CHAPTER 6 - TROUBLES

10 years later,

‘SERA……SERA…..SERA…..S.E.R.A…….BECOMES…..SERA….WA.KEEEEEE….UPPPPPP’ I swear I am going to kill him someday. I groaned, sandwiching my head between the pillows, it did it’s best to cut down the noise. But I had miscalculated, I wasn’t supposed to cut down the voice but his throat. Because he never stopped, not even for a second. If I had a wish I would have begged the moon goddess to give me the power to mute him whenever I wanted, just like the Tv, but wishes dint happen that way.

‘SEEEERAAAAA……SEEEEERAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA’ I pushed my blankets over my head sinking into the bed, hoping it would take me to a wonderland….but NO..that dint happen..I could still hear his rotten voice through the window, creeping into my ears.

‘SEEERAAA..YOU KNOW I’M NOT GOING TO STOP UNTIL YOU WAKE UP…..WE CAN DO THIS ALL DAY…SEEERA’. Yea I knew it because he actually did it once! My parents and I had gone out to a farmhouse spending our weekend, we reached our home in the evening, only to be welcomed by this voice.

‘FUCK ZALLEN…LEAVE ME ALONE’ I nearly broke the window and screamed at the top of my lungs. The weird creaky sounds persisted even when I had locked them. ‘They are selecting the Alpha warrior; you know I’m better than you’ he smirked.

‘let’s see if it persists when I kick your ass’ I smiled back, showing him the finger. Zallen was the second to become beta of this pack. Since kids during the pack training, we always fought for the pettiest issues, he always held his grudge as I defeated him when we were young. The memory is still fond since that was the first time, I made a boy cry. We fight from time to time, but it’s a healthy one.

‘SERA language’ my mom scolded, neatly placing the folded clothes in the wardrobe. Over the years I had grown on her, it was so comfortable now, that I dint had to hide my snobbish attitude anymore. 

‘sorry’ I bit my lips.

‘You are a girl Sera, I won't hold any restrictions on how you behave, but you need to watch our language’ yes! my mom was the typical on face person you could ever meet, handling patients day in and day out, her job had grown into her personality, answering straight forward without any restrictions.

But that what made me finally give in to her. ‘sure mom, I won’t’ I hugged her from behind. She was a heavenly angel. ‘you can stop buttering me up, I know why you're doing it’, shit she catches up to me easily.  I hadn’t cleaned my room, something an everyday teenager goes through.

I wouldn’t say I am lazy but I’m just not in the right “mood” to do things. Tell me to do 100 laps and I wouldn’t bat a second before I start running on the field, but, cleaning, washing, chores weren’t something I was fond of. I would always wait for the D- day, the day when my mom, suddenly starts cleaning my room, making me guilty.

I knew I had to change this habit, till I become the Alpha warrior I excused myself.

‘take your bath and come down for breakfast, you know today’s an important day, I don’t want you three to be late,’ ‘3?’ I looked at her,

‘ahh, I forgot to mention Cason and Zallen are joining us for breakfast’ she took a glance at my room and left. My mouth hung low as the thought of Zallen sitting in the kitchen nearly freaked me out. ‘Ahh whatever, let’s get ready’.

I always had two types of moods when I take a bath, it’s either 10 mins or an hour-long, but now I went for a quick 10 minutes bath, because of the choosing. A day when the Alpha decides the Alpha warrior and its 10 members leading the group.

I wanted to be at my best behavior and strength. I will become the Star Knight, a dream I have been running after for the past 5 years.

I liked my hair short, it kept me out of troubles, like now, it was easier to wash and dry, even dying my hair was effortless. But with mom’s pestering advice, I had let it grow a little beyond my shoulder. My straight front bangs were almost reaching my eye but I liked the hairstyle my mom had given me, so I kept it that way.

Red lipstick stands out on my face, because of the pale skin I was born with, a black mascara along my eyelids, thicker as they reached the ends, swopping up into a curve, highlighted my pale green eyes, it was tiring to wear lenses every day because of my original eye color, but there was no other way out.

It was either these lenses or exposing that I’m alive to the Crimson Knight pack, who by the way just named their son the Alpha and the Alpha warrior who will be leading the pack. It will be fun killing him. I sneakily smiled to myself. 

I wonder how he would feel, being killed by the weak girl he was about to rape, but I had to control my anger, there is still time, I can almost see the end. One step at a time I convinced myself.

I wore a white tank top, paired with black jeans, my height was a good 5’6, slender legs and waist, many have sworn their undying love to me over the years, only to be ashamed later when they find their mate. I wouldn’t say I was popular, but I would always receive one confession in a week, especially humans who just wanted me in their bed.

