9 - To see Tyler

I jolt awake when a bone-chilling cold seeped into my body. I blinked the sleep from my eyes and sat up straight feeling dizzy... This wasn't the room the grumpy guard had shown me.  Where am I, again?

Panic surged in as I took in the scene:– snow stretched out forever under a sky painted black with the coolest stars I'd ever seen. Wait, A full moon hung huge and bright, casting an eerie glow on everything?

Before I could scream, a voice, soft as a whisper, drifted through the frozen air.

"Adeline..."

I looked around, just to see Aurora standing a few feet away.

"Aurora? You can talk?"  My voice came out in a squeak.  This was unbelievable!  And where in the world was I?

Her lips didn't move, but I heard her voice clear as day in my head.  "This is where we last met."  A memory flickered – the clearing in the forest, the strange diamond necklace.

"Why am I here? Does this mean I'm back home?"  A frantic hope bubbled in my chest.  I scanned the snowy landscape, desperately searching for anything familiar.

"Not quite," Aurora said.  "What you see here is an illusion.  But because you're wearing the necklace, I can bridge the distance and show you where I am."

"Then how can I get back? Is this necklace the reason I ended up in another world?"  Panic clawed at my throat.  What if I was stuck here forever?

Aurora shook her head, her voice grave. "Someone opened a portal between worlds and reached out to you. They pulled your soul here."

Dread coiled in my stomach. Who would do something like that? "Who?" I whispered, voice trembling. "And how do I get back? How do I open the portal again?"

Aurora's expression grew serious.  "Adeline, listen carefully.  Don't let them capture you.  Your heart… it's the key.  The key to awakening a terrible evil.  If you die, it will be reborn, bringing darkness to both worlds.  For now, you're on your own.  I'm not strong enough to cross dimensions yet, but when the time comes, I'll be there to protect you."

My brow furrowed in confusion.  "What do you mean?"  But Aurora's form began to shimmer and fade, the distance between us growing despite her staying still.  "No! Wait, Aurora, don't leave! Who is this evil you're talking about?"  I cried, scrambling to my feet and running towards her.  But no matter how fast I ran, the space between us only widened.

"Aurora!" I screamed.  Sweat clung to my skin, while my heart hammered against my ribs. Woah! I sat there, catching my breath, eyes darting around the familiar Victorian room.  Just a dream… right?

Clutching the necklace tightly, I closed my eyes and shook my head.  No way it was just a dream! There was too much detail, too much fear.  This was real! And whatever Aurora was warning me about… I had no idea what it meant, but I knew I had to find out!

I threw off the covers, the dream clinging to me like cobwebs. Brushing my teeth and splashing water on my face, I tried to shake it off.  This whole situation was a bad dream, right?  Except for the weird wolf people and the creepy basement, that is.

Following the delicious smells, I made my way to the dining area.  Granur was already there, shoveling food into his face like he hadn't eaten in days.

"Hey, Granur!" I called out, chipper despite the knot of worry in my stomach.  Everyone at the table turned to look at me.

He grunted, glancing up with a mouthful of food.  "What?"

"Can I borrow the key to the basement, please?" I held out my hand, palm facing him. "I really need to talk to Tyler!"

Granur snorted, nearly choking on his breakfast.  "The key?  Whoa there, little miss demanding.  Look, your boyfriend's fine," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.  "Nobody's gonna kill him until Alpha gives the go-ahead.  Relax, have some breakfast."

"He's not my boyfriend!" I rolled my eyes at him,  "We're just friends, okay?  But I really, really need to talk to him! It's super as in major important—"

"Not until your stomach's full," a deep voice boomed from the head of the table.  The Alpha, looking even more intimidating in the morning light, narrowed his eyes at me.  "Sit down and eat.  If you're not hungry, wait in the living room until the gamma finishes.  He'll take you to see the beta."

Ugh.  Fine! I slumped into a chair, glaring at my plate.  Maybe a little breakfast wouldn't hurt.  Besides, arguing with Mr. Intimidating Alpha probably wouldn't get me anywhere.

***

"TYLER!" I burst through the basement door, relief flooding my face when I saw him.

He offered a small smile, but it couldn't quite hide the grim set of his jaw.  The basement wasn't exactly the Four Seasons – dim torches flickered on the walls, casting long, creepy shadows.

Granur clanked open the cell door with a key that looked like it belonged to a medieval torture chamber.  He stayed firmly planted outside the bars, arms crossed like a grumpy guard dog. Well, he is a dog.

"Hey, didn't expect to see you down here," Tyler said, gesturing to the empty space beside him on the cot.  He wasn't exactly chilling in luxury – a chain secured his ankle to the bedpost, and a silver collar encircled his neck.  Not exactly a relaxing spa day.

"Yeah, I, uh, needed to talk to you about something," I stammered, scooting next to him on the cot.  The metal was surprisingly cold! Wew.

Tyler's brow furrowed for a second, then smoothed out into a smile.  "Shoot."

I cleared my throat, then glanced pointedly at Granur, who was practically glued to the cell bars like he was expecting me to stage a prison break with a plastic spoon.  "Actually," I started, "would you mind giving us a minute alone? Just a quick chat?"

Granur just smirked.  Ugh, seriously?  Was this wolf enjoying my misery?

"Miss Little Demanding, the Alpha gave strict orders to keep an eye on you.  Wouldn't want any top-secret rebellion plans being hatched down here, now would we?"