Sitting by the window, I saw crowds gather by the gates of Cerberus. All protesters called for my head on a silver platter.

“Kill the wicked witch! Not one Moira sorceress must live!” They chanted loudly.

Not that I blamed them. After reading such an article, their feelings were in discord. It was a miracle that Cerberus guards were not letting people in. Their dedication was almost admirable. Most of them had a history of what happened fourteen years ago. People... hated me because of what I was, not because of what I had done, though.

If they knew what I truly was then, no gate would hold them. Although I wondered if they would touch me if they knew the full truth. Or would they live in fear like most of the people who knew me? However, compared to their anger.

Nothing scared me more than Stella. What she could do or wanted to do. It terrified me beyond belief. When Fenris finally returned to the room, he announced someone had broken into the 'secured' files where my medical records were located. A fire elf that worked in Cerberus was identified as the culprit but was found dead soon after in his dorm room.

Suicide, they called it. He was found hanging from the ceiling fan. There were no clues in his room to lead on why he did that. However, it seemed he was not the one who delivered it to the news outlets. No, that was someone else.

A camera near the news building showed a dark hooded figure dropping it off. From the shape, one could tell it was a woman, though her origins were unknown. She covered her face well enough, avoiding the camera, too. It also seemed that the files were stolen two days ago, but no one noticed.

They were too busy getting ready for the Lycan festival, making sure it was safe for all the participants after the recent attack. Again, they had gotten comfy. Frustrated by the whole development, Fenris seemed like he was about to crack from the pressure he was in.

Keeping me safe seemed impossible now that everything had been warped and leaked into the public. It was good that they still did not know I was a vessel. It would prevent the witches from doing something stupid, but...

If word somehow reached Stella. She would not care if I were or not. All she wanted for me was to suffer and die. Well, after I had enough of her punishment. Melody called Layla a psychopath, but she was nothing compared to Stella. No one was safe anymore.

"Why can't the ascension happen faster?!?! I feel so powerless to stop anything." Fenris finally broke, sitting on his bed.

The pressure... was too much for him. This was what I wanted to avoid at all costs. Why I wanted to be his equal rather than his duty. If I were not the vessel for death, then maybe he would not have to worry as much. Noticing his pain, Liam went to him, grabbing him by his shoulder.

"Don’t worry, Fen, we’ll figure everything out. You aren’t alone in this man. I’m here for you." Liam tried to comfort his friend.

Years of stress were showing in the cracks that were forming. Ever since I met Fenris... he had become my prisoner. All I wanted to do was let him free. For that, I had to change. I had to move forward. Stella could not make me cower in fear anymore.

Getting up from the chair, I headed towards Fenris, who was brittle and angry.

"Whoever did this... I am going to rip them apart and make sure they can’t see another day!" Fenris snarled in anger.

The pure animosity in his voice... was startling. I had never heard him speak like that towards anyone. Instinctively, my body moved, hugging him from behind. Covering his eyes with my hands, I tried to calm his rage. I did not want him to be full of hate. A feeling I had struggled to keep out of my life.

I fought with every fiber in my body to not be like the woman who tortured me.

"You cannot!" I voiced.

He was under so much pressure that it was breaking him. Grabbing onto my hands, he turned towards me, pressing his forehead against mine. It was so warm. His tail wrapped around my waist, making sure I was close to him. Safe.

Intertwining his hands with mine, I simpered gently. I enjoyed his presence, even though he seemed in anguish. Everything was out of his control.

"Lily..." Fenris called.

I caressed his cheek.

"Fenris... You do not want to be a murderer. Once you have innocent blood in your hands, it can never be undone." I whispered gently.

I knew full well what it felt like to have killed thousands in a blink of an eye. It was something I could never undo, and a feeling I never wanted him to have. Even though working in Cerberus meant he would have to kill. I did not know if he had ever slain anyone before.

After all, he never told me what his training was or what he endured. Even so, murdering someone who could not protect themselves or was weaker than oneself was unacceptable. Especially after doing something like expressing their feelings. That did not warrant anyone's death. Maybe a punishment, but not death.

"Innocent?!? They are not innocent, Lilith! They are trying to hurt you." Fenris argued, releasing a small growl from his lips.

Even though he was trying to seem tough, his amber orbs seemed so tired. I would dare say delicate, too. My little wolf was struggling. I am so sorry I failed you, Fenris. All these years and I had not released him from this burden he had to carry. Taking a deep breath, I sighed before shaking my head in response.

