first

I opened my eyes and found myself in a familiar place. The lake, the moon lilies, the water lilies, all of it. The feeling was so real, like I was really here, but where is this?

I found myself standing in front of the lake when I came to my senses. My eyes searched the place only to remember one memory.

"The lady... where is she?"

I tried to move, but I was surprised at the heavy weight that I felt wrapped around me. Slowly, my eyes drifted down. Why am I wearing these again?

Clothes and armour of a warrior, not just any warrior, it looked like high ranking warrior. However heavy, I was only surprised when I was able to walk perfectly with them around.

"Chàri, you must come to your senses." I hear a voice say behind me. I immediately turn around and there she was.

The same astral aura, the palest face and the darkest hair, her silver eyes and her glowing clothes. Who was she again? She's so familiar yet so strange. "Wh-who are you?" I gather the courage to ask.

Her lips lifted into a sad smile. "How cruel for a warrior to forget her mistress... but it is a must." she looked straight into my eyes and I could see that she was hurting. "We don't have much time. Dynami, Elpída and Effyía... you must find them. You must stop the Hunters or else the were kind will be forever gone."

"Dynami... Elpída... Effyía..."

"Dynami... Elpída... Effyía... Dyn—"

"Hannah, wake up." I felt a hand shake me and I gasp as I awoke, feeling like air had escaped me. I was desperately gasping for air when a very concerned Beta Alec showed up in front of me. "Are you okay? Did you have a nightmare?" he asked.

"I--I'm fine,"-- I breathed, "just a weird dream." I assured him as I sat up on my bed. When I had calmed down, I looked at Alec and wondered why he was in my room. "Why are you here?"

"I was wondering why you woke up so late, but Ian sent me to tell you that you won't have training today. Everybody's preparing for the return of the elders and the others tonight. They're throwing a whole party and all."

Right, that was today. The day I had been waiting for the past week now. Ever since I had healed that little girl's knee, I had experienced a few weird abilities? I don't know...

There was one time when I was training with Ian and we were training with our wolves. Basically, I had to fight with my wolf while staying in my human form. So I shew my wolf, my claws came out and my senses sharpened. I was readying myself when Ian stared at me weirdly.

When I asked him what was wrong, he told me that my eyes were silver. I never knew my eyes turned silver when I was in my wolf form. I knew I was a grey wolf, but my eyes changing colours when I wasn't even a high ranking wolf? It was super weird. Ian tried to ignore the fact, but during our whole session, I knew that it distracted him.

"Oh, right." I said and looked outside of my window.

"Actually... I know that you've been somehow waiting for their return, but we'd rather you don't come tonight." as he said that, his voice diminished, afraid to disappoint me. Unfortunately for him, I was disappointed.

Why wasn't I allowed?

My silence must've given him my reaction because he started clearing his throat and I could feel an excuse on its way. "It's just that there will be a lot of people and y'know--"

"No, no. I completely understand, don't worry about it. I'm good." I lied, plastering the best smile that I could. He nodded as he leaned against the study table. I could see that he felt bad for me, I could see that this wasn't his decision.

It was surely Ian's. He doesn't want me to be there.

So I won't.

Alec left my room and I got up to start my day. I had woken up at 10 in the morning, quite late already. As the Beta said, everyone was busy, even Andrea and Laura so I had no one to talk to.

My mind drifted to the weird surreal dream that I had. I remembered the legend of the four warriors of the moon goddess whose names were exactly the ones from my dream.

It bothered me so I went into the pack's library to hopefully try to read about that old legend. And like I said, it was a legend. It's just a story, the werewolf community is not in danger and there's no need for saving... right?

There was no one in the library so I had to scour the place to find a book about our kind. I searched the 'history' section and found none. However, finding myself in the 'myths' section, I found a book that seemed to be the right one.

'Artemis' polemistés' which I somehow knew to be Artemis' warriors.

I opened it up, unknowingly that I was not ready for its contents. It did talk about the Artemis, the moon goddess, and her warriors. It also talked about the legend and how they were to descend on earth.

And then I landed in the first warrior's name: Chári.

Just like in my dream, the lady called me Chári. She was described as a graceful warrior, one whose weakness became her strength. Out of the four warriors, she had the best healing magic and she was a strong barrier creator. Not to mention that she was a strong warrior. The book described her as calm, but horrendous when angry.

I flipped over to the other warriors. Dynami was the strongest warrior in terms of combat. She had the best barrier skills as well as a using her aura as an offensive power.

Effyía was the brains of the group. Having the best tracking skills and using her senses skillfully, she hatched superb tactics when waging into battle.

Elpída was the seer, though not an ordinary one. She could foresee key events of the future. For a warrior, she was described as fragile and frail. Seeing the future was a curse, it seemed.

'Chári...' I whisper to my wolf.

'Hannah... that's you. You're Chári. I don't know how--, I can't explain it, but I can feel it.' I laughed inwardly when my wolf started telling me that I was someone who belonged in a legend.

'Me? Chári? A strong warri--' I stopped when I felt a familiar nervousness start at the pit of my stomach. Ian was near.

