It's only been a couple of days since I found Caesar in my bedroom back home and learned the truth about who I am, what I am. Only a couple of days since I was a normal girl who thought nothing in this lifetime could surprise me anymore. A couple of days ago, I thought I was human. It turns out that a lot more can change in only a couple of days than anyone truly gives credit for.

After we received the news about Lowell, no one was really in the mood to celebrate my return home that night, instead deciding to wait until after his funeral. Since that day, Caesar and I have mostly been training for the majority of hours in our days. According to him, we're seventeen years behind, which essentially means that aside from eating and sleeping, perhaps an occasional shower, all I'm really doing is training.

Sitting inside of Verena's cabin, I scope out what constitutes a living room, though there isn't much life to be led inside of these walls. The cabin is nothing grand, but rather a mid-sized, cherry-wooden structure. There are only a few, but large windows that line against the walls allow the sunlight to creep in through. Vines and moss cover the window edges, tracing along the glass panes with flowers and trees bordering around, making the outside look as if this was straight out of a fairy tale.

Inside, there's a vast bookcase that covers nearly an entire wall in the living room. Most of the books are covered in light specks of dust, some of them in English, but the majority in Latin or some other foreign language. There's a red sofa in the center of the room, the one I currently sit on, that has a few patterned cushions on top, but the sofa itself still feels unbroken. As if it's hardly ever been worn out. Across from me lies a stone fireplace, no sense of ash splaying around and no logs that have any trace of ever being burned stacked inside.

The only sign of evident life in this room is the training gear scattered around, most notably on the dining table in front of me are her twin axes. It's rare that she's ever without them. Leaning forward to the table, I reach my hand out and graze my fingertips along the navy blue handles on the axes, feeling the textured markings that swirl to form different runic designs on both.

"It means balance," Verena pipes up behind me, her footsteps beating against the wooden floor as she shuffles around the couch. She reaches down to the table and gently picks up one of her axes, brushing her thumb over one of the glyphs that resembles a letter 'A' with two circles on either side. She slides her finger down to wording slanted across the handle, whispering, "Quamdiu ego sum fortis, ego sum, et humana. For as long as I am a warrior, I am also human."

"What does it mean?" My eyes bounce backward from her face to the axe in her hand, watching as she studies the symbols along the blade and handle.

"One of the biggest struggles a Lupi shall face is choosing which side they choose to fight for, the light or the dark. For me, in order for me to survive, I remember that I can be both. Both strong and weak, powerful and gentle, and most importantly, to be able to perceive both the beauties and horrors of life," she pauses. "We lose so much, but I remind myself that there is also so much that is magical, so much that is meaningful in what we do."

"All of this, everything that's happened, it's so much more than I could have ever expected."

"You had expectations when it comes to being a Lupi and moving to a forest filled with magic and wars?" She says with a lace of sarcasm, a soft smile reaching both her lips and eyes.

"Well one thing's for sure, I underestimated how much I would miss having the internet, of any sorts," I chuckle.

"We may live in two separate worlds, but we do have our commonalities. Though, I know you'll find your place here. I have the feeling that you're exactly where you're meant to be," she moves to sit in the empty space on the couch next to me.

"There is still one thing I have wondered about," I smile, twisting my body so I can better face her. Also managing to change the topic that she tried to sneak in there at the end.

"What's that?" She responds, not phased by my shifting the subject.

"Okay, so in every story I've ever heard about werewolves, prior to coming here at least, after a transformation, they lose their clothes. Is that true?"

It takes a few seconds of Verena laughing before regaining her composure to speak. "Fairy tales in your Maleo sense are nearly similar to our more historical aspects. There was a time when that was true, Lupi would lose their clothes in the process of transforming, but that wasn't exactly ideal for when we shift back into humans," she giggles as she talks. "Fatals gave us an enchantment to avoid that happening many years back, sparing many future awkward transformations between us. Thankfully so, as well, or else I would have lost many endearing outfits."

