Chapter 19: The Known Secret


    It seemed that the clouds had gotten a sudden fascination to the cottage as they hugged each other


    and hovered above it. The sky which once was swept away by flickering stars entirely, now could no


    longer hold its ce. The clouds had banished the illumination of the celestial bodies.


    The heavens were restless tonight.


    Sabinus tapped his fingers to the curved silvery top of his walking stick. He asionally nced at the


    coruscation of the clouds, the way they were moving around the cottage and rumbling against each


    other as if threatening the mortals beneath.


    Elder Odulf was restless while Aurora could not keep her emotions at check.


    "Will you please say something!" she nced at the man who was pensive looking at the sky. He


    rested his stick to a nearby tree and turned to face the duo. Aurora could extrapte the gravity of the


    situation when she saw the grim face of the healer.


    Sabinus sighed in defeat "I''m afraid there is little we can do."


    "There has to be a way!" Aurora almost choked while her eyes could no longer dy the tears.


    The sharp loud cracks from above were making matters even horrifying.


    "The wounds are too deep for any shifter to bear let alone this human form. The canines have ruptured


    his skin entirely. You can even see his bones!" Sabinus caught a moment and sat on the nearest


    wooden log. "His powers have not fully manifested yet which makes it even worse. The minimum


    powers which he has activated are keeping him alive but barely."


    "I don''t believe I am saying this.." Odulf whispered and sighed "but if the arm is the real culprit then why


    cant we just get rid of it. Rip off his arm!?" Elder Odulf asked unsure of himself.


    Sabinus shook his head "That would not help elder Odulf. Their race can survive only when every part


    of the human is intact. Think of it as a circle where the soul is the centre surrounded by the body; any


    part missing and the circle is broken, the energy flow lost."


    "So we are back to square one. I cannot think of any more possible solutions. My medications and


    potions work differently on him; but I cant keep on experimenting. Its dangerous!" elder Odulf said in a


    low voice.


    "Your right elder Odulf. We should not take the risk."


    "So you are saying that there is no way to save Can." asked thedy.


    Sabinus stood from his ce and looked at the motion of the wind which was gaining strength. "I can


    think of only one way." he turned to face them and said indifferently. "His true mate.."


    Skeptical of the solution Aurora and Odulf looked at each other helplessly. It wasn''t as if they had not


    thought about it. Even as a child Aurora had tricked Einar to save Can, but tonight was different.


    Einar was not a child anymore; he could not be tricked or forced to do anything against his will.


    Moreover he had detached himself from his mate for a long time now so they were unsure if Einar


    would help.


    "The fact is, Einar has not epted Can as his mate. From what I can gather, even his wolf has


    some issues regarding Can. So I don''t think he will agree to do it." Aurora reasoned with Sabinus.


    She knew for some reason Einar has not been epting of his mate and keeping a safe distance from


    him. Aiding his process was his wolf who showed no sign of marking his mate as any normal case


    would be.


    "Here is where you are wrong my love. The bond they share is way too stronger for the wolf to not


    acknowledge. However its not the wolf we need here." Sabinus whispered thest words.


    Perplexed by the statement elder Odulf interjected. "As far as I remember Einar''s wolf cured Can


    when he was thirteen so it should not be a problem now."


    Sabinus smiled curtly and nodded. "Back then Can was a child and barely had his defences. Now


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    the situation is contrasting, Can''s powers will repel every attempt made by the wolfs bond to im


    him."


    "So you are suggesting...." Elder Odulf tried to understand what the healer was trying to say.


    Sabinus crossed his arms to his shoulders and said "We need the shedim spirit''s power to cure him."


    Elder Odulf could not form any words to speak while all Aurora could do was to stare at nothingness


    remembering thest time the shedim spirit had unleashed itself.


    It was a brutal mayhem.


    The problem was, that if the spirit was released from the enchantments than it would be


    uncontroble. It would crave thepany of its mate and unleash its wrath on anyone who came their


    way. It would be disastrous..!


    But they seemed to have run out of options. If saving Can would require a higher price to pay; than


    so be it.


    "How much time does he have?" the helplessness and utter fear for her beloved friend had made


    Aurora cautious.


    "The clouds have gathered already. I would say Can has until midday to revive himself." Sabinus


    dejectedly lowered his eyes.


    "Einar would never agree to such a request. He will not jeopardise his lineage by giving control to the


    beast." Elder Odulf stated as a matter of fact.


    "He will agree elder Odulf." Aurora spoke with a resolve "He has to agree.." she almost whispered as if


    reassuring herself of Einar''s affirmation.


    ****


    Inside the Alpha house everyone was sitting on the dinner table sharing each of their stories. The


    elongatedrge table had space enough for every higher adherent to eat with their families. Today''s


    main attraction had been the new going to be pack member. Rosaline had charmed everyone around


    the table. Ragnar and Zelda were extremely joyous to finally meet their son''s mate.


