Chapter 77

Chapter 77
Emily's POV.

"My wolf?" My lips quivered as the question tumbled from my lips. It sounded too good to be true-perhaps, it was just a figment of my imagination.

But the voice came again. "Yes, it's me, your wolf. Please don't freak out."

I was already on the verge of freaking out. I couldn't believe it- I was finally meeting my wolf. "My wolf? What's your name?" I stuttered.

"My name is Rehya."

Rehya. The name felt familiar, as if it had always been a part of me, waiting in the shadows for the right moment to be spoken aloud. I let it settle on my tongue, testing its weight, its meaning.

"Rehya," I whispered, rising to my feet. A warmth spread through me, wrapping around my heart like a long-lost embrace.

"Yes," she said, her voice soft. "I'm here now, Emily. We're whole now, never to be separated again."

Tears pricked my eyes, but I swallowed them back, forcing myself to focus. "How are you here? Didn't the witch mention locking you away?

She chuckled-a laughter so pleasing to my ears. "Yes, she did stab and lock me away. But then, Calix came to the realm. He fought against the witch's spell and saved us."

Speaking about Calix, fresh waves of melancholy swept through me. "Well, except he's unconscious now. If we don't find the special wolf to deliver him from the witch's spell before midnight, he'll be gone forever."

I couldn't help it. I closed my eyes and sobbed.

"What if I told you I know where she s-the special wolf?"

My eyes fluttered open, my brows creasing with renewed hope. "You do?" I asked, curiosity laced in my voice.

"Yes, I do. Look into the pond and you'll see her."

Quickly, I looked into the pond and all I could see was my reflection. "Rehya? All I'm seeing is my reflection."

"That's because it's you, Emily-you're the special wolf. The first characteristic of a special werewolf is the color of their wolf. According to legend, they only come in white fur and blue eyes," Rehya said. "Now, close your eyes and desire to see me. Then look into the pond."

I did as she said. Closing my eyes, I willed to see her and when I looked into the pond, it was not my reflection gazing back at me. But a majestic white wolf with a pair of beautiful blue eyes.

My hands flew to my mouth as I recalled the wolf as the one from the night of my ball. "It was truly you," I gasped. Tears raced down my cheeks.

"Yes, it was me, Emily. I was there that night, ready to make my appearance when the witch suddenly trapped me in her dark spells. Adria knew locking me away was the only way she could manipulate you. How else could she have inflicted madness on a special werewolf with the ability to self-heal through anything?"

"All this time, I thought I was broken," I whispered. "I thought I was cursed because I couldn't shift. But it was her... the witch. She knew about my gift."

"Yes," Rehya concurred softly. "She knew that if we were one, you would be unstoppable."

A cold fury simmered inside me. Adria had stolen so much-my wolf, my Adentity, my strength. She had manipulated me, toyed with my mind, and worst of all, she had hurt Calix.

My hands curled into fists. "She's dead now," I murmured, my voice laced with venom. "But her magic still lingers. It's trying to take Calix away from us."

Rehya hummed in agreement. "And that's why we must act fast. You are the special wolf, Emily. Only you can break the spell and bring him back."

I lifted my gaze from the pond, my heart thundering in my chest. "Tell me what to do."

"You already know," she whispered.

I blinked. "Do I?"

She chuckled, the sound again pleasing to my ears) Yes. You've always known, Emily. Deep in your soul, our power has been waiting for you to embrace it."

I swallowed hard, the weight of my newfound truth settling over me. I was the special wolf. The only one who could save Calix. And if I failed...

No. Failure is not an option.

Squaring my shoulders, I took a deep breath. "Then let's not waste another second."

Rehya's presence warmed me from the inside out. "Good. Now, listen closely. The magic binding Calix is ancient and cruel-it won't let go easily. You'll need to call him back, to reach him through our bond. But more than that, you'll need to awaken our true power."

I frowned. "How?"

"Shift."

My heart skipped a beat. "Shift? Now?"

"Yes," she said. "It's time."

Panic flared in my chest. I had never shifted before. The fear of it had haunted me my entire life. What if I couldn't do it? What if I failed?

Rehya's voice was firm but soothing. "You can do this. You were born to do this," she said. "But first, go to somewhere private...like the garden. Calix won't find it pleasing, another eyes feeding on his treasure."

A naughty smile spread on my lips despite the tension gnawing at my fingertips. "I understand," I muttered.

The stars twinkled in the sky as I hurried to the castle's garden. I scanned the perimeter and was glad we had the garden to ourself.

