Ch. 31..40

Chapter 31

It was late afternoon and the night was coming slowly, thick clouds still hovering in the air, promising there’d be a heavy rainfall tonight.

Naomi didn’t seem to stop because Talia kept running at magnificent speed and Daniel wasn’t going to stop either.

Part of him wanted to figure out why Talia had been acting strange and what caused Naomi to run after her while the other part worried for Naomi. What if something bad happens to her? After all, Talia was obviously very strong while she on the other hand was fragile and petite.

After Daniel, Nancy who was the fastest amongst everyone suddenly stopped and like a chain accident, they all fell like a heap on the ground.

Daniel who was far off didn’t notice and hence left the others to push and curse as they stood apart.

"Great!! Now we’ve lost him," Dora said and glared at Nancy. "And it’s all your fault. Why do you always have to be so absentminded and clumpsy! This is a serious situation. Did you think Daniel was going to turn back to pick you up from the floor and give you a pggy pack?!! Everything’s not about you Nancy."

Everyone stared at her in horror, feeling that her words were stiffly and bluntly put.

Nancy looked down at her fingers, feeling hurt, not because she understood what she said but because Dora sounded exactly like the person she never liked to be around the most. Her step mother, Angela. She always shouted at her, always made her feel like she was a pathetic person who her father never hesitated in replacing.

Hey...chill...it wasn’t her fault. She was probably tired. Just as well as us..." Brittany said when she felt Dora went out of line.

Dora sighed in a silent agreement. Her feet was sore and her heart was heaving.

Everyone had to catch their breaths before Jephthah suddenly said,

"Do you hear that?" He turned to them but they stared at him blankly.

He suddenly took a left corner and began climbing down another steep hill.

Everyone exchanged glances.

"What’s with everyone and running around tonight," Barton complained but they still jumped down the steep hill with him, their feet raising dust in the air as it scrapped across the hills, their elbows jabbing in dirt.

They finally landed on the ground and they all met with a horrifying scence.

Just close to a large lake surrounded by huge dark looking stones, someone sat on one, covered in mud while throwing smaller stones into the water.

"Talia?!" Royce called out in shock and she looked up in surprise. She was even more surprised at the look of fear and horror on their faces.

"Are we leaving now?" No one replied her even when she sat up properly. "What’s wrong?"

No one spoke a word until Brittany finally whispered.

"If this is Talia...then who was that Naomi was chasing?"

"What if that was Talia and this is just an intruder?" Dora whispered as well.

Talia stands, dusting her clothes as she jumped down the rocks, advancing towards the horrified group.

"What are you guys whispering about. What’s HAPPENING!!!"

As she stepped forward, Royce raised an arm.

"Don’t come any close."

She was ready to blow a fuse again but hurt suddenly flashed in her eyes when she noticed how everyone looked at her like she had just killed someone, like she was a stranger.

"You guys went out in search of me just to treat me like garbage?" Talia calmly asked and without a word, made to leave. Nancy was at the point of tears feeling reluctant to watch her leave, yet unsure like the others.

Jephthah however reached forward and grabbed her arm to the surprise of everyone.

When his arm touched hers and their eyes locked when she turned, he tried not to turn scarlet as he turned to the others.

"This is Talia. We should be worried about Daniel and the Omega who went after the impostor. Whatever they’re chasing is definitely not something normal and they knew it from the beginning. We didn’t just believe them."

A flash of admiration and warmth swirled in her eyes at how he stood up for her but she was surprised at his words. What was he talking about?

Wait...

"Where’s Daniel?" She suddenly asks them.

"Oh no!!!" Royce yelled on the realization that the impostor they thought Talia was, was actually the one far from them. "We have to find them...Now!!!"

Everyone starts running up the hill, half shifting to use their claws and climb up while Talia held Jephthah back.

"What’s going on?"

**

With each stomp her feet made on the ground, a splash of mud could be heard resoundingly in the forest. She suddenly missed her step just like her heartbeat and fell to the ground. The sky rumbled again and the atmosphere turned very dark like it was night unlike the Packhouse where the weather was still nice with a glowing sun and white clouds.

A snake hissed at her and slithered into a quiet corner while she lifted herself up and ran away in horror. She sees the woman she had been chasing pause at the edge of a cliff.

Limping over, she stopped, just centimeres from the woman, panting hard and wondering what the woman was doing just standing there at the edge of a cliff. She couldn’t possibly jump, could she?

Daniel arrived and the others fell in place just behind him as they stared in horror at the impostor who suddenly turned to them. They all looked like Naomi now, covered in mud and brusies from falling and scratching against tree stumps and overgrown roots while jumping down hills.

If Jephthah hadn’t told Talia the entire ordeal, she would have fainted right there an then on seeing the impostor. The clothes, the mud she had gotten plastered on her clothes when she was in a fight with Dora, it had literally been imitated by her so well that no one would even have figured out it was an impostor.

"Naomi get away from her!! She’s dangerous!" Brittany yelled, worry laced in her voice.

"Is she crazy? What does she think she’s doing!!" John yelled in panic when Naomi did otherwise and advanced towards the impostor.

"Who are you?" Naomi calmly asked, chest heaving from the run.

The impostor smirked and before their very eyes, her eyes began swirling with shades of different color while her entire face began remodifying into another shape. It was utterly disgusting and had the others scrunch up their face.

Soon, a girl with bright red hair and dark gold eyes stood in the place of the fake Talia and faced them all with incrediously beautiful features.

Naomi stepped back when they locked eyes, not able to escape the sense of familiarity she felt so suddenly.

"It’s been a while Fiona." The girl said with a smug smile, her gaze still latched on hers.

Everyone fell silent on hearing her words. They were uttered coldly yet familiarly as if she knew Naomi.

Daniel stepped forward, his gaze fully on Naomi.

"Do you know her?"

Noami shook her head, speechless and helpless on seeing the accusing look in his eyes.

"I’ve never met her in my life". She was stuttering, not sure if she was telling the entire truth. Some part of her felt like she had met her while another thought it was all a lie. Her name was Naomi right from when she started living in the Packhouse as a child.

The red haired girl suddenly stepped back and fell off the cliff, causing everyone’s heart to flip up to their mouths.

 

Chapter 32

Thunder rumbled loudly and the lightening flashed brightly in the sky emitting dangerous rays rays of light. The atmosphere was inevitably dangerous. Everywhere was pitch dark.

The wind blew their clothes and hair and Dora suddenly hugged herself like the other girls.

"We have to leave!!!" Talia cried out.

The thunder rumbled like the hungry stomach of a child and soon it began pouring like the sky opened and heaven let loose of its contents. Everyone was left soaked to the bones just standing there.

Naomi who was standing still, eyes still fixed on the edge of the cliff where the inpostor had just jumped off like she was climbing the step of another staircase, suddenly shook out of her reverie when Daniel grabbed her.

"We have to leave..now!!!" He roared loudly so he could be clearly heard over the pouring rain.

Everyone made to turn, ready to shift and run back all the way to the pack if they had to when suddenly they heard a loud growl from below the cliff. It was so loud that Daniel and Naomi who were closer to the edge slipped under the rumble and fell to the ground.

The others made to run to the pair and help them but the rain fell fast and formed a huge mud puddle around which caused them to slip and fall in heaps on the ground, rendering them useless and helpless.