    Einar was sitting in between Garrick and Rosaline. He was certainly not enjoying himself being in this


    situation. The constant chatting and muttering made the event even more unwanted for him.


    Einar''s thoughts were drifted to todays events. How he reached the field in the nick of time to save his


    mate. Not only were the culprits killed but Can was also out of harms way. The reassurance that


    Can was fine made him less worrisome but his beasts had the mind of their own. Their anxiousness


    made Can more suffocated in the confined space. The beasts wanted to have a look at their mate


    with their own naked eyes. They wanted to confirm Can''s safety.


    After dinner everyone headed for their respective amodations. Garrick followed Einar in his room


    to discuss some pack business. Their interaction was disturbed when a guard knocked on their door.


    The guard bowed his head and said "Sire,dy Aurora wishes to see you."


    Both the friends were bemused at the healers presence at such an ungodly hour.


    "Is father not present in the house?" Einar asked the guard.


    "He is sire."


    Einar sighed and turned his back, returning to do his work. "Then askdy Aurora to take up her matter


    with him. I have some unfinished work to do."


    The guard hesitated "But sire she insists that it is important and is adamant to meet you."


    Einar furrowed his eyes and processed his line of thought for why the healer wants to meet him. For


    any other reason the healer was to report to the delta of the pack. Only in cases where the packs


    integrity was at stake was any healer required to handle the matter with the beta; in any which case


    Einar did not fit in the picture.


    However, Einar also noticed that this healer was different. She had defied orders in the past and


    certainly doesn''t care for the packs functioning procedure.


    Garrick looked at his friend. What could possibly bring the healer here at this time? Garrick asked with


    curiosity.


    I am as clueless as you are. Einar shrugged. He than faced the guard "Bring her in respectfully."


    Aurora entered the room quivering, shaking and a little disturbed. The first thing both of them noticed


    were her wet clothes. It looked liked she was caught in a rain, but how could that be possible when the


    sky was clear outside.


    She stood at a distance and looked at Einar firmly contemting on how to broach the subject. Einar


    discerned her hesitation and spoke himself "I believe you have something to discuss healer."


    "Yes I do." She opened her mouth but ate her words when she realised Garrick was there too.


    "Actually.. I-I wanted to talk to you alone."


    Garrick raised his brow while Einar sighed "Don''t be hesitant. Garrick is a friend and I trust him with my


    life."


    "ITS ABOUT CALLAN." Aurora uttered at a go with her fidgeting thumbs.


    All color drained his face when he heard the healer talk about his mate. The beasts could sense that


    something was wrong with him. Unbeknownst to Einar, Garrick witnessed the tension surmounting and


    the glowing of the locket.


    "Garrick would you mind giving us some space." Einar said without looking at his friend.


    "But Einar.."


    "Please Garrick.." Einar almost pleaded.


    Garrick huffed and left the room with much reluctance.


    Einar locked the room and appeared normal; his fa?ade to hide his emotions. "So you were saying..."


    "Can u-uh." She sighed and took a deep breath. "Can needs your help."


    "What are you talking about?" His beasts knew there was something wrong with his mate but Einar


    dismissed them thinking that they were overly anxious.


    "His injury is talking a toll on him."


    With every passing moment it was bing difficult for Einar to control his emotions and have a


    straight face. To avoid Aurora, he turned his back and pretended to search for something. "I suppose


    he was recovering when mother visited him before sunset." he grabbed a seidel and poured some


    liquor to it.


    "Yes but his condition deteriorated thereafter and he is now barely holding up."


    "But you are the healer. How could you possibly think that I-I can help." he gulped ss after ss to


    ease his pain.


    "If there is anyone in the world who can help Can right now its YOU."


    He put the ss with a thud on the table. "W-What do you mean?"


    "The bite from the ferals has poisoned Can''s bloodstream. You know as well that his healing power is


    that of a normal human. The situation has gotten so worse that even amputation cannot give him his


    life!"


    Hearing about detaching his mates arm made him furious and he growled at her. Just the sight of blood


    earlier had made his beasts insane so how could he imagine him to be amputated.


    Einar got hold of his locket, took deep breaths and calmed himself.


    "I''m sorry about that." he poured another ss of liquor through his throat.


    "Its fine." she almost whimpered.


    "So what do you expect me to do."


    Aurora sighed "We have tried everything in our power, every magic that I knew has failed. We are


    running out of time to experiment anything on him. We don''t want anything to backfire you know."


    "I still don''t get it. How do I fit in this proposal?" Einar was getting irritated by the healer''s beating


    around the bush nonsense talk.


    Now was the time. Auroraposed herself and took deep breaths of credence "If a higher power


    Einar faltered in his stance and spoke his words carefully slow "What you mean is that I use my.."


    "Shedim spirit. Yes."


    He turned to face her with wide eyes. "IMPOSSIBLE." he said with conformity. "I am not releasing the


    beast ever. Thest time I had it, it ate me up from the inside. The horrors I faced; the sufferings I put


    my family, my pack through. I cannot fathom any more harming their way."


