The Path to Love

Chapter 19: Meadow

Water thrashed from the waterfalls and glistened under the rays of the moon. Where was I? Scanning my surroundings, I noticed that I was at the precipice of  a river.

The eerie sound of a night owl  and cool rushes of the wind encapsulated me, stealing my focus. Sharp tree branches swayed under the heavy weight of the wind. I began to call out for help, feeling an undeniable  feeling that something terrible was about to happen. I was met with no reply, and so I began to walk away from the river, directionless and afraid. 

Something was coming, I could sense it with every part of me. I walked, constantly, checking all around me. I felt as if I was being watched, stalked from  under the shadows of the trees. I tugged my jacket closer to myself,.

I jolted awake from my bed, my heart beating at a rapid pace. The realization that it was all a dream filled me with immense relief. I sighed, still shaken by my experience.

With a dry mouth, I exited my room, in need of a glass of water. The house was dark and quiet, everyone else was asleep. As I walked down the stairs, I heard the sound of someone sobbing.

I slowed my pace, before I identified the figure of Meadow. Her back was turned to me, as she sat on a kitchen stool. Her shoulders shook violently and I placed my hands on her shoulder, making her jump and suddenly turn towards me.

"What's wrong?" I asked. I knew that she wasn't a fan of me, but still remained concerned at her current state.

She wiped her face, attempting to compose herself. I stood beside her, awaiting a response. She looked up, eyes blank and spoke in a monotonous voice. "Stop acting like you care." Then, she looked past me, into the distance as if I weren't there, before getting up from her seat.

"I don't know you well . You hate me because I am a human but I don't hate you." I said. It just seemed sad, knowing that someone who seemed so strong to everyone, was hurting deep inside of themselves.

"I don't hate you because you are human. I dislike my memories, especially when you are around me." She clarified, her voice becoming louder as she spoke.  I stood silently, aware that she would continue speaking.

"Ten bloody years." She started, taking a seat on the kitchen stool. She squinted, as if remembering something, pausing before continuing.

"The siege of death would have happened ten years ago, tomorrow ." She spoke her thoughts aloud, looking away from me, to the ground.

"There will be another bloodbath tomorrow. Who else will we lose?" She asked, looking up at me, briefly. She looked down at her feet again, placing stray strands of her short black hair behind her ears.

"What was the siege of death?" I asked, careful with my words. Not wanting to provoke her.

"The day I lost everything." She whispered. Her voice slightly wavered before continuing. 

"There was a siren, Jezebel. She seduced a beta wolf, Andrew. He was Xerex's beta, before Caelan became the alpha of the Silver Wind pack." I remembered Xerex, who was not the least bit pleased to meet me. He was extremely stiff and unlikeable, unlike his son.

"When Andrew met her, he had not yet found his mate.  Everyone knew that their so called relationship would not last. Regardless, we left him, not thinking too much of it. We all thought she was harmless, initially unaware that she was part siren." I instantly remembered doing some research on sirens as a child, wondering if they could still exist. Well, now I know. 

"Sirens are professional seductresses. However, not all seduce to kill. Anyways, some weeks later, Andrew found his mate. Jezebel was livid. He tried to break things off with her. She lost her mind and killed both he and his mate in a fit of rage. She concocted a story to Xerex about how Andrew and his mate, Evangeline were planning on killing Xerex and his mate, Charisa, wanting to overthrow them ."

"So, Charisa was Caelan's mother." I said out loud, as the realization hit me.

She nodded before continuing. "Nobody believed her. Andrew and Caelan were childhood friends, best friends. You would think that they were brothers. Xerex was heartbroken and demanded that she be imprisoned and killed. That day, Charisa discovered Andrew and his mates bodies when she went hunting." She paused, sighing.

"Charisa interfered, not believing that it was fair to kill Jezebel. She said that two wrongs did not make a right." Meadow said, humorlessly chuckling. "But Charisa was wrong. Jezebel deserved to die." She snapped, tightening her tattooed fists .

"So, what happened?"

"She was banished from the pack, unbeknownst to us, she was pregnant with a child, Delilah." I did a double take.

"Delilah? But I'm 18 now and she and I are in the same grade." I remarked. If the sieged occurred ten years ago, then Delilah should be ten years old.

"Delilah is also part siren, so she ages quicker than usual human beings." She said. So Delilah, the one person I loathed more than my parents was a siren. When I thought about it, it wasn't too hard to believe. All the boys at school were practically obsessed with her.

" Anyways, Jezebel and Delilah were outcasts for years, before forming an army or rogues. They attacked Xerex's pack so that they could become the most powerful group in the land. She came back to destroy the Silver Wind  pack, in retaliation but ended up being killed in battle along with the rest of her pack. So was Ashton, my mate." She said, as some tears fell down her face. I could not understand how anyone could be so cruel. 

"I'm so sorry Meadow." I said. I knew that nothing I could say or do would bring Ashton back. But I felt a deep sympathy towards her .

She ignored my comment and continued. " Charisa , one of the greatest werewolves I have ever known was killed as well. She sacrificed her life for her pack. She lured Jezebel to a cliff and tried to push her off as they fought . However, Jezebel wasn't going down alone . The only way she was going to die was if Charisa went down with her."

I didn't know what to say. Meadow stopped speaking and I hugged her. She silently cried without hugging me back. I let go once she stopped.

"Luna is pregnant, madly in love with Phoenix. And then there's you and Caelan.." She trailed off.

"Let's not forget Thane." I said, trying to make her laugh.

"I guess he's a special case." She lightly chuckled. I planned on congratulating them both the next day. Now, I did my best to simply be with Meadow, even though I could not relate to her pain .

She told me about Charisa, how beautiful and strong she was. Caelan was a spitting image of her.

"Which one of your parents do you resemble?" She suddenly asked . I paused for a few moment, genuinely surprised at her question.

"None." I blankly stated . "They wanted me to be a replica of them both ." I sighed .

"What will you do if they find you ?"

"I won't go back. Ever." That was a fact I was certain of. I was not going to return to people who constantly judged me, forcing me to suppress myself.

"You are tougher than you look, Claire ." She said . I think that was the first time she ever called my name without referring to me as 'human' or 'it.'