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Dedicated to Suze_Knight for being such a darling reader and trying to help me in any way possible when my book went missing. Thank you sweetie!

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This chapter is unedited so please excuse the grammatical errors. Enjoy!

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Suzzanah's POV

It wasn't the question he'd asked but the way he'd asked, that immediately made me and Neil exchange nervous glances.

"G-Gale?" Neil coughed out uncertainly.

How had he even known his name? I didn't remember having mentioned it in our mindlink yesterday.

"Yes, Gale", Zuerien replied to Neil, "The boy about whom you were talking to Beta Darren last night. The one who 'keeps staring at the Queen'?"

My brows rose in alarm as I looked at Neil whose tan skin had suddenly paled so much that he had begun blending into the white wall behind him. It seemed that Zuerien had overheard a piece of his conversation with Beta Darren last night, and he wasn't pleased. At all.

"A-Alpha-"

"Yeah he does!" Rino cut Neil off, grinning happily as he replied to Zuerien, "I like Gale. He's pretty and polite"

"Who is he?" Zuerien asked, growing frustrated.

"He's the clumsy, courteous blond librarian boy who has a thing for Anna"

Rino answered so fast that by the time any of us had a chance to stop him, it was already too late. Upon hearing his reply, Alpha Penson's eyes widened, my jaw dropped and Neil suddenly looked faint. And as for Zuerien...

"A. thing. for. WHO?" he growled out, his voice low and filled with warning.

"For An-" Neil's hand flew to cover Rino's mouth and I gulped.

"I-Its really not like that!" I exclaimed, hurriedly standing up again as Zuerien's eyes began to darken, "He's just super polite, that's all. He doesn't like me or anything like that"

"T-That's right, Alpha. We assure you there's nothing like that", Neil added, "He's a good, well-mannered young man"

"Oh really?" Zuerien said, raising an eyebrow, "Well let's have a taste of these impeccable manners of his, shall we? Where is he?"

Rino seemed to have an answer again but Neil beat him to it, "Oh, he isn't assigned here today Alpha. He's probably in one of the other Halls right now"

Gale, if you know what's good for you, please don't show up now!

"Oh but he was here just a minute ago though"

Both Neil and I looked at Alpha Penson horrified, and I swear I saw him bite back a smile.

ALPHA PENSON! WAT YOU DOING?!

"Yeah, he came by to say hello, and to see Anna", Rino added fuel to the fire- probably taking years off of Neil's life- all the while wearing his angelic smile, "He looked really disappointed that Anna wasn't here but when we told him that she'd join us shortly, his face lit up like a Christmas tree!"

Kill me.

Zuerien's sharp gaze shot to me and I swear I felt sweat trickle down my spine. Even though there was absolutely nothing going on between Gale and I, I couldn't help but be afraid for Gale's well-being. Because if he wanted to, Zuerien could put the 'hot' in 'psychotic'. Okay, maybe I was exaggerating but who could blame me? My mate could be a little...extreme.

Zuerien's eyebrow twitched, "So he's excited to see my mate, is he?" he said and both I and Neil tensed.

Why does Gale want to see me?

"Uhhhh...maybe he wanted to speak to me about something important", I said, trying to keep a straight face.

"And what could that be?" he asked and I cringed. I had no answer to that.

"Something about...books, maybe?" I squeaked out stupidly.

A dark smile making its way up to Zuerien's lips, "In that case", he said, "Let's make things easier for him and go find him first"

Yikes!

"I really don't think that's necessary", I said, "I'm sure he's busy-"

"Oh Ms. Suzzanah! How fortunate you have arrived! Greetings!"

Neil squeezed his eyes shut while mine went wide in horror as all gazes shot to the young, beautiful blond lad rushing up to me, carrying a stack of books and wearing a dazzling smile.

"I'm so pleased you are here!" he exclaimed as he ran up to us, and neither I nor Neil got a chance to warn him when Zuerien stepped in front of me, looking intimidating.

He looked just about ready to roast Gale like a stuffed turkey for thanksgiving, when all of a sudden, just as Gale reached our table, he tripped on his own foot and tumbled forward, face-planting violently into Zuerien's rock hard chest.

And all our jaws dropped to the floor.

WHAAAT?!

The impact of the crash was so forceful that the minute he slammed into Zuerien's concrete body, he automatically also staggered away from him, while Zuerien just stood there stunned. All the books flew out of Gale's hands and he almost fell on his butt but Neil grabbed his arms to keep him up.

And he was now looking up at Zuerien thunderstruck, his spectacles- which were surprisingly still in one piece- sitting crookedly across his face.

"Good Lord!" Gale breathed out red-faced but I couldn't quite tell if it was red due to the impact or the embarrassment.

Or maybe both.

"O-Oh I do beg your pardon Sir! I'm terribly sorry!" he said as he stood upright again, "I did not see you"

And all we could wonder was 'How?'. It was pretty hard to miss someone as ginormous as Zuerien, but then I remembered that he had poor vision.

"Gale, are you alright?" I asked worriedly.

He gave me a sheepish smile as he readjusted his glasses, "I'm quite fine. Thank you!" he said, his usually sweet and youthful voice now laced with heavy embarrassment while he tried, as subtly as he could, to hide his red face nose-down using one hand.

He looked petite in front of Zuerien, who was a mountain of a man. And the the fact that he had chosen to wear a rather loose shirt and trousers made him look even smaller.

Zuerien still hadn't said a word as he was busy staring at Gale amazed, like he couldn't believe that had just happened.

"Wow, that must've hurt", Rino said wide-eyed.

"Only my pride, but there was little to begin with so please don't be concerned", Gale replied, still rubbing his red nose as he looked back at Zuerien.

"I truly am sorry Sir", he apologized again and Zuerien blinked uncertainly.

"Its...okay", he replied, eyeing him warily, "So, you're Gale?"

"I am, Sir!" he said nervously, "Gale O-Oakley, at your service"

Zuerien looked at me like 'really' and I smiled. Really.

"Are you sure you're alright Gale?" I asked stepping towards him and his eyes went wide as he quickly stepped away from me.

"F-Fine Miss!" he stuttered before looking down at the floor, "Oh dear! Look at this mess!"

He quickly began gathering the books he had dropped and despite his protests the rest of us helped him out, including Zuerien who handed him the last of his books.

"Thank you Sir", Gale said taking the book from him, and trying hard not to meet his eye.

Thinking that this may be a good time to introduce Zuerien to him and ease the tension, I smiled and said, "This is my boyf-"

"Husband"

All eyes flew to Zuerien astounded as he cut me off, "I'm Suzzanah's soon-to-be husband, Zuerien Royale"

Soon-to-be husband?!

"O-OH!" Gale exclaimed, looking just as astounded as I did, and I suddenly looked just as red as he did.

Zuerien remained perfectly calm as though he had stated a completely obvious fact whereas his sudden declaration had caught me so off guard that I couldn't keep my lips from parting in shock, my face flushing instantly and my heart now hammering at the speed of light.

Yet despite my flabbergasted state, my tense gaze, like that of the others, immediately shot to Rino who looked about ready to explode in a fit of excitement and glee at Zuerien's statement.

But just as he opened his mouth, Alpha Penson subtly yet speedily put a glass of water to his lips, urging him to drink it and simultaneously also keeping him from saying anything that would make Gale suspicious. Thankfully Gale didn't seem to notice.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr. Royale", he said to Zuerien.

Zuerien nodded, and even though he had seemed ready to give Gale a piece of his mind but a few seconds ago, he had now fallen silent and continued to inspect Gale like he was a rare species of some exotic bird that he was viewing for the first time.

Gale still refused to maintain eye-contact with him, keeping his gaze down, but whether it was out of embarrassment or fear I could not say.

"Where the heck is your walking stick, you idiot?" Neil asked changing the subject and Gale turned to look at him with an odd mixture of relief and alarm.

"Blast! It completely escaped my mind, and now it seems I've mislaid it somewhere. I must go and seek it out at once, lest its absence turn me into the cause of more unforeseen accidents today!" he exclaimed and Zuerien's expression turned confused, probably because of the way he talked.

