I pull Alex closer towards me as she sleeps soundly. I bury my face in her hair as I fall into a dreamful sleep. After all, the dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow.
28
15 years later…
COMRADE
"Alex! Hurry up! We need to get going!" I tell my mate. I check my watch in an annoyed fashion as I push my hand through my long hair. Alex still likes my hair long, even after 15 years.
"You know, Comrade dearest, you could get your lazy ass up here and help me!" Alex's sharp reply is screamed as I see her standing up at the top of the stairs with her hands planted on her hips.
Ten minutes later and I've helped Alex bring down twelve bags compared to my three.
"Jeez, Alex, where the hell did all this stuff come from?" I question as I wipe the perspiration from my forehead. Of course, our room had to be on the second floor at the end of the hallway.
Alex gives me a cheeky grin before saying in an equally cheeky voice, "A girl’s gotta pack what a girl’s gotta pack."
I roll my eyes at her answer and go to say a snarky remark back, but I'm stopped when another scream travels through the house.
"Comrade!" Celina's frantic voice travels through the air. I'm instantly looking everywhere for her until I see her burst out of the kitchen door and come barreling towards me. Callum suddenly appears also, but at the top of the stairs. He must've heard Celina's scream.
"Celina? What's wrong?" I rush out as I grab her upper arms and stare into her golden eyes. Even though she's 34, her eyes look as though they're still those innocent 16-year-old I met so long ago.
"The boys are chasing me!" she exclaims in fright before two massive figures burst through the kitchen door, almost getting stuck in the process. I roll my eyes when I realise that she's talking about Jett and Dylan. I see Callum relax his stance at the bottom of the stairs as he leans against the rail.
"Celina, the worst they're gonna do is tickle you," I say with a grin. Celina squeals and hides behind me when she sees Jett and Dylan start to advance.
"Comrade!" Celina whimpers behind my back. I take a glance at my watch and sigh. We're late anyway, may as well make us a little more later.
I hold up my hand to Jett and Dylan who instantly stop walking.
"As your guardian and your mother’s former guardian, I tell you to stop whatever you’re about to do to your mother until I have left pack grounds. You have free reign to her then," I tell them seriously, but a grin breaks out on the last part.
Celina whacks my back from behind, but steps out into the open nonetheless.
"Thanks, Uncle Comrade! We'll be sure to keep that in mind," Jett says in that deep voice of his with a grin similar to his dad's.
A clearing of a throat suddenly grabs my attention. I turn around to look at Alex as she impatiently taps her foot on the floor.
"Well, thanks to that little occurrence, we are now late! We need to get going!" Alex screams, looking a little frantic. I chuckle at her, deciding to keep my remark about her having a million bags to myself.
Jett and Dylan suddenly grab both Alex and I, then crush us in a hug. We both hug back. I see Alex close her eyes and a small smile grow on her face. Even though we can't have our own pups, the triplets are pretty close.
"We're gonna miss you, Auntie Alex," Dylan whispers, placing a soft kiss on top of her head.
"Feeling the love over here, boys," I mutter to myself. Since they have both alpha and royal blood in them though, they hear and say they're gonna miss me too.
We say goodbye to Celina, Callum, and also Axel since he showed up just in time to see us off.
"Okay, everyone, see you in around a year!" I yell as I put the last of our bags in the boot of the car.
Just as I'm about to get into the driver’s seat to take Alex and I away, a soft voice from the doorway stops me, "Wait!"
I freeze in my tracks and snap my head towards the door to see a mass of white hair and tears come barreling towards me. Clarissa.
I open my arms and just wait until she launches herself in my waiting arms and buries her head in my chest. She wraps her arms around my waist as I wrap my arms around her shoulders.
"I'm gonna miss you," I tell her, wrapping my arms around her tighter.
I see Alex standing in front of us with a sad smile on her face. She places a hand on Clarissa's shoulder and quietly says, "We'll be back soon. I promise."
Clarissa nods her head and pulls away. I gently wipe the tears from her face and kiss her forehead.
"Can you promise me something? Promise me that no matter what, no matter what is thrown your way, promise me that you'll fight and never give up. Promise me that and I'll leave here happy," I whisper to her, cupping her face with my hands.
Clarissa nods her head while whispering in her beautifully soft voice, "I promise."
CELINA
I wave goodbye to Comrade and Alex as they finally disembark on the way to their worldwide cruise for a year. I sigh as I wrap my arms around Axel's waist and rest my head on his shoulder. I watch as all three of the triplets sag with sadness. I used to have that feeling when everything wrong is happening in my life.
"You know what? We won't even notice they're gone. This year will fly by in no time and your favourite auntie and uncle will be right back home," I tell the three of them, looking into their beautifully unique eyes. It's unbelievable how strikingly similar we all look, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
"They're our only auntie and uncle," Dylan mutters, making me laugh.
"Come guys, cheer up. School starts up soon," Axel tries to cheer them up, but he knows he's torturing them. I slap his chest lightly as Jett and Dylan groan and stomp back inside. Axel laughs loudly as he follows his very annoyed sons into the house. I breathe a happy sigh as I watch Axel continue to torment them. Boys will be boys I guess. I came to those terms many, many years ago.
