Aesthelia's eyes flutter open. Her eyes roam around the place to examine the surroundings. Once again, she woke up and was greeted by another unfamiliar place. This time, it was not the infirmary or her room.
She noticed that the room she was currently in was rather simple and wooden. She wondered if she had transmigrated into another story she had read before. She just wishes that's not the case.
Good thing there was a small mirror at the side table wherein she checked her reflection. She breathed heavily.
"What time is it?" Aesthelia wonders aloud. She immediately sat up straight when she remembered she had been knocked unconscious the last time on the training ground.
Aesthelia flinched as the pain struck her shoulder, as if the wounds were reopening because of that sudden movement. "Ouch."
Aesthelia touches her shoulder and notices that someone has put a bandage on it. A red liquid began soaking the bandage.
"I should've been careful," Aesthelia said in a low voice.
With super hearing ability, Aesthelia managed to notice and hear footsteps outside the room. The sound got nearer. She immediately lay down and pretended to sleep.
She wanted to avoid getting into a conversation because she can't say something by mistake or she will be found out and who knows what will happen to her.
The footsteps clatter around. Aesthelia sensed the presence of two individual people.
"I heard the fight was intense and Gior jumped in the last minute," a woman's voice said in a gossiping manner.
"Yeah, we never had Aesthelia treated before and now we have. She's a strong she-wolf," another voice commented.
Aesthelia kept quiet and listened. Aesthelia sensed that they moved around. There was a clattering of steel which made Aesthelia's eyebrows furrow.
Then, she smelled an herbal kind of scent. Aesthelia identified that it might be the salutary wolf, a herbal healer wolf. Those wolves don't use magic and stuff. The treatment is fully based on herbal knowledge.
Magic exists in this dimension, but it is rare to find one who possesses it. That is why the real Aesthelia became a top-ranking warrior after training for a few years. Her wolf is a healer, which is rare in wolf spirits. Many wolves respect her and that explains why they are cheering for her in the duel. She has more influence than the alpha heir himself, which the old Aesthelia used for her own good.
Aesthelia can not help but groan in pain as a soaked piece of cloth touches her wound in the shoulder. It looks like they are treating and cleaning her wounds manually. Aesthelia is engulfed by curiosity.
"It's alright dear," the woman's voice soothed.
Aesthelia decided to slowly open her eyes and meet the two strangers. Aesthelia blinked multiple times before getting used to the light that comes from the lamp. They needed to light it up.
"Hey," Aesthelia greeted, weakly waving. She doesn't know how Aesthelia greets, acts, or behaves around people, but there's nothing wrong with trying at least. If she wanted to survive, she needed to learn a lot of things, starting with the smallest details.
The two strangers look puzzled at how jolly Aesthelia sounds right now, but still decide to greet her back with a warm smile.
"How are you feeling?" The woman with blonde hair looks like Lily, but older and more mature-looking.
"Good," Aesthelia said. She bit her lower lips surpassing a nervous laugh. Honestly, she doesn't feel well and her shoulder hurts a lot. The bruises are still visibly red from the attack.
The blonde one nodded when the woman beside her nudged her side. "It's obvious that she doesn't feel fine, Kiara."
"She said it herself, Gia." Kiara mumbled, then smiled at Aesthelia's way. The woman knew that Aesthelia was nowhere to be okay. Something was wrong with her wolf spirit, and Kiara didn't want to push it.
"You know that you're a strong she-wolf, right? But everything has a limit and that includes your strength, "the woman named Gia said with a stern voice, as if she's lecturing someone who won't bother listening.
Aesthelia nodded, agreeing with her words.
"I was wondering how long I had been passed out." Aesthelia asked.
"It's been a day and half. You lose lots of blood and the fight exhausts your body I guess that's also might be the reason why your wolf spirit can't manage to heal just in time, "Kiara explained while her hand is on her chin. A habit of hers when she is trying to think deeply and conclude. It made sense to her, but there were no cases such as a wolf disappearing after being summoned, unless the wolf got rejected by their fated partner.
Aesthelia said truthfully. She pinched her skin secretly to ease her nervousness.
Gia gasped in shock while Kiara's eyes widened.
"You what?" Gia asked, screaming in disbelief.
Aesthelia repeated her words, which left Gia's jaw dropping.
"Have you perhaps met your mate?" Kiarra asked worriedly. If a wolf is rejected by their destined mate, they will get weaker as time passes by. It will feel like half of them are torn and the wolf spirit will gradually become weak.
"No," Aesthelia said. The story didn't mention anything about rejections, especially with the supporting character. If the old Aesthelia met her mate, she wouldn't be obsessing with Gior Frauzon.
"We'll have to inform the elderly about this and see what information we can gather. This is a rare case, Aesthelia." Kiara said this in a more serious tone.
Aesthelia just nodded, agreeing.
