Ryan's Point Of View
There in the darkness, is a small glimmer of light. My feet automatically carry me in that direction as I can feel the pull and tug of my body. A weird sensation feels my body, there's a numbness inside me that I can't quite comprehend. There was no breeze or air, I could just feel myself float closer and closer to the light that was flickering. The light was hurting my eyes the closer I got, a small part of me wanted to walk away but the curiosity was building inside me.
There sat a little girl, her hair was black as night, her skin was so pale that it was almost translucent. She was a pretty little thing, her eyes were twinkling as she looked around searching for something, her little head bobbed side to side. "I'm going to find you!" She squealed as she turned her back and ran in the opposite direction. Her feet tread lightly, she was quick on her little toes that I struggled to keep up but my wide steps followed to her beat.
It's then that a familiar little boy was hiding behind a stack of towering books. His head kept peeping, peering over the side while trying to conceal his body. I could see the flock of his blonde hair bounce from side to side. It was then that the room broke out into the Royal Pack's library and before I could recall the memory. The little girl crashed into the boy who went tumbling into the books. "OMPH" the boy gruntled out. It was then that I felt the sensation of pain reflect on my body. It was like everything he was feeling was mirrored onto my body. A soft smile made it's way onto my face as the girl wrapped her arms around him and laughed "I found you!"
The little boy was me and the beautiful little girl was Leyla. I had long forgotten this, for this moment was a lost memory. These were moments that were locked away in the back of my mind, that were long forgotten. It was then that my mind opened wide and kaleidoscope of memories rushed through my brain. Leyla and me playing in a field of wildflowers. Me and Leyla running around pretending to be warriors while my dad trained his pack. Nona telling stories of pack legends while we laid on picnic blankets, both of us curled up in each other's arms. There was something so innocent. Both of us shared looks of awe and care. There was something so pure about the love we shared at that age.
These beautiful memories were interrupted a swarm of darkness, the crack of lightning, the heavy downpour of rain. There I stood as a quiet observer as a little Leyla stood in front of the pack guards that protected the pack house. Her eyes were watering, her face filled with sadness as the two men stood towering over her.
"Please, Ryan is my friend." She quietly whispered.
"Little girl go home, you should not refer to your prince so loosely. You have no right. You are no one to him." One of the guards spoke with a terrifying tone. Her eyes that were once watering were now filled with loose tears that were rolling down her adorable cheeks. My heart hurt at the scene.
"Please, I have been here everyday for the last week. Why won't he see me? We are friends! He's my best friend!" She sobbed hysterically.
The guard chuckled darkly. "Little girl go home before we call your mother to teach you respect."
"But-" She began to speak.
"Gentleman give me a moment with the child." A familiar voice that was once something that I loved the sound of, was now something that caused me to cringe internally.
"Yes your majesty." Both guards responded with a bow and walked away.
There stood my mother, dressed in the finest gown, her golden hair was in her signature braid at the top but while her golden locks flowed down her back in soft waves. From this view I could see my mother for what she truly was. A fallen angel that rivalled Lucifer. I saw the cold look in her eyes while the rest of her face screamed a fake sad smile.
"Ah Leyla." She said with a sigh.
"Your majesty." Her eyes widened with awe before she quickly curtsied and bowed her head.
"Sweet Leyla, I'm sorry the guards wouldn't let you through. I'm afraid I have some bad news." Her eyes shifted from cold to devious, but Leyla was too young to notice the malicious look in my mother's eyes. I knew that whatever was about to transpire was going to cause my heart to break. It's was going to change the narrative when it came to our story. I knew then and there without seeing what was about to transpire was another one of my mother's manipulative ploys.
"What is it your majesty? Is it Ryan?" Her eyes widened in pain and worry. "Is he hurt? Is he okay? What's wrong with my best friend?" Her worried little voice squeaked out.
"Ryan is okay.... It's just that he doesn't have time to play with you anymore. He is beginning his training. As you know he will be a King one day. He was very upset with something you did dear. I don't know what but he was so distraught." My mother intricately wove her tale. I couldn't help but clench my fist at the scene that was unfolding. "He doesn't want to talk to you anymore, he said he didn't want to see you again." She sighed out.
"But... But... We're best friends. He promised he would always be there for me, he wouldn't leave me like my parents." She whimpered out as she wiped and rubbed the tears away from her eyes.
My mother crouched down on her knees and placed her hands gently on her shoulders. She looked her with such genuine sympathy on her face but I couldn't tear my stare from her cold eyes as she told the first lie that would unravel my relationship with Leyla. "Sweet child, I'm so sorry. But this is a good lesson for you, some promises are meant to be broken. One day he will meet his mate and he will forget all about you. He will leave you in the shadows and never look back. It may seem like a terrible sin what he is doing to you, but sweet child it is a secret blessing in disguise." She smiled sadly but her eyes twinkled with delight as she watched Leyla absorb every lie from her mouth like it was a gospel speaking.
"Now sweet child, return to Nona and do not come here unless my son seeks you out." She advised with malicious intent. Leyla was still crying but nodded her head and bowed. She then turned away and walked back towards the cottage where she lived with Nona. As she walked away all I could do was watch little Leyla's shoulder's shake and heave up and down. It was clear she was still crying as she retreated away with no other option.
