The Alpha's Seeress

Olivia Isla My eyes lingered on the wall clock, eagerly waiting for it to strike four so I could finally head home. History never fascinated me; I was only attending classes because it's what Nana Sienna wanted. She wants me to graduate with flying colors, especially since I'm in my senior year where things get a little serious. "Only Olivia Isla passed the test?" our stern History professor, thick glasses perched on her nose, scanned the entire room. I bit my lip and raised my chin, feeling a little proud even though I knew I shouldn't be. I've always been told I'm different, gifted, as Nana always said. I can see visions, glimpses of the future, and sometimes I've used this ability to cheat. It's bad, I know, but what's the point of having it if I don't utilize it? Why not take advantage of what I have, right? “If I take you all seriously, nobody will pass this subject. I've taught you everything you need to know. What's wrong with you all?" she frustratingly nagged. The room fell silent, nobody dared to speak. Professor Hermes was skilled at teaching, but history was simply dull. I couldn't fathom why some found it intriguing. Sure, studying the past could be beneficial, helping us learn from it. Yet, enduring two hours of lectures on the subject felt tiresome. "Your performance makes me consider introducing more hands-on activities," Professor Hermes sighed in disappointment. "As part of your assignment, I want each of you to visit a historical site and write a reflective insight about it. Submit it by Monday," she explained before dismissing the class. I groaned, feeling burdened by the task. Going out wasn't my cup of tea. I'd rather stay home and assist Nana Sienna at her little bakery. That's my usual weekend routine. "Hey, Olive, did you cheat?" Myrtle, one of my best friends, asked. Rolling my eyes, I slung my bag over my shoulder. "Come on, do you really think I'm a cheater? You're hurting my feelings," I replied, feigning ignorance. "It's just strange; you're the only one who consistently aces every difficult exam from all our professors," she pondered. "Sometimes, I wonder if you're really human." "She's simply a genius, Myrtle. That's why we need to keep up," Isabella chimed in, joining us as we left the room. I arrived home precisely at five in the afternoon. Nana Sienna had already closed her bakery and was now tending to her plants. Unconsciously, I smiled at how peaceful she looked while her eyes remained fixed on her plants. She was humming a song, and it was evident she loved what she was doing. Her grey hair shone as the fading sun reflected onto it, and the wrinkles below her eyes became more visible as time passed. For as long as I could recall, she's been my only family. She explained that my parents work abroad to provide for me, but it feels like they've been away for an eternity. I'm already twenty, yet I've never met them, not even once. At times, I forgot that I have a parents because, to me, Nana Sienna is more than enough. "Oh, you're back. What would you like for dinner, Isla? Perhaps some vegetable soup?" Nana Sienna asked upon seeing me enter the gate. I went to her and gave her a hug before kissing her cheeks. "I want some malatang, Nana. I saw Myrtle eating it at lunch, and now I'm craving it," I said, pouting. Setting aside her gardening tools, she joined me as we entered the house. "I'll only make you malatang if you tell me how school went." "It went just fine, Nana. Still boring and uninteresting," I replied curtly. Nana Sienna gave me that knowing look. I knew exactly what she was thinking. Before she could say anything, I quickly darted to my room. I heard her start a lengthy lecture, but I promptly closed my door. She disapproved of me using my gift to my advantage. But if I didn't, I'd fail. So, should I use it or let myself fail? Of course, use it. Everyone does questionable things; mine isn't the worst. Besides, I'm not hurting anyone by doing this. "I've told you several times to earn your grades without relying solely on your abilities," she lectured me during dinner. I nodded, acknowledging her words, while enjoying my malatang. Despite being stressed because of me, she still cooked malatang. "Look at those ordinary kids, Isla. They're studying tirelessly just to pass while you're not. What lessons are you learning by taking the easy road?" "Nana, life has always been unfair. I'm not the only one doing things wrong," I justified myself. She gave me a look of disbelief, as if she had lost hope in my ability to change. I shrugged my shoulders and flashed her my