chapter Five

Carolyne Magna

Carolyne wanted to be scared, she wanted to freak out and have another panic attack, she wanted to run away, to flee. The voice in her head had never been so loud before. It had always been a whisper, but now, it was firm. Strong. Carolyne pulls her wrists free from Lance's grip, holding her palms against her ears, trying to drown out the sound. Of course, she should have never trusted herself, she was finally crazy, buried so deep in her own trance that she was lost, trapped forever. Her meds had kept these prevented, but now, it was a full-blown episode.

"Carolyne, please, listen to me. It's alright, I promise. It's okay." Lance's voice was right next to her ears. He was crouching on his knees beside her, his large hands swallowing her elbows, forcing her to look up at him.

"No, it's not! I've only been here for a few weeks and already I've driven myself further down the rabbit hole. You're not real, none of this is." Her tone was hushed. She was trying to make herself panic... but the voice, Sigi, was comforting her. She felt warm like she was floating. She didn't understand, she was so confused, so many questions.

"Yes, I'm real, Darlin', this is all real, okay? Let me tell my story. Let me help you understand." Lance stood up, holding her hands as he sat back across the table from her, speaking to her slowly. "I am a Lycan. I can change from wolf to human form whenever I please. My wolf's name is Solon. This town is mostly populated by my pack, my family. I am the leader, the Alpha, and you are my mate. You are my soul mate, my other half. Without you, I am incomplete, I am broken, lost. And it's the same for you. Without me, you feel alone, empty, vacant. Like you are on autopilot, just going through the motions of your life. But with me, all of that will go away. That's why you feel so calm and at ease when I'm around, and like you've known me for centuries. And I know you feel this way because I can feel what you feel, see what you see, and hear what you hear. I can hear your thoughts, just like you can hear mine. It's a special bond, a connection that is only shared between mates. It is a very intimate thing. So, through that, I know how you feel. I know what you're thinking. And I will answer all your questions."

"How do you exist?" Carolyne's voice sounded small, weak almost. Lance's fingers rubbed soothing circles onto her wrists and palms.

"Thousands and thousands of years ago, there was a tribe called Chandra. The shaman of the tribe, Bala Kalai, feared for the lives of the Chandra Warriors. A war was about to begin between theirs and the Bestia clans. The Bestia Clans were a series of clans that surrounded them, and they were Chanda's greatest enemy. In order to protect his people, Bala called to his gods, and cast a curse over the men, to make them stronger. He gave them the powers of Nurul, the ruler of all the animal gods, the Wolf god. He was cunning, intelligent, quick-witted, and the greatest, most noble warrior of all the animals. The curse that Bala laid on these warriors allowed them to not only change their forms into that of the mighty beasts but also to have their souls bound to those of a true wolf. From that, their senses were enhanced, their life spans were elongated, and they became the ultimate warrior."

"But why is it called a curse?"

"Because, when our souls were bound to the wolf souls, we lost half of our true human soul. The only way for us to be truly complete, and at our strongest, is for us to find our other halves- our soul mates. That, and that we have to turn ourselves over to our wolf sides on the full moon. That's when Nurul, the Wolf god, is strongest. Like the way to moon pulls the tide, it also draws out our inner wolf, so it can take over. From Nurul, the wolves in us draw their power. In order for our wolves to stay strong, we have to allow them out, so Nurul can re-power them. It's the price we have to pay." Lance wanted to give her the full story, but this wasn't the place.