Moon Child

Illumination

- Selena Rhys -

I’m starving... I haven’t eaten anything since they locked me up in here. I tried to get up but I felt weak. I touched my forehead to check my temperature. I sighed. I finally came down with a fever. I guess the thin blanket didn’t help much last night. I heard someone open the metal door and found Adam holding a tray of food. He closed the door behind him and one of the guards locked it again.

“How are you doing, Selena?” He reluctantly asked. He placed the tray he was holding on the lone chair inside the prison. I have so many questions I wanted to ask him but I feel out of strength. I slowly moved to a sitting position and began to eat the food. I should at least eat to survive, right? He noticed that I was out of it and asked how I was feeling. But I couldn’t respond to him. What am I to say? When they made me believe I could trust them then lock me up in this dungeon.

I suddenly felt dizzy and he was quick to catch my head. He took the plate from my hands and laid me to bed.

“Why are you treating me so nicely when you’re locking me up in this prison?” I asked him. I’m confused, if you’re the bad guy then be consistent about it.

I heard him apologize and call out my name but it was the last thing I remembered before I passed out.

Selena

A warm, soft voice called my name. I looked around me and I was in the forest I grew up in again. I breathed in the moist air I used to love. God, I miss this place. I’ve only been gone for a day or two but it felt like I’ve been away for a long time. I sensed a presence behind as the leaves surrounding it ruffled. I turned around but there was no one. I walked in its direction thoughtlessly. I found a white tail in my view but it vanished ahead of me. I followed the sound of its movements until I was in the lake I soaked in last full moon. I closed my eyes to try to feel its presence. When I opened them… the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen stood majestically on the lake in front of me. A white wolf with silver eyes and a silver marking on its forehead stood on the lake as if it was dry land.

“Who… are you?” I asked

I am you

“What do you mean?” I was lifted in the air and slowly, the space between us disappeared until we were face to face. I lifted my hand and reached out to its face stopping just before I touched it. It closed its eyes and brought its face nearer until I was finally holding its face. It felt warm. I smiled at my realization. So… this is illumination.

“You are my wolf” I exclaimed but before I knew it, I was abruptly returned to the present. I opened my eyes feeling worse than I did in the morning. I looked up and saw the sun was setting. Oh. It was that time already? I looked forward for my birthday but I never imagined I’ll be spending it sick in bed.

And now it’s about to end… my eyelids felt heavy again but before I dosed off, I felt a warm hand on my forehead. I tried to open my eyes to see who it was.

Calum?

- Calum Beckett –

I stood behind the dungeon door contemplating whether to enter or not. Ever since Adam broke the news that Selena was sick, my wolf has been restless inside me. No wonder she looked so flushed during our drive back here. She should have said something earlier. I sighed as I put my hand on the metal door and pushed it. My eyes locked on the figure on the bed as soon as I entered the prison cell. I found myself walking towards her until I was beside her bed. This is the first time I got a good look at her since we met… I noticed that there were droplets of sweat on her forehead and my hand automatically reached for her to check her temperature. She was burning up.

The blanket wrapped around her was too thin to provide any kind of heat. A sudden pang of guilt hit me. Why does she have to be this fragile? I sighed again. I’ve been sighing too frequently these days.

My mind is telling me to leave immediately but another part of me says otherwise. I turned my heel and decided to go but before I could reach the door, I sensed a movement behind me. I looked back and saw her standing, her eyes glowed silver.

“What are you running from? Alpha of the southern pack, descendant of the pure-blooded Balkans clan, and only heir of the noble family Beckett” she said in an unfamiliar voice

“Who are you?” I asked her. This is not Selena.

“Who I am should not be your concern… but who I am to you.”  She spoke as she began to walk towards me. 

“What do you mean?” I asked her, trying to understand her play with words.

“Let go of the thoughts that cloud your mind and you will understand… Let go of the lies you believed and you will see the truth... Let go of the path you chose for yourself and you will find your destiny.”  She stopped just in front of me, her eyes looked straight into mine.

“Your wolf has been telling you something but your mind is too muddled to hear him.” She said as if she was looking straight inside me. I was taken aback by her statement. How did she know that I have been having trouble hearing my wolf?

“Listen to him… and you will find the answer to your question” she continued but I’ve heard enough. Her words only brought more confusion and I hated it. Anger took over me and before I knew it, I was gripping on to her neck.  Should I just get rid of her here? I don’t want her to get to me. I can’t risk giving her that opportunity. My hands tightened on to her neck, lifting her up until she’s barely on her toes. Her eyes shut closed. 

When it opened again, her eyes were no longer silver and shock took over her face. Selena’s finally awake… I anticipated her to fight for her life and try to get away from my hold. But her expression softened. Was it worry that I see in her eyes? or pity? My heart clenched at the thought of her pitying me. I was still full of rage when a warm hand touched my left cheek. I felt like I was doused with cold water by her touch.  

We stayed like this for what seemed like an eternity though it was only a brief moment in time… My hand was on her neck grappling her while her soft hand caressed my cheek… comforting me. I stared back at her eyes, trying to figure out what she's thinking. Her soft lips parted and with the sweetest voice... called out my name.

"Calum..."

I let go of her as if my hand has caught fire and she fell to the ground. My heart was pounding in my chest…I didn’t know what I was feeling. I closed my eyes and tried to calm myself down.

I took a deep breath and stooped down to carry her in my arms. I don’t like being this close to her… just having her warm body against mine is enough to send my mind into chaos. But at the same time, I couldn’t bring myself to leave her like this.

I carried her into one of the guest rooms and covered her body with a thick blanket. I got a doctor to prescribe some medicine for her and he said she’d be fine with a few day’s rest.

After a while, the doctor and servants have left us alone again. I stood by her bed and watched as the moonlight hit her face. Her black hair framed her small face, complimenting her white complexion.

The words her wolf told me earlier haunted me. I should be angry at her but I’m angrier at myself for letting her get to me.

“It doesn’t matter who you are. I’m still going to kill you.” I whispered… though it now sounded more like a reminder to myself than a threat.