I smell flowers. I smell trees. I smell… food!
My eyes shot open just as my stomach grumbled angrily. My eyes blinked rapidly trying to figure out what in the world I was looking at.
It was a ceiling, obviously, but instead of the ceiling in my room, this was made out of wood and vines wrap around it. I looked like I was in a cabin.
How in the world did I end up in a cabin?
My mind goes back to last night and everything that happened.
Ballroom. Mate. Running. Cliff.
CLIFF!
I got up from my lying down position so fast that I felt my head throb from the sudden movement. “Ouch,” I whined as I put my hand at the top of my head as if that would do anything.
Nonetheless, I couldn’t help but be even more confused when I saw myself. As soon as I looked down, I was wearing a white dress up to my knees. A dress I have no recollection of owning.
“Oh, you’re awake.”
I almost learned how to fly at that very second when I heard a voice from out of nowhere. I got up on the bed and accidentally hit my head on the wooden ceiling. Did I get taller or is this place just small?
“Uh… who are you?” I asked as I stared at her wide-eyed.
She didn’t look threatening at all. Frankly, the complete opposite of it with tied up white-silver hair, kind blue eyes, and a soft smile. But that doesn’t mean I should let my guard down.
“My name is Asteria,” she says with a soft spoken voice and her lashes flutter effortlessly as she blinks. “Don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt you,” she says reassuringly.
“That’s what people say before they hurt someone,” I respond with a raised brow at her and she lets out a chuckle that sounds like harmony.
“Well, you got me there.” She says. “I guess that means you don’t want the food?” She asks with a tilted head.
And then I remembered how angry my stomach was and resistance would be futile so I gave in.
“I want it!” I said out loud. “Pretty… please?” And gave her my best and nicest smile.
“Very well. Come over here to the table, little one.” She stands up and starts walking to the other side of the room that I now just noticed was even there.
The place isn’t small per se, but it also wasn’t big. It was definitely a far cry from my old place, the Lunar Eclipse Pack mansion. It felt cozy and peaceful and the crackling fireplace had a way of lighting and warming up the place perfectly.
Though all of my focus is transferred to the food on the table the second I saw it.
“That smells and looks amazing!” I practically jump into the dining table and seconds later, I’m devouring the most amazing pumpkin soup and grilled cheese. So simple yet it tastes like heaven.
“My name is Hailey,” I told Asteria while I was on my second grilled cheese as I started to warm up to her.
I guess I’m a simple person. If they can feed me really good–and not poisoned–food then I don’t see why we can’t get along.
“Nice to meet you, Hailey. That’s a beautiful name.” She compliments me like she really means it and after living all eighteen years of my life with mostly mean words thrown at me, I don’t know how to respond to that.
My cheeks blushed instantly and my mouth is half open as a piece of grilled cheese is inches away from being devoured.
She lets out a soft chuckle before gesturing for me to continue. “Eat, Hailey. Eat as much as you’d like. And then after, we will talk about what happened.”
I focused on filling up my stomach for as much as it could take, but at the back of my mind, I couldn’t help but feel worried about what she meant.
I kept going back and forth in my mind, reliving the last thing I remember and so far, nothing came up weird in my head.
All I know is that I was being followed by my crazy twin sister and I guess I managed to escape since I am here, still intact and all my limbs in one piece.
Once I was done eating aka I could no longer put anything in my mouth and stomach without feeling like I was going to explode, I stood up and started walking to the outside where Asteria said she would be waiting for me.
While walking over there, I couldn’t help but admire the quaint little cabin she had. The materials she used looked completely natural, like she had gathered them herself and started working on it by hand, too. The craftsmanship was incredible, though, and I wondered if that was her work, creating cabins or something related to construction, and if she’s lived here for a long time.
“Wait, what the hell?” I took a quick step back to the mirror that I passed in the hallway, wondering if I had just hallucinated what I saw or if it was really true, which I doubt it was.
But when I saw my reflection in the mirror, I squealed in disbelief.
“Who are you?!” I shouted to myself like I couldn’t believe what I was looking at.
Well, technically speaking, I REALLY couldn’t believe what I was looking at. I even tried to do a few movements in front of the mirror to see if it would reflect. At one point I thought I had gone crazy, sticking my tongue out and doing jumping jacks in front of a freaking mirror.
But after all of that, it was still right in front of my eyes. I still looked like a completely different person. Almost. Sort of.
I still had the same face shape and body, but my hair and my eyes that were a plain hazel color were different now.
My hair, besides the hazel, was now mixed with light white-silver streaks, like I had gone to the salon and got highlights, but I doubt anyone could mimic this in a salon because it looked perfectly there as if it was my natural hair.
My eyes, though still dominantly hazel, now had a gray-colored ring around it, making it look surreal, like I was wearing contacts. I blinked and I blinked, thinking they weren’t real, but I quickly realized that they were very much my eyes.
I was… immensely confused.
“Hailey?” I heard Asteria call out for me and I remembered she was waiting for me outside.