Another growl erupted from below and Daniel rose, ready to help Naomi up, his hands stretched out Infront of him to take hers.

Naomi stretched out her hands, ready to take his when suddenly Daniel’s hand fell to his side and like the others who were on the ground, looked up with wide eyes and mouth so wide, their jaws could fall to the ground at something behind her.

Another loud growl erupted but this time, it was louder...almost like whatever had been growling below was closely behind her.

Naomi turned and with eyes completely wide with petrification, crawled back on her hands, trying to get up but the mud kept her hands slipping from underneath her weight.

Before them was a huge, black, body scaled snake with a barbed-tail. Supporting its weight on the air with two mighty wings, so large it could close upon the entire group, a large wisp of smoke smelling of smoke and sulphur erupted from its large nostrils blowing Daniel back to land on the floor just beside his friends.

Noami was left on the ground face to face with the dragon. Huge honey colored eyes almost fed on her soul from hers.

Her eyes were widened on seeing the enormous like looking creature and huge wingspan. There were two horns on its head which pointed backwards; towards its wings. Those familiar dark gold eyes had become huge and colder, darker almost like fireballs were threatening to shoot at her from them.

The rain beat down on all of them and the thunder noisily rumbled over the air as it turned, flying away at such magnificent speed, its huge wings flapping nosily, Killing any bird who it happened to hit, its claws from from the hind and fore limbs destroying trees as it flew by.

For a minute, everyone just stayed still, not moving, not daring to breath until the dragon flew out of vision.

Naomi’s heart clenched in a funny way. For some reason she felt...bloodlust...hot boiling bloodlust emanating from her body as if she had missed an opportunity to kill something.

She got up first and turned to the others who were looking at her In horror, shock and awe.

Feeling embarrassed and for some reason, feeling at fault, she lowered her gaze to the ground.

"I’m sorry." With that, she ran off, the rain still pouring hard.

"Naomi!?!" Daniel yelled, not hesitating for a second to get up and run after her.

"What was that?!" Daniel asked kelvin as he ran after Naomi.

"You don’t know?"

He rolled his eyes.

"If I did know, would I be asking you!!!"

"Hey hey. There’s no need to shout, okay? That was a dark kitsune".

"A what? Aren’t Kitsunes foxes or something and aren’t... they extinct. Why am I hearing this now?!"

"Yes but that one’s a powerful Kitsune, probably with about 100 tails. A Kitsune’s rank or power is determined by the number of tails. You must have a tail to be able to turn human while you must have about 10 to shape shift and about a 100 to turn into a dragon"

Kitsunes were legendary enemies of werewolves. Though they had gone into hiding after a treaty with the two creatures and had almost been forgetten.

Why was one suddenly in their territory. What did she want?

And how come Naomi sensed it was an impostor?

"Is Naomi, a werewolf? I need to know"

"I can’t say she’s not one," Kelvin began. "But I can’t say she’s one either. I don’t even think she knows who she is exactly. Couldn’t you see the confusion in her eyes. Whatever you do, don’t push her to admit anything yet Daniel and whatever plans you have to reject her, I think you should put that on hold"

"Why? If I don’t, the mate bond gets stronger. I most definitely do not want to be attached to a mate. I’m a lone wolf."

You could imagine Kelvin rolling his eyes.

"We don’t even know if she can feel the bond or if she’s a werewolf. She could be a Hybrid. You don’t know...so put it on HOLD"

Daniel sighed irritably and increased his pace after Naomi, his dark blue eyes visible through the wet locks of black hair that fell over them.

"Naomi?" Marcy blinked severally like she couldn’t believe who walked into the kitchen from the backdoor, dripping wet with water. She ran upstairs in a haste like she didn’t wish to speak with anyone.

Before Marcy and the Omegas, who were helping in the kitchen, could get over the muddy footprints on the ground, eight teenagers followed suit, as if struggling to get the last piece of cake on a table, they rushed past the kitchen, bolting for the stairs.

Marcy gasped in horror at the mess on the kitchen floor. Dirt, water...were all creased on the ground like a muddy mess. Were the young ones actually playing like little children?!

What had really happened?

"Emily," She beckoned to one of the stand-still, shocked Omegas, "Please clean this up."

Without waiting for a reply, she dashed upstairs, following the trail of mud. She went straight to Naomi’s room, sure the others would be in their respective rooms, cleaning up.

Naomi gasped when the door burst open. She had just pulled her top off her head along with her mask and was standing there in just her brassiere and joggers.

She didn’t realize she hadn’t locked her door but however was grateful it wasn’t some other person; like Daniel.

"Do you mind telling me what is happening," She began, shutting the door behind her while Naomi staggered back with horror stricken eyes.

How would she begin? Where would she even start from?

Late morning when the older guests had gone to the spa to relax, the males exercised their strength and dominance in the game room and the youngsters had left for the fields, Marcy had reprimanded her for not informing her about she and Daniel’s location last night, early enough.

Soon, the Omegas trooped in by afternoon to prepare the lunch and dinner. Naomi had helped, later getting Marcy’s approval to leave when she was ready to go to the fields and drop off lunch for the others.

However, She wasn’t prepared for what (or who) she saw.

 

Chapter 33

As she approached the fields, she noticed that there was some kind of conflict going on in the fields where a big mud pit was.

Suddenly it was as if they began fading in her vision and she was thrown into a state of confusion and oblivion when she noticed something was definitely amiss!!

It was like her vision had upgraded into an X-ray visualizing equipment because she could see their skeletal frame and their organs. However, she noticed one was odd from them all. She had no organs or bones but just a whirlpool of black smoke.

Naomi’s first thought was to leave; run far away.

But she found her legs moving towards the track the impostor had taken and she was suddenly chasing after her.

And when she had transformed into that huge dragon, she didn’t know, couldn’t explain why she didn’t feel any single atom of fear but only a sense of familiarity.

When the dragon had flown away, she only felt guilty seeing the others who had landed in the situation because she was following the impostor.

"Aunt...I...I can explain." Her lips quivered as Marcy stood before her, their toes almost touching with how close she stood, sharp visible lines on her forehead as a result of her anger and worry.

"You better do, because one minute you’re out to deliver the lunch, I expected you to be back to help prepare dinner, and then you return looking like you’ve been in a mud pit along with the others. What really happened?"

When Naomi began stuttering out of nervousness, Marcy suddenly got a call.

"It’s the Shaman. He’s finally arrived." Marcy explained after the 10-second call. Naomi almost sighed in relief when their conversation was cut short as Marcy went off to personally bring in the Shaman.

She ran off to the bathroom and like the others, had a good scrub. While the others healed from the few brusies and scratches they got earlier in the forest, she had her first aid box to aid her.

When she was done, she prepared to go down and make dinner.

As she climbed down, she saw Marcy smiling and talking with a man dressed in what looked like a kimono. However it looked so long, the hem brushed against the ground.

What surprised her mostly was the shaman’s beard. It was white like his kimono and was so long, the tip grazed his waist line where a black sash held up his attire.

She was still leaning over the railings, staring at the Shaman and Marcy who didn’t realize who was upstairs scrutinizing them when the Shaman suddenly looked up.

Naomi was completely taken aback by the color of his eyes. One was bright blue while the other looked like it was previously blue but had been washed a lot so the color had faded. The discolored eyes also had a sharp scar which exuded a powerful mean aura that caused Naomi to cower away In fear.

