4

Amara's pov

"Mum." I cried as she rushed into the room with her eyes frantically searching my frame for any injuries.

I leapt from the bed as she walked towards me, her arms engulfing me, pressing me onto herself while she rubbed my hair whispering soothing words to me.

"Hello, Luna." Rose bowed.

She gave rose a small smile before muttering a thank you. My best friend returned it and lightly tapped my shoulders for reassurance before leaving the room to give my mother and I privacy.

"Come." She led me to the bathroom. She opened the door and took me into it. She ran the bath while I discarded the jacket and my ruined leotard.

I hopped in once she was done and relaxed into the mass of scented flowery foams and bubbles.

The warm water calmed my nerves and I closed my eyes soaking in the feel, "Is dad here too?"

"I told him to stay back." She took my head and worked on losing my chignon, "Eros needs him there, yunno."

"I didn't want any of you to leave him and come." I said sadly popping the bubbles with my index finger, "I would have waited."

"Shhh." She lathered my hair and began to comb her fingers through it, "You needed one of us and no matter what, we will always be here for you." 

Always, I smiled inwardly, Always.

                  I was done with my bath soon and was clean. All traces of blood wiped off. My wounds had already healed and now my mum and I were seated on my bed. Her arms were wrapped around me as I recounted the tale to her.

"You can start therapy again if you want." I shook my head, a no,  and I heard her lips part in a sigh.

I didn't want to sit before a stranger, in a white room, and tell them all about my past and fears, my triggers and tick-offs, "You need it, love, to get healed."

"Talking to you every night is enough." I smiled up at her and she dropped a kiss on my forehead. I couldn't help but wonder how she coped through all those years before escaping and how she dealt with the trauma after that.

I only needed to be soaked in blood to have flashbacks of her being beaten to death while the pack warriors took their turns with her but she experienced all these first hands and never resisted the torture in an effort to protect me, "How do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"How do you manage to be so strong after everything? I know it's been years but even then you were still strong." I could feel tears welling in my eyes now and I managed to keep them back, I didn't want her crying with me or for me.

"I don't know." She sounded tired, "I just had to push the past behind and move on. I still have nightmares and flashbacks at times and they could be so horrible one would think I am reliving the horrible moments but I can't let it bring me down and you shouldn't too."

"But you have him, dad," I smirked at her and I could see her cheeks redden which caused me to giggle, "He helps you. He is always there to comfort you."

"And you have Terren." She winked.

"Mum!" I shied away not being able to take what I had dished out to her, "Come on."

"And I just remembered how you had an endless crush on Liam." 

"I think I am sleepy."

"You are not!" She laughed.

"You think Terren would love me just as Dad loves you?" I asked pulling away from her and sitting upright on the bed, "I want to know."

"Of course dear." She took my hands holding them in hers, "I have seen how he looks at you, others have seen it too and more over you said you could feel the soul bond with him." I nodded.

Liar! Cora snapped and I pushed her back.

They didn't need to know if I felt the soul bond with him or not. I didn't care about the bond anymore. I just wanted to be happy and I could be happy with Terren.

Moreover, our union would bring unity between the werewolves and Lycans.

"You look deep in thought." Mum said drawing my attention back to her, "Are you sure that you can feel it? If you don't, we will call off the whole thing Amara. We want you to be happy."

"I can feel it with him." Another lie and it felt like my heart was being pulled at but the smile she gave me eased the ache. I pushed the lie aside, "And I love him." At this point, I strongly believed that the moon goddess might strike me for my lies.

"And that's all that matters." She stood up and bent over to kiss me, "Rest dear. I shall come to fetch you later to discuss the issue at hand but for now, try to get some sleep."

"Okay mummy." I returned the kiss and laid back on the bed. She tucked me in pulling the covers over me and repositioning the pillows before leaving the room.

And I laid there on my bed with my hands crossed over me as I struggled to sleep while keeping the images that haunted me out of my head.

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            I wanted to scream and pump my fists in the air but I didn't think it would be appropriate considering the situation that led to this. That didn't mean that I wouldn't let out my fervor later on.

"Are you fine with that Amara?" My dad asked taking my hand, "You know you can decide not to if you aren't comfortable with it."

Not comfortable! Are you kidding?! Cora yapped excitedly and I had to suppress the urge to laugh.

She was just as eager about this as I was.

"I am fine with it," I replied with a small smile.

"Good." My mum stood up from her seat, "You will go to the NYC for some time and mingle with the humans till everything dies down and we are sure of no more demon attacks." I fought the urge to shout a yes so as not to show them that I was all the happy to get away.

freedom! Cora piped in my head and I agreed with her. This was our only chance to be free and get to live life and be away from our parents for a while. I love them, don't get me wrong but they can be overbearing.

"You are going with Liam." Dad said and I didn't find that surprising, "Rose and the rest of your friends too."  Mum added.

"When are we leaving?"

"Tomorrow."

                   I screamed into my pillow on getting to my room. I was leaving tomorrow and I would finally get to taste the other side of the world without the watchful eyes of my parents.

I just needed to lay low, stay out of trouble, mask my scent, and avoid human hunters.

My phone pinged and I rushed to grab it with the hope that it was Rose also being excited about our trip but it wasn't from her.

Unknown: You won't get so lucky next time.

My eyes skimmed over the words again with fear gripping me knowing whom the text from and that he had actually sent the demon to kill me.

I acted against my instincts for the very first on this issue and did what Cora had been yapping we do for years.  I ought to do what was necessary at the moment, it wasn't too late.

I had had enough!

My feet moved on my accord leading me towards the door. I was going to report this and also apologize for not telling them all these years and then I will be reprimanded for my stupidity but the case will still be solved.

I reached the door and latched onto the knob but it wouldn't open. It was like a force was causing its resistance. I pulled and pulled and pulled but nothing happen.

I tried to mindlink my mum but it was like she was blocked out and so was every other person. My heart was racing and I could feel goosebumps pebbling on my skin.

Cora? I tried reaching out to my wolf but She seemed nonexistent at the moment. I couldn't feel her.

Unknown: Don't!

I read the message. It was a warning but this person had no right to tell me what to do and what not and I noticed that he made it possible for me to reply this time.

Me: Show yourself!

I texted and walked towards my bed waiting for a reply as I couldn't leave the room nor could I mind linking. I knew he was using some strong magic to be able to control my actions and I didn't want to scream, not wanting him to silence me.

He never replied. I waited patiently pacing around the room waiting for the all too familiar ping and then I decided that I had waited all too well and was about to barge towards the door again when I saw the curtains on my balcony move.

I raced to the place, going through the curtains and onto the balcony. I looked around but no one was there. He was playing games with me. I moved to the railing and leaned over it and that was when I saw him or a wavering portrayal of him.

It had to be him.

He was leaning against a pillar on the first floor, his form blending with the darkness that I could only make out his hair which had a part of it that was as dark as night, and the other part was white, pure white.

I squinted trying to decipher the form, it was like looking at a wavering hologram, I couldn't make out the face no matter how hard I tried.

I could only see his relaxed form leaning against the pillar with his hair, his unique hair with I guessed to be nape length.

My phone vibrated in my hand. I looked down at the screen to view the text.

Unknown: Seeing things you shouldn't kills, snyek.  

A frown took over my features as I lifted my head and directed my gaze to the spot. It was empty. He was gone. Not a single trace of him could be beheld and not even a strand of his white as snow hair.

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