My mind raced to the first day when I asked when I could see Leyla. My mother told me the same lie except she told me that Nona had told her that Leyla didn't want to be friends anymore. It was then that I watched my path change as my mother encouraged me to spend more time with her because she was lonely. Then she advised me to seek friendships with nobility as they would be more loyal to the crown than the little orphan Leyla.
I watched my mind flitter with memories of being sent of the Nightingale pack where my mother introduced me to Elisha. She encouraged me to spend time with her because she came from a good family. I remember my hesitance at building a friendship because I didn't want to lose someone close to me again. However, Elisha was relentless and when I finally shared my sad tale of my first friend who abandoned me, she promised that she would never leave me and that she would always be there for me.
It was there that I began my friendship with Elisha, which I thought was nothing but pure and innocent and soon the scene transferred into an image of my mother telling Elisha all about my likes and interests. My mother spent hours coaching her on what to say. My mouth was gaping as I soon watched as Elisha became as manipulative as my mother as she played the part that my mother gave her. It was during those teenage years that I began to fall for a girl who didn't even exist. She was simply a pawn shaped and moulded by mother, with the promise of being a Queen when she was older.
My memories got darker as I remember when I returned home after Alpha training and attended the Pack school. It was there that I was reunited with a hopeful eyed Leyla. I was transported to time I wish I could forget. I humiliated her, I physically and emotionally abused her as I pushed and shoved her into lockers. My eyes watered as I saw her escape the taunting from classmates that I had initiated. She would spend her lunches disappearing into the toilets, shedding tears for the unrecovered friendship that she desperately sought.
Then I was taken back to the first time that my mother told me my father was cheating on her, she told me he was disappearing and engaging with sexual intercourse. She described the pain she felt in her chest as the bruises formed on her skin because of his infidelity. I was then taken to the scene where I watched my father and Leyla roll around on the grass. When I first suspected that she was the woman who was causing my mother pain.
I was so wrong... There as I walked away, I watched my father, or Alexander pounce to his feet, with Leyla taking the same stance. There they were training, fighting, he was teaching her techniques that I had never seen before. Something that I had never gotten the chance to learn because I didn't want to know him, I didn't want to be around him because of my mother had lied.
"Perspective is everything isn't it?" A soft and sweet voice spoke.
I turned my head to the woman who was stood hidden in the darkness, there was ethereal feeling about her. Even though her beauty was godly, she was nothing compared to my Leyla. I couldn't help the pang in my chest as I called her mine, when I had so callously chucked her away. I couldn't help but shake my head in disappointment because at that moment I thought about the sins I had committed against Leyla. I had caused the woman she loved like a mother to die because I wasn't honest with the Kingdom about who my mate was. A small tear escaped my eye and I brushed my brush across the corner.
"Ah, the guilt you feel is overwhelming isn't it?" The lady dressed in white said with a sad smile.
"You have no idea." I sighed. I shook my head. "Wait, how did you know that I am feeling guilty, who are you?" I furrowed my brow as I looked at her golden eyes. The eyes that were the same as my sweet Leyla.
"Your not as oblivious as I thought you were. You are more observant that I expected. Yes, my eyes are reflected through your mate." She smiled softly.
My eyes widen when I realised who she was, it was the only explanation. The only question was whether I was whether I was dreaming or whether this was real.
"It is as real as you want it to be Ryan." She responded.
"Moon Goddess." I responded with a bow and widened eyes.
"Please, call me Selene." She replied.
"Selene." Her name twisted in my mouth. I didn't know whether to be honoured or to feel disgusted for I had shamed her as a child of the moon.
"You have not shamed me Ryan, for even though you were responsible for your own decisions, there are bigger evils than your actions. You were manipulated from a young age." She smiles sadly. "People do not comprehend how much our upbringing affects adulthood."
"Still I made bad choices, choices and decisions that were my responsibility to make, no one else's." I replied.
"Indeed, but remember that you are human. It's part of our nature make decisions. No one's path is easy, everyone has their own journey to take. There were...influences, powers beyond your control. I know you have started to scratch the surface but there is so much more that you have yet to discover."
I chuckled darkly. "Do you like talking in riddles?" She laughed, it was music to my ears, it was joyous and reminded me of my sweet Leyla. I sighed in want of the one woman who I knew was beyond my grasp because of my stupid behaviour.
"No I do not, but there is only so much I can, only so much I can show you. The rest is for you to discover. There are things beyond my control. I brought you hear momentarily to open your eyes. Like I said at the start perspective is everything." Selene explained.
"If only things didn't feel so bleak. She won't ever forgive me." I shook my head.
"Maybe. Maybe not. You and Leyla's path has been intwined before you were born. You read part of your mother's diary. There were things beyond your control. I can't say for sure what your future holds but remember, you have a chance to make things right. You have a chance to right those wrongs of the past." She explained. "Our time is coming to an end. You have big choices and decisions to make." Selene finished. I could see her slowly dissipate into the light.
"Wait, how do I know what to do!" I shouted.
"You will know when the time comes, it's your path, your decisions that will impact those around you. You have been given a chance to see through a clear lease. It's your choice on what path to take." She whispered.
And with that she disappeared and the light dimmed to a faint glow until the darkness once again surrounded me.