Page 56

"Dogota's oldest son and Ares's oldest daughter showed high mating compatibilities, the first day they met."

"What does that mean?"

He wondered how to explain that, and settled for, "They were destined to be together. Humans call it 'to marry', we call it ‘to mate'. But unlike humans, we mate forever." Wolfariane has not been able to understand humans at all when they suddenly leave their other-halves in the name of divorce, or when they mistreat their other halves.

"Wait. Does it mean that you don't ever divorce?" She asked incredulously.

He shook his head firmly. "Once a changeling male claims his female and completes the mating ritual, the feeling NEVER goes away. Instead of going away, they fall harder in love as days go by, their bond gets stronger and stronger especially whenever they mate during the full moon."

"Whenever they mate? You mean whenever they have sex during the full moon?"

"Yes. But it's more complicated than just sex." That, is also a topic he does not want to delve into now...or any other time, with her.

"Why the full moon?"

"The full moon is..." He thought of ways to explain it, "...unique for changelings. Whenever the moon is high and full in the sky, every Changeling is reminded who he is and what his basic instincts are; To mate or to hunt. Mostly the urge is 'to mate.'. it is... an uncontrollable urge."

"Intriguing." She tried to picture him forced to succumb to his basic instincts, having intimacies with some woman like that.

Nope, she doesn't like the thought at all. So, she shut her mind to it.

"Unmated changelings choose their full moon partners," he continued, "while mated changelings turn to each other's arms. Anyway, after Ares and Dogota found out that their children are showing high mating compatibilities, they were forced to make peace. And they did. A peace treaty was signed."

"Ares stepped back for the wolves because it was the reasonable thing to do. The male changeling to mate with his daughter is the werewolf. So, that was how werewolves took over the general leadership."

"Woah. I'm glad everyone made peace. So, I guess your parents were the mates right?"

Again, he nodded his head. "Yes."

The love changelings share is enviable, Ismena thought with a wistful sigh. How I wish I can get that kind of love.

Then, she caught herself. No, no way she will go down that road...not when she will be dying in less than eight weeks.

Which reminded her about the persistent burning in her chest.

She shut her mind to it. "So, where are they now, your parents? Do they still love each other so much?"

"They are dead." He stated.

"Oh," shit, Ismena, you dog. You really had to go and ask that!? "I'm sorry... Do you wanna talk about it?"

His face wore a blank expression. "No." He stated matter-of-factly. Then, he stopped walking all of a sudden.

The stop was so abrupt, Ismena instantly knew that something was wrong. "What is the matter?" She asked, stopping too.

He felt a wave of dizziness. That is the matter.

Wolfariane scowled. He can't remember the last time he ever felt such an abrupt wave of dizziness and he knows why.

He'd lost a lot of blood three days ago after Nalaila exhausted herself on him, and he hasn't healed. In fact, he isn't healing.

He'd been so busy, he hasn't gotten around to calling the healer.

"Are you alright?" She repeated, her brows creased in worry.

He can practically feel the tiredness of his other-halves. They need to heal. "I'm fine." He rasped and continued walking.

As they covered more distance, Ismena admired everything and anything. The excitement lit up her whole face, giving it such a radiant glow that only enhanced her beautiful features.