“Oh, I’m so sorry! I got distracted.” I told her admittedly before looking defeated in front of the mirror.
Now I was beginning to wonder what had really happened because this… this doesn’t seem right.
I touched my hair and poked my cheeks, thinking that I would snap back to reality and be my old self again, but when Asteria came up from behind me, I realized I was still very much here and was staring at what looked like a different person.
Not that I was complaining because for the first time in my life, I actually felt… pretty.
“What’s wrong, Hailey?” Asteria asked, sounding worried.
“I… I need to know what happened to me.” I told her before turning away from the mirror to face her and her blue eyes stared into mine.
The soft blues then changed to something more serious, and yet, still calm.
“Come with me. I need to show you something.” She says before lifting up her hand for me to take and though hesitant at first, I accepted.
We walked out of the cabin. It was probably around past five in the afternoon as the sun was just beginning to set and the skies were filled with various shades of orange, red, and yellow.
Nature’s smell surrounded us. Outside, the forest was limitless and blooming. Coling vines embraced every tree and a variety of flowers which blossomed brightly made you feel like you were looking at a painting.
But that wasn’t the only thing I could smell. There was also water. Salty water that I can only guess is from the beach, and it also smelled familiar.
And then it hit me.
It’s the water at the bottom of the cliff!
Asteria brought me to the edge of the shore with rocks scattered around the area. Memories of last night flashed in my mind like a thirty second movie the moment I inhaled the smell of the ocean.
I was standing at the edge of the cliff on the border of our territory. I was scared, terrified, and alone. I was crying so much. Crying because I never had a chance to be loved by my own mate, but even with all that sadness, I still found it in me to thank the Moon Goddess.
I vividly remembered that there was a bright light before darkness consumed me.
“You’ve been asleep for three months,” Asteria said, which made me almost snap my neck at the speed I turned to face her.
“I’m sorry… what?”
Did she just say three months? That must be a mistake. There was no way. But then again, I woke up looking like a different person so maybe that didn’t seem too impossible after all.
“I know it must be hard to take in, but three months ago, I found your body along that shore. Right there.” She lifted her hand up and pointed out to a specific spot on the water.
“See that big rock next to the pool of water? I was doing my morning walk when you had washed up there. I pulled you in and have been taking care of you ever since.” She said with so much truth in her eyes and not a single hint that she was just making all of this up.
That night, I really had jumped. I jumped and somehow, made my way all the way here. Wherever ‘here’ was and she found me. I could have died if she hadn’t.
“I don’t need to know why you were out there, but if you do want to let me know then I’m all ears. No judgment or anything that you won’t like. Just a nice cup of hot cocoa by the fireplace and two ladies talking with each other with whatever they have in mind.”
Goddess, she was seriously the nicest person ever. I was suddenly so thankful that it was her that had found me because if it was somebody else, I don’t think I’d be this less worried.
“Thank you, Asteria. For the kindness and for everything in general. I guess I owe you my life, huh?” I say with a meek smile.
“Oh no, sweetie. Of course not. You will never owe me anything. Your life is all yours and I’m sure that whatever happened, it happened for a reason. You’re still here so that means you still have a lot to do and a life to live fully. Don’t you agree?” Her kind blue eyes blinked at me with so much assurance and between the sound of the water gently hitting the rocks and the wind brushing past the trees, there was a sense of peace that was embedded in this moment right now.
“Yes… I… I agree.” I told her before she gestured me to come nearer and she turned me to face the skies.
We watched as the sun dipped below the horizon, the fleeting colors of dusk started to slowly fade away. The dark black rocks that were scattered around the shore shimmered beautifully before the dark fell upon them and you could barely see them in the night.
Asteria’s words echoed in my mind over and over again.
“You’re still here so that means you still have a lot to do and a life to live fully.”
All of the people I left back in our Pack. My parents, my siblings, Kylo, and even Kage, my mate who didn’t want me.
Would they have been thinking of me this whole time? If so, what did they think about? Did they miss me? Did they look for me? Did they cry for me when they realized that I was probably not coming back?
So many questions, but no answers. The only way I could find out though was if I went back, but then I stopped to think about it and thought, what was the rush?
Here I was in a beautiful place with a kind woman who took me in and seemed like she was more than willing to keep me around still. There was more to learn here, more to experience.
If I had been gone for three months then what was more? Maybe a few weeks or months and then I can come back home.
For now, I will enjoy being the new Hailey and get closer with my savior, Asteria.
“Hey…” I called out for her and she turned to me with a soft smile.
“I, um… I think I’d like that hot cocoa by the fireplace.” I said to her and her smile widened just as her eyes lit up under the moonlight.
“With or without marshmallows?” She cooed.
“Definitely with, please.” I said to her and the two of us giggled in the night.
I think I just might like it here. Who knew jumping at that edge of the cliff would give me a new life I would be much happier with?
If only I had known, maybe I had done it sooner.
