NIYA'S POV:-
It's almost a week, and I felt like a ghost haunting the pack grounds. No one seemed to acknowledge my existence, and it was as if I didn't exist. Even when I tried to strike up a conversation, my words fell on deaf ears. I started eating my meals late, just so I wouldn't ruin anyone else's mood.
Cedric was preoccupied with taking care of Amanda, who had recently recovered from her fake injuries. Steve and Louise had left for a meeting and wouldn't be back for a week. Even Blake, my only friend over here, was ignoring me. When I asked him if he trusted me, he didn't answer. The hurt was palpable, and I felt lonely and isolated.
As I walked into Cedric's room, I saw Amanda sitting on the bed. She smirked at me, and I felt my blood boil. "Bitch," I scoffed, unable to control my anger.
"What did you say?" she narrowed her eyes at me, trying to intimidate me.
"Me? Nothing," I replied, putting on an innocent face. I knew Cedric was in the bathroom, and I didn't want to risk anything.
"Stay away from this room," she said, a wicked smile forming on her face. "Because we are going to have fun tonight."
I felt disgusted, and the thought of them together made me want to vomit. "As if I care, and you know very well I'm not interested in him," I retorted.
I picked up my phone and some other essentials and left the room. As I walked through the pack grounds, I came across the library. "I forgot about the research," I facepalmed myself.
Two guards stopped me as I approached the library entrance. "Sorry, no one is allowed to enter the library," they said.
"Why not?" I batted my eyelashes, trying to persuade them.
"It's the personal library that belongs to our pack. Only Alpha, Beta, and Gamma are allowed to enter," they said firmly.
"Hmm, let me see," I crossed my arms and pretended to think. "I'm married to your Beta, so what does that make me?"
"The Female Beta," one guard answered.
"See, that makes me a Beta," I shrugged.
They looked at each other, and one of them nodded in approval. I placed my palm in front of them, and they handed me the key. "You guys can leave," I ordered them, and they left.
"Wow, the perks of marrying that asshole," I chuckled to myself.
I opened the lock and entered the library. The place was exactly as we had left it. I walked towards the shelves and picked up a book, hoping to find something useful. I went through four books, but still found nothing.
As I looked at the clock, I realized it was already 9 pm. "God, it's been six hours," I sighed and got up.
As I walked out of the library, I looked at the key and then at the lock. The guards didn't come near the library; they guarded the place from afar. I gave the key to the guard and walked away. As I reached Cedric's room, I heard moaning and groaning. I felt disgusted, but I knew it was none of my business.
I decided to visit my old room, so I could sleep peacefully on the bed. I was so happy as I walked downstairs, but when I tried to open the door, it was locked.
"What the fuck," I cussed under my breath.
"What should I do now?" I sighed and walked down to the kitchen. As I opened the fridge, I saw nothing but raw vegetables and milk. Nothing was cooked, then I heard voices.
As I walked out of the kitchen, the sound of laughter hit me like a ton of bricks. It was the Alpha brothers and their wives, my sister, Blake, Cady, Cassie, Lucas, Tyler, Samantha - everyone I considered family.
And yet, they had gone out without informing me. I couldn't help but feel hurt, but I tried to push those feelings aside.
"Samantha!" I exclaimed as she walked up to me, and we hugged.
"I missed you at dinner. I asked everyone and they said you're sick, so you weren't able to join us," she said, concern etched on her face.
"I'm fine now," I replied, offering her a small smile. But I couldn't help but wonder if they had lied to her.
"Actually, I'm sorry but I need to rush. I have an emergency," Samantha apologized before waving goodbye to everyone.
As usual, everyone headed back to their rooms and houses, leaving me behind. It was as if I was invisible. I tried to ignore the pang of loneliness I felt.
"Hey Niya did you have dinner"
"No I didn't, but I'm fine"
Yes, I had a little conversation with myself, cause no one is going to ask if I ate something. It's not like I can't cook, it's late for cooking.
