009
1516 Words
•~Fiona~•
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“Who is there?!”
No response. I pick my feet and continue running. All I can see is darkness, clouding my vision. Still, I keep going.The growls behind me echo louder and closer, as if for every step I take, the beast takes two.
There’s a light ahead, faint but unmistakable—an opening at the far end. Relief floods me, but then another wolf steps into view, its wings spread high.
Wolves don’t have wings.
I don’t care. I run faster, the light drawing closer with every desperate step. Just as I reach out for it, the opening slams shut.
The growling behind me doesn’t stop. My legs give way, and I stumble to the ground, my breath coming in ragged gasps. Crawling backward, I search for an escape from whatever it is.
A dark figure slowly appeared from the shadows, red eyes, horns. Black big horns. It stretches its hands towards me–no sharp claws. I shriek, curling my body in a hug as tears stream down my cheeks. I close my eyes praying for the horror to end. I knew I'd die, I wanted to die, so why am I so afraid?
“Miss, Miss!” A voice urges. I open my eyes, a sharp gasp escaping my lips.
Ghana looms over me, her face etched with worry. Her warm brown eyes, now filled with concern, meet mine.
“You’re okay, dear,” she says softly, wiping a tear from my cheek. “It was just a dream.”
My body feels hot and shaky, my breathing still uneven.
“I—I—”
“Shhh, it’s alright, dear. It was just a dream.” She nods and doesn’t stop until I slowly nod as well.
She pulls away, giving me room to breathe. Walking to the desk at the center of the room, she picks up some lotions and ointments before returning to my side.
“Alpha Leonardo asked me to assist you with bathing. Your wounds haven’t fully healed. It’s advisable not to worsen them.”
I don’t speak. She smiles, her usual warm smile. Moments later, several young women—maids, I assume—enter the room quietly.
“Fetch the boiled water,” she instructs one of them, who immediately hurries out.
Minutes later, she returns, and the other girls help me out of bed and into the bathroom where I am washed and cleaned.
The water stings as it touches my wounds, and a hiss of pain escapes my lips. Ghana notices and quickly applies a purple ointment to the areas, her touch gentle.
Once done, they dress me in a silk nude dress, tightening the corset at the back, followed by making my hair into a single braid.
When I finally look in the mirror, I can’t recognize myself. I look so different from the beaten-up creature. A single tear threatens to escape my lids, but I sniff it back.
“Alpha Leonardo wants you to join him for breakfast,” Ghana says after one of the maids is done braiding my hair.
They lead the way out of the room and into the garden just outside. The garden is vast, filled with the scent of different flowers mixed together, coming in all at once. We had gardens at home, but it is nothing compared to this.
There seated at the table is Leonardo. The table is filled with delicious meals and fruit of different shapes and sizes.
The maids and servants retreat, leaving the two of us alone.
“How are you feeling now?” Leonardo says, causing me to stop my fork midway and slowly raise my head to look at him.
“Much better, Alpha Leo—”
“Leonardo.” He corrects, and I nod.
I lower my head, returning to my plate. I lift a single raspberry to my lips, feeling his eyes follow my every move.
“I couldn’t make it back last night, I had some things to take care of,” he starts. “Hope you found everything comfortable?”
“Yes, it was lovely.”
A smile makes its way to his face, but it doesn’t last long. “You look tense. Didn’t have any sleep?”
I freeze, my hands gripping the fork tighter. Could he already tell?
“Didn’t you?” He repeats.
“I slept fine.” I lie.
“You’re a terrible liar.“
My breath catches, but he doesn’t press further. Gladly. Instead, he shifts his attention to the garden around us.
“This is one of our smaller gardens,” he adds, as though reading my thoughts. “Do you like it?”
I hesitate but nod.
Leonardo rises from his chair and stops in front of me. Holding his hands out for me to grasp.
“Come on,” he smiles. “I don’t bite.”
Tentatively, I place my hand in his. He helps me up, and we begin walking through the garden.
I notice his smile immediately vanishes, replaced with a stoic expression as we walk.
We stop by a blue giveheart Lily tree, and he plucks one, handing it to me.
“Blue giveheart Lily. They are beautiful,” I say in awe. “They don’t grow in the East,” I say, gently brushing my fingers over the soft petals. “It’s hard to come across flowers that aren’t hibiscus.”
Leonardo tilts his head. “How do you know this flower?”
I hesitate, my grip on the delicate stem tightening. “Alpha Raphael gave one to me during our first meeting.”
The words leave my lips before I can stop them.
The air between us changes instantly. His expression darkens, the warmth in his gaze replaced by something cold and unreadable. He doesn’t say anything for a long moment, and the silence stretches.
Finally, he straightens. “There’s something I need to attend to. Enjoy the garden.”
Without waiting for a response, he turns and walks away.
I stand there, clutching the flower, confusion swirling in my mind. Did I say something wrong?
~••~
Hours later, I decide to leave the garden. The flowers and warm sunlight calmed my nerves more than I expected. Walking along the stone path, my thoughts swirling with questions about Leonardo’s sudden change in mood, but I force it aside.
Just as I near the garden’s edge, a small figure rushes past, bumping into me with surprising force.
“Whoa!” I gasp, stumbling slightly but managing to steady myself.
The child, a little girl no older than six, looks up at me with wide, startled eyes. Her features freeze me in place. Her dark, wavy hair falls softly around her face, and her sharp blue eyes gleam with a familiar intensity.
I inhale sharply, my heart skipping a beat. She looks... like him.
“Sorry!” she blurts out, her voice high and sweet. “I didn’t mean to bump into you!”
“It’s okay,” I whisper. My gaze remains fixed on her face, searching for answers in the uncanny resemblance.
She tilts her head, curiosity lighting her features as she studies me. “You’re really pretty,” her small lips curl into a smile.
A faint smile tugs at my own lips, though my thoughts remain in turmoil. “Thank you. What’s your name?”
“Liora,” she says proudly.
“Liora,” I repeat softly, the name rolling off my tongue. “That’s a beautiful name.”
Her grin widens but suddenly falters, replaced by a cautious look.
“Are you Leo’s new bride?” she asks, catching me off guard.
She calls him by his name—Leo. Not “Alpha,” not “sir.” Just Leo.
I nod slowly. “I... guess I am.”
Her amber eyes narrow slightly as if assessing me. “That’s strange. Didn’t elder John strictly refuse a new bride? I didn’t even know Leo liked any other girls since her.”
“Liora!”
The little girl’s head snaps toward the sound, and I follow her gaze. A woman approaches. Her expression is stern, though there’s a flicker of relief in her eyes when they land on Liora.
“There you are,” the woman approaches. “What have I told you about wandering off?”
“I wasn’t wandering,” Liora pouts. “I just bumped into her.” She gestures toward me, her amber eyes glinting with amusement.
The woman’s gaze shifts to me, and I see the wariness in her expression. “I hope she didn’t bother you,”
“Not at all,” I reply, forcing a polite smile. “She’s sweet.”
The woman nods curtly, then takes Liora’s hand. “Come along, Liora. We’ve wasted enough time.”
As the woman pulls Liora away, I feel a pang of confusion settle deep in my chest. The mention of her—the one Liora had referred to—replays in my mind over and over.
Who is she?
- Writer
