Chapter 14

On the night of September 15, 1160, Raoul Bertrand drew his final breath.

The grisly details of his murder would dominate all conversation in Roud City for the next several weeks. He was, after all, a public figure known for his philanthropic generosity and undeniable charisma. No one could understand how such a saintly paragon of virtue could meet his untimely end in a manner so gruesome.

In a nutshell, he was stabbed upwards of a hundred times, and his mansion was set on fire with his mangled corpse inside. “How on God’s good Earth could that happen?” was the question in everyone’s mind. “What kind of irredeemable monster took his life like that? And where were his bodyguards when it happened?”

After speaking to Mr. Raoul’s employees, investigators eventually pieced together that his head of security — a man named Gustaff — had deliberately left the estate without protection that night. However, efforts to locate the man in question proved fruitless. Presumably, he had adopted an alias and fled to another country overnight to evade capture.

With the only suspect gone without a trace, and the crime scene reduced to a smoldering pile of debris, investigative efforts quickly reached a dead end. Even publicly offering rewards failed to produce any viable leads. And although the investigation committee agreed that no one man could have done it all alone, no further persons of interest could be determined.

Of course, none of the members of said committee knew the dark truth behind Mr. Raoul’s philanthropic facade. Only the Blue Diamond Fellowship knew, and they made absolutely sure it stayed that way. Pulling strings from the shadows, this notorious circle of aristocratic fiends also launched a private investigation of their own...

“His escort girls did it — that much is obvious,” asserted Dr. Einfern in an extraordinary meeting with the leaders of the Fellowship. “But they couldn’t have done it without the aid of a third party. Gustaff’s actions, as alleged by the men under his command, seem to suggest that he was acting under someone else’s orders. Whether through coercive means or not, it’s clear that this unknown party set the stage so that those women could easily revolt against Raoul, murder him, and then flee the murder scene unimpeded. In that sense, gentlemen, we must take this as an open declaration of war.”

The doctor then stressed the importance of finding both the escorts and Gustaff, to gain intelligence on that theoretical ‘third party’ through them. The leaders of the Fellowship found his appeals to action sensible enough, and a decision was made. Indeed, it was agreed that they couldn’t ignore the threat of an unidentified enemy, and that shedding light on this mystery was to be a priority.

But their search for Mr. Raoul’s escorts and head of security is a story for another time. The truth is, something else happened on that night. This, of course, pertains to the conclusion to Anabelle and Natalie’s quest for Adelaide. As luck would have it, the dastardly millionaire had sold the poor girl less than twelve hours before the cloaked twosome had arrived at his doorstep. Fortunately, he was no match for Anabelle’s terrifying persuasion tactics. And so, once they had obtained the buyer’s address, the pair from Howling Grove simply walked away, leaving an immobilized Mr. Raoul to his fate.

As the white-haired one led her daughter-in-law through the shadows of the night, the latter eventually spoke:

“We, uh... We’re not going to get in trouble, right?”

“Hm? What do you mean?”

“Well, you know... We kind of left Mr. Raoul to die there,” Natalie said. “I was wondering if it was okay for us to do that.”

“Huh? Don’t tell me you’re feeling sorry for that son of a bitch.”

“Oh, god, no, I would never!” promptly proclaimed the blond one, shaking her head emphatically. “But you did tell me that we shouldn’t take justice into our own hands. And I remember you guys mentioning a rule that forbids killing, even if the target is someone the world would be better off without.”

“Ah, yeah. The idea behind those rules is that no mortal has any business deciding whether someone lives or dies, and the power we’ve been granted doesn’t change that. Luckily for us, that man did not die by our hands, so we’re good.”

“Well, yes; technically, we didn’t kill him, but...”

“But I assure you we stayed squarely within the rules. I mean, the most violent thing I did was smashing through a window and crushing a gun. For everything else I just held two people in place and used my words without actually harming either of them,” Anabelle pointed out. “Our hands, as far as I’m concerned, are as clean as they can be.”

“Okay, I guess we personally didn’t hurt or kill anyone...” said Natalie after a pause, “but a man still died because of us, right? And even if he absolutely deserved it, which he did, can we really say that there isn’t even a drop of his blood on our hands?”

“Eh. The way I see it, his fate was already sealed the very moment you decided to come back for your friend Adelaide,” the agile albino angel spoke. “Even if we hadn’t talked to that man at all, he would have been murdered all the same. Remember that in order to infiltrate his mansion without causing too much of a ruckus, we needed to leave it completely defenseless. That fact alone meant he was never going to survive this night. His woman slaves would have never let that opportunity go to waste.”

“Hmm...” said the blond one, seeing sense in Anabelle’s words.

“Besides, you can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs. And even if Margie did say we aren’t supposed to ‘start trouble unprovoked,’ I think saving someone you hold dear is reason enough to bend certain rules just a little... or a lot, as the case may be.”

“Oh, believe me when I say there’s no rule I wouldn’t break for Adelaide. It’s just that I wanted to make sure I didn’t get you in trouble for helping me save her.”

“Ah, you don’t have to worry about me. In fact, as long as I’m here, you don’t have to worry about anything! After all, the whole reason I came with you is to make sure that nothing could go wrong. Which is simply another way of saying I’m here to take care of any difficulties you wouldn’t yet be prepared for,” said Anabelle, smiling a motherly smile under the hood of her cloak. “So you only need to focus on saving your friend while I make sure no rules are bent too far, okay?”

“Sure...” Natalie sighed, still running behind Anabelle as the latter led the way. “I— I’m sorry I’m so useless. The truth is, I would have never gotten this far without you.”

“Useless? Nah, you’re just a newly-awakened lycca-vanni with zero training or experience, like we all are on our first day. All things considered, you’re already doing a pretty decent job keeping up with me, and that’s good enough in my book.”

“A-alright...” said the blond one, somewhat flustered. “Still, you’re doing all this for me even though you don’t really have to, and I... I wish I knew how I could possibly repay you.”

“Hey, we’re family now, remember? You don’t owe me anything, because supporting one another is what family is all about,” Anabelle reminded her.

Natalie couldn’t help but feel a little warm and fuzzy inside upon hearing those words. ‘That’s right, I have a family now. And a lot of new friends, a home, my freedom, and an amazing werewolf mate who loves me with all his heart,’ she thought to herself. ‘Adelaide, you’re the only thing Howling Grove can’t give me, but we’re on our way to where you are right now, so please wait for me. It won’t be much longer, I promise!’

After rounding a corner, the young blond woman continued: “Y-you’re right, but even if we’re family now, I was still careless enough that you almost had to break that no-killing rule for me. I mean, if Mr. Raoul hadn’t talked...”

“Oh, that? I was just bluffing,” nonchalantly said Anabelle with a light chuckle. “I never had any intention to kill him.”

“W-wait, that was a bluff? Because it really looked like you were right about to choke the life out of him!” Natalie exclaimed, surprised. “To be honest, when you told him you were going to take your sweet time killing him... Well, that actually scared me a little.”