The Shaman’s brow rose when he noticed someone had been staring ever since he began walking to his room and he looked up to see a masked girl who happened to lock eyes with him before dashing away like a dreanched rat under the merciless rain.

The Shaman frowned and suddenly stopped.

Marcy stopped talking and turned when she realized the Shaman wasn’t by her side.

"Is something wrong?" She calmly asked the Shaman, panic rising like tears in her eyes.

The Shaman calmly pointed upstairs, at the railings where Naomi was just leaning against a while ago.

"I need that girl to be brought to me, at once!"

Marcy looked up, not knowing whether to cry or laugh, confusion finally settling in her eyes when she didn’t see anyone.

She looked back at the Shaman.

"Who?"

Aside her eyes, all Shamon could remember was that black mask with purple bright star-like designs planted on all sides of it.

He explained this detail to Marcy and Marcy made her upstairs at once, Naomi on her mind.

**

Naomi bumped into someone just as she was about running. Her mask dropped to the ground and she gasped as she bent to pick it. However, someone else picked It and she glanced up in horror at who it was.

Dora.

She had a sneer on her face as she boringly stared at the mask before moving her icy glare to Naomi.

"Why do you always wear a mask. Is there some virus you’re avoiding or something?" She asked irritably, moving forward only for Naomi to back away again.

Dora froze on seeing her features clearly. Surprise, followed by pure envy and hatred all swirled in her eyes like a pool of emotions when she saw how incrediously beautiful she was. Her gorgeous angelic looks irritated her the more and her hatred grew.

"I’m talking to you!" She suddenly asked, and reached out to grab Naomi’s arm which felt like a toothpick under her grip.

Naomi gasped, her face turning red at the grip.

"I...I’m sorry...I..." She could only stammer, hot tears forming in her eyes when Dora increased her grip.

"Why are you acting like such a baby! You didn’t act this way when you lured Daniel Into your room, did you. Huh? Tell me!! Maybe you did..." She growled.

Footsteps were heard advancing towards the two. Fearing it might be Daniel, Naomi finally wringed her hand out of her grip and rushed away, leaving her makes behind.

Dora blinked, unable to believe how a common Omega dared run out on her when she wasn’t done talking. She gritted her teeth, about to go after her.

"Dora?".

 

Chapter 34

Dora turned to see Marcy staring at her in total confusion and surprise.

"Aunt Marcy?" She turned to a completely sweet girl on seeing her, "I was just coming down to dinner."

"How long have you been up here?" The next question followed, a confused look still on her face. She noticed Marcy’s gaze was fixed on the mask on her hand.

Isn’t that Naomi’s? How come she has it?

Dora swallowed when she saw Aunt Marcy had her eyes on the mask. She couldn’t tell her she was bullying the maid and had collected it from her. So a total queue of lies to tell her lined up in her head and she rummaged through, finally figuring out what to tell her.

"Um...the mask is mine!" She suddenly said, without letting Marcy say anything else, "I’ve been up here with it for a while...I was just about heading to the dining for dinner."

"Well..uh..." The old womam cleared her throat, "Before you join the others, you’re needed in the Shaman’s room. He wants to see you."

The dining was filled with so much noise, the older ones covering every detail of their day while the younger ones communicated using eye contact and managed to cook up a story for theirs.

Marcy was at the dining room; had joined them after taking Dora to the Shaman before she was told to leave them alone.

For a reason, she had that sinking feeling that she did something wrong. But she had seen Dora standing there with the mask in her hand, she couldn’t deny that’s what the Shamon had described.

"...and I begged Beta Marcy to join us at the Spa. But this woman seems to always love the kitchen more than going out for a breath of fresh air."

Marcy snapped out of her thoughts on hearing her and turned to the owner of the voice. It was Ciara.

"Wh...what?" She sounded so lost as everyone looked at her.

The last Omega just left the dinning room after dropping a jug of water and they were in the kitchen now; cleaning it up only for them to leave and come back the next morning to prepare for the ceremony.

"Mum are you okay?" Brittany calmly asked, placing a hand on her elbow which was placed on the table.

"Nothing...I’m just a bit nervous."

"Are we being invaded by rogues". Alpha Koan asked and the teenagers began tittering. "I wonder what you could be so worried about on a wonderful night".

"It’s Dora..." Marcy whispered but everyone could hear her clearly.

"Oh...dear..." Nancy said in a shaky voice. "We forgot she never arrived to dinner."

Alpha Justin and Ciara looked horrified, Lebanon, who seemed to be the most quiet one at the table as he had never spoken a word but only talked one or two with Daniel who wasn’t interested in talking either, dropped his fork on hearing the familiar name.

If anything happened to Dora, as the packs head warrior, he would be severely blammed.

"What about my daughter?" Alpha Justin inquired.

"It’s nothing serious Alpha." Marcy quickly said when she saw they were close to snapping.

Daniel scoffed. They hadn’t realized their daughter was at the table and suddenly wanted to gobble his aunt up just realizing it.

"The Shaman arrived a while ago and he suddenly looked up while we heading to his room on the second floor and saw her. He told me to bring her to him. I don’t know why he was suddenly interested in her but she’s with the Shaman now."

The dining room was quiet as everyone exchanged glances.

Beta Raiden suddenly saw how Barton was piling more food on his plate.

"I’ve watched you guys eat for a while now," Raiden started, breaking the silence as he stared at the teenagers at the table. "Did you skip lunch or something. Are you that hungry?"

"We didn’t have time to eat lunch at the fields. Not with everything that happened there today?" Barton blurted and this time everyone at the table noticed the eye contact, the teenagers shared along with slightly kicking Barton below the table.

The older guests exchanged glances.

"What happened at the fields today. You just told us you went out for games. I thought an Omega brought you some lunch." Stacey demanded quietly.

"Um...aunt...I uh...guess we were so engrossed in the games, we forgot about lunch. Nothing really exciting happened."

"Yeah..." Nancy began and the teenagers wondered who let her speak. She was so clumsy with words. "It’s not like we ran into a dragon or anything."

A loud thud was heard under the table and Nancy yelped in pain while Talia who was seated next to her, frowned.

But the older guests didn’t even take her words seriously except Alpha Koan who became suspicious when all the other teenagers began glaring at Nancy. For someone who had ruled his pack since 16 for 9 years, he’s familiar with different types of people around him.

People who lied and people who were trying to hide the truth. Definitely different types of people and not only were these kids telling lies, they were hiding the truth as well.

He had been in the game room with Alpha Justin, his Beta Raiden and Lebanon in a two to two tennis match and had heard the commotion going on in the kitchen.

Feigning to get some water he had gone out in time to see them rushing upstairs like they were being chased by something.

On the ground were they had dispersed from was a spalsh of mud and dirty water .

When he stooped low to inspect some traces of red, he noticed it was blood.

Blood!?

From a simple field game?

Were they wrestling in a mud pit or something?

"Dragons?!" Ciara laughed whole-heartedly. It was obvious, like the others, she didn’t even take Nancy’s words seriously . "It’s been so long since I’ve seen those things around."

The teenagers exchanged glances. They looked back at Ciara with curiosity and awe in her eyes.

"Luna Ciara, you’ve seen a dragon before?" Beta Royce asked without hesitating.

"I’ve seen one, ran from one, almost got eaten by one, got smoked by one." Ciara counted off with her fingers ."I was so little then. I think 2 or 4."

