Chapter 7

CLEMENTINE

The day after Ivan’s pack arrives, I wake up early and carefully walk to the bathroom. The last thing I want is to disturb Nikki and Alex; they are so annoying.

I can’t wait to have my own place.

My mother didn’t allow me to return, which is just as well, but now I’m stuck. With Ivan and his pack visiting, there aren’t any extra rooms available here, and staying at the second pack house is out of the question. Alex would never let me stay there without supervision.

I quickly finish my business and make my way out of the room, but as I walk down the hallway, I bump into a hard chest. Without looking up, I know that it is Ivan. His scent gives him away.

“Alpha Ivan,” I say, nodding in acknowledgment, but he doesn’t look pleased by my greeting.

He clears his throat. “It’s Ivan…to you.”

I’m taken aback. The big, scary alpha king wants me to call him by his first name?

~“He is just so nice,”~ Helia comments, and I agree with her.

“Ivan,” I say, testing his name on my lips. Helia moans in pleasure, but I have to suppress my feelings.

I look up to find his eyes closed. He’s taking deep breaths.

“Are you okay?” I ask worriedly.

“Yes, I am,” he quickly replies.

I give Ivan one last glance before leaving for my shift. I don’t want to keep standing close to him because every time I do, I get this weird feeling in my stomach. It’s irritating.

When I step into the infirmary, I spot Erika standing beside a bed with Andrei from Ivan’s pack. She giggles at something he says, then sees me and motions for me to come over.

“Good morning,” I say, grinning as I look between them.

“Good morning, Clementine,” Andrei replies.

Erika smiles shyly. “Morning, Clem.”

I smirk. “Did I miss something?”

“Um, I… Andrei is… We are mates,” Erika stutters, making me laugh.

Andrei just looks at her dreamily, clearly already in love.

I am so happy that Erika found her mate—she’s been waiting for a while now. But seeing her so happy makes me wonder what it would feel like to have a mate.

When I first saw Ivan, I thought that he was my mate, but surely, he would have told me or done something if he was. Plus, I’m not a werewolf, so us being mates is impossible—unless the Moon Goddess decided to switch things up.

I smile and hug my friend. “Congratulations! I am so happy for you.”

Erika smiles back. “Thank you.”

Andrei smirks at me. “I hope you find your mate too.”

“I-I’m not a werewolf,” I say, and scratch the back of my neck.

Erika hits Andrei’s arm, but he just smiles broader. “Oh, I know that.” Then he kisses Erika and walks out of the infirmary, leaving me confused.

“What did he mean by that?” I ask.

“I don’t know, but what if your kind does have mates?”

I bite my lower lip nervously. “I hope so.”

“So, she still hasn’t told you what you are?” Erika asks, annoyed.

“No. She won’t tell me.”

“But why?”

“I don’t know, Erika. I don’t know…”

***

Luna Helen was supposed to return yesterday, around the same time as Ivan’s pack, but she decided to come today instead. Now Alpha Jake is waiting outside for his wife, along with several other members of our pack.

Last night, Alpha Jake found me in Alex’s room and demanded that I not tell Helen anything. He’s afraid that if she or the pack finds out, no one will respect him.

I mean, that’s what should happen.

When Luna Helen steps through the pack’s gates, I’m reminded that she’s a very beautiful woman. She’s also kind and caring, unlike her devil of a mate.

I smile. “Welcome back, Luna,” I greet.

She nods graciously. “Thank you, Clementine.”

Alpha Jake and the other gathered pack members stand and greet her as well. Next, Alpha Ivan introduces himself and his pack, and Luna Helen hides her surprise at the visit, chatting naturally as they go inside the pack house.

Once everyone is gone, I walk around the woods, keeping close to the pack house. I don’t want what happened last time to happen again.

I look up and watch a flock of birds fly in the afternoon sky, wondering where they go at night. Then they turn and race toward me. Panicked, I quickly turn to leave, but to my surprise, they don’t attack; they just fly around me.

I furrow my eyebrows, unable to understand what’s happening, but I decide to shrug it off and keep moving.

A minute later, I hear the birds squeak. Looking back, I see almost ten of them flying behind me. They stop as if frozen, and I blink rapidly, trying to make sure that what I’m seeing is real.

I narrow my eyes at the birds, and they suddenly drop dead. It’s a terrifying scene.

Shaking, I gulp and slowly walk toward them. I kneel to their level and touch one, and it starts to breathe, then move. The bird gets to its feet and flies away.

I stop breathing for a second.

~What the fuck is happening? Am I dreaming?~

I touch the other nine birds, and the same thing happens. They just…come back to life.

~What the hell?~

“Helia, tell me what’s going on,” I demand out loud.

~“You know I can’t say, but someone else can,” she replies.

“Who?”