"I am not innocent in this either, even if they twisted the facts around to have more of a favorable response. I am still a Moira witch that was used for the sacrifice; nothing can change that." I smiled, touched by him.

But I could not bear the thought of him hurting anyone because of me. Especially since I was guilty of some of their claims. I was a Moira witch. And I had taken part in the ritual, though unwillingly. I probably saved some lives with what I did, but still many others died because I failed to do better.

I did not blame them for hating me, nor did I want them condemned because of it. If I had escaped from all the hate. If I had my sanctuary, I would bear it all willingly.

"Lilith... No... I won’t allow you to bear this all by yourself. You are nothing like those witches." Fenris started.

Melody and Liam joined in on it.

"That is right. You are kind and loving," Melody added.

Liam said something similar, too. Instead of changing my mind, they seemed to reinforce it. These three wolves... were all I needed to live a happy life. For that reason, I had to be strong. I could let no one else deviate me from the path I had chosen.

To live for Fenris. To see him happy, even if he were not mine at the end of it all.

"Thank you." I simpered, feeling a bit flustered by their words.

In response to my shy smile, Fenris lightly kissed my lips. His eyes glowed a bit too when he did so. I wondered what was in his mind that made him react that way. It was not anything good. That much I knew.

"Liam... I’ll need you to clear your schedule for the next few weeks," Fenris ordered, not turning his gaze away from me.

Upon hearing his alpha's command, the brown wolf nodded.

"Already cleared Fen,” he confirmed.

This allowed Fenris to calm down a bit, thanks to his faithful friend's acceptance of his unreasonable demand.

"Good. Melody... If I can’t convince Ryker to let me stay with Lilith during the festival, could you do it for me?" Fenris turned to Melody slightly, who jumped at the chance of him depending on her.

His question towards her confused me, though. It made me wonder if he really was leaving during the festival. I would not have him by my side for that entire week. If that was what he meant, then I... could not expect everything to go as I planned. My time was running out.

"Of course!" Melody assured, causing Fenris to smile at her.

His response to her triggered her to flush red. She quickly turned to Liam, who seemed a bit ticked off by her reaction towards Fenris. Maybe he wished she would have the same reaction towards him, but she always did. This time, the black wolf seemed happy to be depended on by the future alpha of the pack.

"Great.” Fenris smiled, turning to me.

“Lily... You can’t leave this room for the time being." Fenris informed, trailing his hand on my cheek.

This came, much to my displeasure. Not only would he have to leave me as soon as the festival began, but I would have to be stuck in this room, too. This was not good at all. Everything was getting complicated in ways I had not expected. I hated how dependent I was on Fenris and everyone else.

"Fenris, I..." I wanted to complain but could not pull any words together.

How could I make things more difficult for him? That would have been too selfish of me.

Bear it...

"We can’t trust anyone here in Cerberus. I hope you understand, Lily." Fenris added to clarify his concern.

I nodded, not happy about it, but I would not go against his wishes. All Fenris was trying to do was protect me. However, I would be separated from him once the festival began. That bothered me the most. This was new to me. The timing for everything seemed off. It was too perfect and convenient. It did not make me confident that the festival would go as everyone hoped.

Even so... I had to be strong. There were only a few things I could try to do before it began. Grabbing onto Fenris's shirt, I pulled him towards me when he went to get up.

"Wait, I’ll be a good girl... but in one condition." I started, causing him to get flushed cheeks because of how he had fallen onto me.

Melody seemed to grab Liam and headed for the door, fearing it was about to get too embarrassing to stay in the room.

"W-what is t-that?" Fenris stuttered.

My sudden approach caught him off guard. Even though... to me, it was utterly innocent. All I wanted was for him...

"I’ll need one of those tablets. If I can’t go to the library, it’ll just have to come to me." I suggested.

It caused Fenris to sigh in disappointment, thinking I would say something else. Liam and Melody seemed to relax.

"Hah... Okay. I will call Ben to buy you one. He will bring it to you after he finishes in town." Fenris laughed nervously.

Cute… Focus…

"Ben is in town?" I asked, curious.

It was dangerous for Lycans to leave Cerberus. Then again, he was a fearless wolf.

"Yeah, he went to deal with the news company. Hopefully, they’ll rescind the publication. Either way, it is out now. We both have to be extra vigilant." Fenris answered.

I nodded before letting him go.

Extra vigilant, huh?