"We’ve all seen one." Marcy quietly added with a small smile, surprised on seeing interest in everyone’s eyes. Even Daniel’s.

Naomi was the last one to leave the kitchen and was climbing back up to wait for the next set of dirty dishes she’d had to wash before retiring when she heard Luna Ciara say. "Dragons," A chuckle. "It’s been so long since I’ve seen those things around."

She froze in her steps. Royce asked a question which was also pondering in her mind. It looked like the adults were ready to tell them everything they knew about dragons. She didn’t want to miss this information, so she stayed, back-faced to the wall to listen.

"How come we’ve not seen one." Talia half-lied.

"Well Honey, that’s because the Kitsunes signed a treaty with us several years ago when our grandparents were still alive." Ciara replied.

"Aren’t Kitsunes...foxes?" Lebanon asked, finally speaking up for others to hear. He was about 23 so it was likely that he didn’t know much about the dragons like the others did.

"Yes...but they can morph into anything using manna from their tails. They’re magical and uniquely powerful."

Suddenly, Alpha Koan looked up when he noticed someone had eyes on him. On glancing up, his eyes locked with hers again. However he had not actually looked into her eyes before, he was stunned on seeing huge pink (azalea) colored eyes which widened when they made eye contact before she looked away, turning her bright blue hair with her fingers which also caught his attention.

This kid...

He snorted.

Kids this days and the way they dress.

Her hair was definitely dyed a bit too bright and those contact lenses she was putting on...didn’t she realize how shiny they were. She looked like a freaking cartoon!

He looked around the table once Nancy bowed to eat her food, avoiding his searing gaze. No one did mind the way Nancy stood out in the room. They were all focused on Raiden.

"...They lived somewhere far off, out pack ,almost like an underground territory where..."

"Hey..." Ciara pouted like a child which made her look much younger. "Why do I feel like you guys have taken charge of my story. I want to tell it."

To avoid Ciara literally bursting into tears, they all agreed to let her tell the story while Alpha Justin, who was the oldest would chip in at anytime incase she forgot important facts or made a mistake. After all, the story of the Kitsunes are very complicated.

**

Dora shut the door like the Shaman ordered her to do when Marcy left.

Was she terrified? Terrified wasn’t even a word compared to how she felt now.

She was terrified when Marcy had brought her into his room which had been prepared for a Shaman like him. Incense candles were left laying on the beside table, floors and even the window panes.

Strange colored floors, the colors which faded and changed every second was left lying In a weird symmetrical pattern on the floor trailing all the way to the bed.

But now she was more than just terrified since she just had to stand there and feel like an insect being scrutinized by the Shamon was sat at the edge of the bed.

The glow of the incense candles reflected on his completely bald shaved head, adding a soft glow of Yellow on the shaved head.

His hand was stroking his beard while the other was placed on his concealed thigh.

Just like Marcy, there was an unsettling feeling in his guts when he looked at Dora. Part of him felt like this was not the girl he had seen. According to Marcy, she was the only one standing on the floor, holding the mask. But why did he feel like she was not the one. He was even sure he had spotted blue eyes and not green. Was he seeing things now. Unfortunately, when you were 30 decades old, you tend to forget a lot of things. But he was sure he had seen blue.

But a greater part of him knew he had seen a prophecy about her and he had to give her the prophecy. It was his job as the Shaman.

**

"Several years ago...when the werewolves signed a treaty with the witches, new creatures suddenly rose up from no where to fill in the position as the new terrorists," Ciara began while Naomi had her back to the wall, praying no one suddenly wanted to get up to take something out or get something in the kitchen. But it looked like there was no need for prayers. No one was willing to miss Luna Ciara’s true tale.

"They called themselves the Kitsunes. We served the Moon goddess, Selena, while they served their Iñari, their queen, Moana. Back then, both our kind and the witches combined couldn’t defeat them, especially the ones who had 100 tails and more. Those days were horrible, horrifying days. It was a time we all prayed never repeated itself again."

"...What happened exactly?" Talia chipped in.

"...Oh dear...lives were lost. A lot of them. They wanted to wipe us all out of existence along with the witches because we refused to bow down to their queen and serve them."

 

 

Chapter 35

"And she wasn’t just an unseen goddess like Selena. Our grandfather’s all saw her during the peace treaty. Legend has it that she was too beautiful that she was kept in a room by her subjects, never let out so she wouldn’t be seen by anyone other than them. They spoilt her rotten."

"How beautiful was she? Did you know how she looked like!! Wow! I wish I could see her!" Nancy suddenly yelled, cutting into her narration.

Talia just smiled at her and patted her hand at her energetic questions and excitement while Kaon finally looked up from his meal and glared at her.

Why was she acting like such a ... kid?

"I don’t know what happened to their Iñari ... it’s been such a while; we almost thought they’d gone into extinction. And I really hope they have because those things are really dangerous..."

The teenagers exchanged glances before Royce quietly inquired.

"So...how did we sign a treaty with them."

"I’m coming to that. In those days, Kitsunes were born without a tail at first. But when they did earn a tail, they had their first general power which was the ability to turn human. As time progresses, there are supernatural abilities which would be attributed to them...that is...depending on the number of tails they have."

Alpha Justin’s fork clattered noisily on his plate as he finished with the last morsel of food before he said.

"They believe that when they do something evil or preposterous, their Iñari would bless them with a tail. But I think those foxes were just damn trickish and devious!!!"

"They had a lot of powers," Ciara resumed and everyone focused their gaze on her once more while Stacey leaned over and refilled the Alpha’s plate. "There were many types of Kitsunes classified under their elements. I think there were 11 elements."

"Thirteen". Everyone turned to Koan who hadn’t even looked up upon correcting her but finally did, not looking anyone in the eyes, his face as strong as a rock, his cold narrowed obsidian black eyes an accessory to his Stony face. It was like he was forced to talk. "Heaven, Dark, wind, spirit, fire, earth, river, Ocean, Mountain, Forest, thunder, time and sound."

There was a moment of silence as their jaws slightly dropped at his firm answer. He didn’t even stutter or dart his eyes like he was thinking of the next word.

Beta Raiden felt proud when they couldn’t keep their eyes off his Alpha.

But Koan went back to eating, noisilessly chewing his food, ignoring them all.

"Thank you Alpha Koan." Ciara commented and went on. "They had their own special abilities according to their elements but generally, Kitsunes could do alot of things. They had the power of possession. They could shape shift," She missed the eye communication between the young ones again. "And...do you know the most horrific part. The Kitsunes loved certain strange meals. They ate fried tofu but the one thing they loved to feed on more than anything was the blood of werewolves."

There wasn’t really much of a surprise when it came to the adults but a look of amusement fell on their face at the horror stricken looks on the teenager’s faces.

"You’re...not just telling us this to... scare us, right? Mum she’s joking, right?" Brittany said, not realizing when she squeezed Royce’s arm. He winced.

"I’m afraid so honey. Luna Ciara is right. They fed on humans as well...they fed on their souls but that’d be through sexual intercourse and since that required too much energy, they settled for the blood of a werewolf."

"The witches could only go into hiding since they weren’t much of a threat to the Kitsunes but they gave the Werewolves some tips when it came to subduing them. They couldn’t tell us how to kill them since they were immortals and could never die but the only way to trap one as long as forever was by chopping off all their tails, rendering them powerless."

