ALEKSANDER STORMGAZE!

"What are you doing here, spirit girl?!" Aleksander growled at me as he took a step further. I took another back in fear, maintaining the distance between us as I felt my heart pound in my chest. I couldn't bring myself to speak, so I simply stood there, trembling in fear.

"You can't even speak for yourself? Pathetic. I know exactly who you are. Alina Starfall, the sister of the murderer who killed my father!" Aleksander's voice was full of rage, and I could see the anger in his eyes. I felt the fear rising in me, threatening to overwhelm me. But I knew I had to stand my ground, no matter how afraid I was.

"I am not my brother. I am Alina, Alina Starfall, and I am not responsible for his actions." My voice was shaking, but I forced myself to meet Aleksander's gaze. "I know you must hate me, but I am not him. I am my own person, and I have done nothing to deserve your anger."

Aleksander's expression hardened as he gritted his teeth right before me, his rage still simmered beneath the surface.

"You are right. You are not your brother. But you are still connected to him, whether you like it or not. You share the same blood and until I find him and make him pay for what he did, you will always be a target of my wrath." The anger in his voice was clear, and I knew there was no reasoning with him. But I couldn't give up, not when my life was at stake.

"Aleksander, I am sorr-" I tried to apologize.

"You dare to speak my name?!" Aleksander hissed, his eyes flashing with fury. "You took the most important person in my life from me, and now I have to lead this pack alone! You forced this upon me!"

"I didn't!" I protested, my voice trembling with fear and frustration. But Aleksander was having none of it.

"Silence!" he roared, his voice filling the space between us. "You will speak no more, or I will make you regret it, you witch!"

I saw the truth of his threat in his eyes, and I fell silent. But inside, I was seething. I knew I was innocent, and I would not let him silence me forever. I had to find a way to prove my innocence, to make him see that I was not my brother. I had to find a way to clear my name, no matter what it took.

"I'm not a witch!" I cried, my voice shaking with fear. "Just because I have the powers to communicate with spirits doesn't mean I'm a witch. It's a gift, not a curse!"

"A gift? A gift?!" Aleksander scoffed, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Your so-called 'gift' has caused you nothing but trouble! How can you possibly claim it's a gift?" He took another step towards me and I took another backwards.

"Because it's a part of who I am!" I shot back, my voice rising in passion.

"I'm just a normal person," I said, my voice quivering with emotion. "My powers are a gift from my mother, and they're a part of who I am. I can't simply take them away. I use them to help people - to give them guidance and comfort. I know that my powers are unique as no one else in the kingdom possesses them, but that doesn't make me a witch."

A heavy silence hung in the air, and I could feel Aleksander's eyes on me. I wanted so badly for him to understand, but I knew it was an uphill battle. I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm.

Finally, he spoke. "I don't know what to believe. I've never met anyone with your powers before, so it's hard for me to understand." There was a trace of vulnerability in his voice, and I felt a glimmer of hope. Perhaps he could be persuaded.

"Please, Aleksander," I pleaded, "I promise that I'm not here to cause harm. I just want to live my life in peace, and to help those who need it. That's all."

"You communicate with spirits?" Aleksander asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

I nodded, my heart heavy. "Yes, I do."

"So... does that mean you can bring back the dead?" His voice was full of hope. "Can you bring back my father?" But I knew I had to be honest with him.

I felt guilty for what I was about to say, knowing that I would utterly crush the glimmer of hope that had lit up in his eyes

I drew in a deep breath. "I... I can't," I stammered, my voice breaking as tears welled up in my eyes.

Aleksander's face fell, his expression full of disappointment and sadness. I wanted so badly to ease his pain, but I knew that I couldn't give him what he wanted. His expression became cold and unreadable again.

"I'm so sorry I can't bring back your father. I can talk to spirits, but I can't bring them back. It's not within my power." I said gently. I could see the disappointment on Aleksander's face, and I felt a wave of guilt hit me.

"But if you have a message for your father," I said, my voice trembling with emotion, "I can help you get it across to him." I knew it was a small consolation, but it was all I could offer him.

Aleksander was silent for a moment, and I held my breath. Finally, he spoke, his tone cold and icy, his eyes full of sudden hate.

"Since you can't bring back my father, then you are of no use to me!" He spoke menacingly as he slowly began to approach me.

I took a step back in fear. "Aleksander…" I called, my voice trembling but he totally ignored me.

"Aleksander… what-what are you doing?" I stuttered to ask as I moved backwards. "Why are you coming at me?"

Aleksander let out a sinister grin and I felt the hairs on my body stand up in utter fear. I needed to do something. I felt cornered.

As he growled angrily, heading for me slowly, I immediately took my heels and ran away. I turned to look back, to see just how far I had gotten away from him but I couldn't find his figure there anymore. Suddenly, I bumped into a masculine being and it was him again, staring at me as he continued to growl.

I didn't even see him move! How did he get here so fast?!

I began to move backwards slowly in fear, my eyes shifted nervously. I ran away again, heading for another direction in the forest and just when I thought I had gotten away from him, he appeared right in front of me, beastly as ever.

With each and every turn I took, trying to get away from him, he cornered me, his growl growing louder and every time, I would move back in fear as he approached me.

I refused to back down and as I tried to run away one last time, he gripped my hand tightly and held me up against a tree. I felt my legs slowly rise from the ground.

Aleksander's hold on my neck was suffocating and I could feel the tears escaping from my eyes. I could feel life seething away from me as he began to lose his temper, he snarled at me, his eyes and teeth changing.

Is this how I am going to die?

I could barely bring myself to speak, if not I could have persuaded him to let me go. My hands and legs were frozen, unable to move as I felt my eyes slowly closing, I was losing consciousness.

I could see it. Death awaiting. It was calling out to me like a lost brother of mine.

Just then, I remembered the old lore. I was not certain if it would work but I needed to try.

“A-Al-Alek…” I tried to speak but I felt massive pain in my neck as Aleksander tightened his grip.

I sucked up the pain and rushed out my words.

“Aleksander Stormgaze!” I yelled, my voice echoing through the forest, tears streaming down my cheeks.

Instantly, I felt it, as Aleksander's grip loosen on my neck and he began to calm down. His eyes and teeth went back to normal. I struggled to breathe, gasping for air as I held on to my neck and Aleksander took a step back.

It worked! The old lore. It worked!

Suddenly, Aleksander held both of my hands up to my head, pushing my back harder to the tree.

“What did you do to me?” he growled angrily, his hot breath on mine. His body leaning towards me.

“I saved you from killing me!” I struggled to answer, my voice hoarse and hurting.

“How did you do that?!” He yelled even more as his grip on me tightened.

“The old lore thing. My mother taught me that saying a wolf's full name helps them calm down.” I answered fearfully as I swallowed a lump.

“There is no such thing like that. There never was!” His voice echoed throughout the forest.