“Heh, sorry for that. I guess I was just having a bit too much fun there! But, yeah, it was all an act. Same with that other guy too,” she explained. “Like I said before, fear can disarm an opponent like nothing else can, and I just happen to be very good at inflicting it — scary good, even!”

“Yeah, when I saw the bone-chilling smile you gave Mr. Raoul as you grabbed his throat, I was very glad that wasn’t me in his shoes,” Natalie confessed. “Ah, wait, I think we’ve arrived. Yeah, this is the right street, and that mansion over there... That must be the one!”

“So here we are, then. Alright, let’s get closer.”

As the silent paleness of the moon glowed faintly over the midnight sky, the two cloaked women approached the mansion in question. It was somewhat smaller than Mr. Raoul’s estate, and it belonged to a lesser aristocrat whose name is of no relevance.

“It looks like this guy has far fewer guards than Raoul had, and they all look quite a bit wimpier too,” said Anabelle after a quick reconnaissance round. “This is going to be so easy I almost feel sorry for them. Almost.”

“You think so? Because this time I know nothing about who’s in charge of security or what it’s like inside,” Natalie pointed out. “We might not be able to use the same strategy as before.”

“Yeah, that’s true. Which means we might have to improvise. I’m still not worried, though. Nothing I’m seeing here looks like a challenge to me.”

“Alright, but we also don’t know where they’re keeping Adelaide. It’s still a big mansion, and— Wait, what’s that?”

“Hm? What’s what?” Anabelle asked as Natalie turned her head every which way.

“That scent... Don’t you smell it?” she said, sniffing at the air.

“A... scent?”

“Yeah, it smells like... strawberries or something. It’s a sweet scent, and I think it’s coming from behind the mansion. Are you sure you don’t smell it?”

Anabelle’s eyes opened wide with realization: ‘Oh, my god, this... This must be what my son was talking about! But, how is it even possible?? I thought only lycca— No, now is not the time for that!’

“Natalie! You must follow the trail of that scent right now!” she suddenly commanded.

“Huh? Why?”

“Because it will lead you directly to Adelaide!”

“...What? How??”

“I don’t know; I couldn’t tell you how it works. But what I do know is that that’s exactly how Duskprowler found you!”

Now it was the blond one’s turn to widen her eyes, doing so in befuddled surprise.

“Here’s what we’ll do,” Anabelle continued. “I’ll run a distraction to get the guards out of your way, and you’ll track that scent to its source; got it?”

“I, uh... Sure...”

“Alright, let’s do this!”

~*~

Once upon a time, there was an adorable little girl with straight black hair named Adelaide. Her mother was a nurse, and her father... Well, she never met him, as he had cowardly vanished from her mother’s life the moment she told him she was expecting his child. Fortunately, her hard-working mother eventually found and married a better man who loved them both.

But happiness tends to be fleeting in this world of ours. Adelaide was confronted with this harsh reality shortly after her eighteenth birthday, when she lost both her mother and her stepfather to the bubonic plague epidemic of 1156. She did not contract the disease, but without a family to depend on she ended up alone in the streets.

Now homeless, Adelaide survived day to day as best as she could. Eventually, a rich man who was passing by took notice of her, and invited her onto his coach with promises of treating her to a filling meal. Needless to say, he wasted no time taking her to his mansion. The name of that man, of course, was Raoul Bertrand.

What followed was two nightmarish years of abuse and absolute misery at the merciless hands of her master as he brutally molded her into an obedient sexual servant. She was almost at the end of her rope when, one day, another vulnerable girl was brought into that hellish den of corruption. This new girl was the same age Adelaide was when she was abducted, and had also come from the streets. Her name? Natalie.

Even from the first moment, Adelaide couldn’t help but feel drawn to her. It was as though her innocent eyes had awakened something warm and mysterious in her heart. She wanted... No, she needed to save her, even though she knew that was a factual impossibility. Still, she simply couldn’t bear the idea of that poor girl going through the same ordeal as her. And so, spurred by her own desperation, she hastily hatched a plan...

Alas, Adelaide’s plan was doomed to fail from its very conception. In the end, all that she could do was offer Natalie a shoulder for her to cry on, as well as nurse her broken spirit back to health through the warmth of her embrace. Such was the beginning of their tragic friendship, the story of an unusually fierce bond forged through shared tears of pain and misery.

As time went on, Natalie and Adelaide’s bond only grew stronger and stronger. Together they endured the unendurable, finding in one another’s arms the strength to keep on living. Adelaide had thus become Natalie’s refuge from the despairing hopelessness of their reality, just like Natalie had become Adelaide’s.

One and a half years later, their bond was forcefully torn apart when Mr. Raoul sold Natalie to a banker from St. Belaroix. The poor blond girl couldn’t even say good-bye to her beloved friend. She was simply taken away, and that was it. Naturally, Adelaide was devastated. Many anguished tears were shed that day...

As months passed, the young black-haired woman sank deeper and deeper into a downward spiral of depression. Without the consoling embrace of Natalie’s arms, that horrible life just wasn’t worth living anymore. The pain in her heart was much too unbearable. Eventually, she began to skip her meals. The other girls tried to make her eat, but it was to very little avail. Adelaide had simply given up.

Deeming her a broken toy nearing the end of its useful life, Mr. Raoul put her up for sale at a relatively low price. A buyer appeared before long, and the transaction was completed on September 15, 1160. That same afternoon, an emotionally lifeless Adelaide was taken to her new place of confinement. Indeed, she was barely a husk — a mere shadow of her former self by then.

Her glazed-over eyes were open as she stared vacantly at the ceiling. She was alone and locked in a dark room, chained to a bed that wasn’t her own, although she was only vaguely aware of it. Someone had put her there only a few hours prior — her new master, maybe? She wasn’t sure. She didn’t have much of a grasp on what was happening around her anymore. She just didn’t care. Adelaide had stopped caring the moment she understood she would never be seeing Natalie again.

Ah, Natalie. If only she could at least hear her sweet voice once more, telling her that it was all going to be okay. But she wasn’t there to pull her into her arms. She wasn’t there to remind her that they both needed to survive, if only so that neither of them was left alone. In fact, she hadn’t been there for a long time now. Natalie was gone. She had been torn from her side, leaving behind a gaping hole in her heart that simply wouldn’t heal.

Adelaide wasn’t crying, for she no longer had any more tears to shed. But the pain was still there. It was an agonizing torment unlike anything she had ever faced before. Even Mr. Raoul’s worst punishments couldn’t compare. It ripped her very soul to shreds, over and over and over and over, and there was no end in sight...

‘Why hasn’t God taken me yet? Haven’t I suffered enough already?’ she silently wondered. ‘I just can’t take it anymore. I’m ready for this to be over. Please, God, make my heart stop. Let me die, so I can maybe one day see her again... in the afterlife, if there is one. And if there isn’t, then so be it. Just... just deliver me from this pain, please...’

She closed her eyes, wishing for the mangled remains of her soul to mercifully dissolve into the ethereal nothingness of the final sleep.

