CHAPTER ELEVEN: FAUNA AT THE LAKE

Lyle led her to the lake; to the spot where he first met her. He recalled vividly the first time they ever met. He was almost ten and she was but a day old. Small and frail and demanding protection.

He recalled vividly how he knew from the moment they met. He knew that he was going to love, cherish and protect her until his last breath.

Almost sixteen years later, and nothing had changed. She was grown, but she still demanded protection. She still needed love, attention and care and she had a lot to learn. He helped her sit and she dipped her legs into the pool. He noticed she avoided eye-contact, and he knew it was because she was angry. She was angry at herself.

More than that though, Lyle could tell something was deeply wrong. He could feel it through the connection they shared, but he couldn't quite put a finger on the matter. She had powers she wasn't supposed to possess, and he feared the worst.

Perhaps he was wrong though. What did he know about Shapeshifters anyway?

Fauna gazed at her palms as he sat on the grass beside her, his body heat provided her warmth that she couldn't allow herself enjoy. Though she wouldn't meet his eyes, he didn't take his off of her.

She took in a deep breath to steady the quivering of her lips, but it didn't help. The anger was gone and, in its place, clarity and self-loathing. She had almost killed a man who didn't really do anything to her other than disrespect her. When was she known for her pride?

"What's happening to me, Lyle?" Her voice cracked as tears trickled down her cheeks. Tears that hurt the merman. "I've become a monster!"

"No, no, no!" Lyle shook his head. With a finger under her chin, he delicately turned her head so she was looking at him. His eyes were soft and the way he was looking at her like she was the most beautiful person ever caused her even more anguish.

She didn't deserve it. She didn't deserve him.

"But I –"

"The full moon is at hand." He pointed upwards and Fauna looked, but all she could see was the floating orbs of light, not the sky. She didn't need to see it to picture it though. It was vivid in her head.

"What does that have to do with anything?" She sniffled. With his thumb, Lyle wiped the tears off her face, the movement gentle. It was almost as if he thought her to be delicate.

"Your powers are struggling to emerge. Your animal form is rapidly establishing and your body is struggling to contain all the newfound power. It's messing with your emotions. That, coupled with the stress you're facing. Until you morph, I'm afraid you're..." He trailed off. He couldn't say the words, but he didn't need to.

"A ticking time bomb." She sighed to show her dejection. With a tight-lipped smile, Lyle inched closer to her and took her hand in his, providing her comfort.

"I could have killed him," she whispered. "I wanted to kill him."

"But you didn't," he reminded her and she scoffed.

"Because you – How did you do that? You stopped me." A crease formed on her forehead. She was grateful he did, but she was curious as to how. Magic? Could merfolks control people?

"I didn't." He caressed the back of her palm softly with the pad of his thumb. "I just asked you to stop, and you did."

Fauna scoffed again. She knew what she felt and it was not as easy as that. She was enraged. She was going to kill him, but the moment she heard Lyle's voice in her head, it was as though she lost control of her senses. He asked her to stop and she did. Her body froze.

"I mean it. No one was doing anything. They were afraid, not of you, but your anger. Fauna, you... I had to do something, but I didn't know what to do. I guess I just... I don't know."

"You said 'stop' Lyle, and I did. My body froze."

"People respond to the emotions of their mates without meaning to sometimes," he explained. "Perhaps that's what happened. I don't have the ability to control your actions. No one does."

Fauna frowned at him. He was hiding something from her. Was he lying to her? She didn't think he was capable of such, but the way he looked away when he said no one could control people made Fauna believe there was more to that than he was letting on.

Were there merfolks capable of controlling the actions of others? She decided to let it go. She trusted him.

"What do I do now?" She exhaled deeply. He didn't respond. He just returned his gaze to her, a soft smile on his face that made his golden eyes more mesmerizing. "What would you do if you were me?"

She wanted to see her father. She wanted to look into his eyes and hear what he had to say to her. However, she was afraid of that. What if she lost her cool? What if she became angry and couldn't control herself?

Lyle hummed and Fauna frowned when she noticed his skin. It looked dry. Drier than usual. She was about to comment on it when he let go of her and eased himself into the water.

She pouted slightly as she found herself missing the coldness of his skin, but she said nothing. He swirled around in the water for a second before he dived in and emerged as a merman. Scales – golden and silver – littered most of his arms and sides and his wet hair clung to his skin, making him look even more majestic.

Fauna smiled, momentarily forgetting her worries. He was a beauty.

He ran his fingers through his hair at an attempt to get most of the water out, then he swam towards her, stopping right before her and leaning his elbows on her laps as he stared right up at her.

"I was on land for too long," he explained and Fauna's lips formed an 'o'. She hadn't thought about it. Perhaps she figured merfolks were like werefolks too who could spend most of their time in their human form. She was wrong.

"Regarding your question, I'm afraid I hold no answers as I am not you. However, I can tell you one thing. Whatever you decide to do, I'll support you."

"So, you have no advice?" She implored.

"I think you should speak with Harou personally. I saw the look in his eyes. He's hiding something very important and whatever it is could tell you what to do. It could be beneficial to be around wolves on the full moon though," he smiled cheekily at her.

