"Are you sure you're scared for her, or are you scared that your feelings will change because of your unsaid past?"
Those words, that question, played in my mind in a circle. I had been thinking about it, but I don't clearly understand what it meant. I don't know if it was a bad thing or a good one. It made me wait for my wife's response, but their voices started to fade in the background as if I was sucked away from their conversation. I wanted to hear more, but I was suddenly taken back into my usual dream.
It was flashing from when Sage woke up a sleeping vampire to their separation, and a soul traveled through time just to select a vessel, a baby, who felt familiar to me.
I frowned. "It has been a while since the last time I dreamed of this..." I muttered, watching the same dream passing like a repeated movie. Then I wondered, "Why am I dreaming this? Why now? What does it mean?"
Then the scene had shifted into the time when the baby grew up weak, and there were two people I barely recognized and yet felt dear to me. I stared at them, studying, when I realized my eyes were already crying.
They're my parents. My biological parents.
I wanted to hold them even in dreams, but sadly, it won't happen because it was a dream, a memory.
'Mel, are you okay?'
'No, but I will be.'
'Alright, but can I know what's bothering you? I might be able to help.'
'Thank you, but you can't. None of us can. Our time was ticking slowly.'
'You're joking, right?'
'I am not. I can't joke about this...'
'Bernila...she's still young...we can't...'
'I don't like it either, but we can't cheat death...'
'I know, but can't we delay it?'
'I'm not sure for how long...but it's nearing...and whenever I feel something bothersome, it'll happen.'
'We have to delay it, even for a moment. We have to prepare everything, secure our baby's future.'
'Let's talk to the family about it, then to the Knightrose.'
'Sure.'
I was hurt by this. They knew their death was coming near and had accepted it. They had come to terms with it, even though it would break them apart by leaving me an orphan. But somehow I understood where they were standing. During their time, peace was rare because threats always had a way to infiltrate without trying. So they did what they could.
They met the family with words not directly stating their impending deaths, but they were confessions, apologies, and laughter. Everything was taken lightly, but the adopted parents knew something was off with them.
'Melissa, tell me the truth, are you off to somewhere and never coming back?'
'Never coming back...you noticed...well, you're a doctor; you see and read signs. Keep that up. And yes, not because we wanted to, but because of the brewing danger across the land.'
'You think you can't survive it this time?'
'It's grave, Sandra. It's too dark, too lethal to survive without losing a lot.'
'I'll take care of her.'
'I know you will, but if it's the right time, she must stay with the Knightrose.'
'Why with them?'
'One day, you will understand. Have a nice night. Keep her safe when we're gone.'
I could not believe what I was seeing. My parents were preparing those people who mattered to them, giving signals, and leaving meaningful messages until the scene had changed. My parents were talking about the pack's securities and strategies as the pack's gamma until my mother's knees buckled. My father, Makisig, caught her before she fell completely to the ground.
'Mel, are you okay?'
'I'm fine, just a little dizzy.'
'Dizzy about what? What did you sense?'
'I don't know yet, but I can show you something. Come.'
I followed my parents as they went to the old and ruined mausoleum of the Knightrose. I was familiar with it because it was the same mausoleum where I fell and almost died, and the same place where I lost my wolf. I don't want to see it, but this dream wasn't mine to control. It was a memory of someone connected to me.
As my parents went further, there was a hidden passage leading to the crypt where an old stone coffin was located.
"This is where I kissed a corpse. I mean, I woke my wife's body," I muttered as they checked the area where it glowed.
I frowned, curious how my mother knew the way around the crypt, until they stopped at the far end of the crypt. It was dark, but due to the glowing moss, the area lightened a little and showed an old drawing on the stone. They were human sticks, the moon, wolves, and human sticks with fangs—vampires. They looked harmonized and peaceful, but on the other side was chaos, where huge creatures battled for their peace due to a dark smoke led by pirates.
But the pirates had two faces: the good one, who only went for a steal, and the other, who was bad enough to be soaked in blood.
Their lives were drawn there, too. The good pirates were betrayed for greed. The good pirate crew had no other choice but to follow for the sake of their survival. Yet, I was taken aback by something else: a young girl who witnessed everything had fallen into misery but was saved by wolves.
'Why are you showing me this?'
'This girl is in the pack. She could be either a good omen or a bad one.'
'Is she going for revenge?'
'If given an opportunity, she might, unless she had lost interest in it.'
'The alpha should know about this.'
'He does. But he won't be doing anything except keeping the pack's safety.'
'It's her, isn't it?'
'Yes, and I won't be surprised if the pirates come here for her.'
'Why?'
'She's the pirates' princess, and whoever betrayed her parents was someone they trusted the most.'
'Him.'
'Yes, he's coming for her. But if not, he's here for her, Mirxalyn...'
'Because of what she did?'
'No, but because of who she is and what she had.'
