I opened my eyes and gasped for air, sitting up in my bed. The dream had felt so real, and it had left me feeling both exhilarated and confused. I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts and figure out what had just happened.
In the dream, I had found myself standing in a vast forest, surrounded by tall trees that seemed to stretch up to the sky. The moon was full and bright overhead, casting a silver glow over everything. I felt a sense of peace and contentment wash over me, even though I couldn't quite explain why.
As I looked around, I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. Turning my head, I saw a magnificent silver wolf walking towards me. It was one of the most beautiful animals I had ever seen, with fur that glimmered in the moonlight like diamonds.
I took a step back, my heart racing in my chest. I had never encountered a wolf in the wild before, and I wasn't sure what to do. But the wolf didn't seem threatening, and it walked towards me with a calm and steady gait.
As it got closer, I realized that the wolf was actually a shape-shifter, just like me. And as it shifted back into human form, I recognized the face of Damien Silvester, the boy I had grown up with and secretly had a crush on.
“Astrid," he said, his voice soft and deep.
"Damien? What are you doing here?" I asked, still trying to process everything.
"To see you, Astrid," he replied.
Without another word, a force led me deeper into the forest. We walked for what felt like hours, passing through thickets and over streams, until we reached a clearing that was bathed in moonlight.
And that's when I saw him. A silver-haired man who was sitting on a rock, staring up at the sky. He was dressed in strange clothes that looked like they were from another time, and he seemed lost in thought.
"Who is he?" I asked Damien, my curiosity getting the best of me.
“My twin brother.” Damien replied, his voice filled with resentment.
I stared at him, my mind racing with questions. Where am I? What am I doing here?
But then Aurelius looked up and locked eyes with me, and I felt a jolt of recognition. It was like I had known him all my life, even though I had never seen him before.
"Astrid," he said, beckoning me over. "Come closer."
Damien held me back, strangely. His grip is tight on my wrist.
“Please, don’t do that, please don’t”
I took a step forward, feeling both nervous and excited. This was a dream, but it felt so real. And I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something important happening here, something that would change my life forever.
As I got closer to Aurelius, he reached out and placed a hand on my shoulder. I felt a surge of energy flow through me, like I was being infused with magic.
"Don’t let go of me, Astrid," he said, his voice grave. "Don’t ever do that again."
"What do you mean?" I asked, my heart racing.
I woke up feeling nauseous and dizzy, my stomach churning uncomfortably. I groaned, willing the feeling to go away. I opened the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water, hoping it would help settle my stomach. As I drank, I remembered the events of last night. The party at Riley's house had been wild, and I had let loose with my friends. But now I was paying for it.
It wasn't the first time I had experienced these symptoms, but it had been a while.I tried to ignore it and focused on making some toast for breakfast. As I ate, the nausea persisted, and I knew I couldn't keep ignoring it.
I tried to recall the last time I had felt this way and then it hit me. I was late. My period was overdue.
I got up and walked over to the bathroom, still feeling lightheaded. I looked at myself in the mirror and noticed the dark circles under my eyes. I rubbed them tiredly, trying to make sense of what was happening to my body. I took a deep breath and told myself to stay calm. I couldn't jump to conclusions yet.
I walked back to my room and dug through my drawers until I found the pregnancy test I had stashed away just in case. I followed the instructions carefully, feeling my heart race with anticipation. It felt like forever until the results appeared.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Some reds appeared
.
.
one of the line popped.
.
.
.
.
Two pink lines. Positive.
I was pregnant.
I stared at the test in disbelief, my mind racing with a million different thoughts.
I couldn't keep the news to myself any longer. As soon as I got back to our dorm, I pulled Riley aside and told her everything. "I'm pregnant," I whispered, my heart racing with a mix of excitement and fear.
Riley's eyes widened in surprise. "What? For how long?"
"I took a test," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “It must have been him.”
"Are you going to tell him?" Riley asked, her concern evident in her voice.
I nodded, tears welling up in my eyes. "I don't know what to do, Riley. I'm not ready for this. I don't even know if I want to be a mother."
Riley wrapped her arms around me, holding me tightly. "It's going to be okay, dumbass. I would look down on you for a while but I won’t abandone you. We'll figure this out together."
As we sat on the bed, Riley listened as I poured out all my worries and concerns. She didn't judge me or try to push me in any particular direction. Instead, she listened and offered her support and guidance.
The next morning, Riley and I packed our bags and loaded them into my car. I made sure to bring some snacks and drinks for the long road trip ahead. As we drove, I couldn't help but feel nervous about what lay ahead. What would my mother say? Would she be happy for me, or disappointed? Would she even want to help?
Riley seemed to sense my unease and reached over to place a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "She won’t be very happy to know she’s became a grandmother this early, but I’m sure she would be able to accept it.."
Her words were like a balm to my frayed nerves, and I smiled gratefully at her. "I was her hope, Riley. She calls me her little Lion, she’s done everything to get me to Hall Mark and for me to stay with the Silverster. I can’t believe I’m doing this to her"
We chatted and sang along to the radio for a while, but as the hours ticked by, the conversation slowly died down. I couldn't help but think about the baby growing inside me, and what it would mean for my life. Would I have to give up my dreams of being a lawyer? Would I be able to raise a child on my own?
