"Rayne," I heard Imadis' voice.
I opened my eyes to find myself in a large open field, covered in dewy grass. The full moon was right above me in a sky filled with stars, and I sat up without effort.
In front of me was a grey wolf, and I immediately knew who it was.
"Ima?" I asked her.
She came and sat right in front of me, her figure towering over my head.
Her head was bowed, as if in fear, or guilt, and I just couldn't quite make out what was happening.
"Where am I?" I asked her.
"You're asleep," she said, simply.
That makes sense. I'd never seen that many stars out on a night of a full moon.
"How did I just shift?" I asked her.
"I'm not sure Rayne. I'm surprised you survived it. I didn't make it any easier on you," she said.
That's when I remembered.
"Valente! What did you do to him?" I asked her, my temper rising. All I wanted to do was wake up and make sure he was okay.
"I'd lost touch with the human side of our being. I wasn't thinking straight. All I wanted to do was be left alone," she said. Her words made me even angrier.
"So you just hit him? He's supposed to be our mate!" I screamed.
She remained quiet. Her face showed sorrow, as if there was nothing more she could say to defend herself.
"Forgive me Rayne. I wish I knew what's happening just as much as you," she said.
I was finding it hard to tolerate that Imadis had hurt Valente, but she was a part of me, and if what happened really was out of her control, then I can choose to forgive her.
I sighed. It took me a while to find words again.
"What do you make of all this Ima?" I asked her.
"I have never been this restless before Rayne. But I didn't imagine it would be because we were going to shift so soon," she said.
I touched her snout, taking a moment to appreciate her beauty.
Her grey fur shone in the moonlight, every where the light touched her pelt, it looked like silver.
"There must be other grey wolves too," I asked her.
"I believe my brothers and sisters are in the East," she said.
"Do you really think we have come that far from where home was supposed to be?" I asked her.
She looked behind me.
"I think we are exactly where home is supposed to be," she said.
I turned around to see what she saw, to find the cottage from the forest behind me, not accompanied by the rustling of trees or the sound of running water. It stood calmly on the plain field of grass, no embellishments, nothing. But it imparted a feeling of security.
A safe haven.
Gridastadur.
...
Author's Note:
FAQ
Q1. When will the storyline come back to the present timeline (Book One)?
A1. I've been trying to avoid this question for quite some time because it's still a work in progress and I publish chapters as I write them (i.e. I am not committing to anything right now). But ya'll, *sighs* ya'll are persistent. So I'll tell you this, I have a certain structure for the story in my mind which is why I have chosen to set the entire plot into three subplots based on the different timelines. You can, however, expect this book to be focused on the major events during Rayne's stay at Fathilagt only. So please be patient for the present, it ain't Christmas yet. 🙊😂
Q2. Why wasn't Rayne able to recognize her mate in the first book?
A2. Rayne does recognize Valente in the first book when he shows himself to her at the Fala meeting. Before that, she was only able to catch his scent. Even while he marked her he stayed behind her and didn't show his face. Please remember that as mentioned in the first book, it's been over five years since Rayne left Fathilagt in that timeline, ergo five years since she'd last seen him.
Q3. How old are the characters?
A3. Rayne is currently fifteen and Valente is seventeen. Eidis is Rayne's classmate, also fifteen. Frida has just turned eighteen. Like it's mentioned before, a wolf usually is unable to shift before they turn eighteen as their human bodies are too fragile to endure a shift. It's not necessary for a wolf to shift immediately after eighteen either, as their body may be weak at that time due to malnutrition or illnesses. They then shift once they've regained health. However, eighteen is a threshold point for almost all normal werewolves, and Rayne doesn't conform. Also, Rayne is twenty-one in the end of Book One.
Q4. When do werewolves find their mates?
A4. Two mates will find each other when both reach the age of eighteen. Even if one of them turns eighteen and the other is yet to, they will not be able to recognize each other till they both come of age.
Q5. Are silvertooths immune to silver?
A5. No. Silvertooths have a much higher tolerance for silver as compared to regular werewolves. As in they can touch it, hold it, without feeling anything. However if you inject them with it, they will die if not treated, like any other werewolf. The only difference is that they would be able to withstand its effects for much longer.
Q6. Is there a concept of second-chance mates in this story?
A6. As mentioned before, second-chance mates do exist in the case of breakage of bonds due to death, rejection, or a mate being claimed by an Alpha wolf.
Q7. Will Sven have his own story?
A7. I know most of you love Sven a lot, and would love to read his story. I have a plotline in mind, and once I'm done with HTTIC, I will start working on it. So your Svenship can come back to life!
Q8. A little elaboration on how wolves sense/mindlink each other.
A8. A few very simple things to understand about werewolves:
1. They're highly perceptive,
2. They're hyperaware, and
3. They're inherently compassionate.
The stronger a bond between two wolves, the more they're able to communicate between each other. The way they communicate can vary, depending on their bond and the conditions they're in; they'll either be able to mindlink, or sense feelings. Also, powerful wolves such as Alphas, Lunas or Betas can manipulate their aura, and can instill a feeling of fear or protection in those within their proximity.
...
P. S. Author's question: I was a little intrigued/disappointed as to how some of you are more eager to get back to the present than to find out what actually happened in Fathilagt. I will be finishing this timeline before returning to the first, but is this one really that boring?
I put a lot of effort into making every chapter captivating, not a single one is a filler. Each chapter adds to the story, sometimes with very obvious things, and sometimes smaller things that not all of you catch immediately but realize later when the story unfolds.
So I guess it's time to ask how the story is going for you so far. Your kind words and constructive suggestions are always welcome. ❤️
P. P. S. Sorry for the long Author's note. 🥺
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