CHOSEN

By Wes Leigh and Rob the Scribe

 

This is a work of fiction intended solely for the entertainment of our readers; any resemblance to any real people or places is purely coincidental. Readers who would like to chat are encouraged to contact either of us at weston.leigh@protonmail.com or robthescribe@protonmail.com.

This story is the property of the authors and is protected by copyright laws. The authors retain all rights. No reproductions are allowed without their consent.

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Chapter Twenty-Five

Which is better?

To be Chosen by the Gods for a great destiny

Or to be Tested by the Gods and thus made stronger

 

Aiden opened his eyes and found Lutz's face inches away, mouth slightly open, snoring softly. He sat up and grinned down at the sleeping boy. Sleeping next to Lutz was Max. Aiden reached across and gently shook Max, waking him up. When Max opened his eyes, Aiden pointed at Lutz sleeping between them.

Max frowned in confusion. "What's he doing here?"

"Don't know," Aiden replied. Then Aiden grinned wickedly. "But if he's sleeping with us, we should give him a special wake up call, don't you think?" Aiden curled his fingers into claws and made scrunching motions above Lutz's ribs.

Max grinned and nodded agreement. Together, Aiden and Max attacked Lutz, running their fingers up and down his sides, tickling his belly, and clamping down on his legs just above the knees.

Lutz screeched and flailed, struggling to defend himself but failing utterly. "STOP!" he cried, punching ineffectively at the two teens tormenting him. "HELP! SOMEONE!"

Max clamped one hand over Lutz's mouth. "There is no one to save you. You're at our mercy!"

Lutz licked Max's palm. When Max pulled his hand away in disgust, Lutz shouted, "My brothers are molesting me! Someone help!"

Aiden pulled up Lutz's shirt and began blowing raspberries on his belly. Max followed suit, blowing on Lutz's neck and collarbone.

Lutz wriggled from side to side, pleading, "Please stop. I haven't peed yet!"

Aiden paused immediately. "Oh! Well, don't use my bed."

Lutz giggled. "I might if you don't stop torturing me."

Max grabbed Lutz by the chin and turned his face until they were looking at each other. "Little Cub, is this going to be what we find every morning when we wake up? You, sleeping between us?"

Lutz grinned. "Maybe."

Max moved his fingers down to Lutz's ribs.

Lutz quickly added, "Okay! No, it won't." He pushed Max's hand away. "I only did it last night because I felt lonely."

Aiden cupped Lutz's face and caressed his cheek. "Fine. Any night you feel lonely, you can sleep with us."

"Any night?" Lutz asked.

Aiden raised an eyebrow. "Any night. IF you feel lonely."

Max began rubbing Lutz's chest gently. "And to keep you from feeling too lonely, I think I'll have a chat with Graham and Calan today."

"Don't you dare!" Lutz cried.

Grinning, Max said, "It's a short walk from the staff wing. I'm sure they wouldn't mind taking turns keeping you company in the night."

Lutz reached down and grabbed Max through his sleeping shorts. "You better not say a word or I'll rip off your balls."

Max cupped Lutz's balls and squeezed gently. "Be careful with those threats, little brother. My boyfriend likes my balls."

Aiden laughed. "Stop fondling each other and get out of my bed."

Lutz frowned. "Why? It's Saturday. We could sleep in. Have some fun."

Aiden tossed the blankets completely aside, exposing their bodies to the cool air in the room. "Have you forgotten what we're doing today?"

Max and Lutz looked at each other, confused.

Aiden smiled. "We're cutting the Christmas tree. I heard Giles and Calan talking about it after dinner last night."

Pandemonium ensued as all three boys, underwear fully tented, leapt from the bed and rushed off to the bathroom together to clean up and get ready for the day.

͠ ͠ ͠

After breakfast, Harrison took the twins Calan and Graham aside and asked them to join him in the chapel.

Checking first that they hadn't been followed, Harrison motioned for Calan to close the door and stand guard next to it. Then he turned to Graham and said, "Please check the protective wards. My wife thinks there may be something testing our defenses."

Graham nodded and opened the tome on the lectern. Turning a few pages, he studied the tome briefly, then began chanting. The words reverberated in the room, and the air seemed to pulse around him. His voice lifted in song, and the music swirled around them, making the hair on their necks stand on end. Graham finished singing, then turned toward Harrison, frowning. "The wards are still unbroken, my lord, but something has been probing them."

