PROWESS. (COMPLETED)

Chapter 74

Anastasia POV;

I wake, disorientated, cold and in pain. My eyes open to the red power of the moon. The rawness seeps into my skin, like an x-ray, bone deep, weaving through my body, igniting my blood into fire. I weep at its viciousness. The Moon Goddess finally caught up with me, and in the pain of her anger, she bathes me.

 

I scream, trying to free myself from her, only to find my hands and feet restrained in rope tied to nearby trees. I lay in a small opening amongst the trees, without clothes and completely exposed to the blood moon.

 

As I struggle, a cloaked figure approaches from the right, and kneels beside me and I see their face. Josephine Seraphina.

 

A wave of pain cripples me. The moment it subsides, I struggle against my restraints.

 

"You cannot fight her. Let her cleanse you, Anastasia" Says Seraphina. From her side she pulls a white cloth. I knew what she intended to do, and I fight harder against my bondages.

 

The clothe soaked in chloroform is pressed against my nose despite my struggle and I can't fight...

 

*

 

I wake again, warmer tucked up in bed. A pinch in my arm leads my eyes from the needle in my arm to the IV line attached to the bag hung over the back of the bed.

 

Sighing, I roll my eyes towards the figure sat to my left. "It's becoming annoyingly frequent how often I'm attached to one of these." I tell her, deadpan.

 

"Perhaps if you hadn't been neglecting your body so long, it wouldn't have to be so frequent." Returns Seraphina, switching on my bedside lamp, illuminating her ageless face.

 

"I have you to thank for that" I snap, my anger rearing.

 

"Oh please. You have me to thank for making you the leader you are today, and for saving your life yesterday. Your current predicament, on the other hand, is completely of your own making. My instructions on how to care for your body were clear." She returns severely, removing her cloak.

 

"Perhaps. But if I remember correctly, you neglected to inform me what would happen when I found my mate. And now, here we are."

 

She shrugs, "The implant has now been removed. Your Prince's amnesia will clear now. That was not something we anticipated. Collateral damage."

 

I roll my eyes, "Whatever you're trying to say, just spit it out. Your presence is exhausting." I tell her tiredly. Why did she have to always play these cryptic games? The wave of fatigue from trying to figure her out makes my eyes heavy.

 

"Very well. Mated to a royal, even if the bond hasn't been physically completed, it is still stronger than that of the average wolf. You complete each other. Unaffected, the prince could sustain the strength of your bond despite the hinderance of the silver in your implant. However, dosed with silver himself, that strength goes out the window. His wolf couldn't fight the silver in his own form as well as the silver in yours, something had to give. Now that your implant has been removed, his wolf can re-establish your bond and overcome the amnesia."

 

"So, I do have you to blame for my current circumstances!"

 

Seraphina's expression darkens, "You knew what to do. You should have cleansed your form sooner. Had you checked the lunar chart you wouldn't be in this position. You were aware of the consequences for if you didn't take care to cleanse your body of the silver for one week every three years. You weakened your own form by neglecting to eat and spar off your excess emotion. You suffer from your own actions" She cuts with a hard tone.

 

I turn my face away, irritated. She was right, but that didn't mean she hadn't done her own level of damage in my life to create this situation. She never changed; she was the same tough-love teacher she'd been five years ago. "What caused the bleeding?" I ask to change the subject. Maintaining my anger at her only exhausts me.

 

"The blood moon. It heightens the mating process for the royal bloodline, more strongly for the unmated royals. Couple that, with your need to cleanse during the full moon to cleanse your wolf and not doing so caused you to internally bleed as soon as you and the Prince were in the same room. You would have got away with not cleansing as long as you stayed away from him."

 

Her factual tone grates on me. I almost bleed to death and she makes it sound so matter of fact, like something out of a textbook.

 

"Might I suggest," continues Seraphina, donning her cloak again, "accepting your mate so that he can complete your recovery."

 

"I'm not sleeping with him to make myself feel better" I tell her disgusted.

 

She rolls her eyes, "That is not what I meant. Re-connect mentally, let your wolves' bond. The rest, you will learn for yourself" she says impatiently.

 

"Can I hope this is our last meeting?" I ask cuttingly. I respected Josephine Seraphina but since she ceased being my teacher, the less I saw of her, the better.

 

"No. I return to the palace to deliver my explanations where applicable, and to check on your mate. His recovery is important in ensuring your own."

 

"What are you going to tell them?" I demand, sitting up. I dread to think what she might tell them.

 

"Fear not, Anastasia. I am not a fool. Neither the North, nor the South are enlightened and progressive enough to understand the ways of the West. They would not understand what it takes, to put a woman in a man's world. You must trust me, Anastasia." Turning on her heels, she heads to the door. "Now, rest."

 

Too tired from the conversation to do anything else, I shut off my bedside light and fall back into bed. Encounters with Josephine Seraphina had always been and continued to be mentally, emotionally and physically taxing. Anything else could wait until I had the energy to deal with it. I could only hope that Seraphina hadn't lied about Kellen's amnesia.

Hope is all I have left.

 

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Hey guys!

I AM SO SORRY about last week. I am so annoyed and disappointed with myself for not delivering. I hate disappointing you guys, but I've got so much going on with family at the moment. I'm trying to work around it but its tough, sorry guys!

So this was last weeks upload and of course, there WILL be an upload on Thursday.

I appreciate any COMMENTS & VOTES please, they mean so much to me! <3

See you all on Thursday! Much love <3