LIFE AND DEATH

Ian p.o.v

The sky had descended into the earth, and it was another day for me of being a teacher in this school. So far, it was fairly easy. The only hard part in all of this was looking after Diana.

All I was thinking of was her safety. I could not believe I'm saying this, but I felt relief seeing Noah by her side. Seeing her smiling and comfortable with Noah who treated her well, somehow put my heart at ease.

It was a lonely walk behind the school building, no students nor other teachers were seen. It was another way to the room prepared for the teachers of the school. We lived in the same flat and looked even more extravagant than the students' dormitories that already looked wealthy.

I heard a ding come from my phone. Putting my file and papers on one side, I used another hand to fish my phone from my slacks and saw a message from Diana.

'Ian, Noah invited me to the pub again, his friends will be there too. I'll be alright." I breathed out a laugh, amused by how she only messaged to notify me. Seeing that Noah would be there, I should not be worried.

'Noah better look after you this time.' I replied to her. I knew that kid will not fail me. After all, he was her mate.

I kept smiling, seeing how she looked progressively happier than before. Noah changed her life for the better. I am still skeptical of the group of friends Noah is with, but for now, I think Diana can handle herself.

For some reason, my walk to my flat felt quite far. I did not want to linger on the feeling, but it became quite annoying.

Someone was on my tail trying to hide their presence. They hid their presence well while keeping their eyes on me. If a stare could kill, this could be it. This person was targeting me with murderous intent. I wonder who that was.

Suddenly, a call broke the silence and I stopped walking. I went fishing for my phone again and saw Diana's name on the phone.

I continued to let it rings. It would be a bad idea to pick it up now. Also, it was about time to let this person know that the hiding game has come to an end.

As soon as it entered the fifth ringing, I heard swift footsteps coming toward me, and I immediately brought my file to block the sword that was about to make a hole in my face. I gritted my teeth at the incredible strength this person held, while the papers went everywhere after I swung my hand out earlier.

I glared at the person, and as the hood fell, it revealed a black-haired and dark eyes lady. Her face tightened in fury, failing to take on me the first time.

Leyla Sutton, the lead advisor of the Swordsmanship lessons in this school, an exceptional sword master that willingly joined the school in the hope of harnessing Swordsmanship in youngsters.

This is the look of an honest woman who hopes for a better future ? This lady was coming for my blood.

She swung her blade, throwing off the file from her blade, and continued to charge toward me. I had no sword with me, so all I could do was dodge her attacks.

Each time I dodged, she would sneak a slice on my skin and that was bad news. Some of them stings, and they did not recover instantly. Plus, there must be something on the blade that made me progressively weaken.

I blocked the kick coming from her and sent me a few feet away. I stood my ground, and I began to growl.

My nails grew longer, and my canines showed as I let my werewolves sense control. With one leap, I was already right in front of her and I saw how alarming her face was.

I sent slashes at her with my claws, and she dodged, blocking my attack at some points as I grew closer and more aggressive.

Finally, I was able to throw her blade away from her, and my hand immediately went to her throat. She let out a choking sound as I gripped her tightly, the annoyance of being the target of murder got to me.

However, I knew it was not right to take her life here, so I eventually loosened the grip, while she had another idea.

She clenched onto my wrist and brought both of her legs up over my head, and before I grasped the situation, she already spun her body, bringing me along to the ground.

I found myself struggling as she did an arm lock on me. What a crazy strength for a woman with smaller stature than mine.

That was where I thought I had to use even more force or I would risk losing my arm. I growled, my left arm began to take more form of a werewolf as I extended the claws to inflict damage on her.

Seeing me ready to claw her leg off, she let go of me immediately and rolled away. Her sword was just next to her as she took it, and charged at me at incredible speed.

Then, I found myself at her mercy; her blade was right on my throat and I was defeated on the ground. My wolf eyes kept glaring at her whilst my chest panting, and she was the same. This whole fight took a good amount of breather from us.

"Who the hell are you, and who is that girl you're with ?" She shouted, demanding an answer. I frowned deeper when Diana was brought into this. So it had something to do with Diana.

I raised my hands up, showing that I had no more tricks to attack her and surrender to her.

"I'm a new teacher here, and that girl is just one of the students."

"Diana Danielle." She spoke, and I saw her face tighten even more when the name was spoken and it was not out of displease, but pain.

"You know what you're doing, and I don't like it one bit. Whether you make her stop, or I will kill her for impersonating a royalty !"

My brows twitched at her words, but I was trying to be subtle. I thought it was best to dig more into what was behind this attack before making my conclusion.

"Impersonating a royalty ? Who are you talking about ?" I asked.

"Diana.. the late Queen of Aurelia. Black hair and magnificent blue eyes... that was what the Queen looks like." I noticed a slight trembling on the sword and she immediately clenched it to remain a strong dominant.

"You dare mock the royalty by impersonating one ? Are you doing this to destroy Aurelia ?" I continued to study her face, so many emotions, and the only true words that portray her feeling right now was the talk of the Queen.

"I cannot allow you to walk away from here and continue your plan. I'll kill you, and then I'll kill that girl, Diana Danielle." She announced, spitting with distaste at the name.

I got my pieces together, and it had to be now. I should not underestimate her words at killing me. If my guess is correct, then she is capable of doing what she said.

"Relax, there is no need to be this way."

I fixed my stature to stand up, and she pursed her lips and her sword followed my throat where she could instantly kill me.

"You dare to move ? I just threaten you, you idiot." She spoke through her smile of disbelief.

"Diana wouldn't like it if I die." She frowned deeper.

"And I care about her because ?"

"Because she's your sister, right ?" Her eyes widened at my words, there was no attempt on hiding it. It was as if she never expected I would know that, but she was dealing with the wrong person, or it could be the right one.

