Two Worlds Apart

Miut

I watched the fire slowly disintegrate, the flames hypnotising. 

“Miut?” I shook myself out of the spell and looked to Selene who was chewing on her lip.

“Uh, sorry?” I frowned and tried to recall the conversation. 

“I said dad was very closed off. He just left it there. Why wouldn’t he just answer our questions?” 

“Maybe it’s because your dad doesn’t feel comfortable talking about the past?” I suggested, sipping on the hot chocolate inside the Disney cup covered with the classic princesses. 

“Still though, he shouldn’t be keeping this from us again.” She sighed and looked out the window at the night sky. 

“Want to go outside?” I asked and got up anyway, knowing that we need some privacy from the ears in the house so that Selene could speak freely. She nodded and we walked outside slowly, leaving our mugs on the kitchen table. 

My ears picked up the subtle sounds of the creaking floorboards above. The twins were sleeping but I suspected Blain was busy with one or other project. Mr Wolff was nowhere to be heard inside. The night was a bit chilly but we didn’t feel it, our bodies instantly adapting to the change of environment. 

“How bad is it?” I asked softly as we jumped over the fence and hiked along the forest trail nearby. 

“The shift?” Selene whispered and the lights of the houses was behind us, placing us under the moonlight only. I gave a nod and Selene sighed heavily, the strain behind her eyes clear as she recalled her shift. 

“If I went through childbirth, it would be on the same level or so.” She chuckled but it came out forced and I frowned. “I never felt anything that bad in my life.” She said after a moment of hiking in silence.

I kept quiet, not being able to fill the silence with something comforting. We walked until we reached a small clearing, the wind ruffling our clothes slightly. 

I padded barefoot to a fallen tree and climbed up, balancing carefully on the trunk. Selene went to the small pond and sat down, her fingers making ripples on the surface as she touched the water. 

“I see you found my quiet place.” Mr Wolff stepped out from behind the trees and smiled sadly. We were startled, looking at him with open suspicion. “When you don’t want other Shifters to find you, you tend to learn a few things.” He shrugged and walked to us, seemingly unfazed by his wounds.

“Why didn’t you tell me this?” Selene stood up, the signs of tears filling her eyes. I shuffled awkwardly, looking down at the bark of the tree and scratching it away from the trunk. 

“I didn’t want you to be forced in a situation you wouldn’t want to be in, Selene.” Mr Wolff sighed and came to her, beaconing me to come closer as well. “Selene, being a Shifter is something I didn’t want you to endure because The Council rules your life from the first time you shift and start their control of you from birth.” 

“Mr Wolff, who are the Council?” I asked, wanting to know more about the group of people who wanted me dead. I sat on the other side of Mr Wolff, frowning in concentration.  

“The Council are a group of Alphas from major packs all around the world. Kinda like the UN. They set out the rules that we follow. Only the strongest Alphas with the most territory and largest pack numbers are part of The Council.” 

“But how could this be possible, Dad? It doesn’t seem real.” 

“I know, Selene.” Mr Wolff sighed and looked at the moon. “I find it hard to believe myself. The story is an old one, told by the parents and elders to the youngest members of the pack when they can understand that we are different.  

“I don’t remember when, but long time ago, a chief wanted to protect his villagers from dark spirits that ravaged the land. The chief had two shaman, one who wanted to grasp power for himself and another who wanted to please the chief. The shaman who wanted to grasp power, Lyc, made a spell with the blood of a wolf that could transform anyone into a beast of great destruction that was stronger and faster than anyone alive. In attempts to take power forcibly, he cast the spell on himself and killed the chief. Taking over the village, he was treated as a god and enjoyed his life but he wanted more power, and each full moon, he would try to increase his power by casting the spell again and again on himself. But the toll of this spell was placed on his humanity and every time he became this beast, a piece of his humanity would be lost until he was no longer aware of his actions when he was this creature. He became an animal. 

“The other shaman who now served under Lyc, Si, prepared a potion that would give himself the same abilities of a wolf which enhanced his own strength and speed but constricted himself to human form only. This allowed him to stay in control of his abilities but also give him a chance to end the tyranny of Lyc. However, he was not strong enough and despite his efforts, Si was bitten by Lyc while Lyc was the beast. This bite enhanced the potion inside Si and transformed him into a large wolf. But the process was painful. That’s how he became the first shifter. In the fight, Lyc was injured really badly but Si let him go in mercy. 

"Lyc knew that he was not going to survive, so when he came across one of his followers he passed his ability to transform into a beast to him by a bite on the full moon. Thus the curse of the Lycan came to be. Si suspected that there were other followers of Lyc who would also follow him and knew that they would increase. The gift was passed on to his children who hunted down and killed the Lycans, protecting their villages from the curse.”  

“What about us?” I asked, trying to sort out the possibilities of how felines became shifters. 

“I don’t know, Miut.” Mr Wolff frowned as if the thought never crossed his mind. 

“Was mom a Shifter?” Selene spoke softly, barely a whisper. 

“Yes, she was my mate.” Mr Wolff smiled, a faraway look on his face.  

“Your mate?” I asked out loud and tilted my head. Mr Wolff smiled softly at me and gave a nod. 

“The person you are destined to be with for the rest of your life. Kind of like a soulmate. But to be the mate, his wolf would have to imprint on the girl.” 

“Didn’t you say that Finn imprinted on Selene?” I asked, remembering Finn’s expression when Mr Wolff cornered him.

“What? No! I can’t be destined to him! I mean granted he is hot, but he’s arrogant and a jerk.” Selene burst, a glare shot my way at suggesting that and I giggled. 

“I’m sure that’s not the only things you think about him.” I smirked and ducked when she tried to hit me. “Besides Selene, you didn’t give him a chance and he went mad when that other wolf fought you.” I put in, remembering him fighting to go to her. 

“Face it, Selene. He imprinted, and based on if your wolf accepts him or not, he could be your future mate.” Mr Wolff chuckled at Selene’s expression, amused at her reluctance of admitting that she has some feelings for Finn. “It’s getting rather late; I’m going to go sleep now. Don’t stay up too late.” 

“Night, Dad.” Selene hugged her dad before he stood up.

“Night Mr Wolff,” I smiled as he ruffled my hair as he passed, sending me a fatherly smile. I froze and remembered. “Selene, I have to go.”  

“Wait, why?” Selene jumped up. “You can’t leave me too.” 

“Selene, I have to go. I’m sorry, I’ll see you at school.” I got up and ran to my house, ignoring Selene and pushing my body to move faster. I heard her give up and I managed to reach my shifter ability to run faster, knowing that he’ll be waiting for me when I got home. 

I just hoped that he was asleep already.