Diana POV
“Madam,”
I was in a deep sleep when I heard someone’s voice. I didn’t know when I fell asleep thinking about Darren, and now, when someone called me, I forced myself to open my eyes, but everything just hurt. I wanted to rest without disturbance.
"Madam, wake up. It’s time for your meal and medicine.” The voice conversed again. I knew she wouldn’t go because she came for my medicine. That’s why I lost to my inner self and opened my eyes, only to see a woman in her mid-60s.
“I’m glad you woke up,” she smiled at me and helped me to sit on the bed. “Thank you.” Those were the only words left in my mouth.
“You can call me Clara. I’m the caretaker of this place. I took care of you the previous days.” She arranged the duvet for me and offered a bowl of porridge. I hesitated to take it.
“I know you just woke up, and you have many questions running through your brain. I’ll answer them all. First, eat this porridge and have your medicine.” She spoke again, sensing my discomfort, so I said nothing more and held the bowl to eat because my stomach was also craving something to fill its appetite.
Once I finished the porridge, Clara gave me some medicine, and I had it saying nothing. Clara smiled at me and picked up the ointment Marcus left on the table.
I observed her but said nothing. Clara came to me and sat towards my feet. I frowned, but then I clamored when Clara lifted my gown from my feet to my knees.
“What are you doing?” Surprised by her move, I instantly moved my hands and stopped her.
"Madam, I’m just applying this ointment on your knees.” She smiled again. I thought a smile was part of her personality because she smiled at everything.
Clara looked at me and said again. “Madam, please, let me do it.” Her voice contained respect for ages. I drew back my hands. Clara lifted my gown and massaged my legs with the ointment.
I hissed in pain when she massaged the area around my knee.
“It hurts, but you’ll be fine in a week or two. This ointment is best for healing joints and muscles.” She praised the ointment and talked about Marcus, how he made this ointment, and how he had mastered medical skills. The smile didn’t leave her lips even for a second. Her behavior was warm, like nanny Sophie’s. Clara made me remember her and my time in the pack house again. My heart clenched in my rib cage, and I felt the immense pain of losing everything. I had nothing with me and for me anymore. I was alone in this world where no one wanted me. Tears filled my eyes, but before they could fall, Clara exclaimed.
“Madam, if you want to know anything. You can ask me.”
I took a deep breath and absorbed the tears back into my eyes.
“Madam, why don’t you speak?” Clara asked, looking at my face. I felt like she wanted me to speak. Maybe she wanted to hear my story about why I reached this situation. I didn’t want to say anything, but her demeanor was so warm and kind that I couldn’t resist her and said.
“Please don’t call me madam. My name is Diana.” Clara was kind to me, and in this short period of less than an hour, she gave me so much respect that I thought I didn’t deserve it, so I politely forbade her.
“How can I call you by your name? I can’t do this.” She massaged my calf muscles.
“Just call my name. I’d be happy.” I spoke with a smile, putting my hand on hers. She nodded but said nothing.
“What happened to my legs? Why can’t I move them?” I pitied myself because my legs hurt badly. I wanted to die, but here I became disabled, a person who couldn’t even walk properly on her feet.
"When Alpha brought you here, you had already damaged your legs. I think you have hurt them with stones or something like that,” Clara replied. Her voice contained a visible hurt.
"Alpha,” I muttered.
“Alpha Marcus, the man who was here when you woke up. He saved you and healed you with his powers and medical abilities. Because of his powers, you recovered early. Otherwise, you were almost dead when he brought you here.” Clara’s smile faded, and it was the first time. It left her.
“Why did he save me?” I asked. I wanted to know why the moon goddess saved me when I wanted to die, but Clara said nothing.
“Why did he use his powers to save a weakling like me?” I clamored because it hurt me. Why did he save me when my childhood best friend, my mate, rejected me and didn’t even care for me? He left me to die, so why did alpha Marcus save me when we didn’t even know each other, and he didn’t owe me anything? My eyes welled up. The tears got stuck in my throat. I felt difficulty in speaking. Clara tried to calm me.
“Why wouldn’t he save you? He had to do this,” Clara spoke, pulling my gown to my feet.
“But why?” I stuttered. Clara put the duvet back on me and spoke.
“Because he’s kind enough to do this.”
“But why did he waste his powers on me? He shouldn’t have saved me. He should have let me die there because I’d be dead eventually.” I shouted at her. I didn’t know why. She put the ointment back on the table and exclaimed.
"You’re precious to us and should love yourself, too. You shouldn’t disrespect his efforts to save you by talking about death. He saved you because your life was important to someone. You can’t die.”
“Why can I not die when I wanted to?” I shouted again. Clara’s answer didn’t satisfy me.
"Madam, you need to rest. It’s almost midnight.” Clara picked up the utensils, ignoring my question.
"But you didn’t answer my question.” I clamored.
