C6: "And That Was Because I Loved You"

"There you are!" I turned around to look at Kainda and Hunts who were now smiling widely.

"You don't know how long it took for us to find both of you." Hunts exhaled and sat beside his best friend, Ares.

"Why would you guys even look for us? You could've stayed where you were and kept fighting." I teased as Kainda sat beside me.

"And miss the fun that you two might have done and will do? No way!" Kainda brushed my hair lightly.

"We weren't doing something fun that any of you would want to miss, we're actually running out of fun activities to do here." Said Ares who's feet was now under the cold water that flows on the river.

"River race?" Kainda suggested.

It was a game we used to play when we were teen pups, well when I was a teen wolfire.

"The old times? Come on, you can never beat me!" Hunts boasted.

"Says you, who can never get his leaf afloat!" Kainda teased.

"Really? Race you to the top then." Hunts said before sprinting towards the very start of the river.

Kainda sprinted after him, leaving Ares and I, chuckling about how they act. They still feel like the young pups we used to play with.

"Let's go?" Ares lent me his hand.

"Yeah, okay...we have to follow them, Mr. D'neraux." I teased.

"Up I go, A." He said, giving himself a head start.

I followed the three as well, and as always it's me who got their first.

"She should be restricted to use her super speed!" Kainda whined.

"So should I restrict you all from using your paws and daws then?" I sarcastically answered.

Kainda rolled her eyes at me, jokingly. "Okay, leaf picking starts now, meet you here after a minute." She said before leaving and choosing the best leaf she could find.

The lilies around the very start of the river are huge and could carry us, hopefully until now. We had never done it ever since I don't know when.

I picked out the nearest lily beside me, it was huge enough to fit me inside, even double my size but less the weight.

I placed my lily on the water and started to step on it as Ares held my hand to help me.

"Well, it keeps me floating! So I guess this is my boat.." I sat down and waited for them to get on their lilies as well.

Hunts followed, then Ares, and lastly..Kainda picked out a lily with a few flowers attached on it.

"Are you guys ready?" I asked.

"Ready!" Kainda responded.

"On your mark, get set, go!" I exclaimed.

I pushed myself with all my might along with the flow of the water of the wide river. When I saw Hunts going first, I tried my best to move and catch up.

But when I looked behind me, Kainda was struggling to move along with the waves that our lilies were creating, making it hard for her float to move.

I used my wind element and pushed Kainda's float, she winked at me, knowing the wind has helped her catch up with the three of us.

Ares with his loud howl, distracted the waves of the river causing Kainda's float and mine have a hard time to move.

I smirked at him and moved him from second place towards the fourth.

"Unfair!" He shouted.

"You started it!" I said, laughing.

"You helped Kainda with hers!" He argued.

"I helped, unlike you!" I teased and moved forward.

Kainda with her strong body, moved around her lily pad causing big waves that made Hunts struggle with his balance.

"There she is again!" Hunts shouted.

"You should really work with your balance, H." She teased.

"No, stop it!" Hunts shouted louder.

But Kainda being her usual self never stopped, she made even bigger waves that made Hunts fall.

"How stupid!" Hunts said, trying to catch up with his lily pad which was now raising by itself.

"Sorry!" Kainda chuckled.

I used my wind element to give me a light boost, and as per usual, I won.

I hopped off of my pad and took a swim as I waited for the two of them to get to the finish line.

Hunts swam himself towards it, making me laugh so hard with how pissed he was.

"You should not make Kainda join next time." He whined, sitting on the rock beside me.

Our bodies were half soaked.

"Oh, come on Hunts. It's as if you never really know her, both of you are always under each other's nose!"

"Yeah I know, but she sometimes pisses me off, I hate it!"

"Here she comes." I smiled, watching Kainda go along the flow of the river.

"Woohoo! Ares is the loser this time!" She exclaimed, standing up and dancing a little bit.

"Kainda, stop it!" Hunts shouted.

"You sound like my mother, Hunts!" Kainda cheered.

"Yeah, and if you fall, your mother will beat me up for the Island's sake!"

"No way, that will-Ah!" Kainda shouted.

And as Hunts predicted, Kainda fell, head first into the water.

I was shook when Hunts immediately jumped in to take poor Kainda back up on land.

"What happened?" Ares, who just arrived, asked.

"I told you, Hunts cares for her." I pointed at them.

Kainda was coughing while she was on Hunts' arms, he brought her towards me and placed her on the ground.

"You hard-headed wolf, I told you!" Hunts was furious.

But Ares and I were trying our best to keep our teasing emotions shut.

"Why don't we head back to the community now?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'm bringing her to the glade, I'm sure she needs a pretty good beating from Maria." Hunts took Kainda back in his arms and sprinted towards the glade.

"How about us?" Ares asked.

My eyes went wide, "What about..us?" I whispered.

"Are we not going home?" He asked.

I exhaled a big, deep breath. "Oh, right. Le-let's go." I chuckled awkwardly.

We walked towards the bayou, enjoying the nature around us.

When Ares and I got there, the pack was busy as always, some pups from the warrior pack visited the bayou along with Hunts.

"How's she?" I asked.

"She's fine, asleep. Do you want to go visit her?" Hunts answered.

