THE ISLAND WOLF - EPISODE 26

Dakar got on his feet and took the jar. He walked into the mountain-house and scented Avril. She had gone to stay in the kitchen.
“Eating up all my food”, he muttered and he turned towards that side. He entered the kitchen but was surprised she wasn’t eating. She was sitting in a corner, looking into a mirror.
“Avril Henderson”, he called. She didn’t look up at him but instead tucked her hair behind her ear.
“It’s your first time calling me by my full name”, she mumbled.

“Should I call it often?”, he asked as he walked closer to her.
“I don’t know. It’s up to you”.
Dakar squatted by her and looked at her face. She was checking herself out in the mirror.
“Mind telling me why you’re angry?”
“No”
“Why?”
“Because I am not angry”.
“Then why did you walk out on me?”
She didn’t answer. Dakar held the mirror and pulled it but she pulled it back. He pulled again and she did same. He sighed and forced it out of her hand.
“You don’t have to stare into the mirror to check your face out, you’re a very beautiful woman”, he stated.
“More than Ñiraka?”, she asked and he smiled.
“Far more than her”, he answered. She sighed and rubbed her cheeks.
“I thought she was this beautiful and perfectly curved woman. And that I wouldn’t stand a chance against her”, she mumbled.
“Stand a chance against her? Over what?”, Dakar inquired and her cheeks turned rosy. She darted her eyes away and covered her cheeks. Dakar sighed softly and got on his feet.
“When you’re ready to listen to more of my story, come get me. I’m in my room”, he stated and left.
Avril palmed her forehead and looked at the entrance of the kitchen.
“What in the world is wrong with me? I just embarrassed myself”, she said aloud. She looked at the counter and saw a coffee satchet there. She got on her feet and boiled water, then mixed the coffee. With the steaming drink in her hand, she walked to her room. Her mind was cloudy. She kept mentally slapping herself for how she had behaved earlier. As she looked out her window, and sipped coffee, her mind began to open up. But as it did, fear settled in.
“This is not supposed to be”, she said to herself. She kept repeating it until she began to cry. Dakar heard her and he came running.

“Avril, what’s happening? Are you okay?”, he asked and held her.
“I don’t know. Dakar, something’s going on with me and I don’t know what it is”, she cried.
“I do”, he whispered. She stopped and stared at him.
“You do?”.
“You are getting new emotions you’re very alien to. You don’t understand it because you don’t think it’s right”, he stated and she nodded.
“Yes. You’re right. And it’s been going on for a little while. But something made me angry and it feels like it just blew up.”
“Your coffee is getting cold“, Dakar said and nodded towards the cup. She wiped her tears and picked it. She took a sip and looked at Dakar again.
“I’m dying to tell you everything about my past, avril.”
“Tell me, then. Maybe I’d feel better if you do”.

“All right. Wait… Where was I?”
“Haha, I don’t remember too”
“I was describing my mother. I remember now”

FLASHBACK

The ladies, all wearing short skimpy skirts made of animal skin, gathered around a corner squealing and jumping in excitement. They were watching something that gave them the thrills. A few metres from them was a ring. Two men, both wearing moleskin skirts, were fighting in it. Both were very muscular but obviously, one had more skill. He had long, brownish-blonde hair that was reaching his shoulder. His skin was tan and tough. And he was right on top of the second man, punching his face. The man tried to block the blows but he was too weak so his hands dropped down. One more blow and he was knocked out. The bell rang and the ladies screamed again. The referee ran in and lifted the skilled man’s hand. Shouts filled the place and dust too, because people were jumping on the ground. They immediately began to run into the ring. Even the women were not left out. The people carried their champion up and started to chant. But they stopped immediately a black horse rode into the field. It was a palace horse. They dropped their champion immediately and made way for him to pass.

“Congratulations on your win. By my calculations, it’s your twenty fifth win this month. Out of the twenty-five games you’ve enrolled in”, the man on the horse said. The winner walked towards him and stood a small distance from him.
“What do you want?”, he asked.
“Why don’t you look so happy to see me? Am I ruining the celebration?”
“Well, can you compare the way the people were when you rode in and now?”
“The dust is settling. That’s all I see”, he said and stepped down.

“What do you want, Camper?”
“Man! Why are you so sweaty? Look at how your body is glittering against the fires”, he looked around at the torches burning on poles around the field.

“Camper?”
“All right, Dakar. It’s your mother. She’s very sick and asked to see you”, Camper stated.
“That?”, Dakar asked and sighed. He turned around and began to walk away.
“Yo! Dakar! I know you love all these festivities and traditional wrestling but your momma needs you, okay?”
Dakar stopped walking but didn’t turn back to look at Camper.
“If I don’t come back with you, she’s going to have my head,” Camper said.
“That old lady, when is she going to let me have my life?”
“I don’t know. But I do know you’ll lose it if you don’t come with me, right now”.
He turned and faced Camper then said, “You’re supposed to be on my side, mate”
“I know, I know. I’m your best friend. But if I die, you’ll get another best friend who will not understand you as much as I do. And who will make your life miserable. So let me live and we’ll continue being best buddies,” Camper stated and clasped his hands together like he was praying. Dakar laughed and turned to the crowd waiting patiently behind him.
“I am sorry, people. But I have to go back home. We’ll continue the celebration another day,” he said and they all sighed and murmured. They weren’t really happy with their party being disrupted.

