CHAPTER 10: LOSING HER LIFE

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO | SILVERLINE PACK.

The echoes and screams from all over the pack startled Ayla out of her deep sleep. She was about to get out of bed when she felt a firm grasp on her arm.

"Honey..."

Her eyes widened in shock upon hearing a soft but urgent whisper from her side.

It was dark inside the room, but the light from the window allowed Ayla to see her mother's face. It was pale white, and her eyes were teary.

"Mommy?" she asked nervously.

"Hush! Keep your voice down, honey!"

She was about to ask another question when Venice's hand was so quick to silence her words.

Still, Ayla could not stop herself from worrying upon hearing the noises outside the room.

"What's going on, Mommy?" She stared at her mother with eyes filled with anxiety and confusion. "Where's daddy?"

Venice gave her a gentle but reassuring caress on the cheek. Her emotions were composed and intact as if she wanted to tell her child to calm down and believe everything she said.

"He’s outside protecting the pack from the enemies." She smiled, positioning herself in front of her daughter. "You know that Daddy is our pack's hero, right?"

Ayla was about to give her mother an innocent nod when she suddenly heard a loud and crashing noise from the outside. It was similar to lightning striking a tree and it almost made her heart fall out of her chest.

She took a deep breath. "I'm scared, Mommy..." Her lips were shaking involuntarily as she spoke. "The screams and howls, I think they're getting closer and closer to us."

Her angelic and small voice began to crack as a shiver ran down her spine.

Despite the commotion, Ayla did her best to understand everything that was happening around her. She even tried to close her eyes for a few minutes to relax, but it was too hard for her age to handle the fear.

Her mind was now filled with anxiousness and the thought of her dad fighting a strong enemy was enough to make her worry about his current condition.

"We need to find Daddy, Mommy!" she said out of the blue. "I know he's in trouble!"

Venice inhaled a mouthful of air upon hearing her child's plea, her tough act was convincing enough not until her hands began to shake on their own.

"I want you to listen to me first, Ayla. We must leave this place immediately!"

She raised her head and stared intently at her child hoping that Ayla would listen to her despite the confusion.

"What about my dad? Are we going to abandon him?"

Venice's heart sank at the thought of abandoning her husband.

They both vowed to the moon goddess during their wedding ceremony that they would create a family full of love and security while serving as the Alpha and the Luna of the Silverline Pack, but now all of their hard work is slowly going to waste.

She immediately shook her head to clear the thought. "No, honey. Your daddy promised that he'd come after us."

Ayla nodded as she began to move towards her mother. "Just listen to me and trust your daddy, okay? He'll be fine. We'll be fine." She couldn't understand why her mother's words were frightening more than they soothed her.

She stared at Venice's face for a moment, trying to let the thought sink when she suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her into a narrow space.

Ayla tried to observe everything that was happening until she felt a sudden change in her mother's pace.

The warmth in her hand began to fade as they walked further, getting colder and colder as it seemed.

"What's wrong, Mommy?"

Ayla gasped, noticing more changes as they walked with each other. She turned her head briefly to observe her mother's hand and began to worry when she saw blood on it.

"Your hand, Mommy. It's bleeding!" she asked with moistened eyes.

"Don't worry about me, okay?"

Venice gave her a sweet smile, but despite that, she couldn't stop herself from worrying. She knew her mother was just faking it as she could see life draining from her eyes.

At a very young age, she was blessed enough by the Moon Goddess to express and understand different emotions just by staring at someone's face.

And as Ayla turned around their pack, she heard more screams and wolves' howling.

She couldn't stop her heart from pounding as they ran into the woods.

Little by little, she noticed that the werewolves howling were getting closer and closer to their direction.

"Why are they after us, Mommy? Aren't they wolves, just like us?"

Her eyes widened as the intensity of the unknown presence of some wolves began to fuel her fear.

"We just need to keep going. I promise we'll be safe soon," Venice insisted. "Just keep running, Ayla. I know your dad will protect us."

She tried to believe in her mother's words, clinging to a fading hope as they ran deeper into the darkness.

They fell several times, but her mother kept going as if their lives depended on it.

