Book 1 – The Lycan’s Curse Unfolding the truth

“Draconians?” Alastair’s voice trembled with fury. “Are they the one who killed my parents and my kind?”

“No,” Marco replied, his tone grave. “Those are wolves in human form—Lycans. The abominable creatures.”

Alastair clenched his fists, heat surging through him again. “I need to make them pay for what they did.”

“Right now, we’re not strong enough to fight them,” Blaze warned, his brow furrowed.

“But Rio said I’m an Alpha. I can gather a pack.”

“Rio is an Alpha too. He has his own pack,” Marco countered, a note of frustration creeping into his voice.

“Wait,” Alastair interjected, his mind racing. “If I’m truly a werewolf, shouldn’t I have abilities like heightened senses, strength, and speed?” Marco and Blaze shared a look.

Blaze glanced at Alastair’s necklace, his expression unreadable. “The answers lie within that pendant.”

Alastair’s heart raced. “What do you mean?”

“I infused it with wolf’s bane when you were young—to hide your abilities and help you control yourself. It’s a witch’s flower used against werewolves since the 15th century.” Blaze explained.

Suddenly, everything clicked for Alastair. He ripped the necklace from his neck, the world around him erupting in sound. He heard distant voices, the rustle of leaves, the chirping of insects—everything was amplified.

“Now I understand,” he said, a mix of awe and fear filling his voice. “Thank you, Blaze.”

“Just remember—don’t swallow that pendant. It could be deadly,” Blaze warned, smiling, his eyes narrowing with concern.

“Now that there are no more secrets in this family, we’ve shared everything about ourselves and you,” Marco said, taking a sip of wine.

Alastair shook his head in disbelief. “I still can’t wrap my mind around all this. It’s happening too fast.”

That night, Alastair gazed up at the moon, never having appreciated its beauty until that very moment. He removed his necklace, but nothing happened, aside from hearing sounds and noises around him that only grew louder. Yet, there was something else he noticed: he could see clearly in the darkness, as if it were high noon. The tiny insects flitting about and the small animals moving in the underbrush were vividly visible to him from a distance.

As the soft breeze rustled the leaves and the night sky shimmered with countless stars, the cool air carried the sweet scent of blooming flowers, creating an almost magical atmosphere around him.

“Call your inner wolf,” Marco interrupted the silence. Alastair felt uncertain, unsure of what to do; perhaps the abilities he had discovered within himself were enough.

“Do I really have to do this? Isn’t it enough that I have abilities I can use?” Alastair asked, confusion lacing his voice.

“Not really, but just to prove something,” Blaze retorted, and Alastair sighed in frustration.

As Alastair attempted to connect with his inner wolf, his breath quickened, heat coursed through his body, and he felt something inside him longing to break free, but still, nothing happened.

“What could be the problem?” Alastair muttered, but his voice deepened and became more menacing. His pupils glowed a dark red, his fingernails elongated and sharpened, and his fangs emerged from his gums. Blaze and Marco felt a chill run down their spines for reasons they couldn’t explain. Alastair looked at them, his eyes piercing.

“You are not just a shifter,” Marco said, shuddering.

“Then what am I?!” Alastair growled, his voice echoing in the stillness of the night.

“Are you craving blood?” Blaze asked. It was then that Alastair realized he had been longing for fresh blood since earlier.

“Yes, what’s happening to me? What’s going on?!” Alastair exclaimed, his voice loud enough to make them shiver in fear.

“You are a hybrid or whatever,” Blaze replied, his expression shifting back to his human form.

“Does that mean I can never transform into a wolf?” Alastair questioned, dread creeping into his heart.

“Unfortunately, yes, but that’s great news. You don’t need to transform into a wolf to use your full potential,” Blaze explained.

“My full potential?” Alastair asked, bewildered.

“Yes, a shifter’s abilities in human form are limited, as are those of other shapeshifting beings, but in your case, you can harness your potential without shifting into your wolf form,” Blaze clarified.

“I understand now,” Alastair said. “Can I control these unnecessary voices I hear from random places?” he asked again.

“Of course, just focus on important things. That’s it,” Blaze replied.

“How did you know all of this?” Alastair asked.

“My son, I am five centuries old. If you’re still this dumb at your age, just hired an ancient witch to kill yourself, ” Blaze joked.

“Oh, just kill me already!” Marco exclaimed. Blaze and Alastair laughed at this, their laughter mingling with the night, lightening the heavy atmosphere that surrounded them.