Wolf you Up!

Although Alicia's gaze was locked on Eden who had been leading the conversation since their arrival, it was Glen who answered. The alpha who had let his mate lead the encounter felt it was time for him to take the reins.

"Don't you think that if we knew anything we wouldn't have bothered going all this way?"

"You have a good point but…" The old witch couldn't finish her sentence. Glen was slowly shrinking the distance between them, but it wasn't that simple fact that made the witch stop. For the first time, she saw the werewolf use magic.

The alpha had activated his protection skill and a golden dome had appeared. It quickly expanded to also envelop Eden's body. As Alicia thought the purpose of this dome was to protect the two of them, she saw the shimmering dome expand further until it reached the barrier of will-o'-the-wisps. What happened made her mind go blank.

Lunar magic was forgotten when the Moon Goddess gave the most unexpected gift to the wolves who protected her people.

When the Goddess offered human souls to the pack that protected the Blue Moon clan, She instantly became the Moon Goddess, protector of shapeshifters. This became even more true when, a few years later, She gifted the tribe with the power to transform into a wolf to celebrate the union between the chief's daughter and the future alpha.

The clan made a name as a clan of witches and wizards who turn into wolves and their magic's power was forgotten as time goes by. But the ability to shapeshift into a wolf for Skinwalkers and a human for Werewolves is just a feat in addition to the use of lunar magic. 

Living beings and even some minerals are sensitive to the influence of the moon. Because of this, lunar magic, like the luminary from which it derives, can influence them.

Since most spirits with whom Servants contract are souls of living beings whose strength or nobility has moved Talamh, they can easily be affected by lunar magic.

When Glen saw the spirit standing in front of them, ready to fight and when he felt Alicia's animosity, he decided to step out of his bystander role.

They came here invited. They answered the questions properly and despite their goodwill, the first reaction that the old witch had faced with a doubt born of her ignorance was to threaten them.

The danger this spirit posed to his mate had awakened the alpha's protective instincts. His body had moved on its own and he hadn't tried to stop it. After all, he wasn't the first one to bare his teeth. The dominant would do his best to defuse the situation but if the discussion wasn't possible, he wouldn't demur to strike to protect Eden.

When the dome reached the barrier of will-o'-the-wisps, the contact provoked a reaction that the two Servants of Talamh hadn't expected. A rune appeared on all spirits that could be influenced by lunar magic. The symbol glowed as the dome continued to grow and pushed them away as it grew bigger.

When the dome stopped growing, it had covered not only the old witch's house but also several houses around it. Moreover, all the spirits in this perimeter had suffered the same fate as Alicia's. A rune appeared on them and they were pushed back outside the dome.

Huddled against the wall of the golden cupola, the spirits tried in vain to fly back to their respective Servants. Of course, when the presence of the dome was noticed, panic arose in the village. Most of the inhabitants who were dining or busy with their usual activities of this time of the day, came out to understand what was going on.

Those who had been separated from their spirits were looking for the origin of this spell. Only a few elemental spirits were able to remain inside the dome, but they were the weakest.

Inside the house, Glen and Eden were now staring at the two women in silence. Alicia swallowed hard. She had never felt so defenseless. To deal with the two werewolves, she only had a few will-o'-the-wisps left and Caraid but she knew it wouldn't be enough. Even with her knowledge, they were too weak to inflict any real damage. After a moment of settling, Glen resumed.

"Do you think that we're stupid enough to come all the way here and yet hide what we know about the person who is after our life? If you want us to talk, you have to trust us enough to consider our answers like the exact truth."

"T-that's right," Alicia stammered. She didn't feel any animosity from the alpha, but she knew it wouldn't last if she did the slightest wrong move. Besides, she had an idea that wasn't the only trick they had up their sleeve. The old witch didn't want to take the risk and check her hunch either.

"I got it! What about we resume our discussion? If you dispel your …"

"No," Glen cut off and Alicia gritted her teeth. "We will discuss with the dome still activated. If I don't take advantage of your defenselessness to attack you, maybe it will convince you that we have no bad intentions and that all we are looking for are answers to get rid of this curse."

The alpha heaved a long sigh. He crossed his arms over his chest and looked at Alicia with softened features.

"You know, trust is not just a word. You have to grant it if you want it to be honored. Being wary and spreading your claws out at the first suspicion, you must have spent your life attracting enemies. "

"That's something she can't deny," interjected Gabriella, who had watched the entire exchange without a word.

The old woman turned to her granddaughter and glared at her but the young woman added.

"You always strike first then you talk. Yes, that's how you became so strong but, you're laking as a proper human being."

The dominant felt Eden's hand land on his shoulder and turned his head to look at his mate who gave him an approving look.

