“So your name is Accashia.” Luntian asked as she poured in a generous amount of stew on the bowl that Accashia was holding. “What a pretty name. The meaning of your name fits you as well.”
Steam rose from the bowl, and because she’s starving the young lady did not mind the heat and took a sip. She made a sound of delight. “This is delicious.” She looked up to Luntian then gave the old lady a smile. “And… thank you.” She paused to take another sip. “For saying that my name is pretty.”
“It is. As pretty as you.”
Accashia frowned then shook her head. “I’m not pretty.”
Luntian laughed after swallowing her food. “You are! Have you seen yourself?”
The old lady stared at Accashia from head to toe and little by little, she noticed how Accashia was changing. Her long brown hair was turning ginger and the scars on her face, her body — from the past scars from the wounds from yesterday were healing.
Her uneven skin from being on the sun for too long changed as well. From tan to fair. But the biggest change was the mark just below her nape.
A symbol that the knotting was a success.
Luntian cleared her throat as she saw Accashia gobbled up the food, practically swallowed it and did not bother to chew on the meat. “More food?” She asked then gestured at the black pot behind them.
Accashia’s mouth was full of vegetables and meat as she mumbled, “Yes please.”
“You go on ahead and eat a lot my lady.” Luntian said with a smile as she gave Accashia another bowl of food. “Tonight at the new moon, your body needs to be ready for the final change. After eating, you sleep and rest.”
Bothered by what she heard, Accashia looked up and put down her bowl. She realized something. That Luntian had no intention to let her go. The young lady stood up abruptly, making the makeshift table between them shake. “I have to go.”
Luntian slowly looked up from her bowl, an amused smile on her face. “And where are you going?”
Accashia did not bother to look back at Luntian, she marched forward and tried to find the path that would lead her back home. “I’m going home.”
Again, Luntian could only giggle in amusement. “And why would you want to go home?”
This time, Accashia stopped walking and turned her head to look at Luntian. “Because it’s my birthday.” She said aloud with a blush. “A–and my mom always gives me something for my birthday.”
Luntian kept her gaze on Accashia. Oh how many times she has to deal with this kind of rebellious age. She cannot count anymore. “You will go home even though your brothers keep on pushing you around? Hurting you? Abusing you?”
The young lady’s eyes went wide, and her face shifted from calm to grim. No, she doesn't want to go home and be bullied again. But it’s her birthday… and her mother always makes her feel special during her birthday. “I…” She was left speechless. “How did you know that?” Was the only thing she could say.
Luntian smiled brightly. And as she did, it’s as if the clouds had opened up and the sun’s rays shined down on her. “Because I can read your soul. And thinking about your brothers gives you nothing but pain.”
The old lady gestured again at the food. “Now come back here and listen. Your soul needs to heal, now eat.”
===========
Loud screams and growls resounded inside a dark cave. It has always been painful. Bones forcibly elongate and change their shape, sometimes moving so drastically that they rupture his skin. Silver coat of fur was gradually shedding from his aching skin. Soon his pale skin was visible, and his bones went back into place. He heard his shoulder pop, a sign that he was human again.
“Damn it.” Calleb was never fond of the change. The shift, as Luntian calls it. It was painful and it took several minutes but it feels like hours.
He remembered how odd last night was. How much he changed when he saw the girl trapped on the tree. It was his first time to encounter something like that. It made him confused, and angry with himself.
It made him weak and succumbed to his desires.
How could he do that to the poor girl? “Damn it…” He hissed a curse.
Calleb tried to push himself up from the damp ground. Now that he was human again, the wounds he got from the chase yesterday healed. Yet he was so spent. He could even barely make himself stand up.
He remembers Luntian telling him about the change. He will be weak because of the knotting. Not only will he lose self control but he will also experience a different type of heat around his mate.
“Fuck!” He cursed at himself. “I can’t even stand up, perfect.”
================
Back at the hollow cave, Accashia paced back and forth, muttering curses. It’s as if she was stuck at the moment, rather she did not know what to do. The idea of being someone’s mate for life seemed crazy, out of this world. Yet the idea of coming home and experiencing the same abuse from her brothers drove her insane as well.
It seems like anywhere she turned, she had nowhere to go. She also remembered stories from the past. The stone tablets. The warnings and the lullabies.
“Luntian.” She called for the old woman as she played with her fingers. “Ca—can I tell you something.”
Luntian looked up to Accashia with a smile. “What is it, my dear?”
The young lady seemed unsure of herself. And she did not know how to form the words that she was about to say. She bit her lips then looked at Luntian, her eyes pleading. “There’s this legend that everyone from my village knows about. The legend of the beast from the East.”
