Yil

"Why don't you think this through, huh?"

My mother's desperate plea carried in the inert library. The tremble accompanying the spoken words provided an amplifier to her voice and it wafted towards where I stood in still, steady waves.

She was seated on an antique study chair with her shoulders slumped forward. Resignation swarm in the depths of her warm green eyes, nevertheless, she continued to implore, relentlessly, in the hopes that I might change my mind.

But it was made up albeit with a few reservations but made up nonetheless.

"Tyion speak to her," she coaxed. My father's back was turned to me as he faced the stained glass windows in a fixed, stony gaze. His stance was rigid and by his sides he kept his tightly folded palms.

The pack library's tranquil ancient allure was in great contrast to the feelings of anger, dashed hope and foreboding that flittered gently between us. It's dome-like, baroque themed ceiling conveyed the numerous achievements of our forefathers. Tales of peace, element training and leadership were one of the recurring themes grasped from it's artistic depictions.

The tinted windows were my favorite structures in the library for within their intricate glass arrangement, the ethereal beauty and wisdom of white-wolves of ancient past lay undisturbed. However, even their tales of serenity did little to calm the state of unease that currently resided within their structure.

A state of unease brought about by my impending travel to the outside world.

Funny enough, the artistic designs never depicted the separation era. It wasn't even hinted at. It was an era to be forgotten. An era that I was born to mend. How ironic.

"Tell her not to go ahead with this ridiculous plan," she continued, her voice cracking as she fought to rein in her tears.

If I had known that travelling to the outside world would bring so much pain to my parents then I would have banished the thought as soon as it reared it's deceitful head into my mind. Unfortunately, I had been seduced by it's promise of adventure and exhilarating thrill that I had failed to take into consideration the well-being of my parents.....or pack.

For which I would be responsible in the future.

"Mom I have to do this," I persuaded as I moved to kneel in front of her. "I can't risk our pack going to war with them. Not after the years of peace that we have managed to keep. I can't undo all that," I whispered, trying to make her see reason.

"Then you should have never made the journey there in the first place!" my father snarled, harshly. His face was still to the window as he refused to look at me.

I flinched slightly from the tone of his voice, however, I held nothing against him. They were hurting from the fact that I had made up my mind to venture out into the outside world in an attempt to avoid a war and strike a deal with my mate. I still didn't know how I would go about that but I'd cross the bridge when I got there.

"Will we ever see you again once you go there?" He questioned, angrily. "You are his mate for god's sake Yil. His other half. The Luna to his pack," he rationalized, counting off the reasons why he thought this was a bad idea. "I don't know what you think this is but it's not child play," he added, finally turning to look at me.

"I know but I'm willing to try any means to avoid a war," I reasoned softly, silently begging him to trust me on this. "He's seen me now and he knows what I am. He won't stop until he finds me so one way or another he will get to me. Would you rather he came here or I went to him?"

"I prefer none," he stated, deadpan. "And if my reluctance to let you go leads to a war then so be it," he growled, defiantly.

"Then that defeats the whole purpose of the separation era," I countered, rising to my feet and stepping forward to him. "The peace code, the need to be just in our dealings and fair with each other. Fighting hate with love, tempering harsh justice with unmerited mercy. Where do all these principles go huh?" I questioned.

My rhetorical question was answered with silence as my father fought an internal battle against the truth of my words. His eyes were plague with the fires of confliction and their flames roared brightly in his amber coloured eyes.

"Down the drain, if we take your route," I answered with a soft sigh and moved to take his palm. He continued to stare at me hard, convinced that his route was the better of the two options but against my soft imploring green eyes he failed to hold on to his resolution.

"I apologise greatly on behalf of myself and your mother for keeping the truth from you," he began with a strained voice as his jaw ticked. "But you have to understand that we were scared of such fate befalling you," he explained with a rough run through his golden locks. "In order to deflect your fate I even went as far as drafting a peace treaty between our people and Queen Lira," he admitted, solemnly. "Just so you never felt the need to travel to anywhere beyond the faerie world,"

Everyone always wondered why after all the years of isolation my father had decided on a peace treaty between the two worlds. Now it was apparent that it was done on my behalf because he'd rather I journeyed there under the watchful eyes of my guards than the outside world, unguided. I looked down at my wrist where the bracelet was strapped snugly and choked back on a sob. They had gone to such great lengths for me.

