Dangerous Lycan: Claim Betrayed Luna’s Second Chance Mate

The day started like any other. The excited chatter of children filled the classroom. It was like a welcoming distraction from the uneasiness that had settled in my gut since the celebration at the palace. The joy of the previous night felt like a distant memory already. But it was good for the people. Everyone needed something to take their minds off the terror. And Kieran knew just what the people needed.

We began the storytelling session in class. Whenever I got to school, I would put up a new me. The one that held no weight on her shoulders and feeling that light with the kids helped me through the day. I narrated a fantastical tale of brave knights and fire-breathing dragons. The children stared back at me wide-eyed and captivated as they hung on to every word. It was a moment of pure, innocent joy I could see them in their eyes.

Suddenly, I could hear a thumping heart. I paused for a while and looked at the faces of the children, but everyone was calm. Their gaze pins on me so I could go on. I cleared out my airways and began reading through again this time a bit slower. And then, I heard the thumping heartbeat again but this time it was a bit louder. It didn’t stop even as I stopped reading for the kids.

“Are you okay?” One of the kids asked and I nodded. But just as I held on to the book again, the sound resumed in a much louder tone pushing me off balance as I dropped the book off my grip. Then I heard muffled footsteps through the hallway.

“Do you hear that?” I asked the kids but they tilted their head in unison. But it was weird that I could hear all that clearly in my head but they couldn’t. I knew something was coming and so I left the chair. Then a loud growl shattered the peaceful atmosphere. My head snapped towards the classroom door from the looks on the faces of the children, I knew that they heard it too. The door creaked open and a hulking figure walked in. He had his fangs and claws out in the hot afternoon. He didn’t look like anyone I had seen in the palace. He had a cruel smile stretched across his face, his eyes gleaming with anger.

“The chosen one,” he snarled, “Finally, I meet you. It’s an honor,” he smirked.

My feet trembled. I had never been faced with such before. Whenever anything of this sort happened, Kieran was always there. I remembered his warnings but it was too late to wish that I had listened.

“Stay behind me,” I pushed the children behind me, standing between them and the stranger.

“Who are you and what do you want?” I asked firmly. Not showing any sign of fear.

He laughed so loud that it became a chilling sound that echoed off the classroom walls. “My name is Darrick,” he said, “And your death will bring an end to this charade.”

My heart pounded as I heard those words. Darrick, I had not heard that name or seen him before maybe he was one of those who put the kingdom in so much jeopardy. I wished that there was a way that I could bring Kieran to the school. He would know what to do. He always knew what to do. His name sent a shiver of fear through me. He was an Alpha his reddish eyes revealed so.

I took a step forward and I moved back.

“Stay back, don’t come any close.”

“I would really love this. You know, everyone has been too scared to confront you. They are waiting for the perfect time. But I’m here because I know that I can take you down. I was right, you are just another female werewolf that knows nothing about her powers.”

He took another step closer.

“Stay back, I’m warning you,” I said my voice surprisingly steady. “Don’t make me do this.”

“Oh, you can do whatever you wish. But I’m not leaving here without your head.”

“Darrick, please we can talk about this outside. There are kids here. I can go with you but please, not here. This is a school. We don’t have to do this.”

“Oh yes we do,” he said and kept coming.

“Darrick stop, I don’t want to hurt you,” I warned.

Darrick laughed loudly.

“Oh, I thought that was a joke. This has gone too far.”

He ignored my warning and lunged forward; his claws extended letting out a snarl. Just then, I felt a surge in me, the very same that I had felt when I was out with the full moon. It replaced the fear that grew in me replacing it with a cold, steely resolve.

I moved instinctively without minding, dodging his attack with a surprising skill that I never knew I possessed. Years of training with Kieran and the lingering effects of the full moon gave me an edge I hadn’t expected.

“You bitch!” Darrick roared in frustration; his eyes burned with hatred. We circled each other like a predator sizing up its prey. But this time, I wasn’t the prey.

He lunged again, faster this time, but I was ready. I ducked just as his claws swiped through the air, the force of his attack sent waves of shiver through me. And then, he came again so fast that I didn’t see him and his claws went through my shoulder. I screamed and moved aside holding my arms as blood gushed out. Darrick laughed and came on me again. But the pain somehow fuelled a raw power in me. A blinding white light gushed out of my palm and engulfed the classroom. Darrick froze, his eyes widening in terror. I focused on the burning rage within him, the darkness that fuelled his attack. And I drew it out. I drained it. Like a sponge absorbing water, I soaked up his life force, his power, leaving him like an empty shell.

The light reduced gradually and Darrick crumpled to the ground. He had a vacant look in his eyes. Life had been drained from him, leaving behind a lifeless body.

And everywhere went completely silent. I stood there, panting, the weight of what I had done pressed down on me. My hands trembled; the echo of raw power still tingled in my veins.

Then, I heard a whimper. I looked down to see Tommy, huddled amongst the other children, his face pale with terror. The other children, wide-eyed and trembling, stared at me.

“Oh my God,” I looked at my hands and then Darrick. Shame washed over me. How could I have let them witness that? I had turned into the very monster they were probably taught to fear.

“I… I’m so sorry,” I stammered. Tears swelled up in my eyes. It stung my eyeballs.

At that instant, people rushed into the classroom and took away the children but their gaze took away my will to speak. In their eyes, I was the monster. Soon, everywhere was quiet until the classroom door burst open again and Kieran rushed in, his eyes scanned the room.

“Kieran,” I rushed towards him fighting the tears that rushed freely from my eyes.

He held me and then shifted his gaze to Darrick’s lifeless body.

“Clara,” he exclaimed. He pulled me into a tight embrace. “What happened?”

I leaned into his embrace feeling the warmth of his body.

“I don’t know what happened. It just happened. I was… I was with the Kids telling a story. I heard heartbeats and footsteps and then I saw him. He said his name was Darrick and he wanted to kill me. I… drained him,” I choked out.

Kieran pulled back, holding me at arm’s length. His eyes searched mine.

“You…” he started, “You did what?”

“I… I had no choice; he was going to kill me and harm the kids. Now everyone thinks I’m a monster,” I stammered, tears spilling down my cheeks.

He pulled me into another hug, this one tighter than the last.

“It’s okay,” he murmured in my ear. “You protected them. That’s all that matters.”

Even with his soothing words, the fear and the shame remained. I had taken a life, and watching the children cower in fear confirmed my worst nightmare.

“What do we do now?” I asked, pulling away slightly. My eyes moved towards Darrick’s body.This text is property of Nô/velD/rama.Org.

“We get you out of here. The driver is waiting at the back entrance. He’ll take you somewhere safe.”

“But the children…” I said.

“I’ll handle them. Don’t worry about them,” he assured.

“But I can’t help but worry. Leaving these frightened children, knowing that they had just witnessed something so horrific. I feel so guilty, Kieran.”

He cupped my face in his hands, his touch warm and reassuring.

“Clara, listen to me. This isn’t something you should have to deal with alone. Let me handle this.”

He looked at the children once more, then back at me. His eyes held a deep well of emotions. Something I couldn’t decipher.

“Trust me,” he whispered.

There was no time for arguments. The weight of the situation settled over me. I took a final glance at the frightened faces of the children before allowing myself to be pulled away.