what do you think she is seeing?
CALLA’S POV.
My dreams didn’t stop.
I woke every day with another horrifying dream of the dark forest and Shilhi.
As time proceeded, they stopped feeling like dreams. They seemed so real – like I had lived in them. Like I walked through the grounds of the dark forests and battled with many things with a person I couldn’t see his face.
It didn’t help that Cole was dumb to my questions and desire for knowledge. Scarlett too. Every time I met them with my dream, asking more and more questions about the dark forest and the woman, Shilhi, they tended to wave it as another of my meaningless dreams.
At some point, they even said I might be conjuring hallucinations using my powers! I could never get over the ridiculousness of that theory. The worst part of it was that I couldn’t help myself.
I could not help myself and as the days went by with me idly sitting in my room or walking around the Alpha’s chambers, it seemed like there was something in me, begging to be seen, known and acknowledged.
With every passing dream, I felt like a bit of me was restored, only that those bits and bits of me were yet to form a clear picture. It was like collecting different pieces of a puzzle with some parts missing.
The silence from everyone only grew my curiosity and frustration at my ignorance of what was happening. If I could find something about the dark forest, I would be able to find my way around and see if I was indeed seeing things or if it was my memories.
One of the days, and during my hours of careless thinking, I had begun to think that I might be seeing pieces of my memory. I had started seeing pictures of places I had never been to or seen in the Moon Light pack.
Sometimes, I asked Scar, describing the places, only to have her look at me like I was crazy. I learned never to share my thoughts with her so straightforwardly.
I was finally out of the clear. After I slumped and woke up with this problem, I was relegated to the Alpha’s chambers where I was to have my rest and take medications that honestly just made me sleepy.
Today was my first day back to practice with Scar and I was expecting Cole any moment from now. I doubted he would let me go without finding out if I was ‘fit’ enough to be in public’s eyes – that was code for if I had another crazy dream that I couldn’t shut up about.
The door opened and I smelt him before I saw him. I was growing a third sense of smell. These days, I perceive things, people and even animals. It was so weird, I sometimes got dizzy at the scents of everything that came in full force.
“My Calla.” Cole said in a fondly manner, “How are you?”Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.
In my head, I heard that as, ‘Are you alright? Did you have any weird dreams today? Are you sane enough to appear in public?’
“I am fine.” I gritted with my back to him, refusing to look at his hypocritical face.
Cole didn’t get the message because he walked into the room, closed the door and headed for me. “My love,” He said, turning me around. “Look at me.” He urged and raised my head.
My eyes met his and he purred in approval. “I’ve missed those beautiful eyes.” He said, “Are you ready to begin your training? Do you have anything you want to tell me? Anything you need? Just tell me, and I’ll make it happen.” He said so softly, and for a moment, I thought about asking him again.
I looked into his eyes and I couldn’t be vulnerable to him. I couldn’t trust him with my dreams. Not when it was evident he was keeping something away from me. “I am ready,” I said after much thought but Cole was quiet – waiting, expectant.
I disappointed him with my words. “There’s nothing I need.” I took a few steps away and gave him a smile that didn’t quite reach my eyes. “I just need to get out of here and do something other than mope around.”
Cole didn’t buy that. His eyes said it all. But like me, he chose to pretend. “Good. Scarlet is waiting to receive you.” He walked to the door and opened it for me. “Shall we?”
I didn’t need to answer. Together, we went to the field with his hand covering my own as we passed guards and pack members – who greeted us as we made our way past them.
When we arrived at the field, I noticed something different. There was grass. The field had grown with grass. I shot Scar a curious look.
“Luna.” She called, walking towards me the moment she saw me. “Welcome back.”
To Cole, she gave a curt nod and he acknowledged. “I see you are set to begin practice,” Cole remarked, letting go of my hand. “I’ll leave her to you. Unfortunately, I can’t watch today’s training. There are a lot of papers in my office that won’t sign themselves.”
“I understand,” Scarlett said and I stepped towards her wondering what was wrong with the field.
There was a dead smell in the air, but the grasses seemed green and alive. Something was wrong. “I will see you later, My Calla,” Cole said and I nodded, giving him an odd smile.
If he noticed it, he didn’t say, and walked away, leaving us to our business.
“What was that about?” Scarlett asked, gauging me with a suspicious look.
I decided to play dumb and ask what was on my mind. “There is a dead smell in the ground and the grass seems so healthy?”
“Because the grass is faux.” She answered, feeling the floor. “Since you killed the earth, it’s only normal that we fix it the best way we can.” Her words made me remember the last time we were here and how I’d taken life from the earth, killing every living particle in the soil and leaving it dead.
“Oh.”
“Oh is right,” Scarlett said. “Don’t you think it looks better? When I came in here, I thought it was some growing farmland.” She chuckled.
Farm. Farmland. A flash image came into my head and I saw myself walking through a farm, looking for a book. I saw the book and a loud voice hollered in my head,
“Ithra! Watchout! Rogues!”
I staggered when I saw a flood of rogues pour into the farm, chasing after me, and someone I couldn’t see. A migraine hit me and I squatted, holding my head and breathing heavily.
“Calla? Calla!” I heard the panicked voice of Scarlett before I gave in to the darkness around me.
******
“What is wrong with her?” I heard Cole say from beside me, but I didn’t open my eyes. “You said everything was under control?!” His voice was threatening.
“Yes, Alpha.” It was Scarlett, “I gave her the right potions but for some reason, she keeps having these attacks.”
“What do you think they are?” He asked, “What do you think she is seeing?”
“I can’t tell. But if I were to guess, I’d say the Luna is recovering her memories.”
Cole let out a low growl. “I already told you to make it stop. Put her on drugs, poison, anything. She cannot recover her memories. Not until she belongs to me, body, mind and soul.”