"Was it that serious?" I sat down on the bench right outside my cabin.

"No, she just drank almost as much as a glass of water from the river water when she fell. She was too hard-headed." Hunts answered.

"And why'd you leave her alone? You jerk!" Ares pushed Hunts lightly, chuckling a bit.

"Kainda was sleeping when I left, but I'm getting back there right now, want to come?" He asked.

"I'm coming." I stood up.

"Okay, well that means I'm coming as well." Ares exhaled.

We sprinted towards the glade, into Kainda and Maria's rock cave. Which was beautifully organized and decorated inside and out.

"I hear you guys, come in!" We heard her shout.

We opened the cute door and headed inside.

"How are you?" I asked first as soon as I saw her sitting on her bed.

"I'm fine, my throat hurts and so does my nose." She chuckled lightly.

Hunts sat beside her, distilling her water.

"She should be able to drink this and cure her human self. If you transformed into your feisty wolf form when you fell, drinking river water would have been fine." Hunts was murmuring again.

I rolled my eyes at Kainda and Ares was smiling from ear to ear,

"He talks and acts like a mother for a while now, that's what he gets for spending too much time here with my mother." Kainda teased.

"So that's where you've been these past few weeks, huh?" Ares teased.

"Yeah and so what? They need the extra hand." Hunts defended himself.

"I told you, by next month.." I whispered.

"What next month?" Kainda asked.

Ares and I turned to look at her, "Oh..wolfy ears.." Kainda explained as if she knew we were wondering how she heard us.

"You can't just 'activate' your ears to eavesdrop, Kainda!" I whined.

"And you can't just suddenly do the same, Aurora! Even go through our minds, that's rude!" She whined back, smiling.

"Okay, I'm sorry."

"So, what's within a month?" She asked again.

"Nothing." I lied while smirking at Ares.

"Now that we see you're fine, we have to head back to the bayou." Ares walked towards the door.

"How about me?" Kainda asked.

"Hunts will stay with you, right Hunts?" Ares asked, a teasing smile was plastered on his face.

"Yes, of course." Hunts answered.

"So that means we can go now?" I asked, walking towards the door where Ares was standing.

"Okay, fine. You may now go." Kainda rolled her eyes which made me chuckle.

Ares and I walked towards the bayou, same old scenery.

"I'm done with my tasks, are you?" He asked as we stood on the entrance of the bayou.

"Yeah, it's afternoon, Ares. I did them hours ago, why?"

"You know, since we reminisced about the old days a while ago at the river..it somehow made me think.." He smiled.

"Think, what?"

"Remember that tree house we used to hang out at? Deep in the thick trees behind the bayou.."

"Yeah..never been there for more than a century." I laughed.

"I know, it should be standing still even now." He shrugged.

"You think?" I asked.

"There's only one way to find out." He chuckled and took my hand.

Behind the tent inside the bayou were thick trees and a narrow pathway, we used to follow the path to hunt. But, it became so steep, and it was where my parents died..ever since, none of us ever went that way to hunt or even just pass by.

"You never visited this place, like ever again?" He asked as we both tried to fit ourselves on the narrow and steep mountain. Surrounded by trees, side by side.

"No, I mean..my parents had a good memorial stone at the glade, so why would I even go back to where they died?" I answered.

"So, we could be.." He was talking so slow, carefully walking with his each and every step. "..walking here, without real assurance..that..we would see what we want to see there?"

"Yeah, it was your idea anyway." I joked.

"So your health while we are on this adventure is practically my responsibility?" He asked, looking back to look at me.

"Walk ahead, don't look back. If you fall down, I'll go with you." I hit his arms lightly.

I was holding his arms, gripping for my life!

"Careful, Aurora." He warned.

"Careful, Ares." I joked.

"We're almost here.." He was so excited, it was visible in his voice.

Not less than ten minutes, we arrived.

My childish heart felt alive again, it was lit again. It was there, the same tree house. My neck was about to hurt from all the looking up.

"Should we climb?" Ares asked.

"We're here already, so why ask?" I chuckled.

I started to climb the rope ladder that my father has built for me, Ares followed.

"Careful!" Ares warned.

"I know, just..climb." I was having a hard time trusting the rope. It could break or it could still carry both our weights.

When we got to the top, I opened the most dirty door I have ever touched, dirtier then Warr's shed.

"Can the wood even carry both of us?" I asked as I hopped inside.

"We'll just have to see for ourselves, pull me up." He groaned.

I reached for his hand and helped him up.

"Ares, look." I exhaled in awe.

Outside the window was the sparkling ocean, the thick forest, and the beautiful clear sky.

"I remember why this is my favorite place now." Ares sighed as he stood beside me to see.

We were both crouching a little, it was too small for us.

"The connecting cities' island has never looked this beautiful from here, even before." I sighed.

"Let's stay here until sunset, shall we?" Ares asked.

"We should take a look around." I said, looking at the dusty place. With all the things still intact, it looked the same as we left it here when we stopped coming in, more than a hundred years ago.

We sat down to check all the things around us, "Filthy and small mattress." Ares chuckled as he knocked over the old mattress we used to have whenever we decided to sleep here. All four of us.

"Why don't we take that away?" I suggested.

