Chapter 34 Chapter 34

Chapter 34 Chapter 34
_Anya’s POV_

The next day passed slowly after the nightmare.

Even after waking up in Jacob’s arms, the strange feeling inside me never truly disappeared. I tried to act normal throughout the day. I smiled when people spoke to me. I sat beside Jacob during lunch. I listened while he talked about pack matters and patrol routes with his warriors.

But deep inside me, something still felt wrong. The dream would not leave my mind. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the red moon again. I saw the dead lilies.

And worst of all…

I saw Jacob’s face changing into something horrifying.

“You are distracted again,” Maya whispered softly inside me.

“I know.”

Jacob noticed it too.

Several times during the day, I caught him watching me carefully. His blue eyes always seemed to search my face as if he was trying to understand what I was hiding.

At dinner, he finally asked quietly, “Are you feeling unwell?”

I looked up from my plate quickly. “No.”

“You barely touched your food.”

“I am just tired.”

His expression softened slightly. “Still thinking about the nightmare?”

My fingers tightened around the spoon.

“A little.”

Jacob reached across the table and gently touched my hand. “Dreams cannot hurt you, Anya.”

I nodded slowly even though the uneasy feeling inside me remained.

Later that evening, Jacob stayed busy inside his office for hours. Warriors entered and left constantly. Papers covered his desk. Reports from nearby territories had apparently arrived and several meetings lasted much longer than expected. By the time he finally returned to the bedroom, it was already very late.

I was sitting near the window wrapped in a blanket while watching the moon outside.

Jacob sighed tiredly the moment he entered the room. He removed his dark coat slowly before rubbing one hand across his face.

“You are still awake?”

“I could not sleep.”

His expression filled with concern immediately. “Again?”

I nodded quietly.

Jacob walked toward me and crouched slightly in front of my chair. “Anya.”

His voice sounded gentle now. “You need rest.”

“I know.”

“Come to bed.”

I hesitated for a second before finally standing.

The moment we lay down, Jacob pulled me into his arms again. His warmth surrounded me immediately. One strong arm rested around my waist while the other stayed beneath my head protectively.

Usually, being close to him calmed me.

Usually, his scent made me feel safe.

But tonight…

Tonight the uneasy feeling only grew stronger. I stared into the darkness quietly while Jacob’s breathing slowly became deeper beside me. He had fallen asleep quickly.

Maya stirred softly inside me. He is exhausted.

“Yes.”

Jacob had worked all day without resting. He carried the weight of the entire Fireblood Pack on his shoulders every single day. And despite all that, he still spent time with me.

Guilt twisted painfully inside my chest.

“I should not keep disturbing him because of stupid dreams.”

Jacob shifted slightly in his sleep and tightened his arms around me unconsciously. The movement should have comforted me. But instead, my chest tightened strangely.

I wanted to feel safe. I wanted to relax inside his arms and believe nothing could hurt me while he was near. But every time I closed my eyes, I heard the woman’s voice again.

Stay away from him.

I squeezed my eyes shut tightly. “Stop thinking about it,” I whispered silently to myself.

But the fear would not leave. Hours passed slowly. The mansion became completely silent around us. Even the servants had gone to sleep long ago. Only the soft sound of wind outside reached my ears now.

Then suddenly my throat felt painfully dry. I frowned slightly.

“I am thirsty.”

Maya stirred lazily. Then drink water.

I carefully reached toward the small table beside the bed where the water jug usually sat. My fingers touched the cool surface before I lifted it slightly. It was empty.

I blinked. “Great.”

Not a single drop remained inside. I sighed quietly before slowly sitting up. Beside me, Jacob remained asleep.

Moonlight spilled softly across his face and for a moment I simply stared at him quietly. He looked so peaceful while sleeping.

His blonde hair had fallen slightly over his forehead. His expression looked calm and relaxed without the usual cold Alpha mask he wore during the day.

Right now, he looked younger somehow. He was so cute and innocent. A small smile appeared on my lips before I could stop it.

Maya laughed softly inside my head. You keep staring at him like that.

Heat rushed into my cheeks immediately. “I am not staring.”

You are absolutely staring.

I ignored her quickly and looked down at the empty jug again.

“I should just go refill this quietly.”

Jacob needed sleep. The last thing I wanted was to wake him again because of my restlessness.

Carefully, I slipped away from his arms. He stirred slightly at the movement and my entire body froze immediately.

Please do not wake up.

Jacob frowned faintly in his sleep before relaxing again. I released a small breath of relief. Slowly, I stood from the bed. The floor felt cold beneath my feet. I carefully picked up the empty jug.

Every step toward the door felt dangerous. Certain parts of the floor creaked sometimes and I was terrified of making noise. I moved slowly and carefully while holding my breath.

Finally, I reached the door. I opened it slowly and slipped outside quietly. The hallway was dark except for a few dim wall lamps.

At night, the mansion felt completely different. During the day, it was always full of movement and voices. Warriors walked through the halls constantly. Servants cleaned everywhere. People talked and laughed.

But now….everything felt strangely empty. The silence almost made me uneasy. I started walking toward the kitchen. The empty jug rested carefully in my hands while my footsteps echoed softly across the hallway.

