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A Touch Of Death

"Ora..."

I hear Axel calling me, but he doesn't quite sound like himself. In all the years I've known him, Axel has always been so collected and strong, even as a child, but now, it is broken and pained, as if he is suffering…

Where? Where is he so I can help him?

I look around me, trying to spot him, but all I can see is the thick forest. I know this forest. I have been here before. It is the northern mystic forest, but why am I back here?

"Ora..." The pained call pulls me out of my thoughts. I don't know how I got here but Axel is in trouble. I start running aimlessly, trying to locate the source of his voice, but the forest keeps on thickening, the tree tanks become bigger and the bushes wilder, desperate. I look up to the sky, only to gasp at what I saw...

The moon...it is bigger and closer, as if it is just above my head. For a second I feel tempted by the idea of stretching my hand towards it, certain that I would touch the Goddess.

Will she be there? Will she know my name? Or am I her forsaken creation?

"Ora...help!" Axel's groans catch my attention again, but instead of searching for him futily, my eyes immediately find him a few yards away from me, in his wolf form, bound to the ground with white chains.

Why is he bound? Why is he in his wolf form? And how can I hear his human voice then?

"Traitor!!" He suddenly growls, shaking me to the core and making me jump back, what did he just say? And why is he looking at me with those hateful eyes? As if he wants to rip my neck off my shoulders? What is going on now? I am so confused with all of this, with his growls, with his eyes, and for a second the thought of him glaring at someone behind me crosses my mind so I turn to look back, only for my heart to drop!

I scream at the top of my lungs as I look at the same dead yet alive eyes.

I take a step back, ready to run for dear life but the girl reaches out for my neck, grabbing it in an iron grip. Her fingers feel so abnormally cold and dry on my skin, and I am instantly reminded with death, its touch, death has come for me, for all of us.

I fight, I jerk, I resist,. But death is stronger, and with the last shred of life leaving my body, I release the loudest scream before waking up.

The fuck was that? I ask myself while trying to calm down. My breaths are ragged and my heart is beating crazy. My entire body is drenched with cold sweat. It is just a nightmare, I tell myself reassuringly. It is a bad dream and now it is over, I am up, I am conscious and in control, nothing can hurt me now, I am safe.

Yet my mind screams back at me, telling me that I am a liar. That it isn't just a nightmare…

What was it then?

I know myself, I have always been attached to death, and this nightmare felt like one of it calls.

I grab my soft white blanket, pulling it closer to me, finding solace in the warmth it provides, but my newly found comfort swiftly escapes me when I hear a sudden noise.

Fucking relax, Ora! It is just your alarm!

Well, it is not like I can go back to sleep now. I sigh tiredly before jumping off the bed. I am a heavy sleeper, so I set my alarm on several times just so I can have that delicious five minutes snooze, this is the first one, 6 A.M, and I still have some time left before work, which gives me a good opportunity to have a needed warm bath.

Maybe a bath wouldme a good opportunity to have a needed warm bath.

Maybe a bathwould wash away the residues of that nightmare.

.......

"Good morning, Alpha, good morning, everyone!" I greet everyone in the meeting room with a small smile on my face, proud of myself for not being my usual "always ten minutes late". Axel, Beta Ray, Liam, Leo, and Carmen all look at me simultaneously, as if have interrupted their conversation.

I am supposed to be here, Bitches!

"Wow, look at that, you are late even when you are not!" Leo says sarcastically and I roll my eyes at him. It is not my fault that everyone else came early.

"Ora didn't know that we were going to meet earlier than usual, so cut the crap, Leo!" Axel speaks tiredly, and I look at him with eyes filled with both gratitude and worry. Goddess, I can't forget about that nightmare, and with every passing second, I feel like it wasn't a nightmare at all, but a warning.

"Take a seat, Ora, we are discussing last night's events." Carmen speaks calmly. I should be used to her commanding tone by now as she is Axel's sister and one of the finest warriors in the pack, but I can't, why does she have to be so... constipated around me?

Not just her, it is almost everyone in the pack, except for Axel. I am sure that the rest of them don't want me in the room.

"We have spent the night searching the area, Alpha, there were no signs of any rogues nor intruders, not even a scent. It almost feels as if the girl fell from the sky or appeared from under the ground!" Axel nods his head at Liam' words. his lips twitch in concern, same as everyone, and while the rest are trying to come up with theories and conclusions, all I can think about is the nightmare from last night.

Yes, I should definitely tell them.

"You!" Carmen addresses me, making a constipated face in the process, I tell myself to stay calm and keep a stoic facade, but boy isn't she making it hard?

"You were there, you've touched the body, what did you see?"

"I... nothing, I could not see anything through her!" The second the words leave my mouth I regret saying them dearly, because Miss constipated huffs annoyingly before turning towards her brother.

"Seriously Axel, what is she doing here? She is completely useless!" I tighten my fists under the table while looking down, because I know that I will be shooting daggers at her if I look her way, and the other bitches nod their heads, agreeing with her. Mot that it was a surprise, I know that they all considered me as the useless outlandish, a burden.

The fuck do they want from me? I have done everything in my power to help this pack. I have buried my fears and unease as I examined a body after the other. I spent sleepless nights helping Axel running the finances of this pack while they all ran in the woods and worked on their amazing bodies, but just because I didn't have a tail and monstrous strength, they all redeemed me as useless!

"Are you questioning my decisions?" Axel looks at everyone sharply, questioning them all and daring them at the same time to disobey him, and just like the good puppies they all are, they simultaneously look down, whispering "No, Alpha!"

That is him, that is the man I love with all of my heart, right and mighty, backing me up even against his own blood.

Traitor...

The word resonates in my head, wondering again if that word was meant for me. I'd never betray him, ever, not even if my life depended on it!

I must tell him, I decide, but not in front of these punks, because I know they will only make more fun of me once I do.

"To be honest I didn't think that we would succeed to explain this on our own. That is why I summoned the white witches of the clan nearby. They will be here soon. In the meantime, I want you all to keep this a secret and stay alarmed. Carmen, I want your unit to guard the north borders in the meantime. They are the strongest in the pack. Ray, you will be my representative in the pack house. Liam and Leo, help Carmen out and send your hunters to investigate more. Ora, you stay with me...while I meet with the special guests..."

Until death do us apart, I want to say, but instead just I nod with the rest of them before being dismissed.

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