    Aurora half expected this answer but she had to try. She supplicated her request by pleading "Please..!


    he needs your help."


    "I will not risk it. The packes first."


    "Even before your own MATE??"


    Einar''s mouth hung open while the liquor bottle shattered into pieces as it slipped through his hands. To


    say he was shocked was an understatement. Einar''s brain stuttered for a moment and his eyes took in


    more light than he expected; totally stunned by the revtion of the healer. He lost the ability to


    process things.


    How could the healer know? He had been careful to remain unnoticed throughout these years. He had


    gone to such an extent as in to neglect Can and insult him every chance he got. It blocked every


    thoughts of suspicion there could arise. So how could''ve he be caught?


    "W-What a-are you saying?" Einar gulped "You know that putting such false allegations on your going


    to be Alpha can put you in a lot of trouble." he stuttered through his unmasking.


    "I am ready to face any punishment to speak the truth. Lets just put this in theory. How about I inform


    everyone about your bond and let the council decide on the matter for itself."


    The council was a bad news. It wont be hard to prove that indeed Can was his mate. His position as


    the going to be alpha would be jeopardised or worse he could be banished from the pack.


    It was as if Einar''s face was sshed with cold water. His worst nightmare would be reality.


    Everything he worked for to keep his semnce would vanish just like that.


    "You wont do any such thing..!" Einar whispered threateningly.


    "Then help me please! I know you will always put your pack before anything else but let it slide just this


    once. I promise to do anything you ask but please just help me save Can.."


    What other option did he have. He never liked the healer, her proximity with his mate always made him


    jealous which led to his dislike for thedy. He never treated her right and she knew that. She had


    every reason to do what she says; besides the pack safety would now be up on her.


    Einar nodded while contemting a possible escape route.


    The going to be Alpha and the healer made a backdoor exit to evade suspicion.


    The easiest way to the cottage was through the woods. Both of them decided to walk as Aurora would


    not be able to keep up with Einar''s wolf. Halfway through Einar could hear rumbling of the clouds. He


    looked at the sky and thought storm was nearing. The zing winds and the haphazard walkway made


    the journey time consuming.


    Einar realised that Can was been treated in the lone isted cottage which was far away from the


    rest. What Einar did not expect were the brittle showers which strangely surrounded just the cottage.


    They made their way only to discern that Can was already apanied by Sabinus and elder Odulf.


    Einar raised his brow. "Do they know too!?"


    "Yes son of Ragnar; we know too." Elder Odulf said nonchntly.


    This was not good; this was thest thing Einar wanted. The more the people knew the more chances


    of him getting exposed. He growled furiously at Aurora "How many more people have you told?"


    "Don''t worry Einar its just us." she replied in assurance.


    Yes they knew about Einar and Can being mates but up to what extent. Einar thought about grilling


    the healerter. First he must do the said job and go back to the pack house before anyone gets


    sceptical.


    "I''m here now. What do I need to do?" he sighed.


    It was Sabinus'' turn to speak. "You have to connect yourself with your shedim spirit. Summon it. Once


    you feel the energy surge let the beast take charge and he will do the rest."


    "What about when the job is done? The spirit goes at its will and I wont have any control over it." by the


    looks of the three humans Einar deduced that they have contemted the oue already.


    "I have a n for that as well. Now we must leave." Elder odulf nced at Aurora and Sabinus and


    looked back at Einar. "Just make sure we go far away before you strip your locket. Aurora will be here


    after an hour."


    The trio made their way out and went straight to Auroras ce where they all waited impatiently when


    suddenly Sabinus chuckled looking at Odulf''s features. "You really don''t have any idea how to put the


    beast back in his cage right?"


    Aurora was shocked and surprised at the revtion.


    Elder Odulf replied calmly. "I''m working on it."


    "This is absurd. We haven''t thought this through. The spirit once unleashed will not relieve its charge.


    Moreover it would be revengeful for every wrongdoing and misery Can had to go through." Aurora


    voiced her concern.


    "How many people are we talking here." Sabinus asked out of curiosity.


    "The entire pack." she gulped nervously. "Almost.."


    "What! I cannot believe this! The entire blue moon pack wronged the boy!" Sabinus was dumbfounded


    to say the least.


    "Yes. People always considered him an outsider since he could not shift. Never appreciated him, never


    acknowledged him. He was put to a lot of strain since his childhood, burdened by expectations from his


    family, a struggle to make a name for himself. It has been just too much for him." Aurora had tears in


    her eyes.


    "We have to do something before the spirit has its way."


    "Can was born with a destiny. One we cannot deny." Elder Odulf whispered with a sigh


    Sabinus rubbed his forehead and yelled at him "But at what cost! We cannot put an entire pack at


    danger." he exhaled "How do we stop this! his absolute obsession with his mate will be our doom."


    Sabinus looked at both of them for any possible solution but elder Odulf replied helplessly "Only Luna


    can save us now."