The Library (2)
The library area she walked through was already like a dream, let alone this room. If she lived here, this room would become her favorite spot, lacking only a fireplace and a blanket. Luna smiled at the thought, but then she quickly realized. Hastily, Luna patted her cheeks to wake herself from the daydream.
She couldn’t be tempted. No. She had to stay focused on her original goal.NôvelDrama.Org © 2024.
After steeling herself, she walked to one side of the shelf. She ran her fingers over the rows of book covers. Her eyes scanned the book titles one by one. Occasionally, Luna pulled out a book, opened it before closing it again, and returned it to its place.
Twenty minutes later, Luna finally sat on the sofa with several books related to werewolves. She massaged her thick legs before reaching for one of the books. Luna had hesitated to read because she feared she couldn’t read foreign writing since she wasn’t from the same world. However, she marveled every time she opened a book, as the bracelet on her wrist would emit light, and magically, she could read the foreign text with ease.
Luna adjusted her position to be more comfortable and then began reading the books she had taken. She read quickly because the information she obtained from some of the books could have been more helpful; it was only about Khthon, its history, ancient stories, beliefs, and the Vasilos Empire, among other things. Then, she finally focused on one particular book.
Luna picked up the book and slowly ran her hand over the cover. The title on the cover was “Creatures of Khthon.” She opened the table of contents and searched for the chapter on werewolves. After finding the chapter she was looking for, Luna began to read.
WEREWOLVES
Luna skipped the first and second parts, which discussed the definition, origins, hierarchy, and legends related to werewolves. Terms like mind-link, pack, Alpha, and Lycan-a superior figure and said to be the royal hierarchy for werewolves-were already known to Luna. She had read about all of these briefly in other books, and honestly, what she read in this book wasn’t much different from what she knew from her world, especially since she was directly connected to one werewolf-correction, Lycan-himself. Luna stopped at the third part of the werewolf chapter.
Part III. Terminology in Werewolves
Shifting
Shifting is a term for a werewolf that changes form from human to wolf and vice versa. Wolf pups first move when they are 5-6 years old, but before shifting, they can meet and talk with their wolf soul when they are four.
The first shifting process is more prolonged and painful for female wolf pups than for male wolf pups. Before the first shifting process, wolf pups experience a high fever and pain as their bone structure changes. This can last for two to three days, depending on the blood flowing in their bodies. If they have Alpha blood, it can happen in less than two days because superior blood makes the process faster, as well as for Betas and Gammas. Only Omega wolf pups can experience a more protracted process because the blood in their bodies is not vital.
Although the initial shifting process is painful and prolonged, it becomes easier once they get used to it. That’s why, when adults, wolves take only a few seconds to shift without feeling any pain.
However, for werewolves with mixed blood, the shifting process rarely occurs. If werewolf blood is more dominant than other species’ blood, shifting can happen, but if not, shifting cannot be done. Therefore, the advantages of a werewolf cannot be possessed by those with mixed blood.
Luna stopped reading about the shifting process and looked at the door. Did every werewolf out there have to suffer before they could have all those advantages? She wondered if there were cases where the shifting process failed, and the wolf pups died due to an unsuccessful shifting.
She quickly dismissed that terrible possibility and continued reading, skimming through the next sub-chapters like Soulmate, Mind Link, pack, Packbond, Full-moon, and other essential terms related to werewolves. Then Luna stopped at a sub-chapter that caught her attention.
Soulmate
A soulmate is a term for a werewolf’s partner. Werewolves are born with half a soul, and what can complete that soul is the Soulmate chosen by the Moon Goddess (Mother of the werewolves). Each werewolf can recognize their partner with just one look, a scent, or even a touch (marked by an electric jolt running through their body every time their skin touches). Their bond (mate bond) will never be broken until death, which is why werewolves who have lost their soulmates often prefer to die rather than become feral and lose their wolf soul due to loneliness.
A soulmate can be both a strength and a weakness for the werewolf. Their partner can quickly heal wounds using saliva but inflict wounds that take a long time to heal, even with the werewolf’s advantages. Additionally, soulmate partners have their communication bond, known as mate link-similar to mind link but specific to soulmates.
However, the most exciting aspect of soulmate partners is the mind. Since they are a pair of souls, once they complete the mating process, each individual can enter and read their partner’s mind, see all their memories, and even inhabit their partner’s thoughts. The barrier between them will crumble, leaving no mental separation, signifying they are of one mind, and every emotion felt can impact the partner and vice versa.
Luna lowered the book, her face pale. No! That couldn’t be! If she indeed was the Soulmate of that psychopathic emperor and the headache she had this morning was his attempt to enter her mind, then… No! She had to think positively. That couldn’t be possible. She was human and from a different world, and soon, she would return home. So, Luna was sure Alkrevas was mistaken. That man was hallucinating because he had been without a mate for too long, and what about the electric jolt every time they touched? No, Luna was convinced it was all just a coincidence. With optimism, Luna continued reading the book.
Scent
Scent is one of the most critical identities for werewolves, as a werewolf relies heavily on their very sharp sense of smell, making Scent vital for their life. Scent can tell which pack a werewolf belongs to and their rank (e. g., Alpha). The smell is produced by a gland usually located at the pulse points (neck and wrists), behind the ears, cheeks, and genitals (for females).
Generally, Alphas-who are always born male due to the strong Alpha male gene-have a very dominant and intimidating scent compared to Betas and Gammas. Alphas usually use their Scent to attract female wolves during their Heat, especially to entice their soulmates. Betas and Gammas have scents that are still dominant but not as strong as Alphas. Their scents are more about identity and attracting their soulmates. For Omegas, their Scent is quite faint. Still, it has a distinctive sweet or soft characteristic, unlike the musky Scent of Alphas, Betas, and Gammas.