Harrison bowed his head, thinking carefully, then nodded as he reached a decision. "Lads, I need your help guarding the manor. I hate to ask this, but you may need to leave school and study here, with Elias Sch�fer."

Calan bowed his head, "Yes, sir." It was obvious the teen was disappointed, and Harrison knew exactly why.

"I'm sure you'll miss your friends," Harrison said.

"Yes, sir, but mostly I'll miss playing sports. And the team won't do as well without me." Calan paused, then added. "I don't mean that to sound conceited, sir. It's just that I'm the captain, and they depend on me."

"I know," Harrison replied. Turning to Graham, he said, "You don't seem as upset, Graham. You won't miss school?"

Graham shrugged. "I suppose I will, but it will be great having more time to practice my music. Lutz asked me to teach him to sing, so that will be fun too."

Calan's face immediately lit up. "Hey, that's right. I can work on my swimming." `And,' he added to himself, `spend more time with Lutz in the pool.'

Harrison held up his hand. "I appreciate your cooperation, lads. But I did say I would hate to ask you to quit school, and I'm not willing to go quite so far yet. It may be necessary, but I hope other arrangements will suffice for now, arrangements that may require just as much sacrifice on your part."

Calan nodded. "What do you require, sir?"

"I want to post a guard every night. Calan, I need you on vigil until midnight here in the chapel. If the wards sound an alarm, head up onto the walkway on the roof and see if you can tell what is testing the manor defenses. If necessary, wake up the two of us."

"Yes, sir."

Harrison continued, "I'll take over at midnight. Then tomorrow night, we'll do the same, with Graham on duty, keeping watch until midnight, when I'll take over once again."

"That will be tiring for you, sir," Graham observed.

Harrison nodded. "For all of us, Graham. That's why I want you to add a song of fortitude tonight, before your brother goes on watch. It should sustain us as we keep guard. And hopefully, our vigilance will be enough to keep our families safe."

The twins nodded, mouths set and determined.

͠ ͠ ͠

It seemed almost everyone joined in the tree cutting party that morning. Most of the staff and all of the family, bundled in their warmest winter clothing, laughed and joked as they walked across the manor grounds under a hazy December sky. Giles, the elderly steward, led them toward a distant corner of the property, quite some distance away. He walked with a brisk step and a beaming smile on his face. "The tree is in that direction, Sir Harrison. Over the next ridge, if I recall correctly. Calan, my boy, you know the way. Don't let us get lost."

That comment caused everyone to laugh, as Giles McCoy's infamous sense of direction was well known. Harrison clapped Calan on the back. "Yes, Calan, do keep us on the straight and narrow. Your grandfather has been known to get lost in his own wardrobe."

Giles chuckled, accepting the joke at his own expense. "When everyone sees the beautiful tree I've selected, I'll be the hero of the day. Wait and see!"

Marching along on the brisk winter morning, Max struggled to enjoy himself. With each step, it seemed the pull of the cape got stronger, not weaker. It was if his body hated the forced separation as he walked away from his bedroom, where the folded cape was stored in one of his drawers. Aiden and Lutz walked beside him, arms linked with his. They sensed his anxiety and refused to let him go. They weren't laughing like everyone else, but were watching Max's face in concern, for he was pale and a sweaty sheen had appeared on his forehead.

Eventually, Max stopped, took a deep breath, and blew it out. "This is stupid," he muttered.

"What is?" Lutz asked.

Max looked at his little brother. "I should be able to go for a walk without having a panic attack."

"There are no more wolves out here," Aiden said, misunderstanding Max's concerns.

Max turned to Aiden, and their eyes met. Once again, for the thousandth time, the sea green eyes of his Welsh boyfriend washed away his anxieties. He took another deep breath and smiled. "I know that, Aiden. I'm not worried about wolves this morning."

Aiden wiped the moisture from Max's forehead and glanced around. No one was paying attention, so he quickly kissed Max on the cheek. "Wolves will never bother you again, not while I'm with you," he promised.

Max nodded. The pounding of his heart had finally stilled. Looking around at the bright winter day, he realized what the problem was. He was focused on the wrong thing. Instead of thinking about the cape and how much he wanted to wear it, he should be enjoying the crisp morning air, the laughter of his friends and family, and the warm arm of the most beautiful boy in the world standing next to him.

"Are you feeling better now?" Lutz asked, rubbing Max's back.

