****Eight Years Later***
"Alassandra! Alassandra! It came! It came!" my sister Lillian shouted as she ran into the house.
After my parents died, Yadhira took me in and raised me as her own, but I was old enough to know that was not true. On the other hand, Lillian was six years younger than me then. It didn't take much to convince her that I was her sister, and I didn't mind. I needed a friend at the time. Lillian and I did everything together, as close as siblings should be. She was my best friend, and I never felt like she was anything other than my sister. We were inseparable, and to this day, we remain the same.
"What came in?" I asked as Lillian ran into the room, looking like a hot mess.
Her long black hair, tied in a bun, fell out while running from the mailbox upstairs. Her bright green eyes glowed with excitement, and her ordinarily ivory-colored skin was flushed.
"Your acceptance letter," she said as she took off her pink cashmere sweatshirt and tossed it on the bed before handing me the mail.
"Wait, really? Well, give it here!" I said, holding my hand out impatiently.
My father's death inspired me to pursue a law degree. I wanted to follow in his footsteps and be one of the best lawyers. I worked hard to keep my grades up and even did part-time volunteer work as a receptionist at a local law firm.
In the months leading up to graduation, I applied to all the best Ivy League universities. I hadn't heard from any of them since I applied, and now that the letters had come in, I was nervous.
"I hope one of them is from Harvard or Yale," I said as I waited for Lillian to hand me the letters.
"Which would you prefer?" she asked as she opened her backpack and pulled out three envelopes.
"Harvard would be nice," I said, my voice just above a whisper.
In my heart, I wanted to attend Harvard. It was the only way I could be close to my father's memory since he went to Harvard.
"Well, open them, and let's find out," Lillian replied with a smile, handing me the letters.
My hands trembled as I took them from her. I glanced down at the first envelope and then looked at my sister. "It's from Harvard," I said.
"Well, open it!" Lilian replied with excitement evident in her voice.
I nodded and took a deep breath as I ripped the envelope open. My heart dropped as I read the words on the paper.
"Please accept our sincere apologies for the denial of your application to Harvard Law School," I read aloud.
"Oh, Ala, I am sorry. I know you want to go there. But there are still other schools, and you have two more letters to open," Lillian said. I smiled at her.
"I know, and you're right," I said with a small smile. Although deep down I was heartbroken, I knew I had other options. I set the letter aside and opened the second one from Princeton Law School.
"We regret to inform you that your application to Princeton Law School has been rejected," I read. "This is bullshit," I said as I crumbled the letter and threw it across the room.
I was filled with a sense of disappointment and anger. I had worked so hard to get into school and felt completely and utterly let down.
"We still have another letter. This is the one I promise. Come on, third time's the charm," Lillian said as she hugged me tightly.
I shook my head, "I'm sorry, Lil, I can't," I said, pulling out of our embrace and sitting on the bed.
"I can open it for you and read it first. I-If you want?" she said.
"Sure," I replied, grabbing a pillow and hugging it. I watched as she opened the envelope and read the letter.
"What does it say?" I asked worriedly as Lillian read the entire page with blank eyes.
"Lil, what does it say?" I asked again.
"Unfortunately," she said, pausing momentarily, "you have been accepted into Whimsic Law School. Congratulations." She yelled, jumping up and down.
"WHAT?" I exclaimed as I stood to my feet and grabbed the letter. I had to read it for myself. I couldn't believe it. My heart had dropped when Lillian said I had been accepted. I thought I had been denied a third time, but there it was in black and white.
"We are pleased to announce that you have been accepted to Whimsic Law School." I was so excited and relieved. I had been accepted! I couldn't believe it. Tears welled in my eyes as I reread the letter. Even though it wasn't Harvard, I was still following in my father's footsteps.
"Why are you crying?" Lillian asked. Her voice pulled me from my thoughts.
"Oh, I-I'm just so happy," I replied.
Keeping the truth from Lillian was bittersweet, just another secret to add to the list of many I kept hidden. The truth wouldn't change anything if I told her, but Yadhira had asked me to keep it between us.
"I'm so happy for you, Ala, but sad because y-you're leaving," Lillian said softly.