KRACK!!

Adelaide opened her eyes with a start. What had that loud noise been? It seemed to have come from... the window? Wasn’t it latched shut? Who had opened it? No, wait, it wasn’t just open; it was more like something had violently torn it off its hinges!

As the chained girl beheld the moonlight coming through the square hole where the window panes used to be, something moved in the corner of her eye. Only then did she finally notice the cloaked silhouette looming threateningly above her. Her eyes widened, and her heart skipped a beat. Might that have been Death itself, who had finally come to reap her soul? A knot of raw, instinctual fear formed in the pit of her stomach, surprising even herself, but then...

The sinister figure lowered its hood, revealing what lay beneath. A gasp immediately escaped through Adelaide’s lips. No longer concealed by the inscrutable shadows of the night, a familiar face was now looking back at her, framed by those beautiful golden locks Adelaide remembered so well. But how could it be? It was impossible! ...Or was it?

“Addie, it’s me! Natalie!” spoke the cloaked figure of her beloved friend.

“N...Natalie?”

“Yes! I— I’m sorry it took me this long to come back for you, but I’m here now!”

Adelaide’s lips quivered.

“Y-you’re... really here?” she asked, still in disbelief. “This is... not a dream?”

Her voice sounded so weakly and frail, Natalie couldn’t help but become teary-eyed. The heartrending sight of her friend lying there, broken and malnourished, wasn’t something she had prepared for.

“It— It’s not a dream; I’m actually here, I promise!” said the blond one as she touched Adelaide’s cheek while holding back her own tears. “See? It’s really me, and I’m going to save you!”

“Save... me?”

“Yeah! Don’t worry, Addie; everything’s going to be okay now!”

Natalie noted the four iron chains restraining each of Adelaide’s limbs. They certainly seemed quite sturdy.

“Alright,” she said after a few moments. “I can get you out of here, but I’m going to need you to close your eyes first, okay?”

“I, uh... O-okay...” the understandably confused girl replied while closing her eyes as requested.

“Now remember: it’s very important that you keep them closed until I say it’s safe. You have to promise me you won’t open them no matter what. I’ll explain why later, but for now I just need you to trust me.”

“Okay, I promise.”

“Thank you. Now let’s see here...”

Natalie’s frame then started growing bigger and taller under her cloak as her facial features changed into those of a wolf’s. Her hands turned into powerful claws right as a blond tail extended from the end of her spine. Thick light-brown fur also covered every inch of her skin while her feet shifted into large, beastly paws. Before long, the blond girl stood in the moonlit room as a mighty she-werewolf.

With the absurd strength of her transformed limbs, the young lycca-vanni easily broke all four chains, one after the other. Startled, Adelaide couldn’t help but gasp each time she heard the metal links snapping, but she resisted the temptation to take a peek. After all, Natalie trusted her to keep her promise, and she trusted Natalie with her life.

“We’re leaving, Addie. But don’t open your eyes just yet.”

“I won’t.”

The light-brown she-werewolf carefully picked Adelaide up and leapt through the window with her in her arms. As soon as her clawed foot-paws touched the ground outside, she launched into a superhuman sprint. The violent burst of acceleration prompted Adelaide to hold fast onto Natalie as though her life depended on it.

“Don’t be scared, Addie! I’m not going to drop you!”

The poor black-haired girl had no idea of what was going on. With her arms wrapped tightly around Natalie, Adelaide could definitely feel the fur of her friend’s transformed body on her skin. Still, she didn’t know what to make of it. But, of course, it wasn’t like she could just calmly ponder about its significance when she was being carried at such ludicrous speeds! They were going so fast, opening her eyes was hardly an option. Promise or not, the rush of air blasting her face simply made it impossible!

Thus, as Natalie’s black cloak flapped wildly like a cape in the wind, the blond-maned she-werewolf dashed through the empty streets of Roud under the quiet veil of midnight. With Adelaide secure in her arms, she was headed straight towards the border of the city. Another cloaked figure joined her briefly, then silently sprinted ahead after giving her a nod and a smile. The mission was complete.

At last, the light-brown she-werebeast with the blond mane came to a stop. Slowly, as she carefully deposited a fairly shaken Adelaide on the ground, Natalie transformed back into her human self. Then, once the transformation was complete, she spoke:

“Alright, we’re safe. You can open your eyes now.”

Adelaide did so, finding herself sitting on what appeared to be a small clearing in a forest. No matter which way she turned, there was not a single building in sight, only trees and vegetation.

“Wh...where are we?”

“We’re in the woods south of Roud, about half a mile away from the city. I think it’s called Araucaria Forest or something.”

“H-half a mile?? But... how?”

Natalie sat down and scooted closer to her frail-looking friend.

“Yeah, I’m sure you have like a thousand questions right now, and the truth is... There’s so much I need to tell you, I don’t even know where to begin!”

The young blond woman took Adelaide’s hand in her own. “Addie, listen. It’s over now,” she said to her. “I mean the chains, the suffering, Mr. Raoul... It’s all over. From now on, we’re our own masters, you know? We’re free, both of us!”

“Free?” the malnourished girl with the straight black hair repeated, tilting her head and blinking confusedly, as though the very concept behind that word mystified her.

“Yeah! It’s like... Remember when you told me your happy place was a forest? You had said it was the purest expression of freedom given form, right? Well, guess what? That place actually exists! It’s real, and I’m taking you there!”

Adelaide didn’t know what to say. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. That’s how overwhelmed she was!

“N...Natalie...” she finally began. “How... W-what happened? How did you... break me out of there and... bring me here?”

“Ah, yeah; that’s, um, how to say... You see, a lot happened to me recently,” Natalie tried, awkwardly scratching the back of her head. “I... put a noose around my neck yesterday, Addie. But someone from the forest saved me, and he took me to his home in a place called Howling Grove. Then, not only did he heal me, but he also gave me this incredible gift that changed my life.”

Before continuing, Natalie turned her head towards some nearby bushes and nodded. Seconds later, and preceded by a rustling of leaves, something big and dark stepped out of said bushes. Adelaide’s eyes widened in shock as she beheld the terrifying form of the large animal slowly approaching them.

“N-Natalie! It— It’s a wolf!” she gasped, clutching Natalie’s arm.

“It’s fine! He won’t hurt you!” the blond one assured her. “He’s with me.”

The large predator calmly sat in front of Natalie as Adelaide hid behind her. The cloaked girl then reached towards the animal and gently scratched the thick fur of its neck. “Hey there, Duskie. Did you miss me?” she said as the canid lowered its head, whimpering a bit. Adelaide, in turn, could hardly believe her eyes: Natalie was petting a wolf bigger than she was, and it didn’t seem to mind!

“Addie, this is Duskprowler,” the young woman with the blond locks said. “He’s the one who saved me.”

“He... saved you? A wolf?”

“Well, he’s no ordinary wolf. He’s actually a lycca, and, uh— Oh, that’s right! I almost forgot! You have to tell him you’re fine with him saying your name!”

