10. “A silent howl”

Ava’s POV

The first words in the old yellow stained page instantly drew my attention. 

‘My dear child,….. if you are reading this right now it means I’m already dead and I have failed you, and the secrets I buried with me can no longer stay hidden’………..

My fingers gripped the edge of the journal as my eyes widened in terror, I was about to turn to the next page when the click of the door sounded in my ears.

“Ava?” I heard Lyra’s voice say behind me, and l quickly hid the journal underneath Tina’s book as I turned to face her.

“Yes!”

“Are you okay?” She asked as she stared at me.

“Are you sure?” She asked again with a raised eyebrow and I immediately felt my chest tighten as my eyes filled  with tears.

“I’m not okay” I said in a shaky voice as I covered my face with my hands.

“Oh Ava,” she said as she rushed towards me and pulled me into her arms.

“You are going to be fine” she added as she hugged me tighter and I cried into her sleeve.

“Why….why is this happening to me” I cried out.

“Sssh” she said as she rubbed my head.

“I….I….found out who Seraphina is” I said to her as I pulled away from her hug.

“Okay, who is Seraphina” she asked as she wiped my tear stained face.

“She was my mother” I said as I exhaled softly and she clasped her hand on her mouth.

“Why would your mother be in the blood fang archives tho?” She asked confused.

“That’s what I need to figure out” I replied as I rested my back on the edge of the bed.

“You are not thinking of going back to archives are you?” She asked worriedly and I shrugged.

“Ava..” she started but I pressed a finger on her lips.

“It’s the only way Lyra, I need to find that book beta Kieran was reading. It’s what started all this” I said as I wiped my tears with the back of my hand.

“What about Lord Lucian? If he catches you again….”

“And that’s the risk I’m willing to take” I said as I cut her off and she sighed as she rested her hand on her forehead.

“Okay fine but I’m coming with you” she said as she held my hand and I shook my head slightly at her before removing her hands from mine.

“No! I don’t want to put you in trouble if I get caught, this is something I have to do, just me” I said with a small smile at corner of my lips and she sighed in defeat.

“Please be careful Ava” she said as she hugged me one more time and I hugged her back.

“Let’s not tell Tina and Elina about this yet Lyra” I said and she nodded.

“That’s fine, just be careful” she said and I nodded as I turned away from her and walked towards the door. I hesitated for a second as I stared at the door knob.

‘The moment I step out of here, there’s no turning back’ I said to myself as I took in a deep breath and pushed the door open.

~~~~

I stood outside the door of the servants’ quarters as I let the cold evening air hit my skin. The words from the first page of the journal still lingering on my mind as my fingers curled into a fist.

‘I need answers, and only the archives could provide them’ I said to myself as I walked away from the quarters. 

The courtyard was more quiet than usual, just a couple of servants doing their daily work and some guards keeping watch at their stand, and then I felt it. 

An eerie feeling settled down at the bottom of my chest as if I was being watched, I turned around and saw everyone going about what they were doing before. 

I continued walking, but the feeling didn’t disappear. Instead, a dull headache suddenly formed at the side of my head.

“What’s happening to me?” I asked myself as I tried to shake away the pain.

Then I heard something, a faint sound. And suddenly I could hear everything.

The distant footsteps of the guards.

The faint rustling of leaves outside the manor.

The sound of someone moving several rooms away.

Even the sound of my heart pounding filled my ears. 

What is going on?

Then I heard it.

That low growl…..

The same growl that haunted me for many nights since the first time I heard it. I suddenly became stiff, the hair on my body stood tall as goosebumps covered my arms.

“Who’s there?” I asked as I looked around frantically.

There was no answer.

The growl continued, and my breathing became heavier.

I had heard it before, In the servants quarters and again at the dinner.

But this time, it sounded different, closer, almost as if it were coming from inside me.

I pressed both hands against my ears.

“Stop!!!” I screamed and it immediately stopped.

Silence.

I looked around and saw some servants looking at me weirdly and I ignored them.

“What was that?” I asked myself as my breathing steadied.

“Ava?” A low voice said behind me. I turned around and saw Alpha Alaric standing a few feet away from me and he walked towards me.

“Are you okay?” He asked as he noticed my sweaty face.

“Yes, Alpha,” I replied as I lowered my head and I heard him sigh.

I felt his eyes on me for what felt like a minute before he spoke again.

“Where are you heading?” he asked and I stared at him as I subconsciously bit on my lower lip.

“I…I..” I tried to say then the pain instantly came back.

“No!!!” I screamed in terror as the pain increased.

“Ava?” I heard Alpha Alaric say but I couldn’t reply.

Then a sound escaped my throat.

A loud, powerful howl.

I froze.

It wasn’t a scream nor a cry.

It was a howl.

The sound echoed through the courtyard, raw and unfamiliar, sending chills through my entire body.

Alpha Alaric’s eyes widened as he stared at me. 

For the first time since I had met him, I saw genuine shock cross his face.

But before I could say anything, my vision began to blur.

The courtyard spun around me, and my knees suddenly gave way.

I felt strong arms catch me before I could hit the floor.

And everything went black.

Then, somewhere in the darkness, I heard a faint whisper.

“Finally… I’ve been waiting for so long.”