Chapter 6 Revelations in the Dark

The two wolves circled us slowly and deliberately, their eyes blazing like twin flames in the fading woodland, while Elias and I stood motionless. Every instinct told me to go, but something deeper kept me stuck where I was. My heart pounded in my chest. My parents were these, but they were also something else.

"Elias..." My voice could hardly be heard above the low, rumbling growls coming from the trees as I whispered. "How should we proceed?"

He hesitated to respond, his eyes flitting between the two wolves as they drew closer. "We must leave this place. If they decide to attack..."

Before he could finish, the wolves lunged, their bodies moving with deadly precision. Elias pulled me back, shoving me behind him as he fumbled with something at his belt. I heard a metallic click-a knife? But how could he hope to fight off two wolves with a simple blade?

With a snarl, my mother-the wolf that had once been my mother-stopped just inches from us, her golden eyes locked on mine. There was a flicker there, something faint but familiar, like a spark struggling against a cold wind. And for a brief moment, I thought I saw recognition.

"Mom?" Despite my voice cracking, I cautiously moved forward in the hopes that she may still hear me. Her lips curled back to display sharp, shining teeth as the wolf's stare changed, nearly relaxing before hardening again.

The other wolf, the one that was once my father, let out a menacing growl, and my mother's focus snapped away from me, as if he had reminded her of something.

"They're not themselves anymore, Mia," Elias said, his voice tight with tension. "You can't reach them."

"But there was something," I protested, desperation rising in my throat. "I know there was. I saw it!"

"Mia, we don't have time!" Elias's hold on my arm became more firm, and he pulled me away, obstructing my view. The wolves stiffened, their bodies rigid and poised to leap as they watched us.

Without taking our eyes off them, we began to back away, inch by inch. However, my mother, the wolf, whined softly as we proceeded. It sounded nearly human for a heartbeat, with a deep, aching sadness. Then, with my father right after her, she turned and ran into the trees.

As though holding its breath, the forest became silent.

"What... what was that?" I stammered, staring into the darkness where they had vanished.

Elias appeared equally astonished, his brows knitted in perplexity. "I'm not sure. They ought to have launched an assault. However, they didn't.

Slowly, the knot of fear in my gut dissipated and was replaced with hope. "Perhaps a piece of them remains," I said, my voice trembling with contemplation.

"Maybe they're not completely gone."

Elias turned to me, his face clouded with concern. "Mia, don't get your hopes up. The curse doesn't let go easily. If they show restraint, it could be due to a need to wait for something or someone.

The weight of his words fell on me like a heavy shadow, and I felt a fresh sense of dread. What if the curse wasn't finished with me yet? What if it was taking its time, waiting for me to fall further under its spell before claiming me entirely?

As we returned to the forest's edge, my mind raced with new questions, each more troubling than the previous. If my parents could be saved, perhaps I was not bound to this fate. Maybe there was a way to break the curse entirely. But how? And why had Elias never mentioned this possibility before?

Back at the house, my grandmother was waiting, her face pale and drawn. She looked from me to Elias, her eyes darkening with worry. "What happened?"

I tried to find the right words, but the weight of what we'd seen hung heavy in the air. "They... they didn't attack us," I managed. "It was like they recognized me, for a moment. Like there was something human still left inside them."

Her expression softened, but there was a sadness there that made my chest tighten. "The curse is powerful, Mia. It's not something you can wish away. It is ancient, firmly rooted, and has grown stronger with each generation.

"But there has to be a way," I insisted. "There must be something we can do to save them. If they're still inside, maybe-"

"Mia." My grandmother's speech was soft yet forceful. "The curse doesn't merely reside within them. It resides in the land, the lineage, and everything. Breaking it would mean altering the fundamental essence of who you are. Her words descended on me like a black cloud. Is it possibly possible to modify something so firmly ingrained in my family, history, and blood?

Elias's jaw clenched, his eyes filled with a grim resolve. "There might be a way."

My grandmother shot him a warning look, but he pressed on. "There's a legend... something about a ritual that could sever the bloodline's connection to the curse. But it's dangerous, Mia. And it would require a sacrifice."

The weight of his words made my stomach turn, and my heart missed a beat. "What sort of sacrifice?" He turned his head away, his quiet speaking more than words. It wouldn't be simple, whatever it was. A part of me was afraid that I already knew the answer.

Before I could question him more, there was a sudden, piercing knock on the house. We all froze, the tension thickening in the air.

My grandmother frowned, glancing toward the door. "Who would be out here at this hour?"

Elias moved first, his posture tense as he went to answer it. A feeling of terror pricked my skin as I held my breath. The door squeaked open, and a tall, shadowy figure with their face concealed by a hat brim entered.

"Pardon the late hour," the stranger remarked in a silky, eerily serene voice. "I think we still have some business to attend to."

I felt my blood chill as the man entered the light. His eyes were piercing and perceptive, glinting like ice flakes. Something in his eyes seemed to look straight through me, a darkness that was both frightening and captivating.

Elias took a step back and tensed, his face tightening. "Why are you in this place?"

The man's smile was thin, almost mocking. "Oh, just ensuring that everything proceeds as planned." His gaze shifted to me, his eyes gleaming with a strange, unnatural light. "After all, Mia is very important to us."

My grandmother paled, clutching her hands together, her voice barely above a whisper. "Not you... I thought-"

The man's smile widened, as if savoring her fear. "You should know better by now. The curse is not so easily avoided. And neither am I."

He had a rather unsettling quality, as if he wasn't entirely... human. As he approached, I felt frozen, unable to move or even breathe.

"Who are you?"I demanded, my voice trembling despite my best attempts.

He tilted his head, his smile unwavering.

His eyes remained on me, a sinister promise smoldering in them, and I felt a chill take hold of my heart. "Think of me as... an agent of the curse. A guardian, if you will."

Elias stepped forward, his hand inching toward the knife at his belt. "Leave her alone."

The man chuckled softly, causing a shudder down my spine. "Oh, I have no aim to harm her. Quite the reverse. I'm here to make sure she realizes her destiny."

"Destiny?" I repeated, the word heavy and foreboding.

He nodded, his gaze piercing through me. "You have a choice, Mia. Embrace the curse, accept your place within it, or resist... and suffer the consequences."

With that, he turned, his voice dropping to a low whisper. "But remember this-your resistance is only delaying the inevitable.The curse is a part of you, and it will take what it rightfully owns."

As he vanished into the shadows, I felt a profound, sinking fear descend into my breast.

Because I knew, somehow, he was correct. The curse extended beyond my family. It was a part of me, and there was no avoiding it.