They were too close to the forest when a group of wolves suddenly stopped them in their tracks.

The dark clouds engulfed the area as if they were telling them that they were going to meet their end sooner rather than later.

"M-Mommy!" Ayla exclaimed.

"If you touch my daughter, I will kill each and every one of you!" Venice warned, cutting to the enemies' minds sternly like a knife. It was protective, sharp and sacrificial.

But the wolves didn't step back to show respect to Venice as the Luna of the Silverline Pack. Instead, the Gamma took a step closer and tried to mock her.

"Strong words uttered by a weak and vulnerable Luna. I'm impressed!"

Venice's voice grew firmer. "Stay away from us! Don’t you dare touch my child!"

She did her best to defend their position against the Gamma until the Zeta and his warriors from another pack arrived.

"We've been searching for you everywhere. Now, the game is over!"

The moisture in Ayla's eyes began to form, her shoulders shaking knowing that they were now trapped and cornered.

"No need to be frightened, honey. Mommy will protect you whatever it takes," another fake reassuring smile escaped Venice's lips while holding her daughter. "You understand what to do next, right?"

Ayla's voice trembled as she answered, "M-Mommy…"

Venice loosened her grip and kneeled to meet her daughter's eyes.

"Run as fast as you can until you reach the heart of the forest," she instructed while trying to hide the pain of letting her precious child go.

Ayla briefly closed her eyes, inhaled deeply, and begged the gods to save them. She's well aware that she's helpless at her young age and lacks the courage to leave her beloved mother. She hates the idea that she can only run away and cry.

"Pay the price for committing treason together with your Alpha!" Gamma said, slapping her face with their false accusation towards her family.

Venice's answer was too quick, like she didn't intend to lose the heart to prove their innocence to the enemies.

"My husband and our entire pack are innocent! We didn't commit treason, Gamma!"

In the middle of the confrontation, Azazel stepped forward.

"If you wish to harm my family, you'll need to defeat me first," he growled.

The wolves began to guard their stance. Azazel on the other hand, fought his way through the enemies.

He was exhausted and covered in wounds, but he stood tall and proud, prepared to defend his family until his final breath.

And as danger loomed closer, Azazel's voice sliced through the air to give them an urgent warning.

"Run!" he commanded.

Venice wasted no time. She trusted her husband's strength and words, hoping that they would soon reunite.

"Let’s go, honey!" she said as her hand reached out to take her child's trembling fingers.

But Ayla's voice was loud enough to call for her father's attention. "D-Daddy!"

Azazel's gaze softened before he spoke again. "Go!" he insisted, trying to maintain the firmness in his voice despite having a heavy heart.

"I will protect you," he vowed while staring at his family from afar.

"Never forget that Daddy loves you. You and your mother are the most precious to me."

Her father's words felt heavy, making Ayla cry but still, she couldn’t escape the strong grasp of her mother.

She turned to her back and saw how her father fought with every ounce of his strength.

But as time went by, he was no match for the enemies. They outnumbered and defeated him until he fell lifeless to the ground.

As they reached the heart of the forest, the fear in Ayla's heart began to spread as Venice collapsed on the ground.

"You must run on your own now, honey."

"No!" she cried out. Her fainted voice was still loud enough despite the tears falling from her eyes. "I can’t abandon you, Mommy! Never!"

Venice's heart ached at her daughter's refusal. She tried to stand up, forcing her knees once more but she couldn't find the strength to do it.

"Just run and Mommy will do everything to reach you," she lied with a smile that seemed forced.

Confusion filled Ayla's eyes as she looked upon her mother's weary form. Blood was now visible not only in her hand but also in her left foot.

She's trying to speak normally but it's obvious that she's having a hard time breathing.

"W-Why isn't your wound healing?" she asked. "I thought it would heal…"

Venice weakly shook her head and answered, "Go on, Ayla! I prayed to the Moon Goddess for your redemption. Daddy and Mommy will always guide you! Please save yourself! Please live!"

Ayla woke up drenched in sweat and with her heart racing from fear. As she attempted to shake off the remnants of her nightmare, she noticed a dark presence in her room.