THE AWAKENING

THE AWAKENING
Celine’s pov

I walked toward the car park as Kael led me. There were about five cars parked behind ours.

I slid into the car as Kael opened the door, then he signaled to the guard, who nodded in understanding.

He got into the car, and we zoomed off.

We arrived at the usual spot and continued on foot. We walked past the river and arrived at her hut.

Kael reached for the bell, but before his hand could touch it, Kaida stepped out.

“We may leave now!” she said, walking down with a bag slung over her shoulder.

I met Kael’s gaze and nodded. I walked behind Kaida as Kael followed behind me, and so did the guards.

We walked deeper into the forest, beyond places I had never crossed before.

“Stop!” she ordered. Immediately, everyone froze.

“I’ll continue the remaining journey alone with Celine,” she said.

Alone? At this hour? It’s late and unsafe. I looked around. It was indeed very dark and scary.

I met Kael’s gaze as he nodded softly.

“We’ll be waiting for you,” he murmured.

I slowly nodded.

“Let’s go, Celine,” Kaida called, and we both continued the journey.

We went further till we arrived at a tree, its branches filled with golden leaves.

“Stop,” Kaida instructed, and I stopped.

She took her bag out and began mixing something in a small stone bowl, whispering words I couldn't understand.

I stood watching her as she mixed, then she stretched her hand toward me.

“Rub this on your face, arms, and legs,” she said.

I blinked. Rub what? Is this how it’s done?

“Take it!” she urged. Confused, I took it from her.

There was no point arguing, I should do as she says. Reluctantly, I began smearing it where she instructed.

After I was done, I stood still. Then she began drawing sigils on the parts where I had rubbed her mixture.

“Stand there,” she said, and I obeyed.

The forest shimmered before my eyes. I could see everything; the heartbeat of the trees, the flow of moonlight between branches, the pulse of Kaida’s magic weaving through the night.

Kaida began chanting as she called on the moon while I stood still. The Moon slid into full view. Kaida’s voice grew stronger as her eyes turned molten yellow.

Her palms were filled with magic, which she thrust towards me, and a surge of light burst forth.

The wind rose, swirling around me in violent circles. My hands burned with power; silver and gold energy snaking from my fingertips. The sigils Kaida drew on my skin flared, searing hot. I screamed, pressing my palms to the ground, and the earth split open.

Flames of blue light erupted, racing outward and toppling the altar. Trees bent under the force. Kaida shielded her face, shouting something I couldn’t hear over the roar.

My heart thundered, wolf-fast and witch-strong. I could feel claws pressing beneath my nails, fangs aching behind my lips.

I growled loudly.

What’s happening to me? Why am I feeling this way? I can’t control it! No! No, this isn’t me!

I stumbled backward, clutching my head.

“Make it stop! Please, Kaida! Make it stop!”

It’s driving me crazy!

Kaida stepped closer, her cloak whipping wildly around her. Her eyes glowed with lunar magic as she raised her hands.

“Listen to me, Celine! The moon is in you, but you command it; it does not command you!”

Her voice pierced through the storm. For a heartbeat, I saw her clearly.

She began chanting words I couldn’t hear, and then her spell hit me.

A rush of cold, white light wrapped around my body, pulling the magic back into itself. The energy fought her, lashing out in tendrils of raw force, but Kaida didn’t flinch. She murmured more chants, her voice trembling but resolute.

Now I could hear her a bit.

“By the moon that bore her,
By the blood that binds her,
Return to stillness. Return to self.”

The light finally dimmed, and I fell to my knees, trembling, tears streaming down my face as the last wave of power ebbed away. My skin steamed with residual energy; my breath came in shallow gasps.

Kaida knelt beside me, placing a gentle hand on my cheek. Her touch grounded me.

“You see now,” she whispered.

“This is the price of your birthright. Power without control destroys everything… including you.”

I looked up at her, my voice barely a whisper.
“Then teach me, Kaida. Teach me how to survive it.”

To live with it, I need to learn to control it.

A smirk curled on her lips.

“Of course I’ll…” She paused.

“What’s next?” I asked, gasping for air.

“You’re done awakening your power. You need to rest for a while before we retreat,” she said.

She pulled leaves from her bag and handed it to me.

“You need to eat this. Have it under the full Moon before we leave,” she instructed.

I took the leaves, there were about ten of them.

I moved to put them into my mouth, but the awful scent made me stop.

“I’m supposed to chew it, right?” I asked, keeping it at arm’s length.

“Yes. You chew it and swallow it,” Kaida instructed.

I widened my eyes. “This sucks… Can’t I take it later?” I asked.

“No, you’ll have to chew it before we leave,” Kaida said.

“Alright then.”

I closed my eyes, tilted my head upward so I wouldn’t perceive the smell, and then I pulled the leaves into my mouth.

What the fuk? The leaves are hot and taste sour at the same time!

“Swallow it up!” Kaida urged, watching me.

I forced myself, squinting my eyes, and finally swallowed it.

“Yuck!” I exclaimed.

“We’ll wait for a while before we leave,” she said.

Even after swallowing it, I could still taste the bitterness.

After a while, Kaida and I began packing.

“We leave now,” Kaida announced, slinging her bag.

We headed back to join Kael and his guards, then we began our journey and started our journey back to the pack house.

Honestly, I feel different, but how will I break this to Damien? He won’t believe me.

When we got to the pack house, I went to Kael's chamber, quickly took a shower, and went to bed. I wasn’t in the mood for dinner or talking.