The Prophecy of Hydrangea

THIRTY *HYDRANGEA*

Brenda’s POV

I watched Andrea arrange her pots of flowers, she handled each and every one of them with great care. While engaged in her task, she happily talked about her flowers, telling me of how delicate and fragile they are.

“You know Brenda, all they lost in stamina and strength, they make up in their lovely fragrances, sweet nature, glow, love and the rest”. She said.

She was referring to flowers.

I looked on as she carefully counts each step she takes, less she falls and destroyed her lovely delicate flowers.

I had earlier volunteered to assist her with her task, but she had politely turned down my offer on the excuse that I wouldn’t be able to engage in such tedious task.

Andrea had started using the abandoned store at the back of the pack house, just behind the old garage house as her little flower house. We never got to know of it until after the incident with the wolves where her father, the Alpha had restrained her from going anywhere close to the pack's spring by the woods, where she had her cozy garden, and had also ordered the total destruction of all flowers in Great Crest Pack.

She confided in us that she had been using the flowers house ever since she had her garden, and it was only gamma Jasper and Betty that were aware of the existence of the flower house.

The roof of the abandoned store has some openings on some parts of it allowing for a generous amount of sunlight and rainfall to get to the flowers. That way, there was no need bringing the flowers outside of the flower house.

“What’s up with Eddy Brenda, I haven’t seen much of him since after the full moon ceremony, and even during your wedding celebration, he was rarely available”. Andrea asked.

“He is fine dear, just that he is hardly at home, always traveling from one country to the other for business”. I replied.

“I noticed he didn’t find his mate too, how is he taking that?” She questioned.

“Yes he didn’t, and he has been so moody ever since, always kept to himself”.

“Really, do you happen to know if the reason for the mood is in anyway connected to his not finding a mate at the last full moon ceremony?”. She asked.

“I can’t really tell Andrea, he tries to hide his mood, but I know he has not been his real self since then. I can’t say of it’s related to business or not finding a mate.” I explained.

“That’s really sad you know, Eddy had always been a cheerful fellow no matter the circumstance” Andrea commented.

“Truth is he no longer has a social life, he has distanced himself from all the ladies that flocks round him, and even from his friends too. I over heard one of them complaining to Consty of Eddy’s sudden coldness towards them.” I said.

“So has Consty tried talking to him, you know, to know what the problem was. Maybe it could be something that can easily be taken care of?”. She asked.

“A couple of times, but Eddy had insisted he was absolutely fine and that he would rather not talk to anyone about what’s bothering him. My mother believes he mood has something to do with the full moon ceremony.” I said.

“I don’t know why, but I worry about Eddy, I just can’t bear to see him moody”. Andrea said quietly.

“Eddy better takes it easy with himself, at least he should learn from Consty. At the end, the wait is always worth it.” She added loudly.

I couldn’t say anything, mind was focused on Eddy’s present state.

“Okay I am done here, I can now see you off”. Andrea announced.

We walked out of the flower house, when I noticed she wasn’t going to lock the door, I drew her attention to it, but she replied.

“There will be no need for that, Betty will do that when she comes over for a thing or two. Moreover, no one comes to this part of the house anyways.”

Hearing her excuse, I didn’t press further. I only hopes that just as she had asserted, no one comes over here. The Alpha mustn’t know of the existence of the flower house.

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Andrea’s POV.

I was coming back from seeing Brenda off, walking along the lonely bush path with no other person following same route. I decided to follow this road back, because it allows me to see the bushes, feel it’s natural air and also draw some strength from nature.

I walked slowly down the path humming ‘I am alive' by Celine Dion to myself, the lyrics took me down memory lane, and I reflected on how my life had turned out.

At a point in my life, something very crucial was lacking, at those times, I felt I would never get that which I desired most, I pray to the moon goddess for it every night. All I had wanted then was to see love between my parents.

I smiled as I think of just how perfect they are for each other now. I cherish the love that now exists between them. Their bond completes me.

Then my mind drifted to Consty and Brenda, the thought of them made me to feel some butterflies in my stomach. I have never really been excited thinking of finding my mate, but the love that they both share made me see things differently.

Obviously, my earlier disposition towards the whole mate thing was as a result of the wild boundaries that had existed between my parents, and no matter what I go through in life, I will never want to find myself in same misery as my mother faced with my father.

But right now, I have a completely different orientation, thanks to Consty and Brenda.

These days, I fantasized about finally meeting my mate, I already have a mental note of how our love life should look like, I have everything well drafted.

I stopped walking, I was beginning to hear some noises inside the bush. I listened and tried to ascertain where it was coming from. As I focused with my inner mind, the sound got clearer, it’s the footsteps of someone approaching. But why would someone be walking in the bush, I thought to myself.

I wanted to ignore the whole thing and continue on my way, but some forces stopped me. At first, I had wanted to resist the forces, but on a second thought I decided to wait and see who or what it was.

I looked around the bush path, it was still totally deserted, I was the only one on it. That was when it struck me that I had been alone in this path all along, which was very strange. Usually I should have met about three or four persons on the way.

I concentrated with my inner mind to see where the steps were coming from, only to discover that the bushes were still, with absolutely no sign of movements on it. Just as I was about to finally give up, a voice spoke right beside me.

“See I was right on time to catch up with you” the voice said.

I turned to see an old woman that should be in her seventies standing beside me. I was going to ask how she got beside me, but decided against that and asked her instead,

“Have you been looking for me, what for, and who are you” I stared at her, expecting an immediate reply to my questions.

“Too many questions Hydrangea, which answer should come first?”. She asked.

