Zelena.
“Holy Mother” Roe exclaimed shocked. I whipped my head to her, and she was looking over at the SUV.
I stepped around Gunner to see what everyone was gawking at. I didn’t understand what I was looking at, not at first. It took a minute for the realisation to hit me. And when it did, it was like a building had fallen on top of me. Holy shit. She stood just in front of the car, staring at me with the same kind of expression I imagine I was wearing. Her eyes were wide and her thick brows were lifted high on her forehead. Her mouth hung open and her pale skin looked basically translucent. Without paying attention to what I was doing, I walked forward. She too walked towards me. We both stopped not two steps away from each other. Her face was my face, her eyes were my eyes, her hair was my hair. She was me, in every way. I roamed my eyes down her body, taking note of the many dark pink scars that marred her skin. She has lived a brutal upbringing, just like I did.
Zelena.I looked up and was surprised to see Selene.“Mother?” I whispered,“Hello, daughter of mine” she said back. Her gentle ethereal voice echoed around the room. Even in the darkness, her skin glowed. The silk of her white dress fluttered in the non-existent breeze, and her pure white hair hung in a straight curtain down her back.“Is this the Ethereal Plane?” I asked her and looked back down at Aurora’s broken body.“No” she answered,“A dream then?” I questioned,“Not a dream, child, a memory” she sung quietly,“Who’s memory?” I asked, looking up to her beautiful face.“Mine” she answered sadly. She’s showing me her memories, but why. But if she was here, with Aurora, that means she was visiting her too. Just like she did with me when I was this age. If I’m right, why didn’t she say anythin
Zelena. “Dad” I sobbed and stepped forward. Selene’s hands laid softly on my shoulders and she gently pulled me back. “We have to help him” I cried and looked back at her, “The past is set, sweet daughter. You cannot change what has already been done” she told me as she brushed her fingers over my cheek. “Then why are we here?” I asked shakily, “Because, in order to understand, first you must see” she answered cryptically. I turned back around and watched what was unfolding. The soldier that brought in Aurora snapped something around her neck, then the other guard did the same to Micha. I recognised what they were immediately. Shock collars. The exact same ones that Hank used on me the night Gunner rescued me. That answered one of my many questions. If they’re using the same gear that Hank used, and he was a hunter, that means these guys are hunters too. Dad and Aurora were captured by the hunters, not killed by them. A clicking sound echoed t
Zelena. This is what Selene wanted to show me. Micha got free, he escaped. Is that what I'm watching? “Get him back in the chair” the voice screamed manically through the speaker. Aurora’s guard turned off her chair and ran for the bars. He fumbled with a wad of keys on his belt while anxiously watching Micha. I hadn’t noticed before, there was a locked gate within the bars. I didn’t know whether to watch Micha who was continuing to break the remainder of his bindings, or the guard who was hopelessly trying to get different keys into the locks. “Daddy” Aurora cried. Both the guard and Micha snapped their eyes to her. Micha roared again and broke through his last strap easily. He dropped to his hands and knees and let his body morph. He looked like he was struggling, probably because of all the injuries and how skinny he looked. “Get him back in the chair” the speaker box voice screeched again. Without realising, I had both hands over my mouth, holding
Zelena. Trevor lifted his hand to my father’s neck, and with zero hesitation, sliced a knife through his throat. My father’s blood spurted out of the gaping wound, covering Aurora from head to toe. I screamed a sound that I didn’t know I was capable of. My chest throbbed with a stabbing pain. Selene’s arms wrapped around me, as I dropped to the ground onto my knees. Why would she make me watch this, what could I possibly learn from watching my father die. Selene’s hand brushed through my long hair as I sobbed uncontrollably. She whispered gentle shooshing sounds as she held onto me. Aurora did nothing. She sat quietly in the chair, her eyes glued to our father as the life left his face. She did not cry, she did not scream or beg. She simply did nothing. After a minute, Trevor let Micha’s body drop to the ground and lay in the pool of blood covering the floor. Trevor stepped forward and put both hands on the arms of the chair. He leaned forward, forcing Aurora to lean
Aurora. One second he was sitting there besideme, looking at me, and the next he was gone. I watched him run from the car and embrace the small woman in the driveway. They held each other for what felt like forever. She had her back to me so I couldn’t see her face, but I could see Gunner’s. His eyes sparkled as he stared at her, his mouth flashed a full toothy grin. He never looked that way around me, he never looked at me like the way he did her. The more I watched, the more I burned. He picked her up and spun her around through the air. Her long hair covered her face, but I can only assume she looked as sickly happy as Gunner did. There was so much joy and happiness. I admit I felt envious. As she wrapped her legs around him, they just about consumed each other's faces. I felt myself growl before I knew it was coming. I hate her. I don’t know her, but I know I don’t like her. This must be Zee. His elusive Mate. I’m excited to kill her, and