Gale looked just about ready to dash away when Zuerien spoke up, "Why do you need a walking stick?" he asked curiously.

"Oh, my vision is poor and my eyes often fail me. So I require some form of sturdy external support to help guide me through certain times of the day", Gale replied.

Zuerien frowned, "If its that important, I'm surprised you forgot it"

Gale laughed nervously, "Indeed, by and by I observe that deficient eyesight and fickle memory are a most inconvenient combination"

Zuerien raised an eyebrow at his statement, "Fickle memory huh?" he said and Alpha Penson's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Yes. I forget things almost instantly", he said, "Perhaps it is because I do not see them"

When Zuerien did not reply he gulped, discomfort obvious in his otherwise polite smile. Feeling bad for him I quickly interjected, "But you do a great job as a librarian regardless, Gale"

He gave me a grateful, almost relieved look, "You are too kind, Miss", he said before hurriedly stepping away from our company, "Now if you'll please ex-"

"You looked like you were in a hurry to get here just now Gale", Alpha Penson cut in, "Did you need something from Suzzanah?"

"Huh? O-oh I simply wished to...convey my morning greetings to her!" Gale replied, still slinking away as inconspicuously as he could.

So he just wanted to say good morning?

"I've never seen anyone look that excited to wish someone good morning before", Rino stated surprised and Gale chuckled uneasily.

"Yes well I do consider it my privilege to do so, as you are all dear friends of O'Neil", he replied.

Neil gave Zuerien a nervous look, but Zuerien was busy watching Gale.

"Aw isn't he nice?" Rino stood up from his chair grinning, "Thanks Gust! Good morning!" he said before throwing his arms around Gale's neck in an unexpected embrace.

Gale, who was already looking confused at having been called Gust, now let out an involuntary cough, his eyes going wide in alarm. And although Neil was just as baffled to see the untimely bear-hug, Alpha Penson, Zuerien and I were quite used to it by now.

Gale however didn't or maybe couldn't hug Rino back, seeing as his hands were occupied carrying his newly reassembled stack of books, which he now clutched to his chest tightly in shock. Clearly he was neither expecting nor used to such sudden vivacious displays of affection.

Rino pulled away and thumped Gale's back enthusiastically and Gale managed to force a bewildered smile in response.

"Th-Thank you!" Gale stuttered, blinking disorientedly, "A-And good morning to you, again"

Rino grinned and nodded before merrily settling down into his seat again while Gale looked around flustered.

"You okay?" I asked him softly.

"Sorry? Oh yes. Yes of course! I'm fine, thank you", he replied, quickly clearing his throat, "And well...uh-OH! Look at the time!" he exclaimed suddenly, looking at the clock on the wall, "I'm running rather late on my errands. Young Miss, Sirs, O'Neil, it has been a pleasure being in your company but I'm afraid I must leave you now, for duty calls. Have a good day. Goodbye!"

Hurriedly bowing to us and somehow managing not to drop the books he was carrying as he did so, Gale scurried away. I had never seen him in such a frenzied rush to leave before. He must have been really embarrassed.

I felt really bad for him. I'd probably have been the same way if I ended up introducing myself to someone by headbutting their chest. Good thing Zuerien was a man and not a woman, or things would have gotten waaay more awkward, and not to mention inappropriate!

Aiyah!

I knew better than anyone how embarrassing memories could sometimes make you want to slap yourself with a shovel, so I really hoped Gale wouldn't dwell on or beat himself up about that fall too much.

Well he did say he forgets things instantly...

I looked at Neil for confirmation and he sighed before giving me a small smile and an encouraging nod, telling me that Gale would be fine.

Returning the smile, I turned to Zuerien and found him sharing a deep and thoughtful look with Alpha Penson. Their eyes were glazed over so I knew they were mindlinking, but now that Gale was gone why didn't they just speak openly?

Their mindlink ended shortly and Alpha Penson gave him a curt nod.

Zuerien then looked at Neil, "The security around the library is under your jurisdiction. If there is even the slightest disturbance of any kind, I want you to report back to me immediately. And no matter what the circumstances, your Queen's safety and well-being will be your first priority"

"Yes Alpha", Neil replied strongly, all nervousness from earlier gone as he stepped back into his role of Delta of the Ashford pack.

"Rino, you're Suzzanah's official bodyguard for today so don't let her out of your sight no matter what", Zuerien said before quickly adding, "But as far as possible, try to do so from a distance"

Rino grinned cheerily at his comment making Zuerien's eyebrow twitch in irritation before he looked at Alpha Penson.

"John, I'll leave the rest to you", Zuerien said and Alpha Penson nodded.

"Understood Alpha", he replied.

"I'll be leaving now", Zuerien said and everyone bowed to him but just when I was about to say bye he looked at me, "Come with me for a bit, heart", he said, putting an arm around my waist and taking me with him.

And even that casual gesture now made my heart skip a beat, courtesy of his 'husband' comment earlier which was still giving me butterflies in my stomach.

Get it together Suzzanah. He probably just said it because he thought Gale was interested in you and wanted to ward him off. No need to get all starry-eyed about it.

Although...

I peeked up at Zuerien, chewing up on my lip thoughtfully. Being soulmates wasn't like dating. It was pretty much a permanent affair, so didn't being soulmates mean Zuerien and I would get married one day?

The thought made my face heat up as a warmth welled up inside of me. I was shocked at how happy the thought of being married to Zuerien made me.

Sometimes it occurred to me that I was probably getting way ahead of myself, especially because we had only known each other for a short while, but with Zuerien time just didn't seem like a factor at all.

Because even though I hadn't been with him for long, sometimes...a lot of times...I felt like we had been together for all eternity. Like we had known each other for centuries. And like I had loved him from the beginning of time, and would continue to do so forever. It was a powerful, all-consuming sort of a feeling which always left me a little bit breathless.

So this is what it feels like to be soulmates...

That was why, even though sometimes it felt like our relationship was moving really fast, it never seemed unnatural or unsteady. And it was also why the thought of being married to him felt so incredibly right that I could hardly even contain my happiness.

But I also knew that right now was not the time to be weaving dreams of future bliss in my head. So I quickly reeled in my crazy imagination and focused on the now.

Zuerien led us to a a quieter aisle, a short distance away from our table before stopping and turning to face me.

"I'll come pick you up again this evening so don't leave until I come to get you, alright?" he said.

"Alright. And you be careful today", I told him, knowing that he would be searching for that beast today. I tried not to let my fear show as I added, "Don't overwork yourself or do anything reckless"

"That's my line, heart", he replied smiling, "I won't, so make sure you don't either. Or at least...try not to", he added, knowing that 'not being reckless' was not a promise I could easily make.

Because life loves to put me in unexpectedly dangerous situations and get a laugh out of my clumsy antics.

I nodded, "Right"

"If you feel tired, even if its just a little bit, I want you to tell John immediately and take a break. That means a nap. The longer it is, the better"

I sighed, smiling to myself helplessly, "Okay"

"And if you need anything, tell someone and don't go do it yourself, especially if it requires leaving this hall", he continued, "I know you're uncomfortable with people doing things for you or serving you but you're going to have to get used to it Suzzanah. And if you need to go to the bathroom, make sure you take at least one of the female guards posted outside with you", he said seriously, and I nodded reluctantly, trying not to dwell on the 'at least'.

"But most importantly", he said sternly, "Do not, under any circumstances, step out of the library alone. Don't go anywhere outside unaccompanied, especially not into the woods"

He put special emphasis on this point, and I could understand why he was so particular about it given how rogues were a bit of a problem right about now.

"Ashford and I have made sure that the security in and around this library is as tight as it can be, and Neil will continuously be monitoring it so there shouldn't be anything to worry about, but don't take any chances, you hear me Heart?" he said.

"I understand. I won't go outside alone", I assured.

He smiled, "Good", he said, and then hesitated before adding, "Also...stay away from that boy Gale"

At that I couldn't help but give him a look, "Zuerien, come on now. Gale is a nice guy. You met him for yourself so I'm sure you know that he's harmless. Well, to everyone but himself", I added.

