CHAPTER 4 – CHANGE

CHAPTER 4 – CHANGE

I know this is too much information for a 10-year-old child to bear, but I was fond of our existence as werewolves. Humans and werewolves lived on different continents, both of us separated by what we call the Blue spring, a sea spreading between our continents.

As humans civilized, they started inventing new technology. The only reason humans accepted our trade was for the fine quality of gems our mines had, some rarer than the rarest investors craved to get their hands on. We fought for decades before the peace treaty was established, signing in new deals and opening foreign exchange programs.

We lived in the age of democracy, but still, murderers’ events happened. There are 5 packs in total, each named after the color of the jewel in the area, My pack had the red diamond, it costs millions to just have one on your finger and that is why the Alpha’s greed increased, Blue Moon’s a pack knows for their exquisite quality of Blue platinum, a rare jewel, The ruby for Sun Shallow pack, the Green Blair was found after the Emerald, less expensive when compared to others and finally the Dark Eclipse pack, found after a rare black Jewel, some say it has powers of the moon goodness and so, except for the royals no one can dare lay their eyes on it.

I doubt it holds any truth, it’s a make-believe story said to scare the children, I am one too, but I don’t fall for such hilarious jokes.

Even when our trade partnership with humans is good, they still call us barbaric because of the lifestyle we lead. While we call them polymorphic because of the many mates, they indulge with pleasure.

We held our indifferences against each other but still cooperated for what they call the “greater good.”

Our rules rarely had any changes as the king held the supreme command and no one questioned otherwise.  My father was a brilliant strategist, so most of his bedtime stories were about the pack disputes and current state affairs. It would have been better if he had stayed for a longer period, but things don’t happen like that, and I leaned it the hard way.

‘You are too fragile to lead a group,’ he reasoned with a sad face.

‘We are not asking for anything in return, you don’t need to burden yourself with responsibilities, all we want is for you is to be happy, that is all we’ he replied slowly rubbing my fingers.

What was this? Why were his words so endearing? Small droplets of water dripped on my cheeks as I was overwhelmed with emotions. I always thought like a woman battling on the front line, but before him, I just wished to be the cute little girl he wanted.

My small hands caught his sleeve, crying bitterly. Just then the door suddenly flung open. We both directed our gazes at the door. It was SOPHIA. She looked at me and then her gaze stopped at my watery eyes.

‘What have you done to make her cry? 5 mins I leave her with you and she’s already like this,’ she started scolding him.

‘Dear, it’s not like that, I dint make her cry, please listen,’ he tried convincing her, but she had made up her mind.

‘You banned from this room for the next 2 weeks’ she said, and he had a disappointing look on his face. I had to help him, it wasn’t his fault, I could feel the fatherly warmth he emitted.

‘It’s not dad’s fault’ I said and both of them looked at me, shocked that I had called him dad. ‘call me that once again’ he pleaded.

‘da….dad’ I called him, unsure of how is going to react.

‘did you hear that, she just called me dad’ he jumped and the entire building resonated. ‘dear, please come down’ Sophia said with tears in her eyes.

If only one word could make them become like this, then I will do anything to earn this happiness. ‘mom’ I smiled looking at her and she busted to tears. ‘our daughter’ they cried, enveloping me into a hug. After a few more crying sessions and we had arrived at the main topic. ‘My name’.

As easy as it may sound, each person is given a unique name unlike any other, and so that name carries their entire existence. It is written in the holy book of records, name, status, strength, weakness, everything.

Only the Alpha of the pack has access to this information, I might be dead by now or my existence might have been erased. As proud as I am to continue my name, I fear the consequences and disputes; I have to keep my identity hidden until I become the Star Knight.

A position strong enough to wage war against any pack. And that is my goal, to kill the Alpha and his son. Each child as a successor title attached to his name, that is after the gemstone of the pack. My old pack is red, and this pack is green. It is like their persona, to identify themselves with their ancestors.  

‘Have you thought of a name you like,’ they asked and sided my head ‘no’

I know it was a tough process to register myself in the holy book because everyone would doubt if they hid or abused me all this while. I was grateful for them to take me under their wing, enough to be their child. I could ask no more.

‘you can give me a name’ I said, and both of them looked at each other, perplexed.

They were not talking but I could see their expressions change, mind link, a common phenomenon in werewolves, to talk to through their minds.

