Chapter 3

~*~

Just like any other day. I wasn't that much bothered with what the oracle warned me about. She told me i only have one year left to live without my emotions. I didn't think much about it, i thought it'll be fine to live like this until the day i die.

But it looks like i can't do that, my mom wouldn't be happy if she saw me sooner than expected.

I remember what she said about the other prophecy.

"The second prophecy i saw is... horrifying."

"Oh? So i'm going to die because i don't have my heart essence?"

"Not exactly, You weren't exactly dead on the dream i saw...You were dying, you laid on a thick snow bed that you covered with blood dripping from your chest- My visions usually don't pertain to deaths. and it usually doesn't blur out any person. But the person that was with you at that time, i couldn't see his face! I still can't tell if it's because of your heart essence or you were physically wounded on the chest. The vision doesn't let me see everything."

"... So that's why you thought it's about my heart essence? well it seems connected."

"I'm warning you about your heart essence since i recently found from a record decades ago. A similar case like yours, the boy was half-werewolf and half-witch, also eighteen. He gave his heart essence away and died in one year. The boy even had a diary, he described how he lived without his emotions, he wrote that it gets worst as time goes by, the last thing he wrote was he knew that he would die that day. There was some blood over the page. And it was the exact date that his death was confirmed in his pack records."

"Fine, i'll do what you say."

"That's great! Now, If you found him, you don't need to worry about anything. Your emotions would naturally flow back to you as long as you stay by his side. Remember! physical frequent physical touch is needed to transfer your essence back to you!"

~*~*~*~

Swinging my elbow sideways, i knocked down Ryan on the ring in one swing. I gasped slightly, acting like i didn't see him there.

"Oops, sorry i dozed off." I smiled.

He held his nose and groaned in annoyance, "What came over you that you decided to duel with me? You just want to humiliate me in front of these kids huh?"

I looked over the ring and noticed people observing us, most of them laughed at Ryan and cheered for me. It was kind of amusing to see them acting cocky, so when i taunted for them to come inside the ring, they bluntly refused me on the spot and ran away.

"What? no one wants to challenge me?" I tilt my head.

Ryan stands beside me, "You asked me to spar with you but you've been out of it for a while now. What's going on? What did Shaka tell you?"

I turned to him, "How about you? what did Shaka tell you?"

He chuckles, "I accepted the mission."

Realizing that his mate would pester me again, my fist unconsciously made its way on his stomach. He kneels down in pain and cursed. "What the hell?!"

"Why did you accept it? Didn't i tell you not to? That was a mission for a top-ranker like me. You had no right to agree."

He stands up again, holding his side in pain. "Look, i know you mean well by saying that. But i can't just send you to such a scary pack, not when you haven't lived your life normally yet."

What a load of crap.

And again, i intentionally punched his stomach this time. He goes down at the second time with eyes wide open, "What did you do that for again?!"

Why he say? People aren't grateful for things like this the last time i observed. Displaying anger to a friend who ignored my intentions was normal. And i knew, i just can't send him off away just like that.

"It has to be me."

"No." He firmly rejects.

"You're disobeying me? i rank higher than you."

"Shaka ranks higher than you." He rolls his eyes, "Whatever, just let me do the mission and shut up okay? Just enjoy your birthday for once Venus."

Looks like there's no other way.

I took a few steps back. I was wearing a sports bra, and since i knew i'd get tired of beating this ass half-dead, i just had to remove my shirt. When i did that, Ryan knew what was to come since something like this happened before. It was the first time we sparred, he stayed on the hospital bed for 2 weeks even with great regeneration abilities as a werewolf.

His mate might also murder me for this but at least she can be beside him, right?

"Wait- No! Venus stop! Shaka will scold us both!" Ryan gasps in horror.

Clicking my knuckles, i smirked. "Goodnight, Ryan."

~*~

I felt sorry for leaving Ryan half-dead in the training room ,but sending him to Crescent moon? i just knew i didn't make the wrong choice.

Since everyone wanted me to spend my day over fun things for my useless birthday, i decided to visit the ongoing festival near our pack Territory. It was the first festival ever held by the Dark Moon Pack. Since they were known for being anti-social, i thought it'll be less noisy. But it took me to a surprise when i saw several kids running around and werewolves from different packs scattered throughout the place.

It looked like a normal festival

"Well this is odd," I muttered.

Since i was already here, i just blatantly decided to do some 'fun' things that people tried as i observed them. I approached one of the stands and looked at the vendor who explained at the young kids beside me.

"Okay kids, all you have to do i find the ball underneath each of these cups! if you do, you get a prize!"

They all cheered, yet such a stupid game made my eyebrow raise. The vendor finally started, he switches the cups around in an unbelievable speed, that even werewolves won't be able to follow it easily.

Even my senses as a half-werewolf wasn't able to follow it and my healing abilities as a witch can't contribute either.

But as a top-ranker of my pack, i wasn't going to back down so easily.

"It's the third cup."

DEREK's POV

"I didn't expect this to be so.. cozy and noisy." I grunted.