I was angry at everyone, how could they do this to me? I walked out of the house towards the library, luckily I just gave the keys and didn't lock the door.
I opened the door to the library and stepped inside. As I walked, the old wooden floors creaked beneath my feet, and a musty smell filled my nostrils. It was dark inside, but I could just make out the outlines of the bookshelves in the dim light filtering in from the windows.
As I made my way through the stacks of books, I felt a presence around me, almost as if someone was watching me. I looked around, but saw no one.
I began to search through the shelves, looking for a new book to read. The old books were dusty, and the dust made my nose itch and my throat feel scratchy. I lost track of time as I delved deeper into the books, losing myself in the stories and the knowledge they held.
But something nagged at the back of my mind. What was I missing? I scratched my head in frustration, trying to shake the feeling. I stood up and the room spun around me, black dots dancing in front of my eyes. I had to sit down and close my eyes for a moment until the dizziness passed.
I stood up again and took a deep breath. "Everything starts somewhere," I said to myself. "What if I'm looking at this the wrong way?"
I began to scan the shelves more intently, my finger trailing over the spines of the books as I searched for something that might help me understand. As I searched, I began to feel a sense of excitement building in my chest. I knew I was getting closer to solving the mystery.
Then my finger stopped on one book, an ancient volume that looked like it had been untouched for years. The leather binding was cracked and faded, and the pages were yellowed with age.
As I pulled the book from the shelf, I felt a strange energy coursing through me. It was like a thrill, mixed with a deep sense of foreboding.
I placed the book on the table and tried to read it, but my head began to spin and pound. I could feel the burning sensation in my eyes, and my neck and back ached. I knew I should rest, but I was so close to solving the puzzle.
"You can do this, Niya," I whispered to myself, trying to keep my spirits up. I opened the book with trembling fingers, and saw that the pages were decorated with intricate gold designs.
It was a beautiful book, but it filled me with a sense of unease. I knew I was on the cusp of discovering something incredible, but I also knew that the danger was real.
I delved into the title of the book, "The Beginning." Finally, after days of digging through books and endless hours of research, I had found what I had been looking for.
But before I could even begin to take in the knowledge before me, I heard footsteps approaching my table, followed by a voice.
"Niya," Blake's voice rang out. Ugh, why did he have to show up now of all times?
"What?" I snapped, not bothering to lift my gaze from the book.
"What the hell are you doing here?" he asked, the concern in his voice evident.
"Duh! Can't you see?" I rolled my eyes, annoyed at his interruption.
"You look like shit," he commented, causing me to scoff.
"Oh yes? Guess what, I feel like shit too," I retorted. Why couldn't he just leave me alone and let me do my work in peace?
"Niya, I was worried about you," he said as he walked closer to the table.
"And why should you be?" I returned my gaze to the book, trying to ignore him.
"You've been missing for two days," he replied, his voice tinged with frustration.
"Two days?" I exclaimed, my attention fully on him now.
"Yes, and no one even realized it until this morning," he sighed.
I couldn't believe it. Two whole days, and no one had even noticed my absence? It was infuriating.
"Wow! Two days and no one cared," I laughed bitterly, as Blake looked at me with concern.
"Niya," he sighed.
"It's okay, Blake. I get it, you don't trust me either," I said, my tone laced with sarcasm.
"Research can wait, Niya. You look like you need rest," he said, his voice softening.
"I'm fine, Blake," I shrugged, not wanting to show any weakness.
"Are you?" he asked, his voice laced with worry.
"I said I'm fine," I closed the book and placed the remaining books on top of it. As I stood up, I felt a sudden dizziness and the last thing I heard was Blake calling my name.
*****
When I opened my eyes again, everything was white. A white blanket covered my lower half, and there was a needle in my hand. Oh no, not again.
I felt a soft grip on my other hand and as I trailed my eyes to see what it was, there was Blake sitting in a chair next to me, holding my hand and sleeping. Despite the situation, I couldn't help but think he looked cute. But that didn't stop me from feeling angry.