Their worried expressions change into a smile after a minute as they both finished it off with a nod. ‘This is just temporary dear, we don’t want you to lose the name your parents have given, we know it holds a deep meaning, so until you are comfortable, we will call you Seraphina Green, it means to have the personality of fire, never giving up,’ she explained.

‘Seraphina Green’ I spelled by name. It had a nice catch to it.

‘I love it’ I smiled, their expectant faces bloomed in an instant.

‘We were worried you wouldn’t like it,’ Mom replied. ‘I am your daughter, I will love anything you give me,’ I giggled.

‘oh, my goddd…you so cute,’ she squealed.

***

Months passed until the cast on my left arm was finally taken out. A sense of relief washed through me, how long have I waited for this day to come, unable to feed myself, to wear my dress, or take a shower. I was tired and irritated to be holed up inside a room.

Luna had told me I would meet her children this weekend, and I just hoped they wouldn’t turn out to be bullies. I hated them to the very core.

Mom and dad would visit me daily, just to make sure, I dint lack anything, may it be food or clothes, always dolled up in dresses I hadn’t worn, they looked after me like a precious glass doll; they were too kind to be real.

Brushing away my negative thoughts, I sat before the mirror, looking at how healthy my skin was, I never assumed I was this beautiful, not bragging though, but there was a drastic change from the small, weak, ugly kid I was, to a fully healed, dynamic girl. I pinched my right arm, ‘yes..this is me’ the color of my eyes were darker than before, my hair had outgrown the short version of itself, flowing down to my knees.

It was becoming tiresome when I had to wash my hair or take a dump, I needed it short. The bridge of my nose was straight and so was my jawline, the flesh in my skin was just right to help me cope up with the ‘healthy child’ image my parents were after.

The cut mark near my right eye was still healing, I knew it would leave a mark, but that dint matter.

‘knock, knock’

‘come in’ I replied, my voice had recovered, I wasn’t croaking or coughing when I spoke, which was a good thing because Luna and mom always had a pained expression when they heard my voice.

‘Hi Sera’ she came forward holding a bunch of bags in her hand.

‘Hi Luna, how are you today?’ I slowly combed my hair.

‘I’m good dear, how is your arm, is it healed?’ she asked, arranging the bags on the bed, as she took out some weird cosmetics.

 ‘I can move it around freely’ I waved my hand. It still pained, but it was bearable. ‘what are those for?’ I got up inspecting what seemed like a pair of scissors, a black cloth, shampoo bottles, a ton at that, and a water spray.

‘A new look for our Sera, I know as much as we love your red hair and red eyes, I don’t think you can go around like that, because the Crimson Knight pack has already announced you dead, they held a ceremony for you and reported it in the holy book’

‘What? when did this happen’ I questioned, they never threw a search party nor asked the other Alphas if I was alive? How could these people be so cruel? And WHAT? they held a ceremony; I can imagine that woman bawling her eyes out with fake affection. Gaining sympathy from other people, her primary goal was to marry the Alpha anyway, and I’m sure she’s happy of getting rid of the obstacle.

Our Luna died when I was born, because of ill health, the Alpha grieves on her death anniversary, every year and I know that isn’t the truth, not when she is the sister of the King. I know there is some conspiracy and I’m too young to interfere.

‘A month back’ she replied.

‘hmm okay, at least it’s better than hiding forever’

‘I’m sorry this happened to you dear’ she pulled me into a bear hug, but she was damn strong, too strong in fact, enough to squeeze my organs out.  

‘it’s not your fault’ I hug back. ‘Let’s try the fresh look, I can’t wait to meet others’ I positioned myself on the stainless-steel stool that sat opposite the mirror.

‘I will make you the most gorgeous’ she hummed a song sprinkling water along the length of my hair. ‘Your hair is so beautiful, Sera. I just want to look at it all day’ she pouted. Considering the Green Blair pack, they haven’t seen other colors other than green throughout their life, unless the royal banquet opens.

A ceremony held a week prior when the packs fight for the position of Star Knight. Every girl’s and boy’s dream is to attend the royal banquet and find their mate, which has a larger stake since nearly every member on the continent attends the banquet.

Mate, I scoff, I don’t want a mate, not now, not ever. All I want to be is the Star Knight and mates never allow a female to take part in the battle, especially because of the bloodshed in the arena. I just hoped I never found my mate. Because rejecting him would break his heart, too.

I can’t give him love, not when my whole body is filled with vengeance, I pity the man who is going to be my mate because if he persists to keep the mate bond, then I will have no other choice other than to reject him.