“You can use my horse, I’ll shift and race to the castle,” his friend said.
“No need, I brought my Hummer.” a man came to him and dropped a key in his hand. He pressed it and a Jeep beeped meters away.
“Why did you bring technology into a traditional site?”
“Who cares about the damn tradition? I’m already doing too much by wearing moleskin skirt for the game”

Camper wanted to argue but he just shook his head and followed his friend towards his car. He gave one of the men instructions to return the horse and he entered the car with Dakar.
“You will need a shower first though”, he said as Dakar started the car.
“I need food too. And a f*cking night with Ñiraka,” he mumbled as he drove out.
“Man! That lady gives me the alpha vibes. You sure she’s not an alpha female?”
“She’s not. Daughters of Alpha’s don’t bring themselves so low like she’s doing”
“Dakar, when are you going to marry her?”
“When the tattoo of a wolf behind my back turns into a cow,” he said and they laughed. They continued to talk about other things before they reached the castle’s gate. The two halves of the gate were the images of two wolves, growling at each other. It was a massive gate that repelled outsiders.
The Kingdom of Remus was hidden from the outside world. No one could find it except when called upon or taken in. They had technology but lived their lives like their ancestors did. Their houses were not skyscrapers and storey buildings but houses from the medieval times. Those houses had electricity and electronic appliances. But they still looked like beautiful villages of Great Britain or Italy with all those beautiful stone walls. The kingdom also celebrated ancient festivals the traditional way. They wore their traditional outfits of animal fur and sang native songs of a language unknown to other people. Even fellow Werewolf communities could not understand Remus, as the language was called. The only thing known to them was that, Remus sounded like Roman, but it wasn’t Roman.

Dakar and his best friend, Camper, finally made it to the main building of the castle. It was where the Alpha and Luna lived with their personal servants. He had his own quarters behind. The other servants and the concubines had theirs too.
“I don’t advise you meet her like this. You’re covered in sweat and dust. And that skirt is beginning to smell badly,” Camper advised.
“I will go and change then,” Dakar said and shifted from his human body to a giant grey wolf. He groaned at Camper then took off to the back of the castle. He kept running very fast for five minutes before coming to a halt in front of another gate. He pushed it open and began to walk slowly towards a building in front. He passed a statue of his human self and entered the house. As soon as he stepped in, he shifted back to human form. He was completely naked now as his moleskin skirt snapped while he was shifting.

His living room was very massive and bright with amber lights. Red cushion chairs with golden frames about them, covered the room. The carpet in the middle was red and had an image of a grey wolf’s head. A beautiful, golden chandelier hung from the ceiling and emitted gold sparks from tiny bulbs. The living room as a whole was pure royalty.

Naked Dakar, climbed the stairs to the first floor. He located his room and entered. Now, his room was a beauty to behold. A king-sized four poster bed graced the room. Its sheets and comforter were a blend of dark red and gold. The curtains that hung from the poster were gold and transparent. The same rug in the middle of the living room was at the foot of the bed. The same chandelier graced the ceiling.
Dakar walked past the bed and toward the door beside a sofa. He entered and showered as it was his bathroom. When he returned, his body was sparkling clean and the tattoo on his back and shoulder was very visible, again. His wet hair was dripping water on his body. The handsome young man, stood by a mirror and toweled his hair. Then he took a band and tied it in a ponytail. He wiped his chiseled jawline and dropped the towel.

“Hello”, a shrill voice whispered behind him. He looked through the mirror and saw a slender but quite curvy lady leaning against his door.
“Hmm?” he hummed and continued to pick ointments to rub on his sore skin. He might have won the fight, but he had received deadly blows too.
“You don’t look too excited to see me, my prince” the lady said and began to walk to him. She wore a red silk dress and was bare footed.
“I thought I warned you not to come in here without my permission, Ñiraka.”
“My prince, you invited me tonight. Don’t you remember?”
She reached him and began to trail her palms on his back. She kissed his tattoo and hugged him.

“Ñiraka, I have to go. Stay here”
He turned around and walked past her to his closet. He opened it and pulled out a black t-shirt. He wore it and was going to walk out of his room. But Ñiraka stopped him.
“Prince, wait. Let’s just do it quickly. Just a quickie. I’ll wait here afterwards”

Dakar was not a man to heed unto an advice he knew so well was wrong. But he chose to heed to this particular one. He went to bed with her and didn’t know his mother was in his quarters, looking for him. He only got the shock of his life when Ñiraka screamed loudly. He knew that scream wasn’t because of him, so he looked up.
“Mother,” he called as he stared into her dull but angry eyes.
“Camper here, told me you wanted to take just a shower first. But I see, this is more than a shower. Except of course, if you took the shower with her,” his mother said. Camper bowed his head after his eyes met Dakar’s.

“Mother, why are you here?” Dakar asked and sat up in the bed. He was naked and couldn’t step out.
“Wondering why a son who was supposed to come and see his sick mother has not arrived at her Chambers”
“I apologize, mother. I was just busy”
“Oh trust me, I can see that you are. Now, since you’re busy with a game for two, I won’t be punishing only you”

“Luna—” Ñiraka tried to speak but that was a wrong move.
“Oh shut up you harlot! Take her away, Camper. And lock her up in the dungeons for the night” Dakar’s mother ordered and Camper immediately went to the bed. She was naked but he couldn’t help but obey the Queen’s orders. He took her out like that.

“You two, take him and make him beg,” she said to her guards who were standing behind her. They understood what she meant by making him beg. They were to beat him till he asked for mercy.
“And, just in case you fight back, I swear I’ll have your fingers delivered to me on a platter of gold”. She glared at him and walked away.