Max turned to Lutz and gave him a quick hug. "I am, Little Cub. I just need to enjoy this special day. Take my mind off the ... you know."

Lutz nodded quickly. "Oh, yes. Exactly. And we'd better hurry now, because everyone is getting ahead of us now." He grabbed Max's hand, motioning for Aiden to take the other hand, and all three began running over the light layer of crunching snow to catch up with the rest of tree-cutting party.

With Calan's able guidance, they didn't lose their way but found a picture-perfect Nordmann fir at the edge of a sunny clearing. "I planted this when the twins were just toddlers," Giles said, admiring the majestic tree. "And now it will grace our home, providing the centerpiece of our celebration of the birthday of the King of kings."

"It's beautiful," Helene said, shifting Clara on her hip and pointing to the tree. "What do you think of our Christmas tree, Clara?"

"Pretty," Clara said, eyes wide in wonder.

"Shall we take it back with us?" Helene asked.

Clara nodded, excited but still too young to fully grasp all that was going on that day.

"It's perfect, Giles. You are certainly our hero." Helene smiled in gratitude.

Giles bowed his head humbly. "Thank you, my Lady. Boys ... to work!"

And with that, Calan motioned for the other boys to lift the lower branches out of his way so he could lay across the snow and saw through the trunk of the tree. Lutz positioned himself as close as possible, watching the teen's powerful muscles flex as he heaved the saw back and forth. At one point, Calan glanced up at Lutz and winked. Lutz giggled and squatted down, casually placing one hand on Calan's muscular thigh.

Max and Aiden exchanged a knowing smile.

Graham, on the other side of the tree, saw nothing.

Calan continued forcing the saw through the tree's trunk, cutting deeper with each pass. A sharp crack made everyone jump and laugh.

Calan scooted back, shouting, "Timber!"

The tree toppled into the snow as the boys leapt back out of the way. Calan moved back in to trim the trunk even. When he finished, the excited boys and several other staff members found a handhold on the trunk and lifted, carrying the tree back to the manor for the next step in the decoration of Embleton Hall for the upcoming Christmas celebration.

͠ ͠ ͠

An hour later, the tree was positioned in a place of honor in the great hall. Boxes of ornaments and ribbons were scattered around the tree, with everyone helping to adorn the branches. Even little Clara joined in, needing only a bit of guidance from her mother as she placed ornaments on the lower branches.

Giles had Calan and Graham help him bring in more boxes filled with festive decorations made from holly, ivy and mistletoe.

Carrying on as a master of ceremonies of sorts, Giles opened each box and inspected the contents, before announcing to the room what it contained. "Holly reminds us of the cruel crown of thorns that Christ wore in mockery of his place as the true king. Ivy symbolizes the everlasting life he came to grant us. And this ..." Giles lifted an intricate, interlocking hoop of mistletoe, holding it high for everyone to see. "... is a decoration we all recognize, I trust." He carried the mistletoe to the main entrance of the great hall and motioned for Graham to help him hang it from the center of the doorframe, so that anyone entering the room would have to pass beneath. "Do not pause here, beneath the mistletoe, unless it is your desire to be kissed by the next person to come through."

Everyone laughed, but Helene stood up and walked to where Graham was working. She gave Giles a tender kiss on the cheek, making the old man smile with joy. Then she kissed Graham as well, who blushed furiously while Lutz rolled on the carpet, laughing hysterically.

Giles took Helene's hand and led her back to an enormous, still unopened box. He cut through the tape on the top, pulled open the flaps, and pulled out an evergreen wreath. "These will be displayed on all the outer doors. The branches are woven in a circle to remind us that the sun will return in the Spring with new life. The Winter cannot hold forever. Joy always returns with the new year."

Max leaned against Aiden's shoulder. That was all he wanted. A joyful new year, with the cape firmly under his control and his boyfriend holding him in his arms.

"Lunch is served!" the chef announced from the entrance. Tables had been arranged on the far side of the room. An enormous cake had center stage, surrounded by sandwiches, pies, meats, fish, cheese and fruits. The crisps were all hand cooked and salted, so incredibly delicious the boys ate four servings each.

͠ ͠ ͠

Having satisfied their appetites, the family and staff returned to the decorations, moving throughout the manor to adorn the stair railings and fireplaces with garlands, baubles, and red bows. It was a merry affair, with everyone enjoying mince pies, spiced cider, and warm mulled wine (for the adults and the teens who could sneak a taste).

