Chapter Four

"There was another dead person found last night in TMC. I also found out that his body was brutally torn. People are saying it's an act of war from one of the species against TMC. Probably someone who disagrees with the peace between the people there." Adalyn told me, looking around my room. She looked cheerful in her pink sleeveless top and white leggings.

"If this is truly an act of war against what TMC stands for, then how long would it be before this academy is also attacked?" I asked her rhetorically, leaning against the window frame, and looking out the window at the dark sky, splattered with tiny stars, and designed by two full moons.

A nightdiver flew right past my window, followed by two more. They were bird-like creatures that were often seen diving in the air,  although they possessed long pointed ears and sharp teeth. They were nocturnal creatures that fed on smaller animals like Mistrats.

"That was probably what my father's emergency call to Alix was about."

"Is he back?" I asked, putting on an indifferent expression even though I was very much eager to find out.

"Yes, but he wouldn't tell me a thing. It's so frustrating." She grumbled and laid down on the bed, facing the ceiling.

"He has his reasons. It's probably some top secret that would put him in trouble if he said a word." I told her jokingly, making her laugh.

"Yeah. Probably." She sat up suddenly and asked me, her legs crossed yoga style. "So, tell me, why did you decide to leave Witches' Academy?" 

I turned to her, my back against the window frame. "I wanted to run away from the place where everyone knows me and my history," I answered her.

"What history?" She asked in confusion.

"I don't know my parents. I was left in front of my guardian's door when I was a baby. Adding to the fact that, unlike witches, my powers are so insignificant. I can only grow plants and make things appear from thin air when most witches can do a whole lot more. I was openly criticized by other witches constantly. It was why I wanted to start in a new place where nobody knows me" I replied to her, the consequence of being an abandoned child with no knowledge of her history had always been a burden heavy on me. 

"I think your powers are amazing." She said, trying to lighten the mood. I smiled at her cute face. Her dirty blond hair was currently styled into a ponytail. 

"Thanks." Sighing, I joined her on the bed, but unlike her, I laid back and stared at the ceiling.

"I have a small pack back at Old Wood led by my father. He and my mother have always been supportive of TMC and N. A, Because of it, we have had several people trying to challenge him." She said suddenly. 

I didn't respond, instead, I waited for her to continue. I was curious to know more about my new friend. I dismissed the thought that ran through my head at that moment. I was certainly not quiet because of a sudden urge to know more about a certain Alpha.

"We had had to watch our father repeatedly fight his packmates and others. I'm afraid that one day, he might not come out of one of those fights alive.

Alix and I grew up in a pack where packmates aren't loyal to their alpha or each other. Alix plans to change that when he becomes Alpha, but I doubt that will be possible." I could see the sadness that she tried to hide. Placing my hands in hers, I offered her a gentle squeeze before releasing her hands.

She smiled at me before continuing. "It was because of the division among that pack that I was kidnapped three years ago. Although it was not only for that reason I was taken. The other reason was that I am the Omega child of an Alpha male, something that is uncommon amongst werewolves.

Alphas birth Alphas or Betas, not Omegas, so I was seen as a freak. During my capture, I was mercilessly tortured…" she gulped, her whole frame slightly shaking as if she was relieving those days again. 

I had sat up in the middle of the story. My heart filled with sympathy for this girl who had gone through so much. I squeezed both of her hands and this time, I didn't let go.

She continued after that, looking slightly better and calmer. "I was… assaulted. Every detail of what I was going through was sent to my family who was going mad with fear. I was told they searched for me. They even went as far as The City Of Blood to search for me. It could have caused a war between the wolves and vampires but my family didn't care.

Two weeks after I was taken, my brother and his current school pack were the ones who found me first. They had picked up my scent when they were fortunate enough to come close to the place I was hidden.

By then I was half gone, left to bleed on the dirty dungeon floor, surrounded by the smell of urine and excreta. My kidnappers were nowhere to be found. They vacated the building a few minutes before my brother arrived. As if they knew he was coming. It took me quite some time to get my trauma under control and even longer for my parents to heal. Alix, though, didn't get less protective." She told me with a sad smile. Her eyes were wet but no tears fell.

