Any idea who this 'unknown' is?
[Clyde] This has happened before when Valerie fainted after overexerting herself. I caress her head softly as she lies prone in my bed. Viola had visited despite being injured herself before Elias managed to assure her that Valerie will be okay and had sent her to her room, a new room that has been assigned to her. The atmosphere outside is icy as well. People are scared after the showdown. I don’t know what I will do to Zenith if and when I call her for interrogation. My gaze remains on Valerie. Only a knock on the door gets my attention. It’s Moran no doubt. He enters after I give my permission, and bows before his gaze flickers towards Valerie as well. He frowns. “Has she opened her eyes?” he asks worriedly. I shake my head. “Not yet. Have you..?” Moran nods. “Alpha Xyan is on his way with Queen Erica.” I cast my gaze back at my mate as apprehension curdles in my gut. She won’t take this lightly, nor will Alpha Xyan. I sigh and take her hand in mine. It thankfully feels war
[Clyde] Queen Erica stares back in horror as I recount everything that has happened so far before her face morphs into anger, eyes burning with rage. Alpha Xyan doesn’t do much to keep his fury at bay either. “So my daughters have been injured, insulted and generally been unhappy here while we have not been aware of anything?” she pronounces each word slowly as if trying to assimilate reality. “Well…” I don’t want to anger either of them because what I am about to say might anger them further. However… “Mage Elias did not say anything?” I ask thoughtfully. Queen Erica huffs and looks away. “Nobody seems to be saying anything.” “Ma,” Alpha Xyan puts a soothing hand on her shoulder. I lean forward and clasp my hand. “I apologize for whatever the princesses have gone through.” By the way, Queen Erica gives me a scathing look in return, I know I am not doing a good job. She straightens her shoulder and says. “I managed to keep my mate from visiting. Otherwise, you know it woul
[Valerie]When I woke up, Clyde was there beside me. I was still dazed from the dream or what do they call it? The dreamscape. I groaned and tried to sit up, only to fall back because my body feels weak.“Valerie!” Clyde rushes towards me although he had been a couple of inches away, sitting beside the bed on a low chair. His hand had been clasped in mine. He bends over, cupping one side of my face with his free hand.“Should I call Elias?” Then he got up to leave. “I am calling him.”But I stopped him, tugging at his hand which still remained intertwined in mine. “No need.”He brought back his hand to caress my cheek, his gaze tender.“You gave me a good scare for a moment there,” he said softly.“I didn’t mean to,” I mumbled, moving my head to kiss his palm. I heard him inhale sharply.I gave him a cheeky smile. “What? Surprised that such a pretty girl is showering you with love?”His lips curved upward, and his gaze softened once again, eclipsing the concern that was there in those
[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