Anastasia

I remember the water gushing over me as I hit the surface; the coldness seeping through to my bones as it shocks me, pulls me down. I try to fight against the raging water. The water slammed me against the rocks. I scream out.

I push through the pain as I try to keep my head from going under. Fighting against the torrent waters, I don't want the tide to win. The tide is relentless and wraps its hands around me. Pulling me under with so much force that fighting was futile.

I let go, embracing the river, letting the tide move my body downstream. The tide becomes gentle towards me; however, I can't get my head above water. Instead, my lungs burn for air. I open my mouth, trying to air but only swallowing water, filling my lungs.

My eyes blur as I let the darkness seep in. Swallowing me and welcoming me into her icy embrace.

I feel water brushing against my face, gently caressing me before it slowly disappears.

A heartbeat later, and it is back. It wakes me up. A gasp leaves my mouth as I thrash around, turning and spinning as I look for something recognizable. I am met with darkness.

My body disturbs the shallow water around me, the dark water gentle compared to the water that sent me into tumbling down the river.

My toes sink into the sand beneath my feet as I stand up. I look down, noticing my shoes are missing. My clothes are also gone as I stand naked, surrounded by darkness.

I see a blue glimmering object towards my left, floating in the water. I walk towards it, my feet padding lightly through the water. My feet disturb the surface for a few seconds before the ripples disappear, the water surface calms and the entire cycle starts again.

The blue object keeps moving further away as I try to get close to trying to figure out what it is.

I try running towards it, only to have my feet knocked from under me. My body hits the surface. Air leaving my lungs from the impact.

I slowly sit up, looking around me. I try to find the blue object to reorientate myself. Panic rising in my chest as I am only met with darkness. I'm surrounded by a never-ending dark abyss.

I look up towards the sky. All I see is a bright white object in the air. The contrast against the darkness is the only thing I notice. The object's presence shocked me, offering no comfort as it stayed in the sky, tormenting me. Its presence unsettles me as it glows down on me. I become insecure.

I glare at it, pulling my knees up to my chest as shivers course through my body, trying to gain warmth well trying to cover up my naked body. Trying to feel less exposed.

I don't know how long it has been since I have been stuck here staring at that white ball. My neck aches from looking up at it, and I let out a sigh. My head resting on my knees as I look away from it.

A maniac laugh escapes me as my mind spins, looking for a way for this torture to end. A way to hear something other than the sound of flowing water. A way that will bring light into my life the way the blue object bought some into the darkness.

A brilliant light pierces the darkness, encasing me in a white glow as I stand up. My eyes burn at the quick change of light, struggling to adjust as to it. I blink my eyes a few times, allowing my eyes to adjust. I embrace the feeling of the light on my skin as it warms me, allowing me to stand tall.

The sound of water moving catches my attention as I look towards it. I try to see past the light, encasing me, trapping me in a prison of its making. I try to see what caused the water to move. A soft whisper sends me spinning in the other direction, my eyes searching wildly, trying to glimpse what is taunting me.

"She is just a mutt," the voice says. It's unrecognizable, inhumane in the way it pronounces the words.

Spitting them out as if it is a pain. "A burden really," another voice says, causing me to turn towards it. This voice is louder, causing bumps to rise on my skin as the tone demands your attention, showcasing its authority.

"No one could ever love her," a third voice joins.

This one is recognizable. The words burn my skin even if it isn't the first time I heard them. The voices merge, becoming one as their words form a sickening chant, tormenting me.

I bring my hands up to my ears, trying to block the noise out as I scream, letting my emotions out as I crumble from the torment. My knees give out as I fall into the water. The cold surrounds me, encasing me in something other than the chants that fill the nothingness of this place.

My head spins as my hands cross in front of me. My hands grip my forearms tightly, my nails break the skin, allowing blood to trickle down my arms, dripping into the water below.

"Stop," I murmur. The tears flowing down my face.

The chanting continues, growing louder than it. The water continues to ripple around me. Reminding me, my mind causes the sounds that are toying with me.

"Stop," I repeat, louder this time as my hands move into my hair, pulling it.

The rippling of the water stops, the voices continue their chant, lower and slower this time. The light seems to dim slightly as the voices become softer.

I take a few deep breaths as the chanting becomes quieter, more distant. The voices become dull, almost disappearing as I rock back and forth. I'm humming to drown the noise out.

I look out, not focusing on anything as I look to the area where the light meets the darkness. The light and darkness blending into a gray horizon. The gray quickly disappears as the light dim. Still shining brightly down on me, imprisoning me and torturing me by preventing the thing that taunts me to be seen clearly. All I can see are the shapes in the darkness.

I stare at the one right in front of me. The chants picking up speed again.

The shape raises its arm, moving it in front of itself unnaturally as it points its finger towards me. A laugh escaping from it.

I spin around in the water to the next shape. This one is smaller. The shape's outline comes together. The figure is a woman. Her hand raises as she points at me, a shrill laugh joining with the other one.

I don't turn to look at the third figure, knowing that they will be in the same position as the others. Its laugh is the loudest as it joins the others.