"I understand," I chimed in gently. "I would have done the same. It was my mistake for lashing out at both of you and for that I apologise," I turned to smile at my mother and she returned it with a shaky, tear-filled smile. "But what is done is done," I continued, moving to the centre of the library. "Arguing back and forth isn't going to get us anywhere neither will war," I said, glancing at my father who sighed, resigned. "I have to go there,"

My reasoning was beginning to mitigate, slightly, the severity of its essence. My mother stood up, wordlessly, from the chair and slowly walked towards me. Understanding her unspoken intentions, I moved to meet her halfway and she enveloped me in a soft but firm hug.

"I don't want you to go there," she said, her voice muffled against my neck. "But I trust you and as much as it hurts I agree with you," she admitted before she gave into a series of sobs that shook her whole being.

I petted her hair slowly while offering words of comfort to her. My father's eyes glistened with unshed tears and he cleared his throat a couple of times to rid himself of their persistence to pour out. The action made me smile for he usually acted all tough and mighty on the outside but deep inside he was a soft, caring teddy bear for whom I bore great affection.

My mother's sobs lessened and she pulled away from me with a peck to my head. I smiled in return before moving towards my father and enveloping him in an abrupt hug. He wasn't expecting my gesture and so he stood rigid for some time before he returned my fierce hug. "Be safe," he said before releasing me.

"I'll let Measer Fern know of my plans," I announced softly and my father nodded.

"When do you leave?" My mother enquired.

"Today,"

"So soon," she gasped.

"I've wasted enough time as it is," I placated. "It's now or never,"

The feelings of resistance were mirrored on both their faces. It overshadowed their features and they fought against the compulsion to voice out their words. However, with one final pleading look they gave into my appeal to trust my actions.

☘︎

"So-o-o you are finally doing this, aren't you?" Measer Fern tentatively asked as he eyed my mother, father and I skeptically.

Today his shed felt suffocating.

I looked towards the shelf where that dreaded book lay and from it's covers emanated the cruel, horror-filled reality that it encompassed. The wisps flittered about stealthily and when it came close to the walls it was absorbed. Consequently, the jewel encrusted walls morphed into menacing looking faces that smiled wickedly and moved, slightly, towards me. They would soon move all the way and squeeze my body, for all it was worth, till they got the breath that guaranteed my continued existence.

"Yil?" Measer Fern's calm voice broke into the storm of my mini meltdown and I blinked rapidly to rid my sight of it's hallucinations.

It was quite ironic that my first journey to the outside world was one of unadulterated happiness and eagerness. Now, I was fighting against the need to hurl out my breakfast unto the awaiting wooden panels. The feeling of nervousness was one never to be played with.

I swallowed past the lump in my throat and tried at my best imitation of courage. "Yes, I've made up my mind,"

The small, timid voice that made its way out of my body betrayed my outward persona of bravery and my parents looked at me with concern. However, it had little effect on Measer Fern who gave a firm nod in reply.

My mother moved towards me and she rubbed my back gently in a gesture of reassuring support. This was not the way I had imagined this would play out. I was the one meant to provide solace to my parents and be that unwavering, confident presence that they could trust in. But all that show of gallantry had died out quicker than I would've liked and I was left fighting against the urge to run and hide.

And to make matters worse Ava was still bent on ignoring me. You'd think now that I was actually going to meet our mate she'd give a little bit of support but instead I got nothing, nada, zip. Yay for team spirit.

"Did you pack any necessary items?" Measer Fern questioned, bending to pick-up a staff.

"Yeah I did," I replied, gesturing to the small backpack slung across my chest.

"Where's the rest of it?"

I looked slowly around me in a mocking gesture before facing him with a deadpan expression. "Uhm nowhere,"

"That's it?" He asked incredulously with a raise of an eyebrow.

