From Arina's POV
"Arina"
I heard someone calling my name but couldn't see where they were. I was in a field somewhere. The sky was light blue, with no clouds in sight, and the flowers were different colors. There was a light breeze. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
"Arina"
I opened my eyes and glanced around. There it was again, that soft voice, so magical. I started walking in the direction I thought it came from. I kept walking straight and went to a small forest. I was about to turn back when I heard it again.
"Arina"
"Who's there?" I called out. Although everything in me told me to turn around and head back, I couldn't. I needed to know who had called me.
After taking a deep breath, I stepped into the forest. Peace was beyond words. It wasn't dark; it was beautiful and held an unimaginable sense of peace. My eyes were drawn to a small pond. My gaze was drawn to the water when I walked over to it. It wasn't long before I saw a pair of gold-colored eyes looking back at me from the water. When I saw the pair of eyes, I jumped back and bumped into something warm and cozy. Turning around, I saw a wolf with the same gold-colored eyes.
It was a beautiful grayish-white wolf with gold-colored eyes. When I started to step away, I heard the voice again.
"Don't be afraid, Arina. I won't hurt you," the wolf said.
"You talk? How? You didn't open your mouth?" I said in shock.
"As long as you understand me, I don't need to. That's the most important thing, and it's long overdue," she explained.
"Wow, Mom must have messed me up. I'm over here talking to a wolf." I said as I laughed out loud.
The wolf stared at me for a moment with curiosity.
"Who are you, and how is this possible?" I asked.
"My name is Zakara. I am your wolf," she replied.
"My wolf?" I said in shock, then I thought back to what Nurse Calloway had said about having my wolf since I was fifteen.
"I have needed you all these years. I needed someone to talk to. I suffered alone, and you weren't even around. Why?" I yelled at her, tears streaming down my cheeks.
"Arina, I never left you. I healed your broken bones when you were hurt or had broken bones. I couldn't talk to you then, but I always ensured you knew I was there. I apologize if you feel abandoned." she replied as she stepped toward me, licked the tears off my face, then nudged my side as she walked toward the flower fields.
"Wait, where are you going?" I asked as I ran after her.
She turned to me. "It's almost time, Arina."
I looked at her, confused. "Almost time for what?" I asked.
"It's almost time to become one. You turn eighteen in two days. You need to be ready for your first shift. I will be with you the whole way. Don't worry, I won't leave you," she told me.
I had forgotten about my eighteenth birthday. With all the drama and my being in the hospital, I guess it's easy to forget.
"Don't worry, everything will reveal itself soon. For now, you need to go back. We will meet again soon." she said as a bright white light grew around her, blinding me. I covered my eyes with my arms. When the light disappeared, I opened my eyes.
"Zakara?" I called out as I sat in bed, realizing I was in the hospital again. As I looked around the room, I noticed Rick was in the room, standing before the window with his arms crossed.
"Who is Zakara?" Rick asked. I quickly averted my eyes to not look at him as he took a few steps forward.
"Who is Zakara?" he asked again.
"No one, I was just dreaming. I'm sorry." I answered quickly.
I could tell by his facial expression that he didn't believe me. However, he didn't press the matter further.
"When one has a secret, many people know it too. However, your secret is difficult to uncover. Why, I do not know. But I know that you and your dad were hiding something." He said, his tone low and menacing.
"Tomorrow, you'll return to the packhouse. When the King arrives, you will tell him you ran away after your dad died. That's all you'll say. Do I make myself clear?" he asked.
As much as I didn't want to, I nodded in agreement.
"Good, I'm glad you understand. Your Mom has a surprise in store for you," he chuckled as he exited the room.
I didn't care what he or Mother planned for me. There was no way I would be here. I was leaving tonight.
As soon as midnight came, I would leave. Suddenly, I heard a knock at the door, and Bryan walked in.
"I have to leave tonight. Rick just left and said I would be sent home tomorrow. I can't go back there. They are planning something." Tears flooded my eyes as I begged him, "Help me escape, please."
Bryan stayed quiet for a moment.
"Are you sure they will release you?" he asked.
"Rick doesn't make things up. If he says it's happening, it is. He told me I should tell the King I fled home when my dad died without mentioning anything else. I can't stay here. I have to leave tonight. I have to go north." I cried.
Bryan's face was filled with a curious look as he nodded. He asked, "Why north?".
I shrugged. "I am not sure. My dad never told me why," I told him.
"I see. We will head for the border around midnight. Be ready," he replied before leaving.
I silently thanked him for his assistance and asked the moon goddess to be with us. As time passed, I heard nothing from Nurse Calloway or Bryan since he left. The night nurse had just completed her last round. As I sat in bed, waiting for the hallway lights to turn off, I listened to the quiet sound of the hall.
When suddenly, Nurse Calloway rushed into my room carrying a small bag.
"I apologize, princess, but we must hurry." She said, handing me the bag.
I got up quickly and rushed to the restroom. I found black leggings, a sweater, and tennis shoes in the bag. I changed into the clothes she brought me in a hurry. After dressing, I exited the restroom and saw Bryan in the room. Then, he pointed to the window and signaled to be quiet. After checking the area, he waved Nurse Calloway and me to follow.
My body was still in pain, but I had no choice but to put all those feelings aside. Taking a deep breath, I stepped on the ledge, jumped out of the window, and landed on the ground. Not a minute later, Nurse Calloway was next to me.
As we crossed the courtyard, we remained in the shadows, hiding from sight. Nurse Callaway stayed by my side while Bryan took the lead. I felt uneasy about the whole thing. I didn't want to put them in danger.