She laughs a little before speaking up, already knowing where I was heading with my question. "It wasn't always where we got to keep our clothes. Before, those parts of the stories were true, but obviously it wasn't always ideal for us when we turn human again, so the Fatals put an enchantment so we can avoid that happening. Spare a lot of awkward moments between us, which I can just say is a blessing because if not I would have lost a lot of cute outfits." We both start laughing at this and just keep talking for a bit about other Virunis creatures and the forest.

We spend a while chatting and laughing, Verena answering many more of my questions about the Lupi world as she asked me of my life before here. We both decided to get some sleep as it was almost the break of light. Another full day of training ahead of me.

Walking into my room, one which I've become more familiar with in these last couple of days, I go to one of the dressers to take out some pajama clothing to wear. Once changing into some comfier sweatpants and a matching sports bra, I roam around the room, still taking it in.

With a boho-type style to it, the room is colored a delicate, vanilla-yellow shade with paintings lining against the walls. The largest one is an abstract oil painting, hues of greens and browns to create the making of a forest that hangs above my bed. The sheets are covered with an intricate and colorful paisley pattern on top. Two lamps with golden, metal rods stand against the corners of one of the walls, a cedar-wooden wardrobe in between with a standing mirror next to it.

At the desk near my bedside sits a dusted acoustic guitar. My instincts call out to me and draw me to reach out for it, picking it up from its lazy sitting position against the wall. Sitting on top of the wooden chair in front of the desk, my hands graze against the strings, by memory recognizing some of the chords my mom had taught me to place once upon a time.

When she bought me my first guitar I refused to set it down until I managed to perfect a new song, putting on a small concert for my mother when I finally managed to strum each chord flawlessly. She used to teach me how to write poetry, those which later turned into lyrics. For grandma, she was more into the visual arts, paintings done at her hands hung in each of the rooms at her house.

There is a distant sense of familiarity to my old room here with the art and alternative styles. A nostalgia slaps me across the face thinking back to my life before the wolves, a deep pain pulling at my heart at the thoughts of grandma and my mom.

My lips press together as I put the guitar back to its place against the wall. Turning off the remaining lights, I lie down in the bed despite the lack of being tired, simply staring at the ceiling as the shadows from the moon's light dance across the canvas above. Soon, my eyes hesitate as they close, my body drifting off to sleep. As soon as I do, the nightmares begin.

My eyes snap open, beating against my eyelids as I sit up. Something's off. The immediate sense overwhelms me as I gather my surroundings. Something is different from when I fell asleep. A white light blurring my vision of everything around, though, as my sight begins to clear, there's a quick realization that I am no longer in Verena's cabin.

I don't even think I'm in the forest anymore.

Looking down, a white gown drapes over my body as I sit on top of clean, fresh white sheets of my bed. Aside from the bed that I sit on, the confined, shining room is primarily empty besides a steel desk to my left. What the hell? There's something familiar about this place. I've been here before, but all memories of such are completely lost to me.

The white walls of the room give the illusion of a strong sun blazing inside, but in reality, the only window along these walls sits high up, only the pale blue sky painted through. The other is one that shows through the single door in front of me, a small gap to reveal more white walls outside.

Lifting myself off of the bed, I walk over to the door to peek through the small pane of glass, a long hallway on the other side. Nothing distinct enough to recognize where I am.

A woman appears on the other side of the door, her ginger hair in a tight bun showing through the dainty window as she opens the door. Stepping back, I stare as she enters the room. A nurse's gown covering her petite body. She lets off a feeble smile as she spots me, turning back into the hallway to drag in a tall cart that carries stainless-steel instruments. On top sits a stack of needles, a plastic cup filled with ten different colored pills, and other tools scattered about.

"You're awake," she says with a feathery voice. Her smile never breaks, almost eerily, as she moves about the room.

"Where am I?" I mutter to her, though my words come out hoarse.

"How are you feeling today, Miss Lone?" The woman asks, not acknowledging my question.

"Where am I?" I repeat, a bit louder now though my vocal chords strain as I do.

