Half Blooded

03

“You knew about this the whole time?!”

I can’t believe my mother would keep the truth from me! Why would she?! And how dare she?! I’m fuming with anger right now and I can’t afford to listen to more lies she’d tell me.

“N-no, Celeste. I-It’s not like that...” She tried to go near me but I stepped backward every time she’d try. “Let me explain—“ I didn’t let her finish what she wanted to say.

“You already lied enough, Mom! I hate you!” I slammed the door to her face and locked myself in the room, crying.

If I didn’t tell her, she wouldn’t tell me about this too! And I don’t understand why. Is she trying to keep me away from my father? Why? Did she hate him so much that she’d tell me he’s already dead?!

I’m in rage right now but at the same time, I’m also in so much pain. My mother separated me from where my life should be at. For the first time in my life, after I thought that I have everything when I’m with my mother, I felt... I felt so alone.

I curled in my bed and just cried everything out until I fell asleep.

I had no idea what happened but I found myself laying on the ground, in the middle of the forest. I looked around and saw nothing but the big trees and the dried leaves and branches that are on the ground.

I know I have never been to this place. This forest is far away from the forest that I’ve entered earlier but it somehow felt familiar. Something in me tells me that I know this place.

I walked around and heard people chattering in the distance. I listen carefully from where the noise came from and found myself standing behind a tree, looking like a creep, watching these people that lived in the middle of the forest. But it was like a village park.

My brows furrowed, trying to process why a village is in the middle of the forest. Oh, no! Maybe at the back of that village is the way out of this forest. I’m such a fool to think the village is inside the forest. I chuckled alone but immediately stopped with a thought, ‘What is it really in the middle of the forest?’

Never mind, I’ll find out soon anyway.

I gathered all my confidence to talk to these strangers and ask them if there was a way out of this forest somewhere near here.

I walked closer to the kid that is riding the horse spring rider. She’s easier for me to approach. And, I’m still shy to ask the adults that are talking with each other.

“Hello, little girl? What’s your name?” I asked her and smiled sweetly.

“I’m Cathia,” she coldly answered which is odd for kids to do. They’re usually sweet and get excited whenever they find a new friend. Hmm, I wonder why.

“Hello, Cathia. I’m Celeste, do you want to be friends with me?” I asked her, still smiling sweetly and even speaking gently so she wouldn’t be afraid of me.

“No. Go away,” she said, shocking me and making me feel embarrassed. Kids in my town don’t talk to me like this?!

“I’m sorry, little girl but, I’m lost. Can you help me get out of here?” I asked her again, hoping that maybe, when she knew I’m lost, she was going to show me the way out or at least help me with her little way.

“That’s not my problem. Now, go away!”

“What a brat!” Natalia reacted to what the girl just told me.

“Calm down, Tali,” I told her in my thoughts.

“I’m afraid I can’t go anywhere, Cathia. I don’t know this place,” I tried again, trying to get her to help me but she suddenly screamed like I was hurting her.

“Papa! She’s hurting me! She wants to kidnap me,” she cried which scared me. She— I didn’t even touch her!

The boys that are chattering in the distance looked at me with fire in their eyes. Obviously mad at me.

“How dare you touch my child?!” the man shouted at me, picking up his stupid child.

“Look, I didn’t even touch her, Sir,” I tried to defend myself but the girl told him that I was lying and that I wanted to kidnap her.

“Hey! That’s not true! I’m lost! I only asked you for help!”

“See, Papa? She’s shouting at me,” she cried again with no tears in her eyes. She was obviously forcing it.

“This kid!” Natalia is already full of this kid. Tali has short temper, huh?

“Wait, no!” Ugh! This kid is such a liar!

The man whispered something to his daughter and the kid who I know is Cathia, nodded. The man then put his daughter down and Cathia ran away.

The man looked at me, looking angry. I told him! I was lost! “If you think you can step into our territory with your lies, you’re wrong. Your scheme for old people to believe in.”

What? Scheme? I’m telling him the truth!