"What about those that had about a 100 and more."

"They had to cut them all off as well and the werewolves sprung into action when they learnt of this and they began trapping the Kitsunes this way."

Everyone (Except the Alphas) had stopped eating a while ago, elbows on the table as they leaned forward in complete enthusiasm, not letting any word get passed them.

Naomi didn’t even know when she felt relaxed against the wall listening to the Luna’s calm voice.

"Soon, a serious war broke out between two creatures and that’s when the dragons came in."

Naomi finally perked up at that.

"It turns out that the Kitsune just kept surprising us more and more. A Kitsune could transform into a dragon once it earns 100 tails. And at 1000, it’s legal enough to be the next Iñari."

"That meant the current Iñari had 1000 tails. Did she participate in the war?!"

"Oh no," Ciara chuckled. "We never really saw her. The Kitsunes were strict when it came to protecting her especially when we figured out her weakness. They didn’t let her come out. They even had her locked up only to serve the purpose of being admired."

"Her subjects are crazy!!" Daniel pointed out.

However, the witches came out of hiding when we were dying like rats. Everyday we reduced by a half. All seven packs, yes...including the rival packs all joined forces along with the witches and we figured out a way to kill a Kitsune."

 

Chapter 36

"How?! How?! How??" Echoed around the table.

Ciara chuckled again at their enthusiasm and teased them a little by grabbing a glass of water to wet her parched throat, all the while knowing the expectant gazes on their faces.

"Honey". Aloha Justin chuckled. "Just tell them before they bend the whole table over."

"Okay..." Smilingly, she put down the cup and face them.

"When you get a Kitsune to transform to their true fox form, you can kill them by striking a silver object through their head. That’s where their heart’s located."

Horror and disgust fell on their faces.

"So...was that how you defeated them?"

"No....the Iñari ordered a treaty to be signed between us and they just...left..." Shrugging, she began eating, smiling at her husband who began putting some more food on her plate.

That was it? They all thought as they waited for Ciara to resume.

As if Stacey could read their minds, she said,

"That’s what our grandparents told us and we stuck to it since the creatures didn’t bother us anymore after that. It’s been so many years ago. Infact we believe they’re extinct."

"But...." Jephthah suddenly said and Talia kept eating while her ears was ready to grasp what he was saying. She couldn’t risk turning to him like the others. He might begin to stutter. "...I just think it was too easy. Their queen who was being controlled by her own subjects suddenly makes an order to sign a treaty with their natural enemies and they do that without hesitation and disappear, almost to the point of acting extinct."

There was silence on the table as they returned their gazes to the adults. Even Koan knew his question was smartly and well put together. But no one had an answer to the question.

Suddenly Daniel asked another disturbing question,

"How can a werewolf sense when there’s a Kitsune in the room for instance, especially when they’ve shape shifted into someone else?"

Naomi froze on hearing the question and realized he could be asking it on her behalf.

The other adults chuckled (EXCEPT KOAN. He NEVER laughs or smiles)

"Honey. A werewolf can’t sense a Kitsune in human form."

It was as if there was a stand still silence in the room. No one spoke or moved except the adults who casually moved their fork around, into their mouth and back at their food.

"That was really impossible in those days so it was the witches who could sense them by practicing some cleansing around the place. It was a simple process. When there’s an Alpha in his werewolf form in the prescence of a Kitsune, they tend to act very uncomfortable and revealed their true form in no time..." Marcy narrated.

".... It’s either that or nothing else" Lebanon finalizes, already bored with the topic, half-wondering why the young ones were so interested in the topic.

"So...what other ways can a werewolf sense a Kitsune." John stammered.

It wasn’t clear to them. Naomi had clearly sensed that the impostor today wasn’t a werewolf and it’s not like they used the other method. Daniel wasn’t officially an Alpha and wasn’t even in his wolf form...so what other option?

"There’s no other way. It’s either that or the werewolf has to have a Kitsune gene to do that." Koan replied nonchalantly, focusing on his food.

It was as if the god of silence descended in the room again.

The scent of Citrus and Chocolate liqueur drifted into his nostrils and that’s when he realized Naomi was close and had probably heard it all. He hadn’t noticed her prescence because he was too engrossed in the story.

But now...

He didn’t know how to feel. He just felt like he had swallowed a cube of ice and it was hitched up in his throat, dissolving slowly.

Suddenly her scent began fading as she drifted farther away from him and soon he heard the kitchen door swing open with a bang.

Where was she going?

Without thinking, he scraped his chair backwards in an unpleasant noise which made Ciara and Stacey shut their ears, and ran after her.

Barton and Brittany exchanged looks before running out the dining, wondering where their cousin was running off to.

The others just exchanged glances as one thing ran in their mind.

That Omega they saw earlier was obviously not a werewolf or If she was, she had a Kitsune gene in her.

No one had the mind and audacity to confess to the adults what they had seen. They felt sorry for the poor girl. She probably didn’t even know who she was. They could all sense her confusion when she had arrived at the fields today.

**

Tears began pooling in her eyes as she ran. She was running again but time she wasn’t chasing anything. She was just running away.

When she arrived at the cemetery which was not far off from the Alpha’s mansion, she ran inside.

Normally anyone would be scared going into the pack cemetery at such a late time at night but she didn’t care. She wanted to find something out. Something which would shatter her if she was proven right.

Daniel’s eyes widened when he saw her run into the cemetery. What was she up to? His breath was ragged and so were his cousins when they stoped beside him, their hands on their knees as their chest heaved up and down at their fast pace.

Daniel looked back in shock, not realizing they had followed him here.

"Why... why... are you here?" Briattuny breathlessly asked still puffing from her run.

"I..." He starts moving into the cemetery but stops when Barton grabs him. "Naomi’s in there."

The twins looked at each other before looking at him like he was mad or something.

"Are you being serious, right now?" Barton asked.

"You expect me to believe Naomi of all people is in a ceretermy at this time of the night?"

"I saw her and I followed her here with her scent." He pulled his arm from Barton’s hold and began walking inside, his feet moving at Incredible speed while he glanced around like he was looking for someone.

The twins followed with Brittany hanging onto Barton’s arm.

"Her what?"

"Scent"

"What do you mean scent". Brittany further asked but Daniel suddenly turned left and they turned to see Naomi huddled up Infront of a grave, crying with a shovel by her side.

"Naomi" Brittany gasped, letting go of Barton to bend down to her height on the ground and hold her.

Naomi looked up. Her other features were hidden by a blood red mask but her blue eyes were rimmed red and puffy from crying. Her forehead was red and her hair was a total mess, her eyes only visible through the cracks of the hair that fell over her face.

"Naomi what are you doing here!!! What’s all this about!!!" Danile suddenly yelled at her. He couldn’t tell what she was being tearful about. He should be the one breaking down. The high and mighty moon goddess had chosen him the perfect mate.

A Kitsune.

What did she think she was doing in a cemetery?!

Naomi flinched under the tone of his voice.

"Daniel," Brittany got up and faced him squarely. "Don’t you dare shout at her like that!!!"

 

Chapter 37

"Okay... okay" He pointed at the girl who was stooping on the ground. "Why don’t you ask her what she’s doing in a cemetery with a shovel by this time of the night." He stooped low and grabbed Naomi’s shoulder, their eyes locking as he shook her vigorously. "Tell me...does this sudden news make you want to bury yourself that quick. Then I’ll help you!"