~“Look ahead.”~

I look up and see a figure surrounded by fog. As the figure comes toward me, I see it’s a man. He looks me in the eye.

“Who are you?” I ask, trying not to show my fear.

“I heard that you have been looking for me, Clementine Moore,” the man replies, making me furrow my brows. “I am Malcolm,” he adds.

My heart races even faster. “Why are you here?”

“You wanted to see me,” he replies simply. “What is it you wish to ask, Clementine?”

Just the way he says my name makes me want to run the hills. He radiates power.

~Should I be afraid of him, Helia?~

~“No. You are much more powerful than him,”~ she replies, and I relax a bit.

~But how powerful am I? Who knows… Well, other than Helia, who’s not saying.~

“I wanted to ask you about me,” I say, trying to calm my racing heart. “What am I?”

Malcolm seems surprised. “Oh—I expected you to ask something else.”

“Like what?”

“Like what happened a few minutes ago,” he replies, apparently having seen the incident with the birds.

Now that I think about it, it does seem weird that I asked him something else. But both questions should lead to the answer that I want to know.

“What happened?” I ask.

“Well, I’d like to start with a story,” Malcolm starts.

I roll my eyes.

“One thousand years ago, the first female phoenix was born. Her name was Bedelia, and she was the sun. The goddess of fire.” Circling me, he continues, “It’s rare for phoenixes to be born; usually it only happens every hundred years. But you were born fifty years after the last one, which makes you even rarer, Clementine.”

“I-I am a phoenix?” I ask in disbelief.

~How is that possible?~ ~Why couldn’t you tell me, Helia?~

~“I wanted to, but the goddess Bedelia wouldn’t let me. It had to be someone else.”~

“Yes, you are, Clementine,” Malcolm says, pulling me out of my thoughts. He arches his eyebrows. “Do you know what your name means?”

I shake my head.

“It means merciful. You are the first light phoenix this world has witnessed.”

I don’t know what to make of that, so I say, “I have a voice in my head—who is she?”

“Oh, her. She is your phoenix. Just like werewolves each have a wolf inside their human body, you have Helia.”

How does he know her name?

“Will I be able to turn…?” I begin, unsure.

“Yes, of course, but only when you become a true phoenix.”

“And how does that happen?”

“Oh, that, I cannot tell you.”

“Why?”

“Because it has to come naturally, without you knowing. Once it does, you will become another being, and your inner phoenix will come out.”

My heart slams against my ribcage. ~Am I going to die?~

As if hearing my thoughts, Malcolm says, “You are not going to die, Clementine.” He turns around to leave, then adds, “Oh, and by the way, being a phoenix means that you are a healer. That’s how you helped those birds. But you should know that you are also something else.”

“Something else?” I ask in confusion.

“You are also a witch, Clementine.”

And with that, he disappears.

***

I’m still trying to process everything Malcolm said when I hear yelling. I look behind me and see Ivan and some of his pack, along with Alpha Jake and Alex, walking my way.

“Where were you?” Alex yells as he embraces me. “You scared the shit out of me! How could you be reckless enough to come to the woods after what happened?”

Before I can answer, Alpha Jake asks in a dangerous tone, “What were you doing here?”

Ivan just stares at me. Though he doesn’t utter a word, his eyes narrow as if he thinks I committed murder.

“I was just getting fresh air,” I say, earning growls from everyone.

~What the fuck is wrong with them?~

“Let’s go,” Alex says, grabbing my arm and yanking me toward the pack house.

Everyone follows us inside, wearing questioning looks, but I don’t dare to open my mouth.

When we are finally in the central area of the pack house, Alpha Jake begins to say something, but Ivan cuts him off. “Everyone leave us alone,” he orders.

My eyes widen. ~What does he want with me?~

Slowly but surely, everyone leaves, and Ivan does not waste any more time. He grabs my arm and brings me to his room once again. He closes the door behind us.

“What are you doing?” I ask, panicked.

“Who were you with?” he responds, his voice low and dangerous.

“No one,” I quickly reply.

“Don’t lie to me!” Ivan yells, slamming his fist on the door and shocking the hell out of me. “Who were you with?”

“M-Malcolm,” I stutter.

His eyes turn bright yellow, and his wolf demands, “Who is Malcolm?”

I stand in place, shaking from fear. “The wizard Malcolm,” I clarify.

Ivan’s anger eases a bit, but his eyes keep glowing, meaning that his wolf is still in control. “And what were you doing with Malcolm?”

“I had some questions about Helia…”

With that, his eyes return to their original hazel color.

~God…his eyes.~

~“I know, right?” ~Helia hums.

“What did he say about Helia?” Ivan asks. He seems genuinely curious, and for some reason, I love that.

“He told me what I am.” I gulp, afraid of his reaction.

“And what are you, Clementine?” he whispers.

“A phoenix. I am a phoenix.”