"This is- Is everything okay, dear? Did the nurse come by earlier to give you your medications this morning?"

Becoming more irritated as she avoids answering my question, I ask again after swallowing a gulp that harshly swells down my throat. "I have no idea what you're talking about, lady. Where is Verena? Where's Caesar?"

"Miss. Lone, have you been attending your therapy sessions?"

"Therapy? What? What are you talking about?" I become more frantic with her vague responses, my body beginning to tremble as fear tangles inside of me. "Who are you? Where am I?" I near the woman as she fumbles with some of the objects on the tray, my presence closer and the spurting of my questions causing her to tense up and spin in my direction.

"Miss. Lone, is everything alright with you, dear? I highly recommend attending your sessions, they are mandatory as you know," she mumbles something beneath her breath, her words spoken so softly they are completely indistinguishable. "Your mother has been going and she seems to be feeling better herself."

"My mother?" Recognition hits me like a sucker punch as I suddenly realize where I am. How? There's no way. It's impossible. Fear goes from being tangled inside of my heart to now bursting out out my chest and exploding through the rest of me. "I am going to ask you one more time," my voice raises to where I am now yelling in this woman's face. I don't care though. "Where am I?"

The lady heaves a heavy sigh while looking out into the hallway before back at me. "Miss. Lone, this is Home for Angels. You're safe here. Please, take this medication," she picks up the small cup from the tray and pushes it in my direction. "You need to calm down before I call for security."

My breaking quickens before turning into a sharp pant. This can't be happening. There's no way. My hands grab at my scalp, holding onto chunks of my hair as my head drops down, my mind spinning out of control. Tears well in my eyes. My biggest fear is being lived out in front of me. But how is it real?

You're dreaming. You have to be. You have to be dreaming.

Grabbing a piece of my arm, I pinch together my skin between my nails and squeeze as hard as my strength permits.

"Wake up," I hiss as I continue to pinch myself in different spots along my arm. Nothing works. "Wake up!" The pain worsens, not just on my arm, but my mind as it believes more and more that this is truly happening.

"Miss. Lone," the nurse pries my fingers away from my arm. "Please, settle down now. Security!" She shouts out the door and I try to yank myself free from her grasp. Tears now spilling, lingering as they fall down my face. Shaking my head, whatever I can to wake myself up.

The woman's robotic smile is now twisted into a frown as she watches me breakdown in front of her. "Security!" She shouts again before turning back to me. "Miss. Lone, I need you to compose yourself. Calm down. You must take your medication."

She attempts to shove the pill cup at me once again, but I slap the plastic out of her hands. All of the small capsules plummeting to the ground. Because of her being much smaller in size than me, with ease, I'm able to push her off of me and send her onto the ground with the dispersed pills.

Get out. You need to get out. Go back to the forest. Go home. Anywhere. Just get out of here.

Darting down the corridor, passing by the rooms holding other people who have been locked in these cells. A jail within these walls and within their own minds. Glancing back behind me, the nurse stays back in the distance, a cell phone pressed against her ear causing me to pick up my pace as I frantically search for an exit.

As I reach a much too familiar hallway, I ensure there's no one chasing from behind before I slow down. 35C... The doors and their plastered signs skim by as I continue hurrying through the hall. 40D... I hurtle past a few more, nearing my destination. Only stopping when I reach the room—her room.

If this is real and when I walk through this door, she will be there and hopefully can explain to me what is happening here. Please don't be in there. This is my only chance to prove that this is all merely a terrible nightmare.

Stepping into the threshold, the inkling of hope I had plunges down as soon as I see her. "Mom," the word whispers in defeat as I spot her. More tears pool in my eyes before pouring down my face. She's unfazed by my presence, continuing to read the book resting in her hands. Alice Adventures in Wonderland. Her favorite story. One I heard a million times as a child every night when she put me to bed. Creeping closer to her, I face her back as her head remains leaning down to her book. "Mom," I repeat in a more onerous tone. The tip of my fingers extending to her shoulder, only to make contact with unearthly, cold skin.

