The Fifth Bloodline

Episode.3

Celine’s POV

“You won’t be going back.”

For a moment, I thought I’d misheard her. I turned slowly toward her.

“What… did you say?”

She kept both hands on the steering wheel, her eyes fixed on the dark road ahead.

"You won't be going back." She repeated.

I gazed silently at her for a while. Then rolled my eyes and leaned back in my seat. Aunt Jorah always tried to be funny, even when she clearly wasn’t.

"That’s a terrible joke.”

She said nothing, but I hadn’t expected her to anyway.

"I mean it Aunty, I'm just not the one that was supposed to be on this errand."

"Celine you're here because you won't be going back." She repeated with a more serious tone.

“…You’re serious.?"

I gazed at her.

Her serious face immediately melted to a saddened one.

“I’m sorry.” The word came out almost as a whisper.

She swallowed hard. For the first time since we left the pack, her hands trembled on the steering wheel.

My heartbeat quickened. She wasn’t joking.

So what was happening?

“Sorry for..? What exactly do you mean?”

She looked away again.

“Celine…”

“What do you mean I won’t be going back? I don't understand.”

No answer. The silence inside the car felt unbearably heavy. Something was terribly wrong.

“Aunt!”

Still nothing.

“Pull over.” Something inside me snapped.

“Celine…”

“I said pull over!”

She hesitated.

I reached across the console and grabbed the steering wheel. The SUV swerved violently. Tyres screamed against the asphalt.

Another vehicle blasted its horn as it sped past us.

“Celine!”

She fought the wheel. The car lurched sideways before finally coming to a violent stop on the shoulder of the highway.

Silence settled the air.

The sound of our heavy breathing filled the car. Blood trickled from a small cut above my eyebrow where I’d hit the window. I didn’t care.

I turned to her.

“What…” My voice shook.

“…are you talking about?”

She stared at me. Then closed her eyes breathing out in a sigh of relief.

“I’m sorry.”

I slammed my fist against the dashboard.

“Stop saying you’re sorry! I don’t want your apology! I want the truth!”

She lowered her head.

“You’re not going back. Because…”

"...you were never going to become the Alpha.”

“What?” I muttered with a low voice.

“Tomorrow’s Ascension…”

“…was never meant to be yours.”

My ears rang.

“It was for Danny."

My breath became heavy as I gazed silently at her for a while, then I swallowed.

“How do you know that?”

“I was right at the high table when it was discussed.”

I scoffed, bitter laugh escaped my lips.

“I don't believe any of this bullshit you are talking about. just take me back, now!”

"It's true!"

"No, it’s not!" I yelled. "You forged this up! My dad will not be preparing me since I was little just to make my younger sister who's not even up to 18 an Alpha." I took in a breath. "Whatever game you are playing...!"

"I'm not playing any game Celine, I'm telling you the truth. Think about it, what sense does it make that tomorrow is yours ascension but yet he sent you on all night journey."

She fell silent.

I stared at her for several seconds, tried to say something but my mouth was empty of words.

I lowered my head. Tears blurred my vision. I don't want to believe it but I know she's telling the truth.

Deep down… I’d always known something wasn’t right. My path to becoming the Alpha felt too easy amidst all the whispers.

I’d ignored all of it because Father had promised I had nothing to worry about.

I looked up at her with my eyes filled with tears. "So what's his plan for me, on this journey?"

"Not his plan, I requested you come with me to save you from the heartbreak and the shame." She said. “The elders refused to accept a wolfless Alpha.”

The words pierced straight through my chest.

Of course. My wolf. Always about being wolfless.

I looked down at my shaking hands.

“He betrayed me. The Alpha title is my birthright, it should have nothing to do with having a wolf, He said it himself.”

“It isn't always easy, Your father fought for you.”

I looked at her.

“Then why am I here?”

She couldn’t answer immediately.

“The council feared the pack would reject you.”

I laughed bitterly.

“The pack? They all loved me, my father knows it, seeing me become the Alpha will be their utmost joy. I think it's just him. He chose not to.”

Jorah looked down. She couldn’t deny it.

So…

Father believed it too. He believed that not having a wolf made me unworthy of becoming Alpha. Just like I’d feared.

“I really have lost everything.”

“No.”

Jorah finally met my eyes.

“Perhaps I made the wrong decision bringing you with me. Your father still loves you. He wishes you could still be by his side.”

“But I know it will be less painful away from the pack.”

"I couldn’t leave you there.”

I began to cry. Not loudly.

Not dramatically.

Just…

Quietly.

"I know you also wished to be there. But that's not the best way if you want to take back the status someday."

“It’s not a status. It was my birthright!”

Only bitterness remained in my voice.

“Then if you hope to reclaim it one day… I urge you to look away from them now."

Jorah reached over.

This time… I didn’t pull away.

She squeezed my hand.

“My pack will become your home from now on. Tomorrow is still the Full Moon. Until it passes, no one can say for certain that you don’t have a wolf. Or maybe one day…”

“…if fate ever gives you the chance to reclaim what was stolen from you…”

“I’ll stand beside you.”

“I don’t believe you’re ordinary, Celine.”

She squeezed my hand.

“And one day… They’ll regret ever looking down on you.”

I closed my eyes. I wanted to believe her. I wanted to believe that somehow…

This wasn’t the end.

That tomorrow I might magically transform.

But tonight…

It felt like my entire world had died.