chapter 3
1565 Words
Destiny's POV
No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't relax. At this point, it felt impossible and the more I tried, the worse it got. I was literally like a bag of dynamite, just waiting for the slightest provocation before I exploded into a million pieces.
“You should relax, you know.” Someone's voice pulled me out of my trance, startling me in the process. “ Being jittery and thinking too much isn't exactly good for you.”
And with an expression I couldn't quite understand, she added. “ And the baby.”
“Yes, I… I know.” I stuttered. I cleared my throat almost immediately, but my voice still came out as a tiny whisper. “ I'm sorry.”
“Stop apologizing.” The old woman shrieked. It was more of a cackle that sounded like she had something stuck in her throat, but it was terrifying nonetheless. “ You've done nothing wrong. Here, have some tea.”
“Oh.” I yelped as she pressed a steaming mug into my palms. I almost gagged as I tilted the mug to the side. It was brown and murky looking and I could swear I saw broken bits of branches floating at the top. It had no aroma or scent , so I muttered a prayer to the goddess that it didn't taste as bad as it looked. “ What's this?”
“It's good for the baby.” Was all the old lady said. “ I promise.”
“So how does this work exactly?” I asked instead. As I adjusted myself on her slightly comfy sofa, I gazed out the window. It had started raining and from the looks of things, it wasn't going to stop anytime soon. “ How are you going to turn me into a werewolf?”
“Someone's impatient.” She smiled a crooked smile and at the same time, a bolt of lighting struck, illuminating her creepy face. “ I like that. All you have to do is perform a ritual and boom, you're a werewolf.”
“And you're sure it'll work?” Everything about her looked sketchy. From how she just appeared at the hospital, to her house and her creepy antics, everything was just straight up weird. “ Who are you even?”
“I thought you'd never ask.” She sounded gleeful as she moved around her house. “ Ever heard of Grelda the great?”
“No.” I let out immediately. “ No, I haven't.”
“That's a shame.” Grelda clicked her tongue forlornly. “ We're slowly losing our folklore.”
“You still haven't answered my question….”
“Patience.” Grelda cut me off immediately. “ I will, and in due time too, but before I go on you have to answer me. Do you accept?”
“Accept what? I…”
“Accept to go through with the ritual.” Grelda snorted. “ Time is of the essence and we really don't have a lot of it.”
“Now?” My heart jumped into panic mode immediately. “ But I don't know what it entails, how can I just…”
“You make a sacrifice to the moon goddess and in return she grants you the power of being a werewolf.” She rushed out the words. “ It's quite easy if you ask me.”
“What about my baby?” I let out. Slowly, my hands found its way to my belly as I rubbed small circles around it. “ Will the ritual affect it?”
“No. Not at all.” There was something about the way she spoke that didn't sit right with me. “ I'm going to take care of that.”
“How?” I had no idea why, but I didn't exactly believe her. “ How are you going to take care of it?”
“With this” She tossed a transparent glass towards me. I barely caught it, as I set the mug down on her center table. “ You're lucky you caught it. That was my last one.”
“What exactly is this?” I asked as I took a good look at the glass. It was cylindrical in shape with weird markings around it, and with each angle I turned it towards, I could see lights of different colors dancing inside it.
“That's where I'll be keeping your baby till the ritual is complete.” She shrugged.
“What?!” I screamed, almost dropping it. “ Keeping my baby? What? How? That's not even possible….”
“Nothing is impossible for me, child.” She grinned. “ I am a witch after all.”
“You're a witch!?” I never thought I would be barraged with an array of surprises in one night. Panic spread through my chest as it suddenly made sense. The white hair, the creepy house and the eerie way she laughed. It all added up now. “ No, no, no. I have to get out of here…”
“Where are you going?” She was on her feet the moment I was on mine. “ Sit down.”
“No!” Growing up, the Luna filled my childhood with werewolf folklore. Stories that involved great werewolf rulers and their enemies, witches. They used to live together in harmony, but that was a long time ago. According to the Luna, they weren't to be trusted. “ You're evil and sly. I've heard all about your kind.”
“No, child.” Grelda cooed. “You've heard all wrong…”
“I don't think so.” I shook my head. The Luna would never lie to me. None of the werewolves would.
“I'm only trying to help you, child.” She drew closer.
“Enough.” I cut her off. “ I've had just about enough of all of your nonsense….
“If I wasn't, would I be able to do this?” She cut me off as she showed me her palm. It didn't make any sense, until I saw claws, werewolf claws.
“How'd you do that?” I gasped. “ It's not possible. You're a witch and…”
“A werewolf too.” She nodded. “ Come let me help you…”
“No.” I don't need your help. I'd never been more confused in my life. “ I'm leaving and..”
“ You're just going to give up on Kaius?” I froze. My blood ran cold as I let her words sink in. “ You're not even going to try to get him back?”
“He doesn't want me.” I whispered as something tugged in my chest. Somehow, the pain of the rejection was still as fresh as ever. “ He doesn't want me because I'm human and he'll never accept my baby.”
“Then why don't you turn into a werewolf?” Grelda was in front of me in seconds. “ Perform this ritual and be with your one true love.”
“Are you sure it'll work?” I really wanted to be with Kaius. We'd always talked about being one big happy family and if performing a ritual was all it took, then I was going to take the chance. “ No harm will come to my baby either?”
“Not a scratch.” Grelda’s eyes twinkled. “ So what do you say?”
“Yes, I'll…”
“Perfect!” The words were barely past my lips before Grelda chimed, an eerie excitement in her voice.
A yelp slid past my lips as she grabbed a hold of my wrist and pulled me outside. For a frail old woman, she was strong. Really strong.
“ Just stand right there.” She said the moment we stopped underneath a withered tree. We were at a clearing, with nothing but sand around us. The moon shone bright in the sky, and with its light came a chili wind. Apparently, it'd stopped raining a while ago. “ Ready?”
“Yes…” the words were barely out of my lips as an immense jolt of pain shot through my hand. I shrieked as my gaze darted to my palm. Fallon like nails dug into my skin and it came from none other than Grelda.
My fear heightened as I watched her eyes morph into black balls of doom. Blood seeped from her eyes and down her cheeks as she grinned. She looked nothing like a nightmare as she cackled loudly.
Thunder struck and rumbled in the background as the wind picked up. A knot tightened in my chest and slowly I found myself sinking to my knees. My bones ached as I touched the ground. The sand felt hot against my skin and I could swear it was searing through.
I didn't have a lot of details about the ritual, but I could bet it wasn't supposed to go like this. Tears streamed down my face as I screamed and trashed, the pain unbearable.
The last thing I heard was Grelda’s eerie cackle slowly fading in the distance. It didn't take long for darkness to rear its ugly head, but this time it was different. It didn't feel like I was unconscious. It felt and tasted like death.
I was dead.
*Dead.*
- Writer