I have just graduated from college, and I must say nearly half of them are filled with foreign exchange students. 2 more weeks to go until I turn 20 and get my wolf. Although I hoped I could meet her, I feared people finding out about my origin. Too much was going on in my mind.

I went down only to gain the attention of all the people, especially Zallen, ‘wow’ he exclaimed which was kind of off-putting, since it was him. ‘you can hold back your sarcasm’ I played it off hugging dad, ‘you look beautiful dear’ he complimented which was always a common phrase he used. ‘thanks dad’ I planted a kiss on his cheek and sat down.

‘Sera you look amazing today’ Cason complimented and I flushed red. ‘umm..thank you’ I smiled back. I knew Cason liked me, there were many instances which made me know that especially right now when he stared holes at me, but it became certain when he confessed his feelings last year, he was a sweet and caring guy, but I dint want to accept him because emotions changed. 

What happens if I am not his mate? The heartbreak would be too much to bear. I confess I do have feelings for him but not so much that I want to disobey the moon goodness who has already set our destined mates.

I hope I find my mate after 2 years after everything has settled down and I can finally come out and start a family. 

‘bacon or egg’ mom asks turning back, ‘both’ I reply. ‘and yet you are still skinny’ Zallen laughs. ‘and isn’t that the skinny girl who kicked your ass’ I made a crying face teasing him.

It still never gets old. ‘words’ mom warned as Zallen was about to talk back. ‘How many have enlisted dad?’ I asked changing the topic, only those willing to compete have can become the Alpha warrior, the last standing person on the arena, as they phrase it.

‘30’ he mentioned. ‘that’s a lot’ Cason exclaimed. ‘yes, most of them are the children who have lost their parents due to the Crimson Knight’s wrath’. ‘Killing them, isn’t even close enough to pay back’ Zallen grunted, frustrated, we all nodded in acceptance.  

That pack was getting stronger and stronger as days passed, it’s successor even more ruthless and cruel, kidnapping members in daylight, only to leave them dead at nightfall. Even as we send petitions to the king they are all killed before they even reach the walls.

Some even say that the present King Tyson Blue is only a puppet of the Crimson Knight pack. Just remembering his name gives me the shivers. Cold and tyrant he is known to be ruthless.

All these rumors started after the King and queen were killed 5 years back in an internal conflict, the prince who was only 17 years old. Only days after he was crowned he was met by a betrayal from Crimson knight pack, the kingdom at that period was almost at the peak of extension, because of the battle losses, but the young king, single-handedly killed thousands of warriors, he was named as the god of war, some say who have lived to tell the tale.

The battle had only happened 5 years back, but still, people talk about it as if it’s a distant past. The head of Dickken Red was pierced at the entrance as a constant reminder for those who questioned the King’s authority.

Rather than being overwhelmed with joy, I was angry to not have taken his head. Dicken red, and his son, I can still see them in my dreams.

Coming back, people still don’t know the truth if he is a puppet or if he is pretending to be a puppet, if it’s the latter, then I can’t imagine how dangerous he might be.

‘Are you fired up White, you know I won’t hold back’ Zallen overflowed with confidence.

‘me too’ I fist-bumped him.

‘I want to join the fight too’ Cason shrugged. ‘you are strong Alpha; you don’t need to fight fishes to show a lion’s power’ Zallen portrayed flexing his muscles.

 As much as Zallen exaggerated Cason’s strength, it was true, he was undefeatable, the strongest I have ever come across. ‘you still make a good fighting partner’ I tapped his back, after all, he was the one who thought me everything there is to know. I owe him a lot.

‘anytime, you want me, I’ll be there Sera’ he replied, ‘still cheesy as always’ Zallen barfed. Damn was he too good at acting, we had a great laugh.

‘I’m going’ I hugged my parents at the doorstep, ‘remember Sera no matter what happens, we will still love you’ mom’s voice sounded desperate.

‘chill mom, it’s just like the usual practice, and you have raised the strongest daughter’

‘don’t let anything distract you’ father’s voice held concern.

‘what are you talking about? You know I’m fighting my packmates, right; they are my friends and I do know their strengths and weaknesses, just hold a party when I come back’ I assured them.

‘hmm okay, all the best Sera’ they replied.

‘thanks’ I waved them goodbye. ‘Do you think we should have told her?’ mother asks, ‘no it would only worsen her state, she is better off not knowing’ father replied. What were the talking about, my hearing was sensitive than others, I could hear voices from even a mile, but refrained to say so?

What are they so concerned about? What is happening?