He shifted in his chair, and our eyes met. He seemed half asleep, and his gaze made me feel uneasy.
"Oh, goddess! Are you awake?" he jumped up from his chair, startling me.
"No, I'm sleeping with my eyes open," I scoffed, trying to hide my discomfort.
"Now I believe you're awake. I'll call the doctor," he said, a hint of panic in his voice.
"I'm fine," I waved my hand, not wanting to be fussed over.
"No, you're not. You didn't eat or drink for two days. You're dehydrated, and you had poison in your blood," he yelled, the frustration evident in his voice.
Wait, poison? I didn't give any expression, but my mind was racing with thoughts. Who could have done this to me? And why?
"I didn't know you well, and you would have been dead in that library for God knows how long," Blake continued, his voice shaking with emotion. I didn't say anything as I played with my fingers.
"You don't know me at all," I whispered, withdrawing my hand. "If you did, you would trust me and not give me the cold shoulder." As I spoke, tears began to well up in my eyes.
"Hey, please don't cry," Blake cooed.
"Why not? No one believes me," I replied, burying my face in my hands.
"I do trust you, Niya," Blake sighed. "But when we saw Amanda, I didn't know what the truth and lies were. I've known her my whole life."
"So you don't trust me?" I asked, looking up at him.
"I do, but I need to know everything that happened. And now that I know you had poison in your bloodstream, I need to hear your side of the story," he said, his guilt evident in his eyes.
"Why should I tell you now? When I tried telling you before, you shoved me into a corner like you didn't even know me. All you did was give me the cold shoulder," I pushed his hand away as he tried to touch my shoulder.
"I trust you, Niya. I was giving you the cold shoulder because I felt guilty and responsible for what happened to Amanda," Blake explained as he sat down on the bed.
"And later, Cedric took the blame by telling you the truth. He then later blamed me, saying that I was the reason this happened. I felt bad that my childhood friend was accusing me," Blake continued, rubbing his face in frustration.
"Somewhere, I blamed myself for this. But after a lot of thinking, there was one thing I didn't pinpoint," he said, looking at me expectantly.
"What?" I asked, tilting my head.
"I never told you about wolfsbane. So how could you have known about it?" Blake asked pointedly.
"I don't even know what wolfsbane is," I scoffed.
"Please tell me what happened, Niya. I want to help you," Blake implored, his eyes filled with sincerity.
There was something about Blake that kept me attracted to him, something beyond just his physical appearance. I felt like my soul was calling out to him, telling me to trust him. Despite my reservations, I felt like we had a bond, but I couldn't quite put my finger on what it was.
"Fine," I sighed. "But this is the last chance I'm giving you. If you break my trust, give me the cold shoulder, or shove me in a corner again, we're done," I warned him firmly.
"But we need to get out of here," I said, changing the subject.
"And go where?" Blake raised an eyebrow.
"To the library," I grinned.
"Not happening, Niya. You need rest. You were poisoned, and that place almost took your life," Blake shook his head.
"I'm this close, Blake. Please. I promise I'll rest for a whole week once I finish that one book and find out who poisoned me," I pleaded, giving him my best puppy-dog eyes.
"Argh, I hate that. Fine," Blake relented, removing the needle from my hand. I stood up unsteadily, and he held onto me to keep me from falling over.
"Are you okay?" he asked, concerned.
"I'm fine," I nodded, taking a deep breath. "Let's go."
Sitting down with the book in front of me, I felt like it was calling out to me, drawing me closer. I have been restless since I have seen this book.
"So start now," he asked and I started telling him.
******
As I walked towards the room where Amanda was getting ready, I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. My heart was pounding with anticipation, but I couldn't pinpoint why. As I entered the room, I saw Amanda sitting on the bed, looking worried.
"Hey, why are you not ready yet?" I asked her, trying to keep my voice steady.
"Thank goodness you're here, Niya. I need your help," she walked near me and held my hands tightly.
"What happened?" I could feel the tension building up in the room.
"I need you to take my place for some time," her grip on my hand was tight.