Luntian raised her brow, her curiosity tickled making her eyes spark. “What legend, care to tell me about it?”
Accashia took a deep breath and began to sing, a melody that she had memorized by heart out of fear. “Don't go to the forest. Don't go to the east."
Upon hearing the song, Luntian’s eyes went wide and she began to laugh.
“Why are you laughing?” Accashia asked, a bit offended. “The — the legend that I sang was talking about the beast that I saw last night, right? He—He’s not human, he was a beast.” She licked her lips after hearing herself out. “He’s what the village Shaman warns us about.”
The old lady shook her head. “So this is what you’re feeding the minds of the innocent, huh, Ursula.”
Accashia squints her eyes, “What?”
The old lady smiled then shook her head. “He’s about to arrive.” Luntian announced as she fixed herself. “Calleb.”
Upon hearing the name, Accashia crossed her arms against her chest then tilted her head to the side. So the beast has a name. “Calleb?” The name rolled against her tongue, feeling a weird sensation on her chest upon knowing the name of the beast who claimed her last night.
“Yes. Calleb Shaldan.”
Suddenly the wind blew harder, and leaves were dragged by the breeze. Birds resting on the branches of the trees began to fly away and move to the east. Accashia’s heart raced when she sniffed a scent — something so familiar, a scent of the mountain breeze, sandalwood.
From a distance, Calleb appeared. He was tall and his wavy silver hair reached up to his shoulder. Broad shoulders and chiseled body, from afar he looked like a vision. A beautiful man. A kind of beauty Accashia had never laid her eyes on.
But when her eyes met his blush gray ones… the young lady couldn’t help but swallow against her throat.
“The same eyes as the wolf.” She whispered to herself.
And now Calleb was standing in front of her, he was a foot taller. Bigger. Accashia bit her lips as a sinful thought flickered on her mind. The sensation she experienced last night was coming back.
But then…
‘You’re not that pretty.” Calleb said with a frown, making Accashia’s jaw relax and her mouth drop in disbelief. Her arms fell on her side and she looked at Calleb in the eye and said, “What?”
Calleb let out a crooked grin, then he leaned down to look at Accashia closer. As if he was measuring her up. He even thought to himself why he was mated to such a plain looking girl. Legends from the olden days said that the Queen of Shaldan was a prized beauty. That men from all over the world would fight for her.
Yet this one… “So you’re my mate, huh?”
The full moon had risen last night. Never did she thought that the son of the Alpha — The King would survive. “That wretched Luntian.” The wicked witch hissed through gritted teeth. “That old hag really doesn't know how to mind her own goddamn business.” Sitting on the rusty throne, Ursula, the Wicked Witch combs her hair, her inch long fingers dragging and combing the straight black locks. Her smooth pale skin contrasted her black and purple cloak that pooled down to her ankles. Ruby lips, violet eyes. A beautiful face. Men from all over the world would fall for her ethereal beauty. Only there’s a secret behind that beautiful face and youth. She sold her soul to one of the Seven demons. Before she became this beautiful, she was one of the faithful Shaman’s who served the Kingdom of Shaldan. But things changed, her heart changed. And even after hundreds of years of the Kingdom’s decimation, she cannot move on. Not until every single descendant of the Alpha is killed and turned int
The thorns that separated the Village from the forest clung to her clothes. Piercing her thighs, scratching her bloody, letting out drops of blood. She barely made it back. Halfway through her journey back home, her legs were stiff and dry and her throat became itchy. Her body was begging for water. It’s only one of the many things that she felt. With one last push, she was out of the thorny bushes. “Oof!” She tripped and fell on the ground with a thud. And there it is, her Village. Walakya. Her home. It was a simple Village, brown small huts and houses. Many children were running and playing around, but at the sight of it, she felt lonely. It’s at times like these that she thinks back on how things used to be and that awful feeling of bitterness and resentment coils up in her gut like a cold unfeeling snake. She tried to think that she could live day by day doing the same routine. But… after what happened with Calleb, who can she turn to other than her family? Being in this Vil
“How could you do that to your sister?!” Was Ember’s frustrated holler at the three young men standing in front of her. The three looked down from shame. Not only receiving scoldings from their mother but from the village Shaman as well.Accashia was put to sleep, the Shaman doing a ritual that helped the young woman relax, mixing herbs and salt. As the middle aged woman continued to scold and reprimand her children, the Shaman looked at Accashia. “This young woman had been touched by the beast.” She whispered to herself. Remembering the stories of old, how the legend of the Eastern Kingdom went to chaos, the Shaman closed her eyes. From her satchel, she took out a pouch that contained a mixture of salt, sage and coal. Saying her enchantments, the old woman drizzled the mixture on Accashia’s face, hands and chest. Her eyes remained closed as she continued chanting. Praying to the spirits for guidance, for answers on what could’ve happened to the young woman. ‘Beast’ ‘Mate’ ‘Shald