When the decorating was almost complete, Harrison motioned for Aiden, Max, and Lutz to follow him. He led them into a nearby study, where stacks of colorfully decorated hampers filled one corner. "Each hamper has a tag on the handle with a name on it," Harrison explained. "I believe you know most of the staff by now. Would you mind helping me hand these out?"

The boys nodded and walked quickly forward to lift a hamper in each hand. Harrison led them back into the great hall, carrying the first hamper to Giles. Giles turned, saw the hamper, and smiled knowingly.

Harrison presented the hamper to Giles. "In deep gratitude for your diligent service to Embleton Manor this year, I thank you, Giles McCoy."

Giles took the hamper. "It seems only yesterday that your dear mother was giving me a Christmas hamper. It has been my honor to serve the Weatherfords for half a century." He frowned. "Has it really been that long?" He opened the hamper and lifted out a bottle of malt whiskey. "And just like your mother before you, it seems you feel I perform my duties best when I am well hammered."

Harrison laughed and hugged Giles. "You perform your duties flawlessly every year, my dear friend, and I am the one who is honored to have you as my steward."

The boys helped Harrison continue distributing the hampers to each of the staff members, stealing peaks at the contents when the delighted staff showed each other the gifts they had received. Holiday foods and drinks. Fine spirits. Small gifts. And at the bottom of each hamper, a thousand pounds sterling.

Aiden took Max aside and whispered. "Your stepfather is a generous man. That's quite a Christmas bonus."

Max nodded. "It certainly is." And looking at Harrison greeting each member of the staff with a smile and a personal acknowledgment as he handed out the Christmas hampers, Max realized that he had a new-found respect for the man who was now his father.

͠ ͠ ͠

Aiden slowly sat up in bed.

Max was sleeping comfortably next to him.

Lutz wasn't.

Aiden chuckled. Apparently, Lutz had decided to sleep in his own bed after the long and busy day they'd had, cutting the Christmas tree, decorating the manor, enjoying the first feast of the season, and playing video games until well into the night with Calan and Graham. Aiden was worn out as well, but he hadn't practiced shifting in a week and felt a compelling desire to run upon the hills or fly above the clouds.

Max seemed to be sleeping deeply. No nightmares. Surely, he wouldn't notice if Aiden slipped out for a quick run. Aiden carefully lifted the blankets back and eased his body out of the bed, then pulled the blankets back over Max. Walking to his window, Aiden eased it open. Chilly air blew inside, making him shiver. He slid his underwear off and dropped them on the floor. His cock began swelling immediately, making him shiver again, this time in anticipation.

Aiden squeezed through the window and stepped out onto the bank of snow underneath. Turning, he pulled the window shut and shook his body once, transforming into a stag. His breath puffed out in the dim moonlight. His golden antlers glistened. His white coat beneath the brightly shining moon appeared to be gleaming silver. He pranced on the snow-covered grass, tossing his head as he gamboled about, picturing his family in the Chamber beneath their home, perhaps dancing as well. How he missed Gathering with the rest of the Cavanaugh clan and transforming together.

He kicked up snow and reared, pawing the air. CAVANAUGHS!

͠ ͠ ͠

In the chapel beneath the manor, Calan McCoy looked up, alarmed. His brother's protective wards were chiming softly, alerting him that something was wrong. Somewhere on the manor grounds, a creature that shouldn't be here must have penetrated the barriers. Calan checked his crossbow, ensuring it was loaded and the safety was off, then rushed from the chapel, through the practice room, and up the stairs to the parapet on the roof. There was a fair amount of moonlight, unblocked by clouds that night, so he was able to see the grounds below. Turning slowly, he searched for whatever had disturbed the wards. Movement near the family wings caught his eye. He stared intently, seeking, then noticed a shape moving below.

A deer. It had to be. A large stag, in fact, with a pure white coat and an impressive set of antlers.

Calan blew out his breath, relaxing. He watched the stag trotting across the grass, almost dancing, then it lifted its head and sprang up the hill into the trees.

Calan listened carefully. The wards continued to chime faintly, warning not of danger but of incongruity. Strange.

He flipped the safety on his crossbow and walked back inside the manor.

