Role Reversal

Malric's POV (Damian’s Lycan)

My eyes fluttered open. Blurry shapes came into focus instantly.

I was in the hospital.

I jolted upright. Why was I here? And this wasn’t even any hospital I recognized.

The door swung open and a doctor stepped in. He froze, staring at me like he expected me to be dead or something.

“Oh my God! Mr. Damian…”

“I am not Damian,” I snapped.

His confusion didn’t concern me. I swung my legs off the bed, ready to shove past him, when the door opened again.

Theodore, my Beta. And Sarah, priestess of the Moon Order stepped in.

“King Damian! You’re awake,” Theodore breathed.

I mind-linked him sharply. ‘Get this doctor out. Now!’

Theodore turned immediately. “Doctor Monroe, please give us a moment.”

The man nodded, still dazed, and hurried out. Once the door shut, I faced the two.

“Where am I, and why the hell am I here?”

Theodore started. “King Damian…”

“I'm not Damian. I’m Malric.”

His eyes widened. “Lycan… Malric?”

“Yes.” My patience snapped. “Now explain what happened to me. To Damian.”

Sarah stepped forward. “Damian’s life was in danger. You took control to protect him. Lycans only take full control when the human soul is in extreme, life-threatening danger.”

Theodore nodded, “You were poisoned. Wolfsbane mixed with a spell-infused potion. It damaged your heart. A transplant saved you.”

I clenched my fists, fury vibrating through my bones. I could feel Damian stirred weakly inside me.

“Who tried to kill us?”

“I’m already investigating,” Theodore said firmly.

“You better be fast with it,” I snarled, shoving a finger into his chest. I paused. Something felt… wrong.

I left him and stepped closer to Sarah to confirm. Same thing.

“Wait.” My voice dropped. “I can’t smell either of you.”

They exchanged a startled look.

“What do you mean?” Sarah asked.

“I mean I can’t perceive your scents. At all.”

“Give me your palms.” Sarah said quickly.

I stretched my palms towards her.

She checked and the color drained from her face. “You've lost your pheromones.”

What?! Pheromones were the core of werewolf scent perception. Without them, a werewolf is scent-blind and prone to attack!

“How?” I growled.

“The poison must have done it,” she whispered.

I ground my teeth hard. “Theodore! Find the bastard responsible. Their bloodline ends with me.”

“Yes, Lycan King.”

“How long have I been out?” I asked.

“Two weeks,” Theodore replied. “The transplant was done yesterday. But the family of the woman who donated the organs…we're yet to compensate them.”

“Are you waiting for me to wake up before you can do the needful?”

“No, my king. The doctor said he couldn't reach the woman's daughter this morning. Said she was supposed to come for her mother's body this morning, but she hasn't shown up yet.”

“Work on it. I don't like being indebted.”

Sarah stepped closer, voice tight with urgency. “Malric… there’s a bigger problem.”

I lifted a brow. “Speak.”

“Damian has to take control of his body back. He shouldn’t be trapped inside while you run his body. It’s a reversed order. You’re meant to control the wolf body when you shift, not the human one. If the lycan runs a human body past three full moons, both you and Damian’s soul will lose your sanity.”

Insanity? I frowned, I couldn't allow that to happen.

“How do I bring Damian back…before it’s too late?”

“You must find the Luna healer and marry her,” Sarah said firmly. “Only her bond can reverse it.”

“Luna healer?” I asked.

“Yes,” she continued. “A born Luna with true healing powers. She is the only one who can restore the balance.”

I exhaled. Marrying the Luna Healer wouldn’t be a problem since I didn't even have a mate. At age twenty-five,.I wasn’t even sure the Goddess remembered I existed to give me one.

“How do you expect me to find this Luna Healer when I’ve just lost my pheromones? How do I track her scent?”

Sarah hesitated before answering. “The vision I had overnight about the Luna healer…” She looked like she was trying to remember. “she has this mark…a crescent mark on her lower back.”

“Lower… back?” I scoffed. “So I’m to strip every she-wolf I meet?”

“What about you announce the lycan King's mate trial?” Theodore suggested. “Every she-wolf with birthmarks should attend.”

I nodded thoughtfully. “Right. Work on it.”

“One more thing my king,” Theodore said.

I sighed. Theodore never took initiative without permission, and it irritated me endlessly. Maybe age was finally catching up to him. He’d been my father’s Beta, and I should’ve replaced him with someone younger when I took the throne, but his loyalty to my father made me keep him.

“What is it again, Theodore?”

“The Moonfang Pack’s Alpha coronation is today. I planned to attend as your representative.”

Moonfang? My jaw tightened.

“Don't bother to represent me. I'll attend myself.”

“You’re still recovering,” both protested.

“I have unfinished business with their late Alpha. The new one must know.”

“Damian…I'm sorry. Malric,” Sarah corrected herself. “You can do that later. Your health comes first.”

“And this is human territory,” Theodore added carefully. “Your rapid recovery will draw suspicion.”

I remembered the doctor’s terrified expression earlier… but still, I had to attend the coronation myself.

“Both of you, handle whatever suspicion arises. And Theodore, meet me at moonfang as soon as you're done.” I held out my hand to him. “The car keys.”

He hesitated, but one glare from me settled it. He dropped the keys into my palm without another word.

“One more thing.” I said gesturing at the hospital gown I was wearing. “I won't make it past the security in this.”

“Let me quickly go home to get…”

“No. That will do.” I gestured at his clothes instead.

Theodore huffed while Sarah rolled her eyes but I didn’t care.

I stripped off the hospital gown and handed it to Theodore, trading it for his clothes. Having changed, I walked out of the hospital without looking back.

By the time I reached Moonfang territory, they were already auctioning off a young girl.

My fists tightened. My grandparents created this system as second chances for wolves cast out of their packs, but some Alphas had twisted it into legalized slavery.

I was going to abolish the system soon. But for now, I came for another thing. I sat in the VIP room, watching as power-hungry Alphas shouted bids.

My gaze shifted at the girl once more. She was trying not to tremble but she wasn't good at hiding it.

“Poor thing.” I muttered under my breath.

This wasn’t why I came here.

But damn it all…

“I’m not leaving her at the mercy of these greedy Alphas.”