In the silent sanctuary of her mind, Seren heard her dad's gentle words, "Seren, your mum is jealous because we aren't playing with her." Her mother's voice joined the imaginary conversation, a mischievous grin on her face, "If I catch both of you."
Seren felt a wave of happiness as her mother chased them around the house. Amidst the fading sounds of laughter, the family shared a precious moment of love and harmony.
In the harsh reality, tears filled Seren's eyes, a sign of the emotional burden she carried from the vivid memory of her parents – a memory that defied time and left a bitter-sweet scar on her heart.
Suddenly, she felt a strong cold wind on her face, making her shiver. She tried to open her eyes, but they felt heavy and sore. She moaned and moved her head slightly.
She opened her eyes slowly, blinking at the bright sunlight. She saw trees and leaves around her, and realized she was still in the forest. She tried to sit up, but a sharp pain in her leg stopped her. She looked down and saw a bloody rag wrapped around her calf.
She remembered the attackers, the claw, and her bleeding so bad. She also remembered seeing a shadowy figure fighting off the group and saving her. She wondered who he was, and why he helped her.
She looked around, hoping to see him, but he was nowhere to be found. She felt a mix of sadness and gratitude, wishing she could thank him. She also felt a rush of fear and confusion, wondering how she would get out of the forest.
" He could have at least taken me out of this forest," she muttered to herself.
She had no idea where she was, or how far she was from civilization. She felt alone and scared, but also determined and hopeful. She decided to try to stand up and walk, hoping to find a way out. She gathered her strength and courage, and pushed herself up. She took a deep breath, and started to limp towards the forest edge.
The wound on her leg was still hurting her, and as a doctor in her pack who nobody respected before the alpha's rejection, she didn't know if it would get worse or not.
Indeed, Seren is a doctor who absorbed her medical knowledge from the pack that raised her. Her return to his pack is not only a homecoming but also a quest to unravel mysteries intertwined with her past.
She needed to find some herbs and apply them on her wound and find her way out of this forest before nightfall.
She searched and found some leaves which she crushed together, and put them on the wound then covered it and the wound wasn't hers.
She continued to make her way out of the forest as she could see the exit. She realized she had been careless and wandered deeper into the forest. "I should have been more alert."
Seren reached her house. She treated her wound properly and relaxed.
She thought about what happened to her parents which was why she wanted to ask the alpha, but the bond she felt when she saw him distracted her from her quest.
" I don't think it's a good idea to go and ask him now," she said to herself as she drifted off to sleep.
*********
A mere pair of sunsets after the incident. Seren felt a chill as she entered the dimly lit clinic, the air thick with a menacing atmosphere. Dr. Malachi Blackthorn, a popular man in a spotless white lab coat, greeted her in a cold, calculating gaze. His sharp, steel gray eyes seemed to pierced seren's every move, revealing a cunning mind behind a mask of professionalism.
Dr. Blackthorn's slender body moved with a smooth grace, like a snake ready to strike. His slicked-back black hair contrasted with the harshness of his angular face, where a thin, crooked smile hinted at hidden agendas. The fluorescent lights above cast a ghostly glow, highlighting the stark lines and shadows that danced on his face.
Around him, the clinic looked clean, but an eerie sense of dread lingered. Weird symbols decorated the walls, and a disturbing hum came from hidden machines. The doctor's glovef hands, lacking any warmth, motioned towards a cold, metal examination table.
In this ominous meeting, Dr. Malachi Blackthorn embodied a sinister mix of medical skill and malice, leaving Seren to wonder what secrets lay under the surface of this twisted healer.
Sitting across from the doctor, Seren thought about the dynamics within a pack, the complexities of hierarchies, and the option to work under another's authority.
Her decision to become a doctor came from her father's teachings, a wish for her to exceed his accomplishments.
"So, Miss Holes," the doctor, holding a laugh, started, "what brings you here, Miss… Seren Holestone, Doctor?"
"Seren Howlstone not Holestone. And you can just call me Seren, sir" she interrupted, asserting her identity." I'm here with specific questions. "
Malach's face showed an indifferent expression. "I don't need a doctor nor an apprentice. So don't turn your questions into favors."
" Ok sir. I'm looking for information about something," Seren said, keeping her calm. "I've heard you were there during Lupine's lair pack's clash with the Dark Shade ten years ago. Could you tell me what happened that day?"
He didn't answer, making her press on.
"I know you don't owe me anything," Seren went on, "but if you could give me some answers, I'd appreciate it."
The room was tense as she waited for his response, his face showing a mix of surprise, confusion, and a reluctance to share the secrets of those tragic events. The silent pressure hung in the air, turning the conversation into unknown territory, each facial expression a quiet sign of the revelations yet to come
"Why.. do.. you want to know anything about it" Malachi said with a shaky voice that showed he was hiding something " and why do you have to ask me?."
"I know nothing about it" Malachi said quickly, trying to catch his breath and regain his normal composure, which looked impossible as it shows that he is bad at hiding things.
"Please, if you don't mind, you can leave now. I'm busy with a lot of patients to attend to," he said, not giving her a chance to ask or say anything again.
Seren got up and walked out of the office, puzzled. The doctor called her before she left "Please, don't come back here."
On her way home, she thought about the sudden change at the clinic, every time she wanted to find out more about what happened ten years ago. Somehow she ended up in trouble.
"It seems like every move of mine is filled with trouble or am I taking things in a rush ?" She said to herself as she was not far from the clinic in a quiet hallway way.
The alpha and the other members showed up. As she saw them, her eyes met with the alpha's. She could sense trouble in them.
" It's you ?? " The first words the alpha said, walking closer. And to her shock, he grabbed Seren's neck, choking her. She couldn't prepare herself to take her last breath before being suffocated.
Seren felt a surge of fear as the alpha, Graham, lifted her up by her neck. His voice was deep and angry, full of accusation. "You came back to this pack not long ago and all you do is cause trouble. Who really are you? And why the hell do you want to know about what really happened ten years ago? "
Graham's eyes flashed, and Seren felt a force on her mind, making her want to spill everything. It was the alpha command, a powerful tool that Graham had as the leader of the pack.
"I lost someone on that day, who went to the battle too," Seren said with tears streaming down her face, hoping he would let her go. She couldn't take the pain anymore.
Then her heart started to cry out for help. She tried to look at the beta, who stood there emotionless.
' Why is my heart calling out for him, like he's bound to me? ' She thought
"Save me," Seren whispered with tears, as she struggled to breathe. She looked into the beta's eyes, begging him to help her.