From The Ashes

Chapter Six

Artemis was flying down the road back to her house, going double the speed limit the whole time. Aunt Maddie had already spilled the beans to her when she realized I was too stunned to speak. 

Artemis, on the other hand, was livid.

 
"How dare he?!" she shrieked. "What kind of sick and twisted person trades their daughter off just as her life is getting put back together? And then doesn't even care what happens! It sickens me!" 

" Calm down, Artemis. There's nothing we can do now except support Indigo," Aunt Maddie soothed. Artemis glanced in the rear view mirror at me and sighed. 

"I guess you're right, it's just... insane," she replied. The car was quiet until we pulled into her driveway. 

"You know, it is actually pretty strategic though," Artemis muttered as we walked up to the house. 

"What do you mean?" I asked, feeling a little offended. 

"Well, think about it. You spent your whole life not being found out because you were an Omega. Nobody cared enough to dig deep into your past. But with you gaining your title, it puts you in a spotlight. It lifts you up from the depths of anonymity, and puts you front and center of the pack and their questions. If he sends you away now, before any of that can happen, he keeps his secret from them."

I stopped walking. I hadn't thought of it like that before, but she was right.

 The anger I had already been feeling suddenly morphed into a white, hot rage. I was way past the point of furious. I could feel my blood beginning to boil and I clenched my fists tightly at my sides. Sienna growled in my head. 

 "That lying, traitorous bastard," she snarled. I could feel her pacing around with her hackles raised. She was not happy about this situation either.

 
Artemis paused with the key in the lock and turned to look back at me. Her face morphed into one of shock. 

"Indigo, your eyes!" she exclaimed. 

I was too mad to care about anything right now. I growled and began pacing on her front steps. The pacing wasn't helping so I roared and drove my clenched fist into the side of her house. Just as I did, the outside lights popped and blew out, almost catching fire to the flowers littering the garden below. 

Artemis shrieked in surprise and Aunt Maddie backed away. My rage was overcome by the surprise. 

"Did I do that?" I whispered.

 "Yes, you did, but we don't have time to dwell on it right now. We have to get moving," Aunt Maddie replied. I nodded my head and turned back to them.

"You're eyes are still glowing," Artemis muttered to me. 

We walked in the front door and I turned to the mirror hanging in the hallway. I let out a gasp. She was right.

 My normally dark purple irises were glowing a brilliant golden white color. When Sienna took control, my eyes were a deep, dark gold, so this was completely new. I stood there and watched as they slowly faded back to their normal color. 

"Well that was odd," I voiced aloud, but no one was around to hear. Artemis came plopping back down the stairs with a large suitcase in her hands. 

"Here, these are all the clothes you left here, plus some from my collection for you. Also some pictures and things..." She trailed off and tears pooled in her eyes. I took her in for a hug. 

"It'll be okay. You'll see me again before you know it," I told her. She just squeezed me back tighter in response.

 Aunt Maddie came out from around the corner carrying a smaller back pack and a small purple drawstring pouch with silver scrawling all over it. She handed me the back pack first.