CHAPTER 198: The Most Human Side

CHAPTER 198: The Most Human Side

It was a cold, snowy afternoon in the 17th century. The forest was covered in a white mantle that absorbed all sound, leaving only the occasional creak of branches under the weight of the snow. Beneath an old tree, a small girl of about seven years old rested, her body trembling slightly from the cold. Despite being a lycan, and therefore resistant to the cold, her thin body seemed not built to withstand so long in such conditions.

Her light eyes were closing slowly, seeking an illusory refuge in sleep, when she felt a presence. She turned her head and saw him.

Standing among the trees, a man stared at her intently. He was imposing, with a tall, muscular figure, his dark hair falling messily over his shoulders, and his eyes, like two burning embers, seemed to pierce through her. It was Marius, the leader of the lycans, known as much for his brutality as for his cunning.

The girl swallowed, not daring to move.

"What are you doing here alone, little one?" asked Marius in a deep voice, laden with an authority that made even the bravest tremble.

The girl hesitated before answering, her voice barely a whisper.

"My... my parents abandoned me. They said they couldn't take care of me anymore."

Marius raised an eyebrow, his expression a mixture of mockery and curiosity.

"And they thought you would survive alone in this forest? How ironic. Humans aren't the only ones with stupid parents."

The girl looked down, hugging her legs.

"I'm strong. I can survive."

Marius let out a dry laugh, more of a growl than a real laugh.

"Strong? It doesn't look like it. You're one step away from turning into an ice cube."

The girl looked at him, her eyes reflecting a mixture of fear and determination.

"I have nowhere to go."

For a moment, Marius's face softened, though his tone remained sharp.

"Well, what a pathetic spectacle." He took off his thick fur coat and threw it over the girl's shoulders, wrapping her in unexpected warmth.

She looked at him in surprise.

"Why...?"

Marius leaned toward her, his eyes gleaming with dangerous intensity.

"Because I don't have the patience to collect corpses on my territory. If you want to live, follow me."

The girl looked at him, her small hands clutching the coat that still held the warmth of Marius's body. Finally, she nodded and stood up, stumbling a bit before steadying herself.

"What's your name, girl?" asked Marius as he began to walk, without looking back.

"Anastasia," she replied, her voice barely audible.

"Anastasia, huh? A name too elegant for someone like you." His tone was mocking, but there was a hint of humanity in his words.

Anastasia didn't answer; she simply began to follow him, her small footsteps marking a trail in the snow alongside Marius's much larger footprints.

In that frozen forest, under the gray winter sky, a strange alliance was beginning to form. An alliance that would change the fate of both forever.

Marius walked with firm steps, Anastasia following closely as the icy wind still howled among the trees. After a time that felt like an eternity to the girl, they reached an area of the forest where the cold was not so intense. The trees were denser, protecting the ground from the snow, and a light warm breeze seemed to slip through the branches.

In the center of that place, a giant bear lay dead. Its body was covered in scars, and the smell of fresh blood permeated the air.

Anastasia stopped, her eyes fixed on the enormous beast.

"What's wrong?" asked Marius, noticing her fixed gaze.

"It's... very big," she replied, almost in a whisper.

Marius snorted with disdain.

"And you're very small. But that doesn't matter. If you don't eat, you'll die."

The girl looked at him doubtfully, but her empty stomach roared in response.

"Just... raw?"

Marius raised an eyebrow, clearly irritated.

"Do you think you have the right to complain? Do what you have to do, but eat."

Anastasia slowly approached the bear. Her hands trembled, but not from cold, but from uncertainty. Suddenly, her eyes lit up with a spark of determination.

"Wait here."

Marius watched her curiously as the girl began to gather dry branches and leaves from the ground. With agile movements, she rubbed her hands together, and suddenly, a small flame appeared in her palms.

In less than five minutes, Anastasia had lit a fire and placed pieces of bear meat on improvised sticks. The aroma of roasted meat began to fill the air, a smell that even Marius could not ignore.

When the girl finished, she offered a piece to Marius.

"Try it."

Marius took the piece skeptically and bit into it. His eyes opened slightly, and although he said nothing, his expression said it all: the meat was spectacular.

"Well, girl. It seems you're not completely useless."

Anastasia smiled shyly, proud of her achievement. As they both ate, she broke the silence.

"My parents told me I had a gift... but it was never enough for them. They said I was a monster."

Marius glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, chewing slowly.

"And what do you think?"

"I don't know." Anastasia looked down. Then, in a firmer voice, she added, "But I don't want to die."

Marius let out a short, dry laugh.

"Good answer. If you keep thinking that way, you might survive longer than I expected."

The girl looked at him, her eyes shining with something that could have been hope.

"Are you also a monster?"

Marius paused for a moment before answering, his voice becoming deeper.

"I am what I need to be. And if you want to survive, you'll have to learn the same."

The fire continued crackling as they both finished eating. In that corner of the forest, far from the deadly cold, something was beginning to change in both of them.