A turn

The room remained tense as the ladies gathered around me, seeking more details about the incident. Flora took charge of the conversation, ensuring that the focus remained on finding the truth.

"Nima, you mentioned that you had a confrontation with the Shadow Clan. Can you provide more information about the encounter? How did it all begin?" Flora inquired.

I quickly formed a convincing lie. "I was on my way to this pack, my uncle told me to come. On my way, I stumbled upon a group of Shadow Clan members. They were behaving suspiciously and had a witch with them. The encounter escalated when they attacked me. In self-defense, I used my knife and accidentally wounded the witch. That's when I was cursed."

The ladies exchanged concerned glances. The revelation of a witch's involvement heightened their anxiety. Witches were known for their powerful magic, and the idea of one being allied with the Shadow Clan was alarming.

Juliet, who had been the most skeptical, was now fully engaged in the conversation. "Do you have any idea why the Shadow Clan would target our pack or Desmond in particular?"

"I overheard one of the Shadow Clan members mentioning how desperate their Alpha was to have Desmond," I replied. "It seems like they have a vested interest in him, but I don't know the details."

Flora listened intently, her worry for her cousin evident in her eyes. "Desmond is a strong leader, but he has many enemies. If this is connected to him, we need to be vigilant."

Hazel stepped forward, her calm demeanor a reassuring presence. "We must gather more information about the Shadow Clan's intentions and their connection to Desmond. Nima, you have provided valuable insight, and we'll work together to uncover the truth. But for now, we should keep this information to ourselves until we have a clearer picture."

I happily nodded, it seemed that my revenge plan had taken a different turn. But I am willing to follow it till the end.

The room was cast in shadows as Nima lay on her bed, grappling with the weight of her mission. The memories of her father's untimely death and her mother's never-ending grief lingered in her mind like stubborn ghosts. She could vividly recall the day her father had been brutally taken from her, a painful wound that had festered for years, driving her to seek vengeance. Her mother, on the other hand, had been left to bear the heart-wrenching burden of her daughter's supposed demise, believing Nima was gone forever.

Nima felt responsible for her parents' pain and grief, an unrelenting guilt that had grown over the years. She knew she had to make amends, even if it meant descending into darkness.

"I will make them pay," she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible in the silence. "For my father's death and the pain my false death has caused my mother. Revenge is the only way I can make amends. Some people have to pay."

Whispering to herself in the quiet of the night, she muttered, "Revenge is all I have left. I'll make them pay for my father's death and the pain they've caused my mother. There's no turning back now."

Amid her internal struggle and determination, a sudden knock at her door shattered the silence. Her heart raced as she wondered who might have come to visit her so late at night. At first, she thought that it was Rody, her uncle, who had taken her in after the supposed tragedy. But after calling his name more than three times, he still didn't reply.

Suddenly, the door creaked open, and to her surprise, it was not a stranger but a familiar face. A cloaked figure entered the room, his features hidden in the dim light. Nima recognized him as Fred, Dragoni's secretary. Since the day she had arrived in this shadowy world, he had been making advances at her, despite her reluctance. But her priorities were clear; her revenge plan came first.

"What are you doing here?" Nima asked, her voice filled with a mixture of curiosity and caution.

The cloaked figure spoke in a hushed tone, "I've been watching you, Nima. I know about your mission for revenge, and I must say it's not a bad idea. I just wonder why you didn't tell me from the beginning. You know, there are many things that you don't know, I have answers for all your questions, and I am the key to your door of secrets."

Nima's heart pounded in her chest, finally, she was going to get answers to her questions. "What do you mean, Fred? What do you know that you're not telling me? What secrets are you guarding?"

Fred smiled on seeing her anxiousness, and he continued, "Your quest for vengeance may not be as straightforward as you believe. You don't know a lot of things, and you may never know them. Look, we are demons, and it's in us to lie and defraud others. But trust me, Nima, I really like you, and I believe that together we can take on the world."

"Don't call me Anna, because my name is Nima. And I have told you several times that I am not interested in you!"

"In that case, you are not interested in the secrets and answers I know!" Fred replied and turned to leave.

Nima's mind reeled with confusion. "Wait! What are you trying to say?" She asked curiously.

Fred smirked and leaned in closer. "Be cautious, Nima. This mission of yours is filled with secrets and lies, and the path that you are taking is not an easy one. Your past is a puzzle, and you hold only a piece of it. There is more to the story, and the shadows hold some of the answers."

