25
25
Kaya’s POV.
This was the past. A time when I was innocent.
“Papa, where are you?” My little angelic voice beamed into the room as I ran inside the cabin.
My lips were parted wide enough to show my teeth, while my cheeks reddened from the hard blushes. Today was a beautiful day, and I had no worries.
The small me stopped when I saw father in his study room, holding an ink feather in his hands, which he twirled around in the air. I was seven years old, yet I knew he was brooding, and that’s why he was doing that.
“Today’s a perfect day, father. Come out. We are having a picnic. Come and help us. Mother has found a spot in the backyard that is so beautiful… I love the space and the trees, and the valleys that seem like they are at the end of the world, and the fogs that spread like small clouds.”
He ran over to pick me up from the ground so he could place me on his shoulders, and he snickered at my words. “Oh, tell me that you and your brother have picked some apples for apple pie later in the evening, haven’t you?”
I make a sudden jerk of my head upward, then downward, and say, “yes, we did.”
“Then Papa would join you little cuties soon.”
“Yesssss…” My little voice trailed off, and afterward, he placed me down so I could run back outside to go and help mother.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.
The moment I reached the threshold of the front door, Williams barged in, hitting me on the shoulders. I knew he didn’t know that I was coming, as I didn’t know of his as well, but we squeezed faces at each other and shouted at each other.
“Are you blind?” We said in unison.
“You hit me first.” I screamed at him, my tone high, as I flew my arms around.
He shook his head, boring his eyes into mine. “No, you did it first. You just wanted to prove some stupid adult thing.” He rolled his eyes at me afterwards.
I wanted to grab him by the collar of his shirt, but mother walked into the scene.
“One day, the both of you would need each other so much that you’d be willing to sacrifice anything for the other one. There’s no need to hate. There’s enough hate in the world. Just shine your light, grasp even the dimmest one found in a void of darkness, and you won’t feel alone. We are family, so we must support one another.” As she spoke, my heart melted.
I loved her so much.
The picnic started soon, and father joined us. Williams and I had no idea what was waiting for us then or how much life had in store for us. We were just smiling, laughing, and being carefree.
Mother had wanted to teach me spells once I reached ten years old because my body would be strong enough to take the aftereffects.
But on that same beautiful day came an error-a pain in my heart as we got attacked by werewolves. The villagers had given us up for a bag of money, and ever since then, we’ve kept running and running and running from one place to another…
And till today, I still run, currently dashing down the staircase till I arrive at the front door of the kingdom and finally catch my breath.
The guard turns to look at me, his stern face becoming even more stern, if that even makes sense. My soul freezes in one spot, hoping he doesn’t use that whip on me.
He hasn’t used it so far, but from the way he keeps acting, it’s as though his fingers itch to lash them on my skin. He grips the hilt harder and takes one step forward.
“You cheap whore, waste my time again or not do as I instruct, and you’re getting a taste of this whiplash.” He threatens between gritted teeth.
The carriage is here, and when he instructs that I enter, I hastily throw myself in. After his entrance, he knocks at the compartment, and the ride starts.
I wish he’d tell me where we are going, since he mentioned earlier that I’m relocating, but I’m not in the situation to ask him a question.
Stifling, I anticipate where we’d stop; my face turned anywhere else than his. His eyes kept burning my skin, intricately gawking, and it doesn’t seem like he’s stopping anytime soon.
“Due to your insolent actions, your Masters have ordered me to take you to the Aisle, another section of the pack where you can be monitored. There might be a war soon, and they’d like to keep you intact.” The way he gives out the information is as if he’s speaking directly, as the brothers had spoken to him.
I am glad he doesn’t expect a response from me, because when I am dumbfounded by his statement, he doesn’t force me to speak.
By the way, it’s cruel enough that Melissa’s death is pinned on me, but blaming me for everything else is a savage action that makes any strength I have left to disagree shrink.
As much as I was betrayed by Melissa, it still cuts deeper than glass on the skin that she’s dead because of me. She died because of the possession that the triplets have on me, and that’s the only friend I’ve ever had.
The aftermath blocks my chest from any form of love ever again; after all, everyone else hates me, and I’m sure it would be no difference in Aisle. I’m very certain because that’s from where those two snakes that put a collar and leash on me came.
The ride ends a few hours later, muteness ruling till we get inside, and the guard orders me to stay where he’s put me. It’s a beautiful room, filled with eclectic artistic creations like potteries, paintings, and scriptures, all on display in protective glasses.
A voice rose from my back, causing me to jump up in momentary fear. “Who are you?”
“I came from…” I didn’t know what to say or how to describe myself. That’s a difficult task to do for someone like me who has lost her identity.
Someone’s footsteps approach us, echoing throughout the space, until it stop a few distance away and my face falls in uneasiness. “Oh, she’s finally here. That’s the witch girl, Carla.” I recognize her annoying, pitchy voice as well.
Not now. I’ve just arrived here in less than five minutes. Can I not get at least a breathing space until tomorrow or the next?
There’s no way I’m not getting punished today, and trust me, my whole body still aches and is irritated at this moment.
“Wait, she’s real, Alana?” The girl named Carla, whose height towers over mine and who dresses elegantly with her skin glowing like that of a goddess, quickly jets backwards. “Then she must be dangerous.”
That fear in her eyes… I wish I was capable of investing it in every other werewolf and she-wolf here, but I’m helpless.
One of the blonde girls, the ones I detest with passion, who I now know to be Alana, walks closer and slaps me on the face.
“She’s the weakest being I’ve ever come across. She has no will to fight. She’s basically a toy, and, oh, I forgot to tell you. I dragged her around like the bitch she is, on a leash.” She flaps her well-manicured fingers around as she narrates to Carla, who chortles evilly back.
They keep on having discussions about me until the guard arrives back, Alana fakes falling to the ground, and Carla runs to help her up.
“Oh, my… Dustfang, help us. This witch, she’s got evil eyes.”
“She pushed me.”
“Oh, my skin. It would break.”
Their pretense as a doll irks me deep in the stomach. I am about to defend myself when the guard, Dustfang, kicks me in the chest, making me clutch onto my sternum. As I lose my breath for some time, unable to breathe, I gasp.
My vision blackens for a second before my sight catches him tightening his grip on the hilt. Not today…
The next thing that follows is a shrill tearing through my throat.