THE ISLAND WOLF - EPISODE 32

“No! Stop it! Get away from her. Don’t you dare!”, Dojo screamed in his head to the extent his voice almost burst out through Dakar’s mouth. But nothing was going to stop him from kissing Avril. He hid his emotions way too long than he was supposed to. He loved her, cared for her, prioritized her above even himself. Why else would he get up early in the morning just to make her favourite dish? Why did he got hunting just to make sure she eats meat? He did not want to make her ever regret staying with him, and he sometimes sacrificed his own space for her. This, had nothing to do with the prophecy about her being able to break his curse. Because if it was, he would have been tired of her already. But something else kept him going and that was his love for her.

He realized what his mother meant by saying an alternative mate would make him stronger. He had never been able to control Dojo when he took over him in the past, but with Avril he could shut it out. He didn’t want her to get hurt, so he made sure he could stop Dojo from ever coming out.

Avril stopped the kiss and looked him in the eyes.
“That was—nice”, he drawled and dropped her on her feet.
“Yeah—I… I can’t still believe that happened”, Avril stuttered and looked at her feet. He placed his hands on her shoulders.
“Hey, look up. Look at me”, he said and she lifted her face.
“Don’t regret that. Why are you regretting the kiss?” he asked and she sighed.
“I feel like I’m going about this the wrong way”, she answered.
“The wrong way?”
“Yes. I… I shouldn’t feel this way towards you, Dakar. I am not supposed to see you this way”, she explained.
“And how should you see me? A scary monster who doesn’t deserve to be loved by someone?” he asked and she moved back
“No, no, Dakar. That’s not what I meant”, she said and he ran his fingers through his hair, making his ponytail loosen and his hair fall.
“What are you thinking?” she asked.
“That I’m going about this the wrong way too”, he replied and turned. He walked to the bowl and looked at the fish. They were no longer alive so he picked a knife and sliced their sides before placing them on a plate.
“Dakar?” she called.
“Make a fire. I’m going to check the bagels. And bring Dakvril too”, he stated without looking at her.
“I’m sorry about what I said”, she said despite the instructions he was giving her. He looked back at her and sighed.
“I’m sorry too”, he said and walked away. She sat at the foot of a tree and palmed her face. Something didn’t feel right. When she kissed him, that was the happiest thing she had done in her life. But after the kiss, she felt a wave of sadness engulf her. She wished she hadn’t kissed him.

“But, he said he loves me too”, she whispered to herself. She looked up at the wood she had fetched and decided to make the fire to clear her mind from thinking.

Dakar walked through the paths to the mountain house. His head was echoing sounds that could make him go crazy but he kept his cool. Obviously, Dojo hated the idea of him and Avril having a romantic attachment between them. He hated her, always hated her. And now that she was something more to him, he wanted her gone for real this time. That was what made Dakar regret spilling his feelings out to her. She would know he loved her beyond friendship, and Dojo would want to make her hate him.
“I will kill her. I will make you spill her blood”, he growled at Dakar.
“You won’t. I won’t let you”, Dakar replied mentally.
“Watch me”, he said and faded away. Dakar got to the house and sat on the floor of the kitchen. He was scared Dojo would hurt Avril, the same way he hurt his mother.
“What should I do?” he asked himself out loud. He felt a sudden movement under his elbow and he flinched. He looked at his elbow and saw the white rabbit he brought home to Avril. He picked him up and rubbed its fur.

“Do you have any idea how I can help Avril stay safe from Dojo?” he asked. He could speak to animals, only if he was in his wolf form. He would have shifted, but he highly doubted a rabbit would be able to help him. He leaned on the cold wall, closed his eyes and heaved a deep sigh. He stayed that way for long minutes, thinking about how his life would have been if he wasn’t cursed, or if he hadn’t done that stupid mistake. He would have been living a happy life, wrestling and dealing with Camper’s stupidity. His mother would have been alive and healthy. But, he would never have met Avril. It was funny to him, that he somehow preferred a life with Avril on the island, compared to a life without her elsewhere.