"Oh, Lil, I won't be that far away, I don't think," I replied, furrowing my brows in confusion as I looked at the acceptance letter once more.
"What's wrong?" Lillian asked.
"Nothing, it's just," I said.
"What?" Lillian asked.
"Umm, I don't remember applying to Whimsic. I didn't even know it existed, to be honest," I replied, looking at her.
"But it says here that you applied. Are you sure you didn't?" Lillian asked, raising her eyebrows.
I shook my head and said, "No, I'm pretty sure I didn't."
"Well, then, let's look them up and find out where they are, and while we are at it, we can check your application submission. I'm sure there has to be a record of it," she said as she pulled her laptop from her backpack, opened it, and began searching the web.
After a few moments, she pulled up Whimsic's webpage.
She patted the bed beside her for me to sit on, saying, "Here it is." She showed me the screen as I sat next to her.
"It looks like an old manor-type building," I said as we flipped through the gallery photos.
"It's actually really nice looking, in an old kind of way," Lillian said.
"Yeah, it gives a serious yet mysterious vibe," I replied, then added, "Can you check the application submission?"
"Yeah," she said. She spent a few moments scrolling through her computer, then said, "It seems like the application was submitted three months ago."
I shrugged. "Hmm, I suppose I must have forgotten. I did send out a lot of applications," I said as I glanced at the letter in my hand one last time before turning back to Lillian. "Where is the school?" I asked.
According to the website, New Hampshire," she replied, her voice just above a whisper.
"Don't be sad, Lil. I promise I'll come visit you, and you can come visit me," I said, wrapping my arm around her shoulder.
"It's not going to be the same without you," she replied.
"Hey, I will always be with you," I said, pulling her into a tight hug.
After a few moments, Yadhira's voice could be heard calling us.
"Girls, come down to dinner," Yadhira yelled.
"Come on, let's go tell Mom," I said, extending my hand to her as I pulled away from our embrace. She smiled at me, and we walked downstairs hand in hand. When we reached the kitchen, Yadhira was waiting for us with a smile.
As we sat down for dinner, I couldn't help but feel a wave of sadness wash over me at the thought that this would be one of the last dinners I would have with Yadhira and Lillian. I knew this would be the last time we would be together for a while.In the aftermath of the death of my parents, Yadhira and Lillian became my family; blood could not unite us. My relationship with them had grown so close that I couldn't imagine life without them. They were my rock, source of strength, and unconditional love. Leaving them felt like losing a part of myself."Alassandra, dear, is something wrong?" Yadhira asked."Uh, no," I replied, wiping away a tear."You haven't touched your food, dear," she said, glancing at my plate and then at me.Initially, I glanced at Lillian, who shook her head and mouthed, "No," before returning my attention to Yadhira."Actually, I want to tell you something," I replied."Go on," Yadhira said as she put her fork down on the table and crossed her hands together. I
***Two Months Later***Saying goodbye to Lilian was more complicated than I had anticipated. For the last two months, I had tried to make the transition as easy as possible, but we always ended up in tears no matter how I approached the situation.In the days leading up to my departure, Yadhira had become distant. I couldn't put my finger on it, but I had a feeling in the pit of my stomach that she was hiding something from me. When I asked her about it, she smiled and denied anything had changed. She insisted that she was just sad to me leave and was busy preparing for my departure. I had a feeling that she wasn't telling the truth, but there was nothing I could do.The second most challenging day of my life had finally arrived: the day I had to leave for Whimsic. Deep down, I was so happy to be on my own finally, but as I drove down the interstate, I felt more alone than ever. A single tear fell as I recalled Lilian's last words.(Flashback)"I'm going to miss you, Lil," I told her
The moment I heard his voice, it stirred something inside me. I felt a rush of emotion. A feeling I had never felt before. I couldn't explain it, but my body tingled as I sat there listening to the sound of his voice as he gave his lecture. It was a sensation unlike any other."In his highest potential, man is the noblest of all animals; without law and justice, he is the most terrible. Aristotle once said those exact words," he said as he walked around the stage."Every one of you has the highest potential to perfect the justice system, which is why you are here. To study it, perfect it, and make a difference in our unjust world. The question is, which of you will achieve that?" he said as he stopped and paused for a moment; a smile graced his face as he began to speak again. "The next four years are crucial to your career. If you thought this would be a walk in the park, I am here to tell you. You won't find sympathy here." He said with a slight smirk that reached his honey-brown ey