“...What?”

“Don’t worry about it, Addie. Just do it; it’s a lycca thing.”

A monumentally confused Adelaide turned to the big wolf, who appeared to be staring at her in expectant silence with his faintly glowing amber eyes.

“I, uh... I’m fine with... that, I think?” she awkwardly tried.

The large beast closed his eyes and lowered his head. “Thank you, Adelaide-vanni,” he politely spoke, breaking his silence. “I am quite honored to meet you.”

The girl’s jaw almost hit the ground. She sat there completely flabbergasted, just gawking at Duskprowler in utter befuddlement.

“H— H— H— He talks!!” she finally managed to exclaim.

“Yeah, I told you he’s no ordinary wolf! He’s a lycca!” Natalie reminded her, smiling.

“A... lycca? ...W-what’s a lycca?”

“A werewolf, basically.”

Adelaide let out a loud gasp.

“H-he’s a werewolf??”

“Yup! He can even transform into the half-wolf, half-man creature you might have seen in books! But that’s probably a sight you’re not ready for yet, so we’re saving that for later.”

The young black-haired woman was so overwhelmed, it’s nothing short of a miracle she didn’t just pass out! Still, her eyes were very wide with a mixture of awe and apprehension as she remained almost fully motionless. It was as though she could do nothing other than gawking at the lyccan beast with her mouth agape.

“Please fear me not, Adelaide-vanni,” he told her serenely, “for a vanni is always safe in the presence of a lycca.”

“...A vanni?”

“Ah, yeah, that’s what they call us,” Natalie explained. “I’m a vanni, and so are you. Then again, in my case I suppose it’s more accurate to say I’m a lycca-vanni.”

“W-what does that mean?”

“It means I became part lycca. You see, Duskprowler turned me through a ritual of sorts called ‘The Offering of the Fangs.’ In fact, that’s how he saved my life!” the blond one said as she affectionately scratched her lycca-mate behind his ears. “So, yeah: I can also transform into a werewolf now, and it’s absolutely amazing!”

Adelaide gasped again.

“So... w-when you asked me to close my eyes before...”

“Yep, I transformed in order to break you out!” she confirmed with a smile. “But I didn’t want to scare the living daylights out of you, so that’s why I asked you to keep your eyes closed. Sorry for that!”

Suddenly, it all made sense to the black-haired girl: the torn window, the broken chains, the ridiculous running speed, the fur she had felt... Everything!

“Oh, my god, this is... a lot to take in,” she said. “I don’t— I just can’t wrap my head around the fact that this is all real! I mean, I’m seeing you petting an actual talking wolf — or a werewolf — and I still can’t believe it’s actually happening!”

“It blows your mind, doesn’t it?” Natalie nodded with a good-natured grin. “Yeah, I know exactly what you’re saying. I had the same reaction too. But, well, look at me now!”

“I am looking! But, uh... I don’t think I understand what it is that I’m looking at,” she said as she watched Natalie idly stroking Duskprowler’s fur. “So he saved you, and he turned you into a werewolf, but he’s your... pet?”

“Oh, no, no, not at all! He’s actually my lycca-mate, and I’m his vanni-mate.”

“You’re... mates? Like a couple?”

“Pretty much! It turns out we were fated to meet in the woods, because lycca and vanni are apparently fated to meet or something,” Natalie tried to explain, sitting down next to her very confused friend. “It’s complicated, I know. I don’t fully understand it myself either, but the point is: the same thing that saved my life, and gave me the ability to transform, also connected my heart to his.”

“Such is the miraculous power of the covenant between vanni and lycca,” Duskprowler added. “Blessed by Mother Moon, it grants us lycca something precious to love and protect, while granting vanni the empowerment and freedom they so rightfully deserve. We call this holy covenant a soma bond, and it’s the cornerstone of our union.”

“N-Natalie...” Adelaide began, noticeably concerned. “I don’t understand. Do you... love him?”

“Well, I know we only met yesterday, but... I can’t begin to explain just how amazing he is. Werewolf or not, fate or not, he’s easily like a thousand times better than any man in the world. I already couldn’t imagine a life without him, so... Yes, I love this giant fluffy furball of mine.”

“But... is that really you speaking? Or is it this ‘soma bond’ thing he put in your heart?”

“Oh,” said Natalie, taken by surprise by such an unexpected question. “Hmm... You know? I actually have no idea! But I don’t care either way. Even though it’s only been like twenty-four hours, I’ve already seen and experienced enough to know that I don’t ever want to part ways with him.”

“Alas, it is true that I had to establish our bond without her consent. But Natalie-vanni was not breathing when I found her, and nothing else could have saved her life. I truly had no choice,” Duskprowler sorrowfully explained, lowering his ears. “However, a soma bond is only a bridge that helps transcend the human/lycca barrier, bringing our hearts closer to one another. It is most certainly not a brainwashing tool or anything of the sort. In fact, she still has the option to have the bond severed, and she knows it.”

“Yeah, he told me that, but I’ve already made my decision: the bond stays,” the blond girl confidently declared. “Addie, I promise you I’m not hypnotized or anything. I can’t prove it, though, so I’m afraid you’ll have to trust me when I say that my mind is still very much my own.”

“Natalie...” the black-haired girl trailed off as she gazed into the eyes of her beloved friend.

“Yes, it’s true that a lot has changed. Why, I even became part lycca and all! But it’s still me. With or without a soma bond I’m still Natalie, you know? That’s never going to change.”

Somehow, Adelaide knew she was speaking the truth. Nothing in her eyes or the tone of her voice had been even remotely off. There simply was no reason for anyone to believe she had been manipulated into loving a beast, whether through mind control or not. Indeed, despite any initial concerns, the blond vanni still seemed to be very much herself.

“Alright. I believe you,” Adelaide finally said with a defeated sigh, her eyes downcast. “I guess I’m just... having a hard time understanding all of this. I mean... I could have never imagined that your heart would one day belong to a werewolf.”

Her voice wavered.

“But, you know what?” she continued, raising her gaze to meet Natalie’s. “I’m so happy for you!”

Despite her best efforts, Adelaide said this with her eyes full of tears, showing her friend a quivering smile she was barely able to maintain. Even her voice sounded noticeably broken when she uttered those last few words.

“Oh, Addie...”

Natalie immediately pulled her into her arms, rubbing her back comfortingly as the tears began to flow. “Come on, girl, don’t cry. I promise you nothing is going to change between us. We’ll still be best friends forever!”

“I— I’m sorry!” Adelaide said between sobs. “I don’t know why I’m crying!”

“Well, I just want you to know that no one is ever going to separate us again. I won’t let that happen, okay? I’m not going to leave you alone. From now on, come hell or high water, we’ll be together till the very end!”

“You... promise?”

“I promise.”

