Episode 6

June woke confused and scared, not knowing her surroundings. Springing from the bed, she peered out the window to discover not the city, but a forest, and definitely not the filthy basement in a den of human decay she remembered. The memory of her escape as a wolf was all she could pull from her mind.

Surveying the room she found herself in, June noted the simple decor: a bed, a wardrobe, a table, and a chair, and one door, which led to a bathroom. She attended to her needs, then showered off the odd sensation on her skin, later wrapping herself in a robe provided for her. It was then she ventured out of the bedroom.

The first person she encountered was Dr. Malek, who greeted her with a smile.

"My dear, you're awake! That's wonderful," the doctor said as he rose from his chair to embrace her.

"It's so good to be here with you."

"Forgive me, my child, for failing to protect you."

"Hello, I'm here too," came another voice.

"Hi, I don't know you," June replied earnestly.

"I own this house, and I'm the one who helped you escape from that place. My name is Merheia."

"Sorry, my memories are hazy."

"Come, child, sit. I will get you something to eat," Malek offered.

Malek had brought an abundance of food prepared by his wife, Rosa, and set it before her. June was famished, but having been starved for so long, she couldn't eat much. She sipped some juice and nibbled at a sausage, allowing her stomach to adjust.

"We need to have a talk with you," said Malek.

"What about? Do you want to know where I was, who took me, or what?"

"We know all that, June. It's something else, quite difficult to convey. I'll wait until you've finished eating."

She stuffed the last piece of sausage into her mouth and, still chewing, said, "I'm done..."

"Well, it's hard to say..."

"I'll start then: why am I here instead of home? Why does Rosa send food but doesn't check on me herself? Who exactly is Merheia, and why does she live in the middle of the forest? Am I a prisoner?"

"Wow! Quick thinker," Merheia remarked.

"Well, unable to find you, I sought Merheia's help and we struck a deal."

"I found you, and you'll stay with me for a year, training in the art of magic."

"Woohoo, I'm all for it—will I be a wolf witch? Are you a witch?" June inquired, her brow furrowed in suspicion.

"I'm a sorceress, born this way. You aren't, but witchcraft is different. With the magic of the wolf, you can learn."

"I think I understand. If I were Rosa, I wouldn't come either."

"But there's more," Malek began, then revealed everything about his transformation and his encounter with her mother, supposedly his lupine companion.

"What a mess! What a damn mess!" cursed June.

She stood up, punching anything in her path. Her memories of her mother were filled with pain and misery, and now she identified the culprit.

"Do you have any idea what happened to her?" she yelled, spitting with rage.

"I didn't know what I was doing..."

"And you didn't look for her? Left her pregnant, all alone, practically a child, at the mercy of that beast who prostituted his own daughters while they were still children? Humans can be far more monstrous than werewolves, did you know?"

"I couldn't find her after I got control. I searched, and despite loving my Rosa, I wanted to do the right thing."

"Well now, I'll tell you, she's at La Cruz house, serving as a breeder for that monster's merchandise. What are you going to do, 'Daddy'?" she spat the word with disdain.

Malek, overcome, slumped into his chair, defeated, and wept.

"ENOUGH! Drama over, Malek isn't to blame, you survived, and we have no time for dramas. Drink this," Merheia said, placing two glasses on the table and staring at them authoritatively. "Now!"

They drank without hesitation and soon felt calmer.

"Do you want to get back at that monster and save your mother?" Merheia asked.

"Yes, but I'm more interested in nailing all those despicable pedophiles. I remember each of them, their stench, their grasping fingers."

"Then, train with me, and you'll have the power to destroy them all."

Malek remained silent, desiring only for his daughter to accept him, as he and Rosa had already accepted her and wanted to adopt her. Having a family at last would be wonderful.

June agreed, but her plans differed from Merheia's expectations. Accustomed to obedience and command due to her immense power, Merheia wouldn't anticipate June's resolve. June had suffered too much as a sexual slave. Now, with newfound power, she would never submit again. She was weak, malnourished, just a girl who couldn't escape her abusers—until now.

She resolved to learn everything quickly, to apply herself diligently, and once she knew enough, she would vanish, never to be seen again.

*

Rude was deep in a forest, far from his father's pack. He knew of his mother's imprisonment but not the location. His father was the only blind one to the situation, likely bewitched. It was a witch who'd ensnared his mother and charmed his father, and he suspected it was his father's mate, an impostor.

His werewolf fury felled several trees. Other werewolves steered clear when he was like this. He needed to vent, his power surging from the Alphas he had defeated. Without a mate, he grew unstable after battles.

A recent message had corroborated his belief about his father's enchantment, but no witch known to him was mighty enough to break the spell or challenge the sorceress safeguarding the Lotus pack. Stopping his assault on the forest, he pondered:

"Lotus signifies rebirth. Is that my destiny—to free my father from that cursed witch, rescue my mother, and revive our family?"

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