A Deal with the Devil

This Isn't a Fairytale

“You seem happier,” Liam remarked after training one morning.

Cillian had been traveling to and from the human realm quite often now, but he still hadn’t told anyone why. No one wanted to question him either.

“Do I?” Cillian asked.

“I don’t know what you do when you leave here, but whatever it is, it’s helping you,” Liam said. “I’m glad for it.” He was trying to get Cillian to tell him about his comings and goings, but Cillian didn’t seem to be going for it.

“I know you want to know,” Cillian replied with a slight smirk. “It’s a woman.”

“It’s always a woman,” Liam laughed. “Go on, what’s she like?”

“She’s human.”

“Another human?” Liam said with a hint of shock.

Cillian gave his brother a look that would have made most wolves cower.

“If she makes you happy than that’s what matters,” Liam added quickly. “Does she know about you?”

“No,” Cillian retorted. “She’s seen my wolf though, in the woods in the human realm.”

Liam wanted to caution his brother but knew it was not his place. Nonetheless, Cillian saw Liam’s expression.

“Don’t,” Cillian warned. “I know what I’m doing. Maya is a good, kind person. I’m not going to bring this world and its problems to her attention.”

“So you just hide part of yourself and ignore your instincts?” Liam asked.

“It wouldn’t be the first time I had to control myself,” Cillian scoffed. “It seems fate likes to test me.”

Liam laughed. “Couldn’t think of a better wolf, to be honest,” he said. “You have the most control out of any wolf, alpha or other, that I’ve ever met. Maybe that’s why you’re drawn to humans. You can tolerate them.”

“You loved Maddy,” Cillian pointed out.

“She was my Luna.”

Cillian nodded. “Even so, perhaps you can tolerate humans as well.”

“Then introduce me to this Maya,” Liam laughed.

“Not going to happen,” Cillian replied. “It’s safer to keep things separate.”

“Keep what separate?” Liv asked as she came up to her brothers. “Is this about the mystery woman?”

“Have you all been discussing this?” Cillian questioned.

Liv laughed. “Please,” she scoffed. “The entire pack is whispering about it. We’re all excited for you.”

Cillian sighed. “Stop the rumors,” he ordered. “It’s only been-”

“Eight months, brother,” Liv said. “More than enough time to mourn. Maddy would want you to move on.”

Cillian said nothing more before taking his leave. He knew his siblings had his best interests in mind, but they could be overbearing. He needed to get away from them and forget about his duty to his pack for just a little bit. He told himself that was what his visits with Maya were about, but he knew that was a lie. There was something about Maya that made him forget all his troubles. He smiled again and laughed again with Maya. Her leg was healing still, so the couple could only do simple dates: lunch, shows, picnics. Still, Maya had an infectious laugh, beautiful eyes, and a keen mind.

“It’s unlocked,” Maya called out after Cillian knocked on the door to her apartment.

“Is that safe?” Cillian asked as he entered the apartment. He closed and locked the door behind him.

“I have nothing worth stealing,” Maya said with a laugh. She was seated on the couch, a book in her lap.

“I’m not worried about people robbing you,” Cillian remarked.

Maya simply laughed again. “Do you come from a particularly dangerous place?” she asked. “You’ve never really talked about where you’re from.”

“It’s...” He paused to think about his territory. It was technically a large territory, but the developed areas were small. “It’s a small town,” he finally said. “We’re all quite close, and I know almost everyone.” That wasn’t a lie.

“Do you have family there?” Maya asked.

Cillian nodded. “I have two sisters, ten brothers, and a brother by law.”

“Holy s**t,” Maya said in shock. “Sorry, that’s just a lot of siblings. Your poor mother.”

Cillian chuckled. Werewolves tended to have a lot of children, so it would seem odd to a human for one family to be so large. If only Maya knew that some families in his pack had up to twenty children. “My mother was actually quite happy with the size. She always wanted a large family.”

“Are you close with all of them?” Maya asked. “I imagine in a family that size you have some you’re closer to than others.”

Cillian thought about the pack hierarchy. “I suppose that’s true,” he replied. “My brother Liam is only a year younger, and we’re quite close. My sisters, while overprotective and bothersome at times are also close, although I think that has more to do with Madison.”

“Your sisters were close to her, I take it?”

“She was new to our town, and they took it upon themselves to make her feel at home,” Cillian explained, again reasoning that it wasn’t a lie.

“That’s very sweet,” Maya said sincerely.

“What about your family?” Cillian asked.

“We were never close,” Maya answered with a hint of sadness. “My parents are gone now, and I have no siblings.”

Cillian felt an indescribable pang of sadness for Maya. He couldn’t imagine not having a large family or any family. Maya was alone in Boston to begin with, something Cillian had known, but she was also alone in the world. She reminded him very much of Maddy.

“I’m sorry,” Cillian said awkwardly.