Naomi began to cry again, feeling so helpless and weak.

Barton grabbed him off the ground but Daniel pushed him on getting up. He almost fell back and glared at Daniel. As the two advanced towards each other, Brittany stepped in between them.

"That’s enough you two!!! Let’s just get to the bottom of this" She turned to Naomi and fell speechless when she saw Naomi digging up a grave ?!

"What do you think you’re doing!!!" She gasped In fear, pulling Naomi away. Was she really going to bury herself?!

"I just want them to be wrong. I want to be wrong too." She just said and finally explained on seeing the horrified looks on their faces. "I was told by the former Alpha that my birth parents who were werewolves was buried right here."

The three watched her dig and exchanged glances, finally figuring out what she was up to.

But what if she was wrong? What if the former Alpha had lied to her? What if they didn’t find anything? Did it mean...

They suddenly grabbed shovels in a shed in the cemetery and began digging one after the other.

With each soil that was scooped up and thrown backwards, Naomi’s heartbeat pulsated very quickly.

As they dug deeper and deeper, she began to loose hope and by the time they had collapsed backwards after digging for an hour and had found nothing, she fell back on realizing the truth.

"Naomi," Brittany gasped as her shovel fell to the ground along with her knees. She didn’t know when she pulled her into a tight hug. Naomi only cried in her embrace.

Her life...everything has been built on a lie. She had lived with a fantasy that she’d actually shift. She believed she was an Omega. She believed she’d find her mate and her life would end happily ever after. But she wasn’t even a werewolf. She had been showed an empty grave with nothing inside. She didn’t even know her parents.

Daniel just stood there and watched as Barton knelt before Naomi, placing a hand on her shoulder, sighing helplessly with a shaky breath. Suddenly he threw his shovel to the ground and the three looked up at him.

"No! It can’t be! There must be a mix up somewhere." He pushed Barton aside and held Naomi. Their eyes locked again and she couldn’t lower her face. Her heart began thumping with something she couldn’t fathom as she stared into those bright metallic blue eyes that had pools of blue shades of different colors swelling in them.

"Maybe we dug up the wrong grave...maybe we’re in the wrong cemetery..."

"Daniel," Briattuny sternly said, standing up along with Barton, their figure towering over him. "It’s obvious. The truth is literally open before us."

"No!!!" Danile stood up grabbing his head in frustration.

"Daniel don’t you dare." Kelvin said from within. He could feel what was coming.

Naomi just sat there on the ground, confused. Why was he acting like he was the one who found out he was something he never expected to even be.

Daniel finally brought down his hand and slowly looked back at Naomi whose eyes were spamming in his.

The twins stepped back, wanting to see what was up with their cousin as he stooped low, offering his hand to Naomi.

Out of fear and confusion, she grabbed his hand and let him pull her up.

Her breath hitched up her throat when she realized they were so close, she could see his pupils, could sense his heart pounding hard against his rib cage. Could see the so many emotions swirling in his eyes. His arm holding hers, her arm on his chest as she tried to steady her wobbling legs.

"Full name." He suddenly demanded.

"What?" She was confused.

"Full... name!" He snapped at her and with quivering lips she gave away her surname which no one knew aside the Alpha who had claimed the name was hers.

"Na...om..omi Camp...bell. Campbell." She stuttered, shaking her head like she couldn’t understand why he needed her name.

"I...Daniel Pierce," Daniel began, almost breaking down at what he was about to say all the while ignoring Kelvin. "Soon-to-be Alpha of Dark Risers’s pack hereby reject you Naomi Campbell as my mate."

For a second, some seconds, the atmosphere tensed. The whole place was so quiet you could almost hear Naomi’s tear drop fall to the ground, making a splash.

As Daniel turned to walk away, she didn’t know when her legs have way and she felll into the grave that she dug up. Her vision blurred as she slowly drifted into darkness as she heard some screams coming from Brittany.

Barton ran after Daniel but just as he got passed the cemetery gates, he looked to and fro but didn’t see him. It was almost like he vanished.

**

"Hey." A bright voice perked up from behind him but Daniel kept climbing up, upstairs to his floor, his knuckles almost turning transparent from gripping the railings so tight.

He lost count of how many times he blinked back the tears that welled up in his eyes. How many times he leaned against the wall to steady his heavy heart. He never realized how painful it was to reject a mate. But why did it hurt so much? It wasn’t like he was attached to her already.

"You’re just the person I’m looking for" Dora suddenly ran past him and turned to barr his way with a large smile on her face. There was a bright light glowing in her eyes which was not hard to miss. She seemed really happy about something. But what did it matter to him.

"I’m not in the mood Dora." Daniel said, hopping she’d hang onto his every word and step out of the way so he could walk past her but she just folded her arms, her smile wavering.

"It’s important."

"It’s not like you’re leaving for home tonight. We have all day tomorrow..."

Dora was trembling from excitement.

"For Moon goddess sake just listen to me Daniel!!! The Shaman called me in while you were all having dinner and he gave me a prophecy!!!"

Her voice rumbled through the halls in excitement. She grabbed onto his arm and was shaking him.

Daniel sighed. Either he went along with her and left for his room sooner or he wouldn’t even go into his room at all.

"Okay Dora," He sighed, his eyes almost dropping to the ground. "What did the Shaman call you about." He was too depressed to have even remembered that Dora was absent during the entire dinner.

Dora almost exploded as she blurted out, almost like rapped it out but Danile kind of grapsed every word she said and with time his eyes grew wider and his eyebrows rose like they were going to rise above his head and fall to the ground.

"Wh..what did you just say?"

"He prophecied about us Daniel. He said we were fated mates and that I was a special creature. He told me all about the Kitsunes and..."

 

Chapter 38

Daniel raised a hand, finally having gotten enough. It was clear who that prophecy was meant for. He didn’t know what had happened and why there was a mixup but Dora wasn’t that clueless. Did she really think she was a Kitsune?

"I’ve known you for years. Seen you shift....and live amongst us werewolves for years without feeling different. And suddenly you’re a Kitsune?" If not that he was already pained and bitter, he would have chuckled into her face. "Tell me...did he also mention to you that werewolves couldn’t sense a Kitsune’s prescence...just like you couldn’t sense the impostor’s presence today." Without waiting for her to even part her lips to say a word, he began climbing up, freezing when she finally said.

"But... that... maid... Naomi did." A small chuckle was heard and he squeezed his fist, not bothering to look back and just let her finish with whatever nonsense she was going to say.

"You think I don’t know who that prophecy was meant for?" Her dark voice resounded in his ears and he turned to the source of the voice not believing it was Dora’s. It was so devious and laced with a lethal tone. But she was still standing there, arms folded, a smirk having replaced the deep frown on her face.

Suddenly her arms fell to her sides and he felt stunned seeing the big droplets of water falling down her big green eyes; rolling down her cheeks.

"Did you really think I was that stupid to believe I was a Kitsune...that I was some fox...some almost-extinct creature I don’t even know about?"

"So if you knew that, why did you lie to me at first. What are you aiming at Dora? You and I know we can never be mates and I will never accept you as my Luna or anyone else"

"Except Naomi of course" She chuckled again and in one swift move wiped away the tears off her face, looking up at him with an evil glint in her eyes. "I’ve seen the way you look at her....and I’m sick of it!!!" She snapped, feeling so irritated.

