A Strange Child

[Arissa’s POV]

I felt butterflies dancing around in my stomach, and my heart threatened to jump out of my chest as I stared into Ivan’s blazing blue eyes. This was it... There was no going back after this. As of today, I would be Ivan's luna and finally take my place proudly by his side.

For a year, Ivan and I worked to restore the peace and to rebuild the Fulgur and Tonitrue packs after Theodore and Gillian attempted to overturn and conquer them. Now, since things were settled, it was time for me to take my place beside Ivan as the Fulgur pack’s luna.

Even though I had convinced myself that this was no big deal, I couldn’t stop the nerves that were now rushing through me. Dammit, why did becoming luna have to be such a big deal?

"Are you getting cold feet?" Ivan asked, squeezing my hands that were clasped tightly in his. "Planning to run?"

"Who is planning to run?" I snapped defiantly. "Elder Oliver, could you get on with it already, please?"

"R-right." The elder stammered, shooting a quick look towards Elder Gregory, who was already beginning to heal. "Welcome everyone!" He continued, snapping his gaze towards the crowd, which had finally grown quiet. "I thank each and every one of you for coming to join us on this joyous occasion where our King of Alpha’s names his luna!"

"Speed it up, old man." Ivan murmured, causing a giggle to escape me. "No need to draw it out."

"Would you rather do this?" Elder Oliver asked, growing annoyed.

"Sure," I said, smirking. "I’ll do it."

"Let him do it, my love." Ivan whispered, stopping me from taking control.

For a moment, Elder Oliver didn’t speak as he waited to see if I would interrupt again. Only when he was sure that I wouldn’t interrupt again did he continue.

"It is under the full moon, the goddess’ highest self, that we witness these two swear loyalty to each other."

Growing quiet, Elder Oliver lifted a small dagger and rope that sat on a table beside us. Using the rope, he began to bind our left hands together. After he was finished, he stepped back and held out the dagger.

"Arissa Armondi, Alpha of the Tonitru pack, do you swear loyalty not just from yourself, but from your entire pack to Ivan Fredrickson?"

"I guess." I giggled, sticking out my tongue as Ivan’s gaze narrowed. "Of course I do."

"And Ivan Fredrickson, do you swear to uphold your duties of protecting and cherishing Arissa Armondi and her pack for the rest of your life?"

"I promise both to Arissa, but only my protection to Arissa and her pack."

"Aw, that’s so sweet, Ivy." I smirked.

Letting out a huff of frustration over mine and Ivan’s inability to be serious, Elder Oliver lifted the dagger he held.

"Now, we shall witness Ivan and Arissa as they complete their blood oath to one another."

Holding out my free hand, I waited as Elder Oliver drew the dagger’s blade along my skin, sending a sear of pain up my arm as blood began to bead up on my skin. Once he was finished, he did the same to Ivan and then stepped back.

"Ivan Fredrickson and Arissa Armondi, please clasp your hands so that your blood may flow into each other, completing the bond between you both."

Nodding, I waited as Ivan reached out and wrapped his large, warm hand around mine, allowing our cuts to touch and our blood to join as one.

"It is with great pleasure." Elder Oliver began as Ivan and I continued to stare into each other’s eyes. "I present to you your alpha and luna of the Fulgur and Tonitru pack."

All around us, applause began to build, along with cheers, over all that were present. However, all that faded as I spotted a flash of blonde hair just beyond the stage Ivan and I currently stood on.

"What is it?" Ivan murmured, as I craned my neck in an attempt to find whoever that blonde hair belonged to. Something about it seemed so familiar, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.

"I think I saw something." I responded, starting to move despite the fact that I was still bound to Ivan. "Just over..."

Moving quickly, I began to descend the stage and make my way through the crowd.

"Arissa, what is it?" Ivan hissed, as I started shoving people who were attempting to congratulate me out of the way.

"Just back here." I murmured, finally finding a break in the crowd.

Bursting through, I let my gaze scan the area until I found her, standing at the edge of the forest with her back turned towards me.

"There," I announced, pointing towards her so that Ivan could see. "She"

"Who?" Ivan asked, seeming confused. "I don’t see anyone."

"What?" Was he fucking with me? How could he not see her? "You’re joking, right?"

Unable to believe what I had just heard, I began to move forward until I was standing directly behind her.

"She is right here!" I snapped, reaching out with my now healed hand and touching her shoulder. "See, look at…"

Tugging, I made the girl turn around and felt my words get caught in my throat. 

"Wha…" I gasped, my eyes growing wide.

Instead of staring at a child that seemed familiar, I found myself staring into black pools of emptiness that seemed to have flickers of flames in them. Around those pools was sunken skin that held the grayish hue of the dead. And around that face was blonde hair, the exact same color as mine, which was falling in in clumps as she stood there with her lower jaw hanging slack, revealing rotten teeth.

She was the picture of the undead, but that wasn’t the thing that left me speechless and in disbelief. What got me was the fact that the creature I was currently standing face-to-face with was me.

Stumbling backwards, I tried to make sense of what was going on. What was she and why did she have my face from when I was a child? Was this some type of sick joke or was this some type of warning?

"Arissa?" Ivan’s strong and comforting voice boomed as his free arm wrapped around me. "What’s wrong?"

By this point, we had an audience taking in what was happening, but from the confusion that laced their features instead of fear, I knew that they weren’t seeing what I was.

"Ivan, do you see her?" I asked quietly, trying to keep my voice from shaking. I was beginning to feel manic, and I didn’t want that side of me to show. "You do, right?"

Fixing my pleading gaze on Ivan’s confused one, I found my hope dropping as I began to realize that he couldn’t.

"What is it, my love?" He asked, tightening his hold. "What has you so riled up?"

Opening my mouth, I prepared to respond, but stopped as the fear of being seen as crazy began to build.

"It’s me, but me as a child." I started as dizziness began to overcome me. "But she isn’t the version of me that I remember. Instead, it is an undead version of me. Do you really not see her?"

"No, I don’t." Ivan said gently. "Arissa, there is nothing there."

At his words, a small giggle erupted from my lips as my dizziness began to grow, causing the world around me to start to shift and sway.

"Great, I’m losing my mind." I murmured, before collapsing and tumbling into darkness.