Royal Outcast

Chapter 8

Seri's POV

“Mate…” the man muttered, his voice deep and filled with an indescribable emotion, and then he took a step forward.

Suddenly, I found myself feeling nauseous, lightheaded, and disoriented for reasons I couldn’t quite comprehend. An overwhelming wave of emotions surged through me, causing every muscle in my body to tense and making it difficult to breathe.

Nervously, I gulped, my throat parched, and instinctively stepped back, tightening my grip on Sachi. It felt as though drawing him closer to me would somehow ground me in this moment and prevent me from collapsing under the weight of my unexpected unease.

The man halted in his tracks, his brows furrowing deeply, a frown settling heavily on his face. His expression was inscrutable, yet his eyes remained locked on mine. My heart began to pound erratically, beating faster and faster as my breath turned uneven.

Oh God.

Could it truly be?

With great effort, I forced myself to lock eyes with him, and the intensity of his gaze almost made my knees buckle beneath me. It felt as if my heart might give out at any second, the pressure in my chest becoming entirely unbearable.

Then, my vision began to blur. My legs trembled violently, weakening beneath me, and the world around me started to spin.

I clutched Sachi even tighter, hugging him protectively—not only because of the man standing in front of me, inching closer and closer with every passing second, but also because I had a harrowing suspicion of exactly what was about to transpire.

No… I…

And then, all I could see was darkness.

I wasn’t quite certain what had happened or why it had taken place in the first place.

All I knew was that the moment I locked eyes with that man, I had felt utterly unwell—completely and profoundly unwell.

When I finally reopened my eyes with a sharp gasp, I found myself in an open space, enveloped by the thick foliage of a dense forest. The air smelled fresh and vibrant, carrying a faint, nostalgic scent that tugged at the edges of my memory.

This place… I recognized it well. Yet, it had been so long since I had last set foot here.

I turned my head, glancing around with a sinking sensation in my chest. The eerie silence and towering trees combined to produce an unsettling feeling of being strangely lost and… lonely.

“Aoife?” I called hesitantly, my voice barely above a whisper.

[Pronounced as Ee-fa.]

“Aoife, are you here?” I called out once again, my voice wavering slightly.

I was scared.

I was confused.

“Aoife, please…” I begged, my throat tightening painfully as a single tear escaped my eye.

Just then, the sound of rustling from the bushes drew my attention.

“Aoife?” I called once more, my heart tightening with a blend of hope and desperation.

But, instead of the familiar presence I longed for, a light gray wolf with piercing golden eyes emerged from the shadows.

The very same one from my dream.

I instinctively took a step back, my breath catching in my throat. The wolf’s demeanor shifted instantly, its golden eyes darkening as it emitted a low, threatening growl. It began to approach me with deliberate and predatory steps, its body tense and poised for action.

I froze.

In that moment, I had no idea what to do, how to feel, or even what to think.

Everything was unfolding too rapidly, too suddenly. My mind was in complete disarray, unable to process the events spiraling before me.

Then, without warning, the light gray wolf lunged forward, dashing at full speed before pouncing on me.

I let out a screech as I fell backward onto the ground. Instinctively, I raised my arms to shield myself, my body bracing itself for the worst.

But then—

A familiar growl echoed through the clearing.

I opened my eyes just in time to witness a sight that was all too recognizable.

A red wolf.

Aoife.

My wolf.

At last, my wolf had come for me.

She pounced on the gray wolf, her small frame barely surpassing half its size, yet she stood her ground fiercely. Positioning herself between me and the unknown wolf, she bared her sharp teeth in a menacing snarl.

The light gray wolf's golden eyes burned with fury at Aoife's interference, but she did not falter.

Aoife stepped forward, unwavering, and then she howled.

A long, powerful howl that resonated through the woods.

The gray wolf’s aggression seemed to falter, though its anger remained palpably evident. It exhaled harshly through its nose before turning away. Without a single glance back, it vanished into the depths of the forest, its presence fading into the shadows.

As soon as it was gone, I released a shaky breath, feeling light-headed.

“Aoife…” I murmured, my voice trembling.

Aoife turned her head toward me, her forest green eyes ablaze with frustration.

“Seriously, Seri?” she growled, her voice sharp and laced with irritation.

I bit my lower lip, my vision blurring once more—not from exhaustion this time, but from the sting of unshed tears.

“What is it with you?!” she snapped, glaring at me.

I looked down, feeling a wave of shame wash over me.

“That was our mate, and this is how you’re acting around them? Seriously?” she continued, disbelief evident in her tone.

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat and slowly raised my head to meet her gaze.

“I just… I was surprised. I was overwhelmed, that’s all,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

Aoife's expression hardened further.

“I have had it with you,” she said coldly.

I bit my lip harder, my heart sinking as I looked at her with apologetic eyes.

She turned away, her back now facing me as she set off to walk away.

“Aoife… I’m sorry,” I whispered, but she didn’t look back.

She didn’t stop.

She disappeared into the woods, leaving me utterly alone once again.

I hugged my legs to my chest, burying my face as I let out quiet sobs.

Aoife is my wolf.

But we… we are not on good terms.

Aoife and I… we lost our connection two years ago.

On that same fateful night…

[TRIGGER WARNING: Attempted Suicide]

{ Flashback to two years ago… }

I stared out the window of the bus as the stunning view of the ocean slowly came into focus.

The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm, golden glow that danced upon the water’s surface. I had timed my trip perfectly—arriving just in time to watch the sun dip below the horizon.

Today was my sixteenth birthday.

After spending the morning with the kind staff at the orphanage, Mr. Adams had encouraged me to go out and… enjoy myself.

So, I decided to come here.

To the ocean.

To watch the sunset.

It had taken a while to reach this place, but somehow, I knew it would be worth the effort.

‘It’s beautiful,’ Aoife commented softly in my head.

A small smile crept across my face.

“It is, isn’t it?” I replied quietly.

‘No wonder you wanted to come. We should have done this sooner if I'd known it would be this pretty,’ she added, her voice lighthearted and filled with warmth.

This time, I didn’t respond.

‘Have you been here before?’ Aoife asked suddenly, her curiosity piquing.

“Yes,” I murmured absentmindedly.

‘Really? When?’ she inquired, curiosity threading through her tone.

I hesitated for a moment before answering.

“Exactly ten years ago.”

‘On your sixth birthday? Was it with your mom and dad?’ she pressed gently, her tone softening.

I didn’t answer right away.

Finally, I whispered, “Yes.”

‘I see… It must have been a happy moment for the three of you,’ she remarked softly.

I smiled sadly, a bittersweet memory surfacing.

“It was,” I admitted, my voice breaking as a single tear slipped quietly down my cheek.

Aoife’s voice softened in response.

‘Seri…' she muttered, concern lacing her words.

I quickly wiped my tears away, trying to regain my composure.

“It’s nothing. This is nothing, Aoife,” I told her firmly.

But deep down, I knew I was lying.

And that marked the beginning of the night that would change everything forever.

[END OF FLASHBACK]

And what happened after that did indeed change everything in my life.