"Sit down my dear, we're going to be here a while", Aunt Maia said the minute I told her I wanted answers. "I know you're itching to know everything and I have to give you credit for holding back for so long", "let's just say I was in denial then", I replied as I pulled out a chair to sit opposite her on the balcony.
"True", she said with a smile. "So your first question, what do you want to know?". "I have a few of those", I replied honestly. "To be honest it's a little difficult to decide where to start but I think the most disturbing one should be first, so what is a mate Aunt Maia?. "Ahh!!!", she exclaimed. "I didn't expect that one, but to answer your question a mate is your other half. It's like what humans call their missing rib. They are chosen by the goddess as they're your perfect match. Now there's a slight difference though, because of the strength the Lycans possess, they can only have Lycans and werewolves as mates while the werewolves can have human mates".
"Wait", I interjected. "So what you're saying is if I'm a Lycan, I can't have a human as a mate?", "yes that's correct", she replied immediately. Now I'm doing the math in my head, if Xander called me his mate then he can't be human…. Then what is he and how does he even know that I'm his mate.
"Quick question, how can a Lycan or werewolf tell who their mate is?", "that's easy", she smiled and said. "The wolf can always tell, mostly by scent and the human parts can tell by touch". "I don't understand", I said confused.
"It's like this, every werewolf or Lycan has two parts to them, the human parts and the wolf parts or the animal parts as most call it. The animals are more sensitive as they're instinctive creatures while the human parts are a lot slower in that aspect. So most times a wolf will recognize its mate but the human may not yet be able to tell until they touch that person and feel the effects of the mate bond, things like a tingling spark wherever they touch or even an unexplainable pull towards that person, before they can tell".
"Oh wow!!!!", I exclaimed before I could stop myself. "What is it?", she asked instantly. "Nothing", I rushed to say. "Absolutely nothing, I'm just impressed that's all", I lied smoothly. I think she can tell that I'm hiding something from her but she lets it go. "My next question", I said to change the topic. "What exactly is the difference between a werewolf and a Lycan because they seem the same to me, I mean the definitions are the exact same", I said and placed my jotter on the table for her to see the info I had gathered concerning the two.
She picked up my jotter and went through my jottings before quietly placing them back on the table. Looking straight at me she replied, "Lycans and werewolves in a sense are one and the same, they are the same genus but the same way cats have the species tiger, puma, leopard and others all different in strength, is the same way it is with the wolf. Lycans are the bigger predators between the two. Werewolves need a pack to survive or they run mad, Lycans on the other hand are the lone wolves. They are stronger, more lethal and can survive years on their own without company. Werewolves can only shift into their animal wolves while the Lycans can do both. Shift into the wolf and into the Lycan which is a human and wolf shift in one. Lycans are almost extinct but they were the direct descendants of the goddess, so any still alive right now have kept their bloodlines pure. Now I know I said Lycans can't have human mates and you're wondering how some bloodlines became impure."
"At first the goddess paired them up with humans but it only resulted in werewolves which were weaker than the Lycans as the human aspect tampered the Lycan within. Back then the human mates never made it past childbirth, and so it became difficult to continue the race. This went on for many years until the Lycans decided to seek the help of witches to help out with the problem, which the witches agreed to but later went against as they wanted to have power over the wolves and the best way was to dilute their genes. The Lycans found out and war broke out and that witch coven was wiped out. A year later the first seer was located, she intervened with a new prophecy concerning the mating as given by the goddess. Since then Lycans have never recorded a human mate ever again".
"Hmm", I mused. "This is a lot to take in", I said wearily. "So my next question which is the scariest for me, since I'm shifting for the first time in all of eighteen years what will I shift into? A wolf or a Lycan", I asked in fear.
"I want to be honest with you Asha", she said as she held my hands to try and comfort me. "I don't know what you'll change into. For Lycans, how we can tell is at the age they have their first change and that is as a wolf before the Lycan shift which happens a year later. Werewolves are later than them and their wolves are smaller in size. But you have passed the age for both species and now I don't know which it'll be. Your father wasn't a true bred Lycan too so that may come into play in your shift. All I know is it'll be painful, because it's the first time your body deforms when you should have had at least ten years of experience with it and your wolf may also be merciless with you after-all she's been locked down for so long".
I was beyond scared now, I was trembling. This was going to be hell, she noticed and squeezed my hand in sympathy and said, "no matter what, Asha you'll be fine that much I can assure you, it might hurt, might make you feel like dying, but you will get through it. You're destined for greater things dear and nothing, not even a late first change can stop that from happening", she assured me.
I just nodded my head all through what she said, fear as cold as ice still slithering through my veins. I didn't want this, never have and now I'm stuck with no place else to go. I was about to stand up and head upstairs when Aunt Maia asked the question I wasn't ready to give an answer to. "Now dear tell me, who is your mate?"
"Uh… umm…", I stammered. "Don't worry, I won't push if you're not ready to tell me", she said encouragingly. "Just know that I'm here for you, whenever you're ready". "Thanks Aunt Maia", I gratefully replied.
She left me outside to go begin making preparations for dinner while I just sat there ruminating over the information overload I just received. My life was seriously spirally on the path to a complete fuck up and I didn't have a clue where to start.