Death's Werewolf Nymph

MEREDITH

Everyone said I didn’t know much about life.

They were right.

I was certain about my purpose, though. As a water nymph, my role was to serve nature and the water within it. I was a nature spirit, created to honor and serve my element.

But life? That was a different story. What was I living for? Was existence in this universe all there was to it? If so, I didn’t want it. How could I truly live when I was constantly trapped in a cage of obedience?

I craved danger, adrenaline, fear, pain, and hurt. I yearned to experience everything, yet I was expected to do what was deemed right for me. What others wanted me to do.

Was there anything wrong with that? I didn’t have to think or make decisions. They told me everything and I just followed. A life in a tiny box.

Why couldn’t I be content with that? It would be so much easier. It would be simple if that was enough for me. But living like that didn’t bring me happiness.

I was strolling along a forest path with my sister. The darkness had already settled in, and the cool wind was caressing my bare skin.

I was trying to lift her spirits. This wasn’t a time for her to be her usual quiet self. She needed to do something memorable. Something thrilling. Something out of the ordinary.

“It’s your eighteenth birthday, and all you want to do is go to the forest?” I asked Magdalena, walking beside her. “We could do something fun, explore that cave in the mountain, or go to the elders and spin tales about the horrors of humans in the city. They believe everything you tell them.” I laughed as I twirled around while we walked.

She didn’t respond, but a faint smile played on her lips. “We could sneak out to the human world,” she suggested, glancing at me. I knew my ideas didn’t appeal to her. She was accustomed to a calm, easy life.

Perhaps I shouldn’t encourage her to misbehave. But I wanted her to see that there was another way to live. We didn’t have to follow the rules.

Maybe I just wanted someone else to dream of a life where we could be world travelers. Maybe I was simply yearning for someone who would understand.

“I want to see those lights in the water,” she told me. “You saw them when you turned eighteen; now I want to see them too,” she explained.

When a water nymph turned eighteen, she could see a thousand tiny sparks in the water when she touched it. It was beautiful, the most stunning thing I’d ever seen. But the issue was that Magdalena said that’s all she wanted to do that day.

I wanted her to have fun. We could be getting drunk for all I cared. I just wanted to do something different from the everyday.

I wished for her to let go of her caution, just for one night. To truly experience life, to flirt with danger.

I was only four years older than Magdalena, but she was the one who acted like the elder. Always cautious, always trying to keep me out of trouble. She was the little sister who took on the role of the protector. It irked me at times. I didn’t want to be protected.

We were as different as night and day. She was always poised and elegant, while I was…well, I wasn’t. She was the one our family would eventually be proud of, while I was just…me.

My parents often disapproved of my behavior, my actions, my words. My mother was always setting new rules for me, treating me like a child even though I was an adult. She said I could live by my own rules once I left home…but I didn’t know if I ever would.

I had nowhere to go. No one to turn to. Going rogue was the only option, but it was too risky. Even I knew that outsiders would tear rogues to shreds. And I couldn’t just abandon my family. They were all I had.

We were nearing the grand lake where we always went to honor Mother Nature and her aquatic gifts. I half ran toward the lake, glancing back at Magdalena.

She was dressed in a white, flowing dress and a white flower crown that rested on her light brown hair, which fell to her mid-back. My hair was similar to hers, just a bit darker, curlier, and the same length.

I was also in a dress, though not as beautiful as hers. Mine was a checkered black and brown number with short sleeves and a high slit up my leg. It was comfortable, easy to move in.

The only downside was that my legs and arms often ended up scratched from falls and collisions. But as a water nymph, they healed quickly, and as a werewolf, they didn’t hurt and faded within a day or two.

I didn’t understand how Magdalena could contain her excitement. She walked with her usual grace. On my birthday, I would giggle and squeal with anticipation. Back then, I wasn’t so miserable. I was still waiting for my mate to appear at any moment. Only with time did I realize he wouldn’t come, and that’s when my zest for life began to fade.

“Go ahead! The water is waiting for you,” I told her. The lights looked incredibly beautiful at night, which is why she waited until it was dark. She had stayed inside all day to make this moment special. It was a once-in-a-lifetime event for a nymph.

I leaned against a tree, wrapping my arms around it and resting my head against the bark. I watched as Magdalena waded into the water, her dress soaking up the soft waves.

The lake lit up with a thousand twinkling stars, their light illuminating her every feature. She looked stunning in this light, and I wondered if anyone had ever looked at me and thought I was that beautiful.

I always knew Magdalena was prettier than me. Everyone always talked about her beauty, while all they said about me was how “interesting” I was. It might have been a compliment if they hadn’t used it when I did something the pack or my family disapproved of. I wasn’t well-liked in the pack…that made me “interesting.”

Magdalena was only in the water up to her knees. She closed her eyes, and I knew she was communicating with Mother Nature. I was too far away to hear her, but this was her moment. She needed to experience it in her own way.

I heard someone approaching from behind me. I turned and saw Adrian. He had been my only true friend my entire life. I couldn’t imagine life without him. He was one of the few people who truly understood me, who I could talk to without pretense.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, walking toward him. I playfully shoved him, but he didn’t budge. “You werewolves never learn, do you? You can’t just spy on nymphs. You know it’s special for nymphs to commune with Mother Nature. It’s not very nice,” I said, pouting.

“You’re a werewolf yourself,” he retorted playfully, pinching my cheek.

I slapped his hand away. “Should I remind you that you’re not immortal?” I asked.

His laughter echoed around us, his head thrown back in amusement. “You can’t intimidate me, little lady,” he teased, reaching out to pinch me.

