Louisa's POV
I didn't know why Mr. Weasel didn't like Darren.
I didn't see any bad aura around Darren.
He was always sad. That was true.
I washed and chopped the vegetables while telling myself in my mind.
I couldn't get rid of the horrible image of a flying vampire with a pair of mad eyes in the dark forest. Long black hair and razor-like long nails.
What possibly is a vampire looking for in the middle of the day in the woods? I thought to myself.
"Lisa, what do you want me to do with the meat?"
I was pulled back to reality by Darren's voice.
Mr. Weasel was snorting heavily around my neck. I guessed it was because of the side effect of anesthesia.
I answered, "I've made some cumin sauce, and let's soak all the ingredients inside."
Darren nodded.
He looked at Mr. Weasel, frowned, and asked, "Do you want to put him down?"
"He's not that heavy. He's just fluffy. I can barely feel him." I smiled at Darren and put the diced meat into a bowl of sauce.
Darren snapped his fingers and set up a fire in the yard.
His pale bruised face was illuminated by the orange light of the fire.
He would always bring warmth and light to people, but they hurt him instead.
Whenever I thought of this, my heart started throbbing.
"What else do you want me to do?" he asked.
"Nothing. I want you to sit down with me, just like this." I said.
He quickly took the pot of soup from the room and put them over the fire. Then, he sat down and moved closer to me, so we sat shoulder to shoulder.
I picked up some sticks and sliced them into sharp skewer sticks.
The soup was bubbling in the pot. Darren stirred it carefully.
"Darren, you know that you can tell me anything," I said.
"Yes, Lisa," he said.
"I've got a strange feeling that you want to tell me something, but you haven't," I said.
Darren's face was like a motionless mask.
Then, he shifted his eyes to me and said, "Lisa, I'm an open book to you. You're the one who's hiding a secret from me."
I quickly lowered my head and pretended to stoke Mr. Weasel.
I suddenly recalled what my wolf told me - "The only reason he was with you is to know your real name. You'll see."
I held the knife tightly and asked, "Darren, there're so many questions I've always wanted to ask you. How do you know about Uma's appearance? Who's the person behind Finn? Why he didn't want me to see him? Why are you with me right now?"
Darren put some more sticks in the fire and said, "I thought you would never ask. Master Finn used to be a very handsome and happy man. He was a prince in a northern pack, which was destroyed by The Crimson Pack, your father's pack. They put his wife in a tent and set a fire to it. He rushed into the tent to save her, that's why his face was burnt and he lost his voice. That's why he had never shown his hUman face to anyone. And the wife he risked his life to save was Uma. All these years, he had followed Uma around. He couldn't face her, because his face was too ugly and he wasn't able to give her anything. On the day Crimson Pack was destroyed by the White Walkers, we arrived at the scene too late. Before Uma passed away, she recognized Master and asked him to take care of her. That's why he showed up in the White Walkers Pack the other day. He wanted to protect you on Uma's behalf."
I was weeping silently while he was speaking until I couldn't hold it anymore.
The knife in my hands fell to the ground.
I covered my face with both of my hands and cried out loud.
Darren held my head in his arms and held me against his chest.
I saw Uma's face in my mind again.
Her beautiful olive green eyes. The tenderness of her lips.
She was the only one who protected me from all the bullies when she was alive.
She's still trying to protect me now even after she passed away.
She has never ever left me.
Darren continued, "All these years, everyone has left Master except for me. I didn't leave, not because of the imprint, but because he had saved my life. The only reason he hurts me is that he wants me to leave him and go for a better life, which is one thing I can't allow myself to do. Master's a very powerful man. But the only one he can't protect himself from is his sadness and sorrow. That's why I have to stay with him."
"Darren, I'm so... I can't..." I couldn't even finish my sentences.
"Everything will be fine, Lisa," Darren said in a soft voice, "We're all here with you and nobody will hurt you again."
I had never cried so much ever in my life. My tears must have woken Mr. Weasel up.
Surprisingly, he didn't say anything. Instead, he slowly moved down my shoulder and wrapped my arms with his body. I knew he wanted to provide me with some sort of emotional support.
"We're Uma's legacy for you, Lisa, and we're so proud of you," Darren said.
I wiped my tears and said, "I'll... I'll be stronger... And I'll be better..."
"Yes, you will, little rascal," Darren said.
He picked up the knife from the ground and gave it back to me.
I didn't take the knife.
Darren then put the knife on the ground and smiled at me.
"Let's make some skewers," he said.
I nodded and threaded the diced meat and vegetable on the stick.
My hands were trembling.
Mr. Weasel looked at me and said, "I wish I could help you, woman."
"You can help me by eating some of them," I said.
"I don't eat cooked meat. They're disgusting," Mr. Weasel said.
Darren stood up and walked towards the remains of the boar.
"What do you want to do with the rest of it?" he asked.
"We can cut it and cure the meat. I'll prepare for some brine..."
I hadn't finished my words before he ripped the giant boar's body into two halves with his bare hands.
The blunt force was shocking.
I couldn't believe I was holding a knife at him just now.
What was on my mind?
If he had tried to kill me, he would have already done it by now.
At the same time, I felt the chill sprawling down my spine.
"By the way, I don't believe a word of what he's just said," Mr. Weasel said.
I picked up a cube of meat and put it next to his mouth.
"Don't try to use food to make me stop talking, woman. You know what I've said is right," he said while munching the meat in his mouth.
I thought he was just blabbing because of the side effect of the anaesthesia.
On that night, I grilled so many skewers over the fire and we had a hearty dinner.
Darren looked very pleased to see me eating something.
It was very tranquilizing to watch the pink meat turning grey over the fire. The smell of cumin and the smoke of fire were very tempting. The fat of the hog dropped on the fire and made the cheerful buzzing sound.
When I went to sleep, Mr. Weasel insisted on staying with me on my bed.
"I'll keep you warm at night and if the warlock wants to hurt you, I'll bite him." Having said that, he fell asleep almost instantly.
Darren tugged me in and said, "Good night and sweet dream, Lisa. Don't be afraid. I'll be sleeping next to the furnace. If you need anything, just let me know."
I nodded and said, "Good night, Darren. Thank you for everything."
Darren lowered his head towards me.
For a brief moment, I thought he was about to kiss me.
My heart was beating so fast and my face was burning.
I didn't know what I was supposed to do if he tried to kiss me.
He was like an elder brother to me. I didn't expect a kiss from him.
But fortunately, he just pulled more clothes to cover me up and then walked away.
I took a silent deep breath and pulled Mr. Weasel in my arms.
He was so cuddly.
I hugged him tightly like a cushion and fell asleep.