"Maybe, but I can't shake this feeling I have about him", Zuerien said thoughtfully, "And I'm not just saying that because I don't like other men getting close to you. I can't exactly place my finger on it but there is just something...off about Gale. He's...not normal"

The solemn look in his eyes caught me by surprise, compelling me to heed his words. In all my time here an important thing I had learnt about werewolves was that their instincts were rarely ever wrong.

If Zuerien felt like there was something strange about Gale then there probably was. But that didn't necessarily mean it had to be a bad strange, and I was sure Zuerien knew that too. Still, I could understand why he was asking me to keep my distance. He didn't want to take any chances when it came to me.

"Don't worry too much Zuerien", I told him, "Yes Gale is a little strange but he is also a good friend of Neil's so you can be at ease. Like I said, he's a nice guy and I really don't think he's dangerous"

"Most people would say the same thing about Rino but that's until they see him in a fight", he stated, "Look I'm not saying that Gale guy is evil or anything. I'm just saying that I don't think he's being completely honest with us"

"You mean...about his eyesight?" I asked..

"Not exactly. But about what he claims to have trouble with in general", he replied with a thoughtful frown, "John told me that the boy knows every aisle and the location of almost every book here off the top of his head. Not something you'd expect from someone who claimed to have a 'fickle memory'"

I considered his words, "Maybe...or it could be that he just got nervous around you and blurted out whatever came to his mind without thinking", I replied.

"What about him 'misplacing' his walking stick? For someone with a disability, forgetting something so important shouldn't be easy", Zuerien said.

"Yeah, he does seem to forget his stick quite easily", I said, remembering the incident last evening when he had crashed into me and almost walked off without it.

I told Zuerien about it and his frown deepened, "I guess, since he's a human and not a werewolf, he isn't obliged to always be truthful or open with us", Zuerien said, "And if it were not for this gut feeling I have, I wouldn't have given him much thought at all, especially after seeing what he's really like. Honestly, I wasn't expecting him to be as small and frail as he actually is"

"Hey, he isn't even that small. He's actually a tad taller than me", I said, "Okay, I suppose he does seem small in comparison to the rest of you guys"

"But the thing that is getting to me is that I'm not the only one who has this feeling about him. John does too", Zuerien told me making my eyes widen, "He may not be a bad guy but that boy is definitely hiding something. It could be something that is of little importance and is none of our business, which I really hope that is the case, but what's getting to me is his overt interest in you"

His eyes darkened immediately, "I don't care about his personal affairs or secrets but if he's trying to approach you, I have a problem with that regardless of what his reasons may be", he said firmly, "You may not think there is anything wrong with him but I don't want him getting anywhere near you, especially not when you're alone"

"Which I won't be anytime today after your very thorough instructions to everyone about always sticking with me at all times", I said with a smile, "I understand. I won't go off anywhere alone with Gale so you can relax. And also, just to put your mind to ease, Gale doesn't have a crush on me or anything either"

Zuerien brow twitched in irritation, "He better not", Zuerien grit out, "Especially when he already has a ring on his finger"

"Huh?" I looked at Zuerien confused, "A ring on his finger? What is that about?"

"He was wearing a ring on his left ring finger", Zuerien said, "Isn't that the finger on which humans wear their engagement or wedding rings?"

"Sometimes", I said, "But not everyone who wears a ring on their ring finger is married though"

"Oh well, I hope Gale is", Zuerien said, "At least if he's married, maybe I wont have to worry about him hitting on my mate! Or I might have to murder him a little"

"What does murder him a little even mean?" I said, shaking my head at him.

He shrugged before pulling me closer, "Anyway, all that aside, please take care of yourself today. No stress"

I shook my head, "No stress", I repeated, "I swear you worry more than me"

"I can't help it", he replied before adding with a coquettish smirk, "My wife is too reckless for her own good"

I gasped, my eyes going wide and face flushing instantly as his words, yet again, set my heart aflutter. But before I could even form any semblance of a reply, he wound an arm around my waist pulling me snugly against him and captured my lips in a heated kiss that completely blew my mind.

His tongue slipped into my mouth, intertwining with mine, and wreaked a sensuous havoc inside of me. His large hands caressed and fondled my curves hungrily and his touch was so addicting that it almost made me forget that we were in a public library and that someone could walk past this aisle any minute and see us!

I tried halfheartedly to put some distance between us by pushing at his chest but it was in vain. If anything it just made him tighten his grip around me even more, and deepen our fiery kiss.

Within seconds I felt like I was floating on the seventh heaven, drunk off the immense pleasure he was giving me, to a point that even I nearly forgot that this was an extremely inappropriate spot to be getting so blatantly intimate.

And when he finally pulled away, I was a quivering, breathless mess- my skin flushed, clothes askew and thick locks of tousled hair spilling out of my ponytail. I stared at him in shock, rendered completely speechless by the phenomenal kiss and too flustered to even be able to think straight.

The intensity in his eyes as he gazed into mine threatened to make my knees buckle underneath me, but I knew I wouldn't fall because he still had a firm grip around my waist.

"Heart", he breathed out, his voice still husky with desire and yet incredibly gentle and warm at the same time. It made my heart swell with affection.

"You're beautiful", he told me, a breathtaking smile stretching across his handsome face and his eyes twinkling with mirth as he added, "I find this dishevelled, hot and bothered look to be especially sexy on you"

My cheeks burned as I put my fingers to my tingling lips, "But w-why...all of a sudden?" I asked.

"I have to spend the entire day without you which frankly doesn't appeal to me in the slightest, so I needed some motivation", he replied, caressing my cheek.

I lowered my gaze bashfully, readjusting my clothes and hair, "I can't believe we just made out like that", I said embarrassed.

"What's wrong with it?" Zuerien asked.

"We're in a public library. Someone could have seen us!"

"So?"

I looked at him appalled, "So we shouldn't be doing these things out in the open!"

He shrugged nonchalantly, "Werewolves mate out in the woods all the time"

My expression instantly turned thunderstruck, "Ai yai yai!" I exclaimed in shock, "You werewolves really need to tone it down a notch. Several notches!"

"On the contrary, I find the idea of mating in the open woods very sensual and exciting", he said, his eyes darkening as he added, "Just like the day I marked you, remember?"

Some very explicit images of me and my mate, hot and sweaty in the moonlight from a few nights ago flashed in my mind and my face nearly exploded from the blood overload, making me bury my face in his chest in embarrassment.

Zuerien chuckled warmly at my reaction, making my heart skip a beat. He had the nicest laugh I had ever heard.

Damn, why is our mate so cute! Kai exclaimed dotingly, his deep charming voice filling my head.

"Tell me about it. She's the cutest thing ever!" Zuerien replied hugging me, "Makes me want to kiss her again"

I looked up from his chest and was about to protest when Kai said, And it makes me want to dress her up in a long fluttering red hood

Both I and Zuerien frowned confused, Okay? And?

And then tear it off her and mate with her

I nearly choked on air while Zuerien sighed, Why are you so random Kai?

What do you mean?

What's the point of dressing her up if you're going to tear it off anyway?

Beats me, but isn't that how the story goes? Kai asked, Little red riding hood and the big bad wolf

Zuerien scowled, No! The wolf in that story doesn't mate with red riding hood. He dresses up as her grandmother to try and eat her

That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Why would her grandmother want to eat her?

No you idiot, he does so to lure her to him. Its a disguise

What a stupid wolf! A stupid wolf in coverings at that. Gah, disgusting! He's a disgrace to the wolf-kind

You and your ridiculous disapproval of clothes

Its not ridiculous. Coverings are sweaty and uncomfortable. And tight! Why do humans like to restrict themselves so much?

The discussion about clothes aside, that's actually a pretty good question

And as though expecting an answer to that bizarre question from me, his mismatched eyes now zeroed in on my face making me tense. And of course I had no idea how to reply seeing as I was still a little dazed from the kiss we had shared but seconds ago.

Oh well, Suzzanah is ours so we'll slowly get her to grow over her need for coverings

Hold up, what?!

No, I don't want anyone else but us seeing her naked!

"H-Hey!"

