Chapter 49: Chapter 49: New Beast Brother

Watching Minette kneel before Lobo in the same training area where he won his freedom, I wonder if I will be able to feel the new bond. I don’t think I did with Gussie when Lamant bonded her. Maybe a little. Of course, Lady Lammermoor bonding Shade didn’t move the needle, since I’ve pretty much deleted both of them from my attention until they resurface like a bad dream that won’t go away.

I shake the gloomy thoughts from my head. Tonight is a happy time. We might still face some consequences for our little stunt, but Minette’s face is glowing with happiness. Lobo seems relaxed, his tail wagging in a friendly way.

Whatever the risk, it was all worth it.

Also worth the risk: Hans’ father talking to Lamant as a friend, and Hans and Kaline also whispering together about the adventure they have just shared. Even Niall seems satisfied. He may be Fangless, but he’s still in the game. I wonder if he’s really done with the whole beast taming world.

Great, now I’m worrying about Niall. But why not? He’s a friend, and he just helped us out big time, and he let Shade raid his pantry repeatedly without doing anything drastic to stop him Maybe he even felt sorry for Shade. Once a beast tamer, always a beast tamer?

Anyway, Niall is back in the beast taming world. He seemed content with being the Hiccuping Hermit weirding everyone out, the target of village gossip. Or maybe not content, but it suited him. Now, he’s with our family and the Lammermoors.

WHOOOSH.

My entire body is flooded with a strange tingling sensation. It only lasts for a few seconds, but it’s powerful. Looking at Minette, I see a glow passing from her to Lobo through her hands, just like when Lamant bonded Gussie and ex-Lady Rosabel bonded Shade. A bright spark glimmers, and soaks into Lobo’s silver fur.

He shakes his head as if shrugging off water, and scents the air, and wags his tail, his ears relaxed. Now he feels comfortable. He gives a little “woof” and licks Minette’s face.

“Lobo, you are a Riddlehoeven now,” Minette says, with genuine warmth. And a hint of something else. She seems to be holding back a wave of feeling. Overwhelming feeling. Maybe it is strange to have a beast with her again.

I’ve nearly been stolen, and I felt Kaline’s terror and worry. I can’t even comprehend what Minette went through, losing her beast. While she interacts with Lobo, and he licks her hand, she looks more at peace and happier than I’ve seen her in our so-far short acquaintance.

The System shows off Lobo’s stats, since he now belongs to us. He is the same level as Lightning, and has the same stats. As bad a mistress as ex-Lady Rosabel might have been, she did manage to help Lobo keep pace with Lightning. Or maybe being freed and getting a better mistress boosted his abilities.

[Name: [Lobo]

[Class: [Journeyman]

[Race: [Common Wolf]

[Level: 3/10 [XP 65/100 STATUS: Full

[HP: 6/6 [MP: 0/0 [Stamina 100/100

[Strength: 26

[Defense: 28

[Magic: 25

[Resistance: 19

[Speed: 31

[Charisma: 42

[Luck: 25

[Skills: [Bite (Attack Skill] [Pounce (Attack Skill)] [Sprint (Skill)] [Camouflage (Skilll) [Escape Power (Skill) [Telepathy(Skill)]

Now, I feel pride in having Lobo in our house. As kind as Lord Lammermoor and Hans are, there is really no place for Lobo here at the House of Lammermoor.

[Ho! I could have pounced on you while you sat daydreaming.]

Lobo rubs noses with me, returning me to the present.

[It’s all that energy between you and the mistress of the house. It can be overwhelming.]

Lobo woofs. [Now that we are in the same house, I hope we may put the past behind us.]

[I thought we had! I saved your tail. We all did.]

He woofs again, humble. [So you did. But I want to apologize.]

[As you said, it’s behind us.] I bump noses with him. [We can all sleep better tonight.]

Sleep.

Suddenly, I could sleep for a week and some change. I never thought that our fun secret outing to meet Hans would turn into a full-blown rescue mission today. But my quest is complete, isn’t it, System? Lobo is now Minette’s beast.

[Quest complete. +30 XP to Blaze. Only +20 XP to level up. Received Level 2 Bonus Gift Pack.]

