Choleric

Chapter XVI

"There is no need to fear the virus, only those is deep poverty will be affected," Alexander Bortnik, WWGEO speaker.

[unedited]

Celia tossed and turned. Her mind focused, thoughts crystal clear while her body trapped her in a paralysing slumber. Trying to force her eyes open, she began to panic. The night air caressed her skin as Aria lay beside her, hoarding the covers as her still body lay peacefully on the mattress.

Everything seemed hazy. Her panic clouded over the image her brain tried to force upon her. She fought against it, willing her eyes to open until suddenly, everything became crystal clear.

Her wolf carried her gracefully through the unfamiliar forest. The feeling of air pulling her hair was thrilling, yet different in a way she could not decipher. The further she ran, the darker the forest became until Celia found herself stopping at a small clearing. Hollow logs concealed with thick moss surrounded the area. Her wolf sniffed at the ground, the scent sending her heart into a racing pace.

The clearing was eerie. The unusual quietness sent sirens to go off in her head.

I shouldn't be here, she thought to herself hastily while her body seemed to have a mind of its own.

She felt a numbness wash over her as her limbs lost their fur and became an entirely new structure. As she stood, grass trees brushed over her sides. Her eyes began to wonder on their own accord. Searching for something it seemed, yet she had no idea what exactly. Leaves lay bare across the floor, concealing everything in their path.

It wasn't until Celia reached for the rusted handle that poked out of the earth that she realised something was off. Light blasted her face and she flinched away instinctively. Retina's burning she tried to force her heartbeat to slow before she dared to fight against the searing light. Looking into the pit, Celia saw nothing but sterile tiles. The vast difference between the harshly lit hole and the forest surrounding her caused her brain to scatter in confusion.

What is going on? Her limbs felt different as they gracefully moved to their accord. It was as if they were longer and heavier, yet a lot stronger. When her body crouched in a readiness to drop into the strange underground room, she noticed something between her legs that definitely should not be there.

I'm a boy? She exclaimed in confusion. This was so weird.

Her body - well, her dream body, as it obviously was not hers - dropped into the lit up room. She felt her heart leap to her throat as her feet slipped over the surprisingly slippery floor. Grabbing hold of a bench she regained herself and stood up straight.

Eyes wandering around, Celia's confusion bubbled as she stared at the unfamiliar surroundings. The room was surprisingly large, with doors against the walls. It was like an entire house underground.

She was standing in a lounge room. Only it didn't look the slightest bit comfortable with hard white benches facing a small television. The right florescent light ricocheted off the white interior. Everything was pristine, not a speck of dirt could be seen - which was kind of ironic as she was standing below a forest.

Nervousness bubbled inside her as she looked around the harsh room. Everything was still, as if no one had lived here for years. She wanted to turn around, scamper up the hatch and run as far away from this place as she possibly could. Only, she had no control of her body.

Instead she felt her legs carry her further into the room. Weaving past the benches she headed into a small kitchenette, facing a closed door to the left.

"Gordon!" Celia's heart raced as the deep voice left her mouth. The suddenness wasn't nearly as alarming as the familiarity. She could recognise this voice anywhere.

She was Cassius.

A loud crash rang from behind the door before a thin, old man came scuttling out. His hair was oily and receding, his skin pale and sunken eyes hid behind large glasses. It seemed as if the frail man wearing a lab coat far too big had not seen the sun in about a decade. He looked up at Cassius' body with a questioning glance. It was clear this man didn't fear him like everyone else did.

"It has been a long while boy. What are you doing in this place?" The old man asked. His voice much stronger than his body perceived.

Celia tried to glance around the man to see what was behind the door, but her eyes stayed focused on his unhealthy frame, refusing to let her see anything beyond the white coat.

"Why can I feel things?" Cassius' course voice left her mouth. The question caught her attention and she froze.

"I do not know what you are talking about, boy," the man replied as he moved passed to take a seat on the stiff, white bench. Cassius huffed in annoyance.

"My feelings. They have come back. You told me they would be gone forever, but ever since I met her they have been flooding my mind. Why?" He pushed impatiently.

The old man, Gordon, smiled. "You did not think we could just take them away did you? No. That is impossible. To take someone's feelings is to take someone's life. We only buried them and something that has been buried can always be dug out."

"But I don't want them!" The forcefulness of his voice made Celia cringe. "I want -"

•§•

"Wake up!" Her eyes snapped open as a cold hand brought her to life. Eve's face was only inches from her own as Celia felt herself being pinned down against the bed.

"What's happening?" She asked, shoving her friend to the side. Aria slept soundly on the other side of the bed, unaware of the two girls conversing beside her.

"It's so nice this morning! You can't possibly spent it in bed. Get up!" Eve bounced onto her feet, her white hair a beautiful halo that shifted every time she moved. She bounded to the door in excitement before she realised Celia had not been following. "What's the matter?"

Celia sat up and rubbed her eyes, the dream still a vivid memory in the back of her mind. "I just had a bad dream is all," she replied to her friend as she slowly became conscious enough to slide out of bed. Eve's featured fell into sympathy as Celia's toes gripped the carpet. Finding the feeling of the fluffy flooring comforting. It reminded her that the harsh sterile room didn't exist.

"What was it about?" Eve asked as they left the bedroom behind and sank into the lush couches in the main room.

Celia sighed and rubbed her face. "More like who was it about," she groaned. She couldn't take her mind away from him to even sleep it seemed.

"Alpha Cassius?" Eve asked, although she already knew the answer.

Celia nodded, groaning in frustration. "I can't believe my dream self even gives excuses as to why he hates me!" Her body curled into itself on the couch as she threw a small pity party. Why was everything so difficult?

"It's because you miss him. It's natural to miss your mate.... I think," Eve tried to reassure her friend who sulked on the couch beside her. "Besides we are going to have so much fun today you won't even remember his name! We will go swimming, we can bake! We can do whatever you want," she wrapped her arms awkwardly over Celia's crumpled body. "And even if you do miss him, the meeting is soon and you will definitely see him there."

Celia had completely forgotten about the meeting of the packs. Each year the surrounding packs met up so werewolves could find their mates. If the pack's Beta had a mate, it was mandatory for the Alpha to arrive, which meant she would be seeing Cassius in a few days time.

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Hey all I was meant to update Friday but my internet had a spaz so that was fun.

Thanks everyone for reading! Hope you all enjoyed!

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