Chapter 8

Aria's POV

I was all alone in a big white room full of echoes. Every time I called out I was answered a million times, but always by myself, and always with my question. I was confused, I was scared, I wanted to get out.

"It's ok," The voice from before said behind me. "I just have somethings to tell you. Then you are free to go." I turned around and was shocked to see a person. The voice had a body!

She led me through the white walls, something I hadn't tried while trying to get out, come on how many people think maybe I can go through the walls. If you said you would, you're lying.

Through the wall was the most magnificent sight, no not even magnificent does it justice, picturesque sight, stunning sight. Well you get the idea.

Green trees stretched up in the air, poking the clouds and lining up along the river. The river shined clear, crystal blue and fish of all colours jumped and frolicked in the gentle current. The sky seemed to stretch on for miles, an endless sea of blue, with candy clouds dotted about.

I looked around and the voice with a body let me, pausing for a bit so I could soak it in.

"Come," She said, "You haven't seen the best bit yet. As if anything can be better than this.

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I was wrong. We followed the river upstream, up a winding path into the forest. The trees stretchered on for miles in every direction but it didn't look threatening. Suddenly a faint roaring filled my ears, getting louder by the second.

We turned a corner and I saw the most beautiful, wondrous, spectacular sight. A magnificent waterfall that seemed to stretch on for miles up in the sky. A constant sheet of water crashing down.

"Welcome, to Fairy Falls." I gasped as I took in the scene. Swallows flew around the waterfall and up in the sky, calling out to each other, flowers grew around the clear pool at the base of the falls and toadstools grew by the barks of the trees.

And then I saw it. A little glitter of light, starting by the base of one of the trees and coming closer and closer, growing in size but still only the size of my thumb. A fairy. My mouth shot open in a mixture of fear and wonder. A fairy. A fairy. No I must have hit my head, hard, although I think my dad probably did it for me. He's really considerate like that.

"It's called fairy falls for a reason, clans of fae live all over here and in your world too." I turned around to stare at the woman. "Oh how rude of me I never introduced my self. I am the great luna, maker of this world and I look after the werewolves."

At the mention of werewolves my mouth shot open again. Wait werewolves aren't real. Are they?

"Oh I assure you, they as real as you and me." The woman answered, I really need to ask her name. Wait, I didn't say that out loud. Can she read minds?

"Yes, I can read minds, I wouldn't be able to help you if I couldn't hear you questions. Oh and my name is Layla, since you asked."

I stood in shock. Staring at Layla and the faeries that still fluttered around us. Why am I here? I thought waiting for my answer.

But of course this can't be a proper story without the guide being annoyingly unhelpful and implying things instead of just saying things and making the book so much longer.....

True to form, Layla answered with an oh so helpful "You are where you need to be." But she couldn't stop there, "You will go back soon though, he needs you," because of course I knew exactly who she was talking about.

So what is a werewolf and why are you telling me this. I asked. Wondering for the a millionth time why I was being told this, I was a nobody, a little scared girl.

"Story time, a werewolf is half wolf half human. Unlike in the stories they can shift anytime and they can just take on a few attributes of the wolf, for example speed or sight. Each werewolf has a mate, someone made for them, a soul mate if you like. They are very protective over their mates, no one else holds the other half of their soul. The one thing to remember about them is so long as you do nothing to anger them they are quite a nice species, but if you anger them run as if your life depends on it, because frankly it does."

I fell down on the floor with a fump. What is going on, why am I being told this?

"I am telling you this because you need to know, otherwise all races, even the human and especially the werewolves will fall. Hardship is coming. Be true to your self, stay close you your mate and most importantly know that what ever happens you are loved."

What do you mean, stay close to my mate, I'm not a werewolf. Layla started laughing at me.

"Of course you're a werewolf, how do you think you survived all those years of torture. A human would have died years ago. Heck, one day in your life would have killed most humans. The only reason you are still alive is because of your werewolf gene. The only reason you have a mate is because of your werewolf gene."

Then like that she was gone.

I was alone again in the big white room. Alone with my thoughts. Werewolves are real. She told me to stay close to my mate, Wait does that mean my mate is close? I'm not a werewolf, I would know if I was a werewolf. What does it mean.

I was saved from any more conflicted emotions and thoughts by a bright flash of white light.

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"Please wake up Aria," I heard a familiar voice say, who's voice is it? Then it hit me, Forest. I was back home, I felt someone, probable Forest, grab hold of my hand, "I'm lost without you, I love you."

WHAT! Hold on a minute, did he just say he loved me. Forest, as in Forest who I have been trying not to crush on for weeks and who could have pretty much any girl in the school loves ME!

I tried to squeeze his hand, to reassure him I was here, I would try to wake up for him. It was only light squeeze, come on I just found out werewolves were real give me a break.

"Aria? Aria can you hear me?"I heard Forest say. I tried to open my eyes. Concentrating harder then I ever thought was possible to make my eyes open. I finally opened them up and the smile I was met with was enough to make me feel much better.

