Chapter 2: WHERE AM I?

LYRA'S POV

I stare in pity at the poor girl. She is severely injured and bruised in different body parts.

Who would do something like this?

“Hurry up. We have to take her to the pack clinic right away,” I told Josh, a warrior wolf.

I watch as he lifts her gently, and we begin hurrying steadily but fast.

As we clear the woods, I break off from them.

“You guys go on ahead. I will meet you later,” I tell them.

I head to the mansion and my brother's office. I enter without knocking.

“Lyra, I have told you several times to always knock before entering,” he says without lifting his head from the papers he was looking at.

“I don't want to,” I retort.

“One of these days, I won't take it lightly with you when you do so,” he replied.

“I doubt it,” I answered as I flopped down on one of the chairs facing him and placed my feet on his desk.

He sighs at my antics before looking up. Tristan Celeste, my very own stubborn brother. Alpha of the Celeste pack.

“Shouldn't you be busy right now? What do you want now?” he demands. He was already tired of my crap as he places his hands on his forehead.

“Well, I brought in someone. We found her half-dead. She is with us now,” I answered.

“You still need to question her to make sure she isn't a threat to us before we decide to take her in fully but I leave that to you. Do your thing,” he instructed.

“Yes, sir.” I get up to give him a mock salute before walking away.

There was something strange about her scent though. She smells different from us. Something not wolf-like, not human also. I kept that from my brother, of course.

I am not sure he would take that lightly if he found out I brought in a strange being into the pack. As the Alpha, he takes matters like that very seriously.

I dare not go against him nor his commands despite being my brother. He is like a god we all worship. A lot of things he has sacrificed for this pack. For that reason, I respect and adore him so much.

“I guess I'd just keep that information to myself and find out who exactly she is,” I said to myself.

ATHENA

I woke up to the sound of a beeping machine, bright lights in the room nearly blinding me as I tried to make sense of where I was.

“Where am I?” I wondered.

“Did they take me back to Mother and Father? Am I back at Crystal Moon pack house?

It can't be. I shouldn't be alive if that was the case.

I took a good look around and it happened that I was in some sort of clinic. I could see sickbeds all around the room and tools that resembled first aid kits and medical equipment.

“You are awake,” a voice came long from beside me.

I look over to see two women standing at my bedside. One is the woman who now appeared to be the young lad I saw earlier, who had saved me.

The voice that asked the question belonged to the other woman.

“I am Sasha the healer. I have been watching over your health,” she introduces herself.

“What happened…. Ho… How long have…I……” I break off to clear my throat.

My voice is feint and it happened that I can't speak well.

“Don't strain yourself; your vocal cords are bruised,” Sasha says. “Your whole body is still in its recovery phase. You still need rest. I am amazed you managed to hold on that long,” she commented.

“This is Lyra,” she gestures to the other woman. “She is the one who saved you and brought you to the clinic.”

“Thank you,” I voiced out.

“Now tell us what your name is and where you are from,” Lyra asked.

“Athena. My name is Athena. I am from the Crystal Moon pack. I was…..” I spoke weakly.

“I knew it. What are you doing here? Who did this to you?” she interrupted.

I paused. I have to rethink this. Whatever I say next might determine what these strange people will do to me. I can't tell them I was sent away.

I can’t tell them about my shift. I can’t tell them I killed someone!

“How do I tell them I have no control over my werewolf?”

“If I tell them I was sent out by my parents and rejected by the pack that would only make me look like a rebel?”

I could remember the word of my father then “No pack looks upon a rebel werewolf with mercy!” he reiterated. That night was when I first raised my voice at him. He sat me down and taught me a few things about the werewolf community.

From Lyra's reply, she already knew I was from the Crystal Moon pack so she must have some notion in her head but I can't say what it is.

I thought for a minute what I could say but there was no idea after all. 

“Athena. You are not responding. Who did this to you and why?” Catherine asked again, her gaze focused on me.

I became scared. “Is your pack responsible for this?” she asked.

“Are you a cast out? She asked further but I looked away.

“Please where am I?” I asked, my face turned away from her.

“Athena. You are in the Celeste pack territory,” Sasha the healer muttered.

“Celeste?” 

No! It can’t be. I am forbidden to be here. That is the rival pack of the Crystal Moon. Those two hated themselves even the legends have it that they have been enemies from long ago.

“How am I supposed to tell them what happened? That would only stir up something I can't control.

They might even kill me.

“The Alpha has already been informed of your presence. We just need to know who did this to you and why. Your stay would be questioned so……” Sasha the healer explained.

Oh my God. Their Alpha already knows I am here. What would I say?

My mind raced. My heartbeat increased and I began to breathe heavily.

“I think she is going into shock!” Sasha said.

“Anna!”

A strange scent rented the air.

And suddenly I heard a thick voice.

“Is that her?”

It's Alpha Tristan in the room. Lyra whispered.

 My heart skipped a beat.

“Talk,” he shouted!