One

I could the feel the heat as it scorched my skin, I could almost see the heat as I stared into the fiery red abyss ahead of me. It was coming closer, creating a sense of panic in me, I retreated quickly and started running away.

Everywhere I turned, there was fire, the whole village was slowly catching fire, I stopped, looked around frantically, people were falling one by one, loud cries deafened my ears as I moved back shaking my head in disbelieve. The once beautiful scenery was black, and red…fiery red and it was coming even closer. I took to my heels again and ran for my life.

Then I saw my father, with my mother. I went to hug them, “mom, what’s going on?”. I stared up at her expecting answers but the sight of her blackened face staring down at me made me scream. My dad’s face too was burnt, I staggered back and looked around, everywhere around me was full of ashes, smoke and fire.

I ran. Without looking back. I ran for my life, the approaching fire behind me closing in on me. I soon lost my balance and tripped over a twig, heaving heavily, I moved back trying to get away from it but it was already too late. The fire was definitely going to engulf me, I let out a loud shriek as I slipped into nothingness…

“Sera, Sera”, I felt a splash of water on my face as I stood up with a start.

“Are you okay?”

I blinked once... twice... trying to make sense of my surroundings. Everything was slowly becoming clear as I realized that I was in my room, I looked to my left to see Ella, my guardian still holding my shoulders.

“Is it the dream?”, she asked, concern and worry printing her semi aged face.

Ella had been more than my guardian as she took me as her daughter when my pack was massacred by the .... pack. I was one of the few survivors of my pack but I was left with a huge emotional and mental scar spending the rest of the years of my life dreaming and reliving the scene over and over again. It was not easy and if not because of Ella, I would have been lost.

Ella would always tell me that when they when they brought the children captives to .... she was drawn to the 6 year old girl with a black mane. She would always tell stories of how brave I was, disturbing a guard because the other children wanted water but they were so scared to ask. How it was when the guard hit me, she came to my rescue and her wolf immediately became protective of me. She had pleaded with the Luna of the pack to keep me and groom me to become a lady in waiting and she luckily agreed.

At the time she adopted me, she did not have a child yet, so she took me as one.

“Are you alright?”, she asked again, her voice sounding more worried.

“I am”, I answered with my voice scratchy. I coughed a little and Ella handed me a glass of water on the table beside her.

“It’s gotten worse”, she mused sighing as she pulled me in before questioning, “did you stop using the sleeping herbs given to you?”

The sleeping herbs concocted by the pack doctor had worked for a while but whenever I stop using it, the nightmares will get even worse. It also gives me hallucinations sometimes so I stopped using it finally but I did not tell Ella because she had so much faith in it, and seeing her hopes low again would hurt.

I was going to shake my head when I noticed Rory sobbing behind her. Rory is Ella’s daughter and I’ve always loved Rory like a sister since she was given birth too.

“Ohh, Rory”, I cooed, “come here baby”

I stretched my hands and pulled her to my laps.

“I wanted to wake you up but you did not answer”, she hiccuped as she spoke. “I thought something bad happened to you”

I sighed inwardly cleaning her wet face, “Nothing bad can happen to me and I promise it won’t happen again”. I assured her even though I knew it would. I just had to manage it, somehow.

Her blue doe eyes looked up at me and her expression made my heart melt. She sniffed then held her pinky out, “Pinky?”

I stared at her tiny finger before locking it with mine then looked up to her with a reassuring smile.

“Pinky”

The pack clock dinged loudly and I froze. Oh my God.

It’s time already???

Rory jumped off my lap with a whole new expression contrasting mine, her smile shone as she hugged me, “See you later. I can’t be late for the ball. I need to get dressed”.

Then she ran off, I would have giggled at her retreating figure if I was not in big trouble.

“Oh my God, it’s time and...oh shoot, why did I fall asleep?”, I scrambled off the bed battling with the tangled sheet wrapped around my body.

It’s time for the ball and I had not yet gotten the alpha’s daughter, Ava, ready yet. I’ve been her lady in waiting since I became old enough to work. The job was very comfortable and thanks to Ella who pulled some strings, and also Ava since we were already friends by that time.

We had gotten closer and she was like my only best friend in the whole pack.

“Calm your nerves, Ava instructed you to take the day off, right?”, Ella spoke, not in the slightest bit unbothered.

I shook my head, “no shit, but she-“

Ella’s look as I cussed made me shut up, whispering ‘sorry’, she rolled her eyes and continued to talk.

“I’ve arranged a stylist for Ava. You just need to get yourself ready for the ball too.”

I paused, before I processed the words sighing in relief. Then I pulled her into a tight hug inhaling her homely scent making my wolf sigh in satisfaction.