“I have already told you. Alpha would do the same even if there was anyone else in your place. He would also save her, so please now get some sleep. Good night.” I became silent, and Clara strode out of the room, switching the lights off. I fell on the bed again.
‘Yeah, he’d do the same with anyone. Don’t think more. You’re just a nobody who was dying, and he saved you.’ I spoke to myself and closed my eyes, but sleep was nowhere to come.
*********
"Anna, you’ll be alright.” He caressed my hair. Instantly, I opened my eyes, and he was there in front of me.
“R-Ren,” I stuttered. I felt I had lost my voice. Darren was there, and he caressed my hair again, nodding his head. I cried out, grasping him in my hold. I hugged him tightly. I experienced an overwhelming rush of emotions as I touched him.
“Ren, I know you’ll come for me. I know you love me. How can you leave your mate, your childhood friend, all alone? You’re my shining armor. How can you leave me? I know you’ll come. You can’t leave me alone. I know you can’t.” I cried, hugging him close to my heart. Darren caressed my hair and back. Tears continuously flowed down my cheeks and wet his shirt, but I didn’t stop until my tears dried and my heart set at ease. He comforted me with his silence and spoke only when I stopped crying.
“Shush, I’m here for you, but you must be strong.”
I felt relieved in his arms because his arms were my home from the start.
“Anna, you can’t be weak anymore. You need to be strong for yourself and the surrounding people.” I broke the hug and looked into his eyes. He called me Anna after a long time. I was content. He was my Ren because his eyes had love and care for me. His eyes were depicting me.
“I’m your mate, right?” I asked while tears were ready to stream down my cheeks again. I just wanted to be sure. I wanted him to admit that he was mine, and I was his.
He smiled at me and kissed my forehead.
“Yes, you’re. Only you can be my mate, only you.”
I closed my eyes and hid my face in his chest while tears cascaded down my cheeks. I felt all the misery I bore those two years ended today. My Darren was only mine. He belonged to me only.
“Don’t leave me again,” I whispered, snuggling into him, but he broke the hug and said.
“You can’t rely on me anymore. Anna, you need to wake up and get strong. You need to fight for yourself.” I ignored his words and hugged him again.
“Anna, listen to me.” Darren caressed my hair.
“I don’t want to fight or get strong. I only need you.” I poured my heart out, but what he said next broke me.
"If you’re weak, you can’t be with me.” I broke the hug and looked into his eyes. He was severe, and it broke me more.
“Ren.” I shook my head as he tried to remove my grip on him.
“Please, no.” Tears filled my eyes, and the next moment, my vision got blurred.
“Darren,” I shouted to stop him, but the next moment my eyes opened, and I was alone. I instantly looked around the room, but there was no one. My eyes were still wet, but there was no trace of Darren. The door and windows were intact. It confused me. It was my dream, or he was there because I felt him so close to me. I wrapped my arms around myself and cried out. Even in the dreams, he talked about leaving me.
Diana POV One month later, It has been one month. However, I had caged myself in the room. Clara tried to take me for a walk many times, but I forbade her. It looked like my heart had lost all the attractions of life. Alpha Marcus visited me every day, but he asked nothing. Maybe he wanted me to open up myself, but I wasn’t ready. I had lost myself along with Darren. I remembered that night he was so close, yet so far. I was thinking about him looking outside the balcony when Clara entered the room. “I always found you here, looking outside. It looks like you are waiting for someone.” Clara spoke. “He’ll never come,” I mumbled. “Hmm, what did you say?” Clara asked. Maybe I was loud enough for her to listen, so I turned around and looked at her. “Nothing,” I shook. Clara pursed her lips. “Madam, you need to go out and walk around the cottage. You’ll feel better,” she spoke, placing the soup on the table. “I don’t want to go out. I’m fine here.” I said, turning towards the balc
Diana POV“But How? How can I do everything? I know nothing,” I retorted.“I’ll guide you, but in one condition.” He proclaimed."What is your condition?” I became worried.“You have to give your fullest. You can’t leave everything in the middle or say you can’t do this or that. You have to do what I’d say to you.”I quickly nodded. I didn’t know why or where I got this boast, but I wanted to get strong. Maybe I ought because of Ren, my heartbreaker.“I’ll give you time. You can think about it and then answer me. Because once you say yes, you can’t run away.” His voice was stern. His aura was dominant.“Why would I run away if I’d get strong and achieve everything I want?” I said.“Still, you must think about it before giving me an answer.”I instantly kneeled before him and pleaded.“Please, take me as your apprentice. I want to learn from you. Please, I need it. I promise I won’t stop in the middle and do everything that you’d say.” I kowtowed before him. He held me by my shoulders a