"We can ask the mother pack to wash this for us, what do you think?" He asked.

"Not now, Ares. Everyone's still alarmed, war might occur, today is not the right time to start renovating."

"Your frame!" Ares exclaimed as he raised a wooden frame I created before, it had my family picture in it. I drew it, it was..ugly.

"I used to believe that looked nice." I laughed.

"It still looks nice though."

"Keep it there, it would be nice to just add things here without throwing some out." I suggested.

"What did you find?" He asked.

He was looking for all of our old stuff inside the cabinet from Kainda's cave. While I, looked for the items inside the big, wooden treasure chest.

"A box." I raised it up and shook it around.

"Open it."

We both sat down on the dusty carpet in the middle of the tree house and unlocked the box, luckily, the key was attached to it.

"This was the time capsule we never got to bury." Ares said, brows furrowed.

"Could have dug this up fifty years ago, I guess we forgot." I chuckled.

"What's in it?" He asked.

"Four dried flower bracelets." I smiled, reminiscing the time we created the bracelets out of the flowers we picked at the glade.

"They sure have suffocated there." Ares chuckled.

"What are you both doing?" Our attention was turned to Kainda's head peaking through the door from the floor, where we both went in.

"Are you better?" I asked.

"I wouldn't be here if I wasn't." She chuckled.

"Hurry!" We heard Hunts' voice from below.

Ares helped Kainda in and she sat beside me,

"How did you both know we were here?" I asked.

"Well, Hunts forced me to take a walk with him. And we thought it would be fun to bring you guys with us, we asked my mother where you two went as she saw you go this way when she was delivering baked bread to the bayou." Kainda relayed.

"She was so sure you went to visit 'The Kingdom', so I followed her here." Hunts added.

The Kingdom is what we used to call this tree house.

"So what did we miss?" Kainda asked.

"Not much, we were just looking through the time capsule we forgot to open fifty years ago." I chuckled.

"Then it was an absolutely great idea we came here, Hunts. They could have opened it without us!" She was so thrilled.

"We already took out these super dead flower bracelets." Ares recapped.

"Paper.." Kainda took out a paper from inside the box and laughed hysterically as soon as she discovered what was on it.

The three of us looked at the paper when she laid it in the center of our formed circle.

"You looked so young, Ares!" I teased.

It was a photo of us, it was my hundredth birthday photo.

"Yeah, that was when he told me he liked you." Hunts said.

"Hunts!" Kainda hit him on the lap.

"I-it's okay..guys, I already know.." I smiled tightly.

"What?! When?!" Hunts and Kainda asked.

"A while ago, by the river." I admitted, slowly touching my lips when I remembered the kiss.

"And?" Hunts asked.

"And, that was it." Ares answered.

"No, I mean, so the island gets a new heir now?" Hunts asked, clearly this time.

"Heir?" Ares chuckled awkwardly. "The hell? No, Hunts...we agreed on something."

"And that is?" Kainda asked.

"And that is something that should stay between the two of us, so we should continue looking at the time capsule, shall we?" I answered.

When we were digging in the capsule, we heard Warr from below.

"Aelpha! Aurora!" He was screaming so loud.

"Warr?" I asked.

"Father, the forest is empty, we can clearly hear your echoing voice. You did not have to shout." Kainda peaked at the door.

"No, we need the Aelpha, it's urgent!" He said.

I hurriedly jumped down towards him, Kainda, Hunts, and Ares followed.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I spotted a wizard doing magic by the river." He reported.

"A wizard..doing magic?" I asked, repeating his words.

"That's impossible, father. They can never do magic unless someone from their kind sacrifices. It's what's stopping them from creating trouble on the island for thousands of years." Kainda's brows were furrowed.

"Unless, it was so urgent and needed, one of them decided to die to allow another wizard to use his magic." Ares concluded.

"We have to get there, quick!" Hunts sprinted towards the river and we followed.

When we got there, we saw an unfamiliar wizard.

"Excuse me." I cleared my throat.

"Aelpha." He bowed his head.

"What do you think you're doing?" I asked.

"Magic?" He answered and pointed out the obvious.

"Yes, but who died for you?" I asked.

"No one did." He answered.

"Impossible!" I shouted.

"No, this morning, all our hands began to show dusts of magic, our magic came back to us. And I just decided to try it out a while ago." He answered.

"And?"

"And it worked, I was able to move a pebble using magic, I lit the sticks up using magic, without the need of another wizard's sacrifice." He answered.

"How is this..possible?" I asked.

"I also don't know, Aelpha." He replied.

"Go back to your community, and tell them I ordered all wizards to keep themselves from getting out of your circle from this day, until the day I say so." I ordered.

"Bu-but.."

"No but, it's an order." I said firmly.

"Aelpha, understood." He said before running back inside the fairy circle.

Kainda and the other showed themselves to me when the wizard left,

"What are we going to do now, Aelpha?" Kainda asked.

"I don't understand a thing about what's happening on our island, Kainda. But I will find it out as soon as possible." I answered.

"What's your order, Aelpha?" Warr asked.

"Keep everyone away from the river, hunt from the back of the bayou. Hunt around north and east. Never go around west and south, wizards and witches could be lingering there." I ordered.

