Flora’s P.O.V
“Is everything ready?” Ezra asked as she peeked her head through the door to the ceremonial hall.
The giant overhead chandelier scattered its golden light on her hair, making it glow and I wasn’t the only one who thought she looked beautiful as several giggles went around the room.
“Flower garlands are ready; the incent sticks are burning and the celebratory dinner is being prepared in the kitchen.” I listed off my completed duties to her as I went to greet her at the door. “Daphne finished cleaning everything this afternoon and Rosa is taking care of arranging the rooms for the soldiers.”
“She isn’t back yet?” Ezra looked a little concerned. “The soldiers are supposed to arrive in half an hour.”
“I’ll go ch-”
“I’m back!” Rosa called out before I could finish my sentence, as she came to stand next to Ezra. “Sorry I’m a little late.”
“You finished right on time. I’ll send word to Alpha Malachi that the preparations are complete.” Ezra gave her a smile and a pat on her head before heading off.
Rosa gave me a smile and a sigh of relief and then came to join me at the garland counter. “These look lovely!” She picked up a garland made of white and pink roses and carnations. “Did you make them?”
“I had help.” I smiled as I remembered the enthusiastic faces of my tiny helpers. Those little devil-angels usually flocked around Ezra, but they seemed to want to help me today. It might be the excitement of tonight’s feast that was making them jittery but I wasn’t complaining. Once I showed the children how to make a garland, everyone had followed the instruction to the T.
“That’s great,” Rosa gave me a bright smile, her big blue eyes sparkling in delight. She was shorter than me in stature but older in age by five years. Her strawberry blonde hair was cut short to her shoulders and they cascaded around her head in loose ringlets. She was a sweet girl but we didn’t interact as often for some reason.
“Well, I have to catch up on the dessert preparations,” she said to me now. “See you at the ceremony?”
“Yes, sure.” I gave her a welcoming smile and waved her goodbye as she headed out the door.
I was about to go off on my own when a call from behind halted me.
“Healer?”
I looked back at the familiar face of the soldier who had come to escort me to the wounded soldier yesterday.
“Yes?” I stepped closer to the door so I could talk to him. Men weren’t allowed inside the temple unless there was a special occasion, like the initiation ceremony tonight, but even then, only a select few men could enter. This temple was completely dedicated to the Goddess Selene and her devoted followers.
“The soldier from yesterday, whom you helped treat,” he said a bit hesitantly, as if I would have trouble remembering him.
“Yes, of course.” I told him encouragingly. “You came to get me yesterday, I remember. Is something the matter?”
He nodded his head urgently, making dark brown hair fall on top of sea blue eyes. “I’m his friend. I just went to visit him and he…seemed restless.”
“Restless?” I frowned. That didn’t sound good. I had healed up his would carefully, but was it possible I had overlooked any kind of internal bleeding? “Let’s go check on your friend.”
I told one of the other Lunar Maidens that I was heading to the infirmary before following the soldier to his friend. When I reached the ward, I found it empty of any caretakers. There was a soldier stationed a few feet away but there was no healer or nurse present, so I entered to check on the patient.
Just as his friend, Joshua, had described, the soldier was tossing and turning on his bed as if he was having a nightmare. He was also sweating profoundly, to the point where his shirt was soaked through. I told Joshua to help me change him into a new shirt while I opened up a few windows to let the cool air inside.
“I think he has a fever.” Joshua told me as he stepped back from his friend’s bed after having changed him.
“Oh?” I put a hand on his forehead to check and immediately removed it. “He’s burning up.”
And I didn’t even use it as a phrase. Joshua’s friend was literally burning up. His temperature was so high that it seemed impossible even in wolf standards. Also, werewolves rarely got sick. They would get sprains and wounds all the time but never have I seen a wolf with a fever. What was going on? Was his injury not healed properly?
Telling Joshua to get some ice, I took out the salves I had for the few humans that resided in Lindersay. I had a particular salve with mint and clove oil that helped reduce fevers for humans and I wanted to apply it on the soldier to work temporarily while I healed him. So, I applied the salve on his forehead and neck and then I used my powers to help reduce the fever by placing my hand on top of his chest.
