“Why the hell is that on your hand?!”

Tala half screamed the words at John, surprising him.

“It’s a ring? Silver is supposed to keep werewolves under control.” He powered through her flinch at the word.

“Yeah!” she snapped at him. “Because it burns the hell out of us! That’s what the purifiers use to stop us from healing, John. How can you stand having that on your finger?”

He could feel the hair on the back of his neck rising, but he didn’t want to get into a shouting match with the beauty. Hands out in front of him, palms to the ground, the gamer spoke softly, able to hear the storming footsteps of her father approaching from inside the cabin. “I was out on my own and scared. I’d never use it to hurt anyone, I’m just using it to try to stop myself from hurting someone again…”

The front door swung open to Dakota’s harsh face towering over Kiana’s relaxed shoulder. Her motherly voice was soothing as she walked out, putting her hand on her daughter’s back. “Did you hurt someone, John?”

Unable to look into her piercing blue eyes, he looked down and nodded shamefully. “I… I lost control.” His voice quavered and breath shuddered as he remembered. “I was at school and there was a guy threatening one of the girls in my class because she was trying to help me out.”

“Why…” Kiana started to say, but John shook his head.

“The bastard hates me. I’ve never been able to understand why. But when he grabbed her, I lost control and attacked him. I don’t remember much, it happened so fast, but there was a lot of blood and claw marks on his face…” A moment of silence followed his admission before he was finally able to raise his eyes to meet theirs. “I’m sorry.”

The gentle look on Kiana’s face as she stepped forward had John bowing his head again.

“Control can be very difficult in those first few days. Is the girl he was attacking alright?” she asked, lifting his chin with one light finger to meet her eyes.

“I,” he gulped, taking a half step back, “y-yeah, she’s fine. I think he is too. I didn’t get in trouble at all and nobody’s said anything. I don’t know how.”

The blonde lycan looked back at her husband, having another silent conversation between them, Dakota nodding. “It is possible,” he whispered in his rumbling voice. “John, there are likely other people, members of the Abyss, at your school. They could be Purifiers, friendlies, or altogether unknown.” The older man paused, looking at his family with a deep frown furrowing his brow. “You two can show him around, I’m going to go talk to the others.”

Only as Dakota took a step off his porch was the gamer brave enough to speak up. “Wait. I do know of at least two people that are part of the Abyss at my school. One is from the family you warned me about, the Brightons. The other is another girl that seems normal and nice, I doubt she’s anyone to worry about.”

The married couple exchanged another loaded look before Kiana spoke, “It’s quite possible, considering you have a Brighton at your school, that they healed the boy and covered up the incident. The less normal people know about the Abyss, the safer it is for all of us.” Dakota kissed her cheek as he passed on his way towards the main houses in the clearing. “It does, however, increase the risk you’re putting yourself in by being outside of this barrier. Especially if they can tie that event to you. They might go looking.”

“No…” Tala squeaked a horrified whisper. “What about his mom?”

“That’s part of what Dakota is going to talk to the others about. For today, is your mother at home, John?”

He shook his head, still dazed by the sudden shift of mood. “No, she’s at work. Nurse. Hospital.” Struggling to get the words out, he could feel himself shaking a little. ’I never really thought about the danger I’d put her in, did I?’ Chest tight, breathing sharply to try to calm down, John could feel himself losing control like he had at school.

He squeezed his eyes shut and bit his lip, trying to keep hold of himself, barely able to hear the two women trying to talk to him.

“John, I need you to take that ring off.”

“Please? I know you don’t want to hurt anyone.”

“That ring could hurt us more than you could, just take it off.”

’I can’t hurt them. They won’t let me hurt anyone. It’ll be okay. They’re my friends.’ The gamer worked to convince himself, moving to pull the ring off with shaking hands. The dull ache he’d grown used to felt more like an electric pulse in his right hand and he flinched away from the pain instinctively. ’Why doesn’t it feel like that on my finger?’ In sudden fear, he opened his character sheet, ripping the ring out of his equipment slot and tossing it in his inventory, all the pain and tension faded in less than a second and he could feel himself relax. Slowly, still unsure of how in control of himself he was, John raised his eyes to look at his frightened lover and her concerned mom.

“I’m,” he started, having to clear his throat to get the words out. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I just didn’t want to risk attacking anyone again. I don’t know if the tea didn’t help or if it was because I wasn’t able to drink very much of it, but I’d lost control.” Pausing to take a breath, it stunned John when both women hugged him. The three stood there, as if frozen in time for a moment, until they all calmed down and the gamer stopped shaking.

Kiana kept hold of his left hand as she pulled away, giving it a gentle exam. “Your healing abilities really are impressive, John.”

“Yeah, I’ve noticed that myself,” came his simple reply.

“That ring, on any of us, could have scarred our hands beyond our healing. And we’re hunted for our healing.” The white wolf shook her head.

“Well,” he paused, struggling to think of what to say, “thank the, uh, Goddess that gave me my powers, I guess.” He shrugged as best he could with Tala still clinging on his right arm, her forehead pressed to his shoulder.

You’re welcome! I don’t get thanked enough.

’I’ll try to keep that in mind.’ He rolled his eyes up at the sky.

Both the girls were looking at John now. “She said not enough people thank her directly,” he tried to explain. ’I’m either going to sound like a moron or like a lunatic saying I have a goddess talking in my head.’

Are you a lunatic, John? I already know you’re a moron sometimes.

’Stuff it,’ he grumbled. The goddess was getting cheekier now and the curious look on Tala’s face had him shifting his stance uncomfortably.

“Does she speak to you directly?” the olive-skinned beauty asked softly.

He gave a hesitant nod and both girls smiled again before Kiana spoke up, “That’s a very good thing. It’s rare for one of the gods to take such an interest in someone.”