"I wanted it to be secret for a while. I'll ask you for the favor of only telling trustworthy elders until it gets figured out, "Aesthelia said as she looked pleadingly at both of them.
"Keep it a secret from the alpha and my father," Aesthelia added. She hasn't met her father yet, but her guts tell her not to tell him anything. The first one to notice the changes in Aesthelia would be her family.
Kiarra was the first one to agree to keep Aestelia's wolf disapperance secret.
"That explains why Gior beat you like this."
"You're the one always winning, which made me puzzled to see you bleeding to death," Gia commented loudly as she sat next to Aesthelia. She comfortably sat beside the patient.
"I can still use some of the abilities that wolves have," Aesthelia said. She can use her hearing quite well.
"You can." Kiara answered.
"You are born as a wolf, so some abilities are still there but weakened," Kiara explained.
"You could've died out there. What were you thinking when you asked for a duel even though you knew you were messing with Gior's mate? " Gia asked with furrowed eyebrows.
Aesthelia felt uncomfortable for some reason upon hearing those words. It pained her in some ways, but Aesthelia decided to shrug it off. Then she answered honestly and in a vague way. "I can't remember exactly."
Aesthelia is confused. The real Aesthelia was described as a villainess, a brat, and an immature she-wolf in the story, but why does Aesthelia seem like a respectable person with how Kiara and Gia talk to her?
"Sometimes we feel like we're not ourselves and end up making decisions we know we will regret." Kiara calmly said as she cleaned up after the tools and herbs that she used.
"You almost died. You hear me? If it weren't for the guy who carried you all the way here." Gia said.
"You're done," Gia stated sternly.
"I advise you to rest and avoid physical activities, and if I catch you on the training ground or elsewhere, I will tell you that I will beat you myself." Gia warned Aesthelia playfully, her fingers moving in front of her eyes, then Aesthelia's way of conveying that she would be watching Aesthelia's every move.
"Alright, Gia." Aesthelia smiled as Gia continued to talk and nag her with concern. She felt the warmth.
Both of the salutaries chimed in, "Then we will be going now."
"Thank you," Aesthelia said without hesitation. She grinned widely as she expressed her gratitude.
Kiara and Gia looked at each other. They aren't expecting Aesthelia's word. Both of them smiled back.
Once the door closes. Aesthelia stared outside the window. The woods looked ten times more terrifying when it was dark. Although the moon shines brightly in the sky, the waning crescent shape glows as it reflects the light.
Aesthelia strided her way to the window, closed her eyes and inhaled the fresh air when she heard something from the woods, a rustling sound.
Aesthelia flutters her eyes open and quickly looks down. Then, she saw a familiar figure entering the woods alone. The familiar hair waves in the air.
"Merideth?" Aesthelia recognized who it was. Aesthelia narrowed her eyes in an attempt to make sure she got it right.
Aesthelia, out of curiosity, decided to follow Merideth. And if Aesthelia walks out of the front door, Gia wouldn't like it. The best option for now is to use the bay and bow windows. She's only on the second floor, and it will be a piece of cake for Aesthelia to jump over her to the ground.
"I can do this," Aesthelia convinced herself as she slowly climbed outside the window to jump.
Aesthelia squeezed her eyes shut as she jumped and she successfully landed on her feet. Aesthelia bit her lower lips to overcome her pain from the wounds.
"Where possibly could she be? Does Gior know about it?" Aesthelia questioned herself aloud.
Aesthelia wonders if Gior knows this and he lets her. She shook her head, "Now is not the time to think about it." She just has to follow Merideth's trace.
It's dangerous to roam around the woods, and there's a chance you'll encounter a rogue.
"Sentinels better be doing their job right or they will feel Gior's wrath. " Aesthelia blurted out. She remembered something about sentinels. They are the ones who ensure the packs' safety and patrol the territory.
As Aesthelia entered the woods, she heard rustling and followed the sound. Wolf night vision is good.
Aesthelia turned to her left as she heard another rustling. It looks like there were more creatures than she thought. She was about to look into it when a loud scream was heard from far away.
That scream sounded like it was from Merideth. Aesthelia immediately took off and ran, still in her human form. She runs faster when it becomes terrifyingly quiet. She just wished nothing happened to Merideth.
Aesthelia found herself in front of the tree of aegis which was located at the center of the pack's territory and the training ground.
"Merideth? Where are you? It's me! Aesthelia!" Aesthelia shouted, calling out Merideth. She also wanted to have a talk with her and it was a perfect opportunity for them since Gior was out-of-sight.
The training ground is empty. No one is here, but Aesthelia is sure that she heard the scream from here. Her eyes roamed, but she found nothing until she heard heavy breathing.
Merideth is described as a fragile and weak late-blooming wolf. So, Aesthelia didn't anticipate that Merideth could hide quietly and sneak away.
