~ A M E L I A ~School was such a mood killer after the weekend I had with Everett. Nothing could beat the perfection of that time we shared. Even finding out the truth about his feelings, and me confessing mine, I would not have changed anything about the entire weekend. It was like an ultimate high, and now we must come back down to Earth and back to reality. Shit, shit, stupid reality. All my friends were still being so distant, too. I hated it. It was now more than ever I needed them. I was about to lose Everett forever, just when I had finally come to terms with my feelings for him. As much as it conflicted with other feelings I hadโฆ If they would let me talk to them, let me explain myself and apologise, maybeโjust maybeโwe could go back to normal again. I missed them. They were my family here. I sighed, gazing at my reflection in the mirror. Though tiredness lingered within my eyes, there seemed to be extra flecks of golden shades within the amber. Brushing the neckline of m
~ A M E L I A ~I swallowed thickly, that fearful lump becoming too thick for me to conceal. There was no use lying anymore, but there was a chance I could still get around it all. โItโฆ was an honest mistake.โโIs that so?โ He asked, arching a brow. Keeping myself tall, though it didnโt matter with the Alphaโs great height towering over me, he was like a brick wall, I said, โShe believed I was someone who posed a threat to the pack, but I assure you that Iโm just here to learn about my origin and the ways of the wolf.โAlpha Draven circled me again. โAnd that is all?โโYes, sir.โโVery well,โ he stopped beside me and smiled that dark and arrogant smile again. It was far worse than Everettโs, who had a charm within him, but the Alphaโs was dark, cold and terrifying, just like him. โI should go,โ I breathed, feeling hesitant in any move I made or words I said. โI donโt want to keep Everett waiting.โ I smiled faintly and bowed my head quickly before taking a step to walk off, but the A
~ A M E L I A ~Whispering.No, they were talkingโฆ maybe bickering. Ouch, my head is killing me.I could barely hear the words clearly as I returned to consciousness. Groaning, I wanted to rub my eyes, which felt weighed down with fogginess, but I couldnโt move my arms. My eyes flickered open; I kept my gaze low, with my chin against my chest, and instantly caught my wrists bound together by thick rope. Becoming aware of my surroundings, I was sitting on my heels, with what seemed like a guard on either side of me, holding me up whilst I was unconscious. Slowly, I tried to pry myself from the rope, but the slightest rub against my skin sent me hissing in pain. Wolfsbane.The reaction was rapid; my eyes opened wide, seeing the rawness and blisters fluster and heal seconds after. My healing was stronger than ever, but I couldnโt waste my withered strength on healing, trying to break out of these restraints. The tranquiliser had depleted my energy enough that I could barely think stra
~ A M E L I A ~Pain. So much pain.A tingling heat spread across my entire body. It moved up my neck, prickling my face as it came into contact with my eyes. It stung like acid; it felt hot and almost like it was scratching me, trying to claw my eyes open. When I opened my eyes, I didnโt see the door. I couldnโt see anything but a bright light and flashing images of things I didnโt quite understand. A man and a woman, the image of them flashed by too fast for me to register their faces. A third-quarter moon. A group of angry werewolves. Male werewolves. A fire.Pain.Releasing my hold on the handle, I couldnโt handle the burning sensation on my body any longer. I collapsed onto my knees, curling my trembling hands to my chest, and whimpered as the soreness slowly faded from my flesh. My eyes adjusted back to reality, and I gazed at my arms. There were no burns, though I could feel the fire against my skin. I hadnโt been burned or consumed by the flames like in my dream. What di
~ A M E L I A ~The sedation hadnโt put me out cold like it did before. Drowsiness was an aura I could feel prickling across my face, my eyelids were weighed down, and the strength of the tranquiliser trying to pull me under, but there was a part of me that felt like it was still fighting as if I still had a chance. Donโt give up just yet. That strength in me tried to break through, but I was too weak and too willing to submit to the darkness consuming me. At first, I was in the hallway of the rune-encrusted door. My eyes shut, unable to fight any further, only to peel open a second later, revealing me being dragged across the hallway. I tried to lift my head to see where the guards were taking me, but the slightest movement made my head throb. Eyes shut. Eyes open. Eyes shut. I was losing track of what I saw in reality and what I was dreaming as I slipped in and out of consciousness, seeing false realities of past moments I had shared with my family and friends, especially the ne
~ E V E R E T T ~Too many people were shuffling about in the manor, in such a rush that it almost made me feel dizzy. My body was in the centre of the chaos of maids and guards rushing around to fulfil their duties, but my mind was wandering off elsewhere. I could wish and hope to be elsewhere all I wanted, but there was nothing I could do to avoid this any further. My destiny was no longer mine to control. โHow is the fit, Alpha-son?โ One of the maids, who specialised in tailoring, asked as she fixed the seams of my trousers before coming to a stand and brushing a loose thread off my shoulder. โIs it comfortable, or do I need to make further adjustments for you?โI shook my head, โNo, itโs perfect, thank you. That should be all.โShe bowed to me before picking up her things and leaving. Ever since I turned twenty-one, I have received more formal treatment from the staff and people of the pack. Considering it was the average age for heirs to take their place as Alpha back when more
