I stood alone in my dimly lit room, surrounded by a veil of silence that allowed my thoughts to echo through the caverns of my mind. I knew I was about to embark on a daring journey, one that would force me to confront my past, my fears, and the very people who had once inflicted immeasurable pain upon me. But I was not the same fragile girl who had been beaten to the brink of death. I was different now, stronger, both physically and emotionally.At least I thought so.It was as Diana had stated it; the Queen had announced the party two days prior, but only to the eligible representatives of varying families who had shared the information to their family members. Dim had communicated the same to Peter since he was the representative of their family—he had done that in the center square to make a fool of himself rather, for Laura had already gotten a special invitation from the Queen herself. And so today was the day whereby I went back to the pack that has haunted my life.In the
“Are you ready to go, Maya?” That was Diana. I knew her voice as much as I knew Adam’s. But why wouldn’t I? The girl called my name more than a thousand times daily.I swerved, placing automatically, a short smile on my lips, as my eyes connected to her shiny blue ones. I was not ready for another bout of inquiry from her. Besides, she looked too happy to be going to a pack party. Laura thought it was because the little girl had been hearing of werewolves all her life, the bigness of their sizes, and the softness of their thick furs. It was safe to say that the little one was curious.Diana wanted to see them change to their wolf forms too. No matter how hard I tried to talk Diana out of it, the little girl seemed intent on asking a werewolf to shift for her. I didn’t know which werewolf would do that, to shift for show, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she finally achieved her purpose. The girl was so cute to be turned down, especially now. I thought, taking note of her made up face
I felt nauseous. I felt like puking. Even though the journey to the pack had barely lasted one minute, I felt like disgorging the contents of my stomach from my mouth. My throat was scratchy too. First time perks I thought, from teleporting.One second I was holding hands with Diana on one side, and Laura on the other side, connected to the hands of the other party troopers—we were all holding our hands together like a cult would—while the queen stood in the center of the circle and chanted things that I had known nothing about; and the next minute we were here. The queen; she had been looking ethereal in her white gown which had gone past her ankles, and even shoes. She had worn a white mask too; a white mask that had enhanced the mystery that shrouded her. She hadn’t looked human; she had looked like an angel. I had seen her sons too, and her daughter. Handsome fellows if I would admit, but I looked nothing as I felt; just blank. I guessed they felt the same as our eyes had co
The party hall was a magnificent spectacle of opulence and artistry. As I entered with Diana, my senses were overwhelmed by the sheer beauty and grandeur that greeted me. It was way different, and much more beautiful than the decorations that had been put in play for my sendforth then. This screamed of a royalty ball.The walls were draped in luxurious fabrics in deep, rich hues of crimson and gold, reminiscent of a royal palace. Crystal chandeliers adorned the ceiling, casting a soft, warm glow that bathed the room in a gentle, ethereal light.From beside me, I heard Diana gasp. Quite understandable. This was a beauty to behold. I was very sure that the king had put so much effort in this to play a show off to the magic Queen.Every corner of the hall was meticulously decorated with attention to detail. Elaborate floral arrangements graced every table, featuring an assortment of roses, lilies, and orchids. Their fragrance wafted through the air, creating a sweet and intoxicating at
“Do you know them?” Diana asked, her hand still clasped to mine. As Laura had kept repeating whilst we walked to the hall the first time, Diana was sticking to me like glue. I held her hand tighter, for assurance. When we had gotten to the hall, I had seen that the people we had come with had all dispersed to mingle; and watching the flurry of movements now, I could see that some of the witches and wizards already had friends here. I was surprised to see the queen’s daughter even talking to Cass. Remember her? She had been one of my bullies; daughter to the pack doctor. They laughed over something and held hands like best friends would. Then, there was the son, the girl’s twin, with Naomi’s brother, Timothy. But I hadn’t seen the lycan boys yet. Were they waiting for a special entrance service? I wouldn’t put it past them. Hooligans. There was no sign of Claire too, not that I cared. The bitch had played a part in what I was facing. Who says she hasn’t been in on the big pla