"What do you want?" Merideth asks with a shaking voice. She's scared of something. Aesthelia wonders if she has scared the young girl to death when she followed her here like a stalker.
"Why do you keep tormenting me?" Merideth shouted this time. The fear was evident on her face.
"It's dangerous out here, Merideth. The sentinels are on the other side of the territory. " Aesthelia said.
Aesthelia is slowly turning around to face Merideth. She raises both of her hands, to show that she means no harm. Aesthelia wanted to sweep everything clean so she could start over and survive.
"I just wanted to have a word with you."
"I promise I won't do anything," Aesthelia said with a faint smile, convincing Merideth that she was changing.
Merideth's stare becomes hard. Aesthelia's jaw dropped at her words. "That's what you said when you almost drowned me in the lake a few months ago,"Aesthelia can't recall anything like that mentioned in the book, but knowing the old Aesthelia's hatred and jealousy against Merideth, it is possible that it could happen and she can't find herself denying that.
"I did?" Aesthelia asked dumbfoundedly. Her palm sweats at the revelation. If that happens before, then does that mean there is no way to mend their relationship? She can try, but that would be selfish of her to expect a good result.
Aesthelia believes in the saying that determination melts others; sincerity softens the cold hearts of many.
"Look, I am sorry for all the terrible things I have done before. I won't ask you to forgive me that easily. I just wanted to make some progress in mending my relationship with you, "Aesthelia stated in a determined voice. She looks pleadingly at Merideth.
Aesthelia squeezed her mouth shut after talking, waiting for Merideth's reply to her apology. She's not expecting to be forgiven, the old Aesthelia done worst that can't be forgiven.
"You must have seen me as a naive and clueless girl, Aesthelia. You can't deceive me, " Merideth said, her beautifully gorgeous eyes getting teary as she struggled to keep her emotions in check.
"I am not trying to deceive you."
"I really am a changed person—a wolf," Aesthelia said desperately. She felt like her life was on the line. Aesthelia believes that mending relationships with the main characters is the only way out of the death doors.
"A person can't change in that small amount of time, Aesthelia," Merideth whispered, but it was loud enough for Aesthelia to hear.
"I-" Aesthelia stuttered, trying to find the right words. Of course, that's true; it takes time for a person to change, and it's suspicious in Aesthelia's case. Plus, she can't say that she transmigrated in this dimension and she comes from another world.
"Enough. Please just stop. Just leave me alone, " Merideth interrupted Aesthelia before she could even say anything.
"Just hear me out," Aesthelia tried to convince her one more time.
"How can you expect me to hear you out when you don't even listen to me when I told you to stop and leave me alone?" Merideth shouted half-sobbing.
Aesthelia looked down, ashamed when she realized her actions. There is no denying it; she did another thing that made Merideth cry.
Aesthelia immediately turned around when she heard rustling, as if a bunch of people were running towards the training ground. She was greeted by Gior Frauzon, who looked shocked, and the sentinels, who looked exhausted.
"What happened?" Gior asked Merideth. Merideth just shook her head, refusing to talk, and sobbed in his chest.
"I warned you, Aesthelia. I told you to stay away from her. " Gior glared at Aesthelia's way. His soft facial expression turned into a furious one.
"Lock her in the dungeon!" Gior commanded with his alpha's voice.
Aesthelia's eyes grew wide at that. She didn't anticipate this would happen. He ordered the sentinels to capture Aesthelia and bring her to the dungeon.
