HEART OF THE LYCAN TRIPLETS

The Burning Flame

Phoenix||

Usually, a typical day in Greenwood Pack, started gloomy, giving off auras of doom and agony. It carried with it the echoes of pain and taunting from the pack members.

The moment I stepped out of the bungalow I shared with my aunt; I knew what sort of day it was going to be.

—And it was always terrible.

But today, it felt different. The sun was high up and the bright blue sky smiled at me as I made my way out of the house.

It was almost as if the stars had aligned to finally give me the happiness I had always wanted.

As an omega, I could only wish to be favored enough by the goddess to be given a mate at least. Someone who wouldn’t call me a witch. Someone who would love and understand me, for who I was.

Somehow, today felt like the day I would meet that, one, person. Today felt like the day, my life would start anew, and I would finally have a purpose —maybe even get to be happy.

The door to the bungalow suddenly burst open and my aunt appeared with her grey eyes fixed on me.

“Phoenix, you know you don’t have to get the groceries today. We still have more than enough. You can go tomorrow, my dear child.”

I flashed her a toothy grin and waved my hand dismissively. “I know that aunt, but it won’t hurt anyone if I get it. Who knows what tomorrow would look like,” I replied, already making my way down the cobblestone steps that lined the front of the house.

Her hands went in the air as she shook her head. “Aiih, this girl… just stay safe out there, okay?”

“Yes, aunt. You worry too much, it’s just a simple run,” I called back with a giggle, not even bothering to look at her.

Ever since the death of my parents in that mysterious flame, Aunt Saldana had been the one taking care of me.

For fifteen years of my life, Saldana had become a mother and a father even though we didn’t share a blood relation, just a connection between our wolves formed out of pure instinct and love.

The thought of her love brought a smile to my face as I made my way down to the pack’s market.

She taught me to be strong for myself. She taught me that being an omega wasn’t a curse but a blessing and that whatever misfortune befell my parents was a path leading up to my destiny.

Aunt Saldana never made me feel the emptiness of living without parents. She was my everything and I loved her just as much as she loved me.

I continued making my way to the market with the smile on my face growing with every sweet memory that swirled through my mind.

When I finally got to my destination, I made my way to the only stall I used for my grocery runs.

“Good morning, Mr. Olaf,” I beamed at the shopkeeper, the second I got there. “I want new packs of milk and that herb; my aunt loves using so much.”

“Good morning to you too Phoenix,” he returned my smile and picked up his sketch pad to scribble down my order before turning to the inner room, “It will take a minute, my dear.”

As he disappeared into the inner storage room, I turned my focus to the rest of the market, inhaling the sweet scent of the variety of products that filled the area.

But the happiness on my face faded off the second I saw them.

Scarlett, the princess of the Greenwood pack, and her friends.

“Hey, look who we have here…”

My hands tightened into fists, but I refused to let their taunting mess with my day. I returned my focus to Mr. Olaf’s stall and waited patiently for him to return, ignoring Scarlett and her gang.

“Aww, our little murderer isn’t speaking today,” Scarlett added, and her friends joined her to sneaker at me.

“She is here on strict sorcery business. Do you think she will burn Mr. Olaf’s store today?”

“The witch obviously, has better plans, Scarlett. She isn’t even looking at us.”

One of her friends commented and though I tried to tune them out, they came closer to where I stood, riling me up as much as they could.

“Shouldn’t she be burnt on a stake, so she could feel the pain her innocent parents had to go through before they died?”

At this point, my claws were cutting through the palms of my hands, and I was about ready to scream at them that I didn’t kill my parents, but it was useless.

They were not going to believe me anyway. They only wanted trouble.

Fortunately, Mr. Olaf appeared at that moment, and he handed me my order.

“I added some extra herbs in it, just in case Saldana wants them,” Mr. Olaf was saying as he handed the paper bags to me, but I wasn’t even paying attention. I just needed to get the hell out of there.

I passed him the cash in my hand, grabbed the paper bags as hard as I could, and turned away. I was moving so fast, by the time I saw the foot placed in my way, it was too late.

I lost my balance and while trying to hold on to it, I let go of the bags in my hands.

The ground was rushing to my face at a very fast rate. I tried my best to stay in control, but the ground came at me. Hard.

“Oh, the evil witch has fallen!” Scarlett and her friends exclaimed with excitement.

As my body hit the ground, I felt my control slip. The happiness within me turned to anger and the sound of their laughter didn’t help in calming the rage within me, rather it fueled it like lava, I erupted.

I got on my feet and closed the distance between me and Scarlett in a flash. She stared at me with those taunting blue eyes, daring me to do the worst.

“What can you do, witch—” The question didn’t finish leaving her lips before my hand connected with her cheek with a loud swat.

The world froze and as I glared at her, I felt the heat in my body begin to rise. It was now my turn to glare at her; my turn to dare her to retaliate.

But by the time she raised her head, with her hands still holding to the cheek I had slapped, she let out a piercing scream, that not only pulled me out of the anger trance I was in but also gained the attention of everyone else in the market.

“My cheek, it's burning! It’s on fire! Help!”