You've got a point. But she can at least be naked when we're alone

That I can agree with

"Okay! Alright! Its getting late. You should go now!" I said hurriedly, wiggling out of his arms and pushing at his back, indirectly trying to get him to stop talking about my nakedness.

"Oh look. She's being a prude again", Zuerien said amusedly making me glare at him.

He smirked and, without warning, turned around and stole yet another kiss from my lips.

I gasped as the brief contact made electric pleasure tear through my veins and left my lips tingling deliciously, "Z-Zuerien!" I breathed out stunned.

He grinned devilishly, "Bonus", he told me with a wink that made me weak in the knees.

Oh my god! How could one man be so damn charismatic?!

"Go back to the table", he said, caressing my cheek lovingly, "I'll leave once you've sat down"

I nodded and was about to turn away when I was overcome with a desperate longing and I put my arms around his neck and hugged him tight once again. He seemed surprised for a second but then quickly returned the hug, holding me close.

"You okay, Suzzanah?" he asked gently and I nodded quietly.

I didn't know why I had suddenly had the urge to embrace him again. But something told me today was going to be a long day, and in all honesty, I missed him before he had even left.

Pulling away, I kissed his cheek before smiling up at him, "Bye Zuerien, Kai. Have a nice day!"

He smiled back tenderly, "You too, my heart", he replied and I nodded before turning away and walking back to our table.

I still had my fears and apprehensions about Zuerien going after that beast but I knew there was no avoiding it. Besides, Zuerien was strong. And he wasn't going alone either. Elder Abé and the other warrior wolves would be with him. He'd be okay. They all would.

Please be safe, my love, I prayed silently as I reached our table.

Alpha Penson and Rino smiled at me as I approached them.

"Welcome back, Anna", Rino said and I smiled back.

Neil pulled out a chair for me and I thanked him before sliding into it. He then took his leave for a bit, probably going to check on the security,

"All okay?" Alpha Penson asked, probably having sensed my apprehension about Zuerien going to search for that Beast.

Not wanting to worry him, I quickly shook away my troubling thoughts and nodded, "Yup", I replied before noticing that there were already a few books laying open on the table, and even Rino was going through one of them.

"Looks like you guys already got started", I said.

"We were just setting the important books aside to make it easier to find them in this humongous pile, when we need to look through them", Rino replied, "Oh hey! I found the foxes John!"

He showed Alpha Penson the page he had opened and Alpha Penson nodded, "Great. Lets put a bookmark in there"

"Foxes?" I asked confused.

"I told him to go through the Encyclopedia of Supernaturals and find the Chapter on Fox Demons", Alpha Penson replied, "We have a few set tasks we need to accomplish today. First is to establish a mindlink with Karina at any cost and tell her about tomorrow. Second is to try and find at least some kind of information about that Beast's identity and the mixed auras he radiated. And third is to hopefully learn a little more about your ability to transfer other people's injuries onto yourself. As for the first, Rino just tried to mindlink Karina but it seems her mental block is still up".

My shoulders slumped in disappointment and Alpha Penson quickly shook his head, "Its alright. We'll try again in about half an hour. I'm sure her mental block will deteriorate sooner or later and we'll be sure to take advantage of that moment" he said and I nodded hopefully.

"I've already asked the Elite Overseer to go through the Book of Ages and try and find any other references about the power to transfer injuries", he continued, "At this point anything at all that we can learn about that ability will be useful. In the meantime Talon may contact us with another set of pictures of blue-green eyed men for you to go through"

"So for the time being we are left with the task of trying to find out the identity of that beast", he concluded and I resisted the urge to shudder. Just the thought of that Beast made my skin crawl.

"You told us that the beast looked much like a wolf, and Alpha Zuerien claimed that he had a demonic aura", Alpha Penson said, "So we're looking through demons that may resemble werewolves. For example, Dog demons and Fox demons"

Rino showed me the page he had opened and I read the title.

Canidae Demons

"That means demons belonging to the 'Canine' or in laymen terms- Dog family", Alpha Penson told me, "Also, we need to keep in mind that this particular Beast may have existed since the Era of the very First Alpha King, and the only two Canine Demon types that are ancient enough to fall into that category are Dog and Fox demons"

I nodded in understanding, "I see, but then...I'm pretty sure that Beast had a distinct werewolf aura too", I told him "And you said that just having parents who are two different Supernaturals isn't enough to manifest both their auras. But doesn't Megan manifest both the aura of a Witch as well as a Shadower? So how does that work?"

He smiled at my question, "Well to answer that question, I'll have to teach you a little bit about auras", he told me, "Have you studied about auras in magic school Rino?"

Rino nodded, "Yup!"

"Well then this will be sort of a revision for you", he said before looking back at me, "For starters, a person's collective aura or essence has two parts- the physical aura and the soul's aura. And as the names suggest, the physical aura originates from the person's body, whereas the soul's aura originates from their soul"

"Let's look into the physical aura first. So this aura depends on one's body, or better put- one's biological makeup", Alpha Penson told us, "The physical aura is distinct to each species and every person belonging to a particular species will emanate the same physical aura"

"For example, all Werewolves- because of their identical physical constitution- have the same physical aura. This not only allows us to recognize our fellow werewolves but also enables other Supernaturals to identity us as Werewolves, even when we are in our human forms", he told us, "Similarly, every species in the world has a physical aura which allows us to determine which class of beings they belong to"

He looked at me and said, "Even humans have a physical aura, albeit very small, and it allows us Supernaturals to distinguish them from our kind"

"Oh!" I exclaimed, fascinated by the new input.

"Coming to the second component which is the soul's aura", he continued, "Unlike the physical aura which is common to the entire species, a person's soul is unique, and normally no two people can have the same soul at the same time. Therefore, every single person has a unique soul aura, which is specific only to that one person. So even though I and Alpha Zuerien are both werewolves and share a common physical aura, our souls are different so we have different soul auras"

"So all werewolves share the same physical aura but the soul's aura is unique to each individual?" I asked and he nodded.

"Exactly", Alpha Penson replied, "And a person's collective aura is a blend of both their physical aura and their soul's aura. So if I say that I can sense your aura, I am referring to your overall aura, and not just the physical or soul components individually, you understand?"

Rino and I nodded together.

"Now, depending on the type of Supernatural a person is, one of the two components of their overall aura will be dominant", Alpha Penson went on, "And which of the two is dominant is decided by the kind of powers a Supernatural possesses. Generally, most Supernaturals have a dominant physical aura because their powers are largely physical like super-strength, super-speed, heightened vision, advanced healing, etc.", he told us.

"But then there are other Supernaturals like Witches and Wizards whose main powers are centered around magic", he said, "And magic is not a physical trait which can be inherited. It is born from one's soul. So in such Supernaturals, their soul's aura takes precedence over their physical aura"

I nodded again, trying to process all the new information.

"Keeping all that in mind, the most important point to note is that regardless of which component of one's aura is the dominant one, their overall aura is always blend of both. Are we clear so far?"

Rino and I nodded together.

"Now to answer your question about Megan", Alpha Penson said, "The reason why we can sense both a Shadower's aura as well as Witch's aura from Megan is because her Shadower aura is her physical aura and her witch's aura is her soul's aura. So her overall aura is a blend of both"

"If that's the case then why is it strange for that Beast to have both demonic and werewolf auras?" I asked, "Couldn't one be his physical aura and the other his soul's aura?"

Alpha Penson didn't immediately reply but Rino looked back at me.

"What we were taught in magic school was that most of the auras which describe a person's species are physical auras", he told me, "So the 'Werewolf aura' or 'Vampire aura' or 'Demonic aura' - since they describe the person's species- are all physical auras. The only exception to that rule were Magic Wielders like Witches and Wizards because their powers originate from their souls"

"Oh so both the werewolf and demonic auras are physical auras then", I said and he nodded, "So can't a Supernatural have 2 physical auras? I mean in case they have parents belonging to two different species"

"Even if a person has parents belonging to two different species, they normally only express the physical aura of one of the parental species", Alpha Penson replied, "Even if I had one parent who is a werewolf and another who is a demon, only one of their traits would be dominant in me while the other would be recessive, and I would normally only express the dominant trait's aura"

"For example, if I were a dominant werewolf then I would only manifest the aura of a Werewolf, even though I'd also have demonic traits in me", he told us, "And my dominant Werewolf aura would grow stronger or weaker from time to time depending on certain factors like the state of my health, my emotions and whether or not I'm exercising my powers. You would have noticed how Alpha Zuerien's aura grows exponentially every time he uses his fire powers, or when his wolf takes over"

Rino and I exchanged knowing looks, "Yes and also when he gets mad", I added making Alpha Penson smile.