Soon enough, I heard the door of the library creaking open. I hid behind a shelf, hoping that he would just ignore me and go on with his day.

However, that plan went down the drain when I heard him talk. "Artemis' warriors?" he asks and I lift my eyes, surprised.

Ashamed, I tried to hide the book behind me. "Uh, yeah. Just wanted to read something about it." I excused. Ian nodded, taking the book from my hands and opening it. He flipped the pages, as if he knew exactly what he was looking for. After a few pages, he stopped and stared at it for a while.

"The legend says that one of them would be from this pack, you see." he started as he lifted the book up for me to see the page he was on. "Chári. She's supposedly to come from Panselinos, but thousands of years and no signs of her."

Again, Chári. What is it with her? She's everywhere! I cleared my throat. "It's just a legend, you guys aren't actually waiting for someone like her right?" I try to sound absurd, but looking at Ian's expression, he must've believed in the legend.

I took the book from him and closed it, putting it back on a random shelf but taking note where. "Shouldn't you be preparing for the arrival of the elders also?" I changed the subject. Pulled out of his trance, he remembered about the event.

"Uhm, yeah..." he said and stood up straight. I start walking out of the library, focused in leading him out of the room which seemed to have worked.

I observed Ian and he looked a bit distracted. Although I didn't ask him about it, I knew that he's avoiding me. After all, this is the first time in three days that I've seen him although I always feel his presence just nearby.

I didn't chase after him. I was tired of always asking him for reasons, if he wanted to tell me, then go ahead. As long as it didn't hurt me, I was fine.

Side by side, we walked the long corridors and the whole time, he's been silent. However, the silence was filled. He's been this way for a while. He had something to tell me, but he never talked and I never asked.

Arriving in front of my room's door, I realize it was the first time he was here. My heart that's been beating loudly began its rhythm. I turned the door know, opening it. Immediately, I notice Ian's face scowling.

"Alec's scent is pretty strong here." he steps inside, closing the door behind him and I feel the room get smaller. I can't breathe.

"He visits often." That was probably a mistake to say, seeing him run his hand through his hair and messing it up. I chuckled nervously. "You have nothing to worry about, Alec is super loyal to you."

He rolls his eyes and leaned against the door. "You don't know Alec like I do."

"So you must know that he's a nice guy."

"You seem to trust him easily, unlike me."

I smiled, maybe I did. "Probably because I know him better than I know you. So tell me, Mr. Alpha, who should I trust more? Alec or you?" I poke at him for fun, but I could see him getting annoyed and because of the mate bond, I could lightly and very lightly feel that he was.

He raises an eyebrow at the incredulity and walks towards me. "Is that even a question? I'm your mate for goodness' sake, you're supposed to trust me more." Ian stops in front of me, his head towering over mine.

He was so close, I could feel his breath on my forehead and I tried taking a step backwards, but I hit the bed and tragically fell on my bed.

Great, just great Hannah. Good going.

Ian chuckled lightly and as if to tease me some more, he pushes me down gently on the bed as he climbed on top of me. My heartbeat skyrocketed and I could feel my breath hitching.

"Get off me." I managed to say lowly despite everything that I was feeling at the moment. The mate bond was going crazy. The attraction that I felt towards him got stronger as he got closer.

"You're making it hard for me to stay away, you know that." he says, the playful glint in his aqua gaze was still there. My breath was heavy and slow, my heart was anticipating whatever was going to happen next because he kept putting his face closer.

I stared at him for a while, battling with his stare.

"No one told you that you had to stay away. You're the one who keeps--"

I shut up.

It was euphoric.

The sparks were deeper and stronger in the most blissful way. Ian kissed me slowly, relaying me a message that I couldn't quite understand.

Time didn't stop, I knew that, but in that moment, it seemed like it did. Ian pulled away and we took a moment to breathe. He was still on top of me, hovering and all I could do was put my arm over my lips.

He really just kissed me. Th-that was my first--

"So I take it that I'm your first kiss?" he teased, having his playful smile.

At first I felt shy and happy by the sudden events, but then I remembered that he had kissed someone else or many others before me. Knowing that, a sense of loneliness and anger hit me.

I got up, pushing him away. "And I'm not yours."

Ian seemed taken aback by what I said, realizing that it was true. I looked away and I could feel tears mounting up when he cupped my face with his hands. "You're right and I'm sorry." he started. But I didn't want to hear how he was sorry. I wanted him to kiss me back.

However, Ian looked up before getting off the bed and kneeling down to hold my hands. In any other situation, I probably would've found the gesture sweet, but I didn't what took over me, all I could feel was anger. "I'll try to explain everything to you, just please, bare with me." he waited for a reply but got none. "I'll leave now. The party is starting soon, the elders mind-linked me that they're near."

"You really won't allow me to come?" I ask, trying to fight the sadness and anger.

He shifted uncomfortably and stood up. "No, please. Not tonight. I'll let you meet them right away after I talk to them. Just,... stay here for now."

I looked at him and wondered why for a long while before nodding.

And with that, my mate had left my room leaving me feeling happy and bitter.