At this point, even as we crept into the forest, I couldn't let go of Shade, even though she could've betrayed me from the start. However, once I was far enough from everyone, Shade sunk her teeth into my hand in one big chomp, triggering me to yelp in pain before letting her go free.
Grabbing my bleeding hand, I got teary eyes, slowly glancing at the cat.
"Ow! Why bite me?!" I whined, holding onto my injured hand.
There was no need for you to hurt me, and you went deep, too!
It stung, which caused any little movement to make me wince.
Ouch...
"Hmph... Brats like you heal fast." Shade huffed, licking her fur like she hadn't done anything wrong.
She was right about my healing ability, though. It was faster than a normal human but slower than a purebred Lycan. Before I let out another complaint, she got straight to the point.
"Why are you here, Rem? Aren't you a little far from home?" She glared at me, triggering those blue eyes of hers to shimmer.
I broke into a cold sweat.
At any minute, you can alert Mom I'm here. Crap, how can I how can I prevent that? Ah... There is no way!
In a split second, everything slowed down as my heart left the building, and every fiber of my being told me to make a break for it. Sadly, if I did, Dad, Caden, or Aiden would find me seconds after she ratted me out.
"Uh, w-why n-not g-give m-me up i-if y-you k-knew t-that a-already?!" I stuttered at every word, eyes darting around to find an escape, but she was immortal; there wasn't a single thing I could do to delay her.
Shade was always pure evil when she wanted to be, but she was also cuddly, even in her scary form. She was presumed to be a goddess from a realm known as the soul cairn, where my mother's powers originated.
It was the source of my sister's magic and my own, but mine was…
"Ah, I found it interesting that you, of all people, sneaked around uncaught. Well, mostly, but I just happened to you by luck. I would've thought Caden and Aiden would've sniffed you out. Those boys are obsessive towards you." Shade smirked.
Ah… those two are… No focus! This cat thrives in chaos! That's my way in!
She always enjoyed the turmoil that I provoked in our family, and probably the only reason she wasn't letting Mom know I was there was that she wanted to see what trouble I could get myself into.
If you were a god in your past life, you would have been the goddess of tricksters.
"Please, don't give me in," I mumbled, still holding my hand.
Shade licked her lips, circling me as if she were inspecting me. I wore a brown wig and brown fake eyes to keep myself unrecognizable. However, I couldn't hide from my family.
"Why shouldn't I?" Shade questioned.
I stood my ground against her.
"Because this is my only chance at freedom! I want it, and I need it!" I declared, facing her head-on.
She broke out laughing, which almost made me tear up even more.
You don't have to be so mean!
"Hm… Do you think Alijah will give you freedom? Is this that stupid little plan you told Lily about, but she refused?" Shade jabbed me in the heart before ripping it up, enjoying my predicament while I crumbled in defeat.
This isn't stupid. It really isn't. If anything, my plan's brilliant. We won't have to kill or send you away if it works. Not that I want you dead. No… I want you to…
"Vera helped me perfect it! Please just give me a chance!" I pleaded, dropping to my knees before closing my eyes.
After Mom told us about Alijah, the boys or Vera didn't care enough to save him, but something resonated with me. It felt like I could help heal his tormented heart; possibly, I was the only one who could.
I must be. It just has to be. Otherwise why…
"Oh, silly child, you think your delusions will work?" she continued, shooting knives into my heart.
Delusions? Is that what everyone thinks about what I want to do? Fuck that, I'll make you see my illusions will save everyone! Including the man who has suffered so much already.
For thousands of years, Alijah had only known pain, yet he was painted as an evil source, nothing more. It must've been excruciating for him.
You… must feel so alone right now.
"It'll work," I assured her.
My determination didn't impress her as she snickered, slamming her tail on the ground.
"What if it fails?" Shade relentlessly attacked my resolve.
She was probably hoping I would see the errors of my ways, but I would never back down from doing what I thought was right. After all, I was his only hope. I was the only one who didn't sentence him to death.
No, you can't die! I won't allow it!
"If it fails, then I die and end up getting possessed, which will end with me killing Alijah. It's a winning situation for everyone." I grumbled, hands shaking.
That's… the last thing I want.
Shade snickered before climbing onto my shoulder. "You're missing the fact that you won't just kill him."
I pushed her off me, stomping a few steps away from her.
"That's just a minor detail. Mom and Dad are here; they'll stop me easily." I assured her, shifting my eyes toward the forest beside me.
Something… is waiting for me. I know it is.
"Child, you aren't very smart. Are you?" she pointed out like another knife to my heart.
By this time, my hand had already stopped bleeding, even though my heart surely wouldn't stop soon. She was right. This could all go chaotic in the blink of an eye. Alijah could kill me, which would end with me getting possessed by a random god—one who may or may not be hell-bent on destroying this world.
Then it'll be a good game world!
I already knew that. Even so, I had to try. Something pulled me towards the dreaded wolf, Alijah, and hopefully, I needed to be there before everyone else found him.
"I may not be the smartest, but I have a chance and must take it. Please Shade... I'm begging you. Let me go." I begged, dropping onto my hands. "Please!"
"Hm... My other half will hang me if she finds out I saw you," Shade mumbled.
I couldn't let her backtrack.
"Then don't tell her!" I gripped the grass, feeling like my heart was about to be torn.
I didn't know if it was the desperation in my eyes, but instead of continuing to delay me. She shook her head before slowly gazing towards the side.
"Are you certain this is what you want?" she asked in one last attempt to sway me from my current course.
Unable to stop, my tail wagged under my clothes as I gazed at her hopefully.
"Yes!" I assured her.
"Fine... I'll let you go this once, but if I catch you again, or if you try to kill me while possessed. I won't go easy on you." Shade huffed.
I grabbed her in my arms before snuggling her, much to her displeasure.
"Yes! I love you!" I professed my love for her, only for her to push my face away with her little paws when I tried to kiss her.
After many failed attempts to do so successfully, I felt something tug my heart more profoundly into the forest again.
You… I… need to go.
Noticing her chance to escape my grip, she pulled herself out of my hands, running a couple of steps away.
"May the strings of fate guide you, little wolf." Shade bowed, watching me stare at the forest entrance.
My heart raced when I took a simple step towards my destiny, though the ghost following me all along ruined it.
Aw... that was touching. It commented, breaking me right there.
They had been making snarky comments the entire time, which was the last straw. I hated witch ghosts the most, as the sass wouldn't end.
"Fuck! Would you all shut up already?!" I snapped.
Shade glanced back at me, shaking her head, "How no one caught you is beyond me. Then again, fate is always a fickle thing."
Wasting no more time, I closed my eyes to catch my nerves before bolting. The deeper I went into the dark green forest, the more I felt something tug at me. With a gust of wind, howls began to hide my footsteps as everyone felt lighter and the last.
Please, be there!