“Who are they? They look alike.” Diana asked, a note of enthrallment in her voice.But why wouldn’t she be enthralled? The boys still looked as hot as ever! The difference was that I felt no crush for them, just a hatred as deep as the ocean. “Maya, aren’t you going to say something?” Diana asked, and I soughed. The girl was really determined to know them. “I know you know who they are. Can't you tell me?” I stretched my hand toward her, aware of the furrow in her eyes, but knowing that she understood what I wanted. Hesitantly, as if not sure, she dipped her hand into her bag, and brought out the bottle of pills. “Is it that bad? The news about them… is it that bad?” She asked, as she handed the bottle of pills over to me. I nodded, before opening the bottle, and taking out one pill. On a second thought, I took out another. Just before Diana could say a word, seeing my actions but taking a second too late to react, I threw the pills into my mouth. “What are you doing?” She shou
I’m hurting his feelings? Like seriously, the idiot had the audacity to complain that I was hurting his feelings? I didn’t blame him though. He didn’t know who I was. He thought that I was his newest conquest, the new girl that would grace his bed. The bastard! Without much ado, I flinged his arm away, my face scowling, unable to help the expression this time around. Quickly, I retrieved a handkerchief from my bag and cleaned my hand, the exact spot where he had touched. As I cleaned, I cussed, aware that tears were beginning to brim in my eyes. Another side effect of the drugs? I didn’t know. But I kept on cleaning my hand, becoming unaware of my surroundings, until Diana laid a hand on my busy hand, halting my frantic motions, driving me back to consciousness. There was explicit worry in her eyes that broke my heart. I think it was at this moment that she began to see why I had needed the extra dose of the pills. I would have been a freaking ball of mess by now if not for the
Noah straightened-he had bowed a bit when he had wanted to speak with Diana about his dissatisfaction with her. An indescribable emotion fleeted past his eyes. He looked at me, this time more deeply as if accessing me, as if wondering if he had crossed paths with me in the past. The idiot didn’t recognize my voice. That’s interesting. I thought, finding it comical. They really hadn’t cared about me, they had really toyed with my feelings. They would pay though. The three of them. They would pay. “Do you know me? Have we crossed paths before?” He asked finally after beats had passed, folding his arms across his chest, peering down at me. I scoffed in derision, and turned away from him, with Diana, not bothered at all to give him a reply. He didn’t deserve one. I was just about to leave the hall for some air, when the lycan king began to speak. I paused in my movements, needing to hear what he wanted to say, curious as to what nonsense he was about to spurt out in the name of pea
I can't believe myself. I can't believe what I had done, when I had opened my eyes and saw the classroom free of smoke, free from the flames I had conjured mere minutes ago. I had jumped on Raul. It was supposed to be a thank you hug, you know, coming from a place of excitement, of happiness that I had finally mastered how to control my magic to some extent, but the hug ended up being the ones couple shared after being apart for probably a year. I had hugged him quite alright, but my legs had moved, of their accord. They had jumped and plastered themselves around his waist. They were still there. Around his waist. My mind was in shambles, especially since Raul had managed to catch me with all precision, still held me now, and showed no signs of letting go. Don't I weigh anything? I retrieved my head from the crook of his neck which scented of masculinity. This contact needed to end now. "Ehmm.." I muttered now, looking into his face, which although wasn't red as mine, showed the
Raul and I stayed cocooned in a comfortable silence for a long while, a privy truce already happening between us. I didn’t see him as the enemy anymore. However, I was still working on separating him from the Queen in my equation of retribution. “How long are we going to stay here? Aren’t we returning to class?” I asked after sometime, my back already yelling in pain for reclining against the hard wall for a long period of time. Raul shrugged his shoulders at my question. “It’s not like there will be any class going on. Do you see any professor around? I bet the students are huddled in their classes, wondering what next would go wrong with..” “With me, you mean….” Raul gave me an apologetic look, but it was all right. It was understandable. Since we have been here, no students have come close, no teachers too. The fire was still burning. I was sure it had ventured into the other classes. Weren’t they coming to stop it? “You know you are the only one that can quench that fire….”