“Thank you, thank you so much. You’re the best and I really appreciate this from the bottom of my wolf’s guts”.

She put her hands on my hair, messing it up, making me jump back. She knows how much I hate it, and she enjoys doing it.

“Now, I’ll leave you to get dressed”, she said then paused. I noticed a change in her countenance as her pupil became unnoticeable, she was communicating with someone through the wolf bond, definitely her husband.

Her expression became light as she came to reality again, “I have a husband that needs me”, she ruffled my hair again winking while I shuddered in pretend disgust.

“Oh, please. I don’t need to know”, I groaned jokingly. “Just go and quietly do your thing before Rory gets home”, I ushered her out of the room and finally closed it.

Now. What to wear to the ball?

I was naturally going to pick a casual flowery gown but Ava specifically warned me not to dress casually and told me that was an order from my boss.

I knew she was joking but who am I to reject an order from my boss?

I brought out a red dress that Ella gifted for my last birthday. She said she thought it would go well with my hair color which was a very dark black color, and she was right.

I’ve never really worn the dress but tonight seemed like the right time to try it on. I felt a sense of thrill run through my bones, well it seems like my wolf likes it too.

I brought out my black heels and placed it alongside my dress on the bed then undressed and went to take a quick shower.

It took me approximately 30 minutes to get ready and by the time I was done, I could proudly say I looked good.

My makeup was light and mostly nude since I didn’t like heavy or obvious makeup, my hair was left to flow straight down my back reaching my butt, I put a small band at the front to hold it and fixed edges at the front of my hair leaving a few tiny tendrils to flow.

When I was sure I looked okay and did not forget anything, I grabbed my keys, my black purse and left the room to go downstairs to the kitchen after locking up.

Making a mental note of the things I had to do, first thing being going to meet Ella if she needed any help, I did not notice when a hand dragged me into a room and another hand covered my mouth muffling my surprised scream.

However the fear that charged my body disappeared and was replaced with ease, I smiled as I looked at the culprit who was none other than the man I loved, Ryan.

He raised his eyebrows in awe as he looked at me, “God, you’re beautiful”, he buried his face in my neck and inhaled deeply before pressing light kisses there, then moved up to my jaw. It was not long before our lips merged as we kissed fervently.

My hands flew up to his hair detangling the curls while he explored the exposed areas of body, causing a shiver to roll down my spine.

I moaned into his touch as the kiss deepened, heat pooled round my abdomen making me clutch my thighs together, I could already feel a bulge in his pants.

I suddenly broke the kiss, breathing heavily, I planted another light one on his his lips watching his reaction before talking, “we should stop”

He heaved out, “what’s wrong?”

I knew he was mad, we’ve never had sex and he had made advances a few times but I had always turned him down. He also knew the reason and that was what always made him angry. He was human and I was a wolf, he can’t be my mate meaning my mate was still somewhere out there.

Or maybe he was one of the people that lost his life in my pack massacre, that’s what I always thought.

And when I fell in love with him, I thought it was the moon goddess giving me another chance.

Though I loved him, whenever we tried to get into it, I always felt like I’m betraying my wolf, I may have found the love of my life but my wolf was still incomplete. She found comfort in Ryan but that was about it. It was never something emotional because he didn’t have a wolf she could connect with.

We both loved him though, even if it was against the rules, humans cannot court werewolves and vice versa. He only stays in the pack because he’s an ambassador for the humans. Ever since humans and werewolves signed peace treaty to always stay at peace with each other, each party had to send an ambassador, he replaced his late dad who was the former ambassador so it was even more forbidden for him to be seen having an affair with a werewolf.

I raised my hands up looking at him to caress his face, “now is not the time, what if someone enters?”, I asked. “You know we both have to be at the ball or else, they’ll become suspicious”.

He collected my hands from his face and kissed it while his soulful eyes never left contact with mine. “If any one comes in here, I’ll tell them to fuck the hell off, can’t they see I’m busy with my girlfriend?”

His words made my heart flutter as it brought a rush of heat to my cheeks.

“Charming words won’t change the fact that we need to go down to the ball”, I overemphasized my last words so he'll know how important it is.

He let out a string of cusses and moved away from me, I know he was not happy with it but duty calls, I held his hands and pulled him close to me letting him know that I also wasn’t happy with leaving him, “I love you”, I whispered in his ears.

His eyes became playful immediately and he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively giving my butt a squeeze, “So, can we... ?”

I shook my head and laughed before wriggling out of his hold, “See you later”. Then I opened the door to leave.

He just laughed at my actions and called out ‘I love you too’ as I left.