Chapter 15: Chapter 15

Ashley

I woke up the next morning and found myself back at the pack, I looked around me and wondered how I got back there.

The atmosphere was usually calm and freezing for me as I walked around.

After some time, I noticed a large group of pack members gathering outside the packhouse. I wondered what was happening as I moved toward the crowd. Their attention seems to be focused on something or someone.

On getting there, I saw that it was indeed someone they were staring at. Not just anyone, it was me.

I saw another version of myself kneeling in front of everyone back at the pack. I was nicely dressed, even though part of the dress had torn at the edge.

My face had all turned red due to the number of tears I have shed.

Beside me was a sword draped in blood, I wonder who's blood it was, as I looked around confused about what was happening.

The crown on my head was snatched by an unknown hand. I was been accused of something I knew nothing of, I felt I could free myself from the false accusation but there was a lump in my throat that prevented me from talking.

The people were looking at me with various expressions, some were pity, the others were disgust.

“Kill her”

“Banish her”

“She is not worthy to be called our luna,” I heard the crowd chant.

I tried asking what was going on, but no one noticed my presence. I felt like I was invincible to them, only my other self kneeling on the ground noticed my presence.

She was having a sad look on her face while tears flowed freely from her eyes.

Then I looked up to the king's chair and I saw Alex seated on the throne, with a kingly crown placed on his head.

I was so happy to see Alex on the throne, as a little smile played around my lips. But I was baffled as to what was happening.

He seem helpless as he looked around the pack members in total silence, while they continued their chants.

After some time, he finally decides to address the crowd.

I king Alexander Xavier, reject you Ashley as mate and as the luna of this pack, you are hereby banished and never to step foot back here for as long as you live.

His words were like a sharp sword piercing through my heart, I watched the other me collapse on the floor as a result of heartbreak.

No, Alex, you can't do this, she is innocent, I am innocent, I shouted at his face but he could neither see nor hear me.

Then I rushed back to where the other me crying profusely on the floor

say something, tell them you didn't do it, tell them you are innocent, I said as tears begin to gather up in my eyes.

Take her away, Alex commanded,

No, you can't do this, stop! I scream out loud at the top of my lungs.

I woke up from my dream panting hysterically as I looked around me to see that I was still in the forest.

It was a dream, oh thank God it was a dream.

Even though it felt almost real, my heart was panting and I took a steady breath to try and calm it down.

What was that dream about? I pondered as I stood up from the floor. It was a beautiful morning with birds chirping up in the sky.

It could be that the dream was triggered by me sleeping out in the wild. I remember Alex calling me his mate in the dream when he was about to reject me.

As much as I would love to be the luna, I am just a slave girl and slaves don't suddenly become queens and princesses unless in movies and stories.

I sighed tiredly as I took in the view before me, my mind reflecting on what had happened the previous night.

Did the winds speak to me? Or was it just a fragment of my imagination?

I subconsciously tried pointing out my right hand to see if any blast would emerge, but nothing happened.

The whirlwind was also no longer in sight and I was a bit thankful for the fact that I was not killed in my sleep.

The next question on my mind was how to get to the river, that I needed to get my proof of actually taking part in this luna initiation.

Jessica had assured Alexander that she would take me there personally, but with her gone, I am stuck all by myself.

I may be crazy but I like the fact that I am alone now, but hopefully, I don't get stuck here for all eternity.

I brought out a pack of chips and munched a few before setting out to continue my journey.

*****

Jessica

I opened my eyes and what I saw amazed me, even though my body was seriously aching from the bad position I slept in.

My body was filled with dust, sand, and dried leaves that may have gotten stuck to my body after the heavy wind last night.

My clothes were still slightly damped and cold to my skin.

The surprising fact was that when I looked around the entire place, I noticed that everywhere was dried as if it had not rained the previous night, the only things in sight that were visibly drenched in the rain were me and my backpack.

How is that even possible, I mean I almost froze to death due to the intensity of the rain and the wind afterward.

The trees and the leaves on the floor were all crispy and dried up.

I have often heard people say that there is a witch in this forest, but I have never encountered any throughout my previous visit here.

I opened my backpack and soon noticed that all my clothes were still so fucking drenched.

I was freaking out as nothing happening at that moment seemed to make sense.

On second thought, I decided to rest my back against a tree, closed my eyes, and try to calm myself.

Just then I heard movement around me, I could smell that they were other wolves.

I opened my eyes and saw the four rogues from the previous night,

“What happened to you, did you pee on yourself,” one of them asked teasingly while laughing.

Something about the four rogue wolves had changed and I couldn't exactly figure out what it was.

“Ha! So Funny, I got drenched in the rain,” I replied, rolling my eyes heavenly.

“What rain?” they all asked simultaneously while staring at me weirdly.

“It rained last night, remember?”I asked, while I mentally tried to convince myself that I was not going crazy.

“No, it didn't,” one of the rogues said with a poof sound.

“I told you guys that it rained in my dream last night,” the skinny one among them said.

“Are you trying to say that, you both had the same dream?” another asked bursting into very annoying laughter.

By this time I was getting pissed with their nonchalant behavior.

“You know what, forget it, what about the slave girl I left with you last night,” I asked, getting irritated by their insipid jokes.

“What slave girl are you talking about? The one who appears to be the group leader said.

“Have you been smoking weed” another asked.

“You look like you need help” the skinny one added.

“Stop it!” I screamed at the four of them, I was getting frustrated with their stupid pranks.

Are they trying to drive me nuts, what was with all the clownish attitude?

“I'm talking about the girl, the one who calls herself Alex mate, remember her, you said you were going to kill her last night as revenge for how Alexander treated you guys in the past, I said, trying to be as calm as possible, but too bad most of my words came out in shouting.

“Kill who?”

“We don't kill people or animals,”

“We are vegetarians,”

“Who is Alexander?”

They kept asking me all the while I was praying that I don't go insane from their taunting.

I started laughing because I felt they were playing with me, but when they started staring at me awkwardly I knew something was not right and that they were dead serious.

“Why would we want to kill anyone, if we were killers we would have killed you in this instance, but we are not,” the leader said in a tune that would almost make you feel sorry for him.

What happens? Something is seriously not right here, first it was me getting drenched in the invincible rain. Secondly, the vicious-looking rogues that were ready for a fight last night seem to have forgotten who they are.

“Do you have any fruit or snacks with you that we can eat,” one of the rogues asked, but I was too stunned to respond, and before I could recollect myself they were gone with my backpack.

If they didn't kill the slave girl, it means that she is still alive and out there.

I need to find her and make sure I kill her myself before she exposes me to everyone.

I will kill that slave girl before she ruins me, and I don't fucking care about the consequences.