CHAPTER 24

“Should I open the door?” “Who is it?”

Questions ran through Iliana’s head as she stood still in front of her door. She slowly reached the knob. She was ready to fight anything.

“Rachel…” The voice of Alexander softened her. She immediately opened the door to the image of an injured Alexander. There was a gash on his chest. His clothes were torn and bloodied. He huffed and puffed and coughed.

“Alexander!” Iliana rushed to aid him into her room. She made sure no one was looking before she closed and locked the door. She laid Alexander who groaned in pain on the bed and searched for anything that could help. She found an antiseptic and cotton wool in the small cabinet of the bathroom. She went back to meet Alexander who was not on the bed anymore. The door was left ajar and a blood trail. Iliana dropped the injury kit and ran out to search for Alexander, following the trail of blood drops. She also followed the smell of it.

“He must have not gone too far.” She thought as she scaled through the quiet empty town searching for Alexander in her werewolf form through the shadows. The blood trail seemed to go nowhere, neither will a howl from her. However, a howl from their brothers –it was too risky. Iliana arrived at the center of the town where the trail terminated but there was no sign of Alexander.

“R…a…ch..el.” A shivering voice called out. “Ra…ch…el”

Iliana looked side to side trying to find where the voice is coming from. “Alexander!”

“Rachel!” He called out.

Iliana’s world began to spin faster, and faster. “Alexander!”

“RACHEL!”

Iliana opened her eyes to Alexander right in front of her and David, Erik, Sophia, and the elders around her. Perplexity had won the battle in Iliana’s mind. She looked around her. It was all too abnormal for her to comprehend. Where she was? She couldn’t tell neither could she tell who she was…yet.

“Rachel, are you alright?” Alexander with his hand on her shoulder asked in deep concern.

“I’m…fin—” Her head throbbed. She winced in pain and the images of what she had just seen flashed before her eyes.

“Come, let’s go outside.” Alexander held her by her hand and led her outside if the cabin into the soothing fresh evening breeze.

Iliana was numb. Her mind was blank. Her head was void. She remembered searching for Alexander in the thickness of the night. She remembered Alexander having a large gash across his chest. Now she’s at the forest, in the afternoon. It did not sit well with her.

“Rachel, are you alright?” Alexander asked. Iliana looked at his eyes as if she was looking at something new then she looked at his shirt. Without any moment lost, she ripped his shirt apart.

“Hey!” Alexander exclaimed in confusion. His chest was bare and Iliana could find no injury or any lingering scar.

“Y-you…” She stuttered “Y-You were hurt.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I saw you bleeding and your clothes were torn.”

“It is.”

“No. No. You don’t understand.”

“Come, let’s go on a walk. Tell me everything.” Alexander said as he put his hand out for Iliana. Iliana held his hand firmly and they went on their way—out of the forest.

“So, what happened?” Alexander asked.

“You texted me last night to meet you at the forest. I went there, but you weren’t there. Your brothers met me and told me they were looking for you. They also mentioned something about a secret howl only you three…” Iliana thought back. “Only you four can hear.”

“The dissonance.” Alexander mentioned. “It’s one of our many secrets. Go on.

“After I left them, I felt something watching me— Something…sinister watching me. I tried to run away from it but it caught up to me. I felt it touch me so I transformed out of reflexes, but there was nothing there. I ran into my room, locked the door and turned off the lights.”

Alexander furrowed his brows. “Okay?”

“Then there was a knock. I know the sound of your knock but this one was different. It felt too eerie. So I went to open the door and there you were; brutally injured and exhausted.”

“Woah.”

“I took you in and tried treating your wounds but you left. I went around town searching for you but you were no where to be found. Suddenly, I find myself here now. I am beyond confused, Alexander.”

“Mmm. Quite the strange dream you had.”

“It was not a dream. It was real. There was blood all over! You had a massive slash on your chest.”

“I see.”

“I don’t even know why I am here right now or how I am, but I am. Alexander…there has to be an explanation for this, right?” Iliana walked in front of Alexander looking at him with an expectation of getting an answer.

“I can’t say for sure. Maybe it was only a dream.”

“But, it was not!” Iliana’s voice grew. “I’m sorry.”

“If it was not a dream, then explain how I’m still here. Looking very normal. I have healing abilities when I’m a werewolf but it doesn’t mean there won’t be a scar. You have ripped my shirt and there is nothing.” They continued their walk

“Oh.”

“Tell me, what happened the day before…this incident you are talking about.”

Iliana tried to remember. “I remember I woke up from my unconsciousness two weeks after the execution. You were with me in the room. You…cared for me until I woke up.”

“And after that?”

“We talked for a while.”

“And after that?”

“There was a meeting Rajesh talked about some kind of power--That power.”

“Anything else?”

“You mentioned something about a core having cracks or something. I can’t remember much from there but…I can’t remember.”

“All of this you’re telling me…happened yesterday?”

“Yes.”

“Are you sure?”

“Alexander, why is it so hard for you to believe me? You were hurt. I saw you and you saw me.”

“I am asking you because yesterday…was the execution.”

Iliana’s heart dropped. “You’re joking. You are joking. It’s not funny.”

“How can you forget? You fed them the blood. Why have you forgotten so quickly?”

“The execution was two weeks ago. I have my phone’s date. I’ll prove it to you.” Iliana pulled out her phone and turned it on. She froze on the spot.

“Your expression says I’m right. You executed those spies yesterday. I haven’t the slightest clue about having any injury.”

“B-but…”

“Maybe you should get more sleep. You’re probably still tensed. I’ll see you later then. I have to go on with the meeting.” Alexander said as he left Iliana alone in her cyclone.

“Impossible.”