Till Death Takes A Bite

What Is Mine

MALIAH

I slowly opened my eyes, taking in the environment. The bed, the dresser, the window- everything was foreign. My mind was a complete blank. I had no memory of how I got there. The last thing I remembered was....was.....

I rubbed my temples, trying to recall anything. Just then, a maid walked into the room. The moment she saw me awake, she stepped right out of the room and let out a loud shout.

“Our lady is awake!"

I arched my brows, quite in shock of what she had just said. Lady? I stumbled out of bed, my legs trembling beneath me. Right beside me was the portrait of a little girl. One who looked like she was 5 years of age and somehow, there seemed to be a striking resemblance between us.

I was about to pick up the frame when the door flung open and a woman alongside some maids walked into the room, with an unbelieving smile etched to their faces as the woman ran to me.

“My baby!” She pulled me into a warm embrace and helped me back to the bed. Her...What the heck was she saying?

“Ma’am, i....”

“For years, my child. For years, I have searched for you. We have been so worried that we would never see you again. You can imagine my joy when the guards told me you have been found!”

I didn’t get the chance to speak before the woman took the tray of food in her arms and began to feed me instead.

“I will feed you myself. I still want to feed you like we used to do when we were little.” She spoke with excitement and began to stuff my mouth with food. The maids grinned from ear to ear. What the heck was going on?

I couldn’t get the chance to speak or deny the fact that I was not whom they took me for. Everyone wanted to catch a glimpse of the ‘lost princess.’

“My princess!” A man whom I perceived to be the Alpha walked into the room with excitement etched to his face. Something about him seemed familiar yet I could not figure out what it was.

“I am still shocked to see you again after all these years!” He gleamed with excitement and I smiled.

Was this some sort of joke? I watched the couple embrace each other at the sight of me like I added meaning to their lives.

“I know all that is going on is shocking to you but with time, you will understand.” My father started. “You were stolen from us when you were just five years of age. For years, we searched every single place for you but we could not find you. We had some hope that we would find you someday..... and that day is today.” The Alpha gleamed.

The Luna on the other hand could not contain her joy as she held me so close to her heart. I felt whole again as I was treated like I truly deserved but my heart was breaking. I couldn’t break their heart by telling them I was not the daughter they had been waiting for.

“How did you find me, ..... mother?” I probed and looked her in the eyes. Her eyes lit up in excitement the moment I called her mother and she turned to look at her husband.

“She called me mother! My daughter called me mother! She recognizes me!” She spoke with excitement before turning to look at me and embracing me. I felt so hurt by the fact that I was deceiving them but that seemed way better than breaking their heart….at least, not yet.

“I have instructed the maids and the guards to begin to make arrangements. We are throwing a feast in two nights from now.” The Alpha spoke and I smiled.

The Luna and I had a long conversation, one that made me feel whole and alive again yet in every spare moment, I would think of Byron and what he had done to me. The gory sight of him stabbing me continually played in my mind. How could he do this to me?

“Mother......” I started, just as we were making arrangements for a perfect dress for me. “Do you know anything about Blackworth pack?” I probed and she let out a sigh.

“Of course, I do. You know, we attended Alpha Oziel’s funeral few....”

“Funeral?” I asked in shock and she nodded before squinting her brows.

“Do you know him?” She questioned and I shook my head immediately. “We attended his funeral two weeks ago. His first son died and he could not stomach the pain. He mourned him for three days and the heartbreak caused his death three days after his son’s demise.”

I felt so much pity for him. It was so painful to hear about his death.

“If your father and I had heard you were dead few years ago, we would have been dead because we wouldn’t be able to stomach the hurt.” Mother shook her head. “Thankfully, he has a younger son who is ruling the pack alongside his beautiful wife. They had one of the most big and beautiful wedding we had seen in a long time.” Mother grinned.

The words pricked my heart and I almost teared up. No, he didn’t deserve to be happy.

**

The welcoming ceremony began in earnest. Two days since Luna Hildred told me about Byron's marriage yet I could not get it off my mind.

“It’s great to see you again, Luna Hildred and Alpha Felix” A young man walked into the hall with a grin etched to his face. Suddenly, the Alpha and Luna flinched in fear.

“Congratulations on... finding your daughter. I am however here for what is mine.” He announced.

There were so many things I was blinded to and I knew I would find out in time but with the look etched to the Luna and Alpha's face, 'what was his' did not seem like something good.