"No one likes to be treated as an enemy when they come with arms full of friendship. We were invited here by Gabriella, at least give us the benefit of the doubt," pleaded the omega male looking the witch straight in the eyes.

Insistent knocking at the witch's front door interrupted them and Alicia turned her head towards the entrance then looked at the alpha. She seemed to ask his permission and Glen raised an eyebrow.

"Why are you looking at me? It's your house, if you want to open your door to someone, you are free to do so. I have no say in it." He shrugged and went to sit with his mate near the table where they had eaten earlier.

From where they were sitting, Eden and Glen heard the woman open the door and answer the worried and pressing questions of her neighbors. The villagers had to authorize visits. Guests were rare in the lands of the Servants of Talamh due to the powerful protective field surrounding them. Also, everyone knew that werewolves were at the old woman's house right now. As a man asked her if she had a problem, Alicia paused for a second and answered them.

"Nothing to worry about. I just did a few experiments that went wrong. You know sometimes I get a little carried away."

Hearing her explanation, the two persons in front of them exchanged a look.

"An experiment? Are you out of your mind? All of our spirits are stuck outside this golden barrier. What will you do to fix the situation? How long will it last?"

Gabriella who was near the door looked back at the two werewolves and Eden who listened to the conversation and understood what she wanted, raised all the fingers of his left hand and two of his right hand. When she saw his answer, Gabriella pushed her grandmother to take her place and put her hand on the door.

"The dome should dissipate in fifty-two minutes. Sorry again for the inconvenience. Have a nice evening."

With a fake smile, she slammed the door in the face of the people who knocked again, dissatisfied with her answer but she couldn't care less.

Gabriella turned and strode to the two werewolves with a broad smile to which Eden answered with a weak quiver of the corners of his mouth. Glen, meanwhile, watched the old witch who joined her granddaughter reluctantly.

"So what have you decided? Do you trust us for the next fifty-two minutes or not?"

Alicia was about to open her mouth to answer but Eden's voice cut her off.

"Wait! Before you answer, I think we should give you all the elements to decide whether you want to treat us as enemies or as friends. The woman squinted at his words and he continued.

"We came here because of Glen's curse, but he's not the only one cursed by Light. Before we came here, we spent a short time at the Skinwalkers. Always for the same thing. We hoped they could help us with the curse and that's what they did even though the result wasn't what we expected. We can't deny that Silphie was a great help to us. However, while we were there, we discovered that the tribe had also been cursed."

"What?" Gabriella and Alicia reacted at the same time.

"You know about their blessing renewal ceremony?"

Both women shook their heads in denial and Gabriella explained.

"Even if we know the main lines of the history of each clan, Witches and wizards don't share the secrets related to their power. Only a tribesman who changes clan because of their wedding can know such details and it's subjected to so many rules and magic rituals that it's impossible to spy."

"Oh…" Eden paused. "Even though the whole clan is threatened by death, I must not speak to you then?" His gaze bore into the eyes of the witch who held him for a moment as she wanted to make sure the werewolf wasn't lying.

Alicia walked over to the table and dropped into a chair.

"You can only tell me about what threatens the clan. All the other elements can be glossed over if they don't help us later."

Eden nodded and, after a brief inspiration, started to talk about Glen's curse. He didn't omit anything detailing how his mate's powers were curtailed, the negative effects, the bloodlust. Finally, he repeated the story Silphie had told them after the battle Elias provoked. He told everything he knew about what had happened on the blessing renewal night.

Alicia remained silent throughout and when the omega was finished she placed her hands under her chin. Her eyes were staring into space and so many emotions passed through them that neither the werewolves nor even her granddaughter could grasp one to guess what the woman was feeling.

"I think I understood now how this girl might have grafted a curse on your aura."

One of her hands moved down to the table and her index finger caressed the surface of the wood. Her drawing gave life to a small white flame without heat and the witch began to explain.

"The aura is unique to witches, wizards, and beings who are related to any deity. It houses our blessing and our powers. If we had to draw a parallel, the aura would be what civilians call the soul. It's extremely sensitive to our emotions and feelings." Alicia turned her head to Eden to illustrate her point. "For example, it's what allows you to deploy your aura and make it change size depending on how you're feeling."

"And what can you tell us about this curse?" pressed the omega.

"This curse is a work of almost dreading perfection. You told me that she also infected the aura of the whole Blue Moon clan, right?" Eden nodded impatiently and Alicia sighed and lowered her head with a frown and several wrinkles appeared on her forehead.

"What allowed her to curse you like this, the factor that affected the Skinwalker's magic and blocked your powers is that she used her aura and it's something that should be impossible for her to do.. Tamper your aura is the same thing as challenging the divinity that has blessed you."