Diana POV The rest of the night, I wasn’t able to sleep. I thought about a lot of things. Marcus’s words were continuously repeating in my head. He was right. I must get strong to stand beside Darren, my tormentor. It won’t matter if I had a wolf once or not if I got sturdy. I recalled yesterday’s dream where Darren wanted me to get strong. I assured myself Darren wanted me. He just wanted me to get powerful. Once I’m fit and hefty, he’d accept me as his mate, as his Luna. I was happy I met Marcus, and he saved me. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have thought about this aspect and ended my life. What if I didn’t have a wolf? I could spend my life with my people by other means as well. Today, I was determined to work on myself for me and Darren because he was everything to me, and I could do anything to live with him. Thinking about him, I closed my eyes, but Raymond’s face flashed. ‘He had some positive energy around him that attracted me.’ I thought, and the rest of my night went thinking ab
Diana POV “What happened? Are you alright?” He looked at me from head to toe, creasing his forehead with obvious lines of wrinkles. “That mark on your neck.” I gestured towards his neck. He touched it. His expression changed. “Why do you have this? Is there any meaning to it? I also had one on the back of my neck.” I turned my back to him and showed him my mark of lotus and arrow. “Do you see it? We have the same mark.” I was astonished and confused. “No, it’s not the same. Your lotus is glowing while my arrow is. They’re not the same.” I frowned. “Don’t you find it strange?” “No, let’s go. We’re getting late. Alpha would be angry.” He said, holding my hand and pulling me towards the cottage. “But you didn’t tell me why we had this mark,” I asked again, trying to remove his hold, but his grasp tightened, and he halted to look at me. "Tell me,” I asked, staring into his black orbs. He sighed and said. “How would I know? Early when you came to the ground, and I was staring at y
Raymond POVDiana exited the room, but Alpha lowered his eyebrows at me and I knew what was coming towards me.“I’m sorry, Alpha.” I immediately fell to my knees.“I told you to hide this mark and not reveal it to her. Didn’t you listen?” He hit the table with his fist so hard that his knuckles turned white.“Sorry, Alpha, I have hidden it, but earlier, when my wolf tried to take over me, the spell broke. The powder I used to hide the mark disappeared, and I didn’t acknowledge it. I’m sorry. Please forgive me.” I bowed, touching the ground with my forehead.“Get up Raymond. I have already told you we can’t tell her. She had to know everything on her own. It’s her destiny. We can’t help her. We only need to protect her.” Saying this, he stood up from his seat and walked towards the window.“But Alpha, why do we need to hide it from her? It is only fair that she is aware of her circumstances.” I was worried about her. Her innocent eyes and face showed the situation of her heart. She was
Diana POVOne year later,On the edge of the lake,It’s been one year since I was here. I learned a lot and my relationship with Clara, Alpha Marcus, and Raymond had increased to another level. Now they were my small little family that protected me and helped me to be a better version of myself and I loved them. I couldn’t say I forgot Grandpa or the nanny, but now my pain had reduced. Darren still haunted me in my dreams, but I never looked back and fought to go forward to achieve something that was mine, written in my destiny, and conferred to me by the moon goddess. I was way fitter than Diana one year ago and all credit went to Raymond, my best friend. Even though he was weird sometimes, he had become my best buddy in the last year. He trained me physically and mentally, but emotionally, I knew I still lacked. Whenever I dreamt about Darren the next day, I couldn’t focus on my training.“What are you thinking?” he pulled me out of my thoughts. I saw him. He was playing with the wat
Diana POV“Jasper,” I called again. He was also my best friend, like Raymond. The only difference was Jasper’s more caring behavior towards me. He was a more obsessed type of wolf and Raymond told me wolves were always obsessed type of beings for their family and friends.“I’m sorry. Jasper became worried for you.” Raymond told me, leaving my hand and standing on his feet. I could see his eyes were back to normal. “Your wound is healed.” He spoke again, turning his back to me. I looked at my hand. It was healed, but Raymond’s saliva was still present on my arm. I was confused as to why he licked my arm when only my hand was injured. Maybe Jasper was worried, so Raymond didn’t notice. I shrugged my thoughts and stood on my feet. “It’s okay. I’m fine. Don’t worry.” I said, putting my hand on his shoulder. He took a deep breath and turned towards me. “I know. Jasper is calm now.” I nodded, and we walked back to the cottage, unaware that someone had watched us with his dark blood-red
Diana’s POV“Darren, please listen to me. Why are you getting mad? I’m telling you, there is nothing between us. Please calm down. Listen to me.” I begged him.“No, don’t go. Come here.” I yelled, trying to stop him, but he walked away.“No, don’t go, no, Darren.” I woke up screaming his name.“Darren.” I instantly looked around. However, I was alone in the room. I tried to sit up.“Darren, where are you? Come out. I know you’re hiding here.” I said, but he didn’t come out, so I forced myself out of bed and moved towards the washroom because I knew he would be there. We were there when we kissed. I wouldn’t let him go this time. With great difficulty, I reached the washroom and opened the door.“Ren,” I called out, but he was not there. I saw in the shower cubicle but the tap was off and he was not even there.I immediately noticed my clothes that had dried and were in suitable form. The last thing I wanted was intact lips because I clearly remembered he bit me and my blood oozed out.