The ValeriousFor centuries, our species has fought wars due to a dark power that ruled the lands centuries ago. In the conflict between our mutual enemies, many battles were fought, and many people were killed. It wasn't until we came together and fought together that everything changed. We realized that our strength lay in our unity and that we could achieve more significant victories by working together. This allowed us to form long-lasting peace agreements and create a better world for future generations.For a time, everything worked perfectly. Werewolves, Vampires, and Witches lived in harmony. The only rule we had was not to allow darkness to consume us, like it did before, for if that happened, our species would cease to exist.However, this peace was short-lived as new powers emerged and threatened to disrupt the harmony. Darkness won and took hold of two of our finest. They were no longer part of us but had become something far worse. They had become consumed by the darkness
I had yet to learn who the text came from, and since I never made it a point to respond to a number, I was unfamiliar with. I brushed it off, deleted the message, and proceeded back to my car to grab the rest of my things.After five rounds of back and forth, I finally got the last box and headed back to my room. Once again, I felt I was being watched as I walked into the dorm lobby and headed upstairs. I looked around but saw no one. I felt a chill run down my spine as I knew something strange was happening to me. I decided to keep walking and not look back.The moment I rounded the corner of my dorm floor, a mesmerizing scent of ambergris and cedarwood hit me. I had never experienced a fragrance like it, causing me to halt and inhale profoundly. As I searched for the source of the smell, a shiver ran down my spine, and my hair stood on end. In an instant, my foot went astray, causing me to stumble and lose grip of the box. I closed my eyes, waiting to hit the cold marble floor, when
I found it impossible to sleep due to the intense feelings that I had experienced with Ikaris. I cleaned my room until two a.m. to take my mind off things. Despite the distractions, my mind was fixated on him, and I couldn't help but constantly think about him.I found myself unable to get his hazel-brown eyes, his alluring lips, and his charming smile out of my mind as I lay in bed. There was a warm and pleasant sensation that washed over me as I reflected on the tingles he caused when our hands made contact. I closed my eyes for a moment, took a deep breath, and whispered to myself, "Breathe, Alassandra, just breathe."Suddenly, I heard a faint whisper, "He's our mate."Sitting up in bed, I scanned the room, but no one was there. The sound of the voice echoed in my ears, leaving me puzzled as to its source. As I slowly got up and crept toward the bathroom, I heard another faint whisper, “Over here, this way.”With my heart pounding, I hastened to open the bathroom door and swiftly t
From Ikaris's POVFor as long as I can remember, being a Valerious has always been among the most respected names. I was groomed from an early age to be the perfect leader of our kind. I was expected to uphold the highest standards of morality, honor, and strength. My responsibility was to ensure that the Valerious name was always held in high esteem.The name itself held so much power that many feared my family. You can credit my great-grandfather for that. He was not one to mess with. When I was a child, my parents taught my brother Argos and me that we were destined for something greater than we could have imagined. This prophecy was of great importance to the family, and we were to uphold its name and reputation. We were to be an example of strength and courage. We were born to be great.Once Argos and I were old enough to attend school, we got the best education our family name could provide. Our parents ensured that we participated in every class and had the best tutors our famil
From Alassandra's POVI was only able to get four hours of complete sleep before my alarm clock went off, signaling that I needed to get up. I found the best way to clear my mind and find peace from the day before was to go for a run. After my parents died, I searched for different ways to relieve my stress, but nothing helped. It wasn't until I went for a run one morning that I found comfort in the quiet stillness of the early morning.My memory of the previous night flooded my mind as I walked to the restroom. I quickly pushed the door open and turned on the light, expecting to see the wolf in the mirror. Stepping inside the bathroom, I glanced into the mirror and saw only my reflection. I sighed deeply as I walked toward the sink and turned on the water."I am going crazy," I thought as I lowered my face to the sink and splashed water on my face. I opened my eyes and wiped the water away, making sure to look carefully in the mirror. I still saw only my reflection, and I began to wo