"That's right", he said, "That's the effect of those factors on his dominant Werewolf trait. But having said all that, if we go back to my earlier example, just because my dominant trait is that of a werewolf wouldn't mean that my demonic traits would get invalidated. I could still retain the ability to use some of my demonic powers, but I wouldn't be able to completely shift into my demonic form"

"Demonic form?" I asked and he nodded.

"Like werewolves who have a human and a wolf form, most demons also have a human and demonic form", he told us, "And if I were a dominant demon then I would only be able to shift into my demonic form but not my wolf form. Similarly, if I were a dominant werewolf, I would only be able to shift into my wolf form. Even if I could still use a few of my demonic powers, I wouldn't be able to completely shift into my demonic form because it would be my recessive or should I say dormant trait"

"Oooh", Rino and I said in unison.

"Also, in such a scenario, my recessive demonic aura would only show up when I would use my demonic powers", he said, "At all other times I would only express my dominant werewolf aura. Do you understand?"

Rino and I nodded.

"I have a question though", I said, "So while using your recessive demonic powers, when your demonic aura would surface, would your werewolf aura disappear?"

He shook his head, "No. One's dominant aura never disappears", he said, "At such a time my demonic aura would simply co-exist with my Werewolf aura until I stop using my demonic powers. And when I do, the demonic aura would disappear"

"Couldn't that have been what happened with that Beast?" I asked, "Maybe we caught him at the exact moment when he was using both his traits and that's why he emanated both werewolf and demonic auras"

"Yes we could assume that the Beast falls into that category, but then we'd have to figure out which is his dominant half", Alpha Penson said.

"Well, he was in his wolf form when he attacked me so that would mean he is a dominant werewolf right?" I said.

"Yes it would, but even though he was in his wolf form, both you and Alpha Zuerien said that his demonic aura was far more pronounced than his werewolf aura", Alpha Penson said, "If that beast was a dominant werewolf then his werewolf aura should have been the stronger than his demonic aura"

"So maybe his dominant trait is that of a demon then", Rino said.

"If his dominant trait was that of a demon then he shouldn't have been able to shift into his werewolf form at all", Alpha Penson replied.

My shoulders slumped as the mystery behind this Beast's complicated identity turned more and more bizarre by the second.

"Keeping in that line of thought though", Alpha Penson continued, "If we were to assume that this Beast is actually a dominant demon and not a dominant werewolf, then there is a small possibility that when that Beast attacked you, he was not in his wolf-form at all, but in his demonic form"

Rino and I gasped in unison as he added, "That would explain why his demonic aura was so strong, because he was in his demonic form. And that's precisely why I asked Rino to help me look through demons that may resemble werewolves", he said, "Because he could just have been a demon whose demonic form resembles a werewolves wolf form very closely"

"Well then why didn't you just say so in the first place?" I asked.

Alpha Penson looked at me, "Because not just you but even Alpha Zuerien seemed quite convinced that the creature you saw was a werewolf", he replied, "Besides, even if we were to assume that the two of you were mistaken and the Beast was actually in his demon form yesterday which just happened to resemble a werewolf, it doesn't explain why you were still able to sense his werewolf aura. If he is a dominant demon, his recessive werewolf trait should not have shown up at all"

"Maybe it surfaced because he was using some of his werewolf traits too simultaneously?" I asked.

"Like what?" Alpha Penson asked, "All he did was chase after you. A demon could have done that too. Similarly any other traits he may have used like Super-speed or heightened sense of smell are also traits that demons possess. He wouldn't have needed to use any of his werewolf traits for his werewolf aura to have surfaced"

"Ugh, if only there was some way to explain his double-aura", I said, and as I did, something that Zuerien and Alpha Penson had talked about when I had first told Alpha Penson about this Beast, suddenly came to mind.

"Even if one does come from a very diverse bloodline, only one's dominant aura manifests as their presence...

...Unless the person has perfectly equal portions of the two traits, in which case they would manifest two auras, which is extremely rare"

"Hey that's right!" I exclaimed, looking back at Alpha Penson, "Couldn't that beast be half-wolf and half-demon? I mean having both traits in equal proportions so that both are dominant. I remember you and Zuerien saying that such a scenario is extremely rare, but you didn't say it is impossible though"

Alpha Penson thought about the point and I added, "If both traits are equally dominant then you said that the person could manifest both the auras"

"That's true", Alpha Penson replied, "Such a case is extremely rare, almost unheard of, but if that Beast really does possess both the traits in equal proportions then he could end up having a dual-aura, meaning that the auras of both his traits would be manifested equally, all the time"

"And depending on whether he was using his demon powers or werewolf powers, his aura would fluctuate between being more demonic or more wolf-like", he added, "But even in those times, both his auras would be present, just one more than the other"

"That would explain everything wouldn't it?" I asked excitedly, "If he has both demonic and werewolf traits in equal amounts then it explains why he had radiated both the auras when he chased after me yesterday. And the reason why his demonic aura was stronger than his werewolf aura would be because he was in his demonic form, which just happened to resemble a werewolf very closely"

"But wait, if the Beast has both traits in equal proportions, would that mean that he would be able to shift into both a demonic form as well as a wolf form?" Rino asked.

"Theoretically...yes. They should be able to, but I don't think it is practically feasible", Alpha Penson replied.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because as a rule, Supernaturals can only transform into a maximum of two physical forms in one lifetime- one humanoid form and one paranormal form. For example, this is my humanoid form", he said gesturing to himself, "And my wolf is my paranormal form. Similarly most other Supernaturals have their own humanoid and paranormal forms. And of course there are Supernaturals who have just one of the two forms, like Rino who has only a humanoid form and no separate paranormal form"

I looked at Rino and he smiled at me before we both turned back to Alpha Penson.

"The reason why Supernaturals can only transform into a maximum of 2 physical forms is because it takes a lot of time and practice for their bodies to adapt to physically transforming from one form to another", Alpha Penson explained, "And seeing as, more often than not, the transformation requires changing up the body's complete bone and muscle structure and sometimes even organ alignment, it is an extremely strenuous process and a Supernatural's body can only withstand alternating between 2 forms at most"

"The only exception to this rule are Generic Shapeshifters", he added, "They are the only creatures whose bodies are created in such a way that they can mould them into anyone or anything they want to, any number of times"

"But aren't werewolves Shapeshifters too?" I asked.

"Yes but we are Specific Shapeshifters", he told me, "We have two specific physical forms which we can alternate between- the human form and paranormal form- and such is the case for most other shape-shifting supernaturals, be it Dragon-Shifters, Demons or any other. But Generic Shapeshifters can shift into any number of forms that they want to. There is no limit to their physical ability to transform"

"So you see, this is the reason why, even if a Supernatural had two dominant traits in equal amounts, I don't think they would be able to transform into both", he told me, "I still think the person would only be able to transform into one of his two dominant paranormal forms"

"Oh well. If that's the case then we'll have to assume that he can only transform into his demon form then", I said, "A demon form which has an uncanny resemblance to a werewolf"

"But are there any demons out there that resemble werewolves so closely", Rino asked.

Alpha Penson looked down at the Book open in his hands, "A few", he replied, "I'm not completely sure but I believe Fox demons and dog demons may come close to looking like werewolves in their demonic forms. But as far as I know, most fox demons don't really have a four-legged demonic form like werewolves do. Their demonic forms actually still look human, but have the additional tail, ears, long nails, pronounced canines and the like"

"What about dog demons?" I asked.

"Dog demons do have four-legged demonic forms but I'm not sure they look like werewolves", he replied.

