Foggy Memory

"But… I thought…" I stuttered.

"Get dressed," he repeated, cutting me off with his voice leaving no room for argument.

I quickly picked up my clothes and dressed, my hands shaking slightly. He watched me the entire time, his gaze piercing.

Once I was fully clothed, he stepped closer, his presence overwhelming.

"Tonight, you'll stay here alone," he commanded, his tone final. "But remember, Catriona, I'm watching you. Any sign of deception, and you'll regret it."

"Yes, Alpha," I replied, keeping my voice low.

As he turned to leave, I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.

This was just the beginning, but I had made it through the first encounter. I had to stay strong. My second chance was just beginning, and I wouldn't waste it.

As Alpha Albrecht left the room, I took a moment to look around.

The room was grand and intimidating, filled with dark furniture and heavy drapes. Memories of the future, of how he had tortured me in this very room, flooded over me.

The nights of groans, the endless moans... it was all too vivid. I could almost feel the lingering echoes of my past suffering in the walls.

My eyes caught sight of a beautiful art piece on the wall.

It was a painting of a serene landscape, a stark contrast to the darkness that permeated the room.

I remembered Alpha Albrecht telling me never to touch it. In the future, he had been almost obsessive about it.

"What could that painting signify?"

Curiosity and defiance tugged at me, and I moved closer to the painting, reaching out.

Suddenly, I heard a faint sound from outside the room. My ears seemed more sensitive than ever before.

I walked gently to the door, trying to understand why my hearing was so heightened. This had never happened in the future.

I halted at the door, straining my ears towards it. I could hear Alpha Albrecht talking to someone outside, down the hall.

"Keep an eye on her. Report her every move to me tonight," his voice was low and commanding.

"Alright Alpha," the other person replied.

Shock washed over me as I realized I could hear him so clearly. I hadn't had this ability before.

"What is happening to me?" I was confused.

Lost in my thoughts, I didn't notice how close I was to the door. I missed a step and collided with it, causing it to swing open abruptly.

There, standing at the entrance, was Alpha Albrecht. His icy eyes bore into mine.

"What do you think you're doing?" he demanded, his voice sharp and unyielding.

"I… I was just…" I stammered, caught off guard.

He stepped forward, closing the distance between us in an instant.

"Spying on me?" His tone was accusatory, his glare intense.

"No, Alpha, I wasn't," I protested, my heart thudding. "I just heard a noise and was trying to understand what it was."

"Heard a noise?" His eyes narrowed. "And now you're listening at the doors? What else are you hiding?"

"I'm not... not hiding anything," I said, my voice trembling. "I promise."

He grabbed my arm, his grip firm and painful.

"Catriona, I don't like it when things change without my control."

"Yes, Alpha, I'm aware," I whispered, meeting his gaze.

For a moment, his expression softened, but then the cold mask returned.

"Go back inside and stay there!" He sounded authoritatively. "You won't like the consequences if you disobey."

"Alright," I answered, lowering my eyes.

He released me, and I stepped back into the room. He closed the door behind me, and I could hear his footsteps fading away down the hall.

I leaned against the door, my mind racing. What was happening to me? Why was my hearing so heightened?

I needed to understand these new abilities. They could be the key to surviving this second life. But for now, I needed to stay under Alpha Albrecht's radar while I figured out my next move.

Taking a deep breath, I walked back to the painting. I reached out and touched it lightly, feeling the smooth surface under my fingers.

The moment my fingers brushed against the painting, a surge of energy jolted through me.

My vision blurred, and it felt as though I was being ripped from my body. When I opened my eyes, the world around me had changed.

I found myself in a foggy room with an eerie silence, broken only by the faint sound of distant whispers.

The walls were decayed and covered in cobwebs, giving the place a haunted, abandoned feel.

I looked around, trying to make sense of my surroundings. Then I saw them... Alpha Albrecht and a little girl, about five years old, with a striking resemblance to him.

Her eyes were the same icy blue, her hair a similar shade of dark brown to my own. She clung to his leg, looking up at him.

"Who are you?" I whispered, my voice barely audible.

Alpha Albrecht turned to me, his expression softer than I had ever seen.

"This is Astrid," he said, his voice almost gentle. "She's our daughter."

"Our daughter?" I echoed, disbelief flooding through me...

"Yes," he replied, looking down at the little girl. "Astrid, this is Catriona, your mom."

Astrid peeked at me from behind her father, her eyes wide and curious. "Hi, mom," she said shyly.

My heart ached at the sight of her, not knowing what to say. I still couldn't believe what I just heard.

I had a child with this demon?

Alpha Albrecht knelt beside Astrid, his stern features softening as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay, Astrid. You can trust Catriona," he said, his voice carrying warmth and tenderness that starkly contrasted with his usual demeanor.

I felt a pang of confusion. This was so different from the Alpha Albrecht I knew.

The ruthless, cold-hearted leader I feared and despised was now a gentle father, comforting our child as he claimed.

I was stunned.

The vision began to blur, and I felt myself being pulled back.

"Wait," I called out, desperate for answers. "What's happening? Why am I seeing this?"

Alpha Albrecht's eyes met mine, a flicker of sadness, regret?... in them.

"This is what you need to understand, Catriona. Everything is not as it seems."

Before I could ask more, the fog thickened, and I felt myself being dragged back to the present.

My eyes snapped open, and I was back in the room, my hand still on the painting. My heart raced, and my breaths came in quick, shallow gasps.

What had just happened? Was that a vision of the past or a glimpse into a possible future?

Questions swirled in my mind.

I took a step back from the painting. I need to figure out what this vision meant and how it connected to my second chance.

And most importantly, I need to understand why Alpha Albrecht was so different from what I had just seen.

Why he had been so obsessive about the painting...