Even if Stella had not seen the article yet, it would only be a matter of time until she did. Most of Cerberus thought she was dead along with the other Moira sisters, yet I... knew it in my heart that she was still out there.

Moving chess pieces from the shadows. It had been years since I had thought about her as much. That day seemed longer than any day should have been. The wait for Ben to come back was the worst it ever was, too. At least I had Fenris, Melody, and Liam with me the whole time. With them in the room, it almost felt like a normal day.

Melody tried to distract me with idle chatter. Fenris and Liam both searched on their phones for any fresh developments. Thankfully, Ben finally arrived before dusk loomed. When he entered the room, though, the atmosphere changed once again. He seemed exhausted.

It was almost as if years of life shaved off the older brother within hours. Even though he was tired, he always tried to hide all the fatigue behind his smile. It made me feel horrible that he was going through this once again because of me. Why did the people I cared about have to suffer? All while I was helpless to do anything to help them.

Instinctively, Ben reassured me everything was going to be fine. He also handed me the new tablet he had gotten on his way back from his errand. Fenris scuffled my hair, exiting the room with Ben and Liam. Whatever they were about to talk about, I could not be a part of it.

Even though it annoyed me deeply, I stayed put. Instead, I turned my sights on the new tablet in front of my eyes. I had never been interested in technology, so I never asked for a phone or anything like it. Sadly, this meant I did not know what to do with it.

This came to Melody's amusement and my embarrassment. Sitting beside me on Fenris's bed, Melody helped me set up the machine, teaching me how to open browsers and search for things. It amazed me how much information was at one's fingertips with one of these things. Even though...

I did not know how long the boys would be outside. I took the chance to ask Melody about what she knew about the festival.

"Melody... do you know anything about the upcoming moon festival?" I took my fleeting chance.

"Oh, that thing? I know little about it. They are keeping me out of it." She answered, leaving me in disappointment.

"Oh... I see." I tried to hide my displeasure once again.

However, Melody caught on to my change in demeanor, sighing. It was a subject that she seemed not to want to talk about. It reminded her of the exclusion from her race, but for me, she would make an exception.

"Well, the only thing I know is that Fenris is supposed to gain this mystical power from the moon. A power that will pass to his future offspring as well." She relented.

A rush of happiness pulsed through me.

A step closer. Finally...

"Is it the red moon?" I asked, trying to clarify what she was saying.

"Yes, that one." She affirmed, leaving me with a sense of satisfaction within.

I knew she would not know much, but at least she knew more details than I did. It was at least a confirmation of what Layla had said. Fenris would gain a new power from the red moon that passed down to his future generations. I could see why his parents had chosen the 'perfect' bride for him.

"Thank you." I smiled at Melody, grateful she had allowed me in.

She sighed, shaking her head sightly.

"If you want to know more, why not ask Fenris?" she asked, narrowing her gaze towards me.

Oh no…

She was getting suspicious of me, and she was right. I should have asked Fenris, even though...

"I don’t think he will answer truthfully," I mumbled, gazing away from her.

She shook her head in disbelief.

"You won’t know if you don’t try." Melody encouraged, knowing she had left me wanting more than she could give.

After that minor exchange, she taught me how to use the tablet before she excused herself. She was way overdue to go back to the shop. With my newfound information, I tried to navigate the tablet's abundance of data. Shade hopped on my lap to see for herself, too.

At first, I was clumsy while using the darn thing. I always fell on the wrong page but eventually, I got used to the rhythm. Although most of the time I ended up in weird sites, that I had little to no idea existed. Some were embarrassing to look at.

Most of the red moon searches ended with invitations to the orgy the witchcraft community was planning. Luckily, I found an article about the red moon and Fenris. The same company that did my hit piece published it.

From the article, I found out the exact date for the blood moon, the third day of the seven-day festival that began in around 2 weeks. It also spoke about the marriage between Fenris and Layla that would happen the week after the festival. How excited everyone was... Much to my dismay, that was where it ended.

It left me needing to continue to find more information about the blood moon. Everything else seemed scarcely compared to it, though. The Lycans were really trying their hardest to keep everything secret. While witchcraft users were excited to do the sexual ritual to absorb the moon's power.

They did not care much about the Lycans and their secrets. It seemed my only choice was to find out information from Fenris. Perhaps, if I approached it correctly, I could make Fenris tell me everything I wanted. Putting the search information about the red moon on hold, I dove into what the sites said about the nether world.

Much to my surprise, there was barely anything on this subject. Way worse than the red moon. Even the hit piece about me from the event seemed to be nowhere to be found anymore. Though people still spoke about it on social sites. Cerberus had a great way to scrub information they did not want out.