~ E V E R E T T ~The party didnโt last all day, which I was incredibly thankful for. I wasnโt too interested in being the centre of attention, and based on the impression I got, Suki wasnโt interested either. Swinging the bedroom door open, I froze when I locked eyes with one of the maids going through my drawers. My brows rose when my eyes rounded before furrowing into anger, โWhat the hell are you doing in my room?โThe maid stumbled back, away from the drawer and stuttered as she spoke, โI-Iโm so sorry Alpha-son!โ She bowed and kept her head low. Snarling, I stepped towards her, โAnswer my question.โStanding upright, her eyes looked full of fear as they welled up with tears, โIโฆ I canโt.โ โWhy not?โ I said through gritted teeth, โWhat are you searching for?โโIโฆโ her eyes shifted from side to side, struggling to find the words, like they were lost to her or taken away from her. As I took another step forward to her, like clockwork, my mother walked into the room, โOh, there y
~ A M E L I A ~Tiredness and hunger bloomed in me. However, as it was most days, the pain of my torture was too unbearable, for I couldnโt even think about eating. It wasnโt like they fed me anyway. I was lucky if I was given a bite of stale bread at times. One day, when my body wasnโt healing at all, the guards that kept an eye on me when Alpha Draven was away fed me a single spoonful of honey and two spoonfuls of water to wash it down. The sweet and sticky liquid soothed my dry and hoarse throat, yet the minute it disappeared, the dryness and pain returned. It had been a short while since my last visit from the Alpha, which meant he was due any minute. I had lost count of how many days I was trapped, it was hard to count when you were constantly in and out of consciousness, and with no window or cracks in the walls to indicate when the sun rose and fell. How I missed feeling the warmth of the sun on my cheeks and the cool breeze of the night sky. The worst part of it all was, I
~ E V E R E T T ~โWhat the hell is going on?โ I asked in a panic as the candle flame began to burn more aggressively, melting the wax representing Ameliaโs life force that much faster.Sybil watched the candle in amazement. โHer journey through the spirit world has been far too impactful on her body. Sheโs too weak.โโNo,โ I cooed as I looked back at the small amount of wax that remained of the candle. Squeezing Ameliaโs hand, I looked at her and hoped she could hear me in her state of unconsciousness, โListen to me. You are not dying, do you hear me? Itโs not your time. Itโs not yourโโThe room became eerily chilled as the candle flame was snuffed out. I refused to turn around to confirm, hearing Sybilโs saddened sigh was confirmation enough. โNoโฆ Amelia,โ I cupped a hand on her cheek, โwake up. Wake up!โโAlpha-son, sheโs gone.โ Sybil stood and lowered her head, staring at the ground. She also looked heartbroken by this loss. Stepping away from Amelia and towards Sybil, I snapped,
~ A M E L I A ~Panic surged through me. My fatherโs demiseโฆ it was at the hands of his best friend? The Moon Goddess brought us to the time of the battle. As she did, all the magic it took to travel through time was taking a huge toll on my spiritual body. I collapsed to the ground and whimpered, โWhatโs happening to me?โKneeling beside me, the Moon Goddess helped me up, โYou donโt have much time, we need to send you back very soon.โI groaned, feeling myself lose the connection and hold I had still back in the land of the living, I couldnโt feel warmthโฆ I couldnโt feel anything. โHow much longer do I have?โโEnough time to see this last glimpse into the past.โHolding myself up with all my remaining strength, I watched as the events played out. My father and his best friend were standing head to head under the starry night sky. Many members of the pack, especially the council members, were bearing witness to the fight, awaiting to see who would triumph. โAre you sure you want to
~ A M E L I A ~โWhat happened after that? How did Draven become Alpha?โThe Moon Goddess had brought me back to her moonflower garden, her hand on my back rubbing back and forth soothing me, โMy dear, youโve witnessed a lot, are you sure you donโt want to take a break?โI shook my head, โI donโt have time for a break! You said yourself that Iโve got a limited amount of time left back in the human world, I canโt waste it.โShe nodded, โI know, but I can sense your pain and suffering, and things only get darker from hereโฆโSwallowing thickly, I stood tall, โShow me.โโVery well.โ~ ~ ~ Following the events of the hospital fire, the next day was sombre. It wasnโt just the families who were directly involved in the fire who were grieving, it was the entire pack. They were all traumatised and scared for what was to come. The funerals for the newborns were held all together, the Alpha and Luna ensured that they were all treated with equal respect and care during the entire process, as we