"Well then lets start making sure right away!" I exclaimed and Rino quickly grabbed the Book he had been going through earlier, searching through the chapter about Fox demons.

"We're looking for pictures right?" Rino asked and Alpha Penson nodded as he handed me another book to look through.

I immediately dug into it, searching through the 'Canine Demon' category for anything that could prove to be useful.

We went through several photos and large amounts of theory and by the time we had pooled all the information we had a pretty good idea about both dog and fox demons. We also looked through many other 'Canine Demons' which may resemble werewolves but most of them looked very different from werewolves. The closest we could get still remained fox and dog demons. So we decided to stick to those two types for the time being.

"So most fox demons, like John said, don't really have animal forms", Rino summarized the information we had pooled, "And the few that do have demonic animal forms have multiple tails. But the Beast that attacked Anna didn't have multiple tails"

"And as for dog demons", I said, "Only pure-breed dog demons have demonic animal forms. Half-breeds cannot shift completely into their demonic forms. And the demonic forms of pure-breed dog demons are ginormous, growing as big as 20 to 30 feet in height! That's way bigger than the Beast I met"

"Besides, the Beast you met was definitely not a pure-breed, seeing as it had a definitive werewolf aura", Alpha Penson remarked and I nodded.

"Hey, this may be a stupid question, but if this Beast has both Werewolf and Demonic traits in equal amounts then couldn't his wolf and fox-demon forms fuse to create some kind of new creature?", Rino asked, "That way it would also still be within the limit of only 2 physical forms. Maybe this Beast that attacked Anna is some kind of hybrid and that's why we can't find such a creature anywhere in the books"

Both I and Alpha Penson looked at him impressed.

"Bud, that's not a stupid question at all!" I exclaimed, "And if the hybrid is more demonic than werewolf then it would explain why his demonic aura was stronger than his werewolf aura!"

"Hey that's right!" Rino exclaimed and we both looked at Alpha Penson eagerly.

"Indeed, its a quite a thoughtful suggestion Rino", Alpha Penson agreed, "And again, theoretically it could be possible for a hybrid to be born out of two equally dominant traits, but I've never heard of anything of the sort having happened in real life before"

That's understandable. The idea of a person with two equally dominant traits was unlikely enough, so the thought of such a person shifting into a creature which is a fusion of two different species seemed nearly impossible.

Regardless, it was still a great suggestion. Besides, this Beast was bizarre enough for us to actually consider crazy ideas like this.

"But do you think it would be possible", I asked Alpha Penson.

He thought about it for a short while before replying, "The overall idea of a hybrid creature arising from the fusion of traits is definitely not impossible", he stated, "Such fusions happen quite often between the traits of one's body and one's soul, resulting in changes in a person's outer appearance"

"Wait. How can the soul's traits cause a physical change in a person?" I asked confused, "Didn't you say that all physical traits arise from one's bloodline and genetics, and only magical powers arise from the soul?"

"Not always. That is how things generally are, but a person's soul can sometimes create physical changes in the person", Alpha Penson replied, "A perfect example of such a scenario is Alpha Zuerien. He is genetically a werewolf and has brown or black eyes. But his soul is that of the Alpha of Power, and it is that soul of his which gives his eyes their third color which is golden. Its a physical trait, but it arises from his soul and not his genetics"

"You can also take Rino's eyes as another example", Alpha Penson added and Rino's eyes immediately widened as we turned to look at him, "Normally he has brown eyes which he inherited from his parents, but because his soul is that of a Guardian Extraordinaire, they turn blue-rimmed when he senses the presence of his Luna, which right now is emanating from the crystals he is carrying with him"

"Oh hey that's right", I said, understanding what he meant, "I can't believe I forgot about that"

Alpha Penson's eyes narrowed thoughtfully at me, "Actually, your silver streak is an example of that too", he said, "At first I had my doubts wondering if perhaps the streak was a genetic trait you had inherited from one of your parents, but then we all noticed how the streak seemed to fade when you lost a part of your soul to Karina, so now I'm certain it has to do with your soul and not your bloodline"

"If you ask me, Anna actually has a pretty complicated aura herself", Rino suddenly said, "I can never decide if she's human or if she isn't. And if she isn't human, then what exactly is she?"

"I know what you mean", Alpha Penson agreed as I looked between the two of them sheepishly, "Her aura isn't a mixture of many auras like that Beast's, but it's very unique. Unlike anything any of us have ever sensed before"

He smiled pensively, "Makes me wonder if perhaps we should be trying to figure out the mystery behind your special aura first, before anyone else's", he said softly, "But I suppose we'll have more time to do that once we're back in the States. For now, we need to concentrate on this Beast. So, where were we?"

"The fusion of traits", I said and he nodded.

"That's right. So you see, its easy for the traits of one's soul and body to mix and create some kind of a variation in a person's physical form", he said, "But in this Beast's case, both the Werewolf and demonic traits we are talking about are physical, and frankly, even though it was a great suggestion from Rino, I don't think such a fusion is possible if both traits are physical"

Rino and I immediately looked at him disappointed.

"But why though?" I asked.

"Because every Supernatural species, no matter how similar it looks to another, is still profoundly different when it comes to their fundamental physical constitution", Alpha Penson said, "A demon's body, no matter how closely it may resemble a werewolf's body on the outside, still has very different internal components"

"And these differences are quite stark too- be it the number of bones and muscles in our bodies or the consistency of our vessels and nerves or the alignment of our organs- they're all different. Even the composition of our blood is different", he told us, "So you see, its not practically possible to merge the physical forms of two different Supernatural species into one hybrid because the resulting creature would have a half-and-half body that would be incompatible with itself"

"So such a fusion isn't possible then", I said and he shook his head.

"Not between two physical forms, no", Alpha Penson replied, "At least, not as far as I know"

"Aw man!" Rino exclaimed disappointed as he scratched his head.

"Oh well. I guess we'll just have to keep searching for other demons that resemble werewolves, since Fox demons and Dog demons don't seem to fit the category", I said and they nodded.

Rino and I got back to looking through the books in front of us while Alpha Penson went to get another Book from the Restricted area.

While Rino and I were searching, we heard someone come up to our table and we turned to find that it was Gale.

"Good day again, Master Rino, Miss Suzzanah", he said cheerily, giving us a little bow. He now had his earlier 'mislaid' walking stick with him.

I smiled at him and Rino grinned, "Hi Wind!"

Gale looked at him confused while I quickly laughed it off, "Very funny, bud", I said.

Rino shrugged, "It can't be helped that that's his name", he said seriously.

But it isn't Rino.

"Its okay though", Rino said, trying to make Gale feel better about a name that was not his, "Wind is still a nice name. I once knew a person who was named knicker"

He probably wasn't named knicker, Rino.

Gale who's expression had up until then been flitting between 'He's joking' and 'Wait, is he really joking?', now looked at Rino shocked.

"Good lord, truly?" he asked, probably having taken Rino seriously, "How dreadful for the poor lad"

"It was a girl actually"

Both Gale and I looked at him appalled.

Rinoooo!

Trying to distract Gale who was still staring at Rino horrified, I said, "So Gale, what brings you here?" I asked.

"Oh!" he quickly skimmed our surroundings before his gaze returned to mine. He looked at me eagerly with his big blue eyes as said, "Miss Suzzanah, my object in coming here, if I may be so bold, was to see you"

"Me?" I said surprised.

He nodded, "Yes, and I would like to request the privilege of speaking to you...alone", he added hesitantly making both mine and Rino's eyes widen.

My eyes immediately shot to the ring on his left ring finger which Zuerien had mentioned to me, before returning to his face uncertainly. And Rino looked like he was about to say something but someone beat him to it.

"And what could you have to say to Suzzanah that the rest of us need not hear, I wonder"

Gale sucked in a sharp breath as Alpha Penson emerged from the aisle behind him, wearing a stern expression on his face. I was certain I saw Gale swallow hard.

"O-Oh, Mr. Penson, greetings", he said, forcing an awkward smile.

Alpha Penson nodded back, still waiting for a reply to his question.