In all honestly, the lack of information was frustrating. It annoyed me I could not do anything, even with the newfound technology. Maybe I was not doing it right either. Melody even warned me to be careful of what I placed value in, since some of the information on the web may have been inaccurate.

My inexperience with it was showing its ugly face. Even so... I had to find another way to get this information. The forbidden library had to be the only way. They would never scan those books into the system. But being stuck indoors until the foreseeable future was making it impossible for a second trip in there.

No matter what trail of breadcrumbs I tried to follow, it always ended in a dead-end. This turn of events was frustrating me to no end. When Fenris came in after discussing a few things with Liam and Ben outside, he informed the journalist who published the article was going to rescind it in the morning. They would label it misinformation.

After assuring me everything would be fine, he headed towards the bathroom to wash off the day. Outside, the crowds had dispersed on Ryker's orders, right after he announced the coms. The elf told everyone that they had framed the article in lies. I was not sure how many believed him or for how long it would last, but for now, it seemed to have bought time for us.

Fenris took a while in the shower. I used the time to make sense of the tablet, to no avail. By the time he was out of the shower, he searched for me on my bed, only to still find me on top of his. The tablet's battery had died at this point.

I laid there defeated by the complexity of the damned thing.

"What are you doing over there? Come over here." Fenris called for me.

I shook my head, not wanting to move. Biting onto my lip, I knew I was running out of time. This would be my time to stand my ground and make him talk. Melody was right. I would only get the information I wanted from Fenris. The only high-ranking Lycan I could speak to normally.

Sadly, Liam would do nothing against Fenris's wishes.

"No," I refused to move from where I was.

Fenris, however, seemed to get annoyed by my defiance to join him in bed. In an instant, he was on top of me with that unfair speed of his. His eyes glowed a bit, too. It still irritated him from earlier, and now my resistance seemed to tick him off, too.

"What do you mean, no?" Fenris questioned my previous answer, leaving me a bit surprised.

His wet hair let small droplets fall onto my cheeks. I gazed at him, trying to steady myself for what was coming. I wanted to do it more subtly, but it seemed my frustration would not allow me. Anger always got the better of us.

"I want to know everything about you," I replied, leaving him puzzled on why I would say that to him.

"You already know everything about me." Fenris seemed not to follow.

My words were too vague to convey what I wanted. Though I did not take kindly to the lie, he was trying to make me buy.

"Stella... she used to call you the cursed moon child... why? What connection do you have to the coming blood moon?" I whispered.

He growled upon hearing her name, narrowing his eyes in irritation.

"I don’t see why it should matter." He tried to shut me down.

I grabbed onto his arms.

"It matters to me!" I confronted him, not wanting to back down either.

After asking Melody... Fenris was probably my only shot to know anything about what was coming. The desperation was getting the best of me. I knew that... So much for finessing it, Lilith. My wolf glanced at me suspiciously, not knowing why I wanted to know. My worry... I could not hold it back any longer.

The red that stained my hands in my dreams seemed to become visible once again. The stained hands-on Fenris triggered me to pull away from his skin. I was not as stable as I wanted him to believe.

No… I never will be.

"Lily..." Fenris worried about my reaction

I pushed away, cradling myself a bit.

"I know I’m unstable. But it’s driving me crazy! What if she is planning on hurting you again?!?!"

I lost it. Everything was so difficult to hide from him. Even worse, that he would be away from me when the festival began. This was worse than ever before. I wanted to tell him nothing of what I had seen, but what if that would save him? What if it kept him with me? Could I burden him with it?

"Lily, I will be fine. And we have not seen Stella in years. She is probably rotting in some hole." Fenris tried to assure me of his safety, but it was not helping.

Nothing was. My heart wanted to rip out of me.

"You don’t know her as I do," I huffed, shivering at the thought of Stella touching him.

She was pure malevolence in my eyes. There was not a good bone found in her body. Noticing my weird demeanor since the nightmare, Fenris put one and two together. Slowly, he glanced towards where the canvases were stored before turning his gaze back towards me. He was sharp.

I had forgotten how cunning this wolf was, too. Unwittingly, I had stepped right into his grasp. I was not good at playing with people. I never wanted to. All I ever wanted was to be his equal. Why could he not treat me as so?

"Is this all because of that dream? You drew a girl kneeling in the distance of a demon back at the manor that burned down six years ago. Did that have another meaning you aren’t telling me?" Fenris caught onto what was happening.

