In Wellmore village, we shift back into human form and quickly dress before walking through Wellmore market and taking in the happenings around us.
‘I can smell her scent here,’ I tell Troy and Zayden.
‘I can smell something wonderful… rosemary and lavender. Mmm…’ Troy says, sniffing the air.
‘Uh, no. Her scent is violets and honey…’ I correct him.
Troy is a little off, and his eyes dart around, searching.
‘Are you okay, Troy?’ I ask him.
‘I’m not sure. My wolf is hyped up. I’m trying to calm him down,’ he says.
‘Ok. Let’s focus and pull yourself together,’ I tell him.
‘Is it me, or are all the villagers talking about Maia?’ I ask them, and we pause and listen, with our wolf hearing.
‘She is so beautiful. I wish I had her eye colour,’ a young blonde girl of about fifteen, with a pale blue shawl over her shoulders, tells her companion at a wooden table as they nibble on apricots.
‘We are so lucky she has come to help with the war,’ her blonde-haired, blue-eyed companion says.
‘I can’t believe she is real!’ The first one says, gushing again.
‘I wonder if she will marry the knight she was with or King Fenris?’ The second girl says, and the two friends are giddy with excitement. Everywhere we turn, someone is talking about her: middle-aged women are whispering about her in groups, middle-aged men comment on her looks, and children tell their parents they’ve seen her.
I mind-link Troy and Zayden so no one else can hear us.
Why are they saying she has come to help fight the war? It doesn’t make any sense. Who is this knight she was with? I ask them.
I have no idea, but I’m struggling to control my wolf. I need to follow this scent. Troy says before leaving Zayden and me and following the scent that has him captivated through the village. Zayden and I follow him up a street and stop in front of a row of quaint little cottages. Troy is standing on the doorstep of one particular house.
I need to know who lives here. Troy says, knocking on the door.
‘We don’t have time,’ I tell him.
A moment later, the door opens and a pretty woman of around twenty-five years of age, in a green dress, appears in the doorway.
‘Mate!’ Troy says. Zayden and I look at each other in disbelief.
The lady is about to scream. Zayden and I look at each other in worry. I enter her home and gently pull her in. Troy and Zayden follow. I quickly close the door behind us.
‘Troy, did you just call this lady your mate?’ I ask. The poor lady is shaking. Troy is staring intently at the lady.
‘Has the Moon Goddess blessed me with a second chance, mate?’ He asks in disbelief.
‘It seems so,’ I say. I turn to the lady. ‘I am so sorry about this.’
She is breathing heavily and says in a posh accent, ‘I think I need to sit down… before I pass out.’
Troy immediately pulls a chair out from the table with a smile. The poor lady pauses in thought.
‘Actually, I would prefer this chair right over here…’ She says slowly as she walks to the chair furthest away from us.
Troy looks a little hurt. I felt the same pain when Maia kept stepping back from me when we first met. I gave Troy an empathetic look.
‘Are all three of you… werewolves?’ she asks. We all nod and smile at her. She begins to fan herself with her hand.
‘I think I need a drink…’ she says.
Troy turns to see a pot with water boiling over a fire.
‘I’ll make you a tea.’ he smiles.
‘Actually… I think I will need something much stronger.’ she says.
Troy looks glum at her response. She stands up and opens a small wooden door not far from where she was sitting and reveals a pouch of wine.
‘I’ll get you a cup!’ Troy says as he tries to be helpful and woo his mate.
‘I don’t normally do this as it’s not very ladylike or custom for a lady to drink straight from the wine pouch, but I’m going to put my lady mannerisms aside for once and drink it straight.’ She says.
Troy looks defeated and upset. He wants to be helpful and make her happy. I mind-link Troy. She is a human and in shock. She needs time to process all this. From what Maia told me, humans are petrified of us and think we are ruthless murderers. She needs to see we aren’t here to harm her and have no intention of hurting anyone.
Troy nods.
‘My name is Troy, this is Alpha King Damon, and this is Zayden,’ Troy introduces us, and we each shake her hand. Vivian thinks about our names for a moment.
‘Alpha King Damon, you say?’ she says, looking at me, ‘the ruler of the werewolves,’ she adds. We nod, smiling at her.
Her breathing becomes ragged, and she fans herself with her hand.
‘This is the first time I’ve had werewolves in my home.’ She says in disbelief.
‘I’m sorry. I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Vivian,’ she says, sipping the wine from the pouch. Why does Vivian sound familiar? Where have I heard this name before? Ah yes. Maia.
