Identity Concealer
1620 Words
FUKAYNA
“Aşa este? (This is it?)” I asked my eighteen-year-old witch best friend as I eyed the little crystal vial, which contained a glowing peach-coloured liquid.
We were in a small cave, our meeting place, located in the northern slopes of the Central Eastern Carpathians. It was in Bucovina, Romania, although we didn’t live near each other, given that my kind and hers were sort of enemies.
Ho-kay, not just sort of. They were indeed enemies, much like vampires were our enemies, though the latter were on a distinctly higher level. Perhaps the highest among others, they were vicious, incredibly cruel, and no one would willingly submit to their fangs. After all, who would willingly become their food?
Nevertheless, Relia Ciobanu and I had been friends for more than a couple of years, despite our kinds not being on good terms. It all started when we accidentally crossed paths one night in this area. She was running through the woods, and I was trying to blow off some steam, when suddenly a couple of vampires appeared. Being nosy at times, I jumped in and saved her, unaware that she was actually a witch!
At that time, I couldn’t shift yet, as I was barely fourteen. Wolves like us typically start shifting on our sixteenth birthday. Nevertheless, I was able to defend myself against those vile creatures, thanks to my training in combat ever since I could stand on my own. My father, Alpha King Zoltán Lupu, made sure of that. He was controlling and incredibly strict, everything a teenage girl like me would despise in a father.
At the age of sixteen, Relia was easily spooked and would often choose to run rather than utilise her magic. It turned out that she had a kind of magical block that would surface when she was truly distressed and afraid. However, everything changed when she met me, and somehow, I helped her overcome it during the time we spent together after that fateful night when I killed those vampires. I continuously encouraged her to use her magic as a means of protecting herself and those she loved. My persuasive nature seemed to inspire her, so she made a sincere effort. Well, I could be quite persuasive when I wanted to be.
Oh, and why was I venting my frustration at that moment? My father had just informed me that I must marry a young and strong Polish Alpha named Alpha Zygmunt, who happened to be six years older than me. At barely sixteen, with my birthday just around the corner, he was discussing marriage? That was completely inappropriate! We were no longer living in ancient times, where such youthful unions were the norm. Moreover, I desired a more traditional approach. I yearned to encounter my destined mate—the one meant for me. I craved that enchanting connection that would irresistibly draw us together. Even at my tender age, I fantasised about it, thanks to my mother, Luna Queen Talibah, who always recounted the story of how she felt when she first encountered my father in Egypt some twenty years ago. And I perpetually found it incredibly romantic! I wanted to experience that love-at-first-sight moment with my mate as well. How could my father possibly decide to rob me of that precious opportunity?
“Fuk, asta este,” Relia confirmed. Her dark grey eyes were fixed on me, speaking evenly in Romanian, punctuating her words with a shrug.
I couldn’t help but flinch when she referred to me by that nickname. I never really cared for the name my parents had bestowed upon me, particularly my Egyptian mother, who had initially chosen it. I could only speculate that she wanted it to align with her own name, which meant “seeker of knowledge” because she embodied that quality so fully. She was an inherently curious soul, always immersed in books and venturing into places she probably shouldn’t have.
“I specifically asked you to call me Kayna, not Fuk. You do realise that it sounds eerily close to ‘f*ck’ in English, right? Imagine if someone overheard and thought you were swearing at me, or worse, swearing in general! Or perhaps they’d misinterpret it as ‘foc’ and assume there’s a fire! Remember the near panic you caused when you called me that at the mall?” I contorted my face into a disapproving expression, delivering my words with a deadpan tone.
She rolled her dark grey eyes and let out a cackling laugh. “Your name is absolutely beautiful in Egyptian! You told me it means intelligent, so why do you despise it so much?”
I wrinkled my nose in response. “If my mother was so fond of that meaning, she could have named me Akila instead. It carries the same significance, and I personally find it more pleasing to the ear.” As I spoke, my tawny eyes widened for a moment to emphasise my point.
Her teasing nature emerged as she playfully remarked, “And what would I call you then? Ack? Kil?”
A slight twitch appeared on my lips. She had a valid point. If English-speaking individuals or anyone familiar with English overheard her using that nickname, they might mistakenly believe she was instructing me to commit a heinous act.
“Oh, Goddess of the Moon! It seems I can never truly win with you, can I?” I replied with a mix of exasperation and amusement.
She let out a delightful giggle before her expression turned serious. Pushing strands of her long, curly brunette hair behind her ears, she revealed her heart-shaped face, which held a surprising beauty in spite of the freckles that sprinkled across her skin. Her aquiline nose added to her charm, complementing her thin, pinkish lips that always seemed ready to break into a smile. The most intriguing feature was the reddish flat round mole positioned at the centre of her forehead, accentuating her uniqueness. To add a touch of whimsy, her hair was adorned with tiny, colourful, glittering strings.
On this occasion, she wore a dark grey dress, a hooded cape, and boots to shield herself from the cool spring air and to prevent easy recognition, particularly by her family or coven. She had managed to sneak out to meet me here tonight, intending to gift me the peach glimmering potion in celebration of my upcoming birthday.
“You do, at times, just like this one. You asked me for a strong potion that will hide your real identity from all supernatural beings without suppressing your wolf or your abilities. Do you know how many times I checked it so that nothing would go wrong once you imbibed it?”
I exhaled, glancing at the dark cave we were in. We didn’t use any light to be discreet. I could still see her with my special ability as a shifter, and she also enhanced her sense of sight through her magic.
“Well, I hope you won’t regret it. There are a lot of perks when you’re on your full-on powers as you are, Fuk.”
“Kayna!”
“Fine! Kayna.” She glowered at me.
“Okay, what are the side effects?” I asked her, placing the vial inside the secret pocket of my spring dress. It was almost like a summer dress since I was not really bothered by the cold temperature due to my nature as a werewolf. My body heat is enough to warm me up when it is cold. Once I began shifting tomorrow on my birthday, I could have more access to greater strength and other werewolf abilities. But... there was this potion, of course.
My voluptuous friend peered at my oval and average-looking face. She tilted her face as I was naturally taller than most girls my age, while Relia had an average height of five feet and five inches. As a girl turning sixteen, I stood five feet and eight inches. She would most probably stay at that height forever, and I might shoot up another couple of inches in the next couple of years.
I blinked my yellowish brown eyes, waiting for her to speak. I took a lungful of air, sniffing her marguerite daisy fragrance—a floral woody musk scent. With my pretty good small straight nose, I could always detect her presence by her smell, whereas she couldn’t scent me. But I knew she could track me by magic. She had given me a cool friendship bracelet made of a gold chain with tiny ruby stones attached to her magic.
“Well, you’ll be like a human until you find your mate and engage in the act. Once that happens, the potion will be rendered useless, and you’ll set yourself and your wolf free. Not to mention, other supernatural beings will know who or what you are.”
“Well, I think that’s good until then,” I commented without so much care.
“Are you serious? What if vampires appear and you’re having trouble? You said that Neb Er Tcher is against this!” she pointed out.
“Well, my narcissist and arrogant wolf can’t do anything. I am the owner of this body, so… my body, my rules!”
Relia’s jaw dropped. “I really hope you’ll not regret this, Fuk.”
I gave her a death glare but sighed afterwards. “You know, I’d invite you to my birthday party tomorrow if only I could.”
She smiled at me. “It’s fine, really. We don’t want any unnecessary scenes, do we? Besides, you won’t stay long at your party.”
She and I grinned at each other.
- Writer