"Aelpha, understood." Warr bowed and hurried back to our community.

"What about our alliances with them?" Kainda asked.

"Do we have an alliance now?" I asked.

"Yes, the witches and wizard agreed." Kainda reported.

"If they truly are an alliance, they will report to our community, no matter how dangerous it might seem for them." I said. "Ares?" I called.

"Aelpha Aurora, here." He walked towards me.

"Order everyone not to kill any familiar witch or wizard who will try to enter the community, but, never let your guard down. Anyone could be an enemy." I said before rushing back to my cabin.

On my bed, I sat and stared blankly. The blue, bright fog from the librum on my shelf distracted me so much.

"Could this be related to you?" I asked the book as if it could answer. "Should I just open you? Would your magic kill me?" I asked again.

The night fell, I slept with no dinner. Ares knocked, but my mind was too clouded again for me to even function around my people.

Dawn came, I had to hunt, I never felt like it. Which was first and new to me.

I opened the gates, "Laisse moi passer."

I walked through the bridge, suddenly, the kiss Ares and I shared came back to me. I thought of my lover, Vexon.

Thinking, should I tell him I kissed someone else? Would that upset him, or not?

I managed to arrive with no witnesses, I safely passed with zero needs of pausing the humans to keep me out their sight.

I walked towards Vexon's apartment.

"My love? Are you awake?" I called. "I'm going out for food, now. Should I open the door?" I asked.

I put my palms on the door knob and opened the door from the inside using magic.

"Good morning, I-" My eyes were wide in horror, seeing my human lover in his own blood pool. Laying there on the floor, dead. "Who...how?" I asked, in the verge of crying.

His hand moved, a little and I can still hear his heartbeat, meaning he was just killed minutes before I came.

I suddenly remembered the history book Warr wrote, I was helpless, I had no other choice but to bite him. He gasped in pain, no sound.

My venom was now flowing in his weakly, beating heart.

I waited for seconds before his eyes went wide open, shouting in pain with no sound present.

In less than five minutes, he was alive, but he was now...a reborn.

"You made me.." He gasped for air.

"I made you..a reborn." I swallowed.

His eyes were wide, I assume the knowledge and full history of our land, and the current happenings there were now playing inside his mind.

"The island, is it calling you?" I asked.

"Island? What island?" He asked.

"Is it inviting you in?" I asked.

"No, I don't think so." He answered.

"It should take some time, do you want to hunt?" I asked.

"I'm thirsty." He answered.

I brought him towards the usual hunting spot, made him devour three of what used to be his own kind, while I had one.

"We're going back to our home." I said.

"Home, with you?" He asked.

"Y-yes, don't you like that?" I asked.

"No, no..I have no one here, anyways. With you, in your home..I can't wait." He held my hands and kissed me.

I opened the passage and we passed through. His eyes were wide, seeing all the magic-ness, which are all new to his eyes.

"The bayou is where you live." He said, he must've seen that as he was now a reborn.

"I'm taking you to meet everyone." I smiled.

I was lucky, Maria, Kainda, Warr, Hunts, and Ares were at the bayou. All together.

"Aurora, you're back-" Ares' eyes were wide. "Vexon?!" He exclaimed.

"Who is this, human, Aurora?" Warr asked.

"He is..a reborn." I said.

"A reborn? We never had one in more than five centuries! The island is probably dying as Kainda said, so why would it take a reborn?" Warr asked, brows furrowed.

"No..he is not by the island's choice." I sat down, and told them what happened.

Ares was quiet, and the other's faces were undescribable.

"You took in a human inside our island!?" Maria asked, furious.

"He is a reborn, Maria!" I tried to keep my patience.

"But you chose to make him one, he is not of use on this island for he was not invited by the island itself! He is not one with the island, you had made a very big mistake, you crossed the one and only law of our home, Aurora..you shouldn't have brought that human here." Maria said and left, so angrily, it made me disappointed.

"Why would you even do such a thing, Aelpha?" Hunts asked.

"Let your lover die..would you let your lover die?!" I asked.

"But you shouldn't have done that, he died in their land, he stays there." Kainda whispered.

"Aurora.."Warr called. "Do you know what danger you put the island you rule, into?" He asked.

I swallowed, "No."

"He is a reborn by your own choice, a reborn is much more powerful than you think. A reborn has the tasks close to and Aelpha. If..he was chosen by the island, like Valer Barlowe..." Warr said.

"My great-great grandfather?" Vexon asked.

"Yes, I'm pretty sure, Aurora knows the story by now..he did not accept the invitation and was forced to live in worry that the enemies might come for him, but he was protected by the island. Now you, Vexon..you are not protected by the island, and you being a reborn, is not of use here in our home..you cannot hear the tasks that should be given to you if the island chose you to become who you are, not Aurora's love for you." Warr said.

"How is he of harm? I can keep him safe." I argued.

"No, Aurora..the enemies, knows. They know when a reborn has been born. And he can be killed by them, worse, be used against us." Warr explained.

"Vexon, never leave my sight from this day, forward, understand?" I asked.

Warr, Hunts, Ares, and Kainda's face was doubtful of him. They were watching his every move.

"Ye-yes." He answered.

