Dimitri paced through his study. Alex constantly going in to check on the girl and being alone with her for a long time does not sit well with him. Dimitri wished that his mother is still with him. If only she were around, she would have known what to say. She would have helped him calm down. She was the only other person that actually understood Dimitri. But her mother is not with him now, or at least she wouldn’t be able to.

Dimitri could have gone to the dungeons and watch over the girl himself. But there is a very deep reason why he could not. After all, it was his mother who was first afflicted by the curse. And even until now, she is among the other who transformed and could never revert anymore. Dimitri could not bear to see his mother reduced to a mindless monster. What good is all his glory if he can’t even save his mother?

Dimitri remembered the day when they arrived at the castle. The creatures suddenly met them and knelt in front of him, suddenly offering to serve him and calling him the chosen king. He never really cared about all that back then. All he wanted was a place for his brethren. He just wanted them to have somewhere to live peacefully, and if they get servants while they are at it, it would be the best.

So he accepted their offer and pretended to be king. He pretended that he was happy and contented. Seeing the happy faces of his kin was enough for him. And what’s more, they have high walls to defend themselves against the humans. They even have an army of the lesser creatures. Dimitri could not have wanted anything more. He was quite literally the happiest king of that time.

“Master, we also wish to inform you,” the Lamia servant said the day after their welcoming party, “The nearby village of humans have started offering female sacrifices every year. They were turned to servants while we were waiting for you, but you may use them however you want.”

Those words have awoken something in Dimitri. Humans have made them suffer; now he has the chance to get back. So he made them do almost impossible tasks. He became ruthless towards the human sacrifices. But in the end he still felt empty. The human females immediately lost their minds as soon as they saw him and they never seemed to suffer what he made them do.

“You really should slow it down with these human females,” Alex told him off one day. “You are still young, I do not want you to become like these humans that you hate the most.”

Dimitri was silent. He is considering his past actions. Indeed he has been too harsh with these humans, and they might not even be directly involved with that attack. After all, they came from the only human village in the forest, and Dimitri has heard stories about that particular one. And the people who attacked that night felt and smelled different.

It was then that they heard a sudden commotion. Alex went out to check and Dimitri followed. He suddenly had a bad premonition. As soon as they reached the centre of the commotion, Dimitri soon realized what happened. Her mother suddenly transformed into a werewolf and is indiscriminately attacking everyone around her.

“Mother!” Dimitri called out to his mother as he approached her calmly, “It’s me. What happened?”

There was no answer. His mother merely growled at him.

“Is it your bad month?” Dimitri asked. Looking back, it wasn’t really likely as he never actually saw his mother get a bad month in all his life. “Just calm down mother. You will revert soon.”

But she never did. Dimitri was able to calm her mother down but she never reverted back to her human form. She still growled and glared at every person. Dimitri waited. Minutes passed, then hours. Soon it was time to sleep but his mother is yet to revert back. Dimitri never moved from his spot. It became a war of attrition.

It took Alex a lot of convincing to finally get Dimitri t oat least eat. They decided to take his mother to a separate house with reinforced doors and windows. She needs to stay somewhere she cannot harm others while they investigate. But it did not take long for the next incident to happen. It got to a point where it happened too frequently that it almost became a normal thing.

“Dimitri, I think I know what is causing this,” Alex told Dimitri as he entered his study.

“What is it?” Dimitri asked, expecting for a good answer.

“I think it is a curse,” Alex replied, knowing full well how ridiculous he seems to Dimitri, “I know what you are thinking. But I have heard whispers. I know you heard whispers back then too.”

“Those were just because of the winds passing through the forest,” Dimitri sternly replied. it is quite sad for a 10 year old to actually lose his faith like this.

“No. We both know that was not the case,” Alex replied, insisting on his point, “I also have a cure. I heard the whispers talk about it.”

“What is the cure?” Dimitri asked, thinking about taking a chance in this stupid deal.

“A ritual. A ritual that needs to be done with the human sacrifices,” Alex explained, looking like Dimitri was supposed to understand what he wants to say next.

“With me? Like this?” Dimitri asked. He is aware of his age and he could not imagine doing anything of the sort yet.

“I know how it sounds, Dimi,” Alex replied with conviction, “But if we ever hope to cure the others and rid ourselves of the curse, there really isn’t much to argue about, is there?”

“Only that you heard it from some whisper!” Dimitri retorted. He did find it ridiculous that a curse would actually be placed upon them and that the only way to lift it is to do that ’ritual’ with human females of all people.