"Why?"

"You'll change into your animal form and by logic and nature, it'll be wolf first, then mermaid because of our bond. Perhaps tigress will follow, then bear, then lioness. I don't know about the others."

Fauna was eager to morph, but she couldn't deny she was also afraid. For as long as she could recall, she just wanted to be a tiger so she could run with Saber and Zara and Hailey and Alegra. Now that she was so close, she wondered if she could actually do it.

What if her body couldn't take it? What if she died? She had seen it happen before. What then? She would have put her people in danger for nothing?

"Okay." She decided to swallow her fear. "I'll speak with their Beta."

"Good thing. Because he's almost here."

Fauna turned around and caught a whiff of his scent. Doka was behind him, leading him in. She didn't think it was a smart idea. Weren't they trying to hide magic from the outside world?

She turned to Lyle who gave her a knowing smirk before he dipped his head below the surface of the water, but he was still there. She could feel his presence.

She heard movement and she took her legs out of the water before she stood and waited for the wolf as she stared into the lake. She had to be calm. She had to be strong.

"I'm surprised you still want to see me," she heard his voice behind her. Doka had left and she couldn't tell if it was because he wanted to give them privacy or if it was because he was wary of her.

Perhaps it was both.

"You're hiding something from me," she spoke. Her voice was cold.

"Not the apology I was expecting..."

She turned around and stared at him with raised brows.

"You almost killed my Soldier. Yes, I know he spoke out of turn, but –"

"You're hiding something from me," she repeated. She regretted her action, but she wasn't going to give the wolves the satisfaction. She wasn't going to apologize. They had caused her more pain than that. "Why does your leader want to see me?"

The wolf breathed in deeply as he stared at her with those earthy green eyes. He was unmoving, but she could tell he was kind. She could tell he was putting up a false bravado because he was scared, but she admired his courage.

"Your father wishes to see you because he wants to make amends."

She furrowed her brows. He was lying. Her hearing seemed to have heightened and she could hear his heart. She could hear the irregular beating. He was anxious. What was he anxious about?

"Try again," she stared at him coolly as she straightened herself and took a step towards him. He matched with a step away from her.

"You're his child, his heir. You're the future Alpha of my pack. Why he wants to see you doesn't matter."

"He didn't think of that when he kicked me out," she reminded him and his face fell. He looked remorseful. He looked hurt.

"Your mother was my good friend. We grew up together and she had spirit. She was tough and courageous... Just like you. We were all hurt that she died."

He wasn't lying. Fauna could see it in his eyes. He cared deeply about her mother.

"I pleaded with Ivailo to see reason, but he was heartbroken. Moreover, he didn't think you'd last a day. You were born in animal form. You'd have been dead if he kept you. I don't know how the bears did it, but they saved you."

"And they brought me back. Why didn't he accept he?" She snapped at him as she took another step forward. "Why didn't you convince him?"

"He's my Alpha!" He cried back. "I cannot defy a direct order. It didn't matter though as I knew you were in safe hands. The bears are preached to be ruthless, but that day, I saw a different side of them. For the first time ever, they left the caves and came in search for us. They love you."

Fauna angrily rushed to him and grabbed his neck, pulling him down.

"Do you know what you put me through after you and your Alpha deserted me? Have you heard of Ari the lion? He tortured me. He said he was trying to train me but that's a lie. He was breaking me. He wanted to have the most powerful being in the forest at his feet so that he could rule the whole werefolk."

She was screaming now. She recalled the pain she felt. She recalled wanting to die, but her body kept healing every injury, leaving nothing behind. Not even a scar.

"My people are in danger because of him and if I don't gain enough power before the full moon, they could die. And you think he's going to stop there? Ari is a power-hungry maniac and won't stop until he's the king the humans think the lions are. It'll have been better if you let me die in the pack."

Harou breathed in deeply as he took in her words. He knew Ari was dangerous and unpredictable, but if she was right, it would be a mistake for him to allow her return. He couldn't tell her the tiger who was protecting her was in danger.

What's one life compared to that of thousands? She had to stay with the bears and train, that was their only hope.

"Okay." He raised both hands to show surrender. "I apologize on behalf of my Alpha. We shouldn't have. I should have done better to keep you safe. You're right to stay and train. Perhaps, after the full moon, after you have saved your people, you could pay my pack a visit. Your choice."

She let go of him and he staggered slightly before he gained his footing. She narrowed her eyes as she watched him. He was plotting something, but what was it?

"I'll tell Iv the bears didn't let us in. My Soldier you beat up will make it look believable"

Though Fauna didn't trust him, she nodded. She would morph without the wolves around. Her priority was training and she just didn't have spare time to reunite with the monster that banished her.

Harou turned and started to walk away, but he stopped suddenly and turned towards her. "I'm so sorry, Fauna." Then he was gone.

She continued to stare into the distance long after she was gone. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was deeply wrong. She felt it in the pits of her stomach and it caused the hair at the back of her head to rise. Something was going to happen. But what?

~~~

I was going to update this yesterday, but I totally fell asleep. 

Here you go, my lovely furballs. Remember to vote and comment. Love yall.