Alina POV
The jade green clouds that had cast an almost magical hue over us in the daylight now glowed, blanketing the forest in an eerie dim light. The once beautiful scenery now took on a sinister edge. While I had suspected we were being watched in the daytime, I was now certain of it at night.
“She tricked us!” raged Josh, slamming his open hand against the tree he was standing next to.
“I tried to warn you not to be so trusting of the fae, but no, you just followed her without considering any consequences,” I replied, letting my frustration with him show in my voice.
“So this is my fault, is it? Remind me how we ended up in the forest in the first place?”
“I’m not having th
Alina POV The trees thinned out and as we broke through the tree line, we stepped into a wide, open meadow. Through the dark, I could see the glow of the clouds reflecting off a mass of still water. There appeared to be a lake at the far side of the meadow. The fireflies veered off to the right-hand side of the meadow and stopped. “What now?” I asked Josh. This was his big idea, but instead of finding the exit or shelter, we were standing out in the open, completely unguarded. He let out a frustrated growl and lashed out, grabbing a handful of leaves in his hand and ripping them off the bush. The fireflies leapt and scattered in different directions, before coming back together and fleeing, their wings buzzing furiously. We were alone and in darkness once again
Alina POVWith my heart thumping at what felt like a million beats per minute, I kicked Josh in the face as I frantically scrambled to stand. He swore and clutched his nose, but must have sensed my fear. He leapt to his feet, pulling me tightly to him until my back was pressed against his hard chest.As my eyes tried to adjust in the dark, a woman came into focus. She was quite a lot taller than me, but not quite Josh’s height. I could make out her long, dark hair as it framed her pale face and flowed all the way down to her waist.“Please forgive me for startling you, but this is my home,” she said, her voice full of warmth and sincerity.It was the type of sound that carried a melody and instantly put me at ease. She must have had the same effec
Alina POV “A panic attack?” Josh guessed. “I think so. I’ve never talked to anyone about it before, and I’ve never had another one until yesterday,” I admitted, still embarrassed that he’d had to witness my moment of weakness. “How long were you stuck for?” “I was up there for three hours. I was crying and screaming and no one came to rescue me. I think I hyperventilated and passed out at one point.” I had tried to block out the memories from that day, the overwhelming fear and terror I felt, but I could still feel it all vividly. “Eventually it lurched and started moving again and as I got to the bottom, my mum came running towards me, hugging and kissing me. She looked as traumatised as me, but then I watch
Josh POVSomething brushed my face and I woke up with a start, waving my hands around wildly. I heard a squawk and the flapping of wings. A bird. It was just a bird. I sat up and stretched. Despite the hard surface of the tree branch, I was thankful that at least we both got a decent sleep.Allie was still fast asleep, curled on her side and cradling her injured arm. Allie. I liked calling her that way more than I liked Alina; Alina felt so formal. It actually suited her stuck-up personality quite well, but last night I felt like I’d finally been able to connect with her.I was starting to think that she wasn’t really ‘Alina’. Alina was just a persona she’d had to develop thanks to the pressure put on her by her dad. The guy was a total dick. Everyone knew it, but he’d sheltered a
Josh POVThe eyes that watched my every move never seemed as threatening in the daylight, but I got the distinct impression that these were not the same eyes that watched at night. The meadow was lush and green in the daylight, and it made me want to set off and explore it. I’d have to save that for another time, when everything in the forest wasn’t trying to kill or capture me.I reached the lake and stripped off, wading into the freezing cold water. Looking at the shrivelling going on downstairs, I was suddenly thankful that Allie hadn’t wanted to bathe with me. I wouldn’t exactly be putting my best foot forward, so to speak.It felt great to finally wash the dirt and grime away. The sun wasn’t bright enough to dry my clothes quickly, so I decided not to wash them. I ran my finger ove
Allie POVMy head was spinning as we walked. Josh explained a little bit about the Alpha Summit and all I could think was, why hadn’t my father told me anything about this? It was taking place so soon after I was to become Alpha. It would be my first public appearance on behalf of the pack, and he’d left me completely unprepared and ill-equipped.“What happens if I miss the Summit?” I asked.“I’m guessing your dad will attend as Alpha, seeing as he hasn’t officially been able to pass the pack on to you. Every pack in the region is required by law to attend. If an Alpha can’t attend, they need to apply for permission to send a temporary Alpha or a Beta representative.”“Apply? Apply to who?”
Allie POV I watched as Josh kept picking up sticks and branches. He examined them carefully before throwing them aside. He kept this up for a good kilometre or more. It was a welcome distraction, watching his face as he studied them intently. “So, what exactly are you looking for in the perfect stick?” I asked. He smiled at me over his shoulder, and it took me by surprise. He had this cheeky, carefree, boyish quality to him that made my breath hitch. “Well, I want something with a good point on the end, so I can spear a rabbit or something else delicious, but it has to be strong enough that it won’t snap. I’ve had some good contenders, but I’m looking for Mr Lucky.” I picked up a fairly decent looking one and held it up
Allie POVJosh and I wandered a little closer, but still kept our distance, taking it all in. Two creatures about waist height carried torches and lanterns, and hammered them into the ground in a circle. Music played and fae sang and danced merrily with one another.A path cleared, and a tall, thin woman stepped forward. She was dressed in a white robe embroidered with gold floral details, and carried herself with poise and dignity. There was no doubt in my mind this was the Ivory Queen.Her white-blonde hair fell to her shoulders, and her face showed kindness and wisdom. But there was also sadness behind her eyes. It must be terrible to see your people suffer hardships. It was something I hoped to never experience as Alpha.