Chapter 2: Echoes of forgotten lives

Under the glow of a full moon, the dark forest loomed, its shadows alive with menace. A man stood,swift whispers in the air a voice so soft and broken “remember Kael remember”

He fell to his knees holding his head with his hands, trying to make a sense of what was happening.

“Who are you?”

Suddenly he saw himself in an oddly familiar place,he grew cold falling to the floor. He saw her silhouette ahead and gathered the strength left in him to move forward,the closer he was the farther she seemed.

The once full moonlight turned red, a chilled laugh ranged out laced with malice and mocking him. Blood dripped from unseen places dropping to the ground with it's metallic scent. He staggered back trying to make sense of what was happening. His chest tightened he stumbled and his gaze fell to his hand,filled with blood,though he doesn't know whose blood it is. He looked around but found no one. A flash of whispers filled the air. He stare at his hands looking at the crimson

“Save me Kael” her voice cracked and ghostly a desperate whisper that made his soul ache. He looked up, his vision blurred with his tear filled eyes,only to see her lying there, her silver hair matted with blood. Her lifeless eyes fixed on him.

He tried to crawl to her ,when a shadow came and carried her.

“No!!” His voice roared but his voice echoed back at him using all his strength to get to her his hand tried reaching out but it was too late she dissolves into the darkness.

He fell to the ground weak and exhausted. His surroundings crumbled into darkness. The blood moon was the last to fade. A silent judge hanging in the air condemning him for crimes he couldn't remember.

Keal woke up with a jolt, his heart pounding like they wanted to leave his chest. Sweat dropped from his body. The lingering fragments of the dream clung to his mind.

“Why does this dream feel so real? Her voice,the blood,the moon. Why can't I remember her face?” he slammed his fist into the wall beside his bed, frustration boiling over him.

He ran his hand down his damp hair, exhaling a shaky breath.

“Every time i think I've buried the past,it crawls its way back”

He stood up and went to the window

“I know you're out there,you can hear me, what do you want from me? What did I do to you?”

He turned back and saw himself in the mirror,he walked towards it.

“Who am I?” He asked a question directed to no one in particular. Angry at himself for not remembering and afraid of losing control

He went back to bed,rolling from one edge to another,the images still haunted him till sunrise, pulling him back to the demands of his pack.

Aria's home

Under a full moonlight a woman was placed on a stone binding altar. Wisp of energy danced across the surface. A large basin filled with shimmering liquid could be seen by the side showing the moon reflection.the altar surrounded with flickering torches,their flames casting eerie shadows that danced with the inscripted wall of unknown language. A woman dressed in a black cloak stood in front chanting rituals in an unknown language that filled the air, brought out an athamé and rinsed it in the liquid. Raised it up chanting more words than before white light came out from the woman in the binding altar and the woman in cloak as they fused together. She pierce it deep into the heart of the woman on the altar…

“Noooooo!!!”” Aria screamed from her nightmare holding her stomach,drenched in sweat, her heart racing super fast. She rushed out of bed to puke.

She had a migraine,took a pill from her box and drank it. She sat on her bed and tried to check her neck bite but was surprised to find it there. She went near the mirror and saw that her neck bite was pale blue.

Fear gripped her and her body ran cold that instant.She pressed it and felt a sharp pain. Her body was pale white. Her ears tingled and stood up. She saw her pupils dilated.

She stumbled back, her mind racing with panic. The mirror reflected her trembling hands, her pale skin.

“What is happening to me?” The question echoed in her mind, but no answer came. Her pulse quickened, and she clutched her head as the migraine worsened, the pain intensifying as if her body was rejecting something foreign.

“That old hag…what did she do to me?”

She tried to steady her breath, but her vision blurred as she fell to the ground

Suddenly, a voice in her head whispered

“You cannot undo what has been done. This is your destiny”

Her heart skipped.

“Whose voice was that?”

The whispers continue, blurring the lines between reality and illusion

BLOODFANG TERRITORY

Kael stood tall at the head of the long, oak table, his fingers tapping rhythmically against the surface. His eyes were sharp, scanning the room where the members of his pack sat, the weight of their gazes heavy on him. The council meeting was supposed to be a time of unity, but it had devolved into something far more strained.