He was starting to piss me off with this sudden enquiry into the amount of belongings that I was taking with me.

"She's not relocating there," my father cut in, sharply. "So I don't see the reason to pack her whole wardrobe,"

"Oh, nevermind me," Measer Fern dismissed with a laugh and a comedic eye roll. "I forgot it's a travel and strike-a-deal journey," his subtle tease didn't go unnoticed but nobody bothered to comment further.

The man acted in mysterious ways so there was no need to go head on with him. You'd only get more confused.

"So if that'll be all that you are taking..." he emphasized once more and I rolled my eyes.

With the way he was acting? I was starting to think he was rooting for the possibility of a relationship between my mate and I. Oh! It'd be a cold day in hell when that happens.

"....and it has been jointly deliberated on that you can go," he addressed, his gaze sweeping over my parents and I one more time and we all gave reassuring nods. My parents nods were a little hesitant but he accepted it anyway. "Then let's be on our way into the forest," he announced, turning to open up a portal but my father intercepted his actions.

"We'll walk there," he said, quietly. "I want one last moment with her before she goes,"

I smiled, slightly, at his request and when he walked towards me I gave him a brief hug before taking his palm in my own and my mothers' palm in my other hand.

Together we all walked towards the Wonderan Forest in still silence. Not many words were needed anyway because the simple gesture of our intertwined fingers, that bound us together, spoke volumes. Our feelings were transmitted to one another and I relished in the cocoon of love and support that both parents directed my way.

My gaze moved all over the forest in one giant sweep and I made sure to imprint the blossom trees, the well-crafted hills, the serene lake, the colourful flower fields and the green vines that grew steadily around the trees into my memory. It was a magnificent sight, my personal haven.

As we walked further along, I caught sight of the tree house positioned just across my peripheral vision. It pulled at my heartstrings and I promptly pushed the feelings of guilt down into my stomach.

It was all for his own good.

When I had woken up, snuggled firmly in the arms of Rae, I had spent several minutes tracing his facial features and staring hard in an effort to memorise him in all his enchanting glory. I couldn't risk him following me to the outside world to face off an Alpha I knew nothing of. Because if what I had seen in that book was true then it meant he would be more feral than the rest as he was much more superior. Granted we could hold our own against outside world wolves due to our power of control over the elements, nevertheless, I didn't want to risk starting a fight that would inevitably lead to war.

It just wasn't our ways and I wouldn't drag Rae down that path.

So with great pain I had casted an air spell on Rae. Airians were granted with the gift of induced unconsciousness. It was a talent expressed when the breath in a vessel, lycanthrope, was reduced till it was lower than normal. This would then trigger the body's defence against the trauma of the sudden reduced pressures of oxygen thus leading to unconsciousness. This spell was utilised only to assist a lycanthrope who was going through immerse pain. However, it had to be administered with care as prolonged oxygen loss could lead to eventual death.

The air spell that I had casted on Rae was temporary, one that would clear up in a few minutes. It was the only way I could protect him from the consequences of my foolishness.

"Yil, you block headed, cross-eyed, smacked skull, stubborn friend of mine!!"

Zena's sudden shout could not be compared to the fierce hug that enveloped me. The intensity of it almost knocked me off my feet.

"Just where do you think you were going without me?" she cried, pulling our bodies even closer. "All that subtle, sentimental goodbye, crap you were playing at this morning. Did you think I wouldn't know?" she choked out in disbelief amidst the tears that poured down her face.

Zena was another person I had tried to leave behind but the girl was as stubborn as I was. Guess that's why we were friends.

I had played everything cool this morning not wanting to give her a glance into the decision that I had made. I was travelling alone to finish off what I'd started and I didn't want any of them with me.

"I'm not cross-eyed," I protested with a whine.

"Oh, shut up!" She snapped, playfully. She released me from her vice-like grip and stepped away to look at me. "You attempted to leave me behind and that's what makes you cross-eyed for not seeing that I would go anywhere with you," she explained with a defiant pout.