Sorry, the old Hailey can't come to the phone right now. Why? Cause she's gone and has been replaced by a better her~ Wait until everyone back at her home finds out ;)
Living with Asteria has been nothing but bliss. Over the past three months, we have gotten used to a specific routine.I usually wake up at six in the morning to go on a run. I walk as far away as I can and make sure nobody else is there before shifting and my wolf and I enjoy the open wilderness.We usually come back a little before eight o’ clock with an animal we had caught. Asteria used to ask me how I am easily able to catch them, but she eventually stopped, and just thanked me for helping with supplies.She said that if it wasn’t for me, she would still just be eating small fishes she sometimes finds along the shore that have been washed up there.The two of us continue with
By tonight, I will be back with my Pack, back in my house, and back with the people who used to torment me everyday of my life.Yipee. Not.But that’s all I can think about as I go around my small cabin room and go back and forth placing clothes over my body and looking in the mirror to see if it looks good on me or not.In conclusion, none of them did.They were all nice clothes, yes, but not nice enough for my brother’s inauguration to become Alpha.I slumped on my bed when it all suddenly hit me. My brother was officially going to be Alpha after years of training for it, and I was going back home.
I didn’t expect to see Heather so soon. In my mind, I thought she would be way too busy getting all glammed up as if she was the main character of today’s event, but now here she was, right freaking behind me.“Hey, I’m talking to you.”Shit. I was debating whether or not to pretend I didn’t hear her and would just keep walking, but I knew that I had to face her head on. That’s what Asteria would have wanted for me.After letting out a deep breath, slowly I turned around and there she was.The same beautiful Alpha’s daughter I have always remembered. Her soft and long blonde hair flows effortlessly behind her and at the top of her head is the sa
I couldn’t believe what I had just heard. I thought I had just imagined the sound, but then I heard continuous moans and I knew then that it was really there.What I couldn’t process was why did the woman say Alpha? Could it really be that Alpha, and if so, then would it be my sister with him?I don’t know what’s worse – hearing my sister having sex or hearing somebody other than my sister having sex with her boyfriend.But the peculiar thing was that it didn’t sound like her at all and I’m pretty sure she was busy getting ready. I also know her well enough to not get her hair and makeup messed up before an event. She would not agree to
Trust is earned, respect is given, and loyalty is demonstrated. Betrayal of any of those is to lose all three. I read that quote in a book a long time ago, and though I didn’t understand it much back then, right now it was very apparent to me, like having blurry vision your entire life and suddenly you get glasses and voila, 20/20 vision. “Now I see why the Moon Goddess mated us together. I’m going to have a lot of fun marking you on every inch of your body, Hailey baby.” Kage’s words made me visibly uncomfortable and I’m sure he saw the way my face contorted into disgust, but he didn’t care. He doesn’t care about anything but getting what he wants, and right now, I was clearly very much that. I could feel his hard on pressing against my body and in most cases, girls would be drooling over that fact, but to me, I just wanted to puke. I need to get the hell out of here. “Let. Me. Fucking. Go.” I threatened him as my eyes bored into his with anger and determination. Kage was
My heart shattered and broke into a million pieces. I knew she didn’t care for me much compared to Heather, but she had to at least realize she was looking at her daughter, no? “No, I’m…” I was speechless. Totally and utterly rendered mute in front of my mother who had carried me for months and now had no idea that her own daughter was right in front of her. And to think they were my family. “Sweetie, are you alright? You look a little dazed. Do you want water?” She gestured to the inside of one of the waiting rooms and had me sit down. Sweetie, she said. Even my own mother back then never called me that and she was calling a random stranger it? What the hell? My heart just kept breaking as each second passed. “Here you go. Weather’s been a little humid lately, huh? Don’t forget to keep yourself hydrated.” She passed me the cup of water and I tried my best to stop shaking so much so I wouldn’t drop it. “Hailey.” I accidentally blurted out. Her head turned to me so fast and her
Colt couldn’t stop staring at me. Well, none of them could. It felt like an hour had passed that we were just in the room and I was seated on the couch with Colt next to me.While my brother looked at me with worry visible in his eyes, my parents still stared at me in horror.It was obvious what exactly they were thinking – either I was a ghost or that I had come back from the dead.“Hailey…” My mother hesitantly called me, breaking the silence in the room.I looked up at her with a tight-lipped smile.“What…” She began, her eyes thoroughly scanning me. 
Heather looked downright pissed. She just came into the room complaining and whining without even actually looking at anyone. “Ugh, mother, I’ve been calling for you for minutes now. Stupid Priscilla forgot to bring my second gown change and she said she asked Cindy to do it, but I can’t freaking find her. Where is everyone?!” Did she just say Cindy? Should I let her know where her best friend’s actual whereabouts really was? It was only when she looked up and saw us did she stop to process what was happening. She looked around the room like everyone had grown two heads. “What is going on here? And why is a stranger in our waiting room?” She stared at me in repulsion as if not half an hour ago she was just gushing over me. Wow, my sister change moods really fast. “Heather,” my mother stepped up, but she didn’t seem to care as her gaze remained on me. “Answer me, stupid. Are you deaf?” She asked while she was snapping her fingers in front of me, like I was just some kind of