gummy smile. Nana shook her head before starting to eat her food. "You're making me age faster than I should, Isla. When will you start listening to me?" "Nana, don't worry too much about me, alright? Let me enjoy... let me handle myself." But later that night, I pondered what my Nana had said. It seemed like I was only causing her problems. She's growing old, and what hurts me is that I know when and where she'll die. This is the curse of being a seer, knowing what will happen to the people around me. Sometimes, it's better to remain clueless about things, to let situations unfold without prior knowledge. I attempted to close my eyes and let her lecture sink deep into my heart. All I wanted was to make her proud, to bring her happiness. But she was too righteous for this sinful world. I couldn't live up to those standards. "OLIVIA ISLA QUINN!" I jolted awake at the loud banging on my door. My mind wasn't fully functioning yet, but I stood and made my way to the door. Rubbing my eyes lazily, I turned the knob, and there stood the annoyed faces of Myrtle and Isabella. "What brings you both here so early in the morning?" I wondered, confused. Myrtle raised her brows. "Early, you say? Olive, goodness, we're going hiking today. I thought we were leaving at ten. It's almost eleven, and you're still in your pajamas?" she sounded just like Nana Sienna. Wait, did she mention a hike? Oh, shoot. I bit my lip, feeling guilty, and gave them an awkward smile. I had completely forgotten about it. It wasn't intentional; I was lost in thought last night and slept late. It might sound like an excuse, but it's the truth. "I'll... I'll get ready now. I'll be quick. You can wait for me in the living room or..." I paused, sensing their thoughts, "...here in my room." Myrtle groaned in irritation and marched straight to my bed, followed by Isabella. "If I knew you'd be this late, I should've overslept too." As she complained while lying in my bed, I did everything in my power to prepare quickly. I took a lightning-fast shower and changed into my hiking clothes. "Are you sure this is the right way?" Isabella asked as we reached the starting point toward Gongzu Wooden House, the first building that used to accommodate students and teachers in the past. It's one of the well-known historical attractions in our area, and we decided to make it our subject. "Of course, I'm following the map," Myrtle replied, waving it in our faces. The area was surrounded by tall trees, and there wasn't a soul in sight. It was odd for a weekend at a supposed tourist attraction to be this deserted. We only had a narrow trail to follow that would lead us to the place. "Is it really safe to be here? There should be someone here to assist tourists," Isabella remarked as we continued along the road. As we ventured farther, the place grew eerier, the wind turning colder, and an unsettling feeling of being watched descended upon me. I'm not a fan of horror, nor do I believe in ghosts, but this place felt far from safe. "Goodness, it feels like we've been walking forever. Are we still far?" This history assignment was really starting to get on my nerves. Why did we even choose this place? We could have just visited the museum in town. Who suggested this place again? Oh, it's me. "I think we're lost," Myrtle confessed, her eyes glued to the map. "Are you sure?" Isabella asked, concern evident in her voice. "How did we get lost? We were following the signage." The two of them were arguing when I decided to excuse myself – nature called, I needed to pee. Although it was daylight, the dense trees cast shadows, providing cover. Certain nobody could see me, I moved towards a grassy area to relieve myself. Just as I was about to pull off my leggings, I heard the sound of the broken leaves being stepped on, someone is coming. "Myrtle? Isabella? Is that you?" I called out, but no one responded. My eyes unconsciously shifted to my left, and a large, hairy creature resembling a wolf emerged, startling me into a sprint. "Help, there's a monster!" I screamed, running aimlessly, not knowing the way back to where my friends were. In panic, before I could process the vision that flashed in my head, my feet propelled me off a cliff. I was airborne when everything registered. I stretched out my arms, pretending they could help me fly, but as I landed, the chilling water snapped me back to reality. I tried frantically to paddle, but the water was too deep, and my exhausted body from running gave in. This is all Prof Hermes fault. If I die, I'm really gonna visit her. Slowly, I began to sink like a stone.