I
“Where… where is our Grazziena?” Aling Lumen asked again when she came to her senses again while looking at the yellowish werewolf with wide eyes.
Lumaro who was never surprised at all, answered Aling Lumen softly, “She is Grazziena; the cursed werewolf of Cold Mountain Pack."
“Cursed wolf?” Mang Ruben asked in an exclamatory tone.
“Yes, Grazziena and Grella are one and the same. She was cursed by the most feared witch in our land; the witch of the Mt. Reveree, her name is Thutaara.” Lumaro added.
Grazziena in her wolf form could understand every word that Lumaro has been muttering about her; about her story and why she became like what she is now.
Lumaro continued. “The father of Grazziena; our former Alpha; Alpha Gregor offended Thutaara. Alpha Gregor and the witch Thutaara were once lovers but eventually, Alpha Gregor met his mate and real love, the mother of Grazziena; her name is Cressia, Luna Cressia. The witch Thutaara was greatly hurt; she felt cheated and dumped that she has sworn to take her revenge in due time.”
Mang Ruben and Aling Lumen became more astonished with everything that they heard from Lumaro. Seems unreal but seeing the yellowish wolf in front of them made them believe Lumaro.
Grazziena in her wolf form sat on the floor and made a howl like crying that made Lumaro, saddened. He could understand what Grazziena feels right now.
“Thutaara waited for the opportune time for her revenge against Alpha Gregor and Luna Cressia; that was when Luna Cressia was about to give birth to their first child; who is now Grazziena. Thutaara took away the breathing of Alpha Gregor in front of Luna Cressia and the whole members of the Cold Mountain Pack and that includes my father; the former Beta Roilo, who is now the present Alpha of our Pack.” Lumaro laid down the story full of sadness in his eyes.
“What happened next?” Aling Lumen asked with tears in her eyes. Her heart felt so much pity for their beloved Grazziena.
Lumaro stated what his father have told him. “The witch Thutaara gave her final curse to the only child of Alpha Gregor and Luna Cressia. According to my father, this is the final curse muttered by Thutaara against the daughter of Alpha Gregor and Luna Cressia:
“Your father rejected me despite all the love I showered him; you, their only heir will suffer my final curse to your pack. You will be thrown to a far-away land where wolves are considered deadly animals and after the day of your adulthood, you will shift every midnight into your most dreadful wolf form that the wolves’ world and even the human’s world will ever see! Let my curse be done to you!”
Aling Lumen and Mang Ruben, were both shocked again.
"Witches are really true Lumaro? And they are really that powerful?"Mang Ruben asked, astonished.
"Yes, they are true. They have been enemies of the werewolves for quite a long time already," already replied, still with sadness.
II
Lumaro then looked at Grazziena, who is still in her wolf form, kneeled and caress her fur despite those lice that crawled thereon.
“My kind wolf, introduce yourself to me; who are you?’ Lumaro asked while looking directly into the eyes of the yellowish, ugly wolf.
The yellowish, ugly wolf wiggled its tail and through Lumaro’s mind, it gave the answer to Lumaro’s query. “I am Grella; the cursed wolf of Grazziena.”
“Grella, I don’t know how the curse will be removed from you but one thing for sure, there will be a way to remove it,” Lumaro murmured and looked up at Aling Lumen and Mang Ruben.
"Aling Lumen and Mang Ruben, please meet Grella, the wolf of Grazziena," he said introducing the wolf to Grazziena's adoptive parents.
Grella wiggled her tail and growled as if agreeing to Lumaro’s statement. Both Aling Lumen and Mang Ruben, kneeled too and with tears patted the head of the yellowish wolf named, Grella.
“Grella, I will go for now. We will see each other again tomorrow. We will talk more.” Lumaro once again murmured to the cursed wolf, who wiggled her tail in response.
“Aling Lumen and Mang Ruben, I need to go but I promise to return.” He bade goodbye to the spouses and thereafter ran outside in a flash.
It is midnight, so Lumaro cannot take the main road at this hour; he needs to take the shortcut road, into the woods, to which its most far end is connected to the main road near the city. This was the road he took a while ago in going to Grazienna’s house. He shifted into his big golden wolf form and ran towards the forest.
When Lumaro reached the end place connected to the main road; he searched for his bag which he left hidden in some bushes before he ran towards the house of Grazziena a while ago.
Just a few minutes later, Lumaro can be seen walking already at the reception area of Triple K Hotel going to his booked room in the hotel.
Lumaro was smiling as he opened the door of his booked room. “Tomorrow, I will convince you Grazziena to come with me to the place where you really belong,” he murmured joyfully before jumping into his soft, queen-size bed.