"What do you mean, Amanda? Why would you want me to take your place?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly.
"I can't explain it now. Just trust me, Niya. Please, I'm begging you," she looked at me with pleading eyes.
I could feel the dread creeping up on me. Something was definitely not right. "No, Amanda. I can't do that. Whatever it is, we'll figure it out together."
"I'm sorry, Niya. But I have to do this. I'm running out of time," she said, her grip on my hand tightening.
"What do you mean, running out of time?" I asked, trying to pull away from her grasp.
"I can't tell you now. But please, Niya, just trust me," she whispered.
"No, I'm not doing this. Whatsoever work you have can wait. Do it after your marriage or talk to Cedric. We'll figure it out," I said firmly, trying to free my hand.
"I can't," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"I'm sorry I can't help you, Amanda. I'm not taking your place," I said, trying to pull my hand away.
"You know what? You'll take my place," she said, her facial expression changing.
"Do you have a problem with hearing?" she said, her grip on my hand now hurting me.
"No, I don't," I yelled, trying to twist my hand to free myself. "And you have no right to order me around."
"Cause I know your truth Niya, I know everything," she threatened me, her grip tightening even more.
"What truth?" I asked, confused and scared at the same time.
"That you killed the man in the mall," she whispered, her eyes glinting with menace.
I felt my heart stop for a moment. How did she know? Was she bluffing? I couldn't tell. "How do you know that name?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
"I know a lot of things about you, Niya. And I'm giving you a choice now. You either take my place or your truth will be out in the open," she said, her voice dripping with malice.
I felt a cold sweat break out on my forehead. I had to do something. But what? "Is it ok? For me to tell .." she whispered a name in my ear, and I felt a shiver run down my spine. It was the name of someone I thought was long dead.
"So now it depends, do you wanna be selfish and put your mother, sister, father, and his family in danger, or you want some adventure, face the risk by taking my place," she rested her hand on the bed as she leaned back, a wicked smile on her face.
"They'll know it's me, by my scent " I gulped as I remembered Blake giving me 101 on the werewolf.
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. My heart was pounding as Amanda handed me a bottle and said, "I have it covered."
"Wh-what do you mean?" I stammered, trying to keep my voice steady.
Amanda's expression turned grave as she said, "You'll be in danger. They'll know it's you by your scent. But I have a plan. Take this."
My hands shook as I took the bottle, feeling like my life was slipping out of my grasp. "Why are you doing this to me?" I asked, the tears welling up in my eyes.
"I didn't want to," Amanda replied softly. "But you're in the wrong place at the wrong time, and I didn't know what else to do until you walked into this room."
"What do you mean?" I asked, confused and scared.
"I was planning to use an omega to take my place," Amanda explained, pointing to the bottle. "But I think you're meant to be here. To take my place."
My mind was racing, trying to make sense of what was happening. "I can't marry him," I whispered.
"You don't have to," Amanda reassured me, placing a comforting hand on my arm. "Just take my place until I come back."
"How can I trust you?" I asked, my voice trembling.
Amanda's eyes flashed with a dangerous glint. "You don't have a choice. But I have a witch on my side. She'll help us switch places. Trust me."
My heart was pounding as I tried to decide what to do. Amanda's words were spinning around in my head, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right.
"Think about your family," Amanda urged me.
Suddenly, everything became clear. I knew what I had to do. Even though my family had never treated me well, I couldn't risk putting them in danger. Not after what Amanda had whispered.
My hand tightened around the bottle as I made my decision. "Okay," I said, my voice firm. "I'll do it."
Amanda smiled, but there was something in her eyes that made me uneasy. "Good. We don't have much time."
*****
As I recounted the events that had led me to this moment, I couldn't help but feel a deep sense of regret. I had trusted Amanda, and now I was paying the price.
"I waited for her to come," I told Blake, tears streaming down my face. "But she didn't come back. I searched for her or any sign that I'll switch places, but I found nothing."
Blake pulled me into a tight hug, trying to console me. "I'm so sorry, Niya," he whispered. "I can't believe this happened to you."