The two young women remained joined in their embrace for a few more minutes as Adelaide slowly calmed down. Duskprowler, sitting about a stride away from them, simply observed the two vanni in silence. He didn’t want to interrupt their heartfelt moment, so he resolved to wait patiently until it was over. However, the longer he watched them together, the more he felt the need to speak up. There was something he wanted to get off his chest, and it just couldn’t wait...

“I am sorry,” he finally began, “but I simply cannot comprehend how neither of you has yet realized the true nature of that which unites you.”

Both Natalie and Adelaide turned to him, casting a perplexed gaze on the lycca.

“...Huh? What do you mean?” The blond one asked him.

“Yesterday I observed something quite peculiar in your heart, Natalie-vanni. At first I did not know what to do about it, as it defied all I knew about soma bonds. However, after consulting with Fleetpaw, things became much more clear. Still, I decided to wait and see whether Adelaide-vanni had that same peculiarity as well before moving ahead with anything else. And, sure enough, she does!”

“B-but what is it? Is it bad?” she asked concernedly.

“Oh, no, not at all. Unusual? Yes, but not in a bad way, no,” the big wolf asserted. “Natalie-vanni; the soma bond that unites us both is, in fact, not your first one.”

“...What?”

“Indeed, there is a second soma bond in your heart. It predates ours, and it is the one you share with Adelaide-vanni.”

Natalie’s eyes grew quite big as Duskprowler’s words slowly sank in.

“Y-you’re saying Addie and I... are soma-bonded to one another?”

“That is precisely what I am saying, yes.”

Utterly confused by all this, Adelaide turned to Natalie.

“Wh...what does that mean?” she asked her.

“It— It means you and I... are in... love...”

Natalie said that last word very quietly, almost like a whisper, as though she could not believe what she was saying. Adelaide was shocked speechless as well, and the two women sat there, gawking at one another with their mouths agape. All they knew about sapphic love was that it was a taboo of the highest order. Thus, it had never even occurred to them that what they shared was much deeper and stronger than a close friendship. Still, as shocked as they were to learn that they might have just broken such unspeakable taboo, it could not be said that either of them was horrified...

Finally, Natalie regained enough control over her own muscles to turn her head to Duskprowler. “But... t-that’s impossible!” she said to him, although only half-heartedly. “We’re both women, and— It’s just... wrong... right?”

“Wrong? Says who?” pointedly said the lycca. “Love cares not about genders, Natalie-vanni. I assure you that the love between two females — or two males for that matter — is just as valid and beautiful as that between a male and a female. In fact, all love is beautiful, no matter what form it takes. So, please, do not ever let anyone tell you otherwise.”

“But even if you say so, I can’t just— I mean, how does anyone— N-no, I mean— Ugh!” groaned a very frustrated Natalie as her struggling words failed her so miserably. The chaotic whirlwind of conflicting feelings and emotions ravaging her brain was too much for her, and she had to admit defeat. Then, after letting out a sigh of resignation, she almost pleadingly asked Duskprowler: “...What do I even do now?”

“Well, if you still have doubts, I can only tell you that the answer you seek is not mine to give. Turn to Adelaide-vanni, look into her eyes, and carefully listen to what your own heart has to say. Do not be afraid to be honest, both to Adelaide-vanni and to yourself, and remember: so long as no one is hurt, nothing is forbidden in the realm of love. Nothing.”

And so, Natalie turned back to Adelaide. Neither of them was sure of what they were doing, and the awkwardness was palpable in the air. But Duskprowler’s lingering words of encouragement didn’t fall flat. Soon, both vanni began to see each other in a new light. And it was such a fascinating glimmer too, full of mystery and wonder, but also a little bit scary...

“...Addie?”

“...Yes?”

“Um, what do you think?” Natalie cautiously asked. “A-about all this, I mean.”

“Well, I don’t really know, but...” Adelaide began as she beheld the sparkling beauty of Natalie’s eyes. “But I do know that, for the past year, there was not a single day I wasn’t thinking of you...”

“Huh. I could actually say the same thing. Not having you by my side was... It was torture.”

“We really can’t bear being apart, can we? Do you think that’s because of this soma bond thing?”

“I don’t know, but... does it matter?”

“I guess not. All I really care about is that you’re here, with me.”

“Right. It took a while, but we’re back together. Nothing else matters.”

Even though her eyes had teared up, Adelaide was able to crack a smile.

“God, I still can’t believe this isn’t a dream, Natalie! I can’t tell you just how glad I am that I was able to survive this long without you, even though I had already lost all hope!”

The blond one smiled back.

“Maybe the soma bond helped us to stay alive until at least one of us could hear the call of the forest.”

By this point, both women were hopelessly lost in each other’s eyes. Natalie could only see Adelaide, and Adelaide could only see Natalie.

“You know, Addie? I never mentioned it before, but... I always liked your eyes. They’re just lovely.”

“You— you think so?” adorably said the one with the black hair as her cheeks grew redder.

“Oh, yes. Then again, you’re beautiful all over, from head to toe. That’s the honest truth.”

Adelaide’s cheeks had become so flush they could have been mistaken for a pair of tomatoes.

“I— I’m not that beautiful!” she bashfully exclaimed, flustered.

“Yes, you are.”

“But you’re far prettier than me! I mean, your eyes are gorgeous, your hair is to die for, and your lips...”

“My lips? You like them too?”

Adelaide couldn’t respond. Her whole face was burning red with embarrassment. She had blurted out way too much! Natalie had never seen her like that before, so emotionally exposed and vulnerable. ‘God damn it, Addie! You can’t be this cute!’ she thought. Certainly, it was a side of her she couldn’t help but find irresistible. So irresistible she just wanted to grab her, hug her, and never let go. ‘Well, I guess Duskprowler is right. Maybe some taboos are worth breaking after all.’

“Addie... Would you like to try?” she carefully asked her.

“Try... what?”

“A kiss.”

Adelaide let out a tiny gasp.

“I’m here, looking at you right now, and...” Natalie continued. “And I really want to give it a try.”

“You want to... k-kiss me?”

“I do,” she said, gazing into her eyes. “So, what do you say? Would you like to cross this barrier with me?”

The black-haired one returned Natalie’s gaze, her heart racing. Try as she might, she couldn’t simply say ‘yes,’ regardless of how badly she wanted to. Somehow, that simple word just wouldn’t come out! Then again, it was hard to blame her, as she had been on the verge of collapsing out of sheer embarrassment at the time.

“If...” she finally began, casting her gaze downwards as she made a supreme effort not to pass out. “If it’s with you, Natalie, I... I wouldn’t mind crossing... any barrier.”

“Then let’s.”

Adelaide closed her eyes. Her galloping heart was almost beating out of her chest by now. Natalie drew closer, putting one hand on her shoulder, and the other on her cheek. She saw her lips quivering in anticipation... or was it fear? They were, after all, on the brink of plunging themselves into uncharted territory, and neither of them was sure of what would happen once they crossed that forbidden line.

The young blond woman turned briefly towards Duskprowler, who hadn’t moved one inch from where he was. The lycca simply gave her a silent nod of reassurance, as though to say: ‘Go ahead, Natalie-vanni. Release her from the cage of her lingering fears through your lips, and let her be free with you.’

