Caius ran far from Valeheart, deeper into lands untouched by the banners of kings or the scent of wolves. He crossed rivers and climbed ridges, never stopping long enough for the wind to remember his name. Each night he shifted from man to wolf and back again, fleeing from the nightmares that chased him in both forms.
When he reached a small human village at the border of the northern woods, he thought he might rest. The people there looked poor but kind, their houses built of stone and thatch, their eyes weary from honest labor. Caius wrapped himself in a cloak, hiding his scars and keeping his eyes low. For a few days, he worked silently for food, chopping wood and mending fences.
Then he saw it, his portrait nailed to a wooden post in the square, the ink still fresh. The words beneath it made his stomach turn.
"Wanted: the wolf fugitive Caius. Traitor to the crown. Anyone found harboring him shall die by the order of King Aldred."
The villagers whispered and spat when they passed the poster. A child pointed at him once and he knew he could not stay. That night, under the cloak of darkness, he ran again. He ran until his lungs burned and his legs trembled, until his body gave out beneath the cold silver light of the moon.
He shifted endlessly through the days that followed, from wolf to man, man to wolf, losing track of time and direction. Hunger gnawed at him, loneliness hollowed him, but the wild kept him alive.
After what felt like weeks, he stumbled upon a cave hidden by vines and stone at the foot of a mountain. It smelled faintly of wolves, old wolves, long gone, but he was too tired to care. He crawled inside and collapsed. He did not know that it was the same cave where his mother had once drawn her final breath. Fate had brought him home without his knowing.
For days he stayed there, drinking from a nearby stream, sleeping on the cold rock floor. A month passed and the forest grew used to his presence. He hunted little, spoke to no one and the rogue life began to fit him like an old, torn cloak.
One afternoon, the sun bled low over the hills, two wolves approached the cave. They were large and strong, their eyes reflecting wisdom and age. Kayan and Kaye....twin brothers of Moonfang Pack.
Kaye halted first. "Brother, do you smell that?"
Kayan nodded. "Wolf blood, but faint. And sorrow."
When they entered the cave, they found little Caius barely conscious, thin and pale. His mother at the verge of death. Kayan knelt beside him, touching his shoulder gently. He picked him up. "They are from the enemies pack," he said.
Kaye studied his face, then looked at caius dying mother, then at his brother. "They looks like they have seen both heaven and hell."
The woman said "Please save my child, don't kill him, he is just a baby." She looked at her child one last time and died.
Kaye checked to see if he was still breathing, but discovered she has gave up the ghost. They buried her.
"We shall bring him home," Kayan said quietly.
They carried Caius back to Moonfang Pack, Kaye told his mate Alari what happened, She tended to the baby with herbs, care and patience. When he finally woke, they told the pack that he was Kaye's son from an affair beyond their lands. The others believed without question, but Kayan told Lucian and Luna Seraphina the truth, that the boy was not born of Kaye's blood. Only Lucian, Luna Seraphina and Alari knew the truth and they all swore never to speak of it to anyone.
Caius grew stronger under their care, learning the ways of Moonfang. He did not know he was from the moonfang enemy's pack, but he had been rescued by them and he was care for.
Then he woke up, startled. He was sweating profusely, now he know he wasn't a true born alpha. So he cried and said "he betrayed the very kin of the men who once saved him."
******'***
Far away, in Valeheart, Flora could not sleep. She still wished to see Caius, to know if he lived or died. His memory haunted her, the warmth of his hand, the pain in his eyes, the way he spoke to her that night. Weeks had passed, yet no word came. Sometimes she wondered if he had ever truly existed or if her mind had dreamed him up to fill the emptiness in her heart.
Then her body began to change.
She grew tired more easily, her appetite vanished and her monthly bleeding never came. At first, she told herself it was stress or lack of rest. But soon the truth whispered in her mind, a truth she dared not speak aloud.
Lady Lara, who had cared for her since childhood, began to notice. "Flora," she said one morning, "you look pale. You've not been yourself these days."
Flora forced a smile. "It's only exhaustion, my lady. The endless feasts have worn me out. So much cooking, so many late nights."
Lara sighed and nodded. "Aye, the king's endless parties are enough to kill the strongest of us."
Flora nodded and turned away quickly so Lara would not see the tremor in her lips.
The palace gave each worker one day of rest every week. Many used it to visit their families or sweethearts in the nearby villages. Flora, an orphan, usually stayed behind, doing laundry, mending her clothes or simply sleeping the day away. Lara had taken her in when she was only ten, after her parents died serving in the palace farm, when an earthquake happened. By fourteen, she had become the youngest maid in Valeheart.
But on this particular morning, Flora surprised Lara.
"I'd like to visit the village market today," she said softly. "Perhaps buy some small things, ribbons or soap."
Lara looked at her with raised brows. "You? Out of the palace? You always say there's nothing for you out there."
Flora smiled faintly. "Maybe I just need fresh air. Maybe it will lighten my mood."
Lara crossed her arms. "You've changed, child. Ever since that night you said you liked the wolf boy."
Flora's eyes widened. "Mother Lara" she said teasely.
"Hush," Lara whispered sharply, glancing around. Then she leaned close and lowered her voice. "Tell me truly. Are you still in contact with him? Is he the one you mean to meet outside these walls?"
Flora shook her head quickly. "No. I haven't seen or spoken to him since that night. And how could I? He's wanted by the king. If I ever did, I'd be killed too."
Lara studied her a moment longer, then sighed. "Be careful. And come back before sundown."
"I will," Flora promised.
She left the palace and made her way to the bustling village. The air smelled of roasted corn and spiced stew. Vendors called out their prices as children chased each other through the crowd. Flora bought small trinkets for herself and a fine wooden comb for Lara, smiling softly as she imagined the older woman's surprise.
But as she wandered further, she went into a food stall bought a food, as she was about to eat, a wave of nausea struck her so suddenly that she stumbled. She covered her mouth and rushed outside the food stall, just in time to vomit everything she had eaten that morning. The scent of roasted meat had turned her stomach inside out.
A kind woman hurried over, handing her a cup of water. "Are you all right, dear?"
Flora rinsed her mouth, trembling. "I think… I'm just tired. Is there somewhere nearby where I can get herbs to stop the sickness?"
The woman pointed toward the hill beyond the village. "There's an apothecary up there, near the edge of the woods. It's a bit of a walk, but worth it."
Flora nodded gratefully. "Thank you."
The shopkeeper who had served her came out, concern etched on her face. "You didn't eat, child. Don't worry about paying."
Flora smiled weakly. "You worked hard to cook it. I'll pay."
She placed a few coins on the table and turned toward the path leading uphill. The wind carried the faint scent of pine and earth. She pressed a hand to her stomach as she walked, whispering to herself, "It's nothing. It has to be nothing."
But deep inside, her heart knew the truth she was too afraid to face, something of Caius is living within her.