✓ | PRIMAL, jacob black ²

chapter forty one

CHAPTER FORTY ONE

"You've made your decision," Ahu Mala said with a gentle smile, her eyes locking onto Aniya's as she spoke. Aniya looked up, her gaze meeting the older woman's, and for the first time in a long while, she felt a sense of clarity. Ahu Mala stepped aside, revealing a single door, while the others around her began to fade and disappear into nothingness. The presence of those doors—those choices—vanished, leaving only this one remaining path.

Aniya let out a breath, a weight lifting from her chest, and a small chuckle escaped her lips. It was a mix of relief and something deeper as if she had just been granted permission to move forward. Her hand hovered over the door, but then, suddenly, something stopped her. She froze, her heart racing, a question suddenly swirling in her mind.

"Wait," Aniya said, her voice barely above a whisper as she turned back to Ahu Mala.

The older woman, who had begun to walk away, paused and turned back to face her. "Yes?" Ahu Mala's tone was soft, and patient, as if she already knew what Aniya needed to ask.

Aniya hesitated, her thoughts swirling. The weight of everything she had learned, everything she had seen, was heavy on her heart. "About my dreams... about everything that's been happening... and about the ending of it all..."

Ahu Mala's expression softened, and she took a step closer, offering Aniya a reassuring presence. "The ending of it?" she asked, her voice knowing.

Aniya nodded slowly, her gaze dropping to the ground as she processed everything. "Yes... I changed something, didn't I? I made a decision, but I still feel like something's not right. Someone... someone still gets hurt, doesn't they?"

Ahu Mala's eyes seemed to darken slightly as if she knew exactly where Aniya's thoughts were leading. She closed her eyes for a moment as if gathering her words carefully before speaking again. "Yes, Aniya, you did change the outcome. But that change doesn't mean the consequences can be avoided. Someone still gets hurt." She paused, allowing the weight of her words to settle in the air between them. "But it wasn't your decision alone that shaped this, it was Jacob's too."

"Jacob?" Aniya whispered, her heart tightening at the thought. She wasn't sure how to respond to that. The idea of Jacob being part of whatever future lay ahead for them made her feel both hopeful and conflicted. She struggled to form the words that might explain the flood of emotions coursing through her. "He isn't... he isn't going to—"

Ahu Mala interrupted her softly, cutting off her sentence before it could be finished. "There is no death, Aniya. If that's what you're fearing, then you can let that worry go. Death is not what awaits you." Her voice was firm but gentle, giving Aniya the reassurance she desperately needed.

Relief flooded through Aniya's chest, and she let out a shaky breath. She had been holding onto that fear for so long, terrified that whatever dream she had seen would become a reality. But now, the tension she had been carrying melted away. Still, something lingered. She glanced up at Ahu Mala, a faint smile beginning to form on her lips, but the older woman's solemn expression made her hold it back.

"But he got hurt," Aniya whispered, her voice cracking slightly as the reality of what Ahu Mala had said settled in. "Jacob... he gets hurt."

Ahu Mala nodded, her gaze distant as if she were seeing something that Aniya couldn't. "Yes, Jacob gets hurt, and so does someone else. But it's an accident—one that couldn't have been avoided. Not even with all the decisions made, not with all the choices in your hands. That is the reality, Aniya. It's not your fault. And you need to remember that when you wake up." She placed a hand on Aniya's shoulder, grounding her in the present. "The choice you made was the right one, but the consequences, as always, are part of the journey."

Aniya's mind raced, unable to fully grasp everything. "But if I had died... if I had gone through with it—"

Ahu Mala's voice was firm, cutting through Aniya's swirling thoughts. "If you had died, Jacob would have followed. That is the price of the bond you share. When your soulmate dies, the heart does not heal. It shatters." She paused, her eyes softening as she looked at Aniya with compassion. "But it is also a blessing, Aniya. It's the blessing of finding the one you truly belong with, just as you are beginning to realize. You and Jacob, you are connected in ways that go beyond understanding."

Aniya blinked, processing this new revelation. "But I never saw Leah's soulmate in my dream," she said softly, the confusion still in her voice. "Why couldn't I see them?"

Ahu Mala smiled gently, the wisdom of years shining through her eyes. "The reason you couldn't see Leah's soulmate is because she deserves to find them on her own. It might seem cruel, but sometimes we need to walk our own journey without someone else predicting the end for us. Leah has endured heartbreak, and she must heal from that on her own. She needs to find her path forward without being pushed along it. Pain is a part of growth, Aniya. Without it, we can never truly move on, never truly love again."

Aniya nodded slowly, her heart heavy with understanding. She had never seen Leah's soulmate, and perhaps it was because Leah needed to walk that road alone, just as she herself needed to walk her own path with Jacob. The realization settled in her heart, and though it was bittersweet, she understood.

"Thank you, Ahu Mala," Aniya said, bowing her head in gratitude, her voice full of sincerity. Ahu Mala chuckled softly, her smile warm and genuine.

"No, thank you," Ahu Mala replied. "Thank you for finally making my name known, for allowing me to be at peace. And now that my name is known again, I can finally rest with my love. It's been a long time coming." She sighed, content with the knowledge that her time had come to an end.

"You deserve peace," Aniya said softly, her voice filled with emotion. She truly felt that Ahu Mala had earned her peace, after all that she had done to guide her.

Ahu Mala gave her one last, knowing smile. "And you, Aniya Majorie, deserve your own peace as well. It has been a pleasure to know you, and to be part of your journey. Now, as for those dreams... now that you know what you truly want, it's time to let them go. Close that window forever. You've always had the strength, the will, to control your destiny. So go on now, live your life, and make your choices."

Aniya nodded in understanding, her heart calm and clear now, the confusion dissipating. She could feel the shift inside her, the clarity in her soul. She no longer needed to hold onto the dream world, no longer needed to search for answers in the past. The future was in her hands.

Ahu Mala bowed once more, and without another word, she turned away, walking into the distance, fading into the peace she had earned. Aniya closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath, feeling the weight of everything that had happened, and everything that was yet to come.

She turned toward the door that awaited her, and as she stepped through it, she knew that her journey was far from over. It was just beginning.