Chapter II

My mother wasn't the most sugar-coated woman. She was a dark haired barmaid that had a nasty mouth and a way to get what she wanted from anyone around her. So, when it came to telling my brother and me we were werewolves, she didn't spend her time beating around the bush.

She had set us down one evening before she went off to the pub. I remember seeing her throw her long hair behind her shoulders while she tied an apron around her waist. She turned and looked at us while we ate dinner quietly. Liam hadn't gone through the change yet and I was only a mere lad. The change happened when you were in your later years and for most people it was a quiet change that ripped through you at unexpected moments.

"Boys, you're werewolves."

She sighed biting into an apple while leaning against a counter, watching our expressions change. It was quiet for a few moments before Liam stood up abruptly.

"Don't start playing games with us, mother."

"I see no sort of game being played here."

"You're lying to us! We cannot be werewolves!"

"Liam, I've raised you and your brother since that mud-drinker you call a father abandoned you. I would never lie or play games with you. I decided to tell you now because you will become of age for the transformation to take place."

"This isn't funny; people hunt werewolves just like they hunt vampires!" I chimed in; my mother whipped her head towards me. I closed my mouth as quick as I could. She gave a sigh and rubbed her temples. Her diamond eyes shot back to Liam, who seemed to ignore our newfound heritage.

"THere will come a day where I won't be here and you won't know what to do once the transformation takes place my boys. I cannot stand idly by to let you fall flat on your faces. I understand that these things are hard to comprehend for you. Lycanthropy runs in my veins, your father's and yours. You can call yourself a monster or a beast but one thing will be clear: you are my children as well as Akmala's, there is no monster inside you, only a blessing handed down upon you."

It wasn't the easiest conversation to have. To have your own mother give you a warning as well as a history lesson. But that's what people respected about her that she wasn't willing to go down without a fight. Some say that her heart was hardened from when my father left her alone with two boys and some say that she was a warrior at heart.

Liam had a hard time trying to believe her and to accept being a werewolf. But she was right, whichever way you sliced it.

You fight who you are or you shall die trying to conceal it.

~~~/~~~

I had completely stayed awake the rest of that night. I knew that if I closed my eyes that I'd dream of Killian or that my mind wouldn't be able to stop replaying the images of our heated kiss behind the pub. I scolded myself the very second I walked back to the Sanctuary. I didn't speak a word to Elsa and I just locked myself in the armory sharpening and shining every piece of metal I could find while humming Gaelic tunes that Melkan had taught me.

Killian didn't pursue me either, which was a relief but I also wasn't expecting him to. My brain was practically fuzzy and my judgment was severely clouded when he and I shared that kiss. I kept trying to tell myself that it was the bond from the imprint and that it was only primal instincts getting the better of me. But, the more I tried to convince myself that it was nothing more than that the more I pondered maybe that I wanted it to be more?

I knew I was going to get one hell of a lecture from Melkan if he knew I didn't sleep at all but under these-awkward circumstances I assumed he shouldn't care or even ask. I stood out with the horses, my armor that Thrynn custom made for me nearly shimmered with cleanliness as I waited for everyone to start spilling out. I was playing with the dark Elven metal when I heard the door open. My head snapped towards to see Elsa and Thrynn giving each other a smile while he walked her down to where I stood.

I tried to keep my smirk off my face seeing Elsa give me a wink before taking her place next to me. The door opened and more people began spilling out. Every hunter was wishing us well on our journey but I knew most of them were trying to put in their last goodbyes as if they had no faith in me. I tried to lose myself in the chatter about Elsa's armor background but my eyes kept drifting to where Killian should have been coming out.

Melkan had approached me before I had the chance to notice. He touched my face gently before handing me a thick-skin bracelet. I looked down on it and gave a small smile. It was the first bracelet that I ever made Melkan. It was frayed and worn out and I could see that Melkan kept to his promise and never took it off from when I first gave it to him over sixteen years ago.

"There's not much I can say,"

"I think this is enough." I said gently stroking the bracelet then sliding it over my wrist. I gave a small sigh and hugged him tightly. I was almost afraid to look at him in the eyes because I knew I was going to see that he really wanted me to stay after all. Knowing myself, I would have stayed if he asked again. Rebella handed me a bag of potions that nearly glowed inside the bag.

"Healing potions, some magic potions to help Elsa and a couple of spices to keep some…urges at bay." She gave me a wink; I glowered at her strapping the satchel in tightly to my horse.

"Should I be inclined to give you my thanks for the last one?"

"You will thank me when you're not pregnant werewolf children."

Melkan busted up in a fit of coughs from the tea he was having. He was then the one to glare at her this time.

"Rebella, please, I don't want to hear that."

"She's a grown woman."

"A grown woman, yes, but I am a man who serves just like a father figure and therefore I shall not be part of this conversation."

"Would you rather her to be with child?"

"REBELLA. STOP."

Through their bickering I saw Killian come through the doors. He kept his face down while his ebony armor shined just as brightly as mine. His eyes were dark and blood shot, it looked like I wasn't the only one with a sleepless night. Some of the hunters patted him on the back and handed him bags to put on his horse while I watched him closely.

I only met his eyes for a split second before Elsa tugged on my hand to show me that we needed to mount onto our horses and get started onto the journey. I hugged Rebella and Melkan tightly before hoisting myself up and onto my steed. I cleared my throat loudly to let Melkan and Rebella stop their argument.

"We'll be off. I'll send a rider as soon as we get to the nearest destination to tell you how things are going." Melkan grasped my hand tightly.

"Stay safe, my little swan." He gave a small smile which I returned sadly. I turned my head toward Elsa and Killian who both sat on their horses now. Elsa gave me a small nod and through the endless goodbyes we began to ride off away from the sanctuary and away from my home.

