It's been almost two weeks since the party and everyday instead of having a peace of mind that I was away from my mate, I became even more distressed.
I also started to feel sick, a consequence of not being with your mate. I knew all about this when I chose to run, but I didn't know it would be this bad!
There are times when I literally had to crawl to the bathroom with how dizzy I was feeling. Some nights, I woke up with a pain that I cannot really explain.
"What's the matter, honey, the doctor can't even tell what's wrong with you." my mom says worriedly as she puts her hand over my forehead. She feels that it's burning and quickly retracts her hand.
My dad walks in the room, my brother Nash right behind him. Seeing my sickly state, my dad sighs and stands beside my mom.
"Well, the doctor also says that it's not poison." my dad seconded and casts me a worried look. If he could take away my pain, I knew he would've. My brother observed me and smiled.
"I'm sure Hazel will be up in no time, right sis?" he tries to lighten up the mood. That cheered me up a little, making me sneak in a smile.
I tried my best to sit up and rest against my bed's headboard. "Yeah, you guys don't have to worry bout me. Maybe I just ate something bad. I'll sleep it off and I'll be fine." I say, trying to convince them, hoping that it would work. "Promise."
My mom hugs herself as she got up and turns away from me, clearly trying to forget the worry that she was feeling. Dad was right beside her to comfort her too.
"Well, I guess we'll let you rest now then." my mom says. She breaks free from my dad's hold and comes to me to give me a kiss on my forehead. My dad does the same.
"Good night, love." my dad whispers as they walk out of my room.
Nash was the last to leave and before he closed the lights and the door, he turned to me and said "Get well soon, ugly."
After their exit, I laid back down and stared outside the window.
From where I was, I could see the moon that was full in bloom, its light penetrating through my window. The moon was so enticing to look at and as I stared at it longer, I felt like the pain that I felt was subsiding.
"Elpída."
My eyes widen at what I just muttered. Who? Elpída?
Why did I remember her? If I'm not mistaken, she's one of the warriors in the legend. Ah, right. She supposedly comes from the moon. Looking at the moon is making me remember bedtime stories.
I shook myself and chose to sleep, but sleep did not want to visit me. Strangely enough, the pain that I felt so strongly earlier is gone and I cannot even feel a trace of it as if it never existed.
And then my thoughts went back to him. Him again.
Archer Hamilton.
What am I ever going to do with him?
From what I heard from Caroline and Quincy, they also tried leaving an hour after I left. However, it took them a while to be able to leave because they weren't letting people off easily at the pack border.
A checkpoint, they recounted. The guards at the pack border were taking a record of everyone entering and exiting the pack. I can almost guess why.
It probably wouldn't take long for him to find me and all I can say is that I'm relieved that he hasn't yet.
Archer Hamilton is the Alpha of Luna Flumine, the most powerful and influential pack of the western territory. Aside that, they were also very wealthy in both natural resources as well as using the western ports to as business ports with other continents.
Because of that, they have a lot of enemies, a lot of people would naturally want to steal their territory, but no one ever succeeded.
Thinking back, it all makes sense now.
The first and second time I met Archer was back in Chase's pack, Luminare. See, every summer, there is this training camp for high ranking wolves and warriors at the southern pack. Since I was an Alpha's child, I tagged along my brother and father.
I was maybe twelve when I was walking towards the training grounds to bring clothes for Nash when I ran into Archer Hamilton. I can distinctly remember being so stunned at the sight of him and all I could do was stare at him.
He of course helped me up and picked up the supposedly clean, now dirty, clothes that I was supposed to bring my brother.
I didn't understood how I felt, I thought maybe it was just because I found him to be very handsome.
The way I was so drawn into him was strange to me because I also found other guys handsome, but I didn't feel that drawn to them.
Before I could even say a word, Jessica Fields came and he walked away with her.
The second time that I met with him was when I met up with Chase and they were together coincidentally. Like the first time we met, I went still and only stared at him. He must've noticed, but still ignored me. And then he said goodbye to Chase.
And now after all these years, we meet again. As mates.
Urgh, why isn't he mated with Jessica Fields?
I didn't know much about her, but I have heard a thing or two about her.
I sighed and decided to close my eyes, forcing myself to enter dreamland.
❀
The next morning, I woke up fresh as a rose. The moonlight was replaced by the sunlight and I already felt energized. The pain was gone so I got off my bed and stretched.
I did as what I would do on my normal mornings. I turned the speaker on and blasted some good vibes music on. I brushed my long, curly blonde hair and my teeth, using the appropriate kind of brushes at least.
I changed my pyjamas into a sky blue dress because I could feel it.
Today will be a good day.
I went downstairs to the kitchen, I even sled down the stair rails, something I haven't done in a long time because of the fact that I was too old to be doing things like that. But that didn't matter.
Why not?
Because today will be a good day.
I stride in the kitchen, humming and with a big smile on my face. I see my parents already at the table and at the sight of me, they appear shocked.
"Well, look at my sunshine, are you feeling well today?" my dad asks. I give him a kiss on the cheek as well as my mom who stared at me with her jaw open.
"Good morning to you too, sperm donor. As well as you birth giver." I tease and sat at my respective seat.
"Are you sure that you should be this joyful after being sick?" my mom says, her tone still blue and still slightly worried.
"Let me tell you mom that I feel refreshed, powerful, energized and as happy as a clam today." I tell her. She hands me a plate and some utensils while I take some eggs.
My parents were still asking if I was feeling well and asking how sleep works wonders when I noticed that they were dressed formally.
I was going to make a comment about it, but my stomach was empty and I could really use some of mom's cooking right now.
Not too long after, I could hear footsteps getting closer and not too long, my brother enters the scene. He sees me and raises an eyebrow.
"It's not good to pretend to be sick, Hazel." he teases and I roll my eyes at the young Alpha.
"It's not good to show your ugly face this early in the morning, Nash." I throw back.
At the sight of him, both of my parents wiped their mouth and stood up. My mom started clearing the table.
Rude, I'm still eating. I still wanted more of those french toasts!
"What's the hurry for?" I ask as I picked my cup of water.
"We have guests from Luna Flumine, Alpha Archer Hamilton and some of his pack members are visiting."
I was in the midst of drinking and as soon as I heard that, I choked and spat the liquid out.
WHO IS COMING?!
"Young lady, what kind of manners is that!" my mother was quick to reprimand me as she grabbed a table cloth and started wiping my mess off the table.
I was coughing for a good while and when I got a grip, I turn to my brother who was now laughing at me.
"Wh-who's coming?" I ask, almost hyperventilating. My heart was ready to jump out of my chest and my brain already formulating a way of escape.
"People from Luna Flumine, is there anything wrong with that?" my dad says. He grabs his suit coat from off the chair and put it on. My mom, was finishing up the cleaning.
"W-why didn't you tell me?" my voice was now raised and I had to remind myself to calm down so I wouldn't seem suspicious.
"Well, you were sick. You didn't need to greet them, but seeing as you are so energetic, you will come now." my mom says.
"I don't want to." I made the mistake of refusing too fast because then my mom looked up. Now, my mother was a sweet and kind soul, but when it came to duties, she took them seriously.
And that's how she raised me. To take my duties seriously.
For some reason, people around me always predicted that I would be a Luna. My mom was no different, and so she trained me on how to be the perfect Luna.
And seeing the way she was looking at me right now, I knew that I was royally screwed.
Her look was telling me that it was part of my duty to welcome visitors and I knew that. I don't mind greeting our pack's visitors but these particular visitors...
I'm not too thrilled.