"You are speaking in parables! I don't even understand a word that you just said!" Nima yelled at Fred.

"Don't worry, I will see you soon. Also, don't tell Dragoni about what I told you. I know that Demons can't be trusted, but I trust you!" Fred assured her and turned to leave the room.

As the cloaked figure retreated into the night, Nima was left with a torrent of thoughts and questions. She didn't trust Fred, but she also knew that his words must not be taken for granted.

She recalled the moment when she saw Fred and Dragoni together in the courtroom, and she knew that they must be really close. Fred, as Dragoni's secretary, was in charge of clearing all of Dragoni's mess.

"Dragoni…." She murmured under her breath. He had offered her life, power, and the means to exact vengeance, but the cost of their unholy alliance remained hidden. Something she wondered what He was going to ask in return when the time came.

"Fred," she mused, "He might know something related to me. Who knows, he might even hold the key to my revenge?" Her thoughts were a whirlwind of curiosity, confusion, and uncertainty. She didn't know what to do, or who to believe.

As she was deep in her thoughts, the door creaked open once again, revealing another familiar face. It was Mia, Alpha Alexander's sister, and she looked really nervous.

Mia entered the room, her eyes filled with a mixture of sympathy and curiosity. "Nima, I couldn't sleep. There's something about you that I can't quite figure out. You've been through so much, and I can't help but wonder what brought you here."

Nima hesitated, unsure of what to say. "I've had a difficult past, Mia. I lost my father when I was young, and my mother believes I'm dead. I'm here to stay with my uncle, Rody; he has agreed to take care of me and seek justice for my father's death. A lot of people have hurt me in the past, and I have vowed to make them pay."

Mia's gaze was unwavering. "Revenge is a heavy burden to carry, Nima. I think it is better to let go of the past. Once you learn to forgive, you will find peace."

"No, once I learn how to forgive, my life ends! I just can't forgive the person responsible for my father's death, and although I know that the person's family might be hurt, my family is also hurt!" Nima cried out. She didn't know why she was pouring her heart out to Mia, but she felt safe with her.

Mia nodded in understanding, "I don't mean to pry, but what do you mean by 'your mother thinks that you are dead'? You don't have to tell me if you're not comfortable."

Nima felt tongue-tied, and she tried to come up with a lie. "Please, can you keep it a secret? I don't like to talk about it," she replied, her voice quivering.

Mia took a deep breath before she spoke. "I understand that you want to keep the connection my husband has with the Shadows clan a secret. But you see, my husband, Desmond, is a complex man. He has done things he regrets, and he also lost both his parents at a very tender age. I am telling you this because your story seems familiar to him. Be rest assured, I will keep everything you told me a secret."

"Thank you very much, Mia," Nima responded, her heart a mix of gratitude and apprehension.

Nima's mind raced, "But, you mentioned the Shadow Clan. What can you tell me about them?"

Mia nodded, her eyes revealing a sense of unease. "Yes, they're a sinister group with their agenda. They've attacked our pack once, and the war was so bloody that many lives were lost. It was because of this that my brother, Alpha Alexander, made a deal with them."

Nima's eyes widened with concern, and she implored Mia, "Please, let's forget about the Shadow Clan. I mean, let's not talk about it again. I will handle it all by myself."

Mia's initial reluctance was evident, but she finally conceded. "What do you mean you would handle it alone? In this pack, we do everything together!"

"Please, Mia, I promise not to mess up!" Nima begged eagerly.

Mia sighed, relenting, "Fine, but just promise me that you'll be cautious. We don't know the full extent of the Shadow Clan."

Nima made the promise immediately, though her thoughts remained divided. She was aware that to continue with her mission, she must first confront the lies she had told.

Mia smiled and left the room, leaving Nima deep in thought. As Nima lay back on her bed, her determination remained unwavering, but her mind was filled with questions and uncertainties. She knew that her journey was far from over, and the path ahead was shrouded in shadows and secrets.

"I will make them pay, every single one of them," she whispered to herself once more, her voice a resolute murmur in the silence. "For my father's death and the pain caused to my darling mother."

Her resolve was unwavering, but as she delved deeper into her thoughts, her mind became a battlefield of doubts and uncertainties.

Nima's journey into the world of darkness and her quest for revenge had only just begun. The pact with the demon had been forged, and the consequences were unknown. Still, she was willing to tread this perilous path for the sake of her vengeance, her family, and the secrets that haunted her past.