~~~/~~~

"I didn't expect this journey to be so dull."

It had been only six hours since we left the Sanctuary and Elsa was already complaining. The sun was high in the sky. We still had hours to go until we'd get to the next destination. Of course it was a place where I tried to avoid to the best of my abilities but Melkan demanded that we needed for help if killing Gorem would fail.

There were only a handful of good vampire hunters but them against thousands of vampires wasn't the best plan. Elsa and Melkan agreed to go to this place to ask for help. The king would be more inclined to listen to our plea considering we've been more than courteous to clear out his own vampire problems throughout this realm.

"Do you expect us to share stories while we ride?" Killian asked keeping his eyes peeled to the field in front of us. The trail we followed should lead us right into the town that led to the kingdom but it was hard to tell with all the miles of cornfields surrounding us completely.

"That sounds interesting! Tell me how long it took you to become house-trained."

"I'll tell you that if you tell me how long you've had that icicle stuck up your-"

"We need to be careful in these parts. Trolls tend to live inside the cornfields." I hissed at them. I wondered why it was so quiet. It was well known that trolls took comfort in fields since they had plentiful amount of food around them. I had been so ignorant to not think of them inside the cornfields we were in the middle of.

"It's quiet." Elsa whispered.

Killian shut his mouth and craned his head around us. No doubt in my mind that he was using that werewolf hearing into good use. It was a nice attempt but trolls were stealthy and quiet when they were-

My blood ran cold when the thought hit me. We had been riding through this field for over a half hour. By now they would have caught our scent and decided our smell was better than the corn that they gorge themselves on.

"That's because we're being hunted." Killian whispered. I turned my head toward him and nodded in agreement. They had been drifted somewhere close to path that we were on but not close enough to be seen or heard.

"How many do you hear?"

"I hear two heart beats."

"How far off are they?"

"A couple of feet behind, they can easily reach us."

"What do you suggest?" Elsa asked.

I met Killian's eyes, I couldn't make head or tails whether to make a run for it or to stay back and fight them off. Even with Elsa's magic they would still catch onto our horses trails and if we ran on foot they'd easily tear us apart. There was no other way than to make a run for it. I made a signal to make the run for it. Grabbing the reigns I rolled them forward taking off.

