Chapter 23

"I haven't."

"What's it about??"

She asked curiously. The man looked like he was trying to decide whether or not to tell her at first.

"Sit down."

He murmured.

There was only one chair in the room and it was directly opposite to the bed. Valentina took the chair and sat in it.

John was silent for a long time, time had passed before he started talking again.

"They told you you're the first Luna in years right?!"

She nodded.

"Yes. Something like that."

The man nodded.

"Yes. But I'm guessing they didn't tell you why."

No. She never heard a why. She never got a full story either. Just vague answers.

"And why is that? Why did they hide it from me?"

"Well. I wouldn't know... I haven't been here in years."

"Okay."

"But. I would like to tell you about the curse. Because it is an interesting story. One that I think you'd like."

John remarked as he nodded his head enthusiastically.

"So long ago, really long ago, let's say at least four centuries before, our pack was formed. It was amongst one of the very first werewolf packs and it was run by a very powerful alpha. His name is lost to time, I truly cannot remember, but he was known as the Alpha of Bloodshed. Because he liked the taste of the blood of his enemies."

"Back then, werewolves were more primal, territorial, none of this kumbaya shit they do now. Back then they were fighting over lands and territories almost every day. It was a usual occurrence and it was seen as a particularly great feat to own a very large territory."

On one of such battles this alpha of bloodshed met a woman. She would go on to become our first Luna. Strong, powerful, she came from a pack across the wide seas. She was a rare breed, with special werewolf powers."

"There were a lot of unfounded rumours that she was part werewolf and her mother had been a witch and that was how she got her special powers."

"Anyways, the two become one under the night of the full moon and their union seems blissful, only for a few weeks."

"Now this Alpha of Bloodshed had a brother. A brother who had not expected his brother to ever find a Luna and mate. He thought he was next in line to the throne, but with a new Luna that position was unlikely. The new Luna got pregnant and the tension grew even more. One morning she woke up covered in a pool of sweat and blood and she lost the baby."

"Oh."

Valentina said.

"Yes. This went on to happen three more times. The Luna kept losing her children before they were even born, and the alpha became impatient. His brother urged him to send the Luna away, claiming she was bad luck. The Alpha pondered on his brother's advice but did something different. He started to see a young lady in his pack and as the moon goddess would have it, she got pregnant and bore him a son. When the Luna found out about this she was enraged. The Alpha, in his guilt and fear ordered for her exile. She left alright, but not before cursing the land and everyone in it."

"And what was the curse?"

Valentina asked impatiently.

John gave her a look.

"What do you think?"

"Hnmm..."

"She cursed them and left. And the pack never had a Luna since then... since you."

"That's a nice story. Really, it is, but I'm struggling to see what this has to do with me."

Valentina asked and John chuckled as he scratched his beard.

"Everything!"

"It has everything to do with you."

"I'm just letting you know what you're getting into."

He added in a low voice.

"What do you mean?"

Valentina tilted her head forward and looked at the man.

John looked around and then moved closer to her.

"This pack is cursed. And the curse of the Luna manifests in different ways. You may not see it now, but you'll definitely see it later."

Valentina was tired.

She was going to run away soon, she didn't care about any curse. Or what it could do to her. She just wanted her memory back.

She wanted to know who she truly was. What she liked doing for fun and most importantly she wanted to get the hell out of the house. And never look back.

"I lost my memory. I can't remember anything and I have no connection to my wolf."

"Can you help me or not?"

She asked and John scratched his beard again.

"You must have remembered something. What have you remembered?!"

She was about to snap at the old man and tell him she remembered nothing when she remembered the woman who she thought was her mother singing a lullaby.

"Well. I remember a woman singing to me. I think she might be my mother. That's all I can remember for now."

John nodded. He was calm.

Calm and collected and Valentina wondered if that was how he truly was or if it was all an act.

"And that's all?"

"Yes. That's all."

John stood up from the bed. There was a duffel bag around the corner of the room, he went and picked it up. He rummaged in it for at least two minutes before turning back to look at Valentina.

"Lie on the bed please. I'm going to do a simple examination."

"What?"

She asked and he repeated his statement.

Slowly, Valentina stood up from her chair and laid on the bed, she stared at John a little bit more but the man didn't say anything.

"Acupuncture has been used for years to diagnose and treats illnesses."

He said.