"Stop it, stop!" I repeat, as I sob. Laughs escaping between every word that leaves my mouth. I'm losing hold of whatever sanity I had left of my already waning mind.

The laughter continues to torment as this hell destroys every ounce of my sanity. The laughing instantly stops as the light disappears.

Darkness floods through, taking back its domain and wrapping its cold arms around me. Comforting me as my body continues to rock back and forth.

The blue glimmer catches my eye again as I look at it.

I stay where I am in the water. Not falling into the trap, these agonizing games will consume me. It needs chaos to thrive. The blue glimmer moves closer, growing in size as it slowly approaches. As it calls for me.

Unlike the bright light from above, its reflection floats above the water and is hypnotizing. The blues stretch from it, highlighting the crystal-clear water. Highlighting the water and the blue object's purity.

I become drawn to it. My body relaxes as I focus on it, embracing the feeling of the water touching my skin, cleansing my skin. My scars disappear as the water runs over my skin. I lose focus of the blue object and stare at its reflection as it casts across the water.

Not coming in a single direction as it covered the whole river, the water shimmering as the colors swirl together.

I sense something near me.

I look up, and the figure is still in front of me. It's the light furred wolf from before. I stare at it, its blue eyes piercing into mine as it looks at me. I watch as it walks away, its paws trotting through the water, not causing any ripples as it moves.

It goes towards the figure in the distance. The one that would be unrecognizable if it weren't for her blonde hair that cascades down her back. Her feet are the only things in water, but the white dress she wears is completely wet, her skin is free from scars and her blue eyes shine as she looks at me. She leans down to pet the wolf before standing up and smiling at me.

I feel myself being pulled in the opposite direction.

"No, no wait," I scream.

My body jerks up as my eyes shoot open.

Pain floods through my body, making me groan at the slightest of movements. Two hands land on my shoulders, grounding me as calm washes over me. My eyes focus as they stare up at the blurry figure in front of me.

Derek's face is full of concern; his hands drop my shoulders as he takes a few steps back from me. Trying to put some distance between us.

"Are you okay?" He asks, his hand combing through his hair as he stares at me.

I nod my head, remembering how I fell in the ravine. The events leading up to it and how my heat was the main reason for it.

I don't recall how I got to the Healer's clinic and as I look down and see Jacob's shirt on me, his scent filling my nose, I hazily remember how he carried me here.

"Why are you here Derek?" I ask, wanting to know why he cared so much about being here for me now, when I needed him earlier.

My words stop Derek and his movements as he stares at me. Shock and hurt on his face before he quickly covers them up with the well-poised mask he has ready and waiting.

"Because you are my mate and you need me," he starts.

His words annoy me. Especially the way he so easily thinks his presence is the only thing I need from him.

"I needed you this morning when I lost control of my body because of my heat. But you weren't even bothered to call and check in on me." I bite back, venom in my words.

I watch him gulp. I see the guilt in his eyes, and I am glad he feels at least partially guilty for what had happened to me earlier.

"You are right. I should've checked up on you. But you know I couldn't help you with your heat," he says, looking away from me as he reminds me of the deal we made.

The deal was made because of him and his needs. His needs that are at the forefront of this bond, well mine, are an inconvenience or chore that needs to be done to make sure that he is still okay.

"I wouldn't have been in the forest if I didn't know that." I growl out. Frustrated with him, I continued to rant. "I used our promise to drive me further into the forest, away from other unmated males, so you don't experience the pain of me being with another male."

He gulps at my words, looking at the floor as he thinks my words over in his head.

The room falls silent for a few minutes as we both let my words sink in. I finally built up the courage to ask what has been burning through my mind since he started visiting me at the Healer's clinic.

"Why don't you just break the bond? You are engaged to Medeia."

His eyes stared at me for the first time since we started this conversation.

I break eye contact with him as his stare becomes too intense for me. I know he was searching my face for something, which I still don't know, but he must have found a trace of it.

"I'll think about it," he says, defeated. "I need to know if going through all that pain is worth it."

"But the pain I've been forced to go through is?" I ask.

I see the dread flash across his face as he processes my words.

"It's not, that is-" he starts.

Both of our heads turn towards the door as it is pushed open, slammed against the wall from the force.

"Why can't you just leave Derek alone?" Medeia screams as she charges towards me.

Derek was quick to grab her around the waist, pulling her back.

"Medeia, what the hell? Ana and I are nothing more than friends," he says, trying to reassure her.

"She is your mate!" she spits out, spitting the word 'she' out like it was dirt.

"And we are trying to figure it out," he says. Letting go of her as he tries to explain the situation. But his explanations fall on deaf ears as she turns to me. Her eyes were laced with venom.

"Do not go near my man, you mutt!" she screams at me. Her hand pointed at me as she said the words.

"I suggest you shut up, Medeia," a voice adds.

My head looks past Medeia to see Jacob standing in the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest as he stares down at Medeia.

"Unless you want to be thrown out of the pack and not allowed back in," Jacob adds, a warning towards Medeia and her behavior towards me.

Medeia rolls her eyes before turning on her heel and storming out of the building.

My heart sinks as I watch Derek chase after her.