As the executors carried my mother away, Jeremy's whispered words cut through the air. "Now your mum would be killed, and justice would be made for your father killing my mum," he said to me and laughed sinisterly. His words sank deep into my heart, and I couldn't contain the dam of tears that streamed down my face.
I stood there, and watched my mother being carried away. I walked slowly towards her, and resounded her name in tears. Serah and Aurora were also present. They were laughing and mocking me as I followed my mother.
However, as they were about to carry out the sentence, a sudden figure emerged from the crowds, and walked up to the front of the event. The atmosphere murmured with disbelief as Cena who was thought to be dead showed up once again.
In the midst of my fear, and confusion, a glimmer of hope flickered inside of me. Cena approached, his presence commanding attention as everyone were now scared to see him. Jason's eyes grew into sour as he saw the present of Cena. Also, Aurora and Serah, replaced their mockery laughter with a sad face.
In my trembling voice, I whispered, breaking the silence, "Cena, is this you?" The knots in my belly now replaced with beautiful roses of butterflies as I had clung to the hope that this unforeseen twist of fate might spare my mother's life.
The whispers among the onlookers intensified as they could not believe that was Cena not until he raised his hand, signaling for silence. The executors reluctantly paused on their assignment looking as though they were unsure of how to proceed.
Cena's voice echoed through the clearing, breaking the silence, his words demanding attention. He cleared his throat, and said, "In the name of justice and the balance of our kind, I challenge the legitimacy of this execution."
"What? Florida deserves to be dead, Cena. You shouldn't have come this time," Jeremy voice screeched from behind.
The pack elders gave startled 'wow' and exchanged uncertain glances while Cena continued, his gaze piercing through the crowd. "There is more at play here than meets the eye. The truth is hidden in the shadow, and I demand a fair inquiry before any life is unjustly taken."
I froze in place as Cena spoke, and I could tell that my heart raced with a newfound hope. The way Cena spoke seemed there was a secret he probably knew about.
"The challenge is accepted. We will conduct a fair inquiry to uncover the truth," The elders ordered the executioner to stop.
Relief washed over me, and my heartbeat returned back to normal. I rushed to my mum and hugged her so tight as she was now released freely. She held me so tight, and we cried together bitterly.
Aurora and her daughter, Serah, were pained as they saw the reunion of me and my mum. Jeremy's eyes grew daggers and he left the place in anger. Jason walked up to us and congratulated us for the luck. However, he was taken by the school authority and returned back to the prison where he was before escaping.
"Cena, I am sorry for all I have done to you," my mum drew closer to Cena and apologized for her wrong doings. Cena sighed and smiled. "You are doing what a good mother should do, Florida. It's just that there is someone beneath, hiding to do bad."
"Hiding to do bad? Who could that be?" I asked him, tilting my head sideways.
"No worries about that for now, Amaya. I think you need to be more careful of those you trust!" Cena Said.
"How come you were pronounced dead and still alive?" I asked him. He sighed, and responded.
"A strong rogue saved my life," he started, and delved into the mysterious rogue in the forest. The onlookers murmured in disbelief, and my gaze shifted, examining the faces of those around me.
Cena's revelations took an unexpected turn as he disclosed the connection about the hidden villain in the school. And my heart raced as the pieces of the puzzle began to align. It might be true. First of all, the guard -the very one who had given me the mysterious bottle drug that drew Cena closer to death needed to be found and questioned.
Suddenly, an alarm was raised that a prison guard had been killed. The shock rippled through the students, and tension aroused. Without hesitation, we rushed to the scene of the incident with urgent footsteps.
As we arrived at the location, the lifeless form of the guard lay before us in pool of his blood. This was the guard that gave me the bottle drug to heal Cena. He was murdered by a werewolf as the claws were visible on his body. Why was he killed? I hurriedly whispered to my mum and told her about the guard.
"There is more to this than meets the eye, Amaya," My mother whispered, her eyes narrowing in suspicion, then continued, "Why would someone kill the guard? What secrets did he possess that led to his demise?"
The realization simmered upon us that the lifeless guard on the floor might have held crucial information. Information that could expose the true person pulling things aback in secrecy.
As I thought about my mother's word and reckoned on it, Cena instincts kicked in. "There is a trail," he mentioned, pointing towards a set of footprints leading away from the scene. "If we follow this, we might uncover the truth behind the guard's death."
The elders joined us as we trail after the suspected track, yet, we could not connect the dots of the hidden puzzles. The elders promised that investigation would start immediately over these issues. I and my mum went back home, having a scattered, yet happy mind. As I sat with my mother, the memories of recent events pressed upon us. I couldn't help but voice the haunting question that continued to echo itself into my thoughts.
"Mum, don't you think the murderer of the guard could be someone close to us?" I asked, my gaze fixed on her, searching for any sign of insight.
My mother's expression shifted. She looked at me and sighed. "It is a possibility, Amaya. The school is filled with secrets, and those who runs its activity often hide their true intentions. We must tread carefully and trust only those who have proven their loyalty."
We had a lot of talks, and reasoning as a daughter to her mother, but then, a knock blasted through our home. Cena stood at the doorway, his eyes reflecting a nostalgia which I could call- urgency and revelation.
Before we talked, he said, "Amaya. Florida, we need to talk," he declared, and we offered him a seat.
Seated in our dimly lit cabin, Cena began to talk about the rogue who had saved his life. "His name is Alex," Cena explained, calmness in his voice. "He is a rogue, strong and wise. He saved my life and offered guidance that went beyond mere survival. Alex possesses knowledge about the hidden forces at play within our school."
As Cena spoke, a spark of recognition flickered in my mother's eyes, and a realization dawned upon me. "Alex... Could he be my father?" I asked, staring at my mum.
Cena nodded. "Yes, Amaya. Alex is your father. He told me he has been watching over you secretly, and protecting you in ways we couldn't comprehend."
My mother's eyes widened in disbelief as Cena landed. She spoke, "Oh, my Goddess. Did you meet him for help, Amaya? How does he know I was in trouble? I didn't need his help," she exclaimed.
"Mum, I just needed to meet him. There were questions, mysteries surrounding us, and I felt a need to understand. I never intended to involve him in our troubles," I responded to her.
"Your father has always been a manipulator, Amaya. He chose to help us so as to take advantage of you" my mom said dishearteningly.
"He also demanded for a help from you!" Cena landed, and my mother and I turned our attention to Cena, she rolled her eyes. She already said my father's intervention was for his own profit, and that was what Cena was about to disclose.
"What is it, Cena?" my mother inquired, nervousness grabbed her.
Cena hesitated for a moment before he spoke. "When I sought Alex's help, he agreed, but he requested something in return.”
My mother's brow furrowed in concern. "What did he ask for?"
"He is ready to reveal the bad eggs in the school if I can join him alongside Amaya to fight the neighboring packs," Cena replied, choosing his words carefully.
"Information about the hidden villain within the school, the forces that manipulate our lives. He believes that understanding these secrets is crucial for our safety," Cena said, and continued,
"He said Amaya had already agreed to fight by him. He needed more men to fight by his side!"
"Amaya isn't fighting beside that lair, and manipulator. Amaya's abilities are to save the day not to destroy!" My mum screeched her voice lethal.
"Florida, it's late already. Alex would send his men here by tomorrow. I had already promised him!" Cena said. My father had helped us and this was the only way to repay him for saving my mother. He knew by doing so he would be able to capture my mother's heart.