After about ten minutes of overthinking, he finally got up to check on those bagels. They were already scenting like they were ready and truly they were. He pulled the tray from untop of the fireplace oven and unto the rock cabinet. He then put out the fire and left for his room. He was still feeling sweaty so he took a bath and wore a long black trousers and a gray coloured t-shirt. He had made the mermen get them for him some weeks back. He tied his hair in a loose bun and was about heading out when he saw a bracelet. A gold charm bracelet with the head of wolves hanging from it, and tiny moons between them. He picked it up and realized it must have fallen from the bag he brought along. That was a sign of his royalty. He hadn’t worn it in years. Locking the bracelet on his wrist, he walked out of the room and entered the kitchen again. The bagels were cooler, so he put them in a plate, covered it with another plate and headed out. He had to use Wolf Speed to get to the stream. He met Avril sitting on the ground, with her back to him, turning fish on the metallic net they used for barbecue or grilling fish. Her hair was being tossed around by the savage wind, and she still had dirt in it.

“You still have leaves in your hair. I should have made you bath first”, he said, announcing his presence. She turned around and looked at him.
“No, the smoke would have made me smelly still”, she said and turned back to the fire.
“Yeah, because you smell like the mouth of a dragon right now”, he joked but she didn’t laugh. Instead, she picked an empty plate and started to drop the fishes in it using a clay spatula.
He sighed and went to her front, with the fire in between them. He squatted and looked her in the face, while she totally ignored him.
“Avril?”, he called but she didn’t answer or look at him.
“I’m sorry about how I acted earlier. I… I shouldn’t have”, he apologized. She put another set of fish over the fire and watched it like it was the one talking to her.
“Avril, are you listening to me?”
“It’s not you”, she mumbled.
“What do you mean?”
She looked up at his face and looked away immediately.
“I said it’s not you. It’s not your fault so stop apologizing.”
“Then who’s fault is it?”
“Mine. I was the one regretting”.
“Avril, look at me. Avril, just look at me”, he pleaded and she looked at him.
“It was not your fault you regretted. I did to. But you and I both know it was because we felt it was wrong. We’ve spent so much time together we feel we’re beyond such things already and then it suddenly happens? Of course, it’s enough to make us feel like we’re not reliable friends. But trust me, Avril, I don’t want that friendship zone anymore. I want something more with you, and I— I wish you feel the same way”, he explained and their eyes locked for a few minutes.

“What would happen to me?” Avril asked.
“What would happen to you?”
“If your curse is fully broken and you go back home. It seems you don’t have control over that, because you just found yourself here. What if one day, you just find yourself at home. What would happen to me then? Stuck on an invisible island?” she asked.

“I—I never gave that much thought”, he stuttered and scratched his forehead.
“But, the island won’t be invisible when the curse is broken. I’ll be able to find it and come back for you. I could take you with me to Remus, or just take you wherever you want to go and live your life. Because I’m sure you wouldn’t want to stay with werewolves”, he said and looked down at the plate in his left hand.
Somehow, he wished Avril would say she didn’t want to go anywhere else in the world but follow him to Remus. But he was disappointed because she totally skipped the topic.

“That’s a lovely bracelet”, she said while looking at his right wrist. He looked at it and nodded.
“Yeah”, he muttered.
“I have never seen it on you. Where’d you get it?” she asked.
“Has always been with me”, he answered while looking at it intently.
“It’s nice”, she muttered then turned the fish.

“Why is the day getting hotter?” she asked and got on her feet.
“Maybe it’s because you’ve been sitting by the fire”, Dakar answered and got on his feet too. He walked to the blanket and placed the plate of bagels down. He went back and took the fish already grilled and placed it beside the bagels.
A few minutes later and they both sat down to eat, in silence. Dakar get stealing glances at Avril and got utterly disappointed to find out she wasn’t even interested in raising her eyes, talk more of looking at him. If only Camper could see him now, he would tease him in hundred folds. Why would Prince Dakar be glancing at a girl in hopes that she glanced back at him? That was not him.
After this thought passed through his mind, he wished none of the things that transpired between them during the last few hours had taken place. Maybe he would still be super close to Avril and there would be no awkwardness between them.

“I’ll take you far away from her”, Dojo whispered and faded immediately. Dakar looked at his wrist and at Avril.
“Gimme your hand”, he said and removed the bracelet.
“Why?” she asked.
“I want to give you this”, he stated and pulled her hand. He cuffed the bracelet on it and rubbed her palm.

“Never remove that except when necessary. Do you understand?” he asked and she stood still with no answer. He sighed and looked at the bracelet on her hand.
“Avril, whatever happens to me, just know I’m Dakar. Deep down I’m still Dakar. I’m your Island Wolf”, he stated.