“I’m taking you to the Alpha.” He grabbed my arm and held it strongly.

“Taking me where? What are you talking about?!” I don’t understand what’s happening now. I was just lost! “Would he help me get out of this forest?” I asked him, very confused.

He smirked at me before speaking, “You don’t know what trouble you’re in, girl.”

Oh, no, I can’t be.

I tried to escape from his grip but he wouldn’t budge. Instead, he just held me even tighter and dragged me with him.

“Celeste! Move! You’re strong!” Natalia said like she’s not seeing what I’m doing.

“I’m trying, Tali. He’s so strong!”

“Then, don’t let him be stronger than you!” I’m starting to think wolves are stupid.

“Yeah, you think it’s that easy? Why don’t you just help?”

With that, I suddenly felt the same thing that I felt earlier. It was like I was inside my body. Is she...

“I’m taking control.”

Even though I don’t understand what she said, I’ve let her do her thing.

I snatched— no. Natalia snatched my arms from the man and pushed her with all force. I can’t believe she’s that strong. She then ran as fast as she could but the man chased her.

“Are we—“

“We’re in great trouble.”

My eyes widened, feeling guilty. She... we... we’re in trouble again because of me!

“Look, it won’t be long for me to take over your body so please when I say ‘run,’ run as fast as you could, and don’t you ever look back. I’ll tell you where to go, okay?”

I don’t know what to do now. I just said yes to what she said.

“Are you ready?” she suddenly asked me.

“Uh... no—”

“Now run!”

When I felt my feet on the ground I knew it was time. I ran as fast as I could. My feet are starting to hurt! I wanted to look back so I can see where he is. I know he’s behind us because I can hear him running but I remembered what Natalia told me. Don’t look back and just keep running.

“My feet’s starting to hurt!” I told her.

“Keep running!”

“I don’t know if I can run any longer!”

“Run or die, Celeste! You have no choice!”

I was so pressured and I wanted to be as fast as I could but I felt so slow. I felt curious and the temptation to look at what was behind me is strong. I tried to shrug the feeling off but before I knew it, I was already looking at my back. And hell I could not be more scared.

A wolf is chasing me and it’s only two feet away!

“I told you not to look! Celeste!” Natalia angrily growled.

“You didn’t tell me a wolf is chasing us! What happened to the man? Was he swallowed? Or did he escape?”

“He’s the man, Celeste! I don’t want to tell you because I know you’d freak out!”

“What?!”

“The man shifted into a wolf!”

Oh, my God! I messed with a wolf! I started to shake out of frustration and pressure. I want to keep running but I was beginning to feel exhausted and my feet is hurting badly!

“Don’t you dare stop, Celeste!”

“I can’t run any longer!”

I turned to look at the brown beast that is chasing us and this time, there was no chance I can outrun him because he was already in the air, ready to pounce at me. And for the second time, all I could do is to close my eyes and accept my tragic fate.

But no! I heard a wolf whimper so I opened my eyes to see what happened.

Another wolf attacked the wolf that was chasing me. The other wolf was a mixture of gray and black. He bit the neck of the brown wolf until it was bleeding non-stop. The wolf cried and cried in pain as the other wolf bit his neck and seemed to be not bothered by the reaction of his prey.

I honestly don’t know why I’m still staying here. I must not be watching him eat his own kind because who knows if I was his next target? I was about to stand up when our eyes met. His eyes were cold as the crystal eyes and when they caught me, I couldn’t help but stare deep into its eyes. I don’t know why but his eyes were calming at its like it's talking to me.

He growled at the other wolf and gave it a chance to escape from him. And after that, it walked close to me.

“Uh, What happening?” I asked Natalia in a whisper.

“I don’t know. I can feel he’s a good wolf. He saved us!” Natalia sounded happy and excited. It’s like she wasn’t being chased earlier!

The wolf went closer and spoke to me. Or to Natalia. I can only hear him growl but there’s a message sent in my brain. And it said,

“I’m your mate?”

I got confused. What does it mean?