"Calleb, take Accashia. We need to treat her wound immediately.” Was what Accashia heard as she felt her body being carried inside the hollow cave. Calleb gently placed her on the bed made of grass and cloth, and began to take off her clothes. The wound on the back of her neck was still bleeding because it pierced thoroughly, the blade sinking not only on her flesh. Mongolia’s intention was to remove a heap of meat from her nape, cutting her like an animal. Ruthless. “Turn her around.” Luntian commanded. She grabbed a pile of leaves, smothering them with paste made of herbs and salt. Luntian gently placed the leaves on Accashia’s wounds. “This will hurt a little.” Was her soft coos to the young lady. Feeling the herbs graze against the wound, Accahia screamed in pain. Crying out loud. “Hold her down!” Calleb clicked his tongue in annoyance. “I’m trying!” The night went on like that, for if the bleeding doesn’t stop, Accashia will lose her life. Not only because of the wound. Bu
Though she still feels pain with every movement that she makes, Accashia follows Luntian without any protest or objections. The Shaman leads her to the bonfire, and when they are seated comfortably on the log, Luntian throws a mix of salt and zirconium at the fire. It made a sizzling noise, the minerals cracking until it turned to smoke. As the smoke rose to the sky, Luntian stood up, raising her hands. And when she did, the smoke formed a castle. A fortress, strong. Sturdy and the castle walls are high. Accashia sat with lips parted from awe. Her eyes twinkled along with the embers of fire that danced with every whirl and twirl of Luntian’s hands. And so, she begins to tell the tale of how the Kingdom of Shaldan fell from its glory. “In an ancient Kingdom, a Beast of black and white reigned . He was sovereign, graceful. And with his Queen, the Luna named Galathea, they were undefeatable. The were-people loved them. For they were kind, gentle and benevolent. His army consisted of
Even when they gave everything they had, Mongolia was still defeated — humiliated by the sheer strength of the beast. Hundreds of lives wasted as the beast had proven to be too strong for them. Like how the legends are foretold, the beast was strong, it’s strength and prowess unlike humans. It’s the devil hiding behind the flesh of a beautiful man, tricking women and preying upon their fragile souls. “Oh powerful spirits, guide us.” Mongolia witnessed it herself, as the beast broke every bones of her men, son and guards. How he tossed the bodies of the men he had broken. She witnessed her sons, Malakeeth and Malakas being beaten to death by this monster. How she survived was beyond her. It’s as if the talons of the Eagle of her spirit guide watched over her. Blood was running down her face, and it felt like her head was spinning. Both of her legs were broken. It was already dawn, who knew that she’d see the sunrise like this. The village she grew old too had luscious pastures of
From dawn to dusk, they went on their journey towards the East. Through the thickets of the forest and through the stone walls as tall as a man. They only stopped when the moon appeared in the darkening sky. Luntian used her magic to find a place they could camp. Her spirit guide found a rickety house, but it is better than sleeping on the ground during this chilly night. It’s an old house trapped or built in the middle of two rocks. A strong yet frightening way to build something that is to be called home. The yard was so overgrown it’s almost become a miniature jungle. The place itself is in similar disrepair, crumbling and decrepit. With little force, Calleb scales the rusty padlocked gate easily. As much as he doesn’t like the place, it’s better than having nothing at all. He turned to face Accashia and Luntian with a disgruntled look on his face. “Let’s camp for the night. Tomorrow we leave, this place is disgusting.”, and then feels foolish for even being here. It was predict
‘Those who encountered the beast, come to me.’ Hearing the beautiful lustrous voice, the soul of the young man drifted out from its earthly macabre looking body. Eyes pecked out by crows, intestines laying on the ground, soiled and eaten by foxes, wild animals. ‘Come to me, come to me.’ The beautiful voice sang. The light blue soul turned dark. The sins, the transgressions and the wickedness the soul had endured overruled its purity. Turning it into a ghoul. ‘Come!’ It followed the whispers. The alluring sound. A promise of sanctuary, and the voice of the songstress was seemingly laced with beautiful promises. A promise to be saved, and rescued. The soul saw a woman, standing tall and proud with a smirk. She was wearing a green and black gown. Beautiful, intricate design. The woman was similar to the stories being told to them when he was still a young and innocent child. A witch. A sorceress, a seductress. The black soul yearning to be saved should’ve gone back to its body. Wa