It was settled then. If Duskprowler was fine with it, and Adelaide — despite her obvious apprehension — was clearly willing, then there was no reason to delay it any further. After taking a deep breath, Natalie leaned closer still, fully intent on doing the deed...

And so, at long last, their lips met.

It was a very light kiss, as Natalie was afraid to push it too far. She only held it for about five seconds before gingerly withdrawing. Adelaide opened her eyes a few moments later, and only looked at her, remaining curiously silent. The blond one wished she could spy on what was going on inside her mind as she waited agonizingly for her to say something.

“So, uh... H-how was it?” she tried. “Did you, um... Did you like it?”

Adelaide’s answer did not come in the form of words. Instead, she simply grabbed Natalie’s face and gave her the mother of all kisses. Natalie was taken by surprise, but she quickly returned the passion of her labial assault with her own. Soon, both vanni were practically eating each other’s lips, losing themselves in the intoxicating whirlwind of their long-repressed sapphic love.

Eventually, the lewd, unabashed display of their ardent indulgence slowed to a necessary stop. Spent, they gazed into each other’s eyes as they caught their breath, marveled and in awe at what had just happened. Who would have thought that the forbidden fruit could be so delicious?

“Addie, I... I think I love you,” the blond one said after a few minutes, eliciting a cute little chuckle from the other woman.

“Yeah, I think I love you too.”

Nothing more was said as they held one another’s hands in peaceful silence. With the metaphorical barrier now lying in pieces at their feet, their wholesome smiles finally found themselves free to shine together as one.

“Beautiful,” said Duskprowler, deeply touched by this sight. “Natalie-vanni, Adelaide-vanni, the soma bond you share is truly as beautiful as it is rare. I am very glad I was able to behold the heartwarming radiance of its triumph.”

“Rare, you say?” Natalie asked, turning to the wolf. “Huh. I take it that this doesn’t really happen a lot. Then again... how did it even happen? I thought only lycca could make these bonds.”

“That is what I thought as well! But, as Fleetpaw explained to me, that is only true ninety-nine percent of the time. As for the remaining one percent... Well, it turns out that sometimes, when two vanni fall deeply in love with each other, a soma bond linking them may spontaneously come into existence. Fleetpaw says this is called an intervanni soma bond.”

“So that’s what happened...” she said while stroking her chin. “That means I have two bonds now, right?”

“Yes, and that is also a rarity in and of itself,” said the lycca. “Normally, an individual — be it a lycca or a vanni — can only possess one soma bond at a time. However, that is just a simplified definition of the rule. A fuller, more accurate definition would be: ‘an individual can only possess one soma bond of each type at a time.’ In other words, nothing stops a vanni/lycca bond from coexisting with an intervanni one.”

“I see... So I guess this is why you didn’t object to any of this at all,” Natalie reasoned.

“I would not have objected to it either way, Natalie-vanni. After all, the desires of a vanni always come before the desires of her lycca, even when said desires might entail the dissolution of their mateship.”

 “W-wait— Does this mean I don’t have to choose between Addie and you? I can keep you both? But... isn’t it wrong to be in love with two people at the same time?”

“Well, it depends. Personally, I believe love knows no bounds. As long as it is built on a solid foundation based on honesty, trust, and mutual respect among all parties, anything is possible. And, as with everything else, consent is key.”

Natalie mulled over this for a few moments, and then turned to Adelaide. “What do you think?” she asked her.

“You tell me what you think first, and then I’ll tell you.”

“W-well, um...” she paused. “I mean, I know I’m probably being unreasonably greedy and selfish but, uh... but I just can’t...”

There was another, longer pause.

“But you just can’t choose between him and me, right?”

“Y-yeah... Like, I can’t even bear the idea of having to give up either of you. I really need you both to be complete. It’s, uh... It’s what I feel my heart’s telling me.” Natalie offered, putting a hand on her chest. “I... I’m sorry I turned out to be such a shitty person.”

“Don’t say that. You can be a little greedy and selfish if you want; I think you earned it. And if you can’t have only one of us, then so be it. We’ll make it work.”

“R— Really? You’re not mad or anything?”

“Natalie, relax. I’m not against it, okay?” said the black-haired girl. “Listen; if the kind of connection you have with him is the same as the one you have with me — and it clearly is — then I’m not going to make you pick one or the other. That would be too cruel of me, I think. So, instead, I will tell you this: as long as we can stay together, I will happily share you with him, because I love you that much.”

“Addie...” she said, tearing up a little. “I... Thank you.”

“Very well,” Duskprowler started again, his ears standing upright. “That only leaves the matter of granting Adelaide-vanni access to Howling Grove. For that, she will need a vanni/lycca bond of her own.”

“Oh, you’re right! I— I hadn’t thought of that!”

“What does it mean?” Adelaide asked.

“It, uh... It means we might need to find you an unpaired werewolf to bond with.”

“What?? B-but I don’t want to be with another werewolf! I only want to be with you!”

“I know! The problem is, soma-bonding with a lycca is the only way to enter Howling Grove, so...”

“Do we really need to go there, though? Couldn’t we just settle somewhere else?”

“I guess, but you know the world is very unkind to women who like other women. I don’t want to be constantly on guard for the rest of my life, Addie, and Howling Grove is the only place where I know we’ll be safe. We’ll likely never be allowed to love each other freely anywhere else!”

“Well, t-then what about him?” she said, waving an upturned hand towards Duskprowler. “Can’t he just do it himself?”

“Unfortunately he can’t, because he’s already soma-bonded with me. You heard him: they can only have one vanni/lycca bond at a time,” the blond one reminded her, letting out a saddened sigh. “To be honest, I don’t really like the idea of getting someone else involved in this either. I wish it was only just the three of us, but—”

“As a matter of fact, that is indeed an option, Natalie-vanni,” said Duskprowler, raising his head.

“It is?”

He nodded. “There is one more thing Fleetpaw told me about intervanni bonds: if one of the two bonded vanni is also bonded with a lycca, then it is possible to fuse both bonds together into one, resulting in a single three-way bond. If we did that, there would be no need to involve a second lycca at all.”

“We can do that? And will she turn into a werewolf too?”

“Of course! She would become the same as you, with all that entails.”

Natalie’s face practically lit up.

“Did you hear that, Addie? That’s awesome!” she exclaimed, beaming.

“I— I guess, but... I don’t know if I want to turn into a werewolf,” Adelaide said, less than enthused with the idea of becoming a beast.

“Oh, you have nothing to fear, I promise. Trust me: turning into a werewolf is amazing! In fact, it’s one of the three best things that ever happened to me, along with Duskprowler and you! So believe me when I say that, once you turn, you will never want to go back.”

“It— it’s not that I don’t believe you, but, uh... It sounds like a big change, Natalie. I can’t help but be a little bit scared...”