"I wish I could wipe the memory of that day he found me from his mind. He is still traumatized. It's why he escorts me to classes every morning, to ensure my safety. I think he's terrified I would be taken again because my abductors were never found. Strangely, not even a tiny whiff of their scent was left. I've been terrified of being taken again, but I had to decide to not live in fear. I had to try and get over my past. It's why I'm here in N.A. I wanted a new start." She concluded, giving me a smile which I returned, though it didn't reach my eyes.

I couldn't get over the deep sadness that had taken root in my heart for this tiny girl. Her story explained Alix's overprotectiveness, which I finally understood.

"I'm so sorry you went through all that," I said, squeezing her hands for the third time. She nodded and squeezed my hands in return.

I had spent most of my life suffering in the aftermath of uncaring, irresponsible parents who left their infant on the doorstep of a stranger, she had spent all her years surrounded by violence.

"Can I ask a question I have been curious about?" I asked, trying to divert her mind from the topic of her past. She nodded.

"What did Hillary and her clique of mean girls want that day?" I ask curiously. Mimicking her actions by sitting yoga style, facing her. 

"Hillary celebrated her birthday two weeks before we resumed. She invited Alix, who towed me along. I regretted going. Not long after we got there, Alix was called, it was an emergency. He wanted to take me long, but I wanted to stay back with the pack, which he allowed. 

I stupidly chose to wander away from them and thereafter got harassed by 'The Clique of Mean Girls." She said and smiled at me, obviously liking the name I dubbed the mean trio wolves. I grinned back.

"I don't know how Alix found out, so he threatened to make their hell if they so much as glance my way again."

"Guess that didn't work," I muttered under my breath in anger at the mean clique. I wasn't one to stand for bullying, especially toward a girl I was beginning to see as a close friend.

I was going to advise her to let Alix know about it when a Mistdove flew through my open window and landed on my bed, making us squeak in surprise. It was a white mistdove with dots of blue colors scattered across several parts of its tiny white body. It was Milli, my aunt's mistdove. The tiny dove chirped at me as if waiting for me to do something.

It had a tiny letter in its claws, the size of a peanut which would increase in size when I took it. I picked up a small pack of acorn flakes from the box filled to the brim with the packs, and tore it open, before offering half a handful to Milli. She pecked at the snacks, ignoring us both.

Adalyn gently removed the letter from the bird's claws and waited till I was done feeding the bird, after which she handed over the tiny letter which grew in size immediately after I touched it. All letters from the Coven Community were always spelled to be opened and read only by the person it was intended for.

I read the message and shook my head with a smile. "What?" Adalyn asked, looking very serious.

"It's my aunt wishing me a happy birthday in advance. She also gave me her Mistdove until she can get one for me. She hadn't expected me to come to N. A so was unable to get me, my Messenger, before I arrived." I explained to her but she didn't want to hear any other thing apart from my upcoming birthday.

She was squealing in excitement, making me laugh and irritating Milli who flew away from us and perched on the window sill.

"When is it?" She finally asked after calming down.

"Tomorrow," I replied and waited for the chastisement to come. I never planned to disclose it but my aunt's letter came at the wrong time.

"And you didn't tell me? That hurts." She grumbled, trying to look pissed, even though I could still see her excitement. 

"I'm sorry. It's not a big deal to me." I apologized.

"It's fine. Can I sleep over?" She asked shyly.

I smiled, even though I was suspicious of the sudden subject change. "Sure," I replied, laying down and patting the space on the bed beside me. She joined me without hesitation.

"Thank you for telling me your story even though we just met," I told her, wanting to let her know how much it meant to me that she could confide in me.

She turned and faced me, her left arm folded underneath her head on the pillow. "Even though we just met, I feel like I've known you for years." She smiled. I returned the smile. 

"Me too," I responded genuinely just as she yawned widely and drifted off to sleep. I followed suit a short while later.