Exhaling, I removed my clothes and closed my eyes, recalling my father's words two nights before my eighteenth birthday ball. I searched my subconscious and connected with Rehya, beckoning her to make her appearance.

My bones began to shift and rearrange. The discomfort grew, turning into pain. I doubled over and groaned.

"It won't always be like this," Rehya soothed. "This pain you're experiencing, it's just because it's our first time."

Puffing, I let out a growl as my body shifted into my wolf. Reopening my eyes, Mooked at myself, and I was no longer in my human, but stood on all fours, in Rehya's glorious body. I could hear the rustling of leaves miles away, the smell of the dewdrops clinging to the grass. Power thrummed through me, raw and unfiltered.

"This is mesmerizing!" I gasped.

"Have you seen us in motion?" Rehya asked.

"What?"

Before I could process what she meant, she bolted towards the tall fence. Our paws slammed into the damp earth, our furs bristled up. Effortlessly, we leaped over the fence and landed in the forest after.

The cool night air rushed past me as we moved through the forest with the speed of lightning, the world around us forming a blur of shadows. Each pawstrike against the damp earth sent a thrill of power surging through my veins. The ground was soft beneath us, the scent of pine and fresh rain filling my heightened senses.

We wove between towering trees with effortless grace, our movements fluid as If we had been running like this our entire life. The wind howled through the branches. carrving the whispers of the night, but I could hear everything-the scurrying of a rabbit in the underbrush, the distant hoot of an owl, the soft Tapping of a hidden stream.

Our fur bristled with energy, the moonlight reflecting off the white strands like a halo of light. Every step was precise, every breath controlled, and for the first time, 1 felt truly free. No shackles, no doubts, no fear-just the pure joy of being free and complete.

Rehya let out a howl. I let myself revel in it, the rush of adrenaline, the power in my limbs, the connection between us growing stronger with each stride. We were no longer separate entities. We were one.

The trees blurred past us as we sprinted, zigzagging through the dense foliage with ease. The world opened up before us, limitless and wild. And I welcomed it.

Finally, we skidded to a halt and panted. "You're ready," Rehya whispered.



Effortlessly, I landed in the castle's garden and shifted from my wolf. I wore imy clothes and hurried back to the mansion.

It was almost midnight, Rehya and I having ran around the forest for hours. We'd slowed down before a brook where Calix's scent was the strongest.

According to Rehya, he was there a month ago.

My heart thudded as I ascended the grand stairs and entered the top floor. I could hear them; Han, Randolph, and Leia, conversing in the chamber. Leia was sobbing.

"So this is it? We just... wait for midnight and watch him slip away?"

"We've done everything we can." Han let out a heavy sigh. "The royal physician has tried, Elara couldn't help, now we're out of time. The special wolf was our last hope, and we have no idea where to find them."

"Can we at least go and check up on Princess Emily and make sure she's alright?" Randolph asked.

"I'll do that," Leia said. I could hear her rising to her feet.

"No, Randolph and I will do that. You stay back and keep an eye on His Majesty," Han interjected, and just as footsteps echoed toward the door, my fingers curled around the portal's handle and I pushed it open.

The men froze in their tracks. Leia gasped, her tear-streaked face lifting as she turned toward me. "Princess Emily, have you been running or something?" she asked.

I stepped into the room and shut the door after me. I moved past them straight to Calix who was still lying unconsciously on the large bed.

"Calix," I whispered, reaching out to him with trembling fingers. I could feel Han and Randolph's watchful gazes, Leia's barely contained sobs behind me, but none of it mattered.

A cold dread settled in my chest. "You've got this," Rehya encouraged.

Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and placed my hand on Calix's forehead. Suddenly, a warmth unlike anything I had ever felt surged from deep within me, flowing through my veins like liquid light.

A soft glow radiated from my palm, sending a ripple of waves coursing into his body.

I could feel it-the dark magic coiled around his wounds crumbling. The wounds on his shoulder, belly, and back pulsed in response, the torn flesh knitting itself together as if time were reversing.

Goodness gracious. She's the special wolf!" Han rasped.

Sweat beaded my forehead, my pulse quickening. Reopening my eyes, I pressed forward, willing my energy deeper into Calix, chasing the last traces of darkness from his body.

The gashes sealed before my eyes, the bruises fading into nothing beneath the bandages. His breath, once shallow, grew steady and strong.

His eyes fluttered open. "Calix?" Leia called, her eyes widening in disbelief. "Calix! You're awake!" she cried.

I staggered as a wave of exhaustion crashed into me. Just as I was about to fall, his hand caught my wrist.

A faint smile played on his lips. "Hello, bella."