͠ ͠ ͠

When Aiden reached the trees, he slowed to a walk and ambled through the dappled shadows. In a quiet grove, he found a family of deer. Several adults with juveniles curled up next to them kept each other warm. Off to one side, an older deer watched him with calm eyes. He approached and stretched out his neck, huffing. The deer touched her nose to his, breath mingling, unafraid. Closer now, he could see her eyes were clouded with age. Her breathing was slow and labored. She was close to death, and he suspected this would be the last winter she spent with her herd.

Acting purely on instinct, Aiden shifted into his gryphon form. The huddled deer watched, not springing up, not fleeing. They seemed to sense that he wasn't dangerous, though his massive lion paws were formidable indeed. The elderly deer looked up at the enormous curved eagle's beak above her and closed her eyes, accepting her fate before the mighty gryphon.

Aiden turned his head and blinked his eyes rapidly as he studied the deer's calm manner. Did she expect him to give her mercy, ending her life this night?

He spread one wing over her.

Looking deep inside, he found the glowing, spinning radiance once again. He studied it, focusing on how it moved within his spirit. Yes. It could be turned like this, and made to spin on a different axis.

Aiden opened his eyes and saw his feathers glowing softly. The light grew slowly, sending the shadows fleeing all around him. And as quickly as it came, the light faded.

Aiden lifted his wing and folded it back into place.

The deer looked up at him, her eyes no longer clouded with age. She shivered and sprang to her feet, surprised by the energy now coursing through her body. Shaking her head, she pirouetted about, kicking up dirt and dried leaves. Then she paused and touched her nose to Aiden's furry chest.

Aiden gathered himself and leapt from the ground, lifting himself up, up, catching a thermal and rising higher. His spirit, merged with the gryphon's spirit, celebrated. He was finally, fully Cyffwrdd Deirgwaith, the Thrice Touched shapeshifter of Clan Cavanaugh, fully in command of all the powers of his fox, his stag, and his gryphon! He banked in the sky and screeched his joy to the deer below and the moon above.

͠ ͠ ͠

"I saw only a deer, walking near the manor right about there for a moment, before running up into the trees," Calan said, pointing to the spot below.

Harrison followed the direction of Calan's pointing finger. "And the wards chimed?" Harrison asked.

Calan nodded. "Yes, sir. And just that one time. They were quiet the rest of the night."

"Odd," Harrison replied, scratching his head. "I'll have to check with Graham. The wards shouldn't respond to the deer. Are you quite certain there wasn't a wolf also?"

"I saw nothing else, sir. I looked."

Harrison nodded, placing his hand on Calan's neck and squeezing. "You did well, lad. Now go on in and get some sleep. I'll take over now."

"Yes, sir."

Harrison stayed on the parapet, searching the grounds below and the sky above. Even now, the wards continued to hum, almost as if they were agitated but not concerned enough to sound the alarm. Very odd. He'd definitely have a chat with Graham about that in the morning.

͠ ͠ ͠

Graham was just as confused when Harrison talked to him the next day. Together, they looked through the pages of the tome, studying the words and notes of the songs. Graham pointed at one spot. "See. This chant is designed to exclude the creatures who live here. The deer. Squirrel. Foxes. All of them. They shouldn't disturb the defenses in any way."

Harrison nodded. "I see that."

"It doesn't make sense," Graham maintained.

"Would the wards recognize a strange deer who wasn't part of our regular herd?"

Graham shrugged. "The song is very specific. Even birds are excluded, but we get new flocks passing through all the time. If it's a natural creature, it shouldn't matter if it lives here or is wandering onto the grounds for the first time."

"I suppose we'll simply have to keep an eye on it," Harrison decided, motioning for Graham to close the tome. "Let's go eat."

͠ ͠ ͠

Sunday's brunch was delicious and filling, energizing everyone. Calan needed it, along with a large cup of coffee, having spent the first part of the night on vigil. Aiden, though he'd also been up for hours during the night, was invigorated by his discovery of yet another mystical power of his gryphon form. Max was relieved that he'd slept so well in Aiden's arms, which had been wrapped around him when he awoke. Lutz was simply starved, digging into the scrumptious food with gusto. Graham ate lightly, too eager and excited about the performance coming up later that day to have a large breakfast.

Helene notice Graham picking nervously at his food. "I'm looking forward to your concert, Graham."

He looked up, pleased. "I hope you enjoy it, my lady."

"I'm sure we will."