Maya laughed. “Wow, this conversation went south. Don’t be sorry. I’m fine.”

“How much longer until your leg is better?” Cillian asked, changing the subject.

“Next week I start physical therapy, and hopefully it’ll only be another month or before I’m back to normal,” Maya said excitedly. “I’ve missed hiking and camping and basically just walking. It’ll be a relief to be back to normal.”

“Maybe you should think about a hiking companion now,” Cillian remarked.

“If you’re offering, I accept,” Maya said with a smile. “You have to keep up though.”

Cillian chuckled. “I can do that.”

The couple ordered takeout that evening and talked more about families and hobbies. Maya admitted that she had fairly simple hobbies. She enjoyed hiking, camping, and reading. She said she liked to cook as well even though she obviously couldn’t at the moment since standing was difficult. Cillian thought about his hobbies. He trained. He was the leader of his pack, but what did he do for himself? He made his way to the human world to see Maya. That wasn’t a hobby though. Damn, Cillian thought, I’m as interesting a sea sponge.

“I’d like to see this town you grew up in,” Maya said as it grew late.

“It’s boring really,” Cillian replied. How could he explain that he lived in a mythical land full of werewolves, witches, and other magical creatures? Obviously he couldn’t. She would think he was insane.

“Boston might have a lot to do, but I’ve always wondered what it’s like to live in a small town,” Maya mused.

“Everyone knows your business and discusses it,” Cillian said remembering his conversation with his siblings this morning.

Maya laughed. “Personal experience?”

“I fear they’ll never stop gossiping about me there, but that’s a whole different story,” Cillian replied.

Maya smiled slightly. “You don’t seem like someone overly concerned with what others think.”

“A wolf does not concern himself with the opinions of sheep,” Cillian joked.

Maya laughed. “If I didn’t know you so well I’d think you were an overconfident asshole,” she pointed out.

“I’m lucky you know me then,” Cillian said with a smirk.

That night, Maya fell asleep on the sofa. She had asked Cillian to put on a record, Nina Simone, and they had continued talking about various topics. After awhile, she had slowly slipped into a restless sleep. When Maya slept her dreams were not her own. She saw marble halls of a mansion she had never been to. She saw a body, her body, covered in cuts and blood, but it wasn’t her body. They were disturbing dreams, and they only came after she saw Cillian.

Cillian noticed Maya sleeping and easily carried her to the bedroom. The room looked nothing like it had when Madison had lived here. Still, he paused before leaving it. He would always love Madison, but even his wolf was starting to feel drawn to Maya. In that moment, and only for a few seconds, Cillian wished to be a human. Their emotions seemed so much simpler.

Instead of going back to Myrna, Cillian decided to stay in the human world and go for a run. He didn’t want to answer questions about Maya, and he knew his siblings would have them. He went to the woods where Maya had been hiking. At this time of night, no one was in the woods, or if they were, they were safely in their tents. Cillian transformed and was off.

Suddenly, Cillian stopped. In front of him was a beautiful silver wolf with bright blue eyes. The wolf looked into Cillian’s eyes for a moment too long, almost as if it were challenging him. Before he could react, it transformed into a woman with flowing silver hair. Cillian was about to shift when she spoke.

“No need to shift, Alpha Cillian,” the woman said, her voice soft and melodic. “I’ve only come to speak to you quickly. The sky needs me back.” She looked up for a moment and Cillian followed her gaze. It was then he noticed there was no moon in the sky.

Moon Goddess! Cillian knelt before her, but the woman approached and placed her hand on his head.

“I always hated formalities,” she said. “Now listen, quick. There is magic at work in this world that even I cannot control. Maya is your mate.”

No, Cillian thought. I had Madison. She was my mate.

“Yes, Madison was your mate,” the Moon Goddess agreed. “The fates have told me that you must be with Maya though.”

Is she my second chance?

“It doesn’t seem that way, my son,” she said with a hint of sadness. “This is dark magic. Call it a curse or whatever you want, but you are meant to be with Maya. That much is certain.”

Cillian wasn’t about to argue with a deity. He was still confused, however, and he wanted to know about Madison. Had her soul gone to the Moon Goddess? Was she resting in peace?

“I cannot answer those questions,” the Moon Goddess said. “I do know that her love for you was as real as yours was for her.” She paused for a moment. “Be content with that for some will never know the love of their mate. Your sister is one resigned to that fate.”

Liv? Why? Cillian felt his heart ache for his sister at the news.

“She is destined for great things, alpha, so do not be sad for her,” the Moon Goddess said. “Win the heart of your human, and love will break this curse.”

This isn’t some fairytale, Cillian thought. Love didn’t fix everything.

 “You’re right, but Madison died for love, so perhaps love will fix whatever happened after she died,” the Moon Goddess countered. “And if it does not, than at least you found someone to ease the pain.” She looked at the sky. “I must return. Stay safe, my son.” With that she was gone.