Aurora. “You stupid fucking cunt” he spat in my face. I stood and watched wide eyed as the ten year old me cried out and tried to pry his hand from my hair. But it was apparently pointless. I was small and weak, and he was large. A little on the fat side but still somewhat well built. He had dark curly hair and tanned-ish skin. Who is he? “Daddy stop” the little me yelled. Daddy? I don’t have a father, or a mother, why would I call him that. Also, he looks nothing like me. There's no way this is my father. And if he is, how could I not remember him. “M
Aurora. What the fuck. What just happened, how did she age so quickly. I don’t know what is going on, but I don’t like it. I want out. I looked around the basement, it was still the same, a few extra piles of crap, but otherwise unchanged. I walked forward and looked down at Zee more closely. This can’t be right. The Zee I saw before, in the driveway, she was different. I saw her, she had not a single mark or blemish on her porcelain skin. This one however, is covered in dark bruises, open wounds and aging scars. There is no possible way this is the same girl. No one can heal scar tissue. Something strange is going on here. As I gazed down at her unconscious body, I noticed it, an item that I am very familiar with, something that I could never forget about. It was a shock collar. The same kind of one that the hunters used to use on me during my training. How did her father get one though? I know all about this device. Pasha used to tell me all about it as he used it on me. A device
Aurora. I know that man. I've seen his face in my dreams, thousands of times before. But they were just dreams, this is, whatever this is. Why would he be here, does that mean he is real. I don’t even know if this ghost walk thing is real, so perhaps I am just dreaming. He looks like I remember. Black hair, pale skin, golden eyes. In my dreams he would smile at me and tell me he loves me. In my dreams, I called him Daddy. But they were just that, dreams. I don’t have a father, I never actually saw this man for real. He was just a piece of my childish imagination, trying to give me something to cling too when life with the hunters felt too hard. The man and woman embraced each other, pressing their heads together. He ran his fingers over her face and through her hair. She grabbed his face and kissed him, passionately. “Come back to me” she whispered breathlessly. The baby in her arms cooed and stirred a little. The man grabbed her by the back of the ne
Zelena. Gunner’s arms came around my stomach and he leaned his chin on my shoulder. “You okay?” he asked softly. “I’m good” I answered and reached up to tap his cheek. He turned his face and kissed the palm of my hand. “You were crying again” he said, like I hadn’t already known that. “Well, pregnant ladies cry, Mighty Alpha” I quipped and turned to face him with a smirk. He didn’t answer me right away, just gazed down at me. “You sure you’re alright?” he asked more gently. He cupped my cheek and I leaned into his touch. “I’m fine. Thinking of Cole and Tobias just makes me sad sometimes”. Gunner smiled sadly and ran his thumb over the corner of my mouth. “Me too” he said softly before leaning in to press a soft kiss to my waiting lips. “I love you” I said looking up into his beautiful blue eyes. “I love you more” he smiled back. “It’s not a competition” I grumbled and pinched his peck. He laughed and rubbed at the spot. “It’s not. There's just more of
Zelena. Grief is difficult. It's a hard feeling to navigate. With the addition of my bouts of guilt and regret, I wasn’t sure I was ever going to find my way through it. If I’m honest, I’m still working my way through it. Every new day is different from the last. It's strange really. One day I will be fine, filled with happiness and joy, enjoying my family and my life. The next, something as simple as hearing the term ‘Little One’ will set me off on hours of crying and wishing for things to be different. Grief is weird. It's true when people say that you never actually get over the pain, you just learn to live with it. Not being alone with my pain is a huge help. Gunner and I are both working through our grief. Everyone is really. Losing Cole, Tobias, and Aurora. Plus, Cleo and all the other fighters that sacrificed their lives. Those losses hit us all really hard. Even with all that loss, we’ve gained a lot as well. Thanks to Aurora, the hunters are basically extinct. A special t
Whiskey. “I know” Zelena whispered with a slight nod of her head. She pushed her other arm forward with her palm facing me. A wave of energy hit me, like a truck hitting a mountain at top speed. My entire body jolted with the force, down to the tiniest atom. The air was stolen from my lungs and my vision went black. I felt like a giant hand was inside my body, pulling it apart piece by piece. The pain was incredible. I could feel every part of myself being torn to shreds. I tried to scream, but no sound came. I tried to fight, but my body was no longer under my control. This must be what death feels like. I can’t imagine it being anything else. There was a pressure inside my chest, like something was pulling it open. It built and built, tearing and ripping at my essence. It was almost too much, I was ready to give in to it. After all that I have endured, and all the pain that has been inflicted on my body over my lifetime, I still kept fighting. I was never worn down to the point of
