RAY HOOK
Year 2014
(Summer, The U.R.T, Furnace Mount Buddhist Monastery)
The abbott's serenity broke. That smile vanished the instant he saw the burnt body. When he learned that it was Kate, he seemed to age twenty years; and he is already eighty-years-old.
As his father explained the situation, one by one, the monks standing around the abbott, left in a hurry. Then, the abbott's eyes met his, and, for a split second, Ray thought the old man knew something.
Why wouldn't he? Aside from its super white fur, blue eyes were Snowy's next distinctive feature. And Ray has them. It wouldn't be hard for a man of his experience and wisdom to put two and two together.
But the abbott merely bowed with the deepest gratitude, as though that was the only reason he glanced in Ray's direction.
And Ray hastily returned the greeting.
When his father returned to where he was waiting, his mother was the first to speak, and she knew exactly what her son wanted to hear the most.
"She can make it, right?"
His father met his eyes and forced a smile. "They are getting the doctor in." He sighed, his smile lowered slightly, and said, "But, personally, I think she's—." He cut himself off. His wife was giving him the signal to watch his words, and the Alpha King cleared his throat before continuing. "Let's be hopeful."
"The doctor's going to save her," Ray said firmly. He was smiling with hope, but tears of grief filled his eyes. "She's going to be alright."
The Queen wanted to wrap her arms around her youngest but caught herself just before she did and switched to patting his shoulder instead. "You got to her, didn't you? She would have been alone if it weren't for you."
She cast an encouraging glare at her mate, and the Alpha King shot her his version of an exasperated glare.
"Dying alone is the worst that could happen to any living creature, cub." He patted his boy's head.
"She's not dead," repeated the stubborn prince.
The Alpha King wasn't sure what to say anymore. Knowing his son's mental health, it was best to steer clear off any triggers. So he ruffled the boy's hair like he always does, and said in a lighter tone, "Whatever you say, cub. Let's go."
Ray's red and wet face swivelled up. "I'm staying here."
The Alpha King frowned in genuine curiosity. "To?"
"When she wakes, I want to be the first to know!" Ray argued.
His father pursed his lips to summon his patience. Eyes closed, he said, "You can't expect her to get well in a day, can you?"
"That's why I want to stay here! I want to stay by her side," yelled the teenager.
The Queen sensed her mate's patience breaking and interposed herself between the two mules. Facing the younger one, she explained gently, "What your father meant is to come back later, when Kate's better."
But something inside Ray told him that he needs to stick around. He needs to be here for Kate. She can feel his presence, and it will calm her. It will bring her back.
As with his siblings, Ray's silence wrecked his father's patience completely, and the older Alpha growled with a smile, "You want her to recover, then get out of her way. Be a fucking man, and let her do her thing."
"Kee!"
The Alpha King snapped at his mate, "One of us has to keep him grounded!" Pushing his face into his son's, he said in the most serious tone, "You've done your part. Now, let her do hers. Whether she survives it, it's all up to her. You can't do shit here, son. Please."
"I can stay at the monastery!" The teenager insisted, his fists gripped, ready for battle.
And the King understood what the others were trying to tell him. He recovered from the surprise quickly and said in the low, sincere decibel meant for his peers, "She means a lot to you, I can see that. And you're fighting for what's important to you, I respect that, buddy."
It was Ray's turn to be surprised. He had spent so many years trying, yet when he finally stopped doing so, he got what he wanted. Even so, he couldn't bring himself to smile.
"But they've seen your wolf, haven't they?"
The reminder was a poison stake through his heart, and Ray realised he had never left that dark pit. His wings were still clipped, and he was still trapped in the depths of his unwanted birthright.
His father's gaze softened knowingly. "Come back tomorrow. At the first ray of dawn. How does that sound?"
Ray glanced at his mother, who added with an assuring smile, "We'll get you back here at the first ray of dawn."
Reluctantly, the prince climbed onto his father's wolf, and they bolted back to Spring Palms.
*****
That night, for the first time in eight years, Ray slept soundly. Not a single dream about Kate.
Which was as frightening as their persistent reappearances.
Since the dreams were all about Kate, and they had been going on before Kate was trapped in that burning mansion, the abrupt end seemed to hint at something.
Ray was as jittery as a Wall Street broker just before a market crash. In the shortest time possible, he'd gotten all the groggy eyes and sleepy heads sober and ready, and he was off to check on Kate.
They arrived just before the first ray of dawn, and Ray was hopeful. Like the first person in a queue, he would get all of Lady Luck's blessings. Kate would need lots and lots of it.
"I'm sorry, little one," muttered the abbott, his voice heavy with sorrow.
"No." Ray heard his voice repeating firmly. "You're lying."