Even though I had tried to avoid mentioning the dream at all costs, it seemed my demeanor had betrayed me. The blood moon... was the first thing I saw during that dream, too. It had to do something with why I was feeling so unsure of the festival. The thought that this could all be a part of my imagination never really left me, but was it really?

It felt too real to be a dream. I... The way the life in Fenris's eyes faded... was too much to hold in. It was unbearable.

"I..." I trailed off, not wanting to tell Fenris everything.

Shit... How did it turn out this way? He was not someone to deceive, either. Maybe if I told him the truth, he would share what I wanted with me... But would he? Or would he lock me up somewhere else? Grabbing me from behind, he pulled me close to his chest.

"Lilith, tell me," Fenris whispered into my ear, trying to entice me to tell him everything.

However, it had the opposite effect. It annoyed me. He was trying to get me to speak so he would not have to. Why couldn't he trust me?

"How can you expect me to share when you won’t even share with me!" I snapped, causing Fenris to growl.

Unwittingly, I had confirmed that I was hiding something, and he was not happy to hear that. Neither was I. It hurt that he would not confide in me like he wanted me to do with him. Even after all these years together, he went at everything like a lone wolf.

"Lilith, if you do not tell me everything, how can I protect you?" He shot back, letting me go.

I did not back down. Not this time. No... He would not do as he pleased.

"What about me? I want to protect you too!" I argued back, only for him to scuff a bit at my words.

He was annoyed just as much as I was at this point. However, his next words made me hurt in ways I did not know I could feel.

"It isn’t your job to do so," Fenris growled, leaving me dumbfounded.

I felt a sting in my heart. I had forgotten myself in the moments we had shared in the past week. What I truly was to him. Even though I knew... It hurt to hear him say those words to me. Words escaped my lips while I tried to close the emotions that wanted to lash out. His eyes widened upon noticing my expression.

"Ah... Whose is it, then? Layla's? Sorry for stepping into something I did not belong in!" I started, attempting not to feel anything.

Trying to hold my tears in... Yet I did not know how much longer I could do so. My heart was not strong enough to fight him. I... This was not how I wanted things to go.

"Lily... You are not understanding me. That was not what I meant." Fenris tried to back off from going too far, but it was too late.

I was already hurt. My heart stung in ways it had never done before. All I wanted was for him to trust me, too. To allow me into his heart, too. Perhaps I was not worth it in his eyes. Even though I had tried to be positive...

My true nature shone once again when negative thoughts bombarded my mind. It was something I could not escape from. There was no use in being like Melody. I would never be as pure as her.

"I think I get you perfectly Fenris," I breathed, trying to get off the bed only for him to grab onto my arm before I could do anything else.

"What is that supposed to mean?" he questioned, triggering me to smile, one of those he hated the most.

The ones where I hid everything behind it. The moment he saw it, his grip loosened, allowing me to pull away from him.

"I forgot where I belong, your duty, and nothing more," I answered, trying not to feel anything.

How I wished I still had that bracelet. It was much harder to do it by myself. It hurt.

"No, that is not true, Lilith. You-" Fenris tried to explain himself, only to be interrupted by me.

I did not want to listen to him anymore. It hurt to do so. No matter how much I loved him... He would never be mine. Being his equal was only ever going to be a dream. I was tired. It hurt, and I wanted it to stop.

"No more lies, Fenris. I can’t handle them anymore." I sighed, tired of the pain that was in my chest.

His expression changed the moment he noticed that by trying to protect me, all he had done was hurt me. That was never his intention.

"Lilith, let me speak." Fenris tried to reach for me yet again.

He worried about me, but my only reaction to his words was to shut him down once again.

"I don’t want to hear it." I refused to listen to him any longer.

"Lilith..." Fenris called, gently caressing my arm.

I jerked myself away from him and out of the bed. I wanted to leave the room, but that would be something disastrous. Right now, my emotions were stirring inside and the only thing keeping me in control was his presence, even though I did not want it.

"Don’t touch me!" I snarled, taking a few steps away from him.

My words and actions seemed to have stunned him. I had never rejected him this way before. His expression was one of pure melancholy. He never wanted to hurt me like this.

"Okay..." Fenris breathed, noticing it had gone too far.

Before I knew it, he pinned me to a wall, avoiding touching my skin.

"I won’t touch, but you have to listen to me." Fenris tried to convince me.