"Welcome back to the world of the living." Forest said, smiling down at me, joy evident in his eyes.

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I slowly sat up, trying to remember what my dream had been about, it felt important but I can't remember what it was....

Forest grabbed my a note pad and a glass of water, I drank the water then wrote down the question I wanted but dreaded the answer to. How long have I been out? The look that crossed Forest's face was one of pure torment and pain.

"Three weeks," He said, looking sad. I didn't like seeing him sad so I did the only thing I could think of, I threw my arms round his neck and hugged him tight. We stayed like that for a long time, both comforting each other.

Finally I pulled away, grabbing my note pad I wrote down the other question I wanted the answer to, what happened?

"That my friend," Forest said looking anywhere but my face, "is a story for another time, come and have some food, you must be starving."

I wanted to shake my head, no I need answers not food but at that moment my stomach growled letting me know I needed to eat.

As we walked down to the kitchen, well Forest walked and I lent on him for balance, I thought back to my dream, I'm sure my dream was important, something about water falls and big white room, something I had to tell Forest, maybe about how I survived all those years? But the more I thought about it the more distant it became.

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As I walked into the kitchen I saw Atlas and Isla sitting at the table. No sooner had they looked up before I was engulfed in a hug.

"Darling we were so worried about you," Tears ran down Isla's cheek and her voice shook, portraying the fear she'd felt for me when I'd been asleep.

I was taken by surprise. Why do these people I barely know care about me more than my real family ever did? I smiled as she pulled away, grabbing my note pad off Forest, who had taken the initiative and brought it down from upstairs, so I could communicate with them.

"I'm fine," I wrote. "But what happened, last thing I remember I was on the floor. I thought I was going to die, then I woke up here."

Looking round the table I could see no one wanted to answer my question, they were all looking anywhere except my face and Forest was looking guilty.

I tapped Forest on the shoulder until he looked at me then gave him a death stare. "Get talking," I wrote.

"Well..... you see....." Forest stuttered, "I was asked to bring you some homework and um when I got to your house the door was unlocked so I walked straight in," Forest paused, looking like he didn't want to tell the rest.

I nudged him with my shoulder. I need to know what happened, It seems really important but I can't remember why....

"I heard a scream from down some stairs so I went down them and found you lying on the floor passed out so I called my parents and they brought a car to take you someplace safe." Forest said the last part in a rush and you could tell from his face he didn't want to tell me.

"Thank you," I wrote on my pad, "For saving me," I walked round the table giving everyone hugs. I had tears in the corner of my eyes.

I was scared. I can't go back home or I actually would be killed, where can I stay I have no family to go to except my mum and I haven't heard from her in years.

Forest saw my tears and rushed round the table to comfort me, even though he had no idea why I was crying he came to try to stop it.

"Hey hey don't cry Aria," He said wiping the tears from my face, "What's the matter?" I grabbed my note pad and with a shaking hand wrote "I have no where to stay, I have no family left."

Forest pulled me into a tight hug, "You can stay here with us," My eyes widened and I looked around, "Are you sure I wouldn't be a hassle." I wrote quickly, although I wanted to scream "yes", I expected him to laugh and say of course I was a hassle, they were only asking me as a joke, but instead Isla answered.

"No of course you wouldn't be a hassle, you're pretty much family anyway." I smiled at that, I'd never been part of a real family, a loving family.

Maybe this would be a fresh start.

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After I was told I could stay at Forest's house I got taken to a room, the same room I stayed in last time.

It had baby blue walls, a bed in the middle with a blue and white duvet, a chest of draws and a desk by the window.

The key theme all around the room was wolves. The duvet had wolves running along the bottom and the walls had wolves howling to the moon on one of the walls. It was perfect.

"You can redecorate if you'd like and if you would like different bedding or new decorations just ask and I'll find some for you,"

I nodded my head in thanks and then sat down on my bed, Forest and Atlas were going back to my house to grab my stuff, not that I had much. I offered to go myself but they all decided it was probably for the best that I didn't go back.

I wonder what would have happened to me if Forest hadn't found me. I wonder what would have happened if Atlas and Isla decided they didn't have enough room for another child. I would have been dead or on the streets, or both.

I was pulled out of my thoughts by a knock on the door, I went over and opened it to see a scowling Forest, as soon as he saw me he stopped scowling and he handed me a small suitcase.

"I brought your stuff, mum was wondering if you wanted to come and watch a movie?" Forest asked, a small smile gracing his lips. I nodded my head and we made our way down stairs.

We walked in just as the movie started, it was a movie I hadn't watched yet but I had heard a buzz about it around school. Everyone had watched it, well everyone except me.

My brother had bragged for ages that he got to go and I didn't and then he reenacted the fight scenes where I would also lose, using a movie as an excuse to beat me up.

Avengers Infinity war, I've heard it has a really happy ending.