“Yeah, it’s a big change, but it will literally open your eyes to a whole new dimension of freedom you didn’t even know existed! Also, you don’t have to sacrifice anything, and it just feels incredible, like the entire world is your oyster! You’ve got to do it, Addie! Let’s be werewolves together!”

Adelaide stood silent for a few moments.

“Well...” she finally began. “I suppose I did say I will cross any barrier with you, so... Yeah, I guess I have no choice.”

There was a sigh, and then a smile.

“Alright, Natalie. I’ll do it.”

“Awesome! You won’t regret it, I promise!” said the blond one before turning to her lycca-mate. “So, um, Duskie? How do we make this three-way soma-bond fusion thing happen?”

“We both must perform the Offering of the Fangs ritual at the same time, Natalie-vanni. And she, of course, will be its recipient. That is all.”

“Oh...”

Adelaide noticed Natalie’s expression drooping somewhat. “Uh, should I be worried?” she asked her.

“Addie, what Duskprowler’s saying is that we... have to bite you.”

“...What??”

“Yeah. That’s what the Offering of the Fangs is — it’s a bite,” the blond girl said in an apologetic tone. “I forgot that was a thing because I wasn’t conscious when he bit me, but I was told it hurts like a bitch.”

“Indeed, it is a very painful bite, as our fangs must sink deep enough to pierce the flesh and draw blood,” Duskprowler explained, lowering his head a little as his ears flattened. “Unfortunately, there is no other way to accomplish this, Adelaide-vanni. But, if it helps, I can assure you that I have never heard of a vanni who has regretted it.”

“W-well, if it’s the only way, then I guess I’ll have to suck it up,” said Adelaide. “Then again, after living through four years of pure hell, I think I should be able to handle two bites just fine.”

“I see that your mind is set. I must say, such level of commitment is nothing short of admirable. It will be my pleasure to share Natalie-vanni’s love with a woman as loyal and brave as you,” the lycca proudly stated. Then, he turned towards the blond one and added: “Since Adelaide-vanni has given us her consent, I believe we should proceed at once. That means we must now change into our two-legged lycca forms, Natalie-vanni.”

“Oh. Okay, but give me a minute first,” she said before addressing Adelaide. “Yeah, um... So we’re going to transform now. I wasn’t planning on showing you our werewolf forms this soon, but it looks like it just can’t be helped.”

“The way you say that doesn’t exactly fill me with confidence, Natalie...”

“Well, here’s the thing: we’re going to get big, tall, and very scary, with huge claws and teeth. It’s, uh, quite the sight, I will say. Just remember that, no matter what your instincts will tell you, we’re not going to devour you or anything, okay? It’ll still be us, and you’ll still be perfectly safe. So, um, please try not to run away in terror, I guess...”

“W-well, I already know there’s no outrunning you in that form, so just do it. Let’s see how terrifying you really are as werewolves.”

“Okay, well, here we go...”

Both Natalie and Duskprowler transformed at the same time, their bodies growing larger as they shifted into their bipedal lycca forms. Adelaide watched it all happen before her widened eyes. She saw the wolf rising on his hind legs while Natalie was enveloped in light-brown fur. Her claws and tail extended as her nose and jaws turned into a snout. ‘I... was not prepared for this,’ the black-haired girl thought as a primal fear, inevitably, began to take hold of her heart.

As soon as the transformation was complete, Adelaide’s legs buckled and she fell onto her knees. The two werewolves turned their heads towards her, casting their piercing gazes into her terrified eyes. Even with all the warnings, their towering frames and stalking stance still sent chills down her spine. And that’s saying nothing of those enormous claws and fangs...

“Addie, relax. It’s still us, remember?” Natalie said to her, and the warm sound of her voice instantly broke through the fear.

‘It— It’s the same voice! It didn’t change!’ Adelaide realized. ‘She’s still Natalie!’

“So, yeah, this is me as a werewolf. Pretty scary, huh?” the blond lycca-vanni continued, giving her friend a big lupine smile. “Ah, this is the stuff freedom is made of, Addie. It’s standing under the stars on these empowering lyccan legs, taking in all the little sounds and smells of nature. The grass crinkling under your paws, the gentle caress of the breeze on your fur... I swear nothing could top the high of being a werewolf. But you’ll see it all for yourself soon enough, and I just can’t wait!”

Yes, Natalie was terrifyingly tall as a werewolf, but she was still recognizably herself behind those big, menacing fangs. Duskprowler, however, was almost on another level. He stood about one head taller than his transformed vanni-mate, and his sinewy muscular build made him look at least twice as threatening — like a looming mountain of death. But if Natalie trusted him, then surely Adelaide could trust him as well?

“You can still retract your consent, Adelaide-vanni,” he spoke. “We will understand.”

“N-no, it’s fine!” she exclaimed, boldly powering through the fear. “I already said I’ll do it, so we’re doing this, even if it kills me!”

The imposing werebeast gave her a solemn nod. “Once again, I am in awe at how strong and steadfast your heart is. It will be an honor to reward such remarkable resolve with the offering of my fangs.”

“And mine!” Natalie added with a toothy lyccan grin.

“Indeed! So, then, let us begin, shall we?”

First, Duskprowler explained how the ritual was to be performed. He told both vanni everything they needed to know, and gave specific instructions to Natalie to ensure a successful bite. “Remember: no matter how much Adelaide-vanni begs us to stop, or how desperately she tries to break free, we simply cannot let go of her. Not until the gift of change takes hold, that is. Otherwise, the ritual will fail,” he told her.

“Huh. Well, you heard him, Addie. It’s gonna hurt, but it’ll be worth it! Besides, what’s thirty seconds of pain next to a lifetime of freedom as an awesome werewolf girl?”

“I don’t know, but I guess I’m just about to find out...” the black-haired one said with a sigh as she extended her arms, resigned to her fate.

Thus, Natalie and Duskprowler positioned themselves at either side of Adelaide, taking one of her arms each. The male lycca then recited:

“Through this offering of fangs, we shall bestow upon you the sacred lycca gift of change. Are you ready to accept it, brave vanni?”

“I am!” the vanni in question exclaimed, already wincing, and with a stomach full of dread.

“Then, by the holy light of our great Mother Moon, may this Offering of the Fangs be complete!”

And so it happened. The two sets of fangs bit into Adelaide’s arms at the same time, mercilessly piercing her flesh. She gritted her teeth, trying to stifle the urge to scream, but the pain was too intense. Soon, tears began to streak down her cheeks as more and more yelps made their way past her lips. It had only been ten seconds when she started jerking her arms, desperately trying to break free as she begged them to stop.

‘I’m sorry, Addie,’ Natalie thought as she forced herself to ignore Adelaide’s tearful pleas for mercy. ‘You’ve gotta endure it; there’s just no other way. It’s only twenty more seconds, though, and then we’ll be done!’

Yes, it was merely twenty more seconds... if only time hadn’t slowed down to a crawl! Indeed, each agonizing second seemed to last an eternity and a half. Meanwhile, that poor girl felt as though her arms were burning in molten rock. By the twentieth second, she was already openly screaming, her body spasming uncontrollably in a vain attempt to escape that torment — except there was no escaping the vice-like grip of a werewolf, let alone two.