"As expected from the Bennette.. you knew, huh ?" Of course, she knew me. She was trying to stay vigilant and heroic to the kingdom, alas all of this was just because she would kill anyone that would mock her sister and in this case, impersonate her.

"So, you made her impersonate Diana because you knew the condition the King is now right ? You're trying to destroy him ? The King is the only hope left in this Kingdom. I'm not letting you do that." Now, she sounded more sincere about protecting the Kingdom.

"No way I'm doing that. I'm literally the King's advisor's son. I am tied to the law and to the royalty." I let out a nervous chuckle.

"Have a faith in your niece a little, will you ?"

That was when I saw her face change completely after I dropped the bombshell as if she just saw a ghost. Her hand trembled violently before she took down the sword, staring at me.

"W-What ?" I sighed.

"The Princess did not die along with the Queen. She's alive, and she is truly Diana's daughter. You couldn't even tell her apart."

Her reaction was reasonable. The whole Kingdom was greeted with horror when it was announced the Queen and the Princess died during childbirth. All of the citizens mourn their death. Diana was an exceptional Queen. Everybody loves her even though she was just married into royalty.

"But.. she's supposed to be royalty, right ? Her eyes..."

"It's magic. She.. turned her eyes copying her mother's." I explained, and that was when I saw a tear slide down her cheeks.

"I can't believe the baby's still alive." She wiped the tears off her face, and a sad smile formed on her lips.

"Oh, Diana... you made it.." I let down my hand with a relieved sigh. If I said things wrongly, I could have died.

"Let's talk over a drink ? My treat." She offered, and I knew she wanted to know everything that happened until now, as to why Luna was impersonating Diana.

"I need medicine. The wolfbane is getting on me." I told her, showing a slice on my hand that did not regenerate as the usual wolves do. She nodded, guiltily.

I followed her from behind, thinking of this situation as being known by another person that might pose Luna with greater danger.

Was this a good thing ? After all, this lady is her aunty. It would be a great ally if anything happens.

-

Diana p.o.v

I rushed towards the emergency room, and everything was bizarre to me. Having not known what to do, and all I could remember were the movies I had watched. I went toward a nurse that just entered the room.

"Please, my friend.. she's hurting !" I told her, and her face looked alarmed, but she dealt with the situation calmly. She checked Amelia's condition and quickly shouted out.

"Prepare a bed ! She's in a serious condition ! Come with me." I nodded and followed her who was jogging through the hallway of another room. Once we reached the room, the nurses seemed to linger around as they were just finished preparing a vacant bed. I quickly got to the bed and placed Amelia down.

I did not realize she was already passed out. I helped take the scarf off of her and took it with me when the nurses were treating her. My heart palpitated in worry as I continued watching the urgency.

"Call a doctor ! Her heartbeat is getting weaker !" I gasped, and my hands began to tremble when the thought of death came to my mind. Amelia lay on the bed frozen.

A doctor came running from outside with a defibrillator in. At the same time, I was pulled outside while my eyes were glued to Amelia.

"Listen !" I looked at the voice of the nurse that tried to get my attention. My eyes were watery at this point.

"You need to find her mate. Do whatever you can to bring him here, or knock some sense into him." I was dumbfounded by what she was saying. I did not understand anything.

"W-What is this ? I don't understand !" My voice breaks when I felt pressured by the stress the nurse gave me. She held both of my hands which were trembling.

"Hey, it's alright. Calm down. I will explain." She sounded more gentle now, and I nodded at her words.

"This rarely happens since everyone was made to be in love with their mate. This happened when the mates acknowledged each other feelings and make love, and one of them cheats on another. In this case, her mate had been cheating on her multiple times to be in this condition. Do you know who her mate is ?" I shook my head, having no idea who was Amelia's mate. The last time we met, she told me she have not yet met her mate. How can this situation escalate so fast ?

I never knew Amelia to the point we would share our problems and such. We only hang out one time and it seemed that she only had me to depend on, and I failed her. In the room now, Amelia was on a thin line between life and death, and the thought of her mate cheating on her multiple times made my heart boils.

The feeling was overwhelming. My breaths hitch every now and then as my heart stabs multiple times thinking of the situation. As I sat down outside, waiting to know Amelia's condition, I grabbed my phone from my jeans and dialed Ian. I was hoping he would accept my calls now, and this time within one ring, he immediately picked up.

"Hey Diana, sorry for not-"

"Ian.."

My voice broke into a sob as soon as I heard his voice. I felt like I was able to be vulnerable with him around and the feeling inside me was ready to burst out. My thumb was hurt from me picking on it earlier.

"Ian, I'm scared.." I cried, not knowing how to explain the situation and the feelings stirring in my heart.

"Where are you ?" his voice sounded urgent.

"At the nearest hospital, I don't know what it's called. Can you come ?"

"Stay there." He told me and ended the call. I clenched the phone as I tried to suppress my cries, my shoulders jolted from it. Then, my phone blared with a ringtone and it was Noah. I picked it up.

"Diana ! Is everything alright ?" He asked, and I did not know what to say. Amelia wanted to keep this a secret, but this was too serious. Maybe he would know who was such an ass to cheat multiple times in school, right ? Or maybe anyone that he knew. He was influential after all.

"Noah... I'm not." I wiped my watery nose and cleared my throat.

"I'm at the hospital right now. S-Someone is dying. I need to ask you something. Can you come ?"

"I'm on my way." Not a single second was wasted answering it and he ended the call. I felt more relaxed now that Ian and Noah were on their way. I rested my pounding head to the wall, praying to the Moon Goddess that everything will be alright with Amelia.