Their fangs came out as soon as Vex answered,

"Woah.." He stepped back.

"And one more thing, you address me as Aelpha or Aurora on this island. You cannot call me love, or not say any name at all, copy?" I ordered.

I looked at him when he was too scared to even speak.

"You say..Aelpha, understood." I guided him.

"Ae-Aelpha, understood." He copied.

"A reborn is strong, Aurora. You are putting us in great fear, you better watch your human pet." Hunts said, as if he had great knowledge about them.

"You know who and what can kill a reborn, right Aurora?" Warr asked, not taking his sight off of Vex.

"Ares, I need a word with the Aelpha. Bring the reborn to Aurora's cabin, never take your eyes off of him." Warr ordered.

"I'm disappointed in you." Ares said before dragging Vex away.

As soon as both of them were gone, I sat next to Warr.

"What is it?" I asked. I can feel their disagreement with my sudden decision.

"He can now howl like you, he can fight like you, he can do anything you can. Except for your elemental powers." Warr whispered.

"Even moving things around, reading the mind, hearing everyone's thoughts, and all of those?" I asked, wide eyes.

I was slowly getting confused, should I be glad that my lover is here, or should I regret for bringing him in?

"Yes, Aurora. If the enemies get a hold of him, he could become their Aelpha, and you know..only a reborn can kill a reborn." Warr was still whispering.

"I'm..sorry." I was about to cry, all the pressure about everything inside the island is so frustrating.

"Head back, Ares should be there with your lover." He smiled tightly before standing up.

"Maria.." I said, worried.

"I can calm her down, please, do the same with Ares." He left after that.

I walked towards my cabin,

"I'm sorry." I said, Ares was not looking straight at me.

"He's inside." He said before leaving.

"Ares!" I called, and so he turned around.

"What? It's not like we can throw him away or send him back, he'll kill all humans existing." He scoffed and walked away.

I sighed and opened my door,

"My love.." Vexon called.

"Hey." I said, disappointed.

"I'm sorry." He gave me a kiss.

"It was my choice to turn you, I'm sorry." I sat on my bed.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"My pack's comments are what matters most to me, I made a mistake." I sighed.

"Are you regretting it?" He asked.

"You being here, I love the idea. But some part of me, says yes, Vex. The Aelpha herself broke the law." I smiled tightly.

"I'll be no trouble, I promise."

"Rest, I'll be outside doing my tasks." I said before leaving.

"May I come?" I asked.

"No, the more they see you, the more the news will spread."

"So what do I do?" Vexon asked.

"Stay here in the bayou, help around. And don't ever get out of here, that's an order." I firmly said.

"You can't just order me around!" His brows furrowed.

"Get tired of it or not, I am the Aelpha. And if this order keeps the island safe from enemies, then do it." I said before running towards the glade.

"Kainda?" I called.

"Aurora.." She greeted me. "How is Vexon?" She asked.

"I'd say..adjusting? He used to lead me around and tell me what to do when I came to their land to hunt, me, ordering him around..it's not..really a good idea for him." I answered. "Where's Maria?"

"She..she doesn't want to see you, she's upset and she might make a mistake. She's uncontrollable when she's angry. Give her some time." Kainda said.

"Tell her, I'm sorry." I smiled tightly.

Just when I was about to leave, I felt..sick. I held my stomach and turned to Kainda to ask for help.

"Kain..Kainda..help." I said, gagging.

"What's happening?! Are you okay!?" She was panicking as well.

I sat down and disgustingly coughed out dirt.

"What the bloody hell, Aurora!?" She screamed for help and Maria and Warr came to rescue.

"What happened?" Maria asked.

"She's coughing..dirt!" Kainda explained.

"Dirt?!" Maria exclaimed, Warr carried me back to my cabin as fast as he could.

Ares saw Warr coming and opened my cabin for me,

"Are you okay?" Ares asked, panicking.

"She coughed out some dirt." Kainda said.

"What the hell?" Ares helped me lay down on my bed.

"I don't know what happened.." Kainda was panicking as well. "Mother will bring some medications and herbal teas for her.

"She just coughed dirt all of a sudden?" Ares asked.

"Yes."

"My..my stomach hurts again." I groaned weakly.

Both of them held my hand and helped me up, I coughed again, dry dirt.

"What is this?" Ares whispered.

"Could it be the wizards?" Kainda asked.

"No, one would die when they do use magic against someone, and I would know." I exhaled.

Vexon came running inside my cabin, "Are you alright, love?" He asked.

"Vex.." I sighed.

"I meant, Aelpha." He slowly approached me.

"Yes, I'm fine. Please return to your tasks, I'll wait for Maria here." I ordered.

"Aelpha, understood." Kainda said, slowly leaving but her eyes never removed its sight on me.

"You too, Vex." I turned to look at him.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"A hundred percent." I answered.

Ares walked away with him too, but not too long later, Maria came with some medications and herbal teas for me, just as Kainda said.

"Were you feeling odd hours before this happened?" Maria asked, still not able to look at my eyes.

"Maria, I'm sorry..I was panicking and it was the only thing I could have done to save him." I sat down.

"It's not the answer to my question, Aelpha." She took some leaves and created extracts beside my bed.

"Maria, please.." I begged.