Joshua came back about five minutes later and his fever still hadn’t gone down while I was losing energy. I was connected to Alpha Malachi via the Alpha-Healer bond, but I tried to use as little of his powers as possible. When it wasn’t working after ten whole minutes, I gave up.
“Can’t you use fever medicine on him?” Joshua asked hopefully.
“Wolves don’t get such high fevers, so I don’t have any on hand and the ones I use for humans is out.” I told him sadly. “I’ll need to get some from the forest outside after the ceremony.”
“But what if it’s too late after the ceremony?” Joshua urged, looking at his friend with longing in his eyes as he took his limp hand in both of his. “I’m scared for him.”
He loved him; I came to the sudden realization. The way he was looking at the injured soldier and they way he was getting worried about him told me that they were more than friends. Joshua loved him, but I couldn’t tell yet if the feeling was mutual.
I felt sorry for the soldier. He wasn’t the only one suffering, Joshua was too and I didn’t know how to help them. The herbs needed to treat him were found in a dangerous part of the jungle where rogues often frequented. Usually, at least ten highly trained soldiers escorted us to collect herbs from that area and they would use smoke bombs beforehand to ward off the rogue. But this soldier needed the herbs now and I couldn’t get any of those soldiers to come with me since everyone was busy preparing for the feast.
“I’ll come with you.” Joshua said suddenly, snapping my attention to him.
“Pardon?”
“I’ll escort you to the forest and get us back safely.” He looked at me with determination. “I’m training to be a special soldier. I’ll protect you.”
“Joshua, it’s very dangerous to go-” I tried to reason with him but he cut me off.
“Please! He needs help.”
I looked at the face of the fallen soldier and saw that Joshua was indeed right. His sweating was only getting worse, his shirt was once again soaked through and he was trembling like a leaf. He needed medication and he needed it fast. I couldn’t risk his health any longer.
“Alright.” I sighed. “Let’s go.”
The only thing I could hope for now was that we didn’t run into any kind of danger.
Flora’s P.O.VGetting past security was surprisingly easy.I don’t know if it’s because they were excited for the feast or something else was the matter, but security was low and even though the entire palace was buzzing with activity, we seemed to go unnoticed.Joshua looked thankful as we made it past the gates without any complaints. Although we were stopped by the guards, I explained to them that I needed herbs for the injured soldier and we were immediately allowed through, but with an extra guard. I felt relieved that now I had two escorts instead of one and both had guns to defend us in case any rogues were lingering in the woods.It was a ten minute walk to the destination where most herbs were found. It’s not that herbs didn’t grow near the castle, but with constant picking, the herbs had stopped growing as much near the castle and now, we had to walk further into the woods to get the necessary
Flora’s P.O.VEverything around me seemed to disappear, as if we were the only two people in the world. My heart was beating wildly inside my chest, but I didn’t understand why. I felt a pain in my chest, a strange kind of longing.The red took a step forward and I instinctively flinched back, making it halt with its paw mid-step. My eyes once again connected with the red rimmed gold of its iris and I saw confusion swirl in them.The wolf wasn’t just a rogue, but a powerful one. I could feel its strength by the way he held his body, even in wolf form. And the shove of power I got from him was very similar to Malachi’s…the power of an Alpha. But how could that be? How could an Alpha become a rogue?Suddenly, I saw flashes of images dance in front of my eyes.A red wolf chasing me across the forest. I was running away from it, as fast as I could. The sun was setting in the horizon but there was no s
“Ricky’s body was found near the patrol parameter half an hour ago.” Malachi looked down at the woods as he spoke; the world covered in a veil of darkness. “He’s dead. It looks like the Alpha got rid of the newbie.”“A Rogue Alpha?” Ezra looked puzzled and worried as she stood behind Malachi.It was unheard of, just as unheard of as the fact that rogues could now turn other wolves with a bite. Rogue killing rogues however, wasn’t a new phenomenon.But how did these rogues turn it into a disease? Or was the soldier already on the verge of becoming a rogue? There were too many questions and very little answers.“I had heard legends of them as a child.” Malachi said now as he turned to Ezra. “They were a myth no one wanted to believe in, especially the Moon Goddess. She always thought turning her back on the wolves who worshipped her would be the ultimate punishment, leading them to beco
