The Witch's Dilemma

Fear

ROUGE

According to Merriam-Webster, fear is an unpleasant, often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger. To me, fear is a weakness, an emotion that chains you and acts as a crutch. Fear equals death in the streets of Legend, and if you had any hope of surviving, your best bet was to kill every emotion. Becoming a heartless deranged f**k is the ultimate goal and the only way to see past your teenage years. It's a sacrifice that most can't make, and it end's in their death. It is sad, really, you die alone; nobody knows who you are or cares. They walk past you and see another dead body. Only when the stench of your rotting flesh becomes unbearable, do they pay attention. Residents come together and pick up your decaying body, throwing you in the trash. Then they go back to their daily lives, not giving what they just did a second thought. It sounds horrible, I know, but this was life in Legend. I grew up on these streets and clawed my way to the top, swearing that I wouldn't let myself lay down and die, becoming one of the nameless. I made the sacrifice, sold my soul, my body, and made a name for myself, satisfied with the thought that people would know who I am if I died. Then I met Libbey, and for the first time in my life, I felt fear. The life I was living when I met her was dangerous, and I knew that I could lose her if I continued. So, I abandoned all my hard work and sacrifice to wander around the world doing odd jobs, keeping her safe by my side. Now I am feeling fear for the second time in my life, the fear of responsibility. I would be the magical advisor to the Evergreen pack, which meant that the lives of all who belong to that pack are my responsibility to protect. I was also responsible for keeping Libbey's reputation in the pack in good standing since she was the one who mentioned me for this job. I never had to worry about responsibility, and the thought of it makes me want to run for the hills. Something I never thought of doing in my whole life.

Man, I was becoming pathetic.

The small town of Evergreen is best described as quaint. All the buildings were made from wooden logs. The shop windows were intricately decorated with some of their best merchandise, and the eateries wafted with delicious smells that made my stomach growl with hunger. The letter that I received from Alpha Nick gave me specific instructions on what to do when I arrived at Evergreen. Just from the letter, I could tell he was a punctual guy and had everything planned out for the day, not allowing any changes to be made. I could feel my stomach grumble, but I didn't have time to stop and eat, so I walked past the eateries with great speed, making my way towards a dirt path I was supposed to follow to the main Packhouse. It took me about twenty minutes of walking to reach the location. I couldn't believe my eyes when the mansion came into view. It was three stories high and looked to be made entirely out of wood.

"Wow" was all I can say, and after a few seconds of taking in the scene before me, I continued walking towards the house.

The entrance was about 15 feet tall and had an imposing feel to it. The letter instructed me to knock three times with the metal knocker and wait for a pack warrior to greet me and let me in.

I found this all weird. They didn't put any effort into making me feel welcome, which is something I didn't expect from what I hear is a friendly pack. I knock three times and wait. Soon I am greeted by a teenager with a goofy smile and unruly brown hair.

"You finally arrived! Perfect! Everyone is waiting for you at the meeting hall. Follow me I’ll show you the way." He grabs me by the wrist and starts pulling me up a staircase, then down a hall, finally stopping at another imposing door that had hand-carved celestial designs all over it. "I’ll have to leave you here but knock once, and when Alpha Nick says you can come in, open the door and head inside." He moved back a few feet and gave me a goofy smile.

"Thank you" is all I say, and I precede following his instructions.

A deep voice on the other side of the door permits me to come in, and I can't help feeling annoyed about this whole situation. I open the door and head into the office, expecting to see only the alpha and his mate, the Luna. Instead, I am met by several eyes looking in my direction. I fix my posture and start introducing myself, but I'm interrupted by a familiar smell that has begun to fill my lungs. Memories associated with the scent start playing in my head, and feelings I never allowed myself to have started invading my body.

It can't be, I tell myself. It's impossible; what are the chances? s**t, I'm beginning to regret taking this job.