I turn around to face Clarissa, only to see her still staring off into the distance where Alex and Comrade left. I place my hands on her shoulders.
"Have I ever told about the story when I first met your uncle Comrade?" I ask her quietly, recalling the day when he came running across the border to stop me. I smile at the memory.
Clarissa nods and says quietly, "Yeah, dad made you cry and he came and calmed you down then stayed with you."
I chuckle and shake my head.
"No, not that story. That's the second time I had spoken to your uncle. I'm talking about the first," I tell her. I wrap my arm around her shoulder and steer her away from the door.
"It all started when I ran through a certain alpha's territory..."
The End
Here is a Short Story from one of Violet’s fans:
Heaven Can Wait
By Ameerah Vaughn
Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. Summer was almost over and there was no news from Axel. College was just plain old college without the sunshine Axel brought. I passed the first exam with flying colors, Axel would have passed too if he had showed up. I couldn't help but miss Axel every single day. Things were turning out fine when suddenly, Axel stopped coming to college and shut everyone out. I almost shattered to pieces as I had tried every possible way there was to reach him, but there was no reply. Did I do something? I was starting to drown in my negative thoughts. This isn't happening. I shall not have a breakdown here, in the middle of the school hallway.
I started hyperventilating badly and dug my backpack vigorously to find my inhaler. As I got a hold of it, I quickly placed the inhaler in my mouth and pumped the mist twice while sucking every bit of it. I let out a breath of relief when I regained my composure. "Are you okay?” A voice asked. "I'm okay..." I left the sentence to hang as I looked up only to find a familiar boy in front of me. "Axel!" I screamed and embraced him in a bone crushing hug. Is this a dream? Is this really Axel I'm hugging? He pushed my body away from his and looked at me with a puzzled expression.
"Avalon ri
ght?" he asked.
"It's Celina, silly," I replied with a warm smile.
"Oh, right. I forgot. Err, you alright?"
"I'm fine. Where have you been?"
He was taken aback by my question. I stared at him and realized his eyes weren't the same shade of breathtaking blue that it used to be. There was something wrong. I just didn't have the courage to ask what. " I... err, had to go to on a business trip with my dad. Nothing much," he answered nervously. I was about to ask him more when suddenly, a girl walked over and started kissing Axel, right in front of me. This situation placed my nose out of joint. My heart shattered and I guess this was the feeling of heartbreak, like how the characters in books felt.
I faked a loud cough which managed to knock them out of their disgusting kiss. Axel did not turn a hair when I stared at him intensely. Instead, he pushed the girl away and pulled me away from the awkward situation. He dragged me across the halls and as we were approaching the main doors, I stopped.
"I can explain Avelon."
"Sure you can. You can't even get my name right. Boo you."
"Look, don't take this the wrong way but she was just...."
"What? A scandal you had when you were away? You were gone for six months and here you are, kissing another girl, in front of me. I thought you were different Axel. I trusted you."
My eyes brimmed with tears. Don’t cry Celina, you’re stronger than this. I took a step back from Axel and walked to the door when suddenly Axel grabbed my wrist and asked “Do you really want to know?” “Know what? There is no room for any explanation. I clearly carried the torch for you,” I said while wiping the stray tears from my eyes. “Damn it Celina, stop. I’m not Axel.”
I was at a loss for words when this guy who proclaimed he's not Axel starts dragging me to his car. I didn't know why but I just had to follow him and find out what he has to say. I didn't know where he was taking me to, but I sure hope everything is going to be fine. "Are you okay?" the boy asked after approximately fifteen minutes of pure silence. "If you're not Axel, who are you? And where is he?" I replied with a firm tone. "Relax. I'll take you to him. I'm Comrade by the way, Comrade Thomas, Axel's twin brother." I gasped at his reply. Axel didn't tell me anything about him having a twin, did he?
He again dragged me out of the car and into the hospital building. He mumbled something to the nurse at the reception and with a nod from her, he pulled me towards a door labeled 'PRIVATE WARDS'. The atmosphere was completely different. The air had a perfumed scent and the seats were plush. Every surface was dustless. The nurses were unhurried and they moved with serene firmness from room to room on their rounds. There were vases of flowers and beautiful framed pieces of art on the walls. We stopped in front of a door numbered 'PW25'. "Promise me, you won't shed a tear," he said. I nodded. When we entered, my heart shattered.
I slowly made my way towards the armchair next to the bed. A man laid before me. He had tubes running into his nose, and the translucent skin was not something I knew. Axel was rather robust, vibrantly healthy, and possessed a spirit that would cause everyone around him feel the warmth of his smile. The man before me could barely breathe. His body was nearly lost in the sheets of the hospital bed and he didn't move. He sucked in air through a tube in his throat and the machines pumped the oxygen into him in a rhythmic tempo that was almost irritating.
