Ore's massive form stood over him, her growl rumbling until the tension in the chains finally died down. She waited, watching his violet eyes dim into something calmer, more receptive.
Then, with a shuddering breath, she backed away. Her fur began to retreat, her bones shifting and snapping as her frame folded back into something smaller, human. When the last trace of the wolf was gone, she pulled her folded clothes from the corner and dressed swiftly.
"Come back in," she called, her voice steady now.
The door creaked open, and the boy stepped inside, his brows lifting at the sight before him. "Well… that's effective."
Ore brushed her braids over her shoulder, her expression cool. "I'm stronger than him. He had to back down. And since he's affiliated with me, you could say… I'm like his soft spot."
She moved closer, kneeling by the wolf. His chest heaved, but his eyes followed her, softer now, no longer blazing. She reached out, petting his fur gently.
"It's alright," she whispered.
Tolu's beast exhaled, closing his eyes. He leaned into her touch, pressing his massive head against her shoulder, snuggling like a restless child finally soothed.
The boy smirked, folding his arms. "Awwn. What a happy couple."
Ore ignored him. Instead, she focused entirely on Tolu, her voice low and calm. "You should be able to understand me now. You're a werewolf. The beast you saw with the red eyes… that was our Alpha. You'll meet him in the future."
She stroked his back, her tone steady, almost commanding. "For now, just relax. When the moon goes down, you'll be able to transform back. Until then, stay calm."
Tolu huffed, a low sound rumbling from deep within his chest. But this time, it wasn't rage. It was acceptance.
Olu leaned against the wall, watching the scene with a casual tilt of his head. "Honestly, this looks pretty easy. I don't know what that old man was ranting about. You wolves can handle your newborns really well—you don't need us hovering around through the entire process."
The chains rattled again as Tolu shifted restlessly, the sound sharp in the otherwise quiet room.
Ore didn't take her hand off him, her voice calm but edged. "Don't be so quick to assume, Olu. There've been cases where the chains snapped like paper. Your craftsmanship isn't foolproof."
Olu gave a small, confident shrug. "Mine is."
Ore lifted a finger, pointing toward a section of the chain already showing a hairline crack.
The smugness dropped from his face, replaced with a groan. "Perfect. Just what I needed to see. Makes me glad we're not at war, because if this is him restrained…"
"Exactly," Ore murmured, still focused on Tolu.
Olu sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Alright, but… can he even hear me right now?"
Ore nodded faintly, her fingers brushing through Tolu's fur with steady patience. "He should. But don't expect much of a reaction."
Olu tilted his head. "Why not?"
"Because he isn't fully human anymore," Ore explained quietly. "Right now, he's split. There's his human side… and the wild one you're looking at. The wild has control tonight. But it recognizes me—so it gives me room to reach him."
Olu frowned. "And me?"
She smiled lightly, not looking away from Tolu. "You're just noise to him. Like a buzzing in his ear."
Warmth spread over him before he even opened his eyes. Tolu stirred, blinking against the dull glow of lantern light. A blanket was wrapped tightly around him, soft against his skin.
Confused, he sat up—and then it hit him. The chains. The pain. The snapping of his bones. The wolf. His wolf. Memories flooded in like a storm, and he hugged the blanket tighter, staring at Ore.
"So… I am a werewolf," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Yes," she replied, calm and certain.
"And you're stronger than me?"
A small chuckle escaped her lips. "For now, yes."
He looked away, shaking his head slowly. "This is… still so confusing." His brows knit as another thought struck him. "There was a guy here."
"Yeah," she nodded. "Olu. He left. Don't worry, I'll answer all your questions." She patted the floor gently. "Sit. We'll talk."
Reluctantly, he lowered himself back down. She slid a bag toward him.
"There are clothes in there."
Tolu blinked, realizing for the first time that under the blanket, there was nothing else. Heat rushed to his cheeks. Keeping the blanket wrapped around himself like armor, he fumbled awkwardly into the shirt and shorts, never letting go of the fabric.
When he finally sat again, his voice was quieter. "Where are we?"
"A house in the woods," she said simply.
Silence stretched between them. Then, without looking at her, he asked, "Did you do all that at the lake… just to draw me into this?"
Her breath caught. "No," she said firmly. "I actually like you. I know it wasn't fair to drag you into all this, but…" She hesitated, her eyes softening. "I want you to know—I do like you. Everything was real. Us. That moment. It wasn't a trick."
Before she could say more, Tolu leaned forward, pressing his lips against hers.
Her eyes widened, then fluttered shut as her arms wrapped around him, pulling him closer. She kissed him back, melting into the moment, into him.
For a while, there was no beast, no curse, no fear—just the two of them, holding on like it was all that mattered.
When their lips finally parted, Ore caught her breath, staring at him like she was seeing someone new. Her voice was low, almost trembling.
"I didn't expect you to take it this well," she admitted. "I literally pulled you into a very, very dangerous world. I took away your chance of having a normal life."
Tolu just smiled, leaning back slightly with the blanket still hanging from his shoulders. "The deed's done, Ore. There's no use getting angry over it. Besides—" he tilted his head, his eyes glinting with calm resolve, "—I gained strength, and some other things I'll probably figure out along the way. And since you can control your transformation, it means the biggest con of being a werewolf is already off the table."
Ore's lips curved into the faintest smile, but he wasn't done.
"As for wolfsbane—humans have poison too. It's all the same thing." His voice softened, but his smile deepened. "And the last of all? I got a very beautiful girlfriend."
Ore blinked at him, stunned.
"Now," he added, leaning a little closer with a playful glint in his eyes, "tell me the basics."
Ore shook her head slowly, a smile tugging at her lips despite herself. In her mind, she couldn't help thinking—this boy is full of surprises.