S t e l l a
I looked outside the window in amazement as the plane was touching down. Houses and buildings were finally looking like their size as opposed to how they looked like when you're up from the skies, like boxes that can easily be stepped on.
Hazel took the liberty to bring us to a resort for our small trip. She said that it was a special resort for her and she wanted to bring us there.
None of us had any better destination suggestions so we all agreed.
"Ladies, welcome to the western territories!" Hazel announced and as if on cue, the plane came in contact with the ground.
The process after that was quite quick, Hazel explained that it was because their pack, Luna Flumine had connections with the airport and was able to fasten things up.
As you may be wondering, why would we be on a plane instead of travelling by land. To answer all curiosities, it's simply to save time. Travelling from the east to the west by land was going to take days as opposed to a few hours in air.
Although I heard that it was inconvenient for werewolves because it messes with their senses, the engines are far too loud for them or so they find, yet here we are.
I didn't have much say in how we were spending our little trip though. I didn't really mind where I was going, only that I wanted to be away from all this craziness. At least for me, it's crazy. For the others, my coming was some sort of great news and them saying that they've been looking for me for a long time.
Soon enough, we found ourselves in a van, driving to the resort but at the same time, Hazel was already on full-on tourist guide mode which was quite the sight to see.
Maddie sat beside me and looked carefully without saying too much. I observed that out of the three of my new friends, she was the most quiet out of them all. However, she is always the first one to notice whenever I needed something.
Maybe because she's Cassian's sister and I was supposed to be Cassian's mate and all. She probably felt compelled to take care of me or pay more of an attention towards me which she didn't have to at all.
"Have you ever travelled?" I asked her wanting to know a little bit more about her.
Maddie turned to me with a small smile and nodded. "Yeah, I've been around."
Hearing our conversation, Hannah leaned in.
"You may not know it yet Stella, but Maddie is the Queen of the Rogues. Rogues from all territories fear her." she revealed laughing a little.
Maddie reddened and quickly shook her hands and her head and I couldn't help but laugh along.
"Oh, please don't mention that. That was a long time ago." she said.
"A rogue? But aren't rogues bad?" I asked in confusion. I remembered them telling me about rogues and Strays.
Hazel turned around after her phone conversation with Archer.
"Oh yeah, most of them are, but not all. Some rogues became rogues because they were banished or they ran away."
Oh, so like me? If I had lived in the werewolf world, I would have been considered a rogue.
I looked at Maddie, she didn't look like a rogue. Contrast of all that. She was reserved, she had this certain air about her that was gentle yet defining. Maddie was strong, I could feel it. Strongest than all of the ones I've met so far.
I don't know how I know, I just did. In fact, these past few days had been weird for me. Ever since my revelation of the were world, things have been different.
I'm not sure if it's simply the fact that I know that werewolves exist that I am becoming more aware of things around me, but the way I see and feel things nowadays are so different that it's all too baffling.
For example, I could feel someone's strength and aura, the flow of their energy, their emotions. My senses were becoming alarmingly better. I was shocked one night to find that I could see so clearly during the dark.
I had always been able to distinguish scents before, but now it was on another level. It was almost as if I could tell how far someone is just by this alone, although sometimes some scents disappear on my radar.
The one scent that always had me on edges was most definitely Cassian's. It was a new scent, yet it felt so nostalgic, so warm and... it felt like home. It always calmed me down. Whenever I felt like going crazy, it was his mere presence that balanced my mind once again.
I haven't told anyone of the changes I've been feeling, I want to understand them on my own first. I need to try and handle them on my own first. I guess it's a first step to knowing who I truly am. What I am.
"It's a long story, I'll tell you about it next time," Maddie smiled at me reassuringly and now that made me curious of her past. "We're here."
I looked outside the window and find that we truly seemed to have arrived at our destination. The bus was moving slowly past the palm trees and the hotel buildings and in between, I could already see the vastness of the water.
I have never been to the sea and seeing a glimpse of it made me feel like an excited five year old looking in front of the TV in amazement that such a wonder could exist.
I almost thought that it wasn't real, but seeing the way the waves hit against each other and how people splashed at the water happily, there was no way it could be fake or a figment of my imagination.
"The beach is so pretty isn't it!" Hazel screamed excitedly and stood up as the bus came to a halt.
I was so busy staring at the sea that I hadn't even noticed that my companions had already stood up. Seeing that I was too immersed in being amazed, Hazel grabbed me by the hand.
"Let's go!" she said again with such a big smile on her face. I smiled back and was about to be led away by her when all of a sudden flashes of scenes came to mind.
It was Hazel, bloodied. We were in a forest and she was bruised all over as she was leading me by the hand. We were running, the air was heavy and damp as if it had just rained.
I looked down to see that I was bleeding too, but my heart was beating so fast and so hard and for some reason, I knew I had to run.
The scene changed. This time, we were in a battlefield. There were fightings all around us. It was chaotic, I couldn't hear anything and everywhere I looked, blood was being spilled.
