× Dixie ×
In a desperate hunt for answers, ‘cus Trix doesn't seem he'll tell me any anytime soon, I kinda latch onto Jennie. She says she's around my age and she works as a volunteer nurse in this pack’s healthcare centre. Apparently, they have only one hospital.
Jennie's a firecracker, seriously. She's short, spunky, with these crazy curls that have a mind of their own. She rocks the whole 'effortlessly cool' vibe with ripped jeans and band shirts, but there's always a hint of glitter somewhere. I swear, she's like a walking disco ball. Plus, her laugh is contagious – you can't be around Jennie and not end up smiling. She's this rare beacon of sanity in this bonkers werewolf universe. And let me tell you, she's got the patience of a saint.
Patiently, she explains this whole werewolf pack drama – hierarchies, rules, and whatnot. Never in one million years would I have ever thought I'd be living inside a werewolf world with werewolves?! Like as if I'm in a fantasy series or something.
But then she drops this bomb about my own deal, this weird limbo between being human and a freaking werewolf.
I'm standing there, scratching my head, like, "Wait, what? How does that even work?" It's like, she's giving me the Werewolf 101 crash course, and suddenly I'm failing the pop quiz. Confusion hits me like a ton of bricks. I'm just trying to wrap my head around this whole new reality, and Jennie's throwing in these curveballs that mess with my brain.
Half and-half identities?
“You're not a werewolf, neither are you human…” she says as she walks around me, assessing my every fibre.
“What are you talking about? I am human.” I ask her with playful but curious eyes.
“No, Dixie. Trix is a special kind of Alpha, well, that's what he's told us. His blood is kinda different and because of this, he can't mate with werewolf or human blood. He also needs a special blood to mate with so his lineage can live on. So, the goddess can't give him an ordinary werewolf as a mate nor can she give him an ordinary human.” She finally stops encircling me when she looks at the door.
I look too and see Alvera enter. I instinctively straighten my back and I sense Jennie does too.
Alvera steps in, and suddenly, everything clicks into place. "You're a halfling," she says, her eyes holding a blend of sympathy and caution. It's like the missing piece of the puzzle finally falls into my hands. I'm not entirely human, nor am I fully a werewolf. I exist in this murky in-between, a world I'm only just starting to grasp.
As soon as the weight of Alvera's words sinks in, I feel a strange sense of relief and fear. It explains the burning sensation, the runes, the bizarre connection with the supernatural. I'm a living contradiction, a blend of worlds that should never have collided.
As I absorb this revelation, I can't help but feel a rush of emotions. The world I thought I knew has crumbled around me, leaving me standing on the shaky ground.
As the messed-up pieces of this messed-up puzzle start to click together, Alvera shoots me a look that's straight-up haunting. "Dixie," she says and walks up to me then places a hand on my shoulder, "do you really think you can just break free from the complex ties that are dragging you into this world?"
I swallow hard, my heart pounding like a drum solo. Her words hit deep and resonate with the chaos inside me. There's something about the way she carries herself that I admire but also fear. Jennie calls her the wise wolf mama, lol, owing to the fact that she's one of those “millenia” generation of the pack that seem to know all the ancient stuffs. She's always in these flowy, earthy-coloured blouses with tight leather pants that make her seem one with nature or whatever, despite the fact she's always on the go, in command or beating someone to a pulp on none other than Trix's orders. Basically, she's the mystical guardian of the pack, and I'm just here trying not to spill my smoothie in her presence.
"I don't know," I admit and sigh, "But I sure as hell am not ready to be chained to this craziness."
The burning pain in my palm lingers. It's a brutal reminder of the weird destiny I've been thrust into.
Alvera's eyes stay locked on mine, and for a moment, we're two souls drowning in a shared sea of confusion. It's like she sees something in me that I don't, something beyond the teenage mess I know myself to be.
“Em, Beta Alvera. Is there any medicine you need?” Jennie finally breaks our stare and Alvera lets go of my shoulder. My shoulder grows cold; her touch is incredibly warming.
“No. Dixie, there's something I want to show you. Follow me.” Her stoic expression is back on. She turns and leaves. I hug Jennie and bid her farewell.
•×•
I'm stuck in this weird daze. The whole rushed wedding mess is still swirling in my head, and Trix's voice keeps replaying those haunting words, "do you really believe this is the end?" It's like this crazy riddle I can't crack, and it's messing with my head big time.
What did he mean? Was it even him who said that?
And then there's Alvera, the usually indifferent one. Her eyes, which are normally all poker-faced, soften a bit. It's like she gets that I'm drowning in confusion, like she can see the chaos in my mind. I'm not used to her looking at me like that, and it's throwing me off even more. This whole situation is just a rollercoaster of messed-up emotions, and I can't figure out where the heck it's heading.
In the eerie calm that follows, I'm sucked into this weird trance, like a swirling tornado of memories tearing through me. There's this haunting movie playing in my mind, flashes of moments that are both far-off and hitting too close to home. I catch sight of this mighty man, standing tall like a dark omen, casting a shadow over everything I hold dear – my family.
His presence feels like a storm, a destroyer of everything normal and safe. It's like I'm watching a horror flick unfold, only it's my life, and I can't hit the pause button. The memories, they're a punch to the gut, leaving me with this weird feeling of nostalgia and heartache.
"Who is he?" I whisper. The words escape my lips without conscious thought.
Alvera notices I'm zoned out and gives me this gentle shake, yanking me back to reality. Then, I realise we're standing in front of this super eerie tomb. It's huge. The air suddenly feels thick of ancient vibes or something. It kinda takes a hot minute to sink in—this is the Bamboo Alpha's tomb we're staring at. Total heavy vibes, you know?
"He was a protector once, defending our kind against the Bandites and Nardoos," Alvera begins in a cautious tone, "But something went wrong, and he fell into a deep slumber."
My head's spinning as I try to grasp the significance of the moment. But then, Alvera's urgent words cut through the chaos and sink into my bewildered mind. "He's our saviour, and we need the rune in your palm to find the thing that will wake him up."
Saviour? Thing? What the heck is going on?
I'm standing here, feeling like the ultimate outsider, clueless in a world that's suddenly turned bizarre. My palm is still throbbing. I don't know why it always does that. Since I got this rune on my palm, it throbs with pain occasionally. I'm constantly reminded of this mysterious rune that apparently holds some key to saving them all.
But why do I feel so left out, in the dark about everything? It's like they're all speaking a language I don't understand, and I'm just stumbling through this mess of secrets and prophecies. Oh gosh, why does everything have to be so complicated?
I'm just... staring at this stupid rune on my palm, a mark I never asked for but now, I'm apparently holding the key to awakening a dormant guardian. Like, seriously, I never signed up for this supernatural nightmare. Alvera, she starts explaining, going on about destinies and being part of some grand plan.
The Bamboo Alpha's tomb, it sounds so mystical. I was never the mystical one but with the way my life has been going, I think I'd have to start shifting my mindset…
But there's this heavy question hanging there, making everything weirder. What does this mean for me, for Trix, and for this shaky alliance we're all pretending to have? It's like we're tiptoeing on the edge of some ancient prophecy, and I don't even know what's real anymore.
What am I supposed to do with this destiny crap?