CHAPTER FOUR

LENA’S POV

My head spun as my eyes fluttered open. When I opened my eyes fully, everything around me felt hazy. I sat up with a sharp gasp at the memory of what had happened the night before.

The stalker who’d tried to rape me.

In an instant I realized that my apartment was dim, shadows stretching across the walls and for some reason, my head throbbed with pain.

I held on tight to my head trying to remember what had transpired between us. But the last thing I remembered was blood, his blood, the weight of the stalker on me. And even worse my sharp angry claws buried in his side.

I sat up with a gasp, my chest heaving as I searched the floor for his body. But…it was gone.

Looking closely, I noticed that the pool of blood was still there. Smeared all over the marble floor of my apartment. But he—-he had disappeared.

Panic clawed up my throat as I gripped the sofa's edge with my shaking hands, wondering how I’d even gotten on the couch in the first place.

Just then, the door to my apartment creaked open without any notice. In seconds I perked up to my feet in fear, claws ready to attack.

“Oh great, she’s awake and homicidal. Just what the morning needed!” A familiar voice from the day before echoed from the front porch as they slammed the door shut.

“You don’t have to be a dickhead all the time Rowan!” another voice called out from behind me, accompanied by the other one who’d spoken a lot the day before. And at that moment, I realized they’d been around the house all morning. Judging from the mug of hot coffee in the hand of the blonde-haired man.

“What did you do to his body?” I asked, a bit frightened at the sight of the men before me, and a bit confused as to why they looked so unbothered seeing the pool of blood in front of me.

“We? Trust me, this is all you!” Rowan the cocky one teased with a smile creased on his face.

“But he—he’s gone and I didn’t—,” I croaked and paused just when I realized that we weren’t even listening.

Another stepped forward—dark hair, softer expression. “I know you seem a little confused, and we’ll explain everything. But you need to come with us.”

“A little confused? I just killed a man and now I can’t find his body and—,”

“Why should I even trust you?” I cut in, glaring at all three of them.

“Because the man you just killed is a human, and you’re not Lena!” the one whose name I was yet to know snapped at me.

“Your blood, your very existence puts you in danger remaining in the land of humans, Come with us and we can have all questions answered,”

My fingers closed around the necklace from the day before, the pulsing warmth licking my skin like fire. Memories of the stalker whom I’d killed resurfaced in my mind, the way I’d felt trying to get him off me—-not fear. Not weakness, but power. Raw and untamed.

In that moment, realization dawned on me that I couldn’t stay here.

“Fine, but I want more than just answers!” I said.

They exchanged glances and then nodded at me. “Well tell you all you need to know,”

Everything!

******************************

As we drove into the woods, the city around us faded behind us. My apartment, my job. All of it faded with each passing mile.

I leant my head against the car window, pressing my head against the cool glass to provide a reprieve to my burning forehead. I stayed still in my chair, watching trees blur past as we drove further into the woods.

Hours passed in silence until the car slowed to a stop near a wall of old moss-covered rock. Only that, it wasn’t rock. To my shock, it moved.

“We’re home!”

“Aghhh fresh air!” Rowan gasped.

Going further I realized the old mods covered rock had somehow risen from mountain cliffs like it had grown from the land itself. Towering, luminous, impossibly grand. My breath hitched.

“Nolan, Jasper, Rolan!” the voice of a child echoed afar off. I looked up to find a young boy about the age of five headed in our direction with so much excitement creased on his face.

“Mateo!” they chorused.

Well, I finally got to know what the names of the other men were aside from Rolan whom I’d known from my apartment.

“Come here!” Jasper said, with both arms stretched out letting the kid into his embrace.

“Who do we have here,” other voices came from behind as they all gathered around me. Each with a smile and a confused look altogether.

My eyes trailed off to the surroundings, seeing that it was an entirely different world. I didn’t know what I was expecting, stone walls? Forest path? Maybe a few men with furs and fangs.

Behind us, the gate sealed shut without a sound. I turned around to find that it had all disappeared as well. No archway like I’d seen a couple of seconds ago, no gate. Just a long dark road ahead.

“I’ll show you to your room dear come,” the old lady from earlier said, taking me by the hand with a smile creased on her face.

*****************************

That night, I stood on a balcony overlooking the kingdom below me. A chill washed over me; this place represented a point in my life where I had honestly felt that nothing would be right ever again, and now returning to it, the feeling too came back with a vengeance.

A hand on my arm made me jump and with a pounding heart, I turned to find a girl about my age with sharp blue eyes and a smile that for some reason felt welcoming.

“You must be Lena,” She began.

“I’m Tessa, Daughter of the general,”

“Yeah…Lena,” I stuttered.

“I know,” she said. “Everybody does.”

“What's it like out there?” she asked.

From her expression, I could tell that she’d never been out on the roads leading to the cities ahead.

“P—peaceful,” I responded, forcing a smile at her.

For the first time in a long time, I didn't feel completely untethered. We sat by the balcony for hours trading on related talks, wars, and blood feuds that fractured the Lycan clans in the past.

“They're gonna ask that you prove who you are soon though,” she cut in.

I turned sharply, a bit confused about what she meant.

“Prove myself?”