Lost in my thoughts, I almost didn't notice when Riley pointed out a sign on the side of the road. "Look, we're almost there. Only a few more miles to go!"
I felt a mix of excitement and anxiety bubble up inside me as we drove closer to my childhood home. When we finally arrived, I took a deep breath and stepped out of the car. The familiar sights and sounds of my childhood flooded my senses, and I felt a pang of nostalgia.
As soon as I unlocked the door, I knew something was wrong. The doorknob was sticky with what looked like dried blood. I pushed open the door, and the sight that greeted me was nothing short of a horror movie.
The living room was in shambles, with furniture overturned and broken glass scattered everywhere. There were deep scratches on the front door and the walls, as if someone had been desperately trying to claw their way out. The floor was riddled with holes, and there was blood smeared on the walls and ceiling.
My heart was pounding in my chest as I took a step inside, and then another. "Oh my god," I whispered, my voice barely above a whisper.
Riley was behind me, and I could feel her trembling. "What the hell happened here?" she asked, her voice shaking.
"I don't know," I said, feeling a lump in my throat. "But we need to find my mother."
We moved cautiously through the ruined house, calling out my mother's name. There was no answer, only the eerie silence that filled the air.
As we made our way upstairs, I felt my heart racing in my chest. What if something had happened to my mother? What if we were too late?
We reached the top of the stairs and turned down the hallway. The doors to the bedrooms were all closed, and I could feel the tension building inside of me.
I pushed open the door to my mother's room, and what I saw made me gasp in horror.
The room was in even worse condition than the living room. The bed was overturned, and the mattress had been torn to shreds. The dresser was overturned, and the drawers were pulled out and scattered across the floor.
But what made my blood run cold was the blood on the walls. It was everywhere, smeared in violent streaks across the walls and ceiling. And in the center of the room was a pool of blood, still wet and glistening.
I felt bile rising in my throat as I stumbled backward, my mind reeling. "Mom," I whispered, barely able to get the word out.
Riley stepped forward, her expression grim. "We need to call the police," she said, her voice steady.
I nodded, my heart racing. I don’t even know hwo to reply her.
The police wouldn’t be able to help. This is work done by the same orrganization that murdered my father years ago. The human police sure wouldn’t be able to touch the Silvester, or the mysterious organization.
As we made our way back down the hallway, my mind was spinning with fear and confusion. Who could have done this? Where was my mother? Was she still alive?
All of these questions and more swirled in my head as we made our way outside, the fresh air feeling like a balm on my skin.
My heart pounded in my chest, and I felt bile rise in my throat. I could hear Riley gasping for air beside me, and I knew she was feeling the same way.
We followed the trail of blood on the floor, careful not to step on any of it. As we turned the corner into the kitchen, my eyes widened at the sight before me.
My mother was lying on the floor, blood covering her clothes and the tiles beneath her. I fell to my knees beside her, shaking her gently.
"Mum, Mum, can you hear me?" I said, my voice shaking.
There was no response. Panic flooded through me as I pressed my fingers to her neck, searching for a pulse. But there was nothing.
"Astrid, you have to run. They're coming for you." Her eyes opened. My mother's voice was barely a whisper as she spoke those words. I felt a chill run down my spine. Who was coming for me? What was going on?”
I knelt beside her, tears streaming down my face. "Who's coming for me, Mom? What's happening?"
I watched in horror as my mother’s eyes fluttered open, her lips trembling as she tried to speak. "Astrid, my sweet girl," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Please promise me that you'll stick to the Silvester pack, no matter what happens."
Tears streamed down my face as I knelt beside her, holding her hand tightly. “But you have to tell me. I will not live a clueless life like how I lived the past seventeen years. What had happened?”
Part of me knew for sure that this linked with father’s death years ago.
My mother, Ms. Joanna Wong, is a loving mom. But she's also very fierced when it comes to protecting her family.
She slapped my face She slapped my face hard, and I could feel the sting on my cheek.
"I don’t have much time left, Peach," she hissed. "You have to promise me. Look me in the eye."
I couldn't help but stare into her eyes, my heart aching with pain and confusion. What was she trying to tell me? And why did she seem so urgent about it?
"Mom, please," I begged. "Tell me what's going on. What happened to dad?"
My mother's eyes filled with tears, and she took a deep breath before continuing. "Do not leave the Silvester until you’ve turned eighteen. Promise me"
"Why?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Promise me! Now!”
I knelt before her, my hands held onto hers tight. “I promise, I promise you.”
My mother's grip on my hand loosened as her breathing grew shallow. "I love you, Astrid," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Remember that. Always."
I could feel my heart breaking as I watched her take her final breath. Riley put a comforting hand on my shoulder, and I turned to her, tears streaming down my face.
Her grip loosened, and her eyes slowly closed. I knew then that she was gone. I sat there for a long time, holding her hand and crying.
Riley came over to me, putting her arm around me. "We have to go, Astrid. We have to do what your mother said. We have to go back. The police.."
They’ll come and take me in for investigation. And I won’t be able to go back to the Silvester’s.
Riley knew for sure I couldn’t get up on my own.
I nodded, still feeling numb.
We quickly gathered some supplies and headed out to my car. I drove, my mind still reeling from everything that had happened. As we drove towards the cabin, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, and I couldn't shake the feeling of unease.