~ A M E L I A ~It began to rain. First a trickle, then a complete downpour. The Alpha and Luna looked out to the rain, a perfect resemblance of their sorrow, and knew that they had no more time to waste. They had to say their final goodbyes to their daughter and commence with their plan before people became aware. When they had finally said their goodbyes, Kali had come to terms that she would not be the one to venture out to take their daughter to the person theyโd hope would be the one and only person they could entrust to take her outside of the pack and to her new human family. In her state of only recently giving birth, her werewolf healing was depleting her energy, plus her sudden disappearance from the fire would raise suspicions. They had to take their next steps carefully and mindfully.Enzo sent Kali back to the hospital, where she would have to act as though she had lost her baby in that fire, along with all the other mothers who lost their babies. Such a foul and disgus
~ A M E L I A ~They arrived back at Rieka Manor, successfully unseen by anyone else. Enzo placed Kali gently on their bed and began to pace up and down the room, muttering to himself. โEnzo,โ she was almost hyperventilating, โmy love, please talk to me! What is going on?โ Kali spoke quietly, trying not to awaken their baby, who had finally fallen asleep soundly, but concern was laced throughout her voice.Yet he didnโt stop pacing, deep in his thoughts, โIt canโt be themโฆ They wouldnโtโฆ They couldnโt betray us like that!โโWho?โHe shook his head, โNo, no, no!โ He slammed his fist against the wall, shaking the entire room, โThese bastards,โ he muttered through gritted teeth before sitting next to his mate and wrapping his arms around her, embracing the love of his life and their newborn daughter.โMy love, my Alpha,โ Kali continued to cry silently, โPlease. Talk to me.โEnzo looked at his mate, holding her face softly as he wiped away her tears with his thumb, โMy radiant Lunaโฆโ he
~ A M E L I A ~Devastated was an understatement for how I felt, but I was not surprised at all. Those men had been stuck in traditions for so long they were blind to the facts that were right in front of them. That women wanted to show their strength and power, to prove that they are equally as powerful as they are. Yet these men just have to prove themselves to be the best. The Moon Goddess took me later in the day. The sun was slowly going down, dimming the light sky and introducing us to the upcoming night. We walked down the long hallways of the hospital, and the sterile aroma of my surroundings was hard to ignore. We finally made it to the private room that was dedicated to my birth mother, Kali. She was in her hospital bed, sitting up while holding her baby girl, me. With one finger, she bounced my small hand up and down until I clasped my tiny fist around her finger. โI can already sense that youโre a strong one, arenโt you, little wolf?โ Kali smiled. Even after giving bir
~ A M E L I A ~My expression faded. That was not going to be easy to get used to, but I nodded and followed her towards my birth parentsโ manor. โMost of the pack is slumbering away, nursing their hangovers or resting in whichever ways they seem fit,โ the Moon Goddess informed me as we walked through the manor grounds and phased through the door to enter the home. โHowever, Alpha Enzo knew the importance of caring for the pack, and always prioritised his duties before anything else. So, as his mate rested in the hospital and was learning to nurse you, he was back to his duties. They were still recovering from a recent conflict they encountered with another enemy pack. I believe youโre already aware of some people of the Shadow pack?โI nodded as we phased through another set of doors. Inside the room was a grand table. Sitting around it were men, mostly middle-aged but some older and some younger, but a handful of them I recognised from the present day in the Silver Moon pack. It wa
~ A M E L I A ~A wave of dizziness hit me as I reopened my eyes and took in my surroundings. The Moon Goddess and I were no longer in her garden of moon flowers, but deep within a forest. It was so familiar, yet different all at once. In the distance was a gentle glow emitting from lanterns.โWhere are we?โ I asked.The Moon Goddess linked her arm with mine, holding me close to her, โWeโre in the village of the Silver Moon packโฆโ she began walking me towards the lights, where noise and music began to tickle my ears, โโฆ18 years ago.โI froze in place and looked at her, โBefore I was born?โShe nodded, โIn fact, the day I brought you back to is your birthday.โDrawing my gaze back towards where the noise grew, it sounded like there was a huge celebration going on. This was it, this was finally the time I was going to learn everything. I was going to learn the truth and finally be able to understand who I am. But, for some reason, I could not move.โAre you sure you want to do this?โ T
~ A M E L I A ~It was so cold and darkโฆWhere am I? What is going on?My eyes slowly peeled open, feeling the weight of my drowsiness, meeting the night sky above me. There was not a star to be seen, which was unusual for the Silver Moon pack. No matter where you are, youโd always be able to see stars at night. It was one of my favourite things about the pack. Scanning my surroundings briefly without moving my head, there were trees all around me. How did I end up in the forest? Where was I last? Pushing myself to sit up slowly, my head felt heavy as I tried to recall what happened. Everett had told me to come see himโฆ The Alpha ambushed meโฆ painโฆ so much painโฆMy lip quivered as I examined and patted down my entire body, but there wasnโt a cut to be seen.Am I dreaming? What the hell is going on?A rustle behind me caught my attention. Twirling onto all fours and pushing myself to stand, I felt too alert and concerned for what was out there. โWhoโs there?โ I said sharply. No re