Finally, at long last, the thirty eternal seconds had passed. At that very moment, all pain faded into oblivion as the gift of change settled within every cell of Adelaide’s body. Suddenly, her world seemed to evaporate into a fuzzy void of silvery light. As her awareness stood at a temporary standstill, the bonds merged within her heart, and her body began to shift.

Sensing this, Duskprowler promptly released his grip on her arm, and so did Natalie. They both held Adelaide as she underwent her first transformation. The blond lycca-vanni was overjoyed to see her adored friend-turned-lover blossoming into a beautiful she-werewolf with a bluish dark-gray coat of fur, a mane of black, and a matching tail.

~*~

Meanwhile, in a gloomy basement somewhere, a stern-looking man of science was studying something under a microscope. Behind him, many rows of flasks containing human wombs sat neatly arranged on several shelves. Suddenly, one of those flasks imploded, sending glass and formaldehyde solution flying everywhere. Startled, the man immediately turned to look at the mess.

“What the hell? Again??” he exclaimed with a disbelieving scowl.

The sinister doctor then walked towards the shelves and examined what was left of the broken flask. It didn’t take him long to find its label. His brow furrowed even more as he picked it up. It read: ‘N-5687: Adelaide Larousse.’

“What is the meaning of this? Just what in the world is happening here??” he angrily wondered aloud. “Gottverdammt! I will get to the bottom of this, or my name isn’t Hans Von Einfern!”

~*~

Back in Araucaria Forest...

“Hi, gorgeous,” Natalie said to Adelaide with a big smile as the latter opened her eyes. “Welcome to the wild side!”

“Did it... work?”

“It sure did! And you look awesome!”

Helped by the other two, Adelaide-the-werewolf stood on shaky legs over the remains of her torn clothes, which had inevitably burst to shreds during the transformation. She took a few moments to take in the surreal sight of her lyccan clawed hands, as well as marvel at how full of energy she felt. It was like her body was simply brimming with renewed vitality and vigor!

“It’s... so much better than I could have ever imagined!” she said.

“See? I told you you wouldn’t regret it!” said a very happy Natalie, her tail wagging accordingly. “And it gets even better! Just wait until we teach you how to turn into a wolf!”

After a few seconds of this, another female werewolf stepped into the clearing. It was a familiar white one, with beautiful emerald eyes. “Huh! I was away for less than twenty minutes, and I come back to find she’s already been turned? How did that happen?” she said as she tilted her head, perplexed.

Before answering that question, Natalie quickly introduced Anabelle to Adelaide. “She’s Duskprowler’s mom — a vanni like us — and she helped me find you,” the blond lycca-vanni explained to her transformed sapphic lover. Then, the big lycca male proceeded to explain to his mother exactly what had happened while she was away.

“A three-way soma bond? I had no idea that was even possible!” she exclaimed, flicking her snow-white ears. “And you say Natalie and you bit her at the same time to make it happen? But— I thought a lycca’s bite only works once per bond!”

“That is correct, Mother. Likewise, the fangs of vanni do not normally possess the ability to deliver the gift of change either. However, as Fleetpaw let me know, intervanni bonds basically grant an exception to those rules — but only once.”

“Only once, huh? That’s interesting... It’s like this exception only exists to allow for three-way mateships with a lycca.”

“Perhaps. Although much has to align just right for it to happen...” Duskprowler mused, raising his gaze towards the starlit night sky, “According to Fleetpaw, Howling Grove has not seen anything like this in over two centuries. I am, of course, overwhelmingly humbled that this has happened to me. I do not believe I could ever thank Mother Moon enough for deeming me worthy of a blessing so rare and precious.”

“Heh, your prayers must have left such an impression on her, that she had to answer them not once, but twice!” Anabelle said, smiling proudly. “You know? Daggerclaw and the other boys will be green with envy when they see you returning to Howling Grove with two vanni at your side!”

“I hardly see that happening, Mother. Engaging in that kind of jealousy is simply not in our nature. After all, we lycca devote ourselves to our soma-bonded vanni in heart and soul, which leaves us no room for coveting other vanni.”

“Yeah, I know, I was just being silly. But never mind that,” she said, turning to Adelaide. “Can she change into her wolf form?”

“She cannot. Adelaide-vanni has only just received the Offering of the Fangs, Mother. We have not had the chance to help her find her inner wolf yet.”

“Well, then we better get started on that, because we have a bit of a long road ahead of us, and hardly any time to dawdle...”

As it turns out, Anabelle had a very good reason for being absent during the soma bond merger between her son and the other two vanni. Indeed, she had been busy keeping a watchful eye on Roud City from a vantage point atop a tall tree. Eventually, she noticed a column of smoke beginning to rise from what could have only been Mr. Raoul’s estate.

“I’m pretty sure that rat’s mansion is going up in flames as we speak,” she said to the others, eliciting a quiet ‘whoa’ from Natalie. “Knowing what we know, I think it’s fair to say this is going to have some big consequences. The Royal Guard will likely swarm the streets and put the city in a lockdown as they investigate what happened. This means going back there is out of the question, so no carriage for us. Then again, I doubt the carriage station will even be allowed to stay open as this is happening.”

“So what do we do?” Natalie asked. “You said I had to be back in Howling Grove within five days for something about a stone, right?”

“Yeah. And I’m afraid our only option is to walk all the way back there on foot. That said, four days should be enough to make this trip at a reasonable pace, but only if we’re all wolves,” Anabelle remarked. “That’s why we need Adelaide to find her wolf form quickly, as it’s the form best suited for traversing long distances.”

“Um, is finding this wolf form... difficult?” timidly tried the bluish dark-gray she-werewolf.

“Nah, it’s super easy!” Natalie assured her, quick to dash her worries away. “You’ll get it in no time, you’ll see!”

Indeed, with three werewolves coaching her, it didn’t take long for Adelaide to reach the inner wolf within her soma. Then, once she had grown sufficiently accustomed to moving on four legs, Anabelle declared that it was time to start on their journey back home. They departed after folding the cloaks into two makeshift bags for the dresses Anabelle and Natalie had worn. As for the large suitcase, they had no option but to leave it behind.

Thus, safe in the moonlight’s protective embrace, four lupine silhouettes trotted southwards through Araucaria Forest. Headed towards the province of Lanea — towards Howling Grove — they sure had quite the story to tell. After all, not every day did a ‘simple’ rescue mission result in the collapse of a human trafficking ring, as well as the establishment of a three-way soma bond between two vanni and one lycca. Truly, Natalie and Adelaide’s was a story for the ages...

From behind another tree, a certain hooded beggar stepped into the now-vacant clearing. As he gazed southwards, the mysterious figure spoke:

“It seems my search of decades is drawing to a close at last. I’m positive the blond one had it somewhere inside her cloak. If so, it is only a matter of time before that shard from the past is finally undone!”

To be continued...