I shook my head, trying to push him away. It was like attempting to move a boulder, though.

"No... Let me go! Do you even know how frustrating this is?!" I tried to keep the tears away.

Striving to run away, I planted my gaze away from him and towards the floor.

Control...

I needed control of at least one aspect of my life, but I had none.

"If you don’t tell me, I won’t know," Fenris whispered, still holding me against the wall.

There was no escape from my wolf. I knew that much. Not after all that had happened. I broke... I could not keep it in any longer.

"I don’t want to see you die, Fenris!" I snapped finally, unable to shake the feeling the dream had left on me in combination with the thoughts of Stella finding me.

It was too much; I need information that I did not have. Even though it was a dream, I was so unsettled by it.

"Why do you think I’ll die?" he asked, confused by my concerns.

Lycans... were always thinking they were stronger than anyone else. He did not know what I saw that night. Why could I not put it into words?

"You are not invincible!" I pointed out the obvious, triggering him to shake his head in disbelief.

Stop beating around the bush, and just say it, Lilith. Maybe he will listen. Or maybe he...

"I know I am not." Fenris agreed to my point.

In response, I grabbed onto his shirt in pure desperation, still refusing to look at him. He was not taking me seriously. Yet I... could not take that dream as anything else than a warning. It was not like the others I had before, not even in the old Lilith's dream.

"You don’t understand! Now that there is something like wolfsbane out, they can easily take you down!" I clung to him dearly.

He sighed, trying to assure me that there was no wolfsbane. Instead of letting him win, I shot back at him.

"I know, Ryker told me, but I don’t believe him! Damn it, I saw it with my own eyes! I know what I saw!" I screamed in frustration.

All I wanted was to make him understand, but instead of trying to, he seemed surprised because Ryker had come to me.

"When did that elf speak to you?" Fenris questioned, bewildered about why I had never told him this.

"That doesn’t matter. Listen to me, please!" I pleaded, feeling helpless.

Releasing a sigh, he finally relented. I did not know if it was desperation in my voice or my face, but he seemed concerned for me. Why could I not say what I experienced to him? Perhaps it was because of the fear if I said it out loud it would come true.

"Okay... I believe you, but it’s okay. I promise you I won’t die." Fenris tried to comfort me, but he was not being truthful.

Not fully, at least. He believed there was something wrong, but not exactly what I wanted him to know.

"No... You don’t get it." I tried to get his attention, but he seemed to be ready to move on.

Please listen... Please! Just say it, Lilith... Say it. Don’t be a coward.

"Can I please touch you?" Fenris asked.

I tightened my grip on his shirt. The concern in his voice was so certain, yet he worried about the wrong thing. Me. I wanted him to worry about himself instead.

My little wolf...

The only thing in his eyes was me. Nothing else mattered, but in mine, he was the only thing that counted.

"No..." I muttered, not happy that he was not listening to me anymore.

He sighed.

"Lilith... I want to hug you. I will do nothing else unless you want me to." Fenris assured me.

I shook my head.

Don’t give in... Be strong. Make him listen.

"No." I did not relent.

We were at a standstill. But he gave into me, not in the way I wanted.

"If the red moon is bothering you this much. I’ll tell you, but only if you let me touch you again." Fenris proposed a compromise.

One he could have avoided in the first place if he had told me. My original goal was in sight now, yet I was not happy about it. I wanted more than information. Yet I was also at fault for not telling him straight what I saw, either. No... I had decided to not tell him before this.

Even if he did not want my protection, I would give it to him. Taking a deep breath, I calmed myself, glancing towards him.

"Only if you tell me the truth." I laid out my condition.

It caused Fenris to chuckle.

"Hah... You are turning into a devilish woman. Not that I mind it." He smiled, leaving me flustered right where I stood.

He was much more of a devil than I.

"Will you?" I whispered, getting back to the topic.

I hoped I could at least meet one goal today.

"Yes," he assured me.

I nodded in acknowledgment. He never was one to go back on his word.

"Fine... You can touch me again." I glanced away from him, feeling skittish at the words that left my lips.

He wasted no time in swiftly picking me up in his arms.

"Good... One thing first though." He announced an addition I had not agreed to.

I grabbed onto his shoulders, surprised by the sudden lift.

"What is that?" I asked, holding myself steady.

He carried me over to the nearest bed. It was his.

"I’m going to make you regret calling yourself my duty. You are much more than that, Lilith. So, you better listen to my story well, through your moans and all." Fenris declared, dropping me off on the bed, leaving me baffled by his words.

