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25. The Beast

Its full moon tonight.

I was beyond surprised when Luke stopped just as the sun started setting.

I glance warily at his face. He looks pale, the scars on his face more pronounced. Even the smallest sound seems to put him on the edge.

"Luke, are you alright?" I ask carefully

"I..." he hesitates for a moment "I need to tell you something."

My brows pull together and I nod, waiting for him to continue. Luke goes through his clothes bag and pulls something out, my eyes widen.

A silver chain hangs from his hands with a manacle and a padlock.

Luke holds out a silver key for me, I step back. What the hell? Silver should've burned him, and its most definitely going to burn me!

"Seriously, Hazel?" He gives me a look "Silver bullets didn't burn you, you think this would?"

"Yeah, but..." I blink in confusion "Why didn't they?"

"Our wolves are locked," Luke says, taking my hand and giving me the key "It wouldn't hurt unless you manage to dig it in your flesh."

I swallow "Why do you have this?"

"I'm going to put the manacle on my wrist, and then lock the chain around a tree. You're going to keep the key."

"Why?"

Luke takes a breath "I'm going to shift tonight."

"What?" I stare at him blankly "But Korra locked our wolves, you just said so."

A shadow crosses his face "That wouldn't matter in my case."

"Luke," my throat feels dry "What is going on?"

"Just promise me," he leans down and puts his hands on my shoulders "Whatever you see, whatever you hear, you wont come near me."

"I-

"Promise me, Hazel."

The urgency in his voice makes my stomach turn unpleasantly. I let out a shaky breath.

"Alright." I nod

"Good." Luke exhales as he pulls away and runs a hand through his hand

"But why are we doing this?" I ask yet again "Why do you need to chain yourself?"

"I will tell you," Luke says "Just know that when I shift, I'm not myself. I will tear apart anything in my reach."

Confusion and questions cloud my mind but taking in consideration his look, I think it better to simply nod.

I watch Luke pace around from my place near the fire, the silver key held tightly in my palm. Soon enough darkness falls over the place.

Luke puts the manacle around his wrist and picks up the chain. I expected him to just put it around a tree but he starts walking.

"Where are you going?" I get on my feet

"I'm not going to be near the camp site." He says before he starts walking again

"Why?" I ask, following behind him "You told me the chain is enchanted, it won't break no matter what."

I see his shoulders stiffen "I don't want to take any chances."

Finally, he stops by a big oak tree and puts the chain around it before locking. Luke's eyes slide to mine. I'm taken aback by how dark they are.

"I'm going to be fine," He says "Just go to back to camp and don't come here."

"Luke," I almost whine "I don't like this."

His lips tug upward just slightly "Why? I thought you'd like me tied to a tree."

"Are you really going to make that kind of jokes right now?" I cross my arms and give him a look

He opens his mouth to say something but cuts himself off with a hiss of pain, his hands going up to hold his head. I step forward, to do Goddess knows what, but Luke holds up a hand- or rather, claw.

"Don't," his voice is strained

"Luke, I'm not leaving you like this." I give him a look

"You gave me your word-

The moon light shines through the thick shade of trees, a feral growl tears through his throat and his hands fist in his hair, shaking his head as if trying to stay conscious.

"Oh moon," my eyes widen as I step closer "Are you-

"Hazel, go," Luke growls out

Anger flares through me "No."

His head snaps to face me and I take a step back. Obsidian eyes stare back at me, pits of endless rage and fury. Lethal canines elongate from his mouth, lips curled in a snarl.

"Now!" His growl reverberates through the air

I hesitate, then I turn around and run towards the camp as fast as possible. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I stare at the path I just came from. After a while, I sink down and hold my knees to my chest.

What is happening to Luke? Why is he shifting despite Korra's spell? Is that why he had wolfsbane? To keep himself from shifting?

Even if he does shift, why is he dangerous?

A loud howl shatters my thoughts. I jump a little, holding myself tighter. The sound of something rattling a tree reaches my ears, followed by loud, guttural howls.

The look on his face flashes in my head, so wild and primitive. That was not Luke, so what was it?

I get to my feet, the weight of the silver key heavy in my pocket.

This is a bad idea, I take a step forward, he told you not to go. I keep walking.

Slowly, quietly, occasionally flinching at the loud howls, I near the tree Luke chained himself to.

Just a look, a tiny peak and I'll know what the hell is going on. If he's okay or not.

I shuffle closer and press my back against a nearby tree, the howling stops. I hear something sniff the still air. A tree rattles again, the sound of chain clinking against each other makes my heart jump to my throat.

Don't be such a ninny, Elise! He's just another Lycan, just take a look and you'll realize its nothing to be afraid of!

With a deep breath, I will myself to turn.

A series of deafening growls make me stop in my place. This was a horrible idea!

Okay, there's no going back now. Just turn, take a look and run away as fast as you can. The chain wont break.

Mustering up every bit of courage in my bones, I turn around.

My eyes travel up the beast that stands a few feet away. A dark manifestation of nightmares, obsidian eyes outraged and wild.

Another loud howl. The clinking of chains. The tree moves virgously, as if about to tear off its roots. I feel like someone has sucked the life out of my legs and fall back, a scream fights its way out of my mouth. I hold my hands up as though they would protect me.

Nothing happens.