"Please drink this." She handed me a small glass and inside it was the extract.

"Are you really just going to give me a cold shoulder, Maria?" I asked. "Until when?"

"You could have left the human there, Aurora." She said, coldly.

"And let my lover die?" I asked, brows furrowed.

"Yes, it was his time to die, so be it!"

"If it was Kainda, or maybe even, Warr..would you let them die without trying to revive them?" I asked.

She went silent, "If..if I was in your position, Aurora..If it was my task to keep my island and my pack safe, I would leave them dying. Because I know the consequences of my decision, and I was hoping you'll realize the big mistake you just made. I'm sorry, this is unforgivable, Aurora."

Maria stood up to leave,

"Wait!" I swallowed hard, I was on the verge of crying. I disappointed them.

"I have to go, Aelpha. I hope you get well soon, your island needs you."

"Maria, I love him. And I'm sorry if I disappointed you, but I can't let the man I love die." I was holding my tears back.

"Do you love him more than you love your island?" She asked.

"No..not like that."

"He doesn't love you back as much as you do, Aurora." Maria said which made me look at her eyes.

"What? What do you mean? You're wrong..."

"Tell me, you meet him once a month and both of you can't even spend the whole day together, you have disappointed the island for him, while Vexon, what sacrifices has he done for you?" Maria asked.

"He..he stayed with me despite not seeing me everyday or even spending hours with me." I answered.

"That's bare minimum, Aurora. That's not sacrifice, think again." Maria said before completely leaving.

I was staring blankly on the door, shut, and outside that door are my people, disappointed of me.

"How did I let this happen?" I asked myself, a single tear fell down my cheek.

Right then, Ares came in with Vexon behind him. I quickly wiped my tear.

"Are you alright, Aurora?" Ares asked.

"Ye-yes, can you please brew me my favorite tea?" I answered.

"I can do it, Ae-Aelpha." Vexon volunteered.

Ares looked at me and I nodded to let him know I give my permission.

Vexon left while Ares helped me become comfortable, "How come you cough dirt now?" Ares asked, chuckling.

"You're not mad at me?" I asked.

"About Vex?" He asked and I nodded. "I'm annoyed, but I'm mostly worried of you, so..maybe not mad, for now."

"I'm sorry, Ares." I sighed.

"I'm fine, it's them you should say sorry."

"Maria wouldn't accept my apology." I exhaled, disappointed.

"I'm right here for you, A. Even when everyone turns their backs on you, I have yours."

"Thanks, I'd never understand why you never get tired of all of..well, me." I chuckled.

"I'm pretty sure you already know." He caressed my head.

Vexon came in with some tea cups and a tea kettle.

"Your favorite tea." He placed it beside my bedside table.

"Vex, that's lemon tea." I looked at him.

"Yeah, this tastes good." He poured some for me.

"No, that's not my favorite.." I smiled tightly.

"She..she loves lavender tea, Vex." Ares corrected.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know. You didn't tell me." Vexon said.

"I did, I have always told you about it." I said. "Who made the tea?" I asked.

"Kainda was brewing lemon tea, so I asked her for some." Vex answered.

"Oh." I looked at Ares.

"It's okay, A. I'll brew lavender tea for you, I'll even ask Kainda for bread. Keep your sighs for later." Ares stood up and left.

When Vex and I were alone in my cabin, it got very quite.

"This was not what I was expecting when you dragged me here, Aurora." Vexon started.

"What did you expect?" I asked.

"It would be you and me." He answered.

"But I am the Aelpha, as you know. I cannot possibly go tour you around the place like a tour guide, this is not like your home, Vex."

"Everyone here is not liberated. They all act like slaves!"

"Vexon! You cannot insult my pack like that!" I exclaimed. My yellow, golden eye turned into my red, blood-colored eye.

"Woah.." He raised both his hands in the air. "Don't be so mad, I was just saying..they do all these tasks every single day, and what do they get out of it?"

"They work for their benefits, Vexon..never dare call them slaves, and no, not everyone here is liberated, because they all are stuck in the era of a thousand years ago." I explained.

"Yeah, but do they know you kissed me?" He smirked.

"Stop." I commanded.

"It's just a kiss, Aurora." He shrugged.

"It's an act of love here." I whispered. "Lower your voice."

"I have kissed women I don't love." He whispered.

"Sorry, what?" I asked. "Oh, sorry for hearing that, wolfy ears, remember?"

"Right..I just meant, I kissed some girls when I was drunk. Don't worry, I never saw them again." He explained.

"What the fuck, Vexon?"

"What? You never kissed anyone else besides me?" he asked.

I suddenly remembered what happened yesterday, Ares and I..we kissed.

"Stop it, Vexon." I said. "You're sitting here, don't you have anything to do?" I asked.

"I have no tasks, I am a forced reborn, remember?"

"Insulting."

"What, it's true?" He chuckled.

"Go chop some woods for Ares' pack, now." I commanded.

"Woah, hold up." He said which made me raise my brows at him. "You can't order the one you love, surely, I am an exception, right?"

"No, Vexon. Out, now." I firmly said.

"How about a kiss, just a very short kiss in exchange for a command." He negotiated.

"I don't kiss those I command, get out."

"Come on!"

