“Tomorrow’s the big day,” Daine grins. “Let’s meet right here first thing in the morning, okay?”

“Yeah!” Vince responds cheerfully. The two children are alone in the woods after another lighthearted day of exploration. They part ways with a smile, for tomorrow is a big day.

Tomorrow is the day.

On the seventeenth day of the ninth month of the year 703, Vince arose from his bed. He nearly leapt with excitement. Morning had come, and he was eager to meet up with his friend. He’s been looking forward to this day for quite some time now, something he’d rarely gotten to say in previous years. Quickly, he gets dressed and makes his way downstairs, excited for what’s to come. Today is a special day. It’s…

“Hey.”

Vince is greeted by his father, Flint, at the bottom of the stairs. There he was in the living room, his back turned as he lazed about on the couch. He had to pass by his father to reach the front door, something he never enjoyed doing.

“You going somewhere?” Flint mumbles, staying turned away from his son.

“Just meeting a friend,” Vince replies.

“It better not be who I think it is,” his father groans. “Don’t be out for too long, got it?” Vince rolls his eyes, sick of dealing with his dad. He never told his father who his friend was, but he would be naive to assume Flint hasn’t figured it out. Regardless, he didn’t seem in the mood to deal with his son today, giving Vince the chance to leave the house without incident.

But then, there’s a knock on the door.

“Answer that, will you?” Flint grumbles.

The knocking continues impatiently. In a huff, Vince approaches the door. He opens it, only to find himself face to face with the last person he would have expected.

It’s Orion.

“Hello,” he says, intimidating Vince with a cold look in his eyes. “Is your father home?”

Upon hearing the king’s voice, Flint is quick to jump from the couch. He pushes past Vince and greets Orion with a smile.

“Orion!” he exclaims. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Orion doesn’t respond, simply forcing his way into their home. Vince backs up towards the stairs. The presence of the lycan king spikes his anxiety. His father, however, continues to smile, attempting to play the good host.

“Can I help you?” Flint asks, wringing his hands together.

“Do you know what day it is, Flint?” Orion speaks.

This question leaves Flint confused, unsure of what the king might be getting at. “I’m sorry, sir. Is there something special about today?”

Orion turns towards Vince, staring straight through him. “What about you?” He asks. “Is there anything special about today?” Vince stays quiet, awkwardly avoiding eye contact with the king. “Anything you can think of?” Orion continues. “Anything at all?

After a brief silence, Vince quietly responds. “It’s my birthday…”

Flint glares towards his son, feeling insulted for being made a fool. “Oh, you mean that?” He awkwardly laughs. “Of course I know it’s his birthday! I just didn’t think you’d be coming here for something like that.”

“And how old are you today?” Orion asks, ignoring Flint’s attempt to save face.

“...I'm fourteen…” Vince uncomfortably replies.

Orion turns back towards Flint. “Correct. Your son is now fourteen years old, and yet he still can’t transform.” Upon hearing these words, Vince quickly tenses up. Flint starts waving his hands around, desperate to stay in Orion’s favor.

“Oh, no, of course he can transform! Isn’t that right, son?” He motions towards Vince. Both of the men stare at Vince expectantly. He is a deer in the headlights, his mind racing in a panic. With his heart beating rapidly, he closes his eyes and attempts to focus. This sudden moment will change the course of his life, and he has to succeed, he just has to.

He’s a lycan, isn’t he?

Transformation must come naturally to him, he’s just forgotten how.

Surely he can do it now when it matters the most.

He has to do this.

HE HAS TO…!

Vince can hold his breath no longer. His shoulders fall to a slump, and he looks towards the floor, defeated.

“I can’t…”

Orion turns his gaze towards Flint, who is glaring angrily towards his son. “There you have it.” Orion says. “Fourteen years, and nothing has changed. I’ve never seen a lycan take more than ten years to master transformation.”

“Now hold on!” Flint responds in a panic. “What are you implying?”

“I’m out of patience, Flint.” He takes a step forward, Flint fearfully backing away. The two men are face to face, and Orion is not pleased. “This boy is the only reason I didn’t banish you all those years ago. If he was a lycan, I had a responsibility to keep him safe. But he’s-”

“HEY HEY HEY HEY!” Flint shouts. “Don’t be so hasty! You’re mistaken! He just needs a little more time, you’ll see!”

