Chapter 24: The Relic

The answer was left hanging as he walked up to us with a smile.

"Hello, I'm Alex, and you must be Lola". Oh wow, he knows my name. Kira looked away as I tried giving her signals. He sat with her, and with the way Kira was acting, there's something going on within them. Kira cleared her throat and did the introduction.

"Lola, meet Alex, my friend. Alex, meet Lola, my..."

I saved her the thought as I intervened: "She is my guardian". She smiled thankfully, as did me. Kira claims to be friends with this man, yet what I'm seeing isn't friendship. Kira looks like a hard woman who wouldn't go back to love or anything, yet here she is giving me a scene to look at. Well, things change, they say.

"Well, hello, Lola. It's finally good to see you; Kira has always told me about you; I'm kind of a stranger in this pack; I'm here on a work assignment from the king".

Kira spoke "He is actually in charge of the new development; it was his city the king went to, and he was lucky enough to find him. Can you believe there are people who have no wolves among them? In that city, you can't live freely as a wolf; you have to act like a normal human being there. Alex says he loves the place; there are a lot of things there, jobs, fun, and music", she rambles as she looks on dreamily.

"Oh, don't mind her; we have a pack house, but it's hidden from the human eye. As long as you can keep your identity close, you are good to go. Kira snapped her hands like she remembered something.

"Yes, Lola is interested in building and importations, and I have tried telling her it isn't ladylike.".

"Nonsense, it's a great job, Lola. Where I come from, there are a lot of ladies involved in building huge malls and offices; it's a great thing to do, Lola". I smiled in appreciation. Well,  I think I like him already. He keeps talking about his city, and it looks like a great place with opportunities for ladies like me.

"So I heard about your baby, and I didn't want to come empty-handed; please accept this little token from me". He handed a small bag to me. I brought it out, and it looks like a small live animal. I stared curiously at it to check if it was alive, and on the press, music came out of it. I dropped it in fear, and Alex laughed at me. My face widened in confusion.

"It's a toy, Lola. It's to entertain your baby; there's many more of it back home".

Feeling embarrassed, I smiled and dropped it back into the bag. We kept eating while Alex and Kira were giving each other glances. I was beginning to feel like a third wheel, but I wanted Kira to be happy, so I kept quiet and munched my food.

After our lunch, we left while Alex went on his way.

"Friend Huhh". Kira looked at me.

"Interrogating me now, huh?" We both burst into laughter. I was actually happy for her; she keeps seeing reasons to live, and I love that for her.

"So are you guys serious?

"Well, he keeps telling me about my feelings, but I don't think I'm ready for that; I'm getting old, and I don't think I deserve this". Kira said.

"Kira, you deserve everything good coming your way; you need to open your heart, and if you think he is a good guy, let him in".

"What if he has a family over there and he just needs a side chick here".

"Then have a close conversation with him, but with what I just saw, I don't think he has anyone else". 

Kira smiled and held my hands as we walked home together.

Seeing Alex and Kira together makes me feel like I lost in this love race. Right now, all my concern is my baby. I also thought about the things Alex said—how he talked about this other world and the achievements ladies have over there. I haven't thought of leaving this pack, but his statement makes me yearn to see this place. I want to know this place, doubting if I would actually survive there. I skipped the thought and placed my focus on something else.

I went into my room and went to check on the relic. I haven't gone back to it since that day, and Kira hasn't said anything about it since then. Curious to see if it had gone back to its place, I went to check on it. The relic was there, but there was something odd about it; it was glowing. I stood back, trying to figure out its glow, but it was just there, shining both brightly and dimly. I approached it with a mixture of fear and curiosity, my fingers trembling as I reached out to touch its surface.

As my fingertips made contact with the rock, a jolt of energy surged through me, sending a shiver down my spine. I closed my eyes, allowing the connection to wash over me, surrendering to the magic that was within the relic.

In an instant, My surroundings blurred and shifted, and I found myself standing in a dense forest with the scent of damp earth. The world around me was cast in green, and the distant sounds of wildlife echoed through the trees.

As I looked around, my heart sank. Before me, a group of Mallapers pack members stood, their expressions a mixture of confusion and fear. They were surrounded by a menacing band of rogues, their faces obscured by shadows, their intentions clear.

I watched as the scene unfolded, my heart pounding in her chest. I could feel the fear of the pack members.

Getting out of the trance, I knew that this was not a mere vision. We are in grave danger, facing a threat that could shatter the very foundations of our pack.

I dropped the relic back and knew I had to tell someone or do something about this. I could not meet the seer; the council or the king are the only ones who have access to him. I knew I had to tell Kira, and I ran into her room.

Kira didn't notice my entrance; she looked like she was preparing to go out. She told me nothing about going out, so I was confused. She turned and noticed me, then smiled at me. Kira seems to be releasing a lot of smiles recently.

"Hey child, will you be okay sleeping alone tonight? I won't be able to stay with you tonight". I stared at her, mischievously forgetting what I came here for.

"Oh, someone is about to have fun".

"Oh, stop it; it's just a late outing". I raised my hands in surrender as she left, instructing me to lock the doors and take care of myself. I didn't want to spoil her outing, so I held off on telling her about my new discovery.

It could wait till she's back. Left alone with my thoughts, I feared, remembering what I saw and prayed silently for our pack.