I sidestepped his playful attack, my gaze shifting to Magdalena. She seemed puzzled, emerging from the water, her dress clinging to her wetly. Something was off…

“Regardless of how I feel about you, you should probably leave. Magdalena might not be as forgiving,” I warned him, but he seemed lost in his own world. His attention was elsewhere, focused on the lake. “Adrian?” I called out, concern creeping into my voice.

He looked ill, and…bewildered?

Following his gaze, I realized it wasn’t the lake he was fixated on. It was Magdalena. She returned his stare with equal intensity. They were both frozen, lost in their own world. I glanced between them, a sense of unease settling in.

Adrian muttered something under his breath and began to approach her.

Normally, nymphs preferred not to be disturbed during such moments, but I was certain Magdalena didn’t want to continue her ritual either.

It wasn’t until I saw her moving toward Adrian that I understood. It was her eighteenth birthday. Most werewolves found their mates on their eighteenth birthday. If not then, by nineteen at the latest.

They were mates… I couldn’t bear to watch any longer. If finding your mate was as magical as everyone claimed, it wasn’t a spectacle for spectators.

The irony wasn’t lost on me. We had been inseparable our entire lives, and now everything was about to change. I might have been reckless and naive most of the time, but I understood that our relationship would never be the same.

I felt foolish for ever hoping that if he didn’t find his mate, we could remain together. The mere thought of it now made me nauseous. How could I have entertained such thoughts about my sister’s mate? I was a fool for thinking that someone could be as miserable as me. Adrian had been mateless for a long time, but now it was clear he was just waiting for her eighteenth.

I was twenty-two, soon to be twenty-three. Adrian was the same age. It was rare to find a mate after twenty. They said if you didn’t find a mate by then, it was unlikely to ever happen.

The thought of being that unlucky terrified me. Each passing year chipped away at my hope. I didn’t understand why I still clung to any semblance of hope…nothing was changing.

All my life, I’d been taught that a mate was your other half, destined to love and protect you. He was the only one who could make you feel truly loved. He was your best friend, but more. The one person in the world who truly knew you.

He inspired you to be better. And you knew that your mate would always stand by you, no matter how foolish or wild you were. He was meant to be there when no one else was.

The thought that I might never experience that was heartbreaking. I had attended countless mating ceremonies, hoping to find my other half. Not once had I felt the spark everyone spoke of, the pull of a mate.

Perhaps…if I were more like my sister, I would be worthy of a mate. If I were as graceful and beautiful as she was.

I made my way to the pack’s village. It was late, and the guards were growing suspicious. They were aware of our nymph needs, and only Magdalena, our mother Melisa, and I were permitted to be out at such hours. Even our father, Bernard, wasn’t allowed to accompany us.

I entered our small two-story house, finding Mom nestled under Dad’s arm in the living room, the fireplace casting a warm glow around them.

The sound of the door closing must have roused her. She greeted me with a smile and rose to her feet. “Back so soon?” she asked, approaching me to pick something out of my hair. “Why is your hair dirty? Have you been sleeping on the ground?” she inquired.

I remained silent. The dirt was from the tree I had been leaning against.

She scanned the room. “Where’s Magdalena?” she inquired.

I glanced at my feet, then back at her. “She’s found her mate,” I informed her.

She clutched her heart, turning to my father. “Bernard, did you hear that?” she asked, but he was already on his feet.

His smile was wide, his eyes sparkled. “That’s wonderful news! Who is it?” he asked, his gaze landing on me.

At that moment, it seemed I was the only one not sharing in the joy.

I was thrilled for Magdalena and Adrian, but guilt gnawed at me. I couldn’t give my parents the same happiness.

I looked down. “I think it’s best if she tells you herself. She won’t be gone long,” I said softly. “I’m going to bed now. I’m tired,” I added, forcing a smile. I doubted they were fooled. They understood me. They always did. But they didn’t know how to comfort me.

How could they? What could they possibly say? That mates weren’t all that important? They couldn’t say that, not after a lifetime of telling me it was the most wonderful thing in the world.

It wasn’t long before I heard Magdalena return. The sound of their chatter filtered through my closed bedroom door.

I left my room, positioning myself at the top of the stairs. I sat on the floor next to the railing, hidden from their view.

“Oh, he’s so wonderful! He’s kind, smart, and funny,” she gushed.

I’d never seen her so radiant, so animated. I’d tried countless times to excite her, to introduce her to something new, something thrilling. I’d never succeeded. Her mate had.

“It’s Adrian, Jonathan’s son,” she said, her voice filled with adoration. She was genuinely happy.

“He’s a good kid. I’m happy for you, darling,” Dad said, planting a kiss on her forehead. They all embraced, their happiness palpable.

Magdalena hadn’t spoken much about mates before. She’d seen how much it hurt me when I couldn’t find mine. She didn’t want to get her hopes up, thinking she might end up like me.

We might both be unlucky werewolves without mates. She was wrong. She’d be happy with her mate, while I’d remain here. Or perhaps I’d marry a werewolf who’d already lost his mate. Someone as unlucky as me.

“Did Meredith come back?” she asked softly.

“Yes,” Mom replied, her gaze dropping. “She looked sad. I know she’s happy for you. She loves you. But understand that she’s also hurting,” she said, her voice choked with emotion.

Magdalena nodded, her face crumpling in sympathy for me.

“If I’d known this could happen, I wouldn’t have filled her head with all these ideas about mates.” Mom’s joy was replaced with guilt and pity.

Tears welled in my eyes. Why was I so unlucky? I wanted a wonderful mate too. I wanted to make my parents proud. I couldn’t bear to listen anymore, so I retreated to my room. The darkness enveloped me, and I spent the night in the comforting embrace of the only person I had—myself…