Graham ducked his head. "It's just our small church, but we've been practicing for months now. Thank you for coming to hear us."

"I wouldn't miss it," Helene replied. "It's the first Sunday of Advent. What a wonderful way to begin the Christmas season."

Lutz swallowed a bite of scrambled eggs and washed it down with juice. "What is it we're going to see?"

Helene motioned for Lutz to dab the corner of his mouth, where a bit of egg was precariously hanging. "It's a concert, Ludwig. Graham is playing in the orchestra and the choir is singing Handel's Messiah. It's a tradition they have here at Embleton, and I'm sure we'll enjoy it immensely."

Lutz nodded. "Graham is an incredible musician. It will be stupendous."

Blushing, Graham replied, "I don't know about that. I just hope we do a good job of it."

Helene placed her hand on top of Graham's. "Put your heart into it." She smiled and squeezed. "The music will do the rest."

͠ ͠ ͠

Sitting in the pews polished to a golden glow, the Weatherford family along with Giles and Calan McCoy watched as an elderly fellow in white robes with a purple stole walked slowly down the aisle carrying a fluttering candle. He approached a table near the front, covered in a simple purple cloth. In the center of the table was an evergreen wreath twined with bright red ribbons and decorated with pine cones, holly, and laurel. In the center of the wreath were mounted four, unlit red candles. He touched the flame of his own candle to the first red candle. It sputtered for a moment, then caught and added its soft glow. He pulled back his candle and blew it out, leaving only the one red candle burning.

Turning to the audience seated around the small chapel, he said, "It is the first Sunday of Advent, when we eagerly look forward to celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior." He pointed at the wreath on the table and said, "The Advent wreath is shaped as a crown, reminding us of the victory of our Lord. Its green branches are a sign of life and hope. The fir symbolizes strength, the laurel victory over sin and suffering. The holly, which never loses its leaves, represents eternity. The flames symbolize the light of Christmas approaching, bringing hope and peace, pushing back the darkness. Each week, we light the next candle, until the day of his appearing." He turned and nodded to the musical director, who lifted his baton and swept it through the air.

Graham, playing the violin, joined with the rest of the orchestra in the first movement of Handel's Messiah. The music swelled, building, filling the small church. Lutz, unembarrassed, felt tears flowing down his cheeks as he watched Graham playing. Their eyes connected briefly. Lutz smiled, wiping away his tears. Graham closed his eyes and squeezed out a tear of his own, drawing the bow across the strings as his heart soared into the rafters of the church.

͠ ͠ ͠

On the way home, Lutz snuck his hand into Graham's. Leaning over, he whispered, "I love your music. The singers were good, but you were fantastic."

Graham smiled. "I wasn't the only one playing."

Lutz grinned. "I know. But I can always hear your music inside all the rest, and it's magical."

͠ ͠ ͠

The rest of the afternoon was quiet, restful.

The evening stole upon them, with everyone heading to their beds early.

Max and Aiden once again slept together, though they did enjoy a bit of fun in the shower first. The exhaustion that comes from sexual release must have wiped them out, because they fell asleep quickly.

Lutz, on the other hand, couldn't sleep. He tossed and turned in bed, thinking about the concert that afternoon and how beautiful the music had been. Finally giving up on sleep, he climbed out of bed and peeked into Max's room. Max's bed was empty, so Lutz knew where his brother was sleeping. With Aiden.

Lutz thought about joining them, claiming he was lonely again. They'd probably give him a hard time about it, but relent in the end. But he wasn't really lonely. He was ... excited. But why?

He walked over to his dresser and opened the top drawer. Resting on top of a few shirts was the bear fang he'd found in the woods. He turned it over in his hand, examining the curved tooth. He closed his hand around it and moved back to his bed, lying down and holding his totem in a tight grip over his chest. Closing his eyes, he pictured the moment when he saw the glowing, bright creature deep inside. He quickly found himself drifting down, searching, finding. The bear was waiting for him. He climbed onto its brightly lit back, gripping its radiant fur in both fists as it carried him forward, rising back up again.

He was outside the manor now. No longer riding the bear. He WAS the bear. Looking out through its eyes, feeling the strength of its body, rising up on its powerful hind legs, lifting its shaggy head to sniff the night air. Within his chest, his heart pounded, reacting to ... something ... that sang to him and called and resonated within him.

