Echoes of Hollow

Hearing the wheels turning on the ground, the werewolves waiting near the gate turned to the side. Some of those responsible for building the houses had just left to get more material. So fast... it hadn’t been long since the vibration of their vehicles faded out of the normal range of their senses, yet, could it be them already?

With a clipboard in hand, a man they didn’t recognize stepped out of one of the trucks and walked toward them.

“Hmm, excuse me, Lucas... do any of you know if there’s a Lucas here?” Seeing the confused expressions on their faces, the man turned the page on his clipboard and asked, “Or... Arche, that name works too.”

The wolves exchanged glances for a moment. They hadn’t left this place at all, so it was impossible for anyone around here to know them. Their instincts screamed, causing them to clench their fists and grit their teeth, their eyes fixed on the poor man. Feeling a chilling shiver run down his spine as the dark, tangible energy crept from the glowing eyes of those standing before him, he trembled.

“Oh, wait, he must be one of the construction workers, right?”

“Construction workers...?”

As the darkness faded, the wolves looked at each other once more, then both turned to the man ahead. Hesitant, they glanced behind them shortly after.

“Really...?”

“Yeah, I think so,” said the man sitting on a rock just past the gate. “See, the vehicle they’re using looks similar, and... the smell too, it’s faint like the others, mixed with odd scents. But... it doesn’t seem like they’re just bringing bricks.”

Sweating nervously, the man tried to move his feet back but couldn’t. When he finally managed to drag his shoes across the dusty ground, his body trembled with the sound of the stones, and he stammered, “S-sorry, I think I made a mistake! I...”

“No,” Hye said, approaching from the trail among the trees. “Sorry for the delay. Don’t worry, you’re in the right place.”

“R-right...”

Wiping his clothes to remove the excess sweat, the trembling man took the pen from his shirt pocket and handed it over, avoiding eye contact with the wolves as much as possible.

“Sign for me, please.”

“For us too,” said the deliverymen who arrived shortly after with their clipboards in hand. “Please, sign.”

Once the paperwork was signed, the unloading began, with multiple double-deck carts rolling out of the trucks and making their way down the tree-covered path. At that moment, the strangers approaching took a back seat because, without a doubt, what caught the attention of all the wolves around was the scent that wafted into their noses with the slightest breeze that hit them.

Setting up the various portable tables in the corners where they fit was easy, and with the wolves’ help, it was done quickly. In the end, all that was left was for them to sit down and enjoy everything that had just been served to them.

“They weren’t construction workers...”

The man next to him nodded in response while looking at the plate ahead with a fork and knife in hand.

“So, it all went smoothly this time, right?” Lykos asked, approaching those who had been near the gate earlier.

“What...?” The wolves exchanged glances. “Yes, nothing happened, don’t worry.”

“Good thing, I thought you...”

“No, nothing happened, alright? So why don’t you go eat too? You’ll end up without a place to sit.”

Raising an eyebrow, Lykos looked at the werewolf on the other side of the table, who shook his head, denying what the man had said. Placing his hands on their shoulders, Lykos smiled.

“If you say so, who am I to disagree, right? Well, I hope you enjoy the meal.”

Hearing his laughter fade, the wolves narrowed their eyes. “You didn’t...” The man shrugged.

“Bastard!”

Beings with such animalistic senses that, even when under considerably less pressure than now, they struggled to maintain control at times. So... how long could they keep control? Having already felt it himself, his instincts taking over in the most primal way possible, Lykos looked around just before sitting beside Eudora and Arche. He observed the smiles that so clearly concealed their fears and anxieties, masking their insecurities; ‘How long, and... who will be the first to lose control?’

Unfortunately, predicting the future wasn’t one of his abilities, and even if it were, what could he do to change it? Something already predetermined—did he have the strength to alter it? Shaking his head, he sat next to his daughter, trying to forget the unanswered questions that continued to invade his mind, along with the fears and insecurities plaguing everyone there.

His hand trembled slightly on the table, but when it was covered by Eudora’s smiling hand, her mouth full and smeared with a bit of red sauce, his heart warmed, immediately recalling the feeling he had some time ago.

“Dad, aren’t you going to eat?”

With no more obvious trembling but still holding back all the fears in his mind, he smiled and wiped the sauce from the chubby-cheeked child’s face.

“I will, so keep eating. It’s tasty, isn’t it?” After swallowing her food, the girl nodded. “But don’t talk with your mouth full.” Lykos squeezed her cheeks for a moment.

“Hey, Dad, that hurts!” Eudora said, rubbing her face.

“Stop teasing her,” Arche said. “And you, don’t talk with your mouth full.”

“But I... humph, I’m not even talking with my mouth full anymore,” Eudora murmured, straightening her posture and turning her eyes back to the plates.

‘Not talking with your mouth full, exaggerated table manners, even their posture...’ Lykos thought. ‘They don’t notice it, or maybe they pretend not to, but it seems that language skills weren’t the only things he passed on to us through that contract... Now... how far does this influence extend?’

As he brought the fork to his mouth, Lykos felt something approaching his shoulder, but he didn’t turn or even flinch. Instead, he simply waited and continued eating.

“I have something to do now, so I’ll be leaving for a bit. Keep doing things as you have been, and... don’t forget to gather everyone later. When I get back, I’ll need to speak with you all.”

Lykos nodded, and as Hye and Alyia left, all eyes followed them as if everyone were magnetized. No one resumed eating until they were out of sight. But when that happened, Lykos quickly looked around, for in his mind, a beautiful yet terrifying voice made his chest tighten and his senses flare as it said, “And don’t forget to take care of what’s up on the mountain.”

***************

‘How unnecessary that was, or do you really believe she doesn’t know what you did or that you were being followed? Well, either way, don’t forget, if that wasn’t your request but just a simple favor, now you owe me one.’