Hold up. Bonus Gift Pack? I get a Bonus Gift Pack? Where is it? Where can I find it?

[System Special Item Arsenal. Bonus Gift Pack includes:

(2) Healing Elixirs–Restore HP

(2) Anti-Curse Amulets–Provide +1 to Resistance, Magic, Charisma, Luck.

(2) Crystallized Exotic Crunchy Fruits–Boost overall wellbeing

(2) Heightened Sense of Smell Charms–Boost sense of smell.]

What a nice gift pack! Do I need any of them right now?

[No. These are special items. Keep them in case you or your friends need them.]

That makes sense. Wait…I think I got a Bonus Gift Pack when playing the game. That was because of Damon. He helped me obtain the exact bonus that the System has now bestowed upon me.

He was playing…

Oh.

No.

He wasn’t playing a bear, come to think of it. He was playing a wolf. A rival wolf, so we could battle each other in the arenas. Except the tamer was a male elf.

Lobo helped me achieve a bonus, just as Damon did in real life.

Could Damon be trying to help me in his way? Have I focused my energy on the wrong beast, namely Demos?

* * * * *

TWENTY YEARS AGO

It is my birthday party in our home in W City. There’s cake and presents and I’m having a party with several of my friends and cousins. Damon is sulking. Why is he sulking? I guess because I get a party and he has to nap. Although he’s the baby and my parents pay way too much attention to him, he still doesn’t like me having a big boy party.

But he’s nowhere in sight, so I’m ready to walk in, wearing my best party clothes and my party hat. Here I go into the living room of our house where all my friends and cousins are.

OUCH!

Damon has bitten me on the arm! It hurts. He’s a wld animal.

I won’t cry. I won’t cry. I’m a big boy. I’m five years old. I won’t cry…

My scream of pain brings my parents running and makes all my friends stare at me, frozen.

What happens next happens fast. Damon gets taken upstairs. Instead of having my yummy chocolate birthday cake and opening presents, I’m taken upstairs to the bathroom to wash my arm and put some cream stuff on it that smells and feels good.

Mom and Dad spend time explaining things to me. Damon is just feeling left out. He’s cranky because he hasn’t napped. He thought the party was for both of us. They’ve put him in our room so he can calm down. Grandma and Grandpa are helping.

I feel better now, thanks to lots of cake and presents. Damon comes down after a while to watch me blow out the candles. He is quiet, sulky. A couple of my friends try to be nice to him. But my arm still stings.

On the other hand, he’s quiet, and he doesn’t even look at his cake. I wander over to be with him. “Eat your cake,” I say in my nicest voice.

He doesn’t answer, and I break off a gooey, sticky piece to hold it out to him. I think he’s going to bite me, but he takes the piece of cake just like a puppy getting a treat. And he smiles at me.

* * * * *

Lobo is Damon. I’m sure of it. He has to be. That’s why the System wanted me to save him.

System? Is Lobo Damon?

[You are supposed to forget your human life.]

That’s not exactly a “no.”

[It would not help you to still have ties to your human life.]

System! I won’t do anything like ask him if he’s Damon. For one thing, he would think I’ve gone crazy. Or been bewitched. Or cursed. I just need to know. Tell me!

Meanwhile, waving his tail, Lobo is waiting for an answer from me.

[I’m tired.] I yawn. [It has been a very long day.]

[Of course.] Lobo yawns, too.

My gesture is contagious, my exhaustion spreading. Lightning and Demos are yawning, and Gussie, and Einswine.

The System finally responds.

[Yes. Lobo is played by Damon. Lobo is your brother. But you must promise not to reach out to him. It would be confusing. He would be haunted and distressed. And need counseling. And your parents would also suffer.]

Suddenly, my weariness takes over, and the world turns fuzzy.

When I come to, I’m lying on a soft bed next to Kaline. Even with Lord Lammermoor home, she’s still not taking any chances by putting me in the Beast Wing. Lightning has cuddled up next to me. Why? I just want to sleep and be with Kaline.

Lightning’s voice jolts me awake.

[Blaze?]

[Tired.]

[I’ll stay with you.]

My only answer is a snore.

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