Chapter 3

3

The bruises on my arms had considerably lightened over the course of hours and even the broken shallow capillaries on my hand were no longer visible. Within seconds, I rose from the soft, delicate mattress and met the sun's shimmering glow. Instantaneously, the shadows looming inside the room disappeared, leaving behind a lone space devoid of any touches and care.

After yesterday's affair, I simply woke up determined to breathe into life once more. I had a dream last night—composed of blurry images and shards of memories. It was a beautiful, fleeting feeling that I wanted to savor for the second time, thus I needed to live and regain what I had lost in order to feel that slither of emotion once again.

At probably around ten, a girl who looked somewhere between thirteen and fifteen stood by the archway door. I gave her a weak smile and to my surprise, she also did the same. She came in with a bucket in her hand and took the dangling handkerchief from her sleeves.

"I was ordered to clean you, m'lady,"

"M'lady?"

"Ohh...is that too formal? What about—Hmmm...Luna? Though, you're not yet our Luna...I'm pretty much out of options as to what I can address you as,"

"You can call me whatever you want to. I don't remember my name..."

"That's awful...I can't imagine anyone having no name,"

I chuckled. "It's not because I wasn't given one, but because I can't remember,"

Her head inclined in affirmation, the light of comprehension kindling within her gaze. At that moment, an unexpected fondness for her company bloomed within me.

The young woman emptied the tub's contents into a basin, submerging the handkerchief she held in her hand. She approached me, her hesitation almost seeking approval to make contact. I gave a subtle nod, granting permission, as she then gently tended to me. Her touch was calming, it left warm trailings in my heart since I felt so isolated amidst this chaotic situation.

"You don't strike me as someone from the southern hemisphere," she remarked, using her handkerchief to dab my face and then re-dipping it into the water basin.

"I don't know where I belong..."

"Ah... it slipped my mind,"

"What's your name?" I ask her.

"Fionna...I am still a cub though,"

"Cub?"

The girl was unable to answer my query as she brushed her fingers through my disheveled hair. Her own hair was neatly gathered in a pristine bun, in stark contrast to the tangled nest that adorned my head.

"Are you aware of how beautiful you are?"

I froze and gazed at her. Fionna was now looking at me with full eyes, due to the awkwardness I shifted my eyes to my feet. Then I answered with a hard "No..."

After everything, I hadn't got a chance to take a gander at myself, but seeing my hair makes me proud—golden like a tear from the sun itself. A mess, though dream-like to me.

I tried glancing at my reflection in the water basin but the ripples of water made it hard to differentiate my features.

"...Alpha Knight Strevus would have to be out of his mind not to be captivated by you,"

"Alpha Strevus?" I asked.

"You don't know the Alpha?"

"I know him...I just didn't know that it was his name...Knight…Strevus..." His name rolled into my tongue smoothly, it was endearing.

"Can you tell me more about your kind?"

"What kind?"

"I don't know...I mean, what is an Alpha? What is with your eyes...they glow,"

"You mean...like this?"

She turned to me, her eyes a captivating blend of yellow and green. Unlike what had occurred the previous night, her gaze held a different kind of allure, one that intrigued me. Perhaps it was due to Fionna's approach towards me, which had been gentle and kind—a demeanor that had a way of making anyone feel reassured.

"Well...It's complicated, but I'll tell you as best as I can,"

Fionna dropped the wet linen on the tub. 

"Beyond our realm lie the Three Kingdoms. It's said that there's more than one realm altogether. We exist under the authority of the magic council, with the Southern, Eastern, and Western Kingdoms each having their own dominion. We find ourselves in the Western Kingdom, ruled by the King of Wolves. Alpha Knight Strevus, the third prince, is our leader, though we usually address him by his last name. This Western Kingdom is further subdivided by smaller..."

"Hold on? There's more?"

"So many to tell..."

"I can't possibly absorb this all at once,"

"Then what do you want to know? Specifically..."

"Wolves, what are wolves? Why are you humans?"

"We are shape-shifters, capable of assuming our Wolf form. Possessing the might of an iron fist, the resonance of an emissary's howl, and the agility akin to that of a horse, you might say we are formidable... Is that an accurate depiction, though?"

I waited in silence, questions seething against my teeth, and she was about to speak once more but I preceded her.

"What does 'mate' mean? Why did he reject me?"

She frowned, stopping without a word, her hand halfway from my face. Fionna's eyes met mine, harboring sympathy behind them.

"A mate only comes once in your life. Kind of like a soulmate but the bond is deeper. You'd get to feel its full effects upon turning,"

"Turning?"

"We turn into our wolf form upon eighteen years of age, though not all turn when they're of age. It can depend on a person's bloodline,"

I stared at her, feeling the gist of everything she offered.

It didn't take too long to wash me, if it wasn't for my exhaustion, I wouldn't have accepted the help in the first place since I don't want to become a hindrance.

Fionna gave me clothes to change into after leaving and returning to the room. I chose a soft and warm garment to accommodate my susceptibility to the cold. Afterward, she led me to another room.