Aesthelia blinks a couple of times before she gets used to the light that comes from the torch. It had been an hour after she was dragged by the sentinels to be locked up. Aesthelia sat quietly in the corner of the cellar all alone. The underground dungeon she was locked in stank with the scent of blood and dirt. Aesthelia hums to distract herself from thinking of something that she fears will scare her in the dark. She has not been fond of darkness ever since she was a child. She tried closing her eyes, but whenever she did, images flashed through her mind. It looks vivid and terrible. Aesthelia wonders if it's the old Aesthelia's memories, but it looks like nothing of today's reality but a nightmare. The images show wolves bathing in their own blood and many more scenarios. They flash through her mind fast. The images caused her discomfort and fear for an unknown reason. They are currently the most powerful compared to any other superna
Aesthelia was struggling in her sleep when two hands grabbed her cheeks. Trying to soothe her out of her nightmare. "It's alright. It was just a dream, a nightmare. " A comforting voice said. "I'm here," Flo assured her. His soft voice woke Aesthelia up. He quickly helped her sit, and patted her back. Aesthelia panted heavily as her eyes fluttered open. She's sweating real bad. Aesthelia looked around her surroundings. Her eyes landed on the cellar in front of her. The cellar where the old man was locked in, ever since that night when the old man was dragged out by the guards. He never came back. Aesthelia choked in her sobs as she imagined what might possibly have happened to that tortured man. "Are you alright?" "I shouldn't have let that bastard do this to you," Flo said in a shaky voice, seeing Aesthelia in this state. He couldn't maintain a steady posture. Whether he shakes in worry o
Aesthelia looked stunned at the sight before her. The worried voices of servants echoed through the air. Mr. Rasc's eyes kept on changing since the wolf spirit was fighting for control. "Get Aesthelia out of my sight, right now," Mr. Rasc's voice changed as he commanded the servants who were idle, watching from the back. He was trying to fight his wolf until Aesthelia was out and safe. "Bring the lady inside now!" Someone from the crowd shouted. Everyone seems to be panicking at this time. "What's going on?" Aesthelia asked desperately. She moves around trying to be released from being tied up until a servant comes to her rescue and quickly unties her wrists. "Let's go. "The servant said in a calm voice. The servant eyes were staring directly at Aesthelia's eyes, and they were filled with concern. "Why?" Aesthelia asked, but the growl became louder this time, which made the servant drag Aesthelia by herself without bein
Aesthelia yawned as she started stretching her arms up. She continuously hears Marie's voice coming outside of her door. Marie has been calling Aesthelia's name multiple times to wake her up without going in. Just hearing the servant's voice, it appears that must be something urgent. Aesthelia blinked a couple of times, adjusting to the sunlight that came from the open window. She remembered she left that window opened to stargaze. When Aesthelia finally felt alright. She quickly walked and opened the door for Marie, who looked annoyed at the time. The hands on her hips and that kind of stare indicate she's about to nag Aesthelia about her tardiness. "I think I woke up pretty earlier than yesterday, right?" Aesthelia smiled before Marie could start scolding her. She tried to convince Marie. Aesthelia has been staying in the R
They were surrounded in a deafening silence. Without being told by someone, some of the werewolves opted to provide some space and change their stance, going to wait in the distance. It appears that everyone is frantically searching Merideth's whereabout. That's why they look anxious, though they didn't care earlier. If it wasn't for Aesthelia, Merideth could be in real danger. Aesthelia relaxed after some time. She was so tensed and nervous when she heard the grasses rustled earlier. She thought that it was the two guy who were in here, the two prisoners who escaped. "You guys came just in time," Aesthelia uttered. She can't carry Merideth all alone, and she doesn't know the path way back to the training ground or so. Aesthelia flinched when she found Gior's wolf form glaring down at her. An aura surrounds the place; it seems that the alpha is releasing it. 'What was that?' Aesthelia mentally asked as she was trying not to f
The footsteps and sound of crickets are the only thing that can be heard in the area. Flo led both of them to a secluded spot to have a talk.Flo can easily pick up something, and his intuition says something is up. He's an intelligent wolf, after all.Aesthelia quietly followed after Flo. She felt like a child who was about to be scolded. They stopped when Flo couldn't detect any presence, since the sentinels usually patrol the territory."What happened? Why did you get demoted as an omega? " Flo didn't waste any seconds and asked straight forward. His eyes show how much he worries about it.It's worst than being locked up for three days. Everyone knows how bad it is to be demoted to the lower tier. That's why every trainee takes their training seriously; they can't perform poorly on their ranking score."Well, haven't you heard that it's about Merideth?" Aesthelia question. Aesthelia wonders how they would portray her in t
Since the day she discovered the hidden safety locker, Aesthelia has been wandering around the mansion every night, desperately trying to find another hint and some strange things that might actually benefit her. She's hoping for such a diary to appear out of nowhere. She examined in every corners of her room for something like the key. Everything else on the floor belonged to her. As either a result, the key must be concealed somewhere. Aesthelia was startled by a knock. When Aesthelia realized it was already morning, she gasped. She didn't get any sleep. Aesthelia quickly did what needed to be done, and the next thing she knew, she was in the carriage on her way to meet the high-ranking wolves. Days had already passed when she was demoted to omega rank, well, temporarily. The hearing was delayed so many times that it got to the point where Aesthelia received harsh treatment and even death threats each day. It's interesting how quickly those people s
The wind was getting stronger and stronger; the trees and tall grass swayed with it. It seemed like a peaceful place, until Aesthelia and Gior arrived with some tools. They were given a lighter punishment by Alpha Rou when they came back from the infirmary, and that was to clear a certain part of the territory. "Stop doing it half-assed. Do it properly! " From afar, from the other side of the forest, Gior shouted. He was busy cutting some of the trees so they could make an open field in this area. "Mind your own business, Gior! If you just shut up, we could actually wrap things up before the sun sets down, "Aesthelia responded back with the same tone, as she swept the ground more forcefully. She's assigned to remove rocks and small grass. Aesthelia thinks this is better than being an omega. She didn't want to go through that again. Her thoughts were interrupted by another booming voice. "Then, quit slacking off,"