Hazel held my hands tightly as she placed a necklace in my hands.
"Stella, you have to live," she said, her voice ragged and tired, "you have to live, for me, for us." Her voice was breaking and I could feel the sorrow she felt.
"Hazel, don't do this, think about Archer, think about A--"
Hazel's tears were falling now. Some of her tears washed the blood away that smeared her beautiful face. Her hair that reminded all of us of the sun was sullied with mud and blood.
"Oh my gosh, Stella, are you alright?!"
When I came into, the three Lunas had already surrounded me and I found myself staring at Hazel.
What was that?
I swallowed. Hard.
A dream?
No way. How can I dream with my eyes open?
Am I finally going crazy?
"Is there something wrong?" Hazel asked again, getting nervous at the way I was looking at her. The bloodied image of her was still in my mind.
It wasn't a dream, it felt too real. I was there with her.
But I chose to shake it away. "N-no I'm fine," I said although my voice and surely my face said otherwise, "m-motion sickness or something."
Hannah and Maddie exchanged worried looks, but when I stood up, we all descended the bus.
As soon as our feet touched the ground, a line of workers were already at our disposal. They looked neat and pretty with their uniform and they smiled brightly.
When I looked to my right, our small baggages were already being carried out and put into this golden cart that I had only seen in the movies.
A girl approached Hazel and upon seeing Hannah and Maddie, she bowed and quite lowly too.
I looked around me and some people were already staring at us, wondering why in the modern world a worker would bow to someone. It wasn't common, even I found it weird, but in the werewolf world, it was how they showed their submission to someone of a higher position than them.
I looked at the file of workers and had wild guess that all of them must be werewolves too, although they all looked normal. Or I guess what I mean is human. They looked human.
When they noticed me, they also bowed briefly but then returned to Hazel.
"The Royal Suite is ready, Luna. The chefs are currently preparing the food and it should be ready as soon as you call for it. For the clothes, there are catalogues in the room, just call the reception to order any of the clothes and we will get it ready as soon as possible." she informed Hazel.
The whole thing didn't take long, Hazel wasn't kidding when she said that she had everything taken care of.
What we had was not a room.
The Royal Suite that the attendant talked about was not a suite. It was whole penthouse.
The first floor was already wide enough with four big rooms, but it continued till the second floor. I know, a two-floor unit in a big hotel.
The western pack must be packed.
I got my own room just like the others and when Hazel left to give me time to rest, I dropped my bag on the floor and sat on the bed, dazed.
The bed was a good king-sized and when I sat, I sank on its softness. The room was clean, modern and well, in a few short words, something that I could never afford.
I had my own bathroom with a nice tub, it was well-lit and it reminded me of those fancy stores that displayed expensive bags at the mall back in our small town. There were even clothes inside the closet already that Hazel told me to use.
When I had enough of my room tour, I changed to my own clothes, well, clothes that Ruth had previously given me. I didn't think using the new and expensive clothes inside the closet would fit me anyways.
However, when I looked at the clothes that I had brought, none of them were fitting to wear at the beach.
Still, I changed to some sweats and a shirt. When I heard a knock at the door, I hurriedly went to open it.
Hannah was at the door, changed to a short mint dress, her hair tied up with some flip flops on. Perfect for a stroll at the beach.
She had a smile on her face but when she saw what I was wearing, it dropped and she looked at me from head to toe, a bit surprised. She most likely didn't mean it, but I caught the look of pity that flashed her eyes, but quickly disappeared as she set it aside.
Her smile returned.
"Stella, it's going to be hot outside, are you sure you want to wear that?" she asked with a motherly tone, just as if she understood my thoughts exactly.
"Well, I didn't have clothes--" I hadn't even finished my words, but Hannah entered my room gently pushing me back so I can open the door some more.
She headed to the closet and opened it only to uncover numerous clothes, still with their tag on.
"You silly, you have a lot here." she said and started taking some clothes out.
She took a look at some and even put it in front of me to see how it would look on me.
I stood still without saying anything, contemplating whether I should tell her that I don't have the money to pay for the clothes, for this room.
I didn't know how to tell her how insecure I felt.
The three of them had everything, but me? I had nothing. Why would they even want to be friends with me? Why would they do all this just for me?
And then Cassian came to mind, why would he care for me? He doesn't even know me.
"Try this on, Stella." Hannah handed me a cream silk dress and I was going to object but when I saw the excited look she had on her face, I couldn't do it.
And so again, I erased the negative thoughts that ran through my mind and took the dress.
Don't overthink it, I reminded myself over and over again.
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hi all, i am back.
i know, i know i am sorry, again. i went all MIA on you guys for a long time. i was busy during the summer, to an extent even i didn't expect but i will be updating again as i have more free time.
im sorry, really.
please continue to support Casella or Stellian, however you want to call them.
much love,
skyy 💕
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Reviewed: January 13th, 2022.
Please note that grammatical errors may still appear.