Before Daniel was a villainess, showing all her true colors at once. Sure he knew she was unkind, rude and a bit clingy towards him, he hadn’t had a clue she could be ...this!

"The Shaman’s already made his prophecy so now you’ll have to make me your Luna and inform everyone about it. About the prophecy...of course, leaving out the ridiculous part about me being some weird fox"

He finally laughed. A bitter hard long laugh such that when he was done, a vein had popped on her forehead and her eyes were twitching convulsively like she wanted to explode.

"You’ve been starved all afternoon till so late at night. I’m sure that’s why you’re acting so crazy and really stupid. Do you have any idea what you’re suggesting?" He half turned, ready to leave. "Like I’d even make someone like you my Luna if the prophecy was really true."

She fisted her hands at her sides as she watched him walk away.

Her next words however stopped him in his tracks.

"Then I guess you wouldn’t mind me confessing to everyone about the prophecy." Daniel turned to her with a sharp gaze, eyes narrowed ready to lash out at her. However she was not done. Slowly caressing the railings, she swayed her hips seductively as she walked up the steps to stand just one staircase down from him. Her other hand slowly traced the line of his shirt down to his neatly bent back colar before sliding down her hand against his chest once more, her eyes not leaving his. "Oh don’t worry. I’ll tell them who the prophecy was really meant for ...about you and Naomi being fated mates, about your strong unbreakable mate bond and I’ll make sure I won’t leave anything out." She sneeringly added the last part, releasing her other hand off the railings to wrap the two around his neck. "Especially who she really is... I’m sure the other werewolves would definitely welcome her warmly their new Luna into their territory."

Daniel suddenly pushed her. As she staggered back, he glared at her like she was a disgusting insect.

"Dora are you out of your mind!!!"

"I’ll make sure I announce it to everyone when they’ve all arrived to your ceremony tomorrow!" She yelled at him while he held the bridge of his nose, trembling for what this mad woman could do.

If Dora really carried out her plan, there were two Alpha’s at his ceremony who wouldn’t hesitate to test her by shifting into their true form and watch her react to it.

If they found out themselves, he knew they wouldn’t hesitate to kill her.

He had to agree, the Kitsunes were dangerous creatures and posed a huge threat to them but Naomi... she didn’t deserve it. To be killed. She had taken them as her kind. Why would she have to be repayed this way?

"Dora...you will not do such!!!" He suddenly descended the stairs to grab her hand and pull her close so their eyes could meet and she could see the different shades of blue swirling in his eyes. "If anything happens to her, I will hate you forever."

His words pierced through her heart like a thread to a needle’s eye. The fact that he cared so much about that pathetic maid that he didn’t realize just how dangerous she could be if she figured out how her powers worked and how to replenish it. Or the fact that he could be this harsh to her because what? She threatened someone else. Someone he shouldn’t even care about.

She suddenly dragged her arm from his grip and faced him with her eyes filled with hate, anger and pain but mostly deviousness.

"Then you will make me your Luna." Her voice was curt and firn with a tinge of warning added to it.

"You can and Will NOT be my Luna, Dora." He almost sighed in perspiration.

"Why?" Her jaw almost fell at his words. "We’ve been best friends for so many years..."

"You do not have the attributes of a Luna Dora and besides I..."

"Am I not beautiful enough...do I not have the face of a goddess...what’s more?"

He shook his head at her limited knowledge of attributes and diversity.

"I don’t want a mate Dora. I just rejected Naomi as my mate on hearing the news and breaking the mate bond can be really painful...so I’m having a lot of difficulty right now and..."

"That’s wonderful Daniel". She looked so happy. "I was going to ask you to do it as soon as possible so since it’s all done, you would have no problems when it comes to biting me and giving me the mate-bond mark..."

"Dora..."

"Yes. Yes. We need to plan for a Luna naming ceremony as soon as possible. We can’t wait any more. My birthday would be in a few weeks time so I guess we could place the ceremony date on my birthday...what do you think?"

"Dora!!!"

Chapter 39

She almost fell backwards at the intensity of his voice, his loud voice snapping her out of her daydream of her future Luna ceremony.

She turned and saw the pain and distress in his eyes. Her eyes softened a bit as she came close, placing one hand on his cheek.

"Let me comfort you Daniel...please" She murmured softly and leaned to kiss him.

Daniel saw it coming but pretended like he thought she was coming in for a hug and embraced her instead. It was either that or risk her getting anrgy and acting on her plans. She could even gather everyone in the house and expose her secrets and he was sure Alpha Koan wouldn’t hesitate to kill Naomi especially since she hadn’t attained her powers yet and couldn’t even transform. She was basically a human.

So he hugged her instead, feeling not a single iota of comfort like she promised but only held her tight in his embrace, his mind going back to the hurt look in Naomi’s eyes when he had rejected her ...

That hurt look was the same one...he was staring at right now!!!

Naomi was standing some feet away from him, just close to her room door with Brittany supporting her weak body. Brittany humphed at the sight of him and moved to help Naomi into her room but Noami’s eyes seemed to be locked in his.

That same pain he saw earlier still lingered in her eyes as she was helped into her room.

Feeling so guilty, he slightly pulled away from the embrace and rushed upstairs without a word to Dora who didn’t mind this time and had her eyes glazing over like her greatest fantasy dream just came to reality.

Feeling ecstatic and not in the least worried or guilty about what she had done, blinded by her desire to be her long time crush’s Luna, she rushed upstairs to pick a beautiful outfit she’d wear for tomorrow’s ceremony.

Meanwhile, Naomi sat like a wasted sack of rice on the bed, her mask on the ground along with Brittany who helped her take off her shoes.

Naomi could barely hear the soothing words she offered her and the curses she rained on Daniel. Her mind was clouded with Daniel. She won’t say she had fallen in love with him. But the fact that she was his fated mate all these while and he had rejected her out of the blue without hesitation or guilt when he had found out the truth about her made her heart drop like an anchor down to her stomach threatening not to rise up ever again.

The Daniel she had cared so much for, had grew so fond of, had turned to such a heartless beast. Why had the moon goddess done this to her? He could have been mated to anyone else but why her and why did he have to reject her and make her feel like she truly was the outcast she believed herself to be.

She only felt worse when she saw him in an intimate position with Dora. It only confirmed that he wasn’t at all hesitant to make her his Luna. Someone of a respectable class and position and not her. A Kitsune. A natural enemy of the werewolves and maid who didn’t even know her stand in life.

Well, she couldn’t blame him.

She could only blame her existence.

More tears silently dropped down her cheeks and Brittany looked up from where she rubbed Naomi’s aching feet when she felt a wet feeling on her forehead only to see that she was crying again.

Brittany suddenly burst into tears and Naomi snapped out of her reverie when she saw Brittany on her knees, crying.

Naomi’s lips parted in surprise and she didn’t hesitate to fall to her knees while holding onto Briattuny without letting go.

Their eyes locked as they each balled their eyes out. Naomi forgot all about her troubles and thoughts and focused on Brittany who held her arm which was placed against her cheeks.

"B...Brittany, tell me...what’s it? Why are you crying? You know I hate seeing you like this." Naomi trembled as she whispered.

