Prologue
Henrietta's cry rang through the room. The pack doctor tried all she could yet, the baby wouldn't come out.
Beads of sweat had formed all over Henrietta's face and we're already dripping.
"I'm tired. Get this baby out of me. Please". Henrietta cried as another wave of pain streamed through her.
The lights in the room started flickering.
"What's happening?" The doctor asked, looking around lost in thoughts.
The lights flickered on and on, faster. Henrietta's screams were ear-splitting. A bone chilling cry accompanied her screams. Owls hooted, crows . The lights stopped flickering as Henrietta's screams died down.
"Lord help us!" The pack doctor exclaimed as she stared at the baby's black eyes.
"Dark magic". She whispered.
At that same moment, a dark aura filled the room. The doctor began gasping for air as her her lungs tightened.
"Dark magic". She croaked.
Andrew felt the dark presence from outside the room and busted inside. He found the doctor on the floor. His wife passed out on the bed and the child lying in between her legs, quiet and dead as night.
"My child!" He whispered.
He walked towards the child. Her hair was pitch black. Skin so pale, almost transparent. He made a move to carry her when a voice made him pause in his tracks.
"Stop!"
He turned around to find Laurel, the witch.
"Touch her, you die". Her voice came as a warning.
"Why?" His voice came out fearful. It betrayed the strength he felt he possessed.
"The pack doctor is a proof already. The child, your child has a covering surrounding her. If you touch her, you'll die. She is no normal child. She's the cursed child. A child of dark magic". Laurel spoke.
"Step aside".
Andrew moved without thinking twice.
"Spirits of the dark
Always guarding your own's back
With death as a warning mark".
She circled Henrietta's bed as a strong wind blew, whipping her hair.
"The child has been brought into the world
I, Laurel have called
She's not endangered
Take off the protection and let her feel her dad"
The wind died down and the dark aura went up in dark smoke out of the room.
Andrew gasped.
"Dark magic
Release this soul who is weak
Resurrect her
Wash memories of when she set eyes on the child".
Laurel chanted as she circled the doctor.
Her eyes flickered and Laurel disappeared.
The doctor quickly got up from the floor.
"Henrietta did it on her own". She picked up the child and handed her over to her father.
"My child". He croaked.
Her iris were jet black and bored deep into him, as though she could see into his soul, see his fear. He trembled.
A shrill cry rang out and he jumped up, startled, only to realize it was the baby crying. Instead of normal tears, what fell from her eyes were red, like blood.
"Doctor! Doctor! Why is she crying blood?" He screamed.
"I think you should take a rest. You're seeing things, she's just crying tears". The doctor said, quickly getting the baby from him.
He passed out immediately and the doctor stood, helpless, looking at a crying baby, the mother who had passed out and a father who just passed out.
"What sort of trouble is this?" She muttered.
Little did she know, the trouble had just begun.
***
"She's so pretty!"
"Her skin is so pale!"
"I've never seen a darker hair!"
"Her eyes are like though she's staring right into your soul!"
Those were the comments of people who set their eyes on Eleora.
Hair black and long, it touched the top of her butt. Her eyes were black and compelling. Her skin was white, pale, like a ghost. She had a sweet voice, one that can make you do anything. But, the most unsettling thing was the crow that seated itself on the top of her roof since the day her mother returned from the hospital with her as a baby. It has never left since. Now she was five.
"Eleora hurry up. We need to get those herbs and you could as well pick some flowers for your room". Her mother's voice came from the kitchen.
"Coming mother". She said in her little but loud voice.
"I'll see you when I return. Make sure you go nowhere". She said to the cat who's eyeballs were all black, mirroring hers.
She felt a strange thing enter her body and she got up from the floor immediately she heard her mother's approaching footstep.
"Shoo!" She hushed the cat under her bed.
"Bye Kitty kitty!" She waved her tiny fingers just as the door opened.
"Why did you take so long Eleora?" Her mother asked, a basket in her left hand and the door handle in her right.
"I was trying to get my bow right mother". She said in a low voice.
Henrietta sighed and went down on her knees.
"Here, let me help you".
Henrietta let go of the door handle and crouched down. Her wolf immediately became uncomfortable. She searched the room suspiciously.
"What's that Mummy?" Eleora asked, her eyes going a shade darker.
"Did you see anything in here Eleora?" Henrietta sniffed.
"Like what mummy?"
"Remember those demons and dark witches I read to you?" Eleora bobbed her head up and down.
"Remember I said they could take the form of cats?" She nodded again.
"Did you see anything like that baby?"
Eleora turned to where the cat was hiding. She made to speak.
'Say nothing'. A voice spoke in her head.
"No mummy".
Henrietta tied Eleora's belt into a big bow and hurried her out of the room.
"Let's go baby". She gave one last suspicious look at the room and closed the door.
They closed the main door safely behind them and took the path into the forest. Henrietta was just an Omega so she had no much say in the pack. Her mate, was also an Omega who fought his way into becoming a pack warrior. They lived away from everyone else and it best suited them.
"Mummy I want to go to school". Eleora spoke.
"I know baby. I know. Don't you worry, soon you will". Henrietta nodded stiffly.
Since the black crow seated itself on their roof, a lot of people felt her daughter was a bad omen. When she went to the school to have her enrolled, the principal said it was a bad idea and that she was a danger to the other kids. Henrietta felt bad. To her, her baby was a special child. She and Andrew started making plans to get her enrolled into the human school but they were awaiting the alpha's response.
"What's wrong Mummy?"
"Nothing my darling". Henrietta turned to give her a smile.
"Guess what?" Henrietta started plucking the herbs she needed.
"You'll take me to the carnival?" Eleora answered innocently.
"Not just that baby. The royal family will be coming to our pack!" Henrietta exclaimed happily.
"Really Mum? Do I get to see the Queen and touch her crown?" Eleora asked excitedly.
"It's not easy to get close to the royal family baby. But don't worry, one day, I believe you'll become a Queen". Henrietta squatted to meet her daughter's eyes.
"Promise?"
"Promise! Now let's run along". Henrietta moved to pick more herbs.
"These flowers are pretty mum".
"Don't...."
Before Henrietta could speak, the flower had pricked Eleora, drawing blood.
Henrietta watched as the flower turned black right in front of her. She panicked and rushed over to her, dragging her away.
"Let's go home". She turned around to see all the flowers there turning black and fading away.
Just then, the royal carriage passed by, two faces looked out. One confusingly, the other longingly at Eleora.