Hiraeth - [Alucard/Adrian Tepes x Lycan!Reader]

[0] Beginnings

You should have known it was a bad idea. In fact, maybe you did. Perhaps it was the desperation. Your father had worked so hard to provide for and protect you. You just had to do something to help him for a change. You thought maybe you could find food in the forest outside your village. Maybe then he could take a break. So you left when he was asleep. He would have surely tried to stop you, for good reason.

You, however, were highly mistaken. Possibly at one point; but not anymore. There wasn't much but poisonous berries and wild mushrooms. As for animals, even if you did know how to hunt, there was hardly the sound of any other life. At first you had not noticed, if you had, possibly you would have left and it would have all been alright. By the time you did, it wasn't long before that fact had changed. Movement. The bush to your left, you were sure you had heard something. Now is when you had started to regret leaving home. If you stayed still maybe it would leave? You knew that was not correct, though. Quivering, you slowly turned your head to the direction of the noise. What you saw, you will forever remember the fear you felt.

Two fiery orange eyes. Captivating, you could almost say; but these eyes were filled with malice. And hunger. Tears welled up in your eyes. You have never felt fear like this. You were unable to move. Even as it slowly prowled towards you. Even as it fully revealed itself in the big, full moons light. This was no man, nor animal. A monster. A mixture of both. Man and wolf. You had heard stories of this creature. You always passed it off as an old wives tale. But here it was, in all of its glory, standing before you. Its ears were flattened back against its head, teeth bared into a snarl. Even now, all you could do was stare as it stood on its two back legs, making you look up. Face to face with it. It had to be at least 7 feet tall now.

Tears were still streaming when you finally managed to look into its eyes. Then finally, before you could react, it dug its dagger-like nails into your sides. You didn't even have time to scream when it sunk its fangs into your shoulder. Was this how you would die? Suddenly, it stopped. It lifted its snout to the sky, giving it a good whiff. It dropped you to the ground, and with a pained moan you hit the ground. It returned to all four of its limbs and ran off. Just like that. Sheer dumb luck had saved you.

After some struggle you finally managed to limp all the way home, without the gathered food you were intending to have in the way out. You didn't even try to keep quiet as you barged in. Your father was a light sleeper, so naturally he came to find what the ruckus was. Only to find you, bloodied and scared. He jumped into action, without asking what happened, probably for the best. He had bandaged you and set you on the dining table for medical reasons.

It was a few hours later when you felt the effects. It was only about two in the morning, which meant it was still a full moon. It was then you felt it. The most painful thing you have ever experienced. Your bones were simultaneously snapping and stretching. Your clothes tearing. You were letting out deafening screams of pain. Long, and lots of it, (H/c) hair started to sprout out of your whole body. You don't remember much other than that though. However, you remembered how you felt. Hungry.

When you woke up, you were naked. And in the middle of the woods again. You rushed home, and what you found, would forever haunt you in in your sleep. Your village. Everyone. They were dead. You knew who had done it. You put both your hands up to your mouth, suppressing a cry of pain. Slowly you walked back to your shared hut. What lied waiting, didn't surprise you, but that did not make it easier to bear. There he was. The only person whoever truly cared for you. His intestines were scattered out around him. A look of pure horror, forever embedded on his face. Walking up, you collapsed beside him.

No.

No, this could not be true. Just some sick nightmare. Alas, it wasn't. You knew this to be true. Suddenly you started hysterically laughing. Of course. Of course this just happened to you.

When you finally stopped, you looked back down at your father. You closed his eyes for him. He looked much more peaceful that way. Tears still streaming, you stood. You had to leave. The knights from the nearby city would be coming to investigate soon, and would surely kill you for this. To which, you couldn't really blame. Finding some decent clothes drying out in the wind outside, along with a hood to go with it. You packed light and quickly, only taking what was absolutely necessary, including your bow that your father had gifted you just three years prior. You needed to leave.

Now.

Just before leaving, you stopped. To give back on last glance at the home you would never be able to return to. You clutched the fake gold necklace of a sun that your father made for you, he always said he wanted to gift you something beautiful to remind you that you were too. After the soft memory, you quickly departed.