Then suddenly.....movement caught my eye.

I froze immediately.

Someone stood further down the corridor. It was a woman. I blinked in surprise.

“Mom Jess?”

What was she doing awake at this hour?

But then my eyes widened slightly. She was carrying a large bag.....a very large bag. It looked heavy from the way she held it against her side. Her shoulders looked tense and she adjusted the strap several times while walking.

I frowned slowly. “That is strange.”

Maya sounded uneasy immediately. Very strange.

I glanced toward one of the nearby clocks hanging on the wall. It was almost three in the morning.

Where could she possibly be going with such a large bag at this hour?

Mom Jess looked around once quickly before continuing down the corridor. The movement made my suspicion grow stronger.

Why did she look nervous?

I slowly placed the empty water jug onto a nearby table. “I will just look for a moment.”

Maya sounded doubtful immediately. That usually leads to trouble.

“I am only curious.”

I quietly followed Mom Jess from a distance. She walked quickly through the mansion corridors while holding the heavy bag tightly.

At first, I thought maybe she was going toward the storage rooms. But then her direction changed.

My steps slowed slightly. “The west wing?”

Maya immediately sounded uneasy. Jacob told us not to go there.

Yes.

I remembered that conversation clearly.

One evening, Jacob had been showing me around the mansion shortly after I arrived at the Fireblood territory.

We had reached one long hallway when he suddenly stopped me.

“This side is forbidden,” he had explained calmly.

I remembered frowning in confusion. “Why?”

Jacob had looked toward the dark hallway thoughtfully. “The west wing is the oldest part of the estate. The original Fireblood mansion stood there centuries ago before later Alphas expanded the territory.”

He had explained that the first Fireblood house was much smaller long ago. Later generations built around it slowly until the modern mansion existed. But parts of the original structure still remained hidden within the west wing.

“The old walls are unstable now,” Jacob had said. "Some roofs collapsed years ago. Floors are rotten. Certain parts could fall apart at any moment.”

I remembered looking curious. “Then why not destroy it?”

Jacob had smiled faintly. “Because the old mansion is part of Fireblood history. Every Alpha before me lived there once.”

Then his expression had hardened slightly. “So do not go there alone.”

Now…

I was following Mom Jess directly toward that forbidden area.

Why was she going there?

Nobody used the west wing anymore.

As we walked deeper into the old section, the mansion changed around us. The polished floors disappeared first. Then the walls became older and cracked. Dust covered nearly everything. Spider webs hung from broken corners. Several lamps no longer worked and the few remaining lights flickered weakly. The air smelled old....very old.

My footsteps slowed automatically. “This place feels creepy.”

Maya growled softly inside me. I do not like it here.

Neither did I.

Broken pieces of wood and stone covered parts of the floor. Some ceiling beams looked cracked badly. Dust floated through the air every time we moved.

The deeper Mom Jess went, the stranger everything felt. Yet she kept walking quickly without hesitation. As if she knew this place very well.

Suddenly....Mom Jess stopped.

My heart nearly jumped out of my chest. She turned slightly. I gasped silently before quickly throwing myself behind a broken stone pillar near the wall. My breathing sounded painfully loud inside my ears.

Please do not see me....Please.....

Several long seconds passed.

I pressed myself tightly against the cold stone while trying not to move. Then finally…..there were footsteps again.

I carefully peeked around the pillar. Mom Jess had continued walking. I released my breath shakily.

“That was too close.”

I stepped out and followed her again. Soon we reached the deepest part of the ruined wing. Then Mom Jess stopped completely.

I frowned.

An old wooden door stood ahead. The sight of it immediately made my skin crawl. The door looked ancient. It was made of dark wood and had heavy iron hinges. Dust covered the walls around it.

Mom Jess slowly placed the heavy bag onto the floor. Then she reached into her pocket and took out a key.

My eyes widened. She unlocked the door carefully.

Creak.....

The sound echoed loudly through the ruined hallway. Then the door slowly opened....and light spilled out from inside.

I froze instantly. Light?

There should not even be electricity in this section of the mansion. The west wing was abandoned.

Then Mom Jess picked up the bag again and disappeared inside the room. The door closed behind her.

Silence returned immediately. I stood frozen several feet away.

Maya sounded alarmed now. Anya…

“I know.”

Something was wrong....very wrong.

Slowly and carefully, I moved closer toward the door. Each step felt heavier now. The hallway suddenly seemed colder than before.

Then, I stopped abruptly. There was a smell; it was strong and rotten. I covered my nose immediately. The scent nearly made my stomach turn. It smelled like death.

“What is that?” Maya growled low inside me.

I do not know.

Then suddenly…..a sound reached my ears.

I froze again.

Someone was speaking inside the room.

No....not speaking but chanting. Low strange words echoed softly through the old wood. I could not understand the language at all.

My heart began pounding harder and harder. Slowly, I bent down toward the keyhole. The wood felt freezing cold beneath my fingers.

Then carefully….I looked inside.

And what I saw made all the blood leave my body. Shock crashed into me instantly. My hands started shaking violently. My breathing stopped.

I stared in horror at the nightmare before my eyes.