He fell to all fours and shuffled forward. It was here. In the manor. And all around him, on the grounds. Music. Delicate, touching his soul and dancing around him. He moved with the music, following the rise and fall of the chords, heading out into the woods, a glowing ghost of a bear that would have amazed anyone who saw it.

͠ ͠ ͠

"I must have been seeing things. It couldn't have been there," Graham told Harrison at midnight.

"A white, glowing bear?" Harrison asked once again.

"Yes, sir. It ran off into the trees, and the wards were vibrating the entire time."

"You're certain?"

"Yes, sir. It was so bright, I couldn't miss it."

With a sigh, Harrison sent Graham off to bed. "I'll keep vigil for the rest of the night. Get some rest, lad."

Harrison moved to one of the armored mannequins and detached the gauntlet on the right hand. He inspected the miniature crossbow attached to the gauntlet, then nodded with satisfaction. He slipped it over his own fist, wriggling his fingers to check the fit. It would be uncomfortable wearing it, but he wanted to be ready in case anything else odd happened. At least he didn't need to wear the full suit of armor. That would have been most unpleasant.

͠ ͠ ͠

Max woke up, agitated. Aiden was snoring softly, turned with his back to Max, facing the wall. Max rolled over and searched for his cellphone. It was 2:38 a.m. Why was he awake? Had something disturbed his sleep? He slipped out of bed and walked out into the hall, padding down to Lutz's room. Opening the door, he saw his little brother asleep in bed, clutching his fists under his chin. Max noticed that the blankets were tossed aside, so he moved up and pulled them over Lutz, tucking him in.

Then Max walked into his own bedroom. Should he climb into his own bed and try to go back to sleep? Or rejoin Aiden? He slept so much better there.

Without thinking it through, Max walked to his dresser and opened the bottom drawer. Neatly folded, he saw his wolfskin cape next to his workout clothing. How long had it been since he'd practiced his gymnastics? Would that help with the agitation he so often felt? He reached in, intending to pull out his gym clothes, but his hand strayed over to the black fur of his cape. He touched the soft hair, stroking it. Electric tingles ran up and down his spine. He slid his fingers underneath the cape, pulling it up out of the drawer. He lifted it and pulled it to his face, rubbing the soft fur on his cheek.

Why was he so concerned about it? It wasn't dangerous, wasn't hurting him or anyone else. He held it up, admiring the soft lining, the golden clasp, the luxurious fur. What would it hurt to try it out one more time? Surely, he'd have more control this time.

Without hesitation, he pulled his sleep shorts down and kicked them away. His cock sprang out immediately. He gripped his swelling shaft and stroked it, groaning with excitement. It had been several hours since he and Aiden had sucked each other in the shower, and Max felt horny urges rising up in his body again. Should he go to Aiden for release? He rudely shoved that thought aside and began frantically jerking his cock. The tingles grew stronger, making him stumble as he ran for the window, unlatched it, and pushed it open. The cold air blew across his feverish skin as he gripped his cock tighter and jacked himself off. When his balls began twisting inside their sac, he quickly threw the cape over his shoulders, arching his back as agony and ecstasy combined.

His cum splattered on the window sill as his body transformed into a wolf. He jumped through the open window and landed in a snow drift. Free at last! To run. To hunt. To howl.

͠ ͠ ͠

From high on the parapet, Harrison saw the black shadow dashing across the grounds. Another wolf. He lifted his armored fist, aligning the crossbow mounted there with the wolf running up the hill. He pulled back the crossbow string, locking it in place, then spoke a musical command that caused a glowing blue bolt to appear, loaded in the crossbow and ready to be fired.

Bracing himself on the parapet, Harrison aimed the crossbow at the black wolf. His finger curled around the trigger.

The wolf stopped, turned, and looked back at the manor.

Harrison's finger tensed, slowly tightening on the trigger.

The wolf's eyes glowed with a silver light.

Harrison gasped, releasing the trigger and lowering his fist. He pulled the armored gauntlet off his hand as the wolf turned and ran up the hill, disappearing into the trees.

Harrison went back inside the manor, left the gauntlet in the chapel, and walked quickly to his own bedroom.

Helene sat up as he entered. "What is it, Harrison? Is something wrong?"

Harrison sat on the bed next to Helene and took her hand in his. "Helene, my dear, I need you to tell me everything?"

"Everything?"

"Yes, my love. Everything."

 

The end of Chapter Twenty-Five of CHOSEN