Okay, this settles it, it must be an issue of mistaken identity. But then, something clicked with that name, Hydrangea. I could remember someone has called me that name before, o yes, the rogues, one of them had referred to me as Hydrangea. No, this can’t be a coincidence, there is something I need to know, and I think the person to give me all I need is right beside me.

“Hydrangea?”. I asked pointing to myself.

She walked rather too slowly. When she got to my front, she stopped and faced me. I stared directly into her face, whoever she was or whatever game she is playing, she must know that she has met her match.

“How does it sound to you, whose name do you think is it?” she asked.

Yes, I am Hydrangea, a flower, a very beautiful flower. Why would my father do this to me, even to the extent of denying me usage of my name.

I looked at her, so many thoughts and questions lingered in my mind. I wanted to know how she arrived at my side when I was still hearing her footsteps in the bushes.

“Be careful Hydrangea, things may not always appear as they seem. My footsteps might just as well be a ploy to get you to loose focus while I attacked” she said.

How did she know exactly what I had in mind. Just then, I began to hear the footsteps again coming from inside the bush. I was shocked as to how this could be when she was already by my side.

“The footsteps are all in your head Hydrangea, only you could hear it”. She said.

I was amazed at this realization. There was no footsteps, it was a ploy to get me to stop. I thought within me.

“You are right Hydrangea, I only wanted to get your attention.” She said.

Okay, this is no longer interesting, it was beginning to drive me crazy. How was she able to know my thoughts, how was that even possible. I was becoming skeptical about all these, standing here all alone, discussing with a total stranger that was every shades of strange. I was even already prepared to launch an attack if the occasion calls for it.

“I am Luciana, the great sorcerer”. She said.

She answered exactly the questions I had in mind.

Hearing her introduction, I became a bit relaxed. It all makes a lot of sense now, she is a witch I concluded.

“It’s a matter of designation Hydrangea” She said.

I believe her answer was in reaction to me having thought of her as a witch.

“I am so sorry Luciana, I forgot you could hear that.” I apologized.

“The task is almost drawing closer Hydrangea, where is your guardian?” She asked with her gaze fixed to the sky.

“Guardian?” I asked.

If I was initially hoping to get clarified, right now, I am completely lost on what she is talking about.

“Yes Hydrangea, the Prophecy is becoming clearer. It will be a guardian and not a helper” she responded.

What prophecy, what exactly is she talking about. Her revelations has kept me in an worst state than I was at first.

“Andrew, does he think the destruction of flowers would hinder the course of nature?” she said aloud.

She turned around and walked slowly into the bush. As she was going, she said.

“You will find your path Hydrangea, you will find your path”.

I stood and watched her disappear into the bush. Her last words echoed in the air and in my mind.

Now, this solved all the mysteries. So it was my father, never in my wildest dreams would I have ever thought it was my own father that destroyed all the flowers in Great Crest Pack. At first, when I noticed it, I knew deep within me that it didn’t just happened. I tried asking questions though, but by the time I noticed people would rather not talk about it, I decided to let it rest, and ask no further questions. At the time, I relied on the solitude that I get from the flowers in my little flower house. I am so grateful that I have my flower house.

Alpha Andrew’s POV

While standing outside the pack house having a discussion with Paige and Jason, I noticed a movement behind the pack house, it was obvious someone was sneaking around it. But I have been standing here for over thirty minutes, how did someone pass through here without me noticing, I thought to myself.

I an certain that whoever it was, was trying to avoid been seen. So, I tried not to look in that direction any more, but concentrated on using the corner of my eyes to see who it was, and what was going on.

Seeing that I had removed my gaze from there, the person sneaked out and entered into the house. I turned slightly to discover that it was Betty.

But why would Betty be sneaking around here, what was she doing in the back of the pack house. I wondered.

Let me go check it out, no, I will just ignore it. Obviously she wasn’t sneaking, it might as well be my imaginations running wild. Or better still, it might just be women’s thing. I said, and discarded the idea

I tried to continue with my discussion with Paige and Jason, but it was obvious that my mind was not at what we were discussing anymore. I had to go see what was happening at the back of the pack house, Betty was sneaking and I could tell that my observation is not wrong.

I excused myself from the discussion and walked towards the back of the pack house.

As I walked, I searched to see exactly what it was that must have drawn Betty here in the first place, and had made her sneak out.

I walked passed through the dogs’ house, and saw it was all okay. I continued till I got to the old garage, everything appeared to be perfectly normal. I decided I was on a wild ghost chase, and ashamed of myself, I turned back.

As I turned, I smelt something, a very familiar scent. I turned round to discover the door to the attached store close to the old garage was open. I figured that the scent might be coming from inside store, so I decided to find out what it was.

As I walked up to the store, the scent becomes stronger. I got to the door and I looked into the store. And then I saw it, the smells I had perceived, flowers, numerous flowers arranged in flower pots.

“What?” I screamed my lungs out.

My scream immediately attracted Paige and Jason to me. It sounded as if I had seen a ghost.

They were both asking me what the problem was, but I couldn’t say anything, I was only pointing to the store. They both drew close to have a look at why I had screamed. Paige seeing what the issue was, tried to draw me aside, probably to have some words with me, but I was having none of it. I immediately fling my hands away from his, causing him to stagger and almost landed on the ground.

“Get the warriors, go after Andrea and bring her back right now” I ordered Jason.

“But Alpha, she is not….” Paige tried to say after regaining his balance.

“Shut up” I shouted at him, shutting him up.

Jason immediately ran out to carry out my orders.

I rushed into the store and started to destroy everything, all the god-damned flowers and also the store. I intend to set them ablaze once I am done.