Beast

|Chapter Thirteen|

The three continued to eat their meal in silence, the time went by and Aura kept track. She had less than 24 hours. It was currently midnight and there were only five other people other than Aura, Zev, and Elric.

"Shall we head out?" Elric asked with an empty plate in front of him.

Zev finished his last piece of steak and nodded in agreement.

Aura looked down at her yet eaten salad, "sure."

The three stood up from their table, Elric separated from Zev and Aura in order to pay at the register. The pair walked outside and as Aura went to turn to head to the car—Zev grabbed her arm.

"What?" She asked.

"Let's take a walk" He said and pulled her in the direction of the town.

Aura didn't say a word and followed, she enjoyed walking outside very much she just didn't expect she'd be taking a stroll with Zev of all people.

"Want to hear about my awakening?" Zev said after five minutes of silence. A cold gust of wind blew in their direction and made Aura's hair dance in the air.

Aura looked at him with curiosity, was he trying to scare her? Or help her? Regardless, Aura responded with a yes. Ever since he told her it was best to get over it with ease she wondered what he had gone through and how it felt to become the way he is now. They were going to be together for a while and Aura was curious to find out more from the stranger she had met in the forest.

"I was 15," He started and looked up at the starry night. The sky was filled with stars that night too, Zev remembered it like it was yesterday when in reality, it had already been five years.

Elric had been keeping track of the awakening within Zevlin, he could sense the magical energies surging within the young boy's body and then the day came when it seemed like it was ready to burst. Elric could sense it while Zev could actually feel it, the pain that had been accumulating gave him enough proof that meant he was going to become a beast like his ancestors and...like his dead parents.

Zev laid in his bed motionless, in his own sweat, as his bones grinded against each other painfully. He stared at the sky through his room window, if anyone looked at him in that moment they would see the look of determination in his eyes. He was waiting for this moment for so long ever since Elric told him of his inevitable fate. Any person in their right mind would be scared but Zev was a different story, he was thrilled.

"Zevlin." Elric entered the room with water and a cold wet rag in his hand.

Zev turned his head slowly and cleared his dry throat, "why are you so stuck on calling me by my full name?"

Elric handed him the water and slapped the rag on Zev's forehead, "it was the name that your parents gave you. I'm only respecting their decision and raising you like my own, now shut up and drink the water."

Zev grunted in response and chugged the water without saying another word. Zev handed the empty cup back and allowed Elric to wipe the sweat off him. Now that they sat in silence Elric could hear Zevlin's labored breathing and if he paid close attention he could sense the magic surrounding Zevlin's body. Elric knew today would be the day that Zevlin would finally complete the awakening and shift into a beast.

"Would you like me to stay with you?" Elric asked, looking at Zevlin with sympathetic eyes. The state that Zevlin was in, was in no state that any 15 year old boy should find themselves in but the circumstances were like he had said before, inevitable.

Zev held no hesitation in his response, "no."

Elric nodded then walked out the room without another word. Elric knew Zevlin had made that decision for both him and himself. Zevlin knew Elric wouldn't be able to see him go through the pain for a long period of time, he was too kind hearted and emotionally attached.

Zev was only able to let out a long deep breath before the shift began. He felt it in his spine first, the feeling of it being stretched out made his voice let out a blood curdling scream of agony. Then it all came full force and he felt each and every one of his bones break and expand in all directions, Zev somehow found himself hunched over on the floor now groaning in pain, he knew it wasn't over yet. Suddenly his back arched towards the ceiling of the room and he screamed in pain, it felt like someone was forcefully pulling his body apart and molding him into a new person, or in this case, into a beast.

The shift continued for ten more minutes but it felt like hours for him. Just as his body changed so did his voice. His body grew bigger and hairier while his voice into something deeper and monstrous until finally, a piercing howl filled the starry night.

Zev had told his story in such detail that it made Aura grimace and become filled with anxiety. She looked at Zev who seemed to still be reminiscing over the memory as he stared at the sky.

"This is the second thing I've waited all my life for." Zev suddenly said with a sigh.

Aura—who had been staring at him tilted her head in confusion, "what do you mean?"

"Being able to have someone next to me who also went through the same thing that I did. Only this time, you won't be alone." Zev finally looked down at her and the emotions that swirled in his eyes struck a chord in her heart. So far, the only person who's ever looked at her in such a way, was him. With such...

Warmth.

She remembered him being so desperate for her to stay with him in the cave, and forceful in the way that he tried persuading her that they were the same. But it was all for this moment, a moment that he dreamed of to fill the loneliness that he's felt all of his life.

"And after all of this is done with we'll proceed onto the third." A wide grin was now plastered on his face. Suddenly Zev spun around quickly and walked back towards the car.

It took Aura a minute to snap out of it and realize that his long legs had already created a large distance between them, Aura ran to catch up to him and out of breath she questioned, "Third?!"

Zev nodded, "but I won't tell you that until after your awakening is completed."

"Why not now?"

"It's too early."

Aura wanted to argue but they had already reached the truck. As soon as they did Zev entered the car and slammed the door to prevent any more questions.

Zev was close to disclosing his third wish but it was far too early for Aura and she already had several things to be worried about. Zev needed to calculate the perfect timing to tell Aura to leave behind everything she knew in order to find the witch that started this all and reunite with their kind.

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I hope everyone is safe and healthy during these times! Stay home and enjoy this lil chapter. I'll be updating again soon ♡