Whiskey.It was a fucking dragon. The glowing light dimmed, just enough for me to find a small human frame within the dragon's glow. It was Zelena. The dragon was with Zelena. How could this be possible? “Whiskey” a voice called out. I took a step back as I looked up at the beast. Dragons aren’t real, I told myself. Plus, this dragon was odd. It wasn’t a physical being. Its face, its wings, its body, it was all made out of light. I could see the electrical currents tethering all the pieces together. Almost like it was made of pure energy. “Whiskey” the voice called again. It came from both Zelena and the dragon, almost like they spoke at the same time, in the same voice. I stumbled back a few more steps, but Zelena and the dragon just kept coming. “You’re reign of death is over” the dragon called. This is unexpected. But I’ve never quit before, and I sure as shit won’t be starting today. I steadied my feet and squared my shoulders. I summoned another icicle sword, now holding
Whiskey. I swung my arm towards Zelena, letting fly the spear of black ice. It got her in the upper right side of her chest, sending her flying back to the ground. A proud smile filled my face as another weapon materialized in my grip. I was about to hit her again when I was sent flying back through the air. I dropped the shard of ice and used my own power to cushion the landing. Gunner was poised and ready to attack. Zelena was still laying on the ground, I knew she was going to be easy to be rid of, just one hit and she was out. I pulled on that dark feeling inside me, tugging on the string of power that was in me now. Another icy shard appeared in my hand, and I hurled it toward Gunner. He dodged to the side, missing the spear, and then charged toward me. I didn’t even need to think about it now, the weapons just came to my hands as I thought of them. I leaned on my back foot and steadied my feet, then I hurled dagger after dagger at Gunner. One hit his shoulder, but it didn’t
Whiskey. Tobias hit the deck like a sack of shit. A pulling sensation tugged at my heart. Like the shriveled piece of brown beef thumping in my chest was going to suddenly come to life and feel something for the big dumb oaf. Yeah right. Once he was down, the fighters that he waved away all charged at me in unison. Some shifted into their beasts, others tempted fate on their human legs. It didn’t really matter either way. They were all going to die by my hand one way or the other. I cut each of them down easily, and all the others that tried their luck with me. It appears these animals are just as dumb as all the other stupid dogs that I’ve fought. Never learning where they lay on the food chain. Never realising that they’re doomed from the moment they decide to fight against me. They’re all the same. Single minded, foolish animals. The fight had us slowly moving through the village, leaving a breadcrumb trail of bodies along the way. They just kept coming, one after the other. I
Zelena. I flew off to the side with so much speed. The force at which I hit Gunner’s shield made my brain wobble inside my skull. My hold dropped and Whiskey landed back on the ground on her feet. Keeping the shield in place, Gunner growled and stepped toward Whiskey with his claws ready. I quickly stood up and raced to stop him, but I was sent flying back into the shield once again. When I went to get back up again, a sharp pain shot through my chest, and I yelped out in pain. I looked down to the source of the irritation and froze. Shit. A long black jagged piece of ice was protruding from my chest. It’s the darkness. I produced the same type of weapon once. The sting of ice in my veins intensified and the cold emptiness of the darkness filled my chest. I snapped my head to Whiskey who was about to launch another in my direction. Before the fresh shard of black ice left her hand, Gunner swung his arm out in her direction. The shield around us dropped and Gunner retrained all of his
Zelena. Gunner took my hand and I turned to follow behind him. Lupus was marching at his side, the two of them whispering harshly. I couldn’t focus on what they were saying, I was too taken aback by the bodies we passed. My eyes caught on a woman lying face down on the ground with a gaping wound in her back. Another with his neck broken at an ungodly angle. Three or four wolf bodies followed quickly after. How could one person do so much damage? A rush of magic tickled across my skin and the air around us felt thinner and light. Gunner stopped walking and turned to look at me. “Do you feel it?” he asked. I nodded and lifted my head higher. “She’s literally sucking the air out of the village” I answered. “How are you supposed to fight against that?” Lupus grunted angrily. “I have powers too” I said as I lifted my hands and erected a shield around the three of us. The air immediately felt normal again, further proven by the sigh and deep breath Lupus took. “Let’s go” I c
Zelena. I swallowed the pain in my chest and stood up slowly on shaking legs. Gunner grabbed my arm, half to help me stand, and I expect half to stop me from bolting right for the door. Smith and Felix followed my movements, both of them also rising slowly. Smith’s growl rumbled lowly through the room, quickly followed by Felix, then Lupus. The symphony of growls rolled around the room, all blending into one angry song. I hadn’t realised it at first, but my own growl joined the angry tune. All of us rumbled out how worried, angry, and ready to fight we were. I pulled my arm from Gunner’s hold and stepped toward the door. My claws extended and my bones ached through my anger and the desire the change. I pulled the Goddess power into my body. It tingled across my skin, fed my soul, and filled me with energy. “Let’s get to it then” I snarled. My anger was palpable. Family be damned, if my own sister has hurt Tobias, MY Tobias, I will finish her where she stands. I will reign the pain