To Love a Beast

When Ends Meet

Though her mind swirled with confusion, Sin treated the Lycan pup as she would with any human child. Settling the pup down in her small cot was a challenge in itself-as the pup was more like a ball of energy than a child- but she managed. Then she tucked herself in on the couch placed a few paces away from the cot and dreamed.

The dreams never changed. Always the same darkness, the same stench of metals and coldness. Always cold. The only aspect of her dreams that shifted was the voice. Sometimes she'd hear her mother's voice, or how she imagined her mother's voice, sometimes she heard herself, and other times she heard nothing save for her own heartbeat thrumming in her ears. But always cold.

So cold.

Then she'd waken, eyes unseeing and a scream lodged in her throat when the bell in his hand rung, blank face rushing to meet her own as her the ground underneath her opened to swallow her. And each night she'd sit upright in bed murmuring the words he whispered. 

Save me.

Except for this night, Sin found herself gasping, not in the comforts of her own bed, but enveloped by a rumbling, hot...male. 

As her unfocused eyes cleared, she was met face to face with a man. No-

Lycan.

Eery, glowing eyes and fangs stared back at her. Sin squeaked before attempting to untangle herself from his embrace. Her heart stuttered in her throat. 

In response, the Lycan tugged her even closer than she thought possible, tucking her under his chin, and rendering her flailing limbs useless. 

What is he doing-Is he kissing my hair?

Sin struggled, a touch of panic bringing tears to her eyes. Shoving and wriggling with all her might, she might as well be trying to move a mountain. Despite the heat emanating from the body enveloping her, a chill slithered down her spine.

When a hand came into her peripheral view, she flinched and screwed her eyes shut. Anticipating. Waiting. 

"No, stop! Stop...please!" 

Then she was left stumbling forward to catch herself as the heat dissipated along with the hold around her body. 

A beat of silence. Two.

Sin dared to open one eye, then both. She released the breath she didn't know she was holding. Her heart was racing so loud she was sure the Lycan could hear her erratic pulse. If she could get to the summoning circle...

"Mama!" Sin's heart dropped to her feet when the Lycan's head snapped up at the sound of the pup. With narrowed eyes, the Lycan made to strode forward when she darted into action. 

Grabbing the nearest object which just so happened to be a wooden spoon, Sin pitched the spoon at the beast and spun to grab the pup. She didn't wait to see the spoon bounce off the Lycan's chest like a rubber ball, nor did she wait to see eyes flash feral. A beast realizing his mate was running from him. 

When a bone-rattling growl permeated the air, Sin was already in her circle with the pup tucked securely into her underarm. 

"Come on, come on-" Sin murmured with a tinge of panic as she fumbled with the blade she kept on her at all times. Without a second thought, she drew blood from her arm, probably more than she intended in her haste, but enough. Channeling the simmering heat in her veins, she focused on the circle.