"I...I just...wished to...offer my sincerest apologies to her", he said, making my brow furrow in confusion. He turned to me and bowed again, "I'm so sorry Miss for having collided with you on your way out yesterday"

"Huh? Is that all?" I asked surprised, "I told you, you don't have to worry about that Gale. It was an accident"

"Was it", Alpha Penson stated, but it sounded more like a question.

"Y-yes"

Gale looked extremely uncomfortable and I gave Alpha Penson a pleading look to leave the poor guy alone.

"Don't worry about it Gale. Its all cool", I said, "I'm sorry too for blocking the way like that"

He shook his head, "Not at all, Miss"

"But why did you want to apologize in private though?" Rino asked, "We wouldn't judge you for an accident Breeze"

"Um, its Gale, Sir"

"Oh, sorry. Right!"

"Yes, why did you want to apologize in private, Gale?" Alpha Penson asked and the helpless look on Gale's face made me feel bad for him.

"He was probably just embarrassed about the incident and didn't want you guys to know", I said quickly, "Its also the reason why I didn't tell you all, because I keep falling everywhere anyway and I didn't want you to think I'm clumsy"

Even though they already know I am.

Gale looked at me as though I had just rescued him from a den of lions, while Alpha Penson gave me the 'why-are-you-defending-him' look.

"Yes, yes that was it", Gale said, lowering his head, "And now that I have expressed my sentiments, I shall leave you. Good day"

Gale bowed to us and hurriedly turned to leave but Alpha Penson's arm hit his and something shiny dropped to the floor, rolling under one of the bookshelves.

"Oh no, I dropped my cuff-links", Alpha Penson said as I and Rino stood up from our chairs.

"Oh dear! I'm so sorry!" Gale exclaimed, "Please allow me to retrieve them for you"

"Its quite alright", Alpha Penson said, bending down on one knee to look under the bookshelf.

"A-", I was about to offer to help but Rino grabbed my hand making me look at him confused.

He smiled at me and subtly shook his head, but said nothing else.

"Sir, please allow me-"

"Its okay. Don't worry about it Gale", he said, "But I can't reach down there with my hand though. Can I borrow your walking stick for a moment?"

Gale seemed taken aback at the request before he said, "O-of course, but you shouldn't have to sully your clothes, Sir. I would be happy to get it for you myself"

Alpha Penson smiled, "That's nice of you but its dark under there and it may be a little hard for you to see Gale", he said, "No worries. I've got this. May I?"

He extended his hand and Gale hesitantly handed him his walking stick. Alpha Penson took it from him and swept it underneath the bookshelf, pushing out his cuff-links in one swoop.

"There", he said, grabbing them and standing up. He weighed the walking stick in his hand before giving it back to Gale with a pleasant smile, "Thank you"

Gale took it from him and smiled back, "My pleasure"

Alpha Penson moved out of his way, while he still looked a little embarrassed about what had happened just now.

"Have a nice day, Gale", Alpha Penson said and Gale nodded.

"Thank you. I wish you the same, Sir", Gale said, before turning to face me and Rino, "Master Rino, Miss Suzzanah", he nodded to both us in acknowledgement.

I smiled back while Rino waved, "Bye Air!"

Gale gave him a confused smile, but before leaving he looked at me. His blue eyes held my gaze for a second longer than was actually necessary before he walked away again, disappearing into a nearby aisle.

He definitely hadn't come here just to apologize to me. And I don't think he's interested in me the way Zuerien and Rino thought he is. But what else could he possibly have to talk to me about?

"Did you find the book you were looking for John?" Rino asked, casually settling back into his chair again.

Alpha Penson nodded, "Yes, its right here", he said pulling out two books he had apparently slipped into a nearby shelf when he approached Gale from behind him.

"Wait a minute", I said once we were all seated and we were sure Gale had left the Hall, "Isn't anyone going to explain to me what just happened, and why? Bud, why did you stop me from trying to help Alpha Penson earlier?"

Rino smiled, "He didn't want us to help, Anna", he replied, "If he did, he wouldn't have dropped his cuff-links on purpose"

"Huh?" I looked at Alpha Penson surprised.

Alpha Penson smiled, "Yes, I did"

"But why?"

"So that I could get my hand on his walking stick for a second", he replied, making me frown. He leaned forward, speaking softly, "I wanted to see if the piece of wood gave off any magical auras"

My eyes widened in alarm, not having expected that at all.

"Wooden Sticks- or as Supernaturals call them- staffs or wands are support tools often used by magic-wielders", he told me, "They make it easier for magic-wielders to execute more precise and effective attacks by allowing them a firm and sturdy medium to channel their powers, instead of having to do so from the uneven surface of their bodies"

"Although the more powerful Mages don't need to rely on such instruments, many who have unstable powers still do so", he said.

"Yeah, we were all given wands in Magic School too", Rino added.

"So they are instruments used by magic-wielders", I said, "But I thought Gale is a human"

"He is", Alpha Penson replied and my eyebrows rose at what he was implying.

"Wait...you don't think Gale is...a Sorcerer do you?" I asked shocked.

"That's what I was trying to ascertain", he replied, "Sorcerers don't have any magic of their own, but they often use such staffs or wands by either attaching magic crystals onto them, or pre-charging them with magic from other sources and using them as and when required. In such a case, even if the person radiates zero magic, their staff still will, but the only person who can feel the aura energy is the person holding the staff"

"So that's why you wanted to hold it", I said and he nodded, "So? What did you find out?" I asked.

"Nothing", he replied, "It seemed like a perfectly normal walking stick. No magical aura of any sort"

"So it wasn't a Sorcerer's staff then", Rino said.

"Doesn't seem like it", Alpha Penson replied.

"But...why did you doubt him to be a sorcerer anyway?" I asked.

"Because he didn't appear in any way challenged enough to need a walking stick", Alpha Penson replied, "Of course, that was before I knew about his vision. But generally whenever I see any young and apparently healthy people with walking sticks, I involuntarily suspect them to be magic wielders. Call it a rather strange habit of mine"

"That is a strange habit", I admitted.

"I don't know why but something about that boy Gale struck me as odd the minute I laid my eyes on him", Alpha Penson said, "I can't quite put my finger on it though. The lad seems sincere enough, and after clearing my doubts about his staff there wouldn't be anything left to be suspicious about, was it not for his very keen interest in you, Suzzanah"

Zuerien had said the same thing.

"For some reason he keeps trying to approach you", Alpha Penson said, "And what bothers me is that he seems to want to get you alone. But I have to admit that the boy doesn't seem to have any ulterior motives, and his reason for wanting to get to speak to you alone could arise from the most innocent of intentions. His walking stick was definitely an ordinary one, and the boy himself doesn't radiate any Supernatural auras whatsoever"

"So doesn't that go to prove that he really is just a normal human?" I asked.

"Yes it does, but the fact that he hesitated before giving the stick to me is still bothering me somehow", Alpha Penson said.

"Maybe he hesitated because he was reluctant about making you retrieve your cuff-links yourself", I suggested and Alpha Penson shrugged.

"Maybe", he replied, but his expression remained uncertain.

Rino cocked his head to the side, "Like John, I also think that he is pretty odd for a simple human boy, but I don't get any bad vibes from him though"

"Me neither", I agreed.

"Nor do I, if I have to be completely honest", Alpha Penson said, "But I just have a strange feeling about the boy that he knows more than he is letting on. Perhaps it will go away after a while, but until then, please don't go anywhere with him alone, Suzzanah"

I sighed, "Zuerien told me the very same thing", I said, "Don't worry. As hard as it may be to believe sometimes, I don't just go off alone with anybody and everyone who asks me to go with them. Especially not anymore after what happened the last time I went off alone with a stranger"

Both Rino and Alpha Penson's expressions immediately turned melancholy at my mention of what had happened at the Games. I quickly shook my head, and decided to change the subject.

"Hey, speaking of staffs, didn't Elder Abé have a staff when I first met him?" I asked.

"That's right", Alpha Penson replied.

"But why does he need to use a staff when he is so powerful?" I asked making Alpha Penson smile.