"Get out..you know I can forcibly drag you out without me standing up, right?" I smirked.

"Aurora, it's just a few seconds."

"Pack!" I shouted and every wold in the bayou came in my cabin.

"Aelpha Aurora, here." They said, hands in their chest, heads bowed.

"What the hell, that was cool." Vexon smiled.

"Not cool if I ask them to drag you out and do your task." I said.

"Is your Aelpha really known for her temper, my pack?" Vexon asked.

"What the hell did you just say? 'My' pack?" I was now furious.

Now I realized where we got the 'disrespecting is dangerous' rule. It was because of the temper I always had when someone disrespects me.

"Chill, any time now, you'd be mine, and the whole pack as well, right?" He asked.

"You mean marriage?" I asked.

"You have a marriage here?" Vex asked.

"Yes, we do. And please, don't claim the pack as yours. I tend to be dominating, and the pack I have cannot be yours." I said.

"I'm sorry." He shrugged.

"Pack, out. And you as well, Vexon." I ordered.

The pack left my cabin, and so did Vexon.

"What happened here, Ares came in bringing a tea cup with the sweet aroma of lavender tea in hand.

"I got..frustrated by Vex's jokes. He got on my nerves." I chuckled.

"Here you go." He gave me my tea.

"Thanks."

"Feel much better?" he asked.

"Yeah, a little bit."

"You suddenly dragged every wolf in my pack just because your lover got under your skin?" he teased.

"I guess so."

"How childish, A." He teased me even more.

"He claimed the howl pack as his, now Alpha of the howl pack, Ares D'neraux, how do you feel about that?" I teased him back.

"He can go fuck off." he whispered which made me laugh.

"The teas tastes extra ordinary." I smiled.

"You shouldn't be too triggered about your lover's jokes, you brought him here after all. You can't just kill him because of it."

"Yes, I know."

"How long have you been together?" Ares asked, sitting beside me on my bed.

"A few months, almost a year." I answered.

"You barely know him!?" Ares asked.

"No, he shared with me almost all of his life. There's not too much to share, he is just 23."

"Isn't it weird for a 23 year old human to date a wolfire who is now three centuries older than him and more?" He joked.

"Shut it." I laughed. "I- Ah!" I shouted.

Feeling every pain in my body, almost all my body was aching.

"Ares!" I shouted for help.

"What's wrong, what's happening?!" He was panicking, didn't know what to do.

"Ahhh!!" I groaned.

Ares howled, giving everyone in the community an awareness of what was happening to me.

It started to shake, badly. A very strong earthquake was occurring.

"Stop this, Aurora!" Ares begged, holding onto the bed, trying to help himself.

"I can't!" I groaned.

My back was now bending from the pain it was feeling, my things were now knocked over as I shouted in pain and the ground continued to shake.

"Aurora!" Ares shouted.

"Ares.." I groaned. "The librum!"

He ran as he tried to balance himself and took the librum from my shelf. Hugging it, and keeping it safe, unopened.

"It..hurts." I sighed.

The earthquake stopped, leaving a few cracks all over my cabin.

"I'll be sending Kainda here, I'll check my pack for any injuries." Ares said, handing me the book.

"Thank you." I whispered, weakly.

I closed my eyes, all of me almost collapsed. It was so strong, it was magical, it was powerful. Like something entered my body, something so strong.

Kainda came in not a while later, she returned the librum and stayed with me throughout the day.

When night came, I was still in light pain. Kainda on the other hand, stayed with me and she slept with me, making sure I would have someone just in case another wave of this inexplicable happenings in me would hit.

I woke up to no one laying beside me, I got up and checked the pack.

"Did I cause any destruction, Ares?" I asked the always busy Ares who cannot stay still to rest.

"A little bit, you cracked the land but it would eventually be covered up by some mud created by the heavy rain." He answered.

"I'm sorry."

"No worries, how are you, earthquake creator, Aelpha?" he joked.

"My back hurts, but I'm fine." I answered. "Have you seen Vexon?"

"Oh him? There.." He pointed at Vexon who was sound asleep under the shade of the tree.

"What is he doing?" I asked.

"The pack is murmuring about it, they say you give extra and unfair treatments." he smiled tightly.

I walked towards him, annoyed of what he's doing.

"Hey reborn!" I called.

He did not open his eyes,

I scoffed, looking at the apple above him, I looked at it and visualized a great wake up call for him. And just like that, the apple fell on his head.

"What the fuck?!" He exclaimed.

"Yeah, say that and my pack would definitely tear you apart." I smirked.

"What are you doing here anyways, Aurora?" He asked.

"I am ordering you to scoop your ass up and work with the pack." I commanded.

"I have no tasks to do, I am a forced reborn remember?"

"Yes, but they could use some help."

"You never work with them, I'm your boyfriend, surely I get as much respect as you have."

"I know it was my mistake to forcibly make you a reborn, but they are disappointed in me because of you."

"You've changed.." He whispered.

"Changed how, Vex!?"

"You weren't like this when we were back there, whatever you call my home."

"It's because they look up to me here, in your land, I am nobody. In this isolated land, I am the leader in every corner of this land. So, move!"

"This is the last time you're going to order me around, Aurora. I don't like the feeling."

