Chapter 8 - Take Me In

••• Aleena’s POV •••

I opened my eyes and was confused for a second. Where am I? What happened? I jolted awake when I remembered what had happened.

Did they get to force themselves on me? If they did... The thought made my body shudder.

“You are awake,” I heard a pleasant, soft woman’s voice.

Turning my head to my side, I saw a hooded woman pushing back her cloak, and my eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

Next to my bed sat a beautiful woman with fair skin, silver eyes, and hair. A... WITCH?! There’s another witch besides Luna Rose?

“Yes, I’m a witch. My name is Lily,” she said with a smile.

My eyes widened even more. She could hear my thoughts? Even Luna Rose couldn't read any minds except if she was searching for specific memories.

“No, I couldn't read your mind,” she said, still with a slight smile on her face.

“Then how do you know...” I wanted to ask her how she knew what I was thinking.

“I don't have to read your mind to see the obvious disbelief in your eyes,” she explained.

“Ohh...” I replied with a sheepish smile. Was my shock that apparent?

“I’m sorry,” I apologized. I must’ve made her feel awkward with my reaction. Well... Even if she could hear my thoughts, it wouldn't be strange. She was a witch, after all. I shouldn't have reacted in that way.

“It’s alright, Aleena,” she answered with a wave of her delicate fair hand. This time, I didn't react so much when she said my name without me telling her about it.

“Where am I?” I asked as I looked around the room.

“You are in the pack’s infirmary,” she replied.

Pack? I was saved? I couldn't be back in the Black Heart Pack, could I? The infirmary looked different.

“Crimson Blood Pack,” she informed me.

“You guys save me?” I asked her.

“The Alpha and Beta saved you before the two werewolves could hurt you further,” she explained.

Hurt me further... I gasped and touched the left side of my face. It was healed. I opened my mouth and moved my jaw around, feeling no pain at all.

“So the two didn't get to...” I let my words trail off. I couldn't bear to think that I was raped.

“No. Alpha and Beta saved you in time. They brought you here, and Dr. Gwen and I helped heal your wounds.” She made it clear nothing had happened to me except for being hit in the face.

“Thank you,” I thanked her as I breathed in relief.

“Are the Alpha and Beta here? I need to thank them,” I told her.

“They will come soon,” she informed me as she stared at me intently.

Her stare made me feel awkward, and I began fidgeting and checking my arms and legs to check my wounds. The bruises and cuts had all been healed. I was as good as new. I was grateful to them for saving and having me.

“You are still in the dark,” the witch, Witch Lily, suddenly said.

I turned my gaze to her and saw her silver eyes had turned white; even her pupils were white.

“You are still in the dark...” she repeated her words and continued, “The seal is still surrounding you, but the time will come soon - the time when you will be able to unleash your true potential and choose your destiny,” she said with an eerily deep and booming voice so different than her soft voice from before.

Did she just have a vision of me? This was the first time I saw a witch having a vision, and her eerie voice sent goosebumps down my spine, raising all the hairs on my arms and nape.

She closed her eyes as her body trembled after her vision. When she opened her eyes, it was back to silver in color.

I was dumbfounded for a while, but her words suddenly hit me.

“Seal?” I asked her.

“You will find out soon,” she said in her voice that had turned back into a soft and pleasant one.

I just nodded. I’d heard of witches' visions. They were usually always ambiguous, and it would be futile to ask for explanations.

Still, I began thinking about it. I have a seal on me? Does it mean I actually have a wolf? But who would put a seal on me? And what about my true potential and destiny that she was talking about? Maybe she wasn't talking about me; I sighed at the thought when I heard the door being opened.

Both Witch Lily and I turned to see who had entered the room.

I recognized the man. Brown hair, brown eyes. He was the Alpha of the Crimson Blood Pack - Alpha Liam.

“You are awake,” he said with a smile.

I was about to sling my legs off the bed to stand up and greet him, but he waved me off. “Stay on the bed. You still need to rest.”

“Alpha Liam, thank you for saving me and taking me here,” I thanked him while sitting back on the bed.

“You’ll need to thank the Beta for that,” he said with a mysterious smile. What’s with the mysterious smile from him and Witch Lily?

“Of course. I heard from Witch Lily that you and the Beta were the ones who saved me. I’ll thank him when I see him,” I smiled back at him.

He nodded and stood next to the bed. He was tall with a bulky build but still young.

“Can you tell me what happened to you?” he asked.

“I was banished,” I answered bitterly. The man whom I had called ‘Father’ all these years didn't even give me a chance to prove myself. Witch Rose, I’d rather die than call her Luna Rose now, had betrayed me. Even Beta Erick had betrayed me, too. Thinking of the unfair and cruel judgment and punishment, I realized that they suited their pack’s name - Black Heart Pack. They each had a black heart.

“Banished?” he asked with curiosity.

“Yes.” I nodded and quickly explained myself, “But please believe me when I say I never did anything wrong.”

Alpha Liam looked at Witch Lily in what seemed to be a confirmation of my words, and Witch Lily gave him a slight nod. Hopefully, that nod was an indication that I was to be trusted.

He turned back to me and said, “You can rest here until you are fully healed, and we will bring you to the rogue’s headquarters.”

“Rogues headquarters?” I asked. Weren't rogues called rogues because they didn't have a pack?

“Yes. Since you are a rogue now, I don't have a choice but to tell you that the rogues are actually in a pack under their Alpha - Alpha Colton,” he explained, and I was surprised by the information.

There is an Alpha of rogues, and all rogues in this country are under him? Wow... I had never heard of such a thing.

“Please keep this a secret because only us and the rogues know about this,” he said, and I nodded in understanding.

A secret was what I could keep best. I wouldn't divulge their secrets since they had nothing to do with me.

I was tempted for a while, but remembering I was human-like, I told him, “Thank you for your kindness, Alpha, but I think it would be best for me to live with the humans.”

“Live with the humans?” He was shocked by my words.

“Yes.” I nodded with determination. Humans were aware of us, and most of the Alphas had dealings with them, but no werewolves ever lived with humans before because we might lose our control when we were around them.

“You don't have to worry about being a rouge, as Alpha Colton will protect you.” Alpha Liam seemed to misunderstand the reason for wanting to live with the humans.

“Oh no... I wasn't afraid of being a rogue. It’s just that I’m sure you’ve noticed by now that I’m human-like,” I explained quickly to him, even though I was definitely scared of being a rogue before I knew of the existence of Alpha Colton.

He nodded, confirming that he knew I was human-like, and said, “Still, it’d be best for werewolves to live with our own kind. You might harm humans if you are not careful when around them. And who knows, you might develop werewolves’ abilities in the future.”

Suddenly, I remembered Witch Lily’s vision. If it was really about me, then what Alpha Liam said might come true. I might be able to unleash my true potential as a werewolf, whatever it might be. I might not, but I would take the chance. And I might even prove my innocence with their help! That thought got me excited.

No matter how excited I was to live with humans, I was left with nothing after being banished. It might be difficult for me to survive without money or clothes.

I clasped Alpha Liam’s hand in mine. “If that’s the case, please take me in, Alpha Liam.”

He looked unsure of what to say, and I knew the reason why. Banishments were not that common, yet they were still done to those who betrayed their packs. Not many werewolves dared to betray their packs; thus, those who did would be seen with contempt not only by their former pack members but also by others. So why would a new pack take someone who had betrayed their own pack?

“I promised to pledge loyalty to Crimson Blood Pack, and as I’ve told you before, I was wrongly accused and judged,” I said, still with excitement while clasping his hand.

Suddenly, we all heard a growl from the direction of the door.