It wasn't until two days after the Lunar fest that the weight of being a chosen one crashed down upon Elysia.
She thought she could pretend. She thought she could close her eyes and pretend none of it happened. That she didn't see that photograph - where Avyanna wore the same mask as her. That she didn't dance with Alpha Zavian. That she didn't emit a creepy silver aura.
That she wasn't chosen.
But it had happened.
Everything was real. And she realised that when she got a phone call from the chosen committee - requesting her presence at the capital.
Well, 'requesting' her presence implied that she had to pack up and leave the Astra pack to be a part of the chosen committee.
"For the betterment of the werewolves"
"For your betterment too, Elysia."
"For a future no one can predict."
There was just something about leaving the people she loved 'for a greater cause' that didn't sit well with her.
She'd heard stories. Stories of how brave the chosen ones were, of how every chosen one had proved themselves time and again, of how some had gone crazy - trying to fulfill their roles.
Elysia had always thought herself as someone who was selfless. Among those who'd sacrifice and sacrifice and sacrifice themselves for people. She'd rather it be her than witness someone else doing it for her.
But wasn't it always the life altering decisions that made you want to be selfish - for once?
Before her mind could think drown her in waves and waves of overthinking, she decided to shift and go on a run into the forest. Simply because that was the only way she could communicate with her wolf.
The answers she was seeking would not come to her as a mere human. They would come to her when she was in her werewolf form and the human her was still lingering in her subconscious.
~~~~~~~~
Everyone she'd ever known had told her shifting hurt like a bitch - and it was true. But Elysia had always associated her wolf with freedom. Her tethers to the world would cut, her mind would become a wild free thing, her heart would beat loud loud loud.
She never understood how or when her pain morphed into the feeling of freedom.
And so she welcomed the cracking of her bones with a open heart and transformed into her golden brown wolf.
The wind rustling her fur and the bursts of adrenaline encouraging her body to run, run and run were nothing compared to the peace she felt in this form.
She ran until she reached a creek - which so happened to be her favourite place in the entire forest - and sat down.
She was aware of her human form as well as her wolf as she started thinking.
~~~~~~~~~
It was an instinct for her mind to automatically think of everything that could go wrong.
She could be deemed unworthy.
The gods choosing her could be a mistake.
One wrong move, and she'd jeopardize herself, her entire pack and the chosen committee
Hell , she could even die --
Stop. Stop and breathe. Her wolf whispered to her subconscious.
She listened to her wolf and let the wind vacate her off her thoughts.
Touch your pulse, Elysia. What you feel right there isn't just the throbbing of your pulse. It's the howl of a thousand wolves. And they want you to rise.
Three quarters of you is the same kind of water that beats rocks into rubble.
The air you're breathing in right now fuels forest fires capable of destroying everything they touch.
You are so much more than what you fear Elysia.
There is a rare breed of people who would give their all , and believe it or not - that person is you.
Some people are born to fight - fight for everything they hold dear, fight for everything they believe in - that person is you.
Some people have to prove it to the world time and again that there's fire and steel in their blood - that person is you.
Maybe right now you want to feel a little selfish - but isn't it always the life altering decisions that truly test your selflessness, Elysia?
She knew the moment she'd decided to take a run that her wolf would contradict every notion she'd had in her mind about the whole situation.
But she couldn't help but feel mesmerised at how easily her wolf had broken all the barriers she'd set upon herself before taking the run. She felt paradoxical, to say at the least.
However, her wolf continued -
I know you don't want to. I know the whole idea of leaving everything behind for something that isn't even set in stone seems stupid.
But trust your wolf - trust me. You're made for things not a single soul can see.
So you will go. You will go and be the person you were always meant to be. That selfless and strong person who has fire in her veins and grace in her heart.
You will go to the chosen committee and prove to them that you are not a drop in the ocean.
You are an entire ocean in a drop.
~~~~~~
Just as Elysia had expected, her wolf had systematically taken down every point she'd thought valid against going earlier.
On her way back home, Elysia couldn't help but smile at the words her wolf had spoken into her subconscious.
Damn , talk about pep talk.
As she neared her home, she made her mind doubtless, strong and rigid.
Her mom answered the door -
"Elysia you said you would come back from your run within the hour. It's been three hours already."
"I was talking to my wolf."
Just that minute, Priscilla entered the living room and noticed the small smile on El's face and the glint in her eyes.
She understood.
"Your phone has been blowing up with calls from the chosen committee. I understand if you don't want to go , honey. I'll tell your --"
"--no, Mom. I'm going."
"You're what?!"
"You heard me. It's time to go.
***************
A/n : one might even call this chapter a filler, but I found it important to inflict on the battles we fight in our minds everyday. And hence , this chapter!
(The italicized portion where she communicates with her wolf is actually her wolf speaking to her subconscious. Other italicized words and phrases are for dramatic effect tee-hee😂)
At some point, all of us are where Elysia is now - or at least feeling what she is.
In these situations we must also remember that Elysia's wolf is our subconscious minds. It knows we have unfathomable strength and just need a lil push!
I hope you all liked this chapter. Thank you for reading ❤️
Please vote, comment and add 'From a Grave..' to your reading lists if you like where this is going.
Love, N.
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From a Grave to a Cradle
Werewolf~In a world where everyone had their fates written by the Gods before they were born, hers was written by the dead.~ Born into one of the three packs that governed the entire werewolf world, Elysia Jarsdel thought this was as powerful as she could g...