“I gave him fourteen years.”

“One more day!” Flint pleads. “It’s his birthday, have a heart!”

Orion squints at the desperate man. He squints at Vince, who is staring at the two of them intently with fear. Then he looks back at Flint.

“You have until the end of the day,” Orion says. “If he transforms before the day’s end, I will be convinced he’s a lycan. But if he can’t…” He leans away from Flint and slowly approaches the exit. “...then I will banish the both of you.” With those final words, Orion closes the door behind him.

Vince stares in silence.

His heart beats faster and faster.

He can’t control his breathing.

He’s panicking.

And slowly, so slowly, Flint turns towards him, overflowing with rage.

“YYYYYHHHOOOUUUUUUHHH!” he growls.

That is Vince’s cue to run.

With a jolt, he turns around, sprinting up the stairs as fast as his legs will take him. But his father leaves him no opportunity to get away. Flint quickly takes to his wolf form, and the rabid beast chases his son down. Vince tries to pull down the attic’s ladder, but he can't outrun the monster.

Flint pins Vince’s back to the wall. He claws and snaps at his son, as Vince feebly tries to push him back. His father is able to get a few, deep scratches on him before Vince can speak.

“STOP! STOP IT!” he pleads to his father.

Amidst his growls and barks, Flint transforms back into a human. He doesn’t release his son from the wall. He grabs him by the collar of his shirt, his nails still wet with Vince’s blood, and starts screaming directly into his face.

“THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!” Flint screeches.

Vince tries to shake free from his father’s grasp, but it’s futile. “I DIDN’T DO ANYTHING!” he screams back.

“SHUT UP!” Flint tightens his grip. “I WILL NOT BE BANISHED AGAIN BECAUSE OF YOU!”

“WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME!?” Vince snaps back. “I CAN’T TRANSFORM! I’LL NEVER TRANSFORM, AND YOU KNOW IT!”

“YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT!”

“YOU KNOW I CAN’T TRANSFORM, BECAUSE YOU KNOW I’M A H-”

Flint cuts him short. He lifts his son from the wall, only to slam him back into it. “YOU SHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTH!” he growls. “YOU! ARE! A! LYCAN!”

“NO, I’M NOT!”

Flint throws his hands off of Vince, his breaths heavy and raspy. He’s shaking in anger, and he points towards him.

“Yoooouuu know nothing!” he says with a low snarl. “I know what’s wrong with you. Yoooouuu’ve been disgraceful! You’ve angered NEBEOUS!” He says that name with a vitriolic hiss and spits on the ground. “You’ll never transform if you continue to disrespect him. I know how to fix this.”

Silently, Flint turns around and walks away. Vince hugs onto the wall, holding his breath. It’s not until he hears the front door close that he moves again. In a rush, he opens the attic and climbs inside. He crawls under his bed and removes a floorboard. Hidden inside is a small journal, which he is quick to remove. He stares at it, looking intently at the writing on the front cover.

My Dearest Vincent

Opening the journal, he skims the entries inside. The handwriting is beautiful, and it chronicles the events of a desperate woman.

Oh, my dear Vincent. I think about you every day.

I’m so scared for you, and I hope one day you can forgive me.

I will forever keep your secret. I won’t let anyone hurt you.

If they were to find out who you really are, I fear the worst.

No one must ever know that you’re the son of a human.

Vince continues browsing through the pages, looking for something specific.

Your father is a terrible man.

The lycans have been kind to me, despite it all.

He took me from my family, Vincent.

I’m not supposed to be here.

I don’t know what will happen to you.

I’ve never known that a human and a lycan could have a child.

I don’t think I’m going to survive this.

He finds what he’s looking for, and gently pulls it from between the journal’s pages.

Vincent, this is a photo of me. A photo from before that monster took me. If I don’t make it out of this alive, I want you to know who I am.

My name is Ophelia. I came to Creston to pursue a dream in music. I run a bar with my brother, and he was cursed by your father to get to me. I tried to stop him. I tried to save my brother. But I failed, and your father cursed me as well.

He’s been holding me here. I’ve lost track of how much time has passed. It’s been torture, and I just want to go home. I want to see my family again.

I love you, Vincent.

And I pray, God do I pray

That I can take you home someday.

He holds his mother’s photo up to his face, quietly choking back a sob. “Mom…” he whispers. “What am I supposed to do…?”