CHAPTER 183 - SOUL REVELATION
The day unfolded peacefully, filled with playfulness and laughter, and I was reluctant to part with my little brave one. Conan was more than just a relative; he represented my strength, my pride, and my deepest love. It was as if he were my heart's child, an intrinsic part of me.
“Okay, aunt, I give up. You have more energy than I do!” Conan joked, throwing himself exhausted to the ground after a marathon of play. We were soaked by the waterfall, covered in leaves from laughter, and rolling on the forest floor.
“Now, who's the old one here? Huh?” I nudged him with my snout, making him laugh.
“I took it easy on you; I didn't want you to hurt your back.” He joked, still laughing. “This day was amazing, aunt. I hope we can have more moments like this.”
A twinge of pain squeezed my chest as I watched Conan relax, rolling from side to side in his lupine form, serene, unique, and beautiful.
“Conan?” I called, maintaining a serious tone. “Be strong so we can always be together. Will you promise me?”
“Be strong?” The white wolf with black paws stopped rolling, sitting, and staring at me. “You sound strange when you talk like that.”
“Just promise me that you'll do everything to be strong and that you won't let anyone manipulate you like a puppet!” I growled, still firm. “Can you do that for me?”
“Of course, Aunt. Why wouldn't I promise? You're scaring me...” Conan approached, rubbing his fur against me. “Is everything okay?”
“It will be, my brave one.” I smiled, licking the top of his furry head and ears and nudging him with my snout. “Come on, we need a bath. We smell like wolves!”
“Aunt Sophi, we are wolves!” Conan laughed between his teeth, running towards the cabin. “Last one, there is a hare.”
“Brat!” I growled excitedly, looking at the skies. “If you could grant me just one blessing today, I beg you, Destiny, Moon, and Creator, help Conan safely free himself!”
A shimmering permeated the sky in purples and blues as a response, and I started running to catch up with my nephew. In the cabin, Conan had gone to take a bath, and then we watched movies until dawn when he finally asked me to sing the song before bedtime in his room.
“Sleep well, my little wolf.” I smiled, tiptoeing towards the room where the alpha wasn't. I sighed as I lay down, exhilarated by the moment I had spent with my nephew, which had left me exhausted.
Furthermore, I blacked out; dark echoes echoed like an intense wind whispering, and moans and screams of pain penetrated the environment. The scent of burnt flesh filled the air, while fleeting images of lifeless wolves on the ground, covered in blood, haunted my mind. Various creatures, including the Succubus and unknown beings, had perished. A huddled child, with his head between the legs, cried compulsively in despair. I crouched in front of him, stroking his hair.
“Hey, are you okay?” I caressed his blonde hair even more. As he lifted his head, I realized the child was Conan. His eyes, once one green and the other blue, were almost entirely covered by the dark nebula.
“I did all of this, aunt...” He smiled macabre, with blood all over his face. “They're all my victims; I won't stop… I'll kill everyone; all will perish under my rule.
I woke up suddenly, drenched in cold sweat, my heart racing, and my hands trembling. I looked to the side, but the Alpha wasn't there. Furthermore, I raised my eyes to the sky, which was cloudy in dark shades of black. My wolf grumbled, shrinking, as the sinister smell hung in the air, as if pure evil were present.
I got up and walked to the window, watching lightning converging at a point. The sky thundered, and despite it being afternoon, the darkness increased as if an imminent storm approached.
“HELP!” I heard the scream, transforming into lupine form and running.
“Conan! “I growled, sniffing the air and running in his direction.
I reached the top of the mountain, surrounded by a circle with ancient symbols and engravings. Morgana, Elara, and Selena were chanting an ancient spell, whose words I couldn't comprehend. In the center, a huge stone and chains encased my nephew's body. I returned to human form, squinting my eyes.
“What are you doing?” I shouted in fury, going to grab the witches, but the alpha appeared, restraining me. “Let me go! Did you chain him? Are you out of your mind?”
“It was necessary; he resisted.” The Lycan king growled. “Sophie, the time has come.”
“No!” I roared, pushing my companion away.
“Aunt Sophie, make it stop; it hurts… It hurts so much, please!” Conan screamed, writhing. “Why are you doing this to me? Why?”
“No, no, no...” I shouted to everyone “STOP, RELEASE HIM NOW!”
Elara stared at me, as did the other witches, before returning to the alpha.
“Control yourself, we need to concentrate!” Elara ordered, dry, and merciless.
“Elara?” I said it in shock. “He's just a child. I'll find another solution; please set him free.” Harvey grabbed my arms, dragging me. I cast magic against him, determined to free my nephew.
“You won't hurt him!” I exclaimed while Morgana intervened, creating an intense shield that covered the circle where they and the cub were. I cast magic against the shield, attacking with my claws intensely, trying to break the barrier.
“Human, stop!” The Lycan king shouted. “We agreed it was the best for him!”
“No, not like this… Can't you feel?” I slid down to the floor, crying. “Can you feel his pain and fear? I can't allow it. I can't. Tears were streaming down.”
“Aunt, please… You promised to protect me; don't let them hurt me again!” Conan screamed, writhing, as another lightning bolt struck him, making him roar in pain.
I rose from the floor, pounding the shield to make my nephew turn his face toward me.
“Conan, my brave one, listen to me, okay?” I pleaded in tears. “This is necessary for your well-being; be strong as you promised!”
“For my well-being?” Tears streamed down the cub's face, and he shuddered, sobbing. “You agreed to this? You deceived me; you made me lower my guard so they could drag me here...”
“No, my love, I never wanted any of this… You need to trust me and be strong!” I pounded the shield even more, wanting to break it and wishing to run to him and hug him.
“TRUST YOU? BECAUSE OF YOU, I'M CHAINED UP.” Conan shouted amidst tears. “YOU'RE NO DIFFERENT FROM THE SHADOWS, WANTING MY POWER...USING ME AS A TOOL!”
“Please, Conan, that's not true… We'll free you from the evil, and we can live more days like yesterday.” I tore a part of the barrier, focusing my magic on the claws. Harvey grabbed me from behind, restraining me with force. “Let go of me, Alpha!”
I scratched the gray wolf trying to restrain me, making him roar in irritation.
“Control yourself, or I'll drag you away from here!” The Lycan king shouted, determined, with his sharp voice. “If you truly love him, let us free him.”