Heat
Heat is a period that occurs every three months for female wolves. Heat indicates that during this time, female wolves are fertile and ready to be impregnated by male wolves. During this period, female wolves will produce a colorless (clear) fluid with a distinctive aroma that serves as lubrication during mating. Another name for this clear fluid is slick.
During Heat, female wolves emit potent pheromones to attract male wolves and become more easily aroused. This is why some packs in ancient times locked up their unmated females experiencing Heat in a location far from the pack to avoid fights among the male wolves. For those who have mates, the female is confined in the house with her Soulmate.
Typically, Heat lasts for 1 to 2 weeks, depending on the condition of the female wolves. The first Heat occurs at age 15, signifying that the female is mature and ready to find a mate. The heating process can be harrowing for female wolves if not alleviated through sexual intercourse, especially if they do not have a mate to help reduce the Heat and pain. This is why many unmated females choose to engage in sexual relations with unmated males to satisfy their sexual urges during Heat. Only strong female wolves can endure the heat period without sexual intercourse.
Rut
Rut is the heat version for male wolves, but unlike Heat, Rut does not produce a clear fluid (slick). Rut occurs naturally when male wolves are 16 years old (once in a lifetime) and, like Heat, signifies that the wolves are mature. However, there are cases where male wolves experience a Rut due to stress and pressure, mainly when influenced by a female’s Heat.
During Rut, male wolves become more aggressive, dominant, and sensitive, often leading to fights with other male wolves. If they do not have a mate, male wolves will seek unmated females to satisfy their sexual urges, competing with other males for unmated females in Heat.
# Male Wolves with Mates
For male wolves who already have a mate, their protective and possessive behavior towards them will intensify to the point where they will not let their mate out of sight.
# Mating/Bonding
Mating/bonding is a process where two souls, who are soulmates, claim each other. This process strengthens the bond between them and forms a link called a matelink. The process is preceded by three stages: eye contact, giving recognition (a claim in the form of a phrase or word), and marking the mate with a scent by rubbing their face on the neck and cheeks and then rubbing their bodies together in wolf form to transfer the Scent. After these three stages, the mating process is the final step that must be completed.
Mating is done by biting with fangs at the intersection of the neck (specifically at the sensitive point where the pulse is) to mark and claim their mate. The bite mark serves as a warning to other wolves that they have a soulmate. By biting and marking, their scents will automatically mix and form a new, unique scent, indicating that they have completed the mating process. This process occurs when the soulmate pair engages in sexual intercourse.
# Feral
Feral refers to a werewolf that has lost sanity (gone mad) and given complete control of the body to their wolf soul. This usually happens when a werewolf has not found or has lost their Soulmate for an extended period. The longest a werewolf can endure before turning feral is ten years. Their instinct to have a mate and unchanneled hormones will make them restless and temperamental.
Feral is marked by initial symptoms such as difficulty controlling the shifting timing, which often occurs unexpectedly, a more frequent presence in wolf form, easy anger, irritation leading to rampages, loss of appetite, and a preference for staying in the forest. If a werewolf becomes feral, the best option is to kill it as it becomes dangerous to the surrounding environment.
# Knotting
Knotting is a process where a male wolf ejaculates inside his mate’s body (womb). This process can last from 30 to 60 seconds. During this process, the knot gland on the male wolf’s penis enlarges and forms a hook-like structure that attaches to the walls of the mate’s womb. During knotting, the male wolf cannot withdraw his penis and remains locked inside his mate.
This process can be painful for the mate (due to the hook). It ensures the male wolf’s sperm can enter and work perfectly to fertilize his mate. Usually, this is done by an Alpha to ensure his mate becomes pregnant and produces offspring. During this process, the male wolf typically shifts to a ‘partial’ form (where the body remains human, but the eyes turn golden, indicating the wolf side’s dominance, with claws, fangs, tail, wolf ears, and a larger body due to incomplete bone transformation) to make knotting easier. Therefore, knotting is only done when the male wolf wants offspring.
Luna quickly closed the book when she finished reading about knotting. Her breath hitched, and her heart raced. Her body trembled as she remembered what she had felt the night before. She instantly slammed the book on the table and stood up.
She paced near the sofa for several minutes, digesting all the information she had read. Her brown eyes glanced at the book she had just read before yelling in frustration. “Damn psychopathic emperor!”
Her previously subdued anger flared up again. Luna ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. She couldn’t get angry. She had to control her emotions. Anger wouldn’t solve anything. She needed to find a solution or a way out of this problem.
With that thought, Luna sat back on the sofa and opened the book she had just read. She flipped through the pages, looking for a way out of this situation, and as if God had heard her prayers, the book stopped at a chapter titled ‘Reject.’
Luna’s eyes widened, and from the title, it seemed that what was written inside was related to the soulmate bond and a solution to her problem. Although she didn’t know what a rejection was, its impact, or how to do it, she just needed to read everything she needed to know now. “Let’s see …” Luna murmured to herself.
Rejection …
Suddenly, Luna heard a commotion outside, and shortly after, the door to the room she was in burst open and fell to the marble floor with a loud crash. Luna froze as she saw Alkrevas standing in the doorway with ruby-red eyes, a tense body, and a dark, dominating aura.
His knife-like fangs were visible, and a fierce, angry growl escaped his lips. Luna’s body involuntarily responded with fear and arousal, and she hated herself for it.
“What the hell …?” Luna muttered in disbelief.
…