"You’re making me a mess Naomi...if only you knew your worth, you’d stop all these." She wiped her tears and that of Naomi as she grabbed her hand and pulled her into a tight hug as she let everything out. "You’ve done so much for Daniel. I was little that time but I saw the potential mother in you when it came to Daniel. You made him feel like he didn’t loose a mother. You were a friend to him, a sister, a brother...you were everything. And he suddenly thinks he can do this to you. He thinks he can just play with you like some toy and dump you..." She pulled away and looked at Naomi who had fresh tears running down her cheeks. "Do you know who you are?"

"No Brittany...I don’t blame him. He doesn’t know who I am...he just wants..."

"It still shows what sort of Alpha he’s going to be. He shouldn’t have rejected you especially when all you needed was comfort at this time and you saw that he didn’t even care. You and I saw him in the hallway with Dora. Naomi, he doesn’t care about you. Even if he knows, even if he stares right back at your face without that mask on, you know all he’s going to see?"

Naomi trembled, lips quivering as she whispered.

"No?"

Briattuny shook her hard.

"He’s going to see an enemy. A Kitsune. A worthless maid... that’s all he’s going to see and I’m not going to stay here and let you feel like shit. I’m going to tell you that you’re worth more than Dora no matter how beautiful or pretty or wealthy she is. You just don’t let them see that confident side of you. You cower under little meaningless words...you shielded your face beneath a mask but you make it seem like you do it because you’re scared. Naomi is that who you want people to see you as?"

Uncertainty and realization clouding in her eyes, she vigorously shook her head.

"You’re going to take a long cold shower, you’re going to sleep as long as you want and you’re going to help with the decorations tomorrow and I’m going to dress you up prettier than anyone else you’ve ever seen and you’re going to walk into his naming ceremony party without that mask on and you’re going to congratulate him as your new Alpha...do you understand me, Naomi?"

 

Chapter 40

Naomi began stuttering but on seeing the spark of light and determination in her eyes, she didn’t know when she slowly nodded. After exchanging a long hug, Brittany left her to stroll slowly into the shower.

After a long shower, she dressed up and finally collapsed on her bed. She didn’t want to think about what happened tonight so she just slept off.

However her strange dreams would not let her be.

She dreamt of a woman. She was putting on a veil so she couldn’t quite see her face clearly. But the woman’s eyes were large and looked like she absorbed all the colors of the rainbow into them

On a magnificent throne, she occupied, a hair rich in the color of gold, specked with silver, flowed in waves to the ground. There was a crown of gold and stones of rubies and emeralds ardoning it which was placed on her head.

Her scarlet red gown was too bright, in contrast with her bright hair but the ball gown looked evidently beautiful and precious. It cascaded to the ground in waves of cardinal red sewer hem after hem to make it longer and fascinatingly astounding. A cherry red silk chiffon started from the waist line, ending at the ankles. It had wide bishop sleeves which ended at her thin wrists. The waist line of her gown was basque with a thick honey colored lace around it.

Wherever she was in was very quiet because even her fingers tapping slowly against the arm of her throne resounded in the room.

She was humming a very familiar song which she didn’t bother singing the lyrics of as she slowly kept tapping her fingers in tempo to the music. Her huge eyes was fixed somewhere like she was anticipating something to happen. The glowing necklace ardoning her long neck sparkled even in the darkness she was buried in.

Suddenly a gust of wind blew into the room, blowing her hair backwards. Yet she didn’t move even as the door shut behind him with a loud bang, metals clinking as the people outside locked the door.

His eyes were seethingly cold and still shone that ever never-dimming metallic jade dome color. His jaw was leaned back to his chest, his eyes buried in her hers as he slowly climbed the steps leading to her throne.

Soon the loud noise of a throne scraping backwards echoed in the room and soon, the woman in scarlet red ball gown was on the ground, her head bowed before the man.

"You still would not talk would you, Moana?" The man finally said, his lethal voice low and dangerous yet a tune of fine music to the woman’s ears as she ignored him.

He reached down and grabbed her face very roughly, raising it up so he could look into her eyes which held not an iota of guilt not fear for what she had done. It always riled him up that no matter what he did, she just never seemed to give up.

"Think of the liberty you could have, the happiness you could finally feel. Don’t you want that, My love?"

The man cursed when he felt her warm spittle travel down his nose trailing to his jaw.

His grip traveled down to her neck and she only smirked.

"The only liberty I could enjoy now is to die by your own hands, Jacob."

"Very well. I’ve had enough of this anyways. I’m done playing nice. I’ve been very patient with you and to be frank, you haven’t showed effort in making it known how much you love me."

Her legs began hanging on the air as he lifted her up from the ground. The walls, the confinement in which she was kept it shook as she hit the wall and fell heavily to the ground. Blood began gushing down her forehead but the pendant on her gold necklace began glowing and the wound sealed up almost immediately. She began chuckling, throwing back her head, a mad glint in her eyes.

The man huffing with inevitable anger and frustration in his eyes left the room, heart pounding in anger as he almost popped a vein.

Moana crawled up against the wall and hugged her kness to her chest, burying her face between them as she cried softly.

Naomi woke up, sitting up like she had been electrocuted when the last of her dreams visualized in her head.

She felt a wet sensation on her face and touched her cheeks only to realize she was crying as well.

**

It was morning. Talia was the first to wake up and after smiling at Nancy who was still deep asleep, she climbs out of the bed. Once she had washed her face and brushed her teeth, she grabbed a vase in the room along with one of her shoes.

Bursting through the doors, she starts banging loudly on the vase while screaming loudly.

"Hey everyone!!! Hey!! It’s 8:00am and I know we slept late but I have an important announcement to make !Everyone!" She ensured to pass by every door, not wanting to wake Nora up.

Before long, everyone on the guest floor all crowded the hallways, rubbing their eyes while some were grumbling and muttering something about today being stressful so they need their beauty sleep.

Soon Daniel and Dora came down together which was evident that they had slept together and Dora woke up to realize that Daniel had left her embrace last night to sleep on his bedroom couch.

She didn’t mind though.

"What’s all the yelling about." When she came downstairs, she sees the source of the noise and her face darkened. "Oh my gosh. Daaaaad. Do you see the guts of this girl waking everyone up like some annoying fly?"

"Can you just put aside your grumbling and let’s at least call a truce this morning. It’s really important." Talia cut in with an irritated look.

Dora just sighed and came downstairs with Daniel.

"Um...are we complete?" Talia asked, looking around.

Daniel for some reason hoped Naomi would be amongst them. But sadly she wasn’t there and he met with the cold Unblinking eyes of his cousins.

"What’s going on here!!!" Marcy exclaimed in surprise as she climbed downstairs with Nathan and Sarah by her side. "Did something happen?"

"I sure hope something did happen." Alpha Koan bluntly said, glaring at Talia who wished this particular person didn’t join them. He was so cold, he made the early morning breeze feel chilly.

"The Shaman could have woken up to this ruckus. What exactly is it Talia?" Daniel asked and several pairs of eyes turned to her.

"Where’s Jephthah?" She whispered, her hands falling to her side as she counted them all.

John yawned like the others for the nth time.

"That one’s a deep sleeper. He could sleep through a storm or an earthquake even."

"I’ll go wake him up..." Barton started but Talia dropped the things she held and put her hands infront of them all in a ’wait’ stance.

"I will wake him up. Just...don’t wake Nancy up yet. I’m coming." With that, she ran towards Jephthah room.