Considering my friendship with the Alpha of Dark Moon, i decided to visit the festival he bragged all night about. He just ascended to that position and he already changed most of the pack's customs just because he felt like it.

"What? it's a festival." Seff replied with a smile. "It's supposed to be fun and noisy, isn't it?"

"For Dark Moon? noisy and fun is out of the picture, you must've gotten your ass beat up by your seniors for these."

"Damn right i did!" He laughs alongside me as we took a stroll inside the festival.

It was packing with different werewolves, from children to elderly, i couldn't fathom just what kind of invitation this bastard sent, that all of them came like this without fearing the pack's name.

Dark Moon Pack is similar to my pack, it's a strong and cold-blooded pack. Only that we don't interact with others for benefit unlike them. They usually interact with underground creatures but never with citizens that wouldn't benefit their pack.

Seff really endangered himself this time, though i'm not also free from danger at the moment.

"Anyway, how about you? Weren't you planning to take warriors from outsiders? did your seniors tried to murder you?" He tells in sarcasm.

They did, so much that even when i sleep at night they would send people to kill me. I just kept my mouth shut thinking that there was no need for Seff to know since he was a guy that would do anything for his friends.

Who knows what this two-faced guy would do to my elders?

My ears perked when i noticed an unusual rise of noise around me. On the side of my eyes, i noticed that people were crowding on one spot that even Seff noticed it soon after.

"Looks fun over there, let's go take a look!" Seff says and drags me to the crowd.

Since we are new alphas, not many people knew our faces. Maybe that was why it was easier to blend into the crowd. They didn't avoid us like how our pack members did. Upon finally seeing the commotion, my eyes widened when i saw a woman wearing a suspicious cloak that covered most of her face.

She was playing one of the vendor's games, 'Who's the strongest?'

Without breaking a sweat, she defeated her opponent in arm wrestling. I couldn't describe her physique since she was wearing a cloak, but she looked like a warrior from her behavior. Which was unfair to her opponent since the people playing around was usually citizens from various packs.

"Woah! Miss won for the 6th time already! her prize pool just continued to grow! who will defeat her and be the strongest of them all!" The vendor shouts, "Tell me miss, what's your motivation for winning every round?"

"...Umm i don't know, it's my birthday?"

"Your birthday! Happy birthday to you miss! Do you have any wish that you could share with us?"

"What's the use when it cannot be granted?"

Because of her insensitive and cold remark, the crowd went silent and she seemed unbothered by it.

At that moment, there was a strange tingly feeling i felt as i continued to stare at her. I couldn't describe it but only felt curious about it.

"Someone's horrible at showing emotions," Seffs says ironically.

"What do you see in her?"

"That is the problem my friend, i can't see anything on her. She's hard to read. I mean that literally, look how she's wearing a hooded cloak under broad daylight." Seff chuckles.

"No, there's something strange about her. My instinct is telling me something."

"Then maybe you're not wrong, Why don't we test it?" He smirks.

Just when i was about to stop him, he dodged me swiftly and went ahead to throw the apple that he snatched from a kid beside us. The she-wolf successfully caught it with her left hand, not even giving us a look in return.

"You idiot! what was that supposed to do?!" I said as i grabbed his shirt in anger.

He points his finger over the stage.

"What's this? Looks like someone wants to challenge our champ! go ahead!" The vendor swoons over the crowd as if to find the culprit.

And Seff, being the asshole he was, he pushes me out of the crowd.

Shit.

"We got an excited one!" The vendor laughs through the mic.

I swear, if i he wasn't my friend? i would've killed him by now! My jaw clenched as i glared at him through the crowd. He just signals a peace sign back as if to mock me.

Since i was already here, i just thought it'll be a good chance to see her up close and to see what my instincts were telling me. I sat on the opposite side of hers and was finally able to see her up close.

My eyes widened.

It wasn't my intention to gawk at her, but she was just too beautiful to describe through words. But what struck me the most was when her purple eyes stared back at me. It was an unusual color, not an eye color you would see much in our continent, especially not with a werewolf.

I gulped as i felt goosebumps forming all over my skin. Even facing her, i still couldn't tell why i felt somehow attached to her.

But she wasn't my mate, i knew i could tell if she was my mate just through her scent. But i couldn't smell a thing.

"What?" She says with a blank expression. "Do you not want to do it?"

I snapped out of it when she said that. When i looked around, I noticed all of them looking at me, even the vendor was giving me a confused look.

"W..What?"

The vendor answers, "I already announced the game instructions and said to start, are you having second thoughts to participate?"

Damn, i got too preoccupied. I could already hear Seff laughing at the corner of my eyes. Oh how i wish i could send a flying dagger to his face.

"No, i'll participate." I said and placed my elbow on the table just like hers.

This time, i focused on studying her expression just like i've always done to others, but there was nothing to read. She was as plain as a white paper.

"The game starts now!" The vendor announces.

She had a stoic face until our competition finally started, when our hands touched each other, her expression changes for a second as she placed a palm on her heart.

"Ah!" She screams and lets go of my hand.