Does he mean? He can’t mean that. No... He would not.

"Wait, that is not fair!" I tried to complain, but it was too late.

This wolf was not one to be trifled with. Taking off his shirt, he peeled off my stockings and underwear soon after. Before I could utter another word, Fenris pulled me to the edge of the bed, lifting my dress.

The moment his lips landed on my vulva; my back arched, clasping my hands onto his hair. A soft whine left my lips. This was not fair at all. His hands cradled my legs apart, preventing me from doing anything to discourage him. Not that I could ever resist him. I did not have the willpower to do so.

The wolf had turned into a cunning fox, making me mewl his name. He engulfed me in his touch. His tongue that lapped my intimate lips left me in bliss, leaving me little time to complain. It was not long before his fingers plunged into my depths, too.

Separating himself from me, he chuckled, enjoying the sight in front of him. His fingers continued to caress my walls. Touching my face with his free hand, he traced off towards my dress, slowly undoing every button on it before peeling it off me as well.

Pulling his fingers away from my walls left me tingling, wanting more. He undid his pants, leaving me gazing at him longingly. Biting my lip, I tried to not get swayed by his actions. I would not fall into another trap.

"Tell me," I mumbled, trying to keep myself in one place of mind.

Fenris smiled in response to my uneven voice.

"I will," he assured, freeing himself from his pants and boxers, leaving them to fall onto the floor.

I could not keep my eyes off him, enticing me by stroking himself. I did not know what hit me the most, the look in his eyes or his tease, but it left me unable to help myself. After all, I belonged to him fully, too.

Sitting up, I grabbed onto his member before sucking it into my mouth. A moan left his lips before he sighed blissfully, holding onto my short hair gently. He never thrust himself into my throat, fearing he would hurt me. Instead, he caressed my short hair, fighting off the urge to do so.

I treated him as I would a lollipop, stroking his base with my hands. Even with my clumsy touch, it was not long until Fenris pushed me onto the bed. Licking his lips, he climbed on top of me, leaving little space between him and me.

The warmth from his body radiated into mine, leaving me jittery. And when he found his way into me, I whined. Once inside of me, Fenris clashed with my lips before picking up his pace. When he thrust himself into me, he told me in his husky voice what I desired to hear.

Everything about his connection with the blood moon would soon be known to me. He told me about an old prophecy that the Lycan elders recounted to every generation. Even though it was hard to follow, as he took no pity on me with his movements, he kept his word. I guess this was his way of punishing me for what I had said.

The prophecy was about a Lycan being born during a red moon, who would lead the clan to prosperity. They would also impact future generations. It also stated that during the next blood moon after the child was born, he or she would gain powers during the lunar event.

Some called it moon-based magic, closely related to the moon elves' magic, but in reality, no one knew what would happen. Before this moment, Lycans could never use magic. Instead, they had high immunity to it. If a spell was powerful enough, it could overcome their resistances.

Though, if Lycans somehow gained the power to use magic, that would make them untouchable. I could see why Stella called Fenris a cursed moon child. If this had a shred of truth to it, then... Lycans would become a threat higher than any other race to her. She already hated them as it was.

When he said this, it left me without a doubt that she would try to stop their gain of power. She had already tried to kill everyone in Silverant before. It was going to be twenty-five years ago when Fenris was born during the last blood moon.

Fenris was gifted the title red moon child that day. Separating himself from me a bit, he glanced at me, caressing my face gently with his thumb.

"Are you okay?" he asked, worried about me.

His touch dazed me. Even so, my body wanted more of him. Instinctively, I kissed him in response as he returned the affection by moving once again. Fenris had been born during a blood moon, making him the prime candidate for the prophecy to come true. Throughout the years, I saw everyone treat him differently from anyone else.

Never knew why, though. Well, until now. I was clueless that he was the one who they all saw as a chosen one. After all, he did not see himself any different from everyone else. One would think being special would have driven him to extreme selfishness, much like Layla was. But he was different.

Fenris always tried to be something else. Stella had it wrong. He was not a threat to them instead, he could be an ally. Even after my kin had taken his family away, he never blamed them all as a collective group. No, he just wanted the ones who were guilty to face justice.

Even so... I thought Stella called him cursed because he was Amir's child. It never hit me she never called Ben or Amelia that either. A question arose on how Stella even knew about him. Especially when the Lycans tried hard to keep it down in the wraps.

