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[Valerie]I stared at the trio, still regretfully stuck to the bed. Clyde had quietly dropped the bomb about his wish of going forward with the bonding ceremony.I narrowed my eyes at him to silently convey, ‘You couldn’t have given me a hint?’He dignifiedly looked away.“Yes, I am ready,” I heard myself say, nonetheless. I looked at them, staring back at me with varying expressions.While Clyde looked at me with pride and what I can name as adoration, Mom looked slightly perturbed, and poor Xyan didn’t know if he should be amused or annoyed.“You don’t understand—” Mom said turning her head away, looking mildly exasperated.I sat up straighter. Clyde immediately came to my side and put a few pillows behind my back for support.“You have to understand. Practicing my powers is banned in our pack,” I said and raised my hand before she opens her mouth to argue, “And before you say that you will manage then no, I do not need that. Rudra is teaching me well here.”Xyan shot me a pointed lo
[Valerie]My father arrives the next probably after hearing the news from my mom about my decision to go ahead with the bonding ceremony with Clyde.“You are sure about this?” His eyes bore into mine, and I couldn’t help but lower my head.“Yes, I am,” I replied.We were taking a walk down the forest trail as my health had improved overnight and Elias suggested that it would be good for me to go for a walk.“Why did no one tell us about your situation here?” He asked even though I bet he already knew why that was the case.I sighed and unlooped my arm from his and came to a halt.“Dad, neither Viola nor I, wanted you all to worry. With me being banned from becoming a mage and Viola’s urge to learn here, we thought you would take us away.”I stared at my feet and the tiny shrubs trying to raise their head through the snow.“We definitely would. You are my daughter. You don’t think I would just let you stay here and suffer, will I?” He countered, sounding grim.I sighed. “I know that an
Chapter 7: A Twist of Fate[Clyde]I visit my brother the following day. Despite everything, and the forbiddance of not visiting Brandon without utmost emergency, I find myself sitting at the cliff in my dragon.I watch the snow-capped mountains, basking in the serenity for a while. I know Brandon is meditating or he would have come out the moment he would see me. Sitting here, observing, and just… thinking makes me feel at peace. I ponder over the several incidents that happened today and have been happening in the past few days.The air is crisp, carrying the faint scent of pine needles and earth. It has been months since I last saw my brother, and I'm eager to share the news that Valerie and I have finally set a date for our mating ceremony.“Clyde?”Brandon’s voice breaks my reverie. I am turn into my human form again and walk over to my brother, engulfing me in a hug.I sense his surprise because we are not one for skinship, but nevertheless, he hugs me back.I pull away and step
[Valerie]There’s no way…. No way, I thought. No way could the man who had been living for so long, who had been the oldest mage I have known could just… not be living anymore.I stared at the corpse in front of me, and then my gaze darted towards my mother, who had gone pale and still. She was staring at the man lying in front of us as well, blood pooling around him and his heart ripped out.I felt someone;’s presence beside me. “Valerie…”I didn’t answer because I didn’t want this to be real.“Valerie….” Clyde called me again.“Who is this?” I asked, turning to look at him, my eyes wide and quizzical.“Who…. Who is this? This is not who I think it is, right?” I asked, my voice quivering despite my trying to control it.Clyde’s eyes conveyed everything. It conveyed what I was fearing and yet… yet I didn’t want to believe it. When I turned to look at Mom again, she looked grief-stricken. Tears were rolling down her cheeks.“This… this isn’t Elias, Mom. This… he cannot be,” I said as I
[Valerie]One doesn’t understand how much a person is involved in their life until they no longer remain in their life. Death made you realize how precious they had been and what more you could have done for them. It is such a phenomenon that always left the one who survived, filled with regret and nostalgia.I hugged my knees as I sat on the bed, Clyde sat beside me, rubbing my shoulder soothingly. I wasn’t crying anymore because crying wouldn’t bring Elias back. I was seething inside. So was my wolf, Ruelle.“I am sure this is Zenith’s doing,” I said hoarsely.“Valerie—”“Don’t,” I interjected.He quietened. I burrowed my face in the crook of his face. He held me without even uttering the words of leaving.My heart ached — with regret, guilt, and pain. I should have spent more time with him, should have spent more time knowing about him, his life before it went haywire, and his childhood, and learned more from him.“Mom must be grieving more than me,” I whispered as I thought of her
[Valerie]I needed to find Mom and tell her about it first, but…I shouldn’t tell her about it here. I stuffed the notebook under my sweater, tucking it securely and making sure no one would notice something in there, closed the door, and ran towards Clyde’s office.I was short of breath by the time I reached there. However, Moran informed me that he was in a meeting with a Seer with his sister, Fionna. I wondered what it might be.“Tell him, I am leaving today and going back to my Pack along with Viola for some days,” I murmur. After this incident, I did not want any of my family to stay here.“I understand,” Moran murmured sympathetically.I gave him a grateful smile and began to walk towards the guest house where my parents were staying. When I knocked on their door, they were packing things. Well, Dad was doing the packing, and Mom was sitting at the edge of the bed, looking pale and distraught.“Mom,” I said softly as I went and sat beside her. I wrapped an arm around her and lai
[Valerie]I leave Dad’s office after he indicated for me to do so as Mom was getting agitated again. My heart is pounding in my chest after the extraordinary and hard-to-believe revelation that Elias had written in the notebook.I somehow manage to reach my room on wobbly legs and close the door.With shaky hands, I dial Clyde’s number. He picks up on the third ring, his voice filled with concern, “Hey, I was just about to call you. Is everything okay? How are you holding up?”All the tension and adrenaline just bleed out of me with those soothing words. At the back of my mind, I realize what others meant when they said that when you find your soulmate, you will realize how much they mean to you and wonder how you ever managed to get anything done without them.“Valerie?” My thoughts are halted by his voice. I realize how my thoughts had drifted elsewhere.“Ah, I am… I am fine. I just… I spoke to my mom and Jade. I showed them something I found in Elias’ room,” I said slowly. I feel g
[Valerie]Moran’s words made me panic. What did he mean by Zenith’s influencing Clyde?As we walked up the mountains, I couldn’t think of anything else. Was Zenith doing this on purpose? She knew I would run back to Clyde if I knew and so she is doing this, but what if that’s not the case? What if she is actually doing this to win Clyde back and become his mate like she originally intended to do?As I stood before the gates of the territory, my heart pounded in my chest, uncertain of what I would find when I visit Clyde’s residence. It had been only a few days since I left this place, and talking to Clyde did not even feel different so how?“Did he behave in a different way?” I asked as we walked towards Clyde’s residence. I did not miss the way the guards and some clan members gave a surprised look at my sudden return.“Yes like he tolerated her in the office, which I found shocking, given what happened,” he grunted. My heart clenched in my chest.I cannot lose Clyde too.I couldn’t h