Chapter 11: Chapter Nine

Esra

Zade stopped the car, and I turned my head to find guards stationed in front of us. I didn't realize that we had reached the Crystal Moon Pack's border so quickly. Before Zade could open my door, I took the opportunity to do it myself. He growled in protest, which I ignored, infuriating him even more.

So I slammed the door, coming face to face with his pissed-off face.

I gave him a tap on the shoulder and pouted, "You took too long, and I got bored."

"It was only two seconds."

I shrugged, "Felt like eternity."

Zade opened his mouth to retort, but I brushed past him, causing him to stumble back and use the vehicle as support. "Cruel." He muttered, with a hint of amusement.

The guards at the border weren't anything like the warriors at the Snow Moon Pack. They looked average size but wore leathers that had seven jewels attached to it. One each on both shoulders, one on the chest, one on each knee, and one each on the back of their hands.

"Luna Kratos." One of them bowed. "The Alpha and Luna will be expecting you. Please, right this way." He gestured for me to go first. I returned the smile to the guard when I saw Zade growing uneasy.

Jealousy, I thought.

Taking a step into the border, I slipped. Or rather, something slammed into my ankle, causing me to lose my balance. I fell on my butt, the dizziness clawing onto my brain. Zade rushed towards me, growling at the guards to back off.

Black spots invaded my vision, and I suddenly felt lightheaded. I could see glimpses of Zade's mouth moving, but heard nothing. Nothing at all, as if I was deaf.

Strong arms picked me up, no doubt that it was Zade. Something light touched my forehead before the darkness finally consumed me.

_____________________

I awoke with a pounding headache. Instinctively, I shielded my eyes from the brightness of the room that slightly blinded me. My eyes finally adjusted to the light as I spotted Zade resting against the wall by the door.

"Zade?" I looked at my surroundings. An elegant room lavish looking room with cream walls, crystal chandeliers, and almost everything else were made of crystals. The bed posts sparkled and reflected the sun's light, and cream sheets draped the top. The room almost looked like a princess's chamber.

"Where are we?" I finally asked, attempting to sit up.

Zade pushed some pillows behind me.

"Thanks."

"We're in the pack house."

"In the Crystal Moon pack house?" That explained why everything looked so foreign and elegant compared to the other packs' pack houses I'd visited so far.

There was a knock on the door, and Zade replied, "You can come in."

A girl – her skin almost gleaming in the sunlight – walked in with a tray. "Luna Argent, I'm so glad you're awake. Here, these are herbal fruits. It will help you heal faster."

Frowning at her, I turned to Zade. "Did you not remember what happened?"

I thought for a second, then I remembered. Everything washed into my mind at once. I fell. No, something hit into my leg.

Zade said, "You have a concussion."

I touched my head.

"You slipped and –"

I cut him off, "I remember." I narrowed my eyes at him. "And I did not fall. Something hit my leg, and I lost my balance."

"Like what?"

I sighed, "I don't know. But I did feel something. Like a stick or something. I don't know." I repeated and buried my face in my hands. I tugged onto my hair, trying to ease the lingering headache.

"The Alpha and I are investigating the matter." He said. "We'll find out who did it."

I nodded. "Thank you." I refrained from having any eye contact with Zade.

"They gave us Mountain Ash, we can use it to create a barrier."

Mountain Ash.

"Get the mountain ash. No one would be able to pass through. Don't worry about Alpha Gabriel Kratos. He won't know anything."

Sweat beaded my forehead as the memory flooded in. The figures were blurred but the voices──the voices were clear.

How did I not remember any of this before? Why is it only coming to my mind now? I was six when I heard my aunt on the phone saying that.

I never liked my aunt Sulia. But hearing her say those things on the phone... it made me realize that she might be more cruel that I'd witnessed.

"Esra, are you okay?"

"I──I was just thinking about something."

Zade seemed to notice what plagued my mind worried me. "Tell me."

"I... I was six. I remember my aunt saying something about mountain ash. And──Alpha Gabriel Kratos."

His expression grew serious. Fury raged in his irises. "What about my father?"

"I don't know. She told someone on the phone to get the mountain ash and that no one would be able to pass through. And that they shouldn't worry about Alpha Gabriel Kratos." I looked at Zade with fear in my eyes. "Zade, I've never had that memory before, I swear. It only came to me now. It's like someone erased that part of my memory and now──it came back."

I held onto Zade tightly with tears streaming down my face. "What if it's the thing that hit my leg was intentional and what if my aunt is involved in this somehow." The fear struck me hard in my heart.

