A War inside me

Chapter 3

Evelyn’s POV

* Flash back*

“Mom, Mom!!” I yelled through the pack house.

“I’m in the kitchen, Evie,” Mom’s gentle voice responded.

I had just been at the pack playground playing with Ashley and May when I got this weird headache.

I walked into the kitchen. Mom was with the staff getting ready for the Christmas party later that night.

“I couldn’t have organized this whole party without all of your help. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart. I appreciate all of you so much. Everything is perfect for the King and Queen’s arrival!” I heard Mom say excitedly to our pack members in the kitchen.

I pushed the heavy door of the kitchen open and cleared my throat dramatically, of course. Mom immediately looked my way, looking at me up and down.

“OH Evie!” Mom frowned. “ I told you to get dressed ! Where is your emerald gown I bought you?” She scolded me.

I looked down at my worn-out jeans and dirty pink shirt and shrugged.

“I was going to change, but then I got distracted with Ashley and May because the Valor boys said girls couldn’t be more athletic than boys because it wasn’t ‘in our nature’.” I said using my fingers as quotes.

“So we showed them who was boss!!” I laughed loudly.

Mom’s frown turned into a big smile.

“And how exactly did you show them?” She said, putting a hand on her hip.

“Easy! We created an obstacle course in the playground. The first one to run all the courses wins, and we played boys vs. girls. And guess who won?” I said sarcastically.

She sighed, laughing softly. “Who?” She questioned.

“GIRLS! Of course,” I said with a big victory smile.

The ladies in the kitchen all laughed and clapped for me and my victory.

“Okay, we’ll run along. I need you showered and changed, and I’ll send Miriam to help with your hair.”

“Fine, fine. I’ll go, but I came to tell you that after running my world-famous obstacle course, I actually feel like my head feels weird.” Her eyebrows creased together, and she placed a hand to my forehead.

“Mm, your forehead is a little hot. Let me check your temperature.”

In seconds, Anna rushed to a nearby drawer and handed the thermometer to Mom.

“98.0, no fever, but we’ll watch it, okay? Go take your shower,” she instructed. I nodded once and turned on my heels to head to our quarters.

I ran up the pack house stairs and bumped into Kaden and his friends. “Watch it squirt,” he chuckled. I turned around and stuck out my tongue at him. He gave me a slight frown, and his hands shot out to catch me, making me squeal in excitement, but I was just too fast for him. I could hear the low and loud laugh of his as I continued running up the stairs. I giggled all the way up the stairs until the pain in my forehead started to feel more like a throbbing sensation.

I got to our quarters and slammed the door shut, and ran into my room. Right on top of my pink bed was my emerald dress Mom was talking about.

I quickly took a shower and then jumped out, changed, and like clockwork, Miriam showed up.

“How would you like your hair?” She smiled. I rolled my eyes. I hated my hair done. “The easiest way possible. I don’t want to sit for too long.”

“Ringlet curls it is then,” she chuckled, grabbing her products out of her bag.

Before I knew it, she was finished.

“Okay, you’re done, Evie. How do you like it?” She asks, spinning me around to see my tight red curls. “I love them,” I giggled and bounced off the chair, loving the way my curls spring up every time I walk or jump.

“Okay, now hurry down. Your family is waiting for you.”

“Okay, I’ll be right down,” I responded. She walked out of my room, leaving me in my room alone .

I sat on my bed, the throbbing in my head getting worse. I rubbed my temples slightly, and I looked outside. I could see the guests arriving in elegant gowns.

Father will be upset if I showed up downstairs too late.

I made my way back and paused at the top of the stairs, casing looking down. I could see everything.

The pack house had never been so full of people. There was laughter, music, and everyone dressed their best.

I looked around and spotted my brother Kaden surrounded by girls by the bar.

“Eww gross,” I said under my breath. “What’s gross?” Says Dad from behind me, startling me. I look up at him, and he peered down at me with a huge smile. “All those girls with Kaden,” I admitted. He laughs loudly. “It’s okay. You’ll understand when you’re older.”

I gave him my best ‘I’m disgusted’ face, and he laughed even louder.

“Alright, alright, but on another note, don’t you look like the prettiest princess in the party?” he said, twirling me around, making me smile. “Thank you, Daddy.”

He grabbed my hand, and we went down the stairs together.

The rest was boring. The King and Queen arrived with their twin sons that were a little younger than Kaden’s. The Queen always favored my mother, so they sat together, laughing and talking about boring girl things. I sat with Dad cradled in his arms because my head was still hurting, but Dad’s scent seemed to help.

I couldn’t even eat my dinner, but when the smell of dessert hit my nostrils, I couldn’t wait to eat.

They served all kinds of platters of different things, and that’s when I smelt it— an odd scent, with like a tangy base. “Ughh, what’s that smell?” I asked

Dad.

Dad laughed loudly. “It’s desert wine made with our finest grapes,” he said. “Why does it smell rotten?” I asked. He shrugged. “They’re fermented.” The King chimed in with a chuckle.

They did a toast, lifting their glasses high, and then ingesting that awful-smelling drink.

And that’s where the nightmare began. I turned around to see my mother’s skin pale. I ran over to her, seeing a small blood drop forming on her nose, and before I could make it to her, it seemed like time slowed. Her nose erupted in blood, her skin became white as a ghost, and she started foaming at the mouth. “Momma!!!” I cried, running to her as fast as I could but was scooped up by strong arms. “Let me go!!! That’s my mom!” I sobbed.

“She’s been poisoned!!” My Dad roars through the ballroom.

“Close the doors, no one comes in or out of the territory,” Dad growls angrily. I’m fighting to get free to get to my mom. “Stop, little one, stop. You shouldn’t see her like that,” said a man’s voice. I look up and realize it was one of the twin princes. “I don’t care. Let me go NOW!!” I said, hitting and kicking him as best as I could, not even caring he’s wolf royalty. Kaden steps into view. “Kaden!!” I scream. He takes me from them. I’m still fighting to break free. “Please, Evie, look at me!” I move my head from side to side. “No, Kaden! I…”

“You’ll go to your room and stay there until further notice! BEN !!” He shouts for the son’s beta. “Take her, and don’t let her leave her room by any means!” He growls. Ben nods once. “Come on, Evie,” Ben says sternly. I’m placed in his arms, but I’m still fighting. He swings me around like a sack of potatoes and runs at wolf speed up the stairs

Theres a commotion. The guards and my father look murderous. I glance all around the room and I manage to see her lying on the floor, dead already with a purple hue now. “She’s gone,” I sobbed into Ben’s shoulder.

I cried angrily. My sweet mom didn’t deserve this.