Alpha Vaughan

Chapter 50

The heady smell of flowers filled my nose as I came to.

On blinking open my eyes, I realized I was in a bright garden straight out of a fairytale. Vibrant green surrounded me and the melodious chirps of birds filled my ears.

The garden seemed to exude a peaceful mien, and serenity slipped into me, calming my nerves tremendously.

Standing, I looked around, walking along the path filled with vines and scrambling badgers. "Hello?"

Where was I? I wondered internally as I walked on. My head whipped around at sound of leaves rustling.

A woman who could've easily been the most beautiful in the planet approached me.

As she drew nearer, I realized in surprise that her features alternated between several others. One second her eyes were green, the next moment they were a striking amber. One second her hair was midnight black, and the next they were gleaming blonde. But in all, her face maintained one look, if that even made sense.

"Who are you?" I breathed out.

Her voice seemed to fill every pore of my being as she spoke. "I am the moongoddess."

"What? What am I doing here?" I asked. "Am I dead?" Although I couldn't remember the memory of me doing so.

"Do you remember anything that happened?"

"No..." I started to search my brain. "Oh, I remember. I and Vaughan were preparing to go to April Thorne's masquerade ball."

She regarded me for a while, then said cryptically, "Fair enough."

I drew back. "What do you mean?"

She turned on her heels and started to walk away.

"Hey, where are you going?" I followed behind her.

We entered into a wide clearing. In the middle of it rose a stone well. Vines crept around the length of it and colourful butterflies beat their wings flying around the structure.

As we approached, the butterflies drew away from the well to flit around the tall woman. She released a melodious laugh holding out her index finger to see a glittering blue butterfly land on it.

She set it away then continued to advance towards the well. I followed suit, trying to see past the butterflies that swarmed around me.

Now stood beside her, I looked down at the well and saw our faces reflected back at us.

"Why am I here?" I asked, looking back at her.

"Hilda, I want you to tell me what it is you want the most."

"A wolf," I said without thinking. "I want a wolf."

She nodded slowly. "And you would give just anything to have one?"

My heart swelled with hope. "Yes. Yes, I would give just about anything to have one."

"Then so be it." She placed a cool palm on my forehead, and instantly, flashes of images bombarded me. A dark warehouse. Haunted forest green eyes. Vaughan's wild eyes as he marked me. A crumbling warehouse. Smiling forest green eyes. Vaughan's wild eyes in his half-state.

Then Vladimir's smug face appeared in my mind. And finally, the image of Vaughan's decapitated head in his hold.

I sucked in a large breath when the images stopped, then stumbled away from the goddess.

Tears blinding my vision, I stuttered out, "I've g-got to get back to hi-- is there a way you could bring him back to me? Just... help me. You're a godde--"