The Betas argued across the table, their voices rising like a chorus of discord.

“I don’t care what you think, Leo! This is about the survival of the pack!” Zane, the more aggressive Beta, snapped, his eyes burning with frustration.

“Silence!” Kael’s voice rang out, cutting through the rising tension. But the silence that followed felt like an uncomfortable breath held too long. His hands clenched into fists, and he looked at each of them.

“I will not listen to you two bicker in my court” he roared with command

Leo,calmer but less defiant,stood up

“You want us to follow your lead Kael but you aren't always present. How can we trust a leader who's absent.”

Murmurs filled the courtroom with member whispering to each other

Hunter rose up “You should choose your words carefully Le”

Leo rolled eyes at him

“Oh pls hunter can't I talk to the alpha I'm fighting for the safety of the pack which should have been his job” pointing at Kael

With a swift of an eye Hunter grabbed him by the neck “I told you to watch your tongue” he growled angrily

“Oh you shouldn't be doing that,save that for him” signaling to Kael

With anger hunter pushed him to the ground punching him

With blood coming out his mouth

“You really are his dog aren't you?” He said insults laced in his voice.

Hunter wanted to give him another hit

“Enough” Kael roared spilting the oak table with his fist.

A room once filled with uproar and chaos went silent like a graveyard.

The warriors shifted uncontrollably in their seats. Kael could feel their eyes in him, their distrust palpable. Some of them were clearly leaning and held their faith towards Leo. The division was more than just the betas it span across all corners of the pack.

“You're dismissed” he growled,his frustration and anger growing by the second.He didn't wait for their departure he spun on his heels and left before anyone could speak again.

As he walks down the corridor, Lyanna's voice whispers again calling out to him. He dropped his head and head straight to his office.

“What do you want from me?” He was lost in thought and didn't know when Hunter came inside.

“Alpha what was that about? You should address them but not like that”

Kael looked at him,just rolled his eyes and looked away. Stood up and went to the window

“The pack is restless, Alpha. Some question if Bloodfang is still the strongest.”

“Let them question all they want. Anyone who challenges me will know what strength really is”

“It's not just about strength anymore, Kael.The pack needs a purpose. A future”

They turned to see one of the elders of the council coming in.

“The blood moon rises soon, Kael. It has not been seen in centuries. I will bring destiny’s call”. He said calmly

As he heard the word his heart sank and felt unsettled. He has not been the kind to care about superstition but the mention of the blood moon stires something in him. A feeling he can't quite point at but he still tried to maintain his composure.

“Destiny doesn't concern me. This pack is my only concern.” He stared firmly

He smiled at his words

“Even the strongest Alpha cannot ignore fate, Kael” he said patting his shoulder

“You said the pack is your concern but you don't seem to pay attention to it, words are flying in the pack son you need to give them something to believe in”

“Old wolf,I understand and I'll do that. Thank you”

“Keep to your word son,I'm just looking out for you,you know you're like a son to me. With the blood moon coming the pack needs you stronger than ever.” He said calmly massaging his shoulder.

They watch as the elder leaves the office, closing the door behind him. Kael sat down heavily on the chair letting out a big sigh

“Kael, are you okay?” Hunter asked walking towards him

He nudged it off

“I'm fine, I just need to rest. What was the report from the patrol? Anything unusual?” He asked trying to cut hunter off

“I know what you're doing Kael,don't try to push me out. You're not okay. Apart from being your beta I'm your friend and you should be able to tell me anything. You don't look fine,you run into the woods like you've seen someone,you get lost in thought and flare off during meetings. Also I saw your reaction when the old wolf made mention of the blood moon.What is going on?”

Kael sighed and stood up “you're right hunter,you're my friend and I should tell you stuff but how do i tell you things that I myself don't know??” Looking at him with a question face

“What do you mean don't know”

“I've been having nightmares that I don't even know or understand. This lady her voice asking me to remember,blood everywhere”

“This is serious Kael,do you need me to call the seer”

“No no no don't bother,I'll figure it out on my own. I don't want anything that will stir commotion in the pack. It's got too much on its hands.”

“I just feel I know her before, somewhere I can't just pinpoint where and how or who she really is.” He said walking from one end of the room before he finally stopped at the back to his chair”