Lycanthropy
Chapter Ninety-Six

Where?:

Bright light.

Silence.

Only the sound of soft pacing paws, coming closer, as I tried to open my eyes against the bright surroundings.

Suddenly a thud and a heavy sigh was heard.

I turned around, shielding my eyes with my right arm, slowly giving myself the time to adjust to the light.

For miles and miles, as I assume, everything was white. But the place I am right now, wasn’t empty.

White ground, white trees, white sky, white snow, white rocks…

And one big ass, white wolf, laying in front of me.

It looked hopefully towards me, begging me silently to be pet.

I squatted down, and took a little moment, before slowly brushing my fingers from between the wolf’s eyes upwards between her ears. And when I brushed behind one of her ears, she tilted her head and closed her eyes in contentment.

“I always like to be touched there.” I suddenly heard a voice boom in the empty space between us, and I jumped up in surprise.

Faintly, I knew where the voice was coming from, but her mouth wasn’t moving.

Faintly, I knew who the voice belonged to, but I couldn’t figure it out.

“We have been together ever since we were born, you know who I am.” The voice said again, while the wolf lifted her head and looked at me calmly.

I tried furiously to replace her name, her meaning in my life…

“Dakota?” I asked uncertain.

The white wolf nodded her head and everything that happened to me, to us, came back to me in a rush.

“What is this place?” I asked her, still a little confused as why my inner wolf, now stood in front of me, in this awkward white environment.

“You are in my world.” A sudden silky female voice said behind me.

I turned around, and Dakota walked right over towards the female in white clothes.

From here I could see that a white shiny aura radiated off of this woman, while her white hair hung straight down, and her unblemished pale face showed a kind smile.

“If this is your world, you could have added some colour!” I said to the woman, realising exactly who she is.

“Is that the way you talk to your Goddess?” She smiled.

“Yep, because I never twirl around my own words. Always hated it when people do that.” I said while crossing my arms.

Dakota shook her head, as she knew that I had stalled upon telling Aron that I love him, but she didn't say a word and laid down at the Goddess’ her feet.

“And I always liked that about you.” She said while petting Dakota between the ears.

“Good, because I’m not going to change it.” I said with a smile. “But, to get to the point, why am I here?” I asked her now.

“Because I wanted to, I wanted to see you for a moment.” She replied.

She waited for a moment to continue, knowing that she would lightly irritate me with not telling me right now what she wanted with me. Her face contorted while a big smile appeared from left to right.

“Emerson Haraldsdottir.”

“Yes….” I dragged out the word, but she still didn’t continue.

“Oh, come on! I’ve got a turkey in the oven to prepare for Christmas!” Yelling to her sarcastically, indicating that her stalling was annoying me badly, as I had just told her that I didn’t appreciate people who take ages to start their story.

She was laughing out loud now, snorting like a cute little piglet, holding her hand in front of her face.

“Really, I don’t know how you think off such things to say! But I was waiting for you to make a snappy remark at me. I love how you say such things!” She explained herself, still laughing.

It took her a few deep breathes, and a few little laughs in between, making me annoyed just a tiny little bit more.

“Just a tiny bit?” Dakota asked me.

“Oh, so even here you can still hear my thoughts?” I snapped at her.

“Yes, and so can I.” The Goddess said, all serious now.

Well am I glad that I haven’t ‘thought’ of anything inappropriate.

Shit.

“But, as I assume you want to cook that turkey, I will send you back, because you are not done yet.”

“Not done? Isn’t everyone I love, safe then? Hadn’t the EMP worked?” I asked her.

“Well, I’m not in the position to tell you that. All I can say, is that I’m not particularly happy with the way that your friends and family are trying to pull you back, so I want you to tell Marius to not do it again, otherwise I will come after him. But, the most important reason that I wanted you to wake up here, is because of someone else. And if I want to make this certain soul come back to the good side, then I need a bad soul to send to the bad side.”

Is Marius attempting to get me back, just as Radu did to my mother? I certainly hope not, because I don’t want to become this numb, dumb slave!

“But which soul do you want to take back to the good side?” I asked her curiously.

“Your mother’s.” She said and lifted her left hand pointing somewhere behind me.

I snapped my head around, anxious to see if it was truly her this time.

No red eyes, no shitty words, just her beautiful body and wolf, right next to her.

“Mother? So it was you down there?” I asked her, replaceing out that she had been hit by the EMP as well, as that is why she is dead now too, right?

“Yes, my beautiful daughter, come here.” She said with her open arms.

I ran to her, knowing that this was truly her, tears ran over my face, arms open wide and I hugged her, so tightly, never wanting to let her go.

“There is little time, honey, you have to go now.” She said.

“What do you mean? We have got all the time in the world, all the Nightstalkers are dead and you are here with me. I’m sure they can wait a little longer, for me to return, right?” I asked her now.

“Honey, not every Nightstalker has passed through this place. And I am not supposed to stay her much longer, I can feel the evil drawing me away.” She said with a sad voice.

“Well I hope not, as I told my grandmother to run.” I said a little confused, but also hoping furiously that she was the only Nightstalker who ran and survived.

My mother didn’t reply to what I said, but instead just let me think things over.

“Shit, the bad soul, that the Goddess mentioned earlier… He is not dead?” I asked her and she shook her head.

Fuck! No! Then my actions had all been in vain! I am dead and he is not? He can just create a whole new army and attack my packs again, killing them for good this time!

I guess that is what my mother referred to, that there is no time for me to stay here any longer, besides her being drawn to evil. I have a job to do, one that only I can finish.

“Can’t you come with me?” I asked her.

“No, it was never meant to be, for me to be drawn back again.”

“But it is for me?” I asked her confused, and a little angry as well.

“Yes, you have a long way to go, as a Queen, and something else as well.” She said cryptically, and I furrowed my brows. “Don’t ask, just see for it yourself.”

I was happy to hear that I was going to be a Queen, and not the mindless woman, attached to a Nightstalker for eternity.

“Fine.” I said and rolled my eyes. “Will you wait here for me? Until it is my time to actually die?” I asked her now.

“I have always been waiting here, my precious daughter, and I always will.” She said, while giving me a kiss on my forehead.

I smiled lightly, and turned towards the Goddess again.

“So, one terribly bad soul, right?”

“Yes, the most bad one you can replace.” She said.

“Be ready for it then. Because I’ll give him hell!”

Dakota sped her way towards me, jumped in the air and when she almost reached me, everything turned black.

“Are you with me, girl?” I asked Dakota in the dark.

“Never left your side. Let’s kill that bastard!” She shouted, right before my mind went completely black.