Flora’s P.O.VA necklace? The heaviness felt like a pendant but I didn’t open my eyes until he whispered in my ears to open them. My hands instantly went to my throat as I felt the chain and then the pendant…It was a heart. The pendant was attached to a silver chain and the heart was a beautiful emerald green, with a touch of blue at the centre…the exact colour of my eyes. It looked impossibly beautiful…it was a symbol…Pendant…Emerald green…eyes…his eyes…Flora…“Thank you… I’ll cherish it forever.”Flora…“Flora?”Gasping, I sat up in bed, only to clutch my head as the world began to spin.“Easy, easy…” Soothing voice, calming hand on my shoulders.“Mercy?” I looked at the aged wolf in
Flora’s P.O.VI held the pendant in my hands two hours after I had found it and I couldn’t find it in me to let it go.I had taken a long, hot shower and was now dressed in a night gown in white as I sat on top of my soft, comfortable bed and looked at the pendant with unbroken focus, as if it could simply start talking and give me all the answers I was hoping for.The dream I had when I was unconscious…was it even a dream or was it a memory? If it was a memory…then why didn’t I remember more? Why didn’t I remember the face of the person who gave me this necklace?A heart shaped pendant symbolized love, right?I had a lover in my past? Was it someone I truly loved? Was it someone I couldn’t live without? Was it my mate?Were the speculations really true? Daphne and Emma had told me after I had woken up that there were a lot of speculations about my past. That a lot of rumors were g
Flora’s P.O.V“Mate.”Shocked gasps and whispers sounded from all around me but it felt like everything was so very far away.Did I hear him right? Are my ears ringing?But when I looked up into topaz eyes, I could see the shock and realization there as well. Andre was looking at me with his eyes wide, pupils’ dilated as the others in the room looked at us in wonder.Mate?Mate…The word, the concept…it all felt foreign…like I was hearing them for the first time. I had found my mate, right? Andre Saltzman…the general of the new recruit army…was my mate…But didn’t I feel anything?“What is your name, My Lady?” Andre came forward, almost invading my personal space before I hastily took a step back.The action made him and quite a few others frown but he didn’t comment. Instead he waited patiently for
Flora’s P.O.VEach gunshot felt like a bullet to my heart. Each wail of pain a knell.I turned away from the scene and briskly walked back to my room even as several of the maidens still stood at the tower balcony, almost like they were enjoying the killing.Yes, they were rogue wolves and yes, the troops were brought in for our protection…but this seemed like a slaughter.These rogues were once normal wolves. Friends and family of the people who had lived in Lindersay for centuries. How could Malachi allow this? Andre was supposed to scare them, not slaughter them!Malachi’s acceptance to this entire proposal by Andre seemed like a betrayal to me even though I had no reason to feel so. Everything about it felt morally wrong! The soldiers had been brought in to protect us! They weren’t supposed to go on a killing rampage! If they wanted to be violent like this…what difference did we have left with th
Flora’s P.O.VThe forest was dark and gloomier than I had ever seen it. The stench of blood and dust heavy in the air along with another, heavier note…gunpowder probably?I kept my pace slow and walked in a straight line, my bag clutched to my chest. There was nothing on me that I could defend myself with…no protection, no weapons. The only thing I had was faith.Rogues were supposed to have lost all humanity, but not common sense. They were skilled at fighting and sneak attacks, so wouldn’t it mean they could sense that I was a healer? Wouldn’t they understand that I wanted to help? But it was too late to question my decision now. I was already here…although I had no idea where I was going.Thunder roared at the horizon, followed by a blinding flash of lightning across the sky. I halted mid-step, covering my ears with my hands and pressing my lips together to stop myself from screaming. I didn&rsquo