Stolen Scent, Stolen Heart

Chapter 7: Ritual Day

(Ashley POV)

I took a deep breath before entering her den, and she was present on the ground with a star-like shape drawn on the floor inside a big white circle with white powder. She opened her eyes and asked me to step into the circle.

“Are you ready to give up your scent for your revenge?” She asked, and I nodded.

“I have one request, though,” I quickly said before she could start her rituals. Her hazel eyes stared at me.

“What is it?”

“Please give me an identity with which I can enter the Shadow Pack without any complications,” She nodded and handed me a bottle of green vial.

“After the ritual, you have to drink this vial, and then I will help you with your request,” She informed me, and I nodded in agreement. She stepped out of that circle and started chanting her spells. I felt a different sensation in my body, and my wolf howled in pain.

My heart was thudding like we just finished a marathon, and I clutched my head with both hands. All the memories of the past flooded my head, and I felt like my heart would burst with this unbearable pain.

“Please make this pain go away. I can’t… I can’t bear it anymore,” I begged her, and tears started rolling down my cheeks, and I screamed with agony that filled every cell of my body. It seemed like someone was trying to pull my soul out of my body.

“You will not be the same after this ritual. You will even forget the most lovely and painful memories that you shared with your loved ones,” I heard her voice, but didn’t try to stop the ritual. I fell on the ground and started writhing in pain.

My screams of pain and agony were the only thing echoing in that dark den.

“You have no idea how precious your scent is,” She informed me, and all the happiness that I shared with my parents and my friends flooded my memory. I hiccuped with pain and helplessness.

“No!!!” Soon, my body started losing all its powers, and I was floating in the air like a powerless doll. A ball of illuminating blue and silver colors came out of my chest, and my heart turned numb. Slowly, all the pain started fading, and I came back to the ground right in the center of that circle. I felt like someone s*cked all the energy out of my body.

“Drink this,” she gestured towards the potion bottle with trembling hands. I opened the bottle and downed it in one go. It was tasteless and but as soon as I downed it. My skin color changed along with my hair color. She handed me a mirror. I noticed how my red hair turned ‌black and my hazel-green eyes turned ‌honey colored eyes. My features also changed, and in just a few seconds, I was staring at a stranger’s reflection.

“This is your new identity, and your new name will be Aria Blackwell. And you have to find Lucy after entering the Shadow pack. She will help you with your plan and also provide you with a place to stay in the enemy’s pack,” I nodded, and with this, my body collapsed, and I fell into a deep slumber.

I woke up after hours, and the first thing I noticed was a wooden roof above my head. I quickly got up and looked around. It was a wooden bed, and I was in some kind of cottage. I tried to get up from the bed quickly, but the world spun around me and I fell on the bed again.

“Relax! I don’t need your life… yet. You have to rest for a few more hours to recharge; otherwise, your body will collapse again,” That same witch said, and my head whipped towards her. She was dressed in a black cloak that covered her body from head to toe, but her silver white hair was visible through it. She put a bowl of chicken broth on the small wooden table present just a few feet away from my table.

“Th-thank you,” I forced a smile on my face but looked at the chicken broth with suspicion. I have heard that witches eat everything raw, so…”

“Don’t worry! It is really a chicken broth soup, nothing else. Although I was thinking about giving you ‌snake soup, I thought it would be too much for you to consume all at once.” My eyes widened when she laughed.

“Witches are human beings too, child. Don’t worry! We also consume normal human food just like you,” she assured me, and my ears turned red with embarrassment. F*ck! I thought she was telling me the truth about the snake soup. I slowly picked up the spoon and took a sip. It was tasty, and I was starving, so I quickly finished the whole bowl in just a few minutes.

“Thank you so much,” I thanked her again, and she nodded before picking up the bowl.

“Can you please tell me your name… If you don’t mind?” I asked, and she walked away without anything. I sighed with sadness when she turned.

“Miranda Trish,” She said in a hushed tone, like she was telling me a secret. I would have missed it if I weren’t attentive.

