What She Deserved

CHAPTER SIX

ROSE

When Helena, Jake, Mike, Evan, and I returned to the mansion, Evan mentioned he had some business to attend to before dinner and I was too tired to respond. I only nodded my head and slowly headed towards our bedroom, my feet felt heavy and my eyelids were almost too hard to keep open.

“Rose, are you okay?” I heard my friend asked me before I felt her firm hand on my shoulder, holding me in place. The wariness in her voice was clear and I hated myself for keeping something from her, but I couldn’t say anything yet, not until I knew more.

“I’m fine, Helena. I just need to lie down for a moment. Don’t worry about me, I’ll see you at dinner alright?” I said trying to sound cheerful.

At first, Helena looked unconvinced but she let me go. As I walked away, I felt her worried gaze on me, making it harder for me to breathe. As soon as I was out of her eyesight, I felt a weight leave my shoulders.

I knew Helena and Callie suspected something. I knew them well enough to be able to pick up the signs. Helena became more protective and she gave you your space until you were able to talk. Callie, on the other hand, she kept her eyes open and I felt her worried glances all through the day. She knew there was something wrong and she had probably already talked to Helena about this. I sighed, if only they knew, I thought to myself. My wolf winced inside of me, she was weak, and I could feel her strength draining with every day that passed.

I hadn’t been able to sleep in days due to the nightmares that kept repeating themselves in my mind. But now that I felt mostly unconscious, I hoped that it would be enough to get some restful sleep.

I opened the door with all the strength I had left and walked directly towards the bed without changing into my pajamas first. As soon as my head hit the pillow, I was gone.

…

The next time I woke up, the sunlight was streaming into the room and I sat up drowsily thinking I had only slept for a couple of hours but when I got up and looked at the watch on my nightstand, my eyes widened. I had slept for more than twelve hours. Evan had probably come to check up on me and as soon as he saw me sleeping, he thought it would be best to let me rest considering all my nightmares.

I sighed and walked over to the bathroom, feeling refreshed and new. Thankfully no new nightmares had appeared while I was sleeping.

I took a bath bomb and set it on the sink while I filled the bathtub and as soon as it was full and warm enough, I got in, bath bomb in hand. I let out a deep sigh as I felt the water bubbling around me and watched, mesmerized, at how the water changed color into a pink shade.

I sighed and closed my eyes, planning on staying there until the water turned cold. Only the sound of my breathing filled the bathroom and I sat with my eyes closed, letting my mind at ease.

Suddenly, a small headache started to form at the front of my head, a migraine. I winced as the pain increased quickly, it was getting hard to concentrate on breathing calmly. Flashes of light appeared inside my eyelids and an involuntary shiver coursed through my body. Not again, I thought to myself and in seconds, my mind had traveled someplace else.

I could see Callie running through the forest in wolf form, I recognized her by the single black spot on her right hind leg. She ran through an unknown place of the forest, she seemed to be anxious to get somewhere.

What seemed like seconds later, she arrived, and my eyes widened. In front of us was a huge waterfall, the sound of the water falling was empowering. I never knew that place existed, then again, I wasn’t sure if I was seeing the present or the future. Strange energy was rolling off the big body of water, it felt like some sort of life force. Something I had never felt before.

Without a warning, the scene in front of me changed and I was back at the same waterfall, but it was now dark, cold and I was alone. The waterfall was no longer working, there was no water, it was just, big rocks crammed together.

Around me, the forest was beginning to die and the creatures that had once thrived in the forest, were now scattered on the ground, their eyes open lifelessly. “What happened here?” I thought out loud. I could feel the energy in the forest, something dark had destroyed it and now everything around me was withering.

“The pack,” I thought to myself and ran towards the mansion. What felt like an eternity later, I arrived at the gates and rushed inside. My heart sank as I saw the garden that had once grown beautifully at the front of the building, was now dry and dead. The mansion looked dark and abandoned. Windows were shattered and the front door had been burst open.

My legs began to shake, a gasp got stuck in my throat. “This cannot be happening,” I said in a whispered that echoed around the empty place that had been my home for a year.

I walked deeper into the house, I started to see bodies on the ground, dead, pained expressions on their faces. I gasped as and my heart clenched when I started to recognize the faces of my pack members.

Finally, the gasp left my throat along with a cry when I saw someone on the floor just at the entrance that led to the tunnels. I lost my footing as my legs gave in, I had to lean on the wall for support. Tears began to stream down my face and sobs echoed in the room around me. My wolf was howling and wincing at the sight. “Helena,” I managed to whisper as I saw my friend, lifeless.

Her dark brown her was mattered with blood and her neck was twisted in a way that looked unnatural. Her dark eyes were open in shock as she stood over the secret passage.

Slowly, I walked forward and gently closed Helena’s eyes with shaky hands. A sob escaped me, and I struggled to push her aside so that I could go into the tunnel.

The familiar sensation of falling engulfed me and when my feet connected with the ground, I stood alone. I sighed and urged my wolf forward so that her night vision could help us see in the darkness. I walked to the bunker, in autopilot, my emotions were locked away so that I could concentrate.

My feet resonated along the walls of the tunnel, but I didn’t care about the noise I made. This was only a vision after all.

The light of the bunker made me take a deep breath, “maybe there are survivors.” I quickened my pace until I was at the doors. My breath hitched when I realized the door was slightly ajar.

Some part of me expected to see the scene in front of me, but I hadn’t been prepared to actually see it.

Mothers, young children, had been slaughtered. There were claw marks all around their bodies. In my mind, I could still hear their frightened screams and the pain they felt as their end caught up to them. I fell to my knees in horror and began to cry.