What have I done?Panic swept through the magic room like a tidal wave, mingling with the smell of smoke and the sound of screams.My heart sank as I realized the magnitude of what I had unleashed. I had wanted to prove myself, to show my mastery over the elements, but now, all I felt was guilt and remorse.As chaos erupted around me, I knew that I would carry the weight of this moment with me for quite a long time. For in my quest for power, I had unleashed a force beyond my control, leaving destruction in its wake. And now, I could only watch helplessly as the flames consumed everything in their path.The flames. They held me captive. They had me frozen in the midst of the ensuing chaos. They had my heart sinking into the depths of sorrow. The flames, born of my own magic gone awry, danced voraciously across the classroom. Smoke choked the air, thick and suffocating, as desks and books became engulfed in a raging inferno. The screams of my classmates pierced the cacophony of destru
As I caught sight of Sinclair standing by the door of my classroom, a flutter of nervous anticipation stirred within me. The time for my magic classes had finally come, and despite my excitement, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of apprehension. The time has come.Mr. Lethon must have sent him. I thought, checking the time on my wrist watch. It was exactly the time for my magic class. Sinclair was quite punctual.Since I had decided to cut him some slack for not doing anything about Levina's bullying, we have exchanged words here and there—greetings especially—but it has not been like the same. Probably, because I have been avoiding him really. I'm not sure why. I think I just didn't want to talk to him, not that freely as before, at least not yet. However, he was here to pick me up.I looked at Professor Bulock talking about some impossible theory of magic, and almost called him to the fact that his time was gone. But that would be falling under his radar again. I was tired of that
As Diana and I walked hand in hand to school, chattering like monkeys, a sense of elation bubbled up inside me, replacing the feeling of shame that had subsided a little after Laura's words of encouragement.The Queen had fulfilled her side of the bargain, as she had promised us. She had moved the children's classes back to the general school, and she hadn't disturbed me since then. And even though the weight of her last words had never left me, I couldn't help but feel relief and gratitude, walking to school like this, hand in hand with Diana. It was pure bliss.As we walked, Diana regaled me with tales of spells and enchantments, her enthusiasm quite infectious. I knew that it was because I had just shown her, though messy, that I was good enough to be filled in with magic spells. We exchanged knowledge eagerly—I told her about the book I had stolen from the library, and what I had learnt from them—each revelation sparking a lively conversation that danced between us like fireflies
Finally, It was Friday. A sense of anticipation coursed through my veins like an electric current as I ruminated on what it entailed for me. Magic classes.Today marked the beginning of my journey, officially, into the world of magic—a world I had longed to explore ever since my encounter with the vision of the community's first queen. For two days, I had immersed myself in the ancient magic books, devouring their contents with an insatiable hunger for knowledge. With each page I turned, I had delved deeper into the mysteries of magic, learning the intricacies of summoning and controlling magical creatures, as well as the secrets of casting spells both simple and complex. Though I had practiced in secret, hidden away from prying eyes, my determination never wavered. And now, as I sat at the breakfast table with my family, my newfound skills lay dormant, waiting to be unleashed."Well, how are you feeling, Maya? Seeing that today would be your first time learning magic?" I shrugged
I suddenly found myself standing in a vast, lush forest bathed in the golden light of a setting sun. Ancient trees towered overhead, their branches adorned with shimmering leaves that seemed to glow with an ethereal energy. Birds chirped melodiously in the canopy above, their songs blending harmoniously with the rustling of leaves.In the distance, I saw figures moving through the forest with purpose. Without much ado, I walked toward them, pausing when I noticed that I was literally gliding on the air. My feet weren’t touching the grassy ground. I opened my mouth to gasp in surprise, but air didn’t ooze out of my mouth, neither did a sound come out.I couldn’t talk here? If that was so, then I hoped that I couldn’t be seen.As I approached the figures, I realized they were villagers clad in simple yet elegant garments, their faces painted with elaborate colorful patterns. They spoke in a language that echoed with ancient wisdom, their voices carrying a solemn reverence.Among them
As the minutes ticked by, as I neared home, my thoughts circled back to the Queen’s cryptic demeanor, to her parting words. Consequences. What plans did she have in motion? How would she retaliate against our interference? The uncertainty gnawed at me, yet I clung to the conviction that our actions had been necessary, a pivotal moment in our struggle for autonomy and justice within the community that was ruled by the Queen.With a deep breath, I gathered my composure and turned aside to gaze at Peter. He too, seemed lost in thoughts. There was a slight frown on his face, and I couldn’t help but wonder what had brought about the frown. The promise of the consequences?I sighed softly, and turned away, resolving to face whatever consequences awaited us with courage and determination, which was fortified by the unwavering bond of family and the conviction that we had taken a stand for what was right."I won't let her hurt my family," I whispered to myself a second later, my voice a quie
As Peter and I entered the Queen's personal office, I was immediately struck by the air of elegance and authority that permeated the room. Whilst on our way here, Peter had clarified that the room where I had once had a personal meeting with the Queen, wasn't actually hers, but Duke's. It all made sense now. The difference was clear.The walls of this office were adorned with rich tapestries depicting scenes of royal lineage, while intricate carvings lined the wooden furniture, each piece a testament to the skilled craftsmanship of the community's artisans.At the center of the room stood a grand desk, its polished surface gleaming in the soft light that filtered in through the tall windows. Behind the desk sat the Queen herself, a regal figure dressed in flowing robes of deep crimson. I and Peter bowed, and greeted.Beside her stood her brother, Hendel, his expression stoic yet filled with an undeniable sense of pride.But it was her two children who caught my attention. Duke and Ra