"That's because Elder Abé doesn't use his staff to practice magic", he replied, "He uses it to practice sorcery"

"Sorcery?" this time even Rino was surprised, "But why does he need to practice sorcery when he is already an authentic wizard"

"Elder Abé is a very keen scholar. He likes to try his hands at different types of magic, and sorcery is just one of his most recent ventures", Alpha Penson replied, "But he isn't any good at it though, because his own magic always ends up interfering in his Sorcery"

"When you already have magic in your blood, then it kind of defeats the whole purpose of practicing sorcery, because the basic idea behind the art of Sorcery is to allow non-magic-wielders to tap in the Realms of Magic", he told us, "And would you believe it? The concept of sorcery was actually popularized by the humans, because even though Human Generic Sorcerers are very rare, it is believed that the very first Sorcerer ever was a human. A woman named Elaine Eronas"

That name vaguely pricked at my memory.

Elaine Eronas...

Why does that name sound familiar?

"Wow, the very first Sorcerer was a woman?" Rino said impressed, "So she was a Sorceress then"

"Actually, because she was so powerful, she was titled not Sorceress but Enchantress", Alpha Penson replied, "Elaine Eronas- The First Enchantress"

I gasped as words immediately triggered a series of flashbacks in my head.

A tiny cottage in the woods.

A potted plant on the window sill.

A messy, paper-strewn study.

A giant book with an intricate circular symbol on it.

And the dedication on its first page.

'In loving memory of Elaine Eronas- the First Enchantress'

"I know that name!" I exclaimed making both Rino and Alpha Penson look at me alarmed, "I saw it written in that Book I told you about, the one I saw in the little cottage where Megan and her friend are staying"

"The one in which you found a picture of the Sana Aurora Plant?" Alpha Penson asked surprised and I nodded.

"That's right! What was it called?" I snapped my fingers trying to remember, "The Body and the Mind...something- the Body and the Mind. Cor...Cor-"

"Cor-E-ssentials?" Alpha Penson provided, looking shocked and I gasped.

"That's the one!" I exclaimed, "Cor-E-ssentials- The Body and the Mind. That's what it was called! And on the first page it said 'In loving memory of Elaine Eronas- The First Enchantress'"

"Yes I remember, you said it was dedicated to a magician!"

"I couldn't remember the word Enchantress", I replied, "But the first time I saw the title in the Book, I had immediately presumed it meant a Magician of some sort"

"Cor-E-ssentials...", Alpha Penson breathed out in awe, "This incident keeps getting more and more exciting, doesn't it? I'm becoming really curious about this friend of Megan's. She speaks the language of the Ancient Mages, she possesses the extraordinary Sana Aurora plant and now it seems she is also in possession of a most sought after Spell-Book of Sorcerers! Just who exactly is that woman?"

"We assumed that she must be a rogue witch at first because she didn't seem to have any connections with other Wizardry Covens or the League of Magic", Rino said, "But now its seems that the reason she didn't have any magical background we could trace was because she isn't a witch. She is a Sorceress!"

My eyes lips parted in shock at the revelation. Megan's friend was a Sorceress!

"And not just any Sorceress either", Alpha Penson said, "If she can use spells that can animate non-living objects and even teleport people then she must be a very powerful Sorceress"

"And if she is a Sorceress then she could belong to any species, right?" Rino asked.

"That's right", Alpha Penson said, "Any species of non-magic wielders could potentially practice sorcery. Although, to get this good at it, I'm supposing this person must have some kind of Supernatural background"

He looked at me, "Didn't you say there were a lot of plants and herbs in her cottage?" he asked and I nodded.

He stroked his chin thoughtfully, "A Sorceress in possession of a large number of plants and herbs", he said and Rino's eyes immediately sparked with excitement.

"You don't think-" he said and Alpha Penson nodded.

"I'm actually thinking along the lines of Earth Elemental"

"YAASSS!" Rino shot off his chair, a loud bellow erupting from him lips, "Please be an Earth Elemental!"

"Rino!" Both I and Alpha Penson whisper-yelled alarmed before tugging him back down onto his chair and looking around. Apart from the guards who were stationed around us, it didn't look like anyone else had heard him.

"Sorry", Rino whispered quietly, looking excited, "But I'm just so thrilled every time I get the opportunity to meet another Elemental!"

"We don't know if she really is one Rino", Alpha Penson said, "That was but a mere assumption. She could also just be a plant enthusiast, or a herbalist of some sort. We shouldn't hastily jump to any conclusions"

Rino nodded, "Right", he said, trying to reel in his excitement, "Its crazy how a few days ago, we didn't even know any Sorcerers and now we've already encountered two! One who was spotted at the Shadow Border and met Anna last night, and now the Vegan's friend. I mean, given how rare Sorcerers really are, the fact that we've run into two of them within the last two days is a pretty big coincidence"

"And both are women", Alpha Penson added solemnly, making a strange anxiety well up inside me, "You're right Rino. It is a big coincidence. Too big. And you know what they say. There is no such thing as coincidence..."

What he was implying didn't go unnoticed by the two of us. The chances of two unknown Sorcerers surfacing together at the same time were close to nil.

Alpha Penson frowned, "So what I think is that, if both these women really are Sorceresses, then there is a high chance of one of two possibilities being true", he said, "One, that both of them are related somehow. And two-"

His frown deepened and he added,

"That they are the same person"

****

Random Question of the Day: If you could have any ONE Superpower of your choice, what would it be?

A/N (ITS LONG BUT PLEASE DO READ TILL THE END. THANK YOU!)

Hey guys,

Let me start off by saying THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone who messaged me and tried to help me recover my books when they went missing, and also asked about my health. Y'all are so sweet! Thank you! I'm doing much better now.

Also, I've made a few edits here and there in Shadowed Hearts. Nothing too major. I tweaked the conversation between Suzzanah and the girl at the convenience store a little bit. It can be found towards the end of Chapter 18. If you want to, you can go check it out.

IMPORTANT:

1. To those of you who can't wait for updates, perhaps it would be better if you read the Book after it is complete. Because my updates are like Penson's explanations- Slow and frustrating, but also pretty darn long and intriguing.

2. To those of you who don't like how 'draggy' the Book has become or how much 'unnecessary content' there is in it, why are you reading? Like seriously, why? If you don't like it, DON'T read it. Simple. Don't come and hate on me and teach me how to write MY story. I'm not changing the way I write for anyone.

3. To people who like to use words like 'unprofessional' to describe me because of my slow updates, lets just get one thing straight.

Wattpad is NOT my profession.

I have a very busy life outside of it which I don't expect you to understand, but the least you can do is wait when I'm working hours, days, weeks off trying to write a complicated story to the best of my ability, so that everyone can enjoy it.

If you DM me rude af messages calling me names, and then say that you're telling me all this because you 'admire my work', I'd rather you not. I'll MUTE you without a second thought or regret. You're not all that boo, Capisce?

4. To all my darling readers who waited patiently and sent me much love and many get well soon wishes, THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART. You keep me motivated to write even on my worst days!

LOVE YOU GUYS!

Now that we've got all that out of the way, let's move onto:

PACK TALKS

1. How was Zuerien's first meeting with Gale? Did any of you see that coming? Get it? See. Because Gale can't see. No? Just me? Okay. Let's move on *clears throat awkwardly*

2. Do you think Gust- uh I mean Gale is a good boy or a bad boy or both or neither? And exactly why is he so hell bent on getting a moment alone with Suzzanah?

3. How was our little Zuerianah Moment? Do you think Zuerien will make a good husband? *wiggles eyebrows*

4. And Suzzanah is pretty worried about Zuerien leaving. Is her worry perhaps...justified?

5. There was a lot of Demon hunting today. So just what kind of demon could this creepy Beast be?

6. Sorcerers sure are mysterious huh? And Megan's friend is one! Thoughts?

7. And if she is the same girl who was spotted on the Shadow Border, then what exactly was she doing there?!

8. Also, how would you react if Rino called you Ms./Mr. Knicker by accident?

Thank you once again for your patience. I am not going to guarantee speedy updates so I hope you can wait for them just as you have waited all this time. I promise to make them as perfect as I possibly can.

Finally, did you like this chapter?

If you did please do VOTE, COMMENT & SHARE.

Until next time,

All my love,

May