I approached the figure in the bed and reached out to his pale hands, the hands which once held me firmly as we were on a nerve wrecking roller coaster, now barely moved. His body was warm with life, but there would be no laughter today. It was so hard to see him locked in this pale, weak body with the soul of a young man seeking adventure in all things. I wrapped my arms around Axel so tightly. Unlike Chuck Norris, tears began to fell.
"He's fighting with leukemia. He didn't want to tell you though. That's why he wanted me to replace him for a little while. All he wanted was to see you happy" Comrade said with a shaking voice. "The doctors tried everything to help him, but the cancer is spreading everywhere. There's not much we can do, but just...hope," he continued. I cringed at the thought of Axel leaving me. I continued to cry while ruffling his hair, inhaling the scent I had always loved. At that moment, I swear, the level of pain I felt was infinite.
"Don't cry, I hate seeing you like this," a barely audible voice said in between breaths. I looked up and gasped as I saw Axel smiling with a pair of silver eyes. I knew in that moment and that moment only, the twinkle in his eyes was the most beautiful thing I could ever witness in a short lifetime. "Don't go. I'll miss you," I said in between sobs. "I won't, I'll always be right here," he answered and pointed to my heart.
We spent the next few minutes embracing each other. Once the tears slowed down, I gathered all the courage in me and said "Please don't leave me. Heaven can wait. I love you, Axel. I really do." "I always knew you loved me. I love you too, Celina. I'll always do," he said followed by a soft giggle that lightened up the room. I was about to smile, when suddenly, Axel closed his eyes and loosen the grip on my hands. His diaphragm stopped moving within seconds and the beeping of the machine suddenly stopped.
The End
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Here is a sample from the first book of the series:
1
CELINA
Have you ever felt like you can never escape? Have you ever felt like there is no one there for you? Have you ever felt like the whole world is against you and you just want to get away and be free? Have you ever felt that you can never be loved or cherished?
That's my life.
I feel all of these things. You can't change what fate has in store for you. But sometimes, I wish I could just be free and live my own life. I haven't been able to do that for a total of nine years.
My mother and father died when I was seven. I was abandoned and left with my godforsaken pack. I had no regrets when my mother and father died. I spent every second of every day with them, and they never argued. We didn't have any major fights and we all loved each other so much. I didn't think my parents had any regrets either. I think they made the mistake of leaving me alone though.
You're probably wondering why I'm blaming it on them, aren't you? Well, I don't. I blame my pack for being worthless, unfair, stupid and plain right mean. Childish I know, but true, down to the last detail. Every beating, every bruise, every broken bone and every possible evidence of them abusing me supports that horrid theory.
Ever since my parents died, I've been like a slave to the people I call my pack. I cook, wash, clean, organize and pretty much do everything for them. They throw away money like it's no big deal, and they don't spare a second glance to anyone who's 'lower' than them.
Someone like me.
All the wolves in my pack are gorgeous with either brown or blonde fur and have a mix of either blue, green, brown, or almost black eyes. Having plain blue or green eyes is rare. They have slim or muscular bodies, and have the perfect height just to be much taller than humans. Unfortunately, that beauty is tainted by their bitter egos and cold hearts.
My parents were like the pack looks wise, but not personality wise. My parents were kind and thoughtful, always putting others before themselves. They never should've been in this pack in the first place.
The funny thing is, I look nothing like my parents, or anyone in the pack for that matter.
Instead of blonde or brown hair, mine is pitch black, pin straight and comes down to just below my shoulders. My eyes are a shining gold that lost its shine many years ago, so now it looks like a light shade of mud. My lips are almost red and, strangely, my skin is pale. I'm not sure why... Werewolves usually have beautifully tanned skin. I'm also a bit shorter than everyone else, but I still have that slim body that anyone would die for. In my parents' opinion, being different is what makes you special. What makes
you special, is what makes you unique.
I've never believed it though. All it has ever done was got me teased, and pushed around for being ‘different’ and 'unique'. It has always been like that. Even with my parents, they always said the pack was just jealous of my obvious beauty, one that I am oblivious to.
Another thing. When I turned sixteen, I made sure I was far away from the pack house, almost on the borders of our territory. The reason? I was shifting. I didn't want to give everyone the satisfaction of seeing me in pain, and watching my every bone break after the other. I can honestly say that it is the most painful thing you will ever experience in your life.
When I shifted, I discovered that my wolf was snow white. Not one trace of color other than white covered me. I was astounded. I had never seen a white wolf. Even my mother’s and my father’s wolves were brown and blonde, respectively. They told me that when I shifted to never show to anyone my wolf, unless they have my full trust. Nobody has.
I don't know what it means to have a pure white wolf, but I know that I'm different yet again. This time, in a way, I thought I could somehow fit into my pack. I thought wrong. When I came back, I got a beating because I was gone for most of the day, and everyone missed lunch and breakfast. That night, I had to make a three-course meal instead of the usual one, and I had to clean the house until it was spotless. Let's just say I stayed up way past midnight...
I haven't been for a run since. That was three weeks ago. My wolf has been howling in my head, and it feels like she's scratching my insides apart. I badly want to let her out, but I'm too scared. I don't want to get beaten up again.
Forgotten, Saved, Loved Page 21