Helena had probably died after she left the bunker. She probably brought Clarisse down here before leaving to go find Callie but at the entrance of the tunnel, our enemy had caught up to her and she gave her life to protect the wolves inside.

A tear streamed down my face. If Helena was dead, then Jake was as well. Mike was probably with Xander and Xander with Callie but there was no sign of them, they hadn’t been at the bunker. I got to my feet, determined to find them when a sudden bright light appeared at the entrance of the bunker. Blocking my way.

The light was too bright in the darkness and I had to squint my eyes to keep my eyes from watering and blurring my vision. Whoever or whatever this thing was, it was in the vision with me, and I had to remain alert.

My wolf growled menacingly at the figure and I felt my claws come down from behind my nails.

“There is no need for that child. I mean you no harm,” the voice was calm, and it radiated warmth. My wolf instantly relaxed but I was still hesitant.

The light shifted in a way that a figure stepped out of it and I gasped. In front of me was a young woman. She didn’t look a day past 35 years old. Her eyes didn’t have a specific color, they kept changing from black and brown, to hazel, green and blue. Her white hair fell freely down all the way to her hips in neat waves. She was wearing a long white robe with long sleeves and with her pale, thin complexion, she looked like a ghost.

It was then I realized why my wolf seemed so comfortable around her, this was the Moon Goddess. I let out a shaky gasp and quickly put my claws away and bowed my head. “Luna,” I whispered in amazement. I didn’t know what to say. I knew Callie had a special connection to the goddess, she had seen her more times than most wolves, but I never imagined she’d present herself to me.

“Look at me child, there is no time to lose,” the goddess said firmly but softly at the same time. Her eyes held no anger, only sadness, and pain. “When you were born, I gave you the gift of time. It wasn’t until your 15th birthday that it started to develop but now, as you near your 18th birthday, you began to see visions. Now, I am here to tell you that you cannot only see the future, you can also see the past and the present, but it’s an ability you will need to learn.” I nodded my head but let the goddess continue.

“I knew that you would become part of this pack, and your gift would be useful to prevent disputes and wars between packs. But I never foresaw this,” she said, motioning her hands to the m******e in front of us. “So many of my children slaughtered so much pain. You must stop this, Rose Williams. Exploit your abilities and find out who is responsible for this.”

That’s when I regained my voice, “you don’t know what did this?” My voice was clear with disbelief, she was a goddess after all.

The goddess smiled and shook her head, “there are some things I do not know, child. All my children are born with free will and who am I to limit their future. Besides, we are not the only supernatural creature out there.”

My eyes widened and I gulped. “Find Morgana, the witch. She will be able to teach you how to use your powers. I have already informed her of your mission. You must hurry, I fear we do not have much time to prevent this catastrophe.”

Luna began to fade, and I shook my head anxiously, “I don’t know if I can do this. Why can’t Callie do this? Why didn’t you give this power to her?”

The Moon Goddess smiled, “it had to be you, Rose. Callie has other abilities, you will see. Everything will be explained. Find Morgana.” Her last words drifted into the air like a silent whisper as the goddess was consumed into her own orb of light. Then, she was gone.

I shivered and was about to walk out of the bunker when all the lights went dark.

…

I was gasping for air and coughing water as I regained consciousness. During my vision, my body had submerged into the water and I was surprised I was still alive after that.

The water was cold and there were no longer bubbles on the water. Once I was done coughing all of the water I had swallowed, my chest began to ache, and my head kept on pounding. Find Morgana, the words resonated in my head and I was quickly on my feet.

I had to find my friends and Evan. I had to say goodbye before I left to find Morgana. I knew it wouldn’t be easy explaining my visions to them, but we didn’t have time. Something was going to happen soon.

…

I rushed out of the bathroom, fully dressed, and with my hair brushed and slightly wet. The adrenaline pumping inside of me helped me ignore the pain in my head.

I looked at the clock and saw it was past noon. I hope Callie and the others are eating lunch right about now, I thought to myself as I sprinted out of the room and down the stairs. Several pack members eyed me closely, some with concern, others with shock, I hadn’t exactly been very energetic these couple of weeks.

As I headed to the dining room, I saw Xander and Callie also heading in the same direction. They were holding hands and laughing amongst themselves and I hated to interrupt their moment with concerns.

“Callie! Xander! Wait up,” I called out just as Xander was opening the door for his mate. Both of them turned to look at me with confusion and froze on their spot. When I reached them, I felt nervous all of a sudden. “Um, I have to talk to you, it’s important.” The royal couple shared a concerned look with each other and then turned to me.

“Sure, let’s go to my office,” Xander said politely.

We began to head in another direction when I stopped. “Hold on, I think Evan, Helena, Jake, and Mike should be with us, they also need to hear what I have to say.”

Callie nodded her head and rested her comforting hand on my shoulder. “No problem, I already contacted Helena, she’s on her way here with Jake.”

Xander nodded, “Mike and Evan as well.” I nodded my head and let out a deep sigh.

Callie intertwined her arm with mine and smiled at me warmly, “don’t worry sweetie. Everything will be fine. We’re glad to have you back though.”

I smiled at her, even though it didn’t quite reach my eyes. Callie noticed but gladly didn’t push the subject. Her hold on me was firm and warm, it reassured me that she would always have my back, no matter what.

As we neared the King’s office, from the opposite direction, I saw Helena fast-walking, with my mate, Jake, and Mike at her heels, towards us. “We arrived just in time,” Helena said, and I felt her concerned gaze on me for a second.

Xander nodded his head and smiled at them, masking his wariness, “let’s get inside.”