Call Out My Name

EPISODE EIGHT

Darkness consumed me, I felt myself spiralling down an endless tunnel. When I opened my eyes, I was different.

There was no one in the room, my vision was hazy and smoky.

I walked to the bathroom, studying my reflection. Glowing silver eyes stared back at me, and my silver hair fell in huge curls, cascading down my back.

The door to my room clicked open, there was a woman, tall, old, and dark-skinned. I hissed at her.

“Alphy” she held up her hands, dropping her bag to the floor.

“It’s only me. It’s your mother”

Lies.

Others rushed in, they looked shocked and horrified at my appearance.

Who were they? Where was I? Where was my mother? Our sisters?

The one with hair like flames stepped forward, cooing to me. I watched her with disgust.

Did she think me a dog? I scoffed, looking around. I was in a hospital. I needed to get back.

My feet moved quickly, I raced outside, the strangers run after me.

There were men in suits outside a few feet away from me—guards. They turned to me with fear in their eyes and guns pointed at me.

“Back off” I growled.

They didn’t listen, one of them pressed a button on his watch and whispered the word ‘witch’.

Another shot at me, the bullet grazed my arm and I hissed in pain, thanking his trembling hands for missing their mark.

Soon, other men in black swarmed the corridor, surrounding me like I was an animal. A wild one.

I sprung into the air, attacking them. I fought until there was a pile of their unconscious bodies behind me. I could not promise that most weren't dead. When I made to leave, the strangers blocked my path.

“Alphea, this isn’t you” the red head shook her head at me. They knew my name. They knew me but I didn’t know them or I couldn't recognize them. The haze grew stronger and smoke blurred my vision, silver smoke.

“Stand down” I hissed, straightening my posture so I stood taller. “I will not ask again. Stand down and I will show you mercy”

They refused my offer. With a wave of my hand, they went flying in different directions, smashing into wood, chairs and the floor. I did not have time for childish games. I needed to find the others.

I dashed outside the building.

Cars.

There were cars everywhere but no key in sight.

I stretched my hand towards a black one, its engine revved and it sped towards me, stopping right in front of me. The door opened and I got in, pressing the gas to the floor.

It was dark when I made it to the border. Mother had showed me where the door was when we visited a few times. I hurried into the pine forest, pausing every now and then to make sure I wasn’t being followed.

There were two rocks facing each other, both marked with blood. Twigs crunched behind me, I spun around, coming face to face with one of the strangers. His eyes glowed orange in the dark.

He had plump cheeks, a broad chest and thick arms.

“Who are you?” I asked, frowning at him. He was no warrior, no fighter even.

“Tobias Sandrick. Does it ring a bell princess?” he smiled menacingly at me.

I remembered him perfectly well. The youngest son of Ethan Sandrick. How could I forget my betrothed and his treacherous family.

“Toby” I laughed. “Here to settle a score? I took your father’s arm. What are you here to take from me?”

“That small act, cost me my father” he spat.

“You’re speaking formally” I chuckled. “The others, friends of yours. Do they know?”

He clenched his fists with rage.

Bingo!

They didn’t know he had crossed over and they certainly didn’t know he was a shifter, a panther shifter, maybe the last one.

I smiled.

“I have been waiting for your awakening” he spoke. “I have been watching you, waiting for the day your memories would come and your powers would claim you” the corner of his mouth lifted in a half smile.

Blundering fool.

“We were to be married Alphy. We were to be wed. The strongest match in our realm. The strongest match in Valrok. All you and your people had to do was follow the crowd”

“I"m sorry I don't like kissing ass, Toby. It's fine if you do though. You are a mutt after all” I hissed, taking a step towards him. “Because that is what you and your people are. Mutts”

His face twisted and he lunged, shifting midair and landing right in front of me, black fur, glowing green eyes—my dearest humiliated betrothed.

‘I’ve been waiting for this day’ I heard his voice in my head. ‘And so has my mother’

The queen was still alive?

He backed me up against a tree, ready to rip me to shreds. I did not wish to kill him but if he kept pushing, I’d burn him to the ground and he knew it. I rolled out of the way as his heavy paws came down on the tree. I could not believe I was betrothed to that thing.

He stalked his way towards me. Before he could reach me, a brown wolf landed in front of me, snarling. The werewolf prince.

I rolled my eyes, tired of the theatrics, even in a realm so far from home, I was stuck in the same, stupid love triangle.

Thank you, mother.

I recognized the strangers as they stood a few feet away, watching the fight. Brady, Leah, Carl and the woman who claimed to be my mother. Their eyes met mine, a pleading look in them. What did they want from me?

I shrugged, disinterested. This was not their fight. The best they could do was avoid looking me in the eye. It was not permitted to look a witch in the eye. You’d only draw trouble. Witches loved challenges.

I got bored with their snarling and biting soon enough, I brought my hands together and parted them. The werewolf went flying into a tree and Toby dug his claws into the ground to break his fall.

“Enough Tobias” I scolded him. “I do not have the time for this. You have overstayed your welcome. We will all die if we stay here longer”

Toby snapped his jaws at me and lunged for me again. I was going to have to kill him after all. I sighed, stretching my hand toward him.

“Alphea no” Brady yelled but I was past listening. Fire burst out of my hand, burning Tobias. He fell with a thud, eyes open, jaw slack.

When his breathing finally stopped, he shifted into his human form—dead.

I was so bored, they had all become weak, and incompetent.

What had they been doing for two hundred years? Painting nails?

Brady and Leah run toward him, crying and wailing over his corpse. If they knew the real him, they would pop champagne and dance the night away like I was about to do.

“You killed him” Brady stood up, advancing towards me. I c****d my head at her, a brow raised questioningly. What did she think she was doing?

“How are we supposed to forgive you for this?” she said.

“You, child. Do not know what he did or who he was. Your forgiveness does not warrant my power or guarantee my freedom but I will warn you. You will regret your unforgiveness and your fear.” I looked at all of them, one by one, including my mother. “All of you” I added, walking away, the plan I had in mind when I awoke, long abandoned.