Chapter 23: Chapter 23

Chapter 23- Hallucinations or Real?

MAIA'S POV

I was awoken that night by the same loud growling and shaking, just like the night when Neal helped me escape.

'Avi! Do you hear that? It's the same growling just like last time,' l exclaimed in a slight panic.

'Maybe they are interrogating another rogue? Didn't Neal say that's what it was?' Avi replied with a question.

'Really, Avi? That's the first thing that will come across your mind?' I asked.

I got out of bed and went by the door, trying to listen.

'Well, what did you expect me to say, a ghost or a monster? Seriously, Maia. Just go back to bed and sleep. I doubt that there could be any scary monsters in this castle,' she said, completely blocking me off.

'Great! Just great, Avi!' I scoffed.

I placed my ear by the door while trying to figure out what the sound was.

*AAAARRRRRRRGGGGHHHHWWWWRRRRRRRR*

There it was again.

I was about to open the door when I heard footsteps running towards the room. I took slow and careful steps away from the door while my eyes were focused on it.

My heart was throbbing fast as I silently prayed for the footsteps to pass by my room.

When I saw the doorknob twist, my eyes went wide, and I felt like my heart was in my throat. I stood in the ready position as I waited for whoever the intruder was to enter.

As soon as the door opened, I threw a punch, which was easily caught by Neal.

Wait, what? Neal?

"Neal? "I yelled.

"What are you doing, Maia?" he asked.

"I could ask you the same thing! What the hell are you doing here?" I asked, taking my hand from his grip.

"Checking up on you," he said.

"In the middle of the night? What are you? My stalker?" I asked.

"Of course not. I always check up on you at night. It's King Alpha's orders. What are you even doing awake at this time of the night?" he replied, asking why I was awake.

"Didn't you hear the growling?" I asked, my eyes trained at the door, waiting for any intruders just in case.

"What growling?" he asked.

"In what planet were you from that you failed to hear that loud growl? What about the shaking? Please tell me that you felt it," I asked.

"Are you okay, Maia? Any pain or wounds? Did someone come here after I left?" he asked, checking my body for wounds.

"Are you telling me that I'm going crazy?" I exclaimed.

"No, but you might be hallucinating or dreaming perhaps?" he asked.

"I am not! I know what I heard!" I exclaimed.

Neal was about to say something when I heard the growls again.

*AAAARRRRRRRGGGGHHHHWWWWRRRRRRRR*

"There it is. Tell me you heard that," I exclaimed, standing behind him.

He turned around and held me by my shoulders.

"There were no growls, Maia. It is as quiet as the night," he said.

"No! I swear I heard it," I insisted.

"Maia, why don't you go to bed and rest, huh?" he said, leading me towards the bed.

When the floor shook, I quickly turned around and looked at Neal.

"Did you feel that? It was like a quick earthquake," I exclaimed, asking him.

He just looked at me weirdly.

"Maia, I think you are reading way too many books that you are starting to hallucinate," he said, patting my head.

"I am not hallucinating or dreaming, Neal! I swear someone is growling!" I exclaimed, annoyed.

"And here I am telling you that there isn't any noise or growling," he replied.

I was about to give up and just go back to bed when a brilliant idea came to my mind.

"Fine! I will prove to you that what I'm hearing is real. We will follow the growling when I hear it again!"

I exclaimed.

"That is not a brilliant idea at all. You are supposed to be in bed. The King Alpha will definitely get mad if he sees you roaming outside," he said.

"Then we better not get caught," I said before going to the closet and getting a jacket.

"Do you not understand? Going out there is the same thing as having a death wish. I don't want to die yet," he replied.

"Don't you understand that I'm trying to prove to you that it's real?" I asked, already getting annoyed.

"You are not going anywhere, Maia. Don't make me put guards by the balcony and by the door because I'm telling you that I will if I have to. Don't make me," he insisted as his eyes squinted.

After a couple of seconds of staring contest with him, I gave up.

"Ugh! Fine! But I swear, I am not crazy or hallucinating. I know what I heard and felt. I will prove it to you one of these days," I said.

He did not leave until I was back on the bed. I could still smell his scent strongly, which meant that he was still by the door. However, when I opened it, he wasn't there.

I let out a sigh and went back to bed. I tried to go back to sleep even though my guts were still telling me to go outside and check out where the growling was coming from.

After countless tosses and turns, I finally fell asleep.

I woke up the next morning with a slight headache. I almost had a heart attack when I saw Emily fixing the table.

"Good Morning. Your breakfast is ready," she said, greeting me.

I put my hand on my temple as I lightly massaged it.

"Good morning, Emily. How was your night?" I asked, greeting her back,

"It was lovely. What about yours?" She replied, asking about my night.

"Emily, can I ask you something?" I asked.

"Of course. What is it?" she replied, asking.

"Did you hear any weird noises last night? Growling, perhaps?" I asked.

"Last night?" she asked, thinking about it.

I looked at her as I impatiently waited while she thought about it.

"No. It was a peaceful evening," she replied.

"Aha," I mumbled.

'Am I losing my mind?' I asked myself.

'You have already lost your mind ages ago, Maia. Don't act like you are surprised,' Avi said.

'Oh, shut up!' I scoffed.

"Why? Did something happen?" Emily asked, pulling me out of my trance.

"Huh? No, I was just asking," I lied and shook my head.

"Well, you should wash up now before your breakfast becomes cold," she said.

I smiled at her and got out of bed. When I finished my morning routine, I found Emily fixing my bed.

"Is there anything else you need?" she asked.

"No. Thank you, Emily," I replied with a smile.

She was already by the door when I remembered something.

"Oh, Emily!" I exclaimed.

She stopped in her tracks and turned around.

"Yes?" She asked.

"Can you please tell Neal to pass by my room when you see him?" I requested.

"Of course, I will let the Beta know," she replied.

I started eating my breakfast as I waited for Neal to arrive. I needed to ask him about last night.

I had just finished eating when I heard a knock on the door.

"Come in!" I said, loud enough for whoever was at the door to hear.

The door opened, and a guard entered.

"Beta Neal sent me to inform you that he will come in half an hour. He is just finishing up some paperwork," the guard said.

"Okay. Thank you," I replied.

The guard left as soon as he was dismissed.

While waiting, I decided to read a book. I sat on the sofa by the window and opened the book.

A couple of pages through the book, I heard another knock on the door. This time, Neal's scent hit my nose.

"Come in, Neal," I said, closing the book that I was holding.

"Good morning, Maia. How was your sleep?" he greeted, asking about my night.

"You already know how my night went. No need to rub it in," I replied.

He looked at me, confused.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Really? Now is not the time to throw jokes, Neal," I complained.

"What are you talking about, Maia?" he asked.

I let out a groan and told him what had happened.

"I never visited you last night. I was in my bed the whole time, sleeping," he said.

"No, you weren't! You were here. I swear," I insisted.

We argued for the last 15 minutes.

"Look, Maia. I don't know what you saw or who you saw last night, but it wasn't me," he insisted.

As soon as he left, I had an existential crisis.

'I know what I saw, heard, and felt. I'm not making it up,' I complained to myself.

'Maia, you might be super stressed from looking for Uriah! Just give it some time. Sit back and relax,' Avi said.

I spent the rest of the day pondering about what really happened last night and what did not.