Zade stared at me. "Thats a lot of 'what if's'. We will get to the bottom of this. I promise." He cupped my face and wiped my tears whilst we stared into each other's eyes.

There was another knock on the door which broke our moment. "Come in." Zade said.

"Alpha Kratos, Luna Argent, the Alpha has requested to see you." Said the girl who came in earlier.

Zade nodded.

"Zade please, I think... I think there's more to this."

"I know. Esra, we'll get to the bottom."

Zade took me to the throne room. The hallway was beautiful. Crystal chandeliers lit up the passage. The portraits on the wall were extravagant. They had red carpets throughout the whole pack house.

We entered a throne room. Every pack house I've visited so far has their own unique features, but this... They seemed to indeed be living as royals. This seemed to be the only pack that had a throne room. Normally they had offices. This pack, I noted, was not modest.

"Alpha Krystallo, Luna Krystallo." I greeted them. "It's a pleasure. Thank you for taking us in and attending to me. I apologize for troubling you."

"Not a problem at all. I'm just stunned that you're an Argent." Alpha Krystallo rested his chin on his hand.

Again. How could neither of them know I existed? Why had my aunt not tell anyone I was an Argent? Why hadn't she told anyone that she was an Argent?

"A lot of people say that. I'm starting to think that word is spreading fast. Too fast." Because I would most likely be hunted down.

"It seems like it. Rather introduce yourself as Luna Kratos." Luna Krystallo suggested.

I looked at Zade. "Even if I did, people will still know I am an Alpha."

"True. That's the only issue. They might get suspicious and do a little digging of their own." Alpha Krystallo scrunched his nose as he thought. "Anyways, take a look at this." He gestured for us to step forward.

Luna Krystallo sprinkled a bit of blue dust in a bowl of water. The water shimmered and I looked into it. The Jeep came into view, along with myself and Zade.

"Look closer."

I did. And what I saw was unexpected. In the tree, not too far from the vehicle, someone wearing full black shot something at me. His face was blocked with a mask, which fell off once he shifted into his wolf. His black wolf.

"A black wolf?" Zade frowned. "Which pack has black wolves?" Zade growled.

"None. We've already checked. This wolf is a rogue."

Black wolf?

Suddenly, another memory hit me like a brick slamming into my head. I fell to the floor, tugging my hair to make it stop as I screamed.

"Come on, shift. Did anyone see you?" My aunt spoke to a black wolf.

A muscular man appeared. He had charcoal black hair and captivating eyes that you could easily get lost in. He stared up at me from the window. "She's watching." He looked serious and stuck-up.

My aunt looked at me. "I'll sort her out. You should go. I'll meet you there."

My aunt made her way to me and slapped me.

My breaths came out ragged. I had a pounding headache again.

Zade held me in his arms, cursing. "Esra, are you getting another memory?" His heart rate started to increase, and his ragged breaths met mine. He was worried about me. Luna Krystallo handed me a glass of water, which I gulped down greedily.

"I had another memory. The black wolf. I've seen him before. He had charcoal black hair that was messy. He looked stuck-up. My aunt knows him." I said.

"She's involved in this." Zade growled.

"Zade." I held onto him. "I think she's been erasing my memories. That guy... I can't really remember who he was but he was someone close to us back then."

"But he's black. There are no black wolves. The only black wolves exist in myths." Luna Krystallo said.

"Demon wolf." I said. "He's a demon wolf."

Zade's face turned to stone.

"This is serious. Let's not waste anymore time. You should go back to your pack. It's not safe to stay away. Don't forget to use the mountain ash. I would suggest using wolfsbane with it, but it might affect your wolves if they go hunting or patrolling. But I think you should use wolfsbane on your weapons." Alpha Krystallo said.

Zade nodded. "I will. Thank you once again."

"Oh, and one more thing. Take this." Luna Krystallo gave me an amulet. The necklace was silver but didn't burn my skin. "It contains Artemisia. If any wolf attacks you or gets close to you, pull the chain off and block your nose. Werewolves can't stand that smell."

"Thank you." I put the necklace on.

"Let us know if you need any help."

"We will. Thank you. I will be looking forward to our next encounter." Zade said.

"Likewise." Alpha Krystallo said, shaking Zade's hand, and we left.

"Are you okay?" Zade asked, after a while.

"Yeah." I nodded.

"You sure?"

"Yeah. I'm going to speak to my aunt as soon as we go back. Does she know I'm back?" I asked.

"I don't know. I'm sure word spread fast."

Anger filled me with every second that passed. I wanted to rip her throat out. I know she treated me badly, but I didn't know she treated me this bad. I was going to get answers out of her. One way or the other.