"We are not travelling there together," I sighed, softly. "I started all of this and so I'm going to finish this alone," I stated, determinedly.

"Oh! Hey Alpha and Luna," she chirped, ignoring my words and then bowing respectively before moving to hug my mother and father. "I apologise again for my part in all this,"

"It's alright now Zena," my mother replied, ruffling her hair and my father smiled slightly in return.

"Zena, you being on loving terms with my parents doesn't change a thing," I groaned, knowing that she was deliberately disregarding my resolve. "What about your parents? Your mate hmm? How's he going to feel," I jabbed, trying to play on her sentimentality.

Anything to convince her that following me was not the best idea.

"My parents don't like it but they agreed..." she answered. "...reluctantly," she added with a nervous laugh but before I could expand on that point she continued. "They would have come here to show their support," she said, shutting down my argument. "But I didn't want their solemn expressions to be my last recollection of them. As they escorted their daughter to her grave. Their words not mine" she chuckled and my father grumbled in agreement. "And as for Kent you can ask him yourself," she motioned behind her with her thumb.

I looked in the direction that she was pointing at and noticed that Kent had been standing, patiently, waiting for us to acknowledge him. However, considering the fact that Zena had just barreled into me from nowhere, it wasn't my fault that I hadn't seen him.

"Alpha. Luna," he said in greeting and they replied with a smile. "Hey Yil," he smiled at me before moving to Zena's side.

"Kent, I didn't see you there," I apologised, sheepishly.

"No worries," he waved off with a smile. "Despite my tall, imposing built I still go through the same problems as my shorter counterparts. Especially with recognition. People just don't seem to notice the tall, bearded oddball," he joked, earning a giggle from me and a swift, playful swat from Zena.

"Well, I'm glad you are here so you can tell Zena just how bad of a plan this is," I pleaded, motioning to Zena who was now bent over her rucksack.

She even packed for this!! Just when had she known that I was going.

"I actually agree with her," he rumbled with his deep voice. Zena walked to stand next to me, an ever-growing cheeky smile lining her facial features.

He was in on this. How wonderful.

"And I trust you," he admitted with a genuine expression. "You can't go there on your own and as much as it would hurt to be far away from her I wouldn't have it any other way," he added.

"I'm going to ruin my make-up again, dammit!" Zena swore as she tilted her head back to stop her tears. Kent moved forward to hug her and she cried softly into his arms.

I never wanted to drag her away from her mate but it was a little daunting to go there on my own and so I appreciated the gesture. When he released her with one final lingering kiss I moved towards her and held her face in my palms. My eyes communicated my appreciation and she smiled in return.

"Kiba is also going with you," my father announced. "Just so they think twice before messing with you," he growled.

Just how many more escorts were hiding in this forest anyway?

Kiba stepped forward from behind my parents and he smirked at me. "As much as I'd love to be grass hold free, I would be honoured to protect you Princess,"

I chuckled softly and replied. "I won't live that down any time soon will I?"

"Nope. I'll keep saying this till the day I die,"

I looked around me at the loving faces that surrounded me and I fought the urge to bawl. They trusted in my intuition and they were all willing to support me and for that I was immensely grateful.

"Sorry to cut this support group discussion short but the portal is amassing," Measer Fern announced as a matter-of-fact.

Zena rolled her eyes and silently mimicked him and I stifled a laugh.

"No parting words?" I directed my question to Measer Fern and he quirked an eyebrow. "Why do I feel that you are secretly bursting with happiness on the inside and you think that all this show of sentimentality is not needed,"

"You know you've had my support since day one," he replied with a chuckle. "I applaud your bravery and I'm sure the Sky Lordians do as well,"

Oh! Why won't they? This was all their doing anyway.

I kept that thought hidden in my mind and replied with a slight smile. The war between the Sky Lordians and I was on hold till otherwise stated. For now I focused on the task ahead.

So with Zena's hand in mine, Kiba closely behind us and my parents smiles bidding us goodbye, I walked into the portal that for the second time would determine my fate.
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