Hidden lycan

41.

Unconscious.

Not awake; having no awareness.

In the tendrils of cobwebs, I try to catch hold of my consciousness but the more I try to escape, it grows tighter, dragging my legs, my hands and my soul deeper into the darkness.

I finally catch hold of a thread but just as it landed on my hands, it disappeared.

Maya...

A faint voice called,

Maya...

It called again and I followed, I wanted to give up on the voice and fall back into the endless state of darkness but I thought otherwise.

Just that moment, I took hold of that thread that appeared in front of me before it would disappear.

My eyelids were heavy but I tried my very best to push it open and the moment I had opened it, I closed it, my eyelashes brushing my face. Just then I felt the warm touch and the sweet scent that'll forever drown in.

"You're awake,"

With his words, I opened my eyes again, adjusting to the light that was seeping through the window.

Axina dressed differently, Diana was there as well.

I smiled at Roux, my hands enclosed in his.

I didn't know how long I was unconscious and the feeling of dread in my stomach was something I couldn't brush aside.

"How long was I out?" I asked still deep in thought.

"The past twenty four hours, you don't have to worry too much... " Axina answered. I try to seat up, it was like a nail was being drilled down my brain. I squint my face in pain. Roux was quick to help me rest my head back on the bed.

"What time is it?" I asked again.

"It's passed three," Roux answered.

I welcome the darkness that was waiting for me but the unsettling feeling didn't leave me.

~

The doves, that was what I saw in my dream. It felt Serene and beyond this world but I knew better than to enjoy it as it wouldn't last long.

I had regained my strength and my head didn't hurt anymore. It was something to be grateful for.

I was startled by the movements and unfamiliar scent that filled my nostrils. It was like a dark aura filling the room and just then I pushed my self up. As if I had imagined it, the scent vanished and the room was clear again.

Axina and Diana had come in with three other women behind while I stood where I was.

"Are you okay?" Diana asked on seeing the expression on my face.

"I'm fine. Just that I thought someone was in here earlier," I answered before I went to sit back on the bed. Axina sat on my left while Diana, by my right. Her hands came up my forehead, feeling my temperature.

"I see you're all better now," she smiled. "You don't have to worry about anything. No one came in . I think it's the after effect of the medicine. It'll wear off soon," She expressed. I knew what I had sensed and was very much alert. I shoved it aside and looked at the three women who stood in front of me, staring like I was some treasure to be cherished.

"The moon with you oh Luna and blessed be thy destiny," One of the woman said. She had dark brown hair and hazel eyes. She lowered her head, the other two did the same as well. Diana had her hands on my shoulder to keep me calm while I listened to what they had to say.

"I'm Eliana" she introduced before she pointed at the other women. "Roselle and Audrey" she introduced. Roselle had red hair and Audrey light brown with patches of freckles on her face.

"Nice to meet you," I said in a monotone voice. It didn't take long before Eliana started to speak again.

"We believed you had died just like your mother and father but it turned out we were wrong. You had lived with us all this while and we knew nothing about it. Thank you Ralia for saving us. Please forgive my ignorance and accept this gift. It's to show my gratitude and I believe you'll make a great Luna." She commented. The other two said their praises as well and afterwards, they left, dropping their gifts and flowers behind. The little gesture was enough to put a smile on my face. "Didn't know it was going to turn out like this," I voiced. It was good that some people thought good of me. The smile on my face faltered as the other part of me felt that the rest wouldn't accept me but see me as someone who had endangered all of them.

Axina patted my head while she rested on my shoulders.

"You don't have to worry about all that or hide yourself anymore. I'm sure they'll adore you and you'll make a great Luna," She said. Her words were enough to lighten me up. She stopped patting my head and held both of my shoulders that I was now facing her.

"You'll do well Ralia, they'll love you," She encouraged while I smiled.

"Where's Annabelle?" I asked as the unsettling feeling of dread returned. The look on Axina and Diana's face had turned white like all of the oxygen was sucked out of it.

"She's-" Axina try to say but didn't complete her sentence. I had thought of all the worst possible scenario but it wasn't something that ended well. My wolf was surfacing, fangs itching to come out. I didn't know what had happened to Anna and it was all my fault.

"Breathe in Ralia, breathe in," Diana soothed. She held on to my shoulders, my chest rising and falling while I try to keep it down. My eyes had changed from blue to golden yellow, my fingernails elongating.

"Where is she?" I asked turning to face Diana. I could see my wolf at the surface and nothing was helping to calm me down.

"She's been kidnapped," Diana let out and just as she said those words, I couldn't contain my wolf. The black veins had reached out to my face and my fangs out.

"Where is Anna," My voice resounded which was more primal and less human.

"You have to pull yourself back in," Axina try to reach out to me but my animalistic nature had already taken over. I sprinted out of the room and they followed behind.

I passed by pack members and down into the woods. The cold breeze blew hard on my skin, my white hair swinging behind while I ran deeper into the woods.

It was my fault that Anna was taken. I was worried and scared for her. I wanted to leave the pack, to go after her but I didn't know where to start.

"Ralia please wait!" Axina called but I didn't listen. I kept running, running until I was tired.

The tears fell down my cheeks, the veins had started retracting while I went back to being more human. I sat on a fallen branch, Axina and Diana still behind.

The air around me was different before Aoife showed herself. Her hair was up in a dough, decorated by white pearls.

"Ralia," She called. She had a pearl necklace on her hands and in no time it was around my neck.

"It's beautiful," I try to smile at her.

"It's okay Ralia. You'll overcome all this and you'll find your friend. The pearl was made by sister. A famous collection of the water sidhe,"

Diana and Axina arrived that moment and just then Aoife was one with the wind.

I'll see you tomorrow

I heard her whisper sweep my ears.

I stood from where I sat and hugged both Axina and Diana.

"It's okay, I'm sure she'll be fine," Diana comforted.

"She isn't" I whispered.

They'll torture her like they tortured me and thinking about that was just horrific.

"I'm sure the warriors would find her and would bring her back," Axina explained but her words didn't go through to me.

I wanted to go, to bring Anna back but I didn't know where to start, how to locate them.

"Come on, let's go," Diana took hold of my hands before we left from there but I wasn't feeling any better.