The Origin of Aversion

"Please… all my life it has been a mess, why my hair is different, why my eyes are blue when my parents have brown eyes, why every time I turn to the east when everyone is going to the west, why everything is so complicated with me?

I always had questions and whenever I tried to ask no one wanted to answer me, and now you are finally answering them, I beg you! Please make it easier for me." I begged.

"You are right, it is time I answer your questions, but I do not think I have answers to all of your questions but I have answers for many of them." She sat back and held my hand.

I knew I was not ready to hear it but I was never going to be ready, especially never for this reality that I was just about to face.

"Many years ago when our father was little, Mistwood was a place for all kids like us, and by all, I mean everyone, even the wolves…" I interrupted "Wolves?" She nodded "Yes the wolves, Phoenix, and other special kids but witches? No! We never accepted their ways of living, sacrificing human beings for their rituals, and more horrible acts.

The rest of us were united, but witches couldn't bear to see the unity among the rest of us, so one day, a witch named Monroe was sent by her elders, and while the commander was training, two of our students were learning.

One of them was a phoenix 'Allen' he was a son of our commando and the second one was Alpha's youngest son Mason when they were face to face fighting each other suddenly Allen started behaving like a professional sword master and got out of control that he ended up killing Mason.

They say his eyes were red as blood, my Grandfather witnessed a beautiful lady hiding behind the pillar and her lips were moving as if she was reciting something.

Right after killing Mason, Allen fainted, but the rest of the wolves went back and reported to their Alpha, they were too furious, and they declared war, without even letting us say anything in our defense, it was a hell of a war!

After losing so much on both sides, for the sake of the young ones they decided to part ways and never to cross each other's path ever again, There was another kind who stood against us.

It was the people of the river because when wolves were marching The lady of the river made a deal that if the wolves leave their lands untouched the lady of the river will marry her first daughter to the son of the Alpha of the time, or to the Alpha himself.

Even then the people of the river personally never picked any fight with us they just parted their ways from ours, as time passed Lady of the River was blessed with a beautiful daughter her eyes were as blue as yours, and you could see the ocean in them.

She named her Liana, she always told her that the Phoenix are bad people because they have the firepower and fire is related to evil, can you believe that?" She laughed

"Well! Lady Liana grew up to be someone who was not very fond of royal life, she used to sneak out of the hood to live a free life, so one day, as usual, she was playing with little children, and a little boy asked her to pick an apple for him so she climbed the tree and when she was trying to reach the apple, she lost her balance and fell down.

She screamed in pain little kids ran away to get help meanwhile your father Raymond was passing by, He heard her scream and went to help her he carried her back to our home, and it took her a few days to recover, when she saw our hospitality and the way your father took care of her, she fell in love with him and her thinking about phoenix changed.

She realized that her mother was wrong, and as soon as she felt better she went back home, she told her mother about what happened she strictly forbade her to speak of that incident ever again and told her that while she was away she tried to find her with the help of wolves and they will come back to see how she is, and she also strictly told her to stay away from phoenix.

But your father and Lady Liana kept meeting secretly, one day her mother saw them both meeting secretly from her window so when she went back her mother held her in a dungeon... Yes! She locked her up... Her own daughter!" She was angry.

"Well, your father never gave up as soon as he realized that she was nowhere to be seen he went back to rescue her when he rescued her they both ran away.

After chasing them for some time, the wolves finally found your mother and father on the day you were born.

One of our scouts reported to us that an army of wolves was heading to kill our parents all of our brothers and their wives found your mother and father before the wolves and we warned them but wolves run faster than any other being.

When we reached we saw two beautiful babies in Lady Liana's arms, one of them was a boy, she was so happy, but she had to make a big sacrifice that day, both my brother and my sister-in-law knew somewhere in their hearts that it was the last time they were holding you.

Before the wolves could reach, your mother handed you over to James and Mary and your brother to Nile they promised her to keep you both safe, I was too young to take care of a child so both of my brothers took their wives, and both of you with them.

After they went away my brother and I fought the werewolves, I got hit and fell into the lake, they left me because they thought I was dead, when I woke up I rushed toward the room where my sister-in-law was resting" Tears rolled down her cheeks "But it was too late...

My brother and she... They were already dead holding hands, my brother had a sword stuck in his back, and my sister-in-law... She was lying dead on the bed, she couldn't bear the pain of how much she had lost in just a day.

I couldn't stand any more Zinnia. It felt like the floor was slipping out from under my feet" She held my hands tightly and her face was turning red with pain.

Her eyes were explaining how much pain she was going through and how long she had been keeping this to herself, and she finally had someone who was listening to her, her eyes were flooded with tears and her hands were shaking.

"I fell on my knees I lost strength I cried a lot! When I returned back while pulling the ropes tied to the cart carrying both of their dead bodies.

I was injured and covered in blood and dust, I saw ruins instead of our school... Our home" She wiped her tears.

"Turned out they already attacked us while we were defenseless, there were only a few survivors only children and a few elders, and smoke and dust all around I stood in there and told everyone that my brothers died while fighting those beasts I told everyone that we will rebuild our school and I will be the one to protect them from now on.

Elders announced me as their headmistress, and it took me years to build this foundation" She looked around "I placed every brick along with my companions" She did not even realize when she began crying like a baby on my shoulder.

I realized why I felt such a strong connection with her, it was not only because we shared the same blood, but it was also because we shared the same traumas and losses.

"At least Brian is my biological brother!" I took a small gasp of relief.

"I am not talking about Brian," She sat back and wiped her tears "Brian is Mary and James' biological son, and your brother? His name is Liam!" when she spoke out I felt as if I might faint, I felt my hands losing strength to move.

Liam's name was the last name I wanted to hear since I lost my father.

I wanted to distract myself because I knew if I started talking about Liam she would end up convincing me that Liam was not like that and I did not want to do that, I had to blame him, if not him then whom? There was no other explanation for what I saw that night.

"I am sorry you had to go through this alone," I embraced her "There's one thing I do not understand though you mentioned that the lady of the river promised her daughter when your grandfather was young right? So shouldn't my mother be too old?"

"I knew you would ask this, no! She was 18 and your father was 22" She smiled and "Before you ask, her mother was an immortal… I mean is an immortal!" She was not sure if the lady of the river was still alive so we passed that question.

But she realized all this discussion ruined my mood so she decided to share some fun facts with me "She married…" She began counting on her fingers "8 men, at least this is the number they told us! Every time she had a son, she used to kill her husband and let her maids raise her sons until they were able to serve her as her servants.

Wait! They were 9… no 8" She shook her head "I lost count she was desperately in need of a daughter!" She rubbed her cheeks, drying up the rest of the tears "I am sorry, I shouldn't have burdened you with all this. I just didn't want to keep you in the dark anymore!"

"No, you did the right thing, even though I am still numb, and at some point, I feel as if it is a dream but at least I know the truth now! I know the secrets my parents have been keeping from me" I was heartbroken but there was the slightest relief.

"I am sure there might be a reasonable explanation!" She patted me on my shoulder.

"Yeah I am sure, there might be a reasonable explanation I have been in the dark all my life, there might be a reasonable explanation why I have been living a lie, or why my biological brother killed my dad!" I had so many complaints with my parents, but my dad was not there when I needed answers, I wanted to ask my mom.

"What? Liam killed James? It can not be!" I regretted telling her this news she hardly stopped crying and then this news broke her even more "There might be a misunderstanding but… James" She began bawling.

She broke down on my lap and kept crying like a baby "I am sorry!" We cried together for some time.