He brought out a small bag and opened it, she gulped when she saw the tiny long needles.

"You use acupuncture?!"

She asked and he nodded.

"To diagnose sometimes. I have other methods, but I believe this one is the best."

She started to tremble slightly.

"Wait wait wait! You're going to stick that into me?!"

"It's not going to hurt."

John didn't even try to sound convincing.

Valentina sat up from the bed.

"There should be another way. One that doesn't involve you sticking needles on me!"

John looked deep in thought. Then he brought out one of the needles and showed Valentina.

"Are you scared of needles? Is that it?"

He asked and she was about to say no when another memory came.

*"It's just a needle baby. I promise it'll only hurt for a second and then it won't hurt again."

*The voice was soft and sweet. It sounded vaguely familiar, like she had heard it before. But then there was another voice.

*"Lily she doesn't want it! We'll find another way."*

*"What way Nana?! She's sick!" The gentler voice said, sounding a little more agitated.*

*"She's strong. You worry too much. She'll be fine."*

*Someone hovered above her and she saw the face of an old woman. With short grey curly hair and a pink blouse that had ruffles on the side.

*The old woman smiled at her, then stroked her face.*

*"Nana."

*She called out before opening her eyes.*

She looked at John. John was staring at her. She looked around, he had put away the needles. She sighed in relief.

"Another memory?"

He asked and she nodded.

"Yes."

"You were confronted with a memory when you saw a needle, something you were afraid of, so it triggered your memories."

She nodded her head slowly.

"What about the first time?"

John asked and she tried to remember. Well the first time was with Colin and Mrs Parson.

"I heard a voice and I saw my mother, singing to me, I think the voice reminded me of my mother."

John nodded.

"That's good."

"Your memories will come back soon."

"How do you know?"

She asked and he shrugged.

"I just know. I also know that the reason it hasn't come fully now is because there is a mental block in your mind, preventing you from fully accessing them."

"A mental block?"

John nodded as he touched her hand abruptly.

"I will try and find what the block is."

"How?"

The man smiled uneasily.

"I'm not a just an ordinary healer. Here, drink this."

He passed her a vial.

"What is it?!"

"You'll lose consciousness for a while. Just a while. I'll be able to get into your mind."

"Drink it quickly. It takes effect a little slowly."

She nodded and opened the vial, pouring the contents down her throat.

..................

Luna.

The young lady was the Luna. She was so young, John thought as he touched her forehead and when she slept she looked so peaceful. So calm.

He looked at the time, it was approximately fifteen minutes after giving her the contents of the vial.

He didn't like doing this. It was the part of his healing capabilities that he didn't like using, but it was the one he was required to use the most.

Nobody truly cared for his knowledge of herbs, or acupuncture. Especially not Remington's father.

Remington's father had been obsessed with one thing and one thing alone. Breaking the curse and finding his own mate and Luna.

They had spent hours sometimes, hours on end with John searching and searching for his mate. And he never found her. He never did.

John would emerge from these meetings drained, so drained that he wouldn't be able to walk. He made a vow to leave, just as soon as the alpha died, lest his son had the same mental Illness and obsession with finding a mate.

And so when the alpha died, John packed his luggage and left while they were all still in mourning. He didn't look back, he never looked back.

He looked at Valentina again and sighed.

He closed his eyes and willed his transformation.

Just a little.

Just a little of it.

His nails grew, elongating and becoming claw like, like it would as a wolf.

He slowly sank his claws into the middle of her head and he let the feeling wash all over him.

It felt like hours, but John knew it was only a few minutes.

Valentina's mind was a vast emptiness. Nothing.

There was nothing.

Nothing except a figure in the corner. He suspected it was her wolf, at least the consciousness of it.

Whatever remained.

He stopped and cleared his throat.

The figure didn't move.

He cleared his throat again.

Nothing.

He was running out of time. The drug would soon wear off and Valentina would wake up. And it was dangerous for her to regain consciousness while his claws were still in her.

He rushed towards the figure, but the more he ran the farther it moved away from him.

This was futile!

Hopeless!

He thought in annoyance as he stopped.

"Fine then. Stay there! I won't help you."

He said as he turned his back on the figure.

*"And when will you realise I don't want your help?!"

A sinister voice answered.

John felt as if he had been struck, and in a second he was stumbling out of Valentina's mind and right back to the present where he found himself on the floor.

With three of his claws broken.