Chapter 31: Ivy's Nightmare

Ivy

I was still fuming when I stormed into my room, slamming the door shut behind me. The anger wasn't truly directed at Leo anymore, yet it clung to me like a stubborn shadow. My heart pounded, but it wasn't rage fueling it-it was fear, confusion, and something far worse: memories.

I paced back and forth, rubbing my hands together, trying to shake the unease crawling over my skin. 

This is the second time Leo is chasing after an intruder in my home. My father had designed my room to be a fortress, a place where I could always feel safe. He built it with a hidden panic room-his way of protecting me after what happened to his first daughter. But right now, even that reassurance couldn't steady my nerves.

That's when I heard it-a hum, soft and distant at first, but chillingly familiar. My body froze, every muscle locked in place. No. It can't be.

But it was.

That sound... I knew it too well, like a nightmare resurfacing. It sent an icy shiver down my spine, rooting me to the floor. My breath hitched as I glanced toward the door, which was slightly open. A silhouette stood there, barely visible, but unmistakably human. My heart leapt into my throat as I screamed so loud that it felt like my throat would explode.

Panic gripped me. "No... no..." I whispered, my voice trembling.

Suddenly, fear took over. My instincts kicked in, and I stumbled toward the hidden button near my dresser. With a soft click, the wall shifted, revealing the entrance to the panic room. I didn't hesitate. 

I dashed inside, closing the wall behind me before sliding down to the floor, trembling violently. Tears streamed down my face as my breath came in ragged gasps. I hugged my knees, curling into myself as fear consumed me.

My mind reeled, dragging me back to a memory I had buried deep-a memory that haunted me every night before I left my old pack.

*flashback*

It had been weeks after they found me near my brother's lifeless body. My mother's rage knew no bounds, and I had been the target of her fury ever since. That day, she beat me so brutally that blood stained the floor. With a broken hand and bruised ribs, I had fled into the forest, desperate to escape the endless torment.

I ran blindly, tears blurring my vision, until my foot caught on a log, and I crashed to the ground. Pain shot through my body, but I didn't care. I lay there, sobbing into the dirt, screaming into the empty forest.

"Why won't the Moon Goddess just kill me?" I cried out, my voice echoing in the silence. "Why leave me to suffer?"

The only answer was the eerie stillness of the woods... until I heard it. A hum, faint but distinct. My ears perked up, dread prickling my skin. It was so soft, so smooth, yet so hauntingly cold.

Fear gripped me, every sense screaming danger. The hairs on the back of my neck stood as the hum grew louder. I scrambled to my feet, trying to hide, but before I could move, a figure emerged from the shadows-a hooded figure, cloaked in darkness. Their face was hidden, but the energy radiating from them was suffocating, like the weight of death itself.

I trembled uncontrollably, my broken hand throbbing as tears blurred my vision. I was weak, helpless, and alone. I had no wolf to protect me, no strength to fight back.

The figure reached toward me, its fingers long and thin, almost skeletal. Terror consumed me, and before I could react, my world went black.

\---

When I woke, I was in a dark, damp place that reeked of earth and decay. A faint light streamed in through a small opening high above, barely illuminating the cramped space. I scrambled up, my heart racing as panic set in.

"Help!" I screamed, my voice echoing off the stone walls. "Please, someone help me!"

But no one came.

That's when I heard it again-the hum. It drifted through the air, wrapping around me like a chilling embrace. I pressed my hands to my ears, trying to block it out, but it only grew louder. Then came the screech-a high-pitched, grating sound, like claws raking across stone. It was so sharp, so piercing, that it made my head throb.

I squeezed my eyes shut, tears streaming down my face as I tried to drown out the noise. The sound was unbearable, scraping at my mind, driving me to the brink of madness. And then, as suddenly as it started, it stopped.

Silence. 

But it didn't last long. The next sound was worse-wolves howling in the distance, their cries echoing endlessly. Over and over, their haunting calls filled the air, each one a reminder of how alone I was. My stomach growled, hunger gnawing at my insides. I was thirsty, weak, and utterly terrified. Questions swirled in my mind: Who kidnapped me? Why? What do they want from me?

At some point, exhaustion claimed me, and I drifted into a restless sleep. When I woke, a piece of stale bread lay at my feet. My hands were free, though my legs remained bound. Desperation overrode caution-I grabbed the bread and devoured it, ignoring the dirt clinging to it. I didn't care if it was poisoned. I was starving.

Just as I swallowed the first bite, a voice pierced the silence-a cold, screeching voice that made my blood run cold. 

"Who are you?" I demanded but what I got in response was a chilling laughter that echoed throughout the cave.

I froze, my heart hammering in my chest. "What do you want from me?" I shouted, my voice shaking with fear.

Silence answered me this time. Then, the voice whispered again, drawing out a single word: "Aria..."

They know my name?

I spun around, searching for the source, but found nothing. Fear clawed at my throat, making it hard to breathe. My hands began to shake uncontrollably, and before I knew it, I was coughing-blood splattering onto my pants.

I screamed for help, but no one came.

The door creaked open, and the silhouette of the hooded figure appeared once more. My vision blurred as dizziness overtook me. I felt a cold hand on my mouth, forcing it open, and then something cool and wet slid down my throat-water, perhaps.

Darkness swallowed me again.

\---

When I woke, the room was empty, the door open. My body ached, my muscles stiff and sore. I dragged myself to my feet, every step sending pain shooting through me. I didn't care. I needed to escape.

I slipped out into the darkness, running as fast as my weak legs could carry me. The forest blurred around me, but I didn't stop until I saw the clearing ahead-the path leading back to the pack.

Relief flooded me as I stumbled forward. I didn't care about the pack's cruelty. I just wanted to be safe.

But the first face I saw was my mother's. Her eyes narrowed in disgust as she spat, "It's been three days. Why didn't you stay dead?"

\---

I blinked back tears, the memory fading as I hugged myself tightly while I trembled. The hum was gone, but the fear remained, etched into my soul. 

I didn't know who-or what-had come for me tonight. But deep down, I knew it was the same figure years ago.

The keeper.