After we made it to the border, I took a deep breath, only for the air to be sucked out of me again when an alarm sounded. Turning to look at Bryan and Nurse Calloway, I felt my heart race.
"We have to run. I have a car parked twenty meters away. Let's go," he said, and we did.
In the distance, I could hear the howls of the pack warriors as they searched for us. I knew they would be on our trail as soon as they smelled our scent. I didn't want to think about what would happen if we got caught. We ran for what seemed like miles when I saw a clearing and a black car in the distance.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw two wolves running toward us and Nurse Calloway screaming for us to hurry.
Bryan shouted as he turned to face the wolves: "Keep going, I'll catch up." His shift caught my attention.
I stopped momentarily and watched him jump to the right as a wolf approached him from the front. Once he landed, he lunged at him, biting his leg and throwing him against the trees. I heard a cry as the wolf hit the tree hard enough to break it in half before hitting the ground. Suddenly, another wolf jumps over him from behind, causing Bryan to fall forward.
"Come on, let's go get in." Nurse Calloway yelled at me.
As I looked behind me, I saw Bryan's wolf getting up from the ground as two other wolves approached him. Looking back at Nurse Calloway, I could see the panic in her eyes.
"Get in the car! "she shouted as she walked toward the wolves. As soon as I reached the car, I shut the door behind me and watched everything unfold.
"Bryan, run!" she yelled after getting into the car. As if by magic, I saw her emitting a golden light. Gold flames shot from her hands towards the wolves as she lifted her hands. The wolves recoiled and stumbled backward, stunned by the unexpected power.
I kept my eyes down as Bryan shifted and threw on some clothes.
"Thank you," I said as Nurse Calloway entered the car.
"There is no need to thank us. Your father was a great man, loved by many and respected by all, especially by the King." Nurse Calloway said.
"Alpha Zeno, King Alexandre, and I go back. We went to school together. Our parents were close. I am sorry we could not save him," Bryan replied, his voice tinged with sadness.
"What are we going to do?" I asked, changing the topic in the car, as it was cumbersome, and I didn't want to talk about my father.
"We are heading north as you promised your father. I assume he wanted you to be there for one reason only," Bryan responds as he glances at me through the rearview mirror.
My brows furrowed in confusion. I was told to go north but have yet to give a reason.
"Why would he want me to go north? I know nothing about that region," I replied.
Apha Bryan looks at me through the mirror again.
"Your father told you to go north because it is the only place he knew you would be safe. It is the only place he felt safe."
"I don't understand," I replied.
"It is the home of Lycan King Alexandre LeBlanc, and he expects us," Bryan replied.
We drove silently for the next few hours until we needed to stop to get gas and essentials. I waited in the car while Nurse Calloway and Bryan walked inside. All I could think about was what I had overheard my mother and Rick discussing. I didn't understand how, all these years, she could have lied to me, pretended to love me, and cared when, in reality, she felt the opposite. Tears filled my eyes when I heard a familiar voice.
"Don't cry, Arina. It is unfortunate how things have played out, but know that there is always a reason why the Moon Goddess allows things to take place." Zakara's voice was the comfort I needed.
"She doesn't seem to care about me. She took my father from me, and the family I once knew hates me. I don't understand why." I wept.
I could see Zakara looking back at me through the reflection in my window. Her almost pure white fur was even more enchanting than I remembered, and her gold eyes glowed even brighter. Even though we spoke sporadically for now, I was glad to finally have someone to talk to.
"Zakara, what is the Lycan king like?" I asked, not knowing if she knew him.
"I am not sure. But something tells me we will be safe with him. Don't worry, Bryan seems to know him, and his wolf says we will be safe." she tells me.
"You spoke to Bryan's Wolf? When?" I asked, surprised to learn she had found time to talk to another wolf in all the chaos.
"I spoke to him while we drove. His name is Athos. He's very strong and knows your father's wolf, Ares," she replied.
My memory of Ares brought back a smile. His strength and fierceness made him stand out. I remember how my father would shift and let Ares out after every training session in the park. I would climb on his back and stroll around the fields together. I was always safe with him.
"He loved you very much, Arina," Zakara said softly, "and I know he would be proud of you if he were here."
I smiled and nodded when Bryan called my name. "Arina, are you alright?" he asked.
"Yes, I am. I was talking to my wolf Zakara", I told him.
"Ahh, yes, Zakara, Athos told me he spoke with her. He said your first shift is tomorrow." A huge smile spread across Bryan's face.
"That's what she tells me. I am nervous. I don't know what to expect. Father used to tell me, the first shift is the most painful." I replied.
He nodded, confirming my father's words. "The first shift is the most painful, but don't worry, we will be there to help you," Bryan replied.
Nurse Calloway returned to the car and handed me a water bottle. Suddenly, I remembered she had emitted fire when she helped Bryan, but it wasn't. It was something more.
"Nurse Calloway," I called, and she looked at me. "What did you have in your hand back at the pack border? Was there fire in your hand?"I asked.
She smiled. "Please call me Maribelle, and That was the Gold Flame," she said.
"Gold flame?" I asked. My brows furrowed in confusion.
"I am blessed with the gold flame, and Bryan is blessed with the Mystic Wind. Which he should have used to protect himself instead of putting himself in danger," she said aloud as Bryan got back into the car.
"I didn't have time to use my powers, and it seemed easier to fight a fair fight. Besides, I was not trying to kill anyone. However, you didn't seem to care, as you normally don't," he scolded her but maintained a friendly tone and smile.
"Well, I'll try and remember that next time when you're on your ass," Maribelle said, turning back around and into her seat.
I giggled lightly at them as hearing them fight like young kids was fun. As we started driving, Bryan's phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and answered, "Andre."