Slowly, I open my tightly closed eyes to see an arm extended towards me, long pointed claws almost close enough to touch my foot.

I quickly scramble away, my breaths tremble. Luke- the beast, pulls his arm away with a whimper, the sound so different from the guttural howls I'd just heard.

Trying to swallow the lump in my dry throat, I shakily get to my feet. He reaches for me again, making me yelp, the chain stops short just a foot away from me. He growls lowly, shaking his manacled wrist and the tree along with it.

I turn around, only to hear another loud growl, the furious cry of a wounded animal. The tree shakes again. I whip my head around, watch in horror as the tree sways dangerously.

"Stop!"

The word wretches its way out of my mouth, unintentionally, instinctively.

He stops.

I watch in confusion as he flexes his arm towards me yet again, another whimper reaches my ears.

"You," I hesitate "You just want company?"

Apparently, he doesn't understand. Nevertheless, I walk towards a nearby tree, slowly, keeping my eyes on him and sit down against it.

The beast watches me warily for a while, then finally settles down, his stormy eyes trained on me. So familiar, completely unknown. Animalistic.

When in Lycan or wolf form, Lycanthropes can understand everything that's happening, the animal part of us has retreated a lot in the past century.

But looking at the hairy creature in front of me, I feel like I'm near a brutal military dog.

Impossibly, a chuckle escapes me. Those words probably describe Luke best; Military dog.

A low growl reaches my ears, I look at the beast, expecting it to start trashing around to get free again but he's only staring at me, almost... pleased?

Goddess, I'm going mad.

"Luke, you really exaggerated," I put my chin in my hands and smile a little "You're not all that bad like this."

He tries to reach for me again, gently this time, as if he doesn't want to scare me. The chain stops him again. He gives it a hard tug, his lips curl in a snarl, displaying razor sharp teeth. When he looks at me again, he whimpers a little.

He looks so... lonely.

My heart aches a little, even surprising me. Maybe he just wants company, someone who's not afraid of him.

I stand to my feet, his shoulders stiffen, probably thinking I'm running away again.

Which is what you should do! The voice of reason in my head says. This is madness, Luke said he'd rip apart anything in his path!

Just a little step closer, maybe he'd be a bit comforted. I take a step forward, then another.

The beast lunges for me and the next moment I feel myself being yanked forward and crushed against something.

Alarms start ringing in my head. This was a bad idea, a horribly stupid idea.

My body goes rigid from shock, screams die at my tongue and my heart leaps to my throat but the beast is too busy to notice as he wraps me in his arms and loud howls rock through him to me.

I'm about to die I'm about to die I'm about to die

A wet nose presses against my neck and the beast takes a deep, deep breath. A growl rumbles through him and I shake with it.

He hasn't... I'm still... I'm alive!

I need to get the hell away before he changes his mind.

"L-L-Luke," I say, struggling to put some distance between me his big, furry head

He presses me closer still, almost suffocating me in his arms. Is that how he plans to do it? By crushing me to mush? Like how snakes do to their victims?

No. I'm not dying just yet, and definitely not due to my stupid sympathetic nature.

But seriously universe! This is what I get for being nice? Imminent death?

Okay, deep breaths Elise, you can do this. With herculean effort, I free one of my arms and cautiously, praying not to get killed, scratch him behind the ear.

A soft, almost purr like growl reaches my ears. Slowly, his hold eases enough to let me breathe. The beast raises his head and drops his chin on my head, holding me like some favorite toy.

"Luke," I try to push his arms away only to stop a moment later when a threatening growl meets me. Perfect.

A roughly padded claw brushes against my cheek, a nose is pressed in my hair. More deep breaths. Both from me and the beast. Dear moon, what the hell have I gotten myself into?

Okay, he seems to like me. I just need to distract him enough to get away, maybe get him to sleep?

Swallowing my fear, I slowly pull my head away and turn it to look at him. His obsidian eyes are impossibly tender when he meets my gaze, the storm of rage now calm. He doesn't look half as scary as he did a while ago.

Cautiously, I reach up a hand and trace the scars on his muzzle. He leans into my palm and a little flower of warmth opens in my chest.

"You're not going to kill me?" I ask quietly, tracing the scars on his face, acutely aware he can rip me to pieces at any moment "Even if you are, please reconsider."

He whimpers a little and leans towards me so his muzzle presses to my hair.

"You're not very much like Luke, are you?" I can't believe the chuckle that leaves my mouth "And you're not quite a beast either."

I shift a little in his hold, this time he lets me "You're like a complete Lycan, but I'm not going to call you that so... Wolfie?"

He snorts through his nose, I feel myself smile a little. In his senses or not, he's still Luke.

"Don't sound so disappointed," I pat his furry arm "That's all the creativity I can muster right now."

My panic dims down and I feel the tension in my muscles escape. Goddess, he's so warm and furry. A yawn escapes me.

Luke- or maybe I should just call him Wolfie tucks me under his head again, for a moment I think I should try to escape somehow, he's still pretty much a wild animal.

But... somewhere in my heart, I feel sure that he wont hurt me. Slowly, steadily, despite all my cautions, I feel darkness seep into my vision and I fall asleep. The last thoughts that swirl in my head are something along the lines of;

Good moon, I really should get my head checked.

...

Yeah, no sneak peek. Don't be greedy 😜

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