As soon as my hand touches her, her head whips around to me. Only, it's not her. Not really at least.

A scream pierces from my throat, snatching my hand off from her and stumbling backwards. Her eyes are vacant. Instead of their normal, honey color, they are replaced with a white so bleak it matches everything else within this hospital. Her expression holds no sense of emotion, so withdrawn it barely even looks like her, but instead something of a monster. A low growl rumbles from her chest as she stands, trudging my way.

"Run," she says with a near demonic and strangled snarl. She continues to advance towards me until she's almost hovering right over me. "Run."

Picking myself up and sprinting out of the room, the echo of heavy footsteps follow close behind. The pounding of feet racing only a few steps in back of me, so burdensome, they sound like the harsh beat of a dream. I don't ever stop, too afraid to take a single glimpse back.

My feet want to give out, a searing struggle burning in my legs the more I run, but as I make out the Exit sign up ahead, I only push harder.

More footsteps come from behind, followed by claws scratching against the walls. A boiling breath huffing down my legs as I sense bladed teeth skimming along my bare skin.

I'm almost to the exit.

I can almost feel the light of freedom.

But I never make it there. A sharp and smoldering pain sinks into my legs, jerking me back and I fall forward, only stopping myself from landing on my face. "No!" I scream, but there is no one nearby to come save me. The burning spreads through my limbs, lurching me back despite my clawing on the tile ground to try and stop them. But in a matter of mere seconds, I am snatched into the darkness.

A penetrating scream escapes as my body jerks up. My eyes press shut, afraid of being further consumed by any darkness or anything that may be in front of me when I open them.

"Serelia," a female's voice says, a gentle hand grabbing hold onto my shoulder and I throw my hands in front of me in an attempt to fight off whatevers here with me. "Hey, it's me. Serelia, open your eyes. You're safe. You had a nightmare."

It takes a long second before I realize it's Verena's voice. With alarming caution, my eyes peek open only to reveal that I am still in my bedroom. I'm still in the forest. Though the panic within me doesn't drain. Trying to adjust to my surroundings, a deep inhale scorches as it streams down my chest, my adrenaline still in fight or flight.

"I'm okay," I reassure, Verena or myself though is what I'm unclear of. Regardless, I don't think either of us believe those words right now. "I'm going to go take a walk. I need to clear my head for a minute."

"Serelia-" Verena tries to comfort me and hold me down, though I don't give her the chance to continue. Rising out of my bed, I race out of the room before she can try and stop me.

Darting deeper into the forest, the memories of the nightmares still plaguing my mind. I don't take any notice of my surroundings until I collide into a heavy force, one that knocks me down the instant I make impact with it.

"Late night strolls, Doll?" Caesar's amused voice breaks me out of my trance. Picking my head up to look at him, his head hovering above me. Despite the entertainment absorbed along his face, I don't fail to notice the tinge of worry behind his eyes.

"I figured I'd get a head start on our training for today," I go to push my hands against the ground to pick myself up, but before I struggle to do so, Caesar's arm stretches down to me. Bringing my arm out in front of me, time slows as I reach up and connect my hand to his. His calloused skin sends a tingling through my palm and into my veins as I unequivocally accept his help. "I thought if I started early, maybe I'd be better off today, instead of your usual knocking my ass to the ground...again."

As we stand face-to-face, his hand is still interlaced with mine, his touch tender against my own. He exhales in a soft sigh. "Come with me. I want to show you something."

"What is it?"

"Do you trust me?" He takes a step back, curious if I will choose to follow him.

Though, we both know without hesitation what my answer is, which leads me to copying him and taking a step forward.

Trailing behind him as we hike through the forest, I'm unsure if I can find this place familiar as there is nothing identifiable of where we are. "Where are you going?" A scratch swells along my throat as I speak, still tense ever since waking up. The further we walk, the more my fatigued body begins to weigh down. Though, even if I was still at the cabin, I know sleep is the last thing I would possibly be doing right now.

"You'll see." 

***

Until then, 

-Xxx