Crissa's Mate

Chapter Seventeen

The next morning everyone met in the dining hall to discuss the night's events. Most did not sleep, and the student researchers seemed still in shock at the loss of their friends.

"From what I have learned from Horst and other villagers over the past several years," the professor said candidly, addressing them all. "And from those whose families have been afflicted by this transmutation . . . the victims are condemned to live in both worlds—lupin and human."

Crissa shuddered at the words.

"The only consolation to this, of course, is that out of the lunar month the majority of days and nights . . . the human species is dominant. Deferring to the other only four or five days per cycle."

"And that's supposed to comfort us, Dr. Dekker?" Brad spoke with hostility in his voice.

"It was not intended to, young man. I'm just relating to you all what we know of the conditions which dictate this transformation. Horst's family has had to deal with it for over a year now. Is that right, Horst?"

The older man was standing next to the group, still wearing his kitchen apron.

"That is right, Dr. Dekker. Lara was bringing fish from the river just over a year ago when she was attacked by the wolves here. She was at first healing . . . as your students were when moon began its full shape."

All eyes were on the German father as he related the curse which had struck his family.

"We tried to keep her inside the hotel when the pack came to call her. But she was too strong, too . . . wild for us to hold her. She ran to the door and opened it. As soon as the light of the moon fell upon her body . . . she changed . . . into one of them. I saw her run into the night as a wolf. No longer my Lara."

"And is she for sure . . . out there now?" Mary asked in a sensitive voice?

"As she is every month. We do not fight her now. She always comes back. Some lose their speech. As my daughter. Others lose all memory of their childhood."

The group was somber pensive. Still in disbelief at what had befallen David and Julie. Finally, it was Crissa who spoke up.

"Brad and I went up on the rooftop last night. When we heard the howling outside. There were three wolves below. Calling to us. Two males and a female. We had the sensation at least one of them was . . . was David."

Josh and Mary seemed astounded at this revelation.

"The female left . . . with what appeared to be her mate. Possibly it was Lara but also maybe Julie. But the lone male stayed. And he tried to . . ."

She stopped speaking. Visibly too emotional to continue.

"The female was probably Lara," Horst said sadly. She comes each of the nights during the full moon. To pay us her respects. And yes . . . that was her mate. A young man like Jannick from the village. He was also bitten and cursed. They are together a year now. In both forms. He is her lover here in the village and each month out there in the wild."

Everyone in the room just looked down. Shocked by the sensational testimony.

In Crissa's mind, she tried once more to contemplate how this could be possible. And the horrific prospect that David might actually take a mate one day if left here—a female which was cursed as he was. It was all too monstrous to go on thinking about. A strong mixture of empathy and at the same time jealousy began to run through her thoughts. Would it eventually be Julie he would choose as his wolf mate and human lover? Would it be another German girl from the village? Afflicted as he was, if to remain? The notion was grotesque to imagine and she felt faint from the mere thought of it.