“Thank you for trusting me,” I smiled, and she nodded before leaving me alone in that room. I started feeling sleepy again and fell asleep in just a few minutes. I got up again the next day. I found a small paper with all the instructions. I quickly changed the clothes that Miranda prepared for me after taking a long shower. I was still feeling a bit weird about my new look, but I didn’t pay much attention to it. I noticed my bag was present in the corner of the room. I didn’t get the chance to ask her about where she found out about this bag, but I quickly checked all the things. Everything was intact, so I picked it up and headed towards the shadow pack.

The memories of when I rescued Lucas and how I felt about him and the bond I shared with him all became blurred. That potion really lessens my pain, but it also took away almost half of my memories, which I think is fair because that pain was becoming unbearable for me.

“I am coming for you, Lucas. To ruin you and defeat you in the worst way possible,” I said when I arrived at the border and then crossed it, when the soldiers were changing their shift. It was almost night, so the darkness would help me camouflage in the bushes. I quickly hid behind dark bushes, and thankfully, they didn’t notice me. After waiting for a few minutes, I ran towards the north-west direction as per the instructions mentioned on the paper. I didn’t have to wait long there. An old female came towards me in a dark brown cloak, almost similar to Miranda’s cloak.

“Come with me.” After walking for about fifteen minutes, she finally knocked on a door which was looking like an ancient medical shop for the pack. I looked towards her, but her face was hidden under the cloak. We heard the sound of the footsteps, and I straightened my back.

“Goodbye,” That female said and left me there. Wait, what? Wasn’t she the one who would help me in this pack? Before I could ask her that, someone stepped out of the house. An old woman in her late forties with sharp features and blue eyes.

“How can I help you, Miss?” She asked in a stern tone if she didn’t want me there. I gave her the piece of paper with nothing written on it. I became nervous for a second before, as per the instructions, I had to hand her this paper, but it was clear, with not even a single word written on it.

“So, the witch sent you here, right?” She asked, and I nodded my head in yes.

“What’s your name?” She asked, and this time, her tone was a bit different than before.

“My name is Aria Blackwell, Lucy,” I answered, and she entered her house.

“Follow me, child. I don’t have the whole day to entertain you.” Her grumpy tone made me move. I quickly entered that shop, and she locked the door behind me. I followed her straight to the back of the shop, where she was living in a small house. But it was giving a homey and comfy vibe.

“I own this shop and help the pack members with ancient herbs and medicines. You are my assistant from now on, and I will teach you all the necessary information about medicines, okay?” I nodded in yes.

“I don’t like people who talk much, and you will handle your own business and will not… and I mean it, you will not ask about my personal things, understand?”

“Yes, Understood,” I answered.

“Good! You can stay in that room,” She showed me a room. I thanked her and entered in it.

“Thank you so much, Moon Goddess. You made it really easy for me to enter this pack,” I thanked her when the door knocked.

“Can you please check the door, Aria?” Lucy said, and I put my bag on the bed.

“Aria!?” She called me, and I realized she was calling me. F*ck! It will take me some time to get used to this new name. I nodded and quickly opened the door, and came face to face with the man I least expected.

“Alpha, Lucas! What brings you here at this hour of the night?” Lucy’s voice pulled me out of my stupor, and I stepped aside to let him enter Lucy’s house.

“Lucy, I hate to disturb you at this hour, but actually, my wounds aren’t healing well. Can you please check if there is something wrong with my wounds?” he explained, but then turned his neck to look at my face.

“Her name is Aria Blackewell. She is my new assistant and the daughter of my distant relative. I have already informed you about her yesterday,” He nodded in understanding, and I bowed slightly to greet him.

“Good evening, Alpha Lucas,” I greeted him, but my heart wanted to kill him instead. He stepped towards me and narrowed his eyes at me.

“So, You…”

“F*ck! Did he recognize me?” My heart thudded in my chest with fear, and I tried my best to remain normal in front of him; otherwise, his alpha wolf could sniff my fear from miles away, and my mission would end before even starting.

“Is there something wrong, Alpha?” Lucy smiled and stepped towards me to break the awkwardness of the moment.

“Yes!” My eyes snapped towards him, and the anger was visible on his face.

“I know who she is,”