'Greed made people lose the true meaning of power.'
'True, but I hope she won't lose it when it happens.'
'Let's hope it won't.'
'But if it does, I hope the last piece of Sage in her would be able to save her.'
'Are you talking about our daughter, Bernila?'
'You saw their connection. It might be faint and innocent, but it can't be denied that it's there.'
'What should we do? She's too young for this?'
'I'll talk to Alysia about this; maybe Mycillas would be able to help us with it.'
'Hope so.'
I smirked, pride swirling around my chest because my parents had already sensed a potential threat brewing in the shadows, and even without solid evidence, they risked their position and shared what they had in mind. They spoke with the pack leaders first in a hypothetical conversation before they went to the Knightrose. My parents' words were carefully considered, but Alysia needed a word with my mother, Melissa.
'You felt it.'
'I'm sensitive; that's why I could tell.'
'You're not an ordinary wolf.'
'I didn't say I am.'
'I know your truth. I've seen it; that's why we're listening.'
'So, what do you think the possibility of them coming here is? '
'Great, but we're greater than them. But we need to ensure we'll win even if lives must be sacrificed for it.'
'How many?'
'Hundreds or maybe more. Both parties will suffer a loss.'
'But I'll make sure there will be only one boat.'
'And maybe cut their lives to five or ten?'
'We could do that.'
'Melissa, I know you can't, but can I have your word that we...'
'No, Alysia. It's you; you need to give me your word that Bernila will marry into your family.
'I know, the entire family knew they were mates, but why are you insisting on it?'
'You will understand why once she reaches her age. You will feel it too because you're a seer, and the old man will be confused but still let her face your family trial. And maybe, she'll surprise you and your family with what she could do for everyone.'
'Melissa, how much time is left?'
'Not much. It's coming to us. Alysia, as my trusted friend, please watch your goddaughter.'
'Always.'
Then I was sucked away from the scene and transferred into a battlefield where I saw my father fight side by side with the alpha until his chest was struck by a blade soaked with silver. I gasped, horrified, but I was more focused on the creature who killed my father without remorse.
It was a rogue werewolf, a pirate, grinning with a grimace before giving another strike, killing my father for good.
Anger was rising inside, but it couldn't be undone. Then the scene transferred to my mother's side. It was more brutal and gruesome as she fought with precision despite the loss in her heart. She kept her word and reduced the pirates' number down to ten and then five before the same thing happened to her. Her heart was gone before she was beheaded.
That was the last straw that snapped inside me. I screamed, roaring, crying, and angry from what I had lost. But it was a memory that showed me what had happened to my parents before I came here.
"I'll make them pay…" I muttered in anger before roaring in sorrow, and then I heard the Fenrir's soothing voice speak to me with amusement.
'Little one, don't lose sight of who you are.'
"BUT THEY KILLED THEM!" I snapped. My anger was on my chest, ready to rip anything in sight.
'They did, and it cannot be undone. They served their purpose for you to be here.'
Her words caught my attention, slightly calming my rage before asking, "What do you mean?"
'They prepared the way for you. To be here and have what you have now. So, don't lose yourself in hatred.'
My anger was subsiding after hearing her explanation. Then I asked softly, "Why me, Sage? Why did you choose me?"
'When I died, I was ascending to a spirit when I heard your parents' and Sigbin's wish. So tell me, Bernila, will you take it for granted and waste it, or will you claim me as your spirit wolf? '
I was quiet for a moment, looking at her majestic Fenrir form before I stepped closer, patting her fur. Then I sighed, saying, "You know my answer already, so don't ask." She leaned closer, pulling me in as if she was embracing me before I added, "I, Bernila Daquila Knightrose, officially accepted Sage the fenrir as my eternal spirit wolf."
'Eternal—that's—whoa, the spirits acknowledging it.'
The air around us shifted drastically. It was dancing around us, harsh but soothing, until it changed, bursting with such power I had never felt before. I felt different, powerful, but in control.
"I feel different, powerful, but I don't feel like losing control," I said as I looked over my hand before her. "Does it work that way?"
'I had never heard of it, but maybe it was heaven's way of blessing you with eternal power through me.'
I looked at my hands once again, checking the power flowing in my body. They were strong and lethal, and they were merging with Fraye's blood and my Sigbin power as if they belonged there.
'It may be controllable already, but don't slack off. Train twice as hard and be the outstanding knight of the family. Soon, by the time you morph into my form, you won't be having a hard time.'
"I will," I agreed to her before standing and stretching.
'Be ready once it happens; soon, you'll be the queen this empire deserves.'
I looked at her, scared of what she said, before asking carefully, "Do you believe that?"
'I do, and so do your mates.'
Then she looked up to the moon and the sun before looking at me again. She nudged her head toward me before she whispered gently.
'Wake up; they're worried about you.'
And just like that, I was taken back to the present.