“A king has to do what a king needs to do,” Alex reminded Dimitri.

“I need time to think,” Dimitri said and turned his back on his friend, indicating that he does not wish to speak anymore.

“Just remember that there isn’t much time.” Alex reminded him, “More and more of us succumbed to the curse.”

Alex said that bitterly. His mother has fallen victim too, but hers was of a different variant; whereas some of them become wolves and never revert back, there some who suddenly fell ill and would not recover until the pass away. And Alex has seen a lot of their brothers dying because of the curse.

Dimitri looked at the courtyard. He tried to ask something but realized that his mother was not there. This kind of decision making is still too much for a 10-year old, even werewolves mature faster than humans. He needed good advice and he needed it as soon as possible. Dimitri was forced to agree with the ritual when almost have of them were wiped out because of the ‘curse’.

“How does this ritual of yours work?” Dimitri asked Alex as he summoned him.

“I am not quite sure,” Alex replied, looking unsure. “You just have to dance with the sacrifice.”

“Find me one,” Dimitri ordered and Alex instructed the Lamia to look for Dimitri’s first ritual partner. Of course she has to be as close to Dimitri’s age as possible. They were lucky to have one from among the sacrifices who was just 5 years older than Dimitri.

“I really hope this works,” Dimitri said on the night of the ritual. The female sacrifice was already out of her mind and is obediently waiting for Dimitri. They did the ritual and Dimitri felt a certain surge of energy.

Of course, the ritual did work but the effects did not happen overnight. The victim gradually lessened and those who survived the illness from the curse slowly recovered. But those who transformed still did not revert back. Not even Dimitri’s mother who was hit first. Even until now, 20 years after that first night, the beastfolk who transformed are yet to revert back. It was like their human souls were trapped inside their wolf bodies and could never get out.

But Dimitri still tries up to this day. He is still hoping that one day, her mother and the rest of her kin would be cured from this curse. Dimitri still does not believe in curses, he still has doubts about this god that Alex talks about, but he also wants to save his people; that is the first and foremost duty of a king, after all. And he is, in all intents and purposes, their king.

“You seem too gloomy lately,” Alex said as he returned to the office from his rendezvous with the female sacrifice.

“And you seem to be more cheerful every day,” Dimitri retorted. His words were sharp and bitter.

“Why do I sense some hostility here?” Alex asked while still feeling upbeat.

Dimitri merely glared at him and returned to what he was doing.

“Come on. What is wrong with you?” Alex said pretending not to have figured out what he already did. Dimitri is just too easy to figure out.

“Masters, the food is ready.” The Lamia servant interrupted their exchange by her announcement. She felt the tension as she entered the room and felt the need to intervene.

“Oh! Good!” Alex said, looking thankful for that save, “I am starving! Come on Dimi.”

“I will be there shortly,” Dimitri said without looking at Alex. “I still have something to finish here.”

Alex left without saying anything. He knows that the situation would just escalate if he said anything. He did not want any trouble at all. In fact, he is feeling light hearted right now that he could hardly even get angry. He knows what, or who, the reason for this but he is trying his hardest to stop the person’s face from popping up in his mind.

He knows how his Alpha feels and it is his duty, first and foremost, to put his Alpha’s interest above all. Dimitri showed up halfway through the meal and never anything. Not even after he was finished eating. He immediately left for his study without uttering a single word. Alex decided that it was a good time to visit his secret chapel.

Alex looked around before entering the shed and walked towards the altar. He knelt down as he always did and closed his eyes. There is only a slim chance for him to hear anything that day but he still hoped that he could. He wanted to know the reason why the whispers spoke about watching over the girl.

He at least wanted to know what part Amanda would play in all this. Alex could feel that Amanda is special, but he needs to understand what makes her so. He wants to be able to explain it to Dimitri, and with the things as they are now, he knows that he can hardly convince him with just the whispers telling him to watch over Amanda.

After about an hour of waiting and not hearing anything, Alex finally got up and left the chamber. Just as he was about to leave he heard someone was ‘traitor’. He stopped and strained his ears but there was nothing. He might juts have imagined that but it sounded so clear to him. He wondered what the whispers meant by that word.

Alex returned to the keep while thinking about the word. He realized that they are actually in the midst of creatures that are not of their kind, and despite their promise of serving Dimitri, Alex knew that he also needs to prepare himself in the off-chance that someone would actually betray them. At the foot of the hill, a shadow still lurks, waiting for his chance to strike.