It was only seconds before the trolls made their presence known behind us. They burst through the cornfields and started sprinting onto the path. I turned to my side and grasped my crossbow. I shoved the first arrow into place. I could tell that they were hungry the way that they sprinted for it.

"Aim for the legs!" Killian yelled. My aim was too compromised to get a steady target on their legs and they were also running in different patterns so there was no clear shot. I had packed my damn explosives inside my bag underneath other ones. Finding those would be like finding a needle in a haystack. I didn't have a choice but to aim for it. I focused as best I could and fired the first arrow seeing it strike through the left troll's shoulder.

The troll roared as my arrow tore through his skin and whizzed between them. They both roared in anger causing birds to fly out of their nested homes. I gave a look to them and Elsa turned her body and gave me a wink.

"I guess it's my turn!" Killian grasped the reins on her horse keeping the horse steady. I spun my head toward Elsa that was now facing the creatures. I watched as she concentrated on the energy that was fizzing beneath her palms. She took deep breaths before she opened her blue eyes and launched her hands outward and a burst of ice came from them.

I watched as the ice stuck onto the ground causing the trolls to start slipping stunting their ability to run any faster. Elsa shot her wrist up to create an ice wall.

"The one purpose that the ice wall is good for." Killian yelled. The trolls easily burst right through it. I could see the anger flash on Elsa's face as she then brought her arm back and launched it forward and ice spike going straight into one of the troll's legs. The strangled howl of pain that came from its mouth nearly deafened me. I focused toward the end of the cornfield where we were heading towards the woods and straight into the village territory.

"We can't bring these creatures toward the town! Last time I was here it was unprotected!" I yelled at the both of them getting my horse to go faster.

"Well, they aren't stopping anytime soon especially the one that has been impaled by my magic!"

"Make the ground icy again before the start to learn how to skate across it!" Killian demanded loudly as we reached closer to the woods. I dug my hand through my bag in a last attempt to find my explosive arrows. Elsa ran her hand across the air and another flash of ice hit the floor. I turned my attention toward the bag desperately searching for them.

"EMMA!"

Killian hissed I looked up a second too late; one of the trolls had slid across the ice and caught up to my horse. He swatted his hand hard against me knocking me right off my horse. I hit the ground and rolled right into the cornfield.

I turned over to see the first troll holding up his fist to kill me. I reached for my crossbow that was just out of reach. I prepared myself for impact but before his fist could slam down I heard something whiz by and make impact. I opened an eye to see an arrow lodged in the troll's head I looked down to see the blood that covered my armor.

I twisted my body away from just as the troll hit the ground near me. I gave a loud sigh of relief and turned my head to see that Elsa had finally taken down the other troll. He was impaled with a larger ice spike through the stomach. Killian stopped the horse and ran for me. I turned my attention toward the sound of galloping horses and slowly stood.

Their armor was unfamiliar to me but it wasn't mistaking it that the symbol was from the village that we were heading towards. One of them that led the pack laughed loudly as he approached me.

"A damsel in distress! I think a knight should be rewarded with a kiss!"

"You'll be rewarded with a foot in your arse." I shouted at his bluntness. He gave another loud laugh toward his other fellow knights. His voice seemed familiar but I couldn't recognize him underneath the helmet he wore.

"-and such a foul mouth! You haven't changed one bit, Emma!"

"You're Majesty, what a hunt!" One of knights cheered. The look of confusion on my face was humorous to him because he let out yet another familiar laugh. He gave a sigh and gently took off his helmet revealing his face. As soon as I saw his dark chocolate eyes I gave a curse.

Of course, he would be king by the time I needed his help. I should have expected him to take the throne when he finally became of age to ascend the throne. I bit back my tongue just as Killian and Elsa reached me.

"Emma, are you alright?" Elsa asked looking at my arm that was bleeding just the smallest bit.

"I've only heard stories of brilliant ice wizards but to see one in person, I must say that I am impressed."

"My thanks but who are you?"

"Many apologies, my name is King Neal of Evaelin."

King Neal?