Separating for breath, a moan escaped from Fenris's lips when we found our peak together. Panting for air like a hot mess, I reached for his face, only to be met by his lips once again. After the kiss was over, he spun me around. I found myself on my knees and hands on the bed. My back faced him.

Before I could even recover, he plunged himself again into me. With his hands on my hips, he thrust himself into me repeatedly, continuing to tell me about his life. He confessed to me that because he was born on that day, everyone else dictated his life around him. He did not let me feel bad for him, though.

No, he made sure I was preoccupied with him to listen fully. That was his goal, but I... would not be beaten by him. I tried to reach for his hands but ended with him grabbing onto my forearms. He pulled me up towards him. Holding my hands behind my back, he continued to immerse himself in my depths. I slowly lost myself in his touch.

There was no winning against this devilish wolf. The moment I moaned Fenris's name, he freed my hands, grabbing onto my chest to prevent me from tumbling onto the bed. His other hand traveled down my navel and into my most sensitive bell. His sudden touch mixed with his thrust caused my body to convulse in pleasure.

My voice escaped me in ways I never knew possible. I could not help but find my release once again. Pushing himself deep into me, he chuckled, enjoying my body's reaction, holding himself in place, not wanting to overwhelm me.

"You’re so cute. Lily." Fenris purred into my ear.

I panted for air desperately. It seemed to be a luxury for me, even though it surrounded me.

"You’re... so mean." I struggled.

Fenris kissed my neck, trailing down my back before releasing me onto the bed. He was still holding my waist up, not finished with me yet.

"Giving up? I haven’t even gotten to the festival yet." Fenris teased, grinding himself into me.

He also seemed a little out of breath, too, but not as much as me.

"Just tell me," I grumbled breathy, not wanting to back down.

 He took it as a go sign to continue thrusting himself into me once again.

"Of course, my dear." Fenris licked his lips lustfully, fully enjoying himself.

To his word, though, he explained what the moon festival was. They did it to celebrate the moon god's power. According to myths and legends, Lycans were born from the moon itself. Much like moon elves said, they were also born from it. Both worshiped two different gods, though.

Fenrir was the Lycans' god while the moon elves were a goddess named Selene. Fenris's mother had taken inspiration from the name when naming him. During full moons, Lycans had increased powers while it lasted. However, during the red moon, it seemed they were completely intoxicated.

Some would even go rampant, which was why the festival was restricted to Lycans alone. Anyone else in there could get torn to shreds without them realizing it. It was why it was a miracle that Fenris's mother gave birth to him, even though she was under those effects.

It was thought Lycan pups could never be born during full moons, let alone during the blood moon that happened sporadically through the years. The festival was a yearly thing too, although Fenris never attended it before since he would rather be with me. This time, though, with the red moon's appearance, he could not take the chance.

He thought he would hurt me without realizing it if he stayed with me. It would also be during a super moon, making it bigger than usual. Those alone usually made him wary, since he would get rough with me whenever one happened. With the blood moon too, he thought he would go crazy during its influence.

Especially since everyone thought he was going to be this new Lycan breed with magical powers by the time it ended. This event would make Fenris into the apex of the Lycans. To separate him from everyone else for safety reasons, Cerberus would make a special enclosure for him in case he went mad.

In the end, though, it was all to protect me since it terrified him he would try to find me during it. I tried to find the energy within me to speak up, only for his member to twitch inside of me. A sharp groan left his lips, releasing his seeds within my depths. It caused me to tremble again.

Instead of a pleasurable moment, a nervous chuckle came from Fenris soon after. An unpleasant thought had emerged into his mind.

"It is tiresome, being this thing people think I should be when I just want to be myself," he mumbled loud enough for me to listen to the pain in his voice, trying to catch his breath.

I knew something trapped him, but I thought it was because of me. I had not realized that I was just a contributor, not the actual cause. When Fenris pulled out of me, I somehow found the strength to get up and hug him ever so tightly.

For the first time, I was understanding Fenris and what he felt. His burden was heavier than I first thought. It was more than just me. As he said previously, they had dictated his life since he was born. His family chose who he would marry because of the genes he would pass on in the future.

It was never about him and who he was, but about his potential. I could never see him like that. To me, he was Fenris, no matter what else changed about him.

"I love you, Fenris. I love you." I repeated multiple times, snuggling myself into his chest.

He hugged me back.

"I... I... I know." Fenris struggled with himself.

I continued to profess my love for him. At that moment, all I could think about was how could I help free this wolf from his fate. A fate he did not want.

I promised... to free us...