The hallway of the stark place was barren and complex, within the stone walls were paintings that held nothing but parchment as if it concealed secrets of far beyond. I wanted to ask why they were blank, but we suddenly stopped in front of a large door. Turning the knob with a slight push, the room much like the one we slept in, was coated in a pale white-yellow paint. There was an old wooden table that sat in the middle of the room and dozens of wooden seats, a metal sink, and a wood-burning stove.

"You haven't eaten yet I presume. I hope you don't mind soup for breakfast,"

"Of course, I wouldn't mind. I am glad to be fed,"

Fionna opened the small boiling pot on the wood-burning stove, the immediate smell of soup wafted and ensnared my nostrils, as a result, my stomach growled in response.

"Eat as much as you can, I heard that you'd be traveling to the Eastern kingdom,"

"That fast?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I heard from the mind link, though not much was disclosed,"

Mind link? I wanted to press further but this newly brought information is hard to fully comprehend. Then I paused, briefly absorbing what was planned ahead, without wasting time and energy I ate as much as I could take.

"Is it fine if I call you Amethyst?" Halfway through eating, I raise my head to meet her eyes. I smiled at Fionna as an indication of my approval.

"Why Amethyst though?"

"Your eyes, they are the shade of purple,"

****

The afternoon flew by without much notice. I couldn't get much of what I needed, such as answers and old memories.

By noon, like what Fionna warned, a group of people came to fetch me, saying I was to be transported to the Eastern Kingdom. They were all wearing clothing that could withstand the arctic climate. It's a good thing I was informed beforehand, otherwise, my clothing wouldn't suit the harshness of the woods we were about to trek.

Based on my understanding, the palace governs the region, and this place is a temporary camp—but for what purpose? I don't know. All I can think about is how my day seemed to never end without anything in line for me.

Right now, the soaring wind caused chills in my bones. It was now dark and the stars barely appeared in the atmosphere. The cold bit my skin into numbness as I met the transcending weather. Martha who was the leader of the group held the torch amidst the chilly air, illuminating the path we were taking. We then ventured deep into the woods, my eyes inevitably wandering every now and then. The surge of worry I had in my gut never left me since stepping outside of the camp. As we walked through the dense woodland, an eery feeling came to me and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.

"Stay close and alert," Martha exclaimed.

I picked up the pace, I wasn't that far behind them, and I could barely manage to catch up for the pain in my legs churned each step I took. Something about this place seemed off, as if guardsmen watching, the trunks and branches looked ghastly and disturbing...

"EVERYONE–”

I glanced ahead.

A cascade of events unfolded in the span of a breath, as a handful of wolves materialized seemingly out of thin air. A bone-chilling growl sliced through the air, heralding their assault. In a chaotic frenzy, the wolves lunged into action, launching themselves at us with a frightening intensity. Positioned just a few meters ahead, Martha and Cole engaged in a fierce skirmish with their respective attackers, forming a battleground of their own. Meanwhile, I found myself unceremoniously thrown to the ground, the impact against the earth jarring my senses, as yet another wolf pounced in my direction.

"Wolves..." I muttered as another exclaimed rogues.

The wolf who attacked me snarled, I could barely make out a sound as I was too startled at the sudden raid of the enemy. Soon after, eyes going wide, I witnessed Martha turn into her wolf form—a majestic brown wolf as big as a human.

My hands curled into a fist when the enemy launched forward. With courage and fear, I did my best to punch the wolf in front of me but to no avail, my resolve and assault were too weak as compared to the beast. I shouted in pain when the wolf bit into my flesh and at that moment I thought it was going to maul me to death, like a chunk of prey I was. The beast's teeth were massive and at any second I knew it could easily sink its molars into my weak, feverish body—but it didn't. Instead, the creature was slammed against the huge redwood tree.

I stood motionless, my body shaking in fear and pain. The stench of my blood interlaced with the blood of wolves around me made me want to puke. Moments later, I realized who my savior was.

Strevus who stood proud and mighty, not in his wolf form, was able to land a strong fist against the fuming beasts. He took them out one by one with a swipe of his sword and with his hands like iron fists. His eyes roamed to my face and then to my body, despite the situation his stare stirred my internal emotions to scorching and yearning, and the feeling erupted within me.

The gaze he fixed upon me bore an intensity that had the power to instill fear in anyone who crossed his path. Yet, from my perspective, it held a cautious fragility. He despised me, didn't he? So, why should he concern himself with the well-being of a captive? Perhaps it would be easier if I were simply dead in his eyes...

Questions clouded my brain as I wondered if he was there to save me or the group I was with.

"Stand up," Alpha Strevus instructed me. Despite my weakening state, I did as he commanded. He concealed me from behind when two more wolves emerged from the thick bushes. It took mere seconds before Alpha had them spurting blood on the ground.

"See this? This is what we are..."

I gulped.

"I know...I saw it before my eyes...how they shifted..."

"Then you must hurry with tracking down your memories unless you want to stay in trouble each damn time...And I'm not going to be there to save you all the time,"

"I-I'm sorry..."

I felt useless...

Martha cast a glance in our direction before sinking her teeth into the neck of her prey. Similarly, the other members of our group displayed their prowess as they subdued their attackers. It was then that I fully grasped their ability to fend for themselves. As for me, amidst the aftermath of the gory tableau, I came to a stark realization—I was a liability within this chaotic situation.