"I didn't even touch her," I cried, my voice breaking. "I don't know why she would tell everyone that I stabbed her. She was fine when she left."
Blake looked at me, concern etched on his face. "But how did she know about you?" he asked, his brow furrowed.
"I don't know," I replied, feeling lost and helpless.
"I'm sorry, Niya," Blake said again, tears welling up in his eyes. "I should have asked you before. I should have been more careful."
"It's not your fault, Blake," I told him, trying to sound strong. "I could have made the same mistake if I were in your place."
Blake's face brightened up with determination. "I'll help you in getting Amanda down and finding the person who poisoned you," he said, wiping away my tears with a gentle touch.
I smiled at him through my tears. "Team Nike," I said, raising my hand for a high five. Blake met me halfway, and we both laughed.
Suddenly, I saw something on the page we were reading. "Hey! I think I see something," I said, pointing at the book.
"What?" Blake asked, peering over my shoulder.
"Let's do some reading, then," I said, trying to focus on something other than my own pain.
But before we could dive back into the book, Blake turned to me with a serious expression. "Niya, there's something else I need to ask you."
"What?" I asked, feeling apprehensive.
"Who killed that guy in the mall?" he questioned, and my heart skipped a beat.
I lowered my eyes, feeling the weight of guilt pressing down on me. "It was me," I whispered, my voice barely audible.
________
°°°°°
***UNKNOWN POV***
Two days ago
Noah, a fierce werewolf, stood guard at the border of his pack when he sensed someone nearby. His senses sharpened as he became more aware of his surroundings.
"Hello Noah," the person spoke in a calm voice, being careful not to cross the pack border.
"Who are you? And how do you know my name?" Noah asked, his eyebrows furrowing and his eyes narrowing on the person.
"It doesn't matter who I am," the person started laughing, but it was a chilling, blood-curdling sound. "What matters is what I want."
"You're insane," Noah shook his head. "If you want to live, I would advise you to leave now," he warned.
"Oh, I like that," the person mocked. "How about you do what I want?"
"Why would I take orders from a mere human?" Noah growled, his wolf getting agitated.
The person snorted. "How funny. Hmm, let me think," the person scratched their chin.
"Oh, wait. Is your pregnant wife home?" The person tilted their head, and Noah growled as his eyes glowed. 'Step one foot inside, and I'll rip your throat out,' he thought, watching the person's every move.
"That's what I thought," the person smirked. "Isn't she at her parent's house?" The person teased.
Noah lunged forward to attack the person but froze when he heard the voice on the person's phone.
"Don't you dare think you can attack me without harming your wife and your unborn child," the person chuckled.
"What do you want?" Noah's voice broke, his eyes switching from sea-green orbs to glowing orbs.
"Nothing harmful to werewolves, don't worry," the person assured Noah.
"Here, dust this in your library and place this book on the shelf," the person handed Noah a book and a dusky powder. A small smile played on the person's lips.
Noah took the book and the powder and rushed towards the library. He placed the book on the shelf and dusted the powder on the curse section. He was relieved that it wasn't going to harm anyone.
As he turned to leave, he heard someone enter the library. It was Niya, his friend, and ally. He realized that the person said it wouldn't harm his kind because it was meant for Niya.
The person walked through the woods whistling with a smile on their face.
What Noah didn't know was that the dusky powder was a magical slow poison that would kill Niya in three days. As he hugged his crying wife, who was shivering with fear, Noah realized the danger that lurked ahead.
____________________________
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Author's Note:-
Noah is one of the guards from the 1st chapter.
Do you think Niya should have played hard and make Blake work hard to gain her trust?
Do you think Niya and Blake will be able to find who the person is?
#Nike
Are you guys ready for some magical thing?
Dear readers,
I just wanted to let you know that this chapter has been edited since its original posting.
I hope the changes have improved your reading experience and made the story more enjoyable.
As always, thank you for your support and for taking the time to read my work
If any mistakes please let me know
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