"Like it or not, you have no choice."

He scoffed and stood up to leave, I held my forehead in pain for a reason that I cannot fathom.

"What was that?" Ares asked.

"I don't know."

"He did not like being ordered around?" Ares scoffed.

"Yes. I'm starting to regret bringing him here, was he really the same man I loved back at the connecting cities?" I asked.

"I don't know, is he?" He asked me back.

"He used to guide me around, lead me around, tell me how to do things, and taught me all the how's." I relayed.

"He was used to being the higher one, well, he is wrong."

"Talking behind my back?" Vexon suddenly appeared again.

"No, just discussing." I sarcastically answered.

"Do your tasks and chop some wood, Vex." Ares intrerrupted.

"You can't order me around, wolf."

"I can, you are technically under my pack as you live here."

"He can't just do that to me, can he, Aurora?" Vex asked.

"He..can, actually Vex, he is the Alpha of the howl pack. He orders you around, and please, on this island, I am not your lover. I am your Aelpha." I stated.

"Are we breaking up?" Vex asked.

"No..not like that."

"Then what?"

"I mean, you cannot see me as someone close to you, you are a reborn, you are no one on this island and I am the Aelpha."

"As much as I have heard, a reborn is not just a no one on this island." Vex argued.

"Well..yes, not entirely. But, you're a forced one." I said, hoping he didn't hear everything Warr said yesterday.

He scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest, "Hunt some food for the pack, go with Ares." I ordered.

"Aelpha, understood." Ares bowed and left while Vex stayed standing still in front of me.

"Vexon, that's a command." I firmly said.

"No more commands from you." He declined.

Ares heard it, and as per usual, disrespect is dangerous for him.,

"Hey reborn!" He called, walking back to us. "If Aurora commands the mortiferum, you could die. So shut your mouth if you want to live."

"No I won't." Vex continued.

"Aelpha..?" Ares looked at me.

"No, no dying today..Ares."

"Aren't you all tired of her? She orders you around like some sort of slave! Get some freedom, will you!?" Vexon stormed out.

"Aurora, that is very much of a reason for the command. Say it, and I won't doubt it." Ares whispered.

"No, Ares."

"Vexon, in your world, you order Aurora around. You are one controlling reborn. Well, you're here now, and our lives revolve around her, around Aurora. And if you can't do that then die." Ares shouted.

"Oh really now? Your lives revolve around magic, finding answers about the magical death of Ririel. Are you sure everything about the history of this island is not created for everyone to make-believe!?" Vexon was not stopping.

"You..do not and will never..say anything about my parents..and this island's..history!" I shouted, letting my emotions fill me. Hitting him with wind, causing him to fly a few distances from where we were.

"Aurora.." Ares exhaled.

I was breathing heavily, "I'm sorry."

"No..let him be." Ares left.

I sat down in shock, he was not the Vexon I knew. Not the man I loved.

I put both my hands in front of me, dragging back the weak Vexon towards me using my powers.

"How could you?" He groaned.

"How could you!?" I asked him back.

"I'm sick of all of this, Aurora." He whispered.

"You're sick because you cannot tell me what to do, you hate being controlled. I'm disgusted by you, Vexon. I can't believe you." I panted.

"So, you're gonna order your dogs to kill me?" He smirked.

"No, I won't. I don't use them, order them around, they should do it voluntarily. And you are not worth their time. I risked my leadership for you!"

"I never asked you to turn me!" He fought back.

"And that was because..I loved you."

"So everything that has happened, is on you. Don't bring it out on me." He smirked. "You think I don't know what's going on? Every wolf here is disappointed in you, they practically hate you, and are disgusted by you for turning me into a reborn. And that disappointment shouldn't be brought out on me, cause it was all you, Aurora!"

"Can't you just appreciate that sacrifice and say you love me too?! I betrayed them for you, and now, you're here saying you never asked to be here? I did not leave you there to die!"

"I'm technically an alien on this island, Aurora. It was not what I asked for, not what I thought would happen, not what I imagined."

"So what is it that you imagined?" I asked.

"You and me, ruling this place. They respect me, and you beside me, leading everyone."

"That's not what happens here, the moment we admit our feelings inside the island, red and glowing butterflies would show. And we did that, but none appeared. So tell me, how could I let you rule my people if the island itself says you are not for me and you are not and never will be qualified to rule my pack?"

"You love me..I love you..the butterflies should be out of this! I just wanted to rule with you!"

"It's the position and advantage in ranking that you want with me, not my love, not me, myself. We are over, Vexon." I was mad.

"And so what should I do here? Continue to live like a nothing!?"

"Figure that out yourself." I said before walking out and leaving him there.

It did not take long for the news about us to spread, it was not heartbreaking at all. Now that I know what he wanted with me all this time.

It was power and status, what he never had back in the connecting cities. He never had the power to be a step ahead of everyone, he was a nobody, a human with no importance.

And I was the Aelpha, as what I used to describe to him, a leader, a strong protector, a wolf that everybody looks up to. The wolf that everybody's life revolved at, he wanted that.

And no, I'm not letting his half-meant desire to ruin my land. He could piss every wolf in my community, and die. Or live like a nobody, like who really is, always and forever.