The abbott held his hand vertically before his chest and gave a slight bow. "If only I could, my child. If only…."
"YOU'RE LYING!" Ray lunged at the old man but crashed into his father, who read his movement and swiftly slotted himself right between the two to stop his son from hurting the poor human.
"SHE'S ALIVE!" Ray bellowed, his arms outstretched, clawing desperately for a different news. "YOU'RE KEEPING HER FROM ME!"
"Ray!" The Alpha King caught those arms and pulled them back. "We've been trying to tell you—everyone's been trying to tell you the truth!"
"That's not the truth! I know she's still alive! I KNOW IT!"
The King and Queen were stunned at the sudden display of rage and strength—those aqua eyes shining with boiling power. Fear struck their hearts like ice needles, and, instantly, they knew what was going to happen next.
And they reacted.
The wild adolescent was thrown over his father's shoulders and disappeared from the abbott's sight. Then, the Queen apologised to the old man, who, on the surface looked calm, but was slightly shaken inside, as though he had just witnessed a catastrophe.
But nothing happened.
And the Queen reassured him. "My son doesn't have many friends," she whispered sadly, "so Kate's death is a great blow to him."
Hand before his chest, vertically, the abbott gave a gentle nod of understanding and murmured in greater grief, "As to all of us who love her dearly."
*****
ALPHA KING
Year 2014
(Summer, The U.R.T, Gate to The Howling Five Kingdom)
Once they were out of earshot and sight, the Alpha King loosened his grip and his son sprung away.
The second it did, the Alpha King shifted into his wolf form, ready to take that wolf head on.
True enough, a wolf as big as him, as white as his mate's wolf, landed on all fours in front of him, its fangs sharpened, warning its enemy of its vicious attack, threatening to tear down whatever that was in its way.
"Ray," the black wolf growled slowly. "I need to talk to my son."
The white wolf scoffed and put its right front paw forward, its snout lifted at a condescending angle. Get through me first, it seemed to say.
Arrogant brat. The Alpha King cursed silently.
Ellis was right—Ray's wolf is a powerful one rarely seen in the line of werewolves; and it is extremely proud. It doesn't listen to anyone, not even its owner. Until it does.
Why does it have to be one of mine? The Alpha King narrowed his gaze in bitterness. Is it not enough that he has to bear with the woes of a human? Now he must fight the unknown from his wolfish birth.
"Ray," he said, his voice gentler, trying harder to coax his cub out. "I know you're angry with me."
The white wolf snorted. Damn right, he is. He's wounded, and you completely ignored it.
"I'm not talking to you, damn it," the King growled. He switched to his mate's gentle tone and continued coaxing. "Tell me why you think she's still alive, Ray. I'm listening."
The white wolf stepped closer, his claws sharpened and ready for a deadly swipe.
But the black wolf stood his ground. "Look here, you arrogant snot. Every second of your presence weakens my son. Are you not aware of that?"
The white wolf lowered its snout, as though it was mocking the question.
So it knows, the King deduced and grew angrier. As usual, the Goddess loves playing games with him. "Then why the fuck are you still here? Do you want to kill him?"
It sneezed—-which felt like a dry chuckle—and swivelled its snout to the green canopy that had been shading them from the rising sun. Then, SHWOOP!
Ray reappeared, his eyes closed, his face calm and serene, as though he had been sleeping. Then, very abruptly, his knees buckled.
"RAY!" The King dashed forward, shifting back to his human form, and intercepted his youngest's fall. Holding the boy in his arms, he cupped those pale cheeks and heaved a huge sigh of relief. Warmth was breathing back into the system.
"Oh my Goddess!" His mate had just arrived, and the sight of her child lying unconscious in his father's arms raised her alarm. "What happened to him?"
"He's fine." The King moved the boy closer to her. "Look, he's breathing."
Instinctively, the Queen did her own check, and once she was certain that her son was indeed alive, she remembered to breathe.
"My poor child. He's lost so much weight. Has Ambrose really been feeding him?"
"Are you serious? The only thing Ambrose hasn't done is shove food down this brat's throat," the King joked and silenced himself after receiving a warning glare from his love.
It was then, those young eyes quivered like a newborn and opened in two tiny slits. The second they met the original pair of blue eyes, they shut again.
"She's not dead…." His cub croaked weakly.
The King looked at his mate, and she shook her head to confirm the news. They buried the body, her gaze told him, and he sighed in grief on behalf of his child.
But the young Alpha was adamant. "I can feel her… it's still beating."
And the King hugged his son, coaxing him to get some rest when they returned to Spring Palms. "We'll wait for her to get well too," he said.
Are you sure? Asked his mate's gaze.
There's no other way to keep him alive, is there? The King replied in his own frown.