‘You know Maia, don’t you, and you are friends?’ I ask Vivian, smiling, connecting the dots.
Troy has his eyes glued to Vivian, and it’s starting to unnerve her. Troy – stop staring at her. You’re freaking her out. I mind-link him, and he blinks a few times before looking away.
‘Yes, I know, Maia. Is this about her?’ Vivian asks. Troy looks at me funnily.
‘You know Maia?’ Troy asks, marvelling at how small the world is.
‘Of course, I know, Maia. She is my dear friend. She visits my twin girls and me every few days,’ Vivian explains, smiling.
‘You have twin girls?’ Troy asks, surprised.
‘Yes, Ella and Grace. A friend is minding them,’ she adds.
‘You have a husband then?’ He says, downcast.
‘My husband died in a mining accident a few years ago,’ Vivian explains.
‘I’m sorry. That must have been very difficult. I once had a mate. Unfortunately, she died giving birth to our son,’ Troy says, sympathising with her.
‘I’m so sorry. That must have been awful,’ she says, sympathising with him.
‘I assumed werewolves were beasts. You’re quite charming, Troy,’ she says, clearly impressed with him. Troy straightens in his chair, pleased with himself.
‘Vivian, who was Maia with? Was she ok? Do you know where she is going?’ I ask, pleading for answers.
‘She tried to tell me she had been kidnapped. But I couldn’t help her. She was chained to the horse’s reigns. She drew a crowd. They were in awe of her. The knight said Maia is here to save us. From your kind,’ she says.
‘He told everyone he was escorting her to King Fenris’ castle, where she will lodge during the war,’ Vivian says.
‘I wish there were something I could have done,’ she says, in distress. Troy leans toward her in his chair and places his hand over hers.
‘It’s ok, love. We’ll find her and bring her back home here,’ Troy says, comforting her. She looks at him admirably.
‘What’s the quickest route to West Wallow Castle?’ I ask.
‘Through Shadowguard, then through the outskirts of Garnet Falls. It’s the route most people would take,’ she
says, smiling.
Troy and I thank her.
‘It’s getting dark, and we probably should eat to restore our energy. We will set up camp for the night and leave first thing in the morning.’ I say to Troy and Zayden. They nod.
‘You may stay here the night instead. I just need to collect Ella and Grace. They’re just a few houses up. I will be right back,’ Vivian says. We nod and bide our time in her absence.
She returns, holding their hands: they’re adorable, identical twins with blonde curls and blue eyes. They must look like their father as Vivian has brown hair and eyes.
‘Ella, Grace. I’d like you to meet Troy, Damon and Zayden,’ Vivian says, and Ella and Grace curtsy for us in matching dresses.
‘Hello everyone,’ they chime.
‘Well, I’m very pleased to meet the three prettiest ladies in all of Mysteria,’ Troy says. Vivian blushes, and the girls giggle.
‘Zayden here is only a few years older than you girls,’ Vivian says, and the girls run off to their room with Zayden to play. ‘I will cook us some supper, then,’ Vivian says, smiling.
Everyone smiles and nods. Vivian takes some fresh vegetables and begins to chop them up for soup.
‘How do you know Maia?’ Vivian asks me.
‘Mamma – when will we see the Forest Princess again? The twins chime.
‘Hopefully soon,’ Vivian says.
‘Maia is my mate,’ I tell Vivian.
‘I asked her if she had someone in mind when she came to see me the other day. I guess she does,’ Vivian says, smiling knowingly.
‘Oh, yes?’ I ask, curious about their conversation.
‘She’s an orphaned girl who lives with a fox. I filled her in on a few things,’ she says, smiling, and I know exactly what she means.
‘I only just met Maia a few days ago,’ I explain.
We sleep through the night and awake just at sunrise. We get ready to leave. Zayden hugs Ella and Grace goodbye in the hallway, grateful to have made new friends, and Troy stands near the door, holding Vivian’s hands.
‘When I return, we’ll get to know one another, my love and—’ Troy says before Vivian continues.
‘Actually, I’ve decided we’re coming with you to find Maia,’ Vivian says, smiling. I smile at them both and nod.
We follow Vivian to the stables behind her house, where two palominos stand eating hay from an erected wooden box.
I help Ella and Grace onto their horse while Troy hoists Vivian onto hers and thanks him. Once we left Wellmore village, Troy and I shift into our wolf forms. Zayden climbs onto Troy’s back holding our clothes. We all race towards Shadowguard village.
