Serena
As soon as I heard the question, I already knew it was Ashford’s voice. I turned around, and sure enough, he stood there with his arms crossed. Behind him emerged Alexei, looking a little surprised as his gaze checked the bag I was carrying. Unlike Ashford, he chose to remain silent.
Trembling, I asked, “Are you going to tell Damon?”
Ashford heaved a sigh. “Do you really have to do this?” His concern was evident.
I didn't say anything. I just bowed my head, smiling bitterly, fighting back the tears threatening to fall down my cheeks.
Seeing this, I heard Ashford curse under his breath before approaching me for a hug. I allowed it. Ashford was like a big brother to me. Despite being best friends with Damon, he never showed bias in our relationship.
“At least tell me where you are planning to go.”
I pulled away from his hug and whispered, “Asteria. Alicia is a member of that pack.”
“Asteria? I know that place,” Alexei exclaimed. “It's a well-known pack on another continent, the biggest, to be exact.”
I had never heard of Asteria or any packs from other continents, so Alexei's words sparked my curiosity.
“Are you sure you want to go there, Serena? Do you know anything about Asteria?” Alexei looked concerned, his eyes narrowing at Alicia, who seemed unfazed by his suspicion.
“Obviously, I don’t. But it would be quite an adventure, right?” I tried to inject some humor into my response, but Alexei didn’t seem to get it.
“Asteria is known to be a pack of ruthless warriors, with quite a reputation known to every alpha and rogue within the land.”
“Reputation?” My eyebrows furrowed.
Alexei nodded. “They hate outsiders. Their pack thrives with no known intervention from the outside world. They are pretty independent and very secretive. No one knows their story. So, I don’t understand why someone who claims to be part of that pack would carry an outsider along with her.”
This time, Alicia smiled. “Believe me, Serena would probably be the first and only outsider that my pack would welcome with open arms.”
Alicia’s words had confidence in them, and for some reason, despite Alexei's warnings, I decided to trust her. There was something about Asteria that not only sparked my interest but also my hidden desires. It was as if I wasn’t only doing this to give my relationship with Damon some space, but a part of my written fate that I needed to face.
I no longer needed extra time to ponder my decision. I finally made up my mind, and it was time to let them know.
“Sorry guys, but I am already decided to go.”
“If this is the choice you have to make,” Ashford began, “then I respect it.” His approval made me heave a sigh of relief. “However…”
His last words concerned me. He turned to Alicia with unwavering resolve. “I won’t let you go to that uncharted territory alone. I am coming with you.”
“What? No! You don’t have to do this!” I protested, my voice trembling with desperation.
“I need to do this,” Ashford exclaimed, not willing to give in. “Unless you want me to go to Damon and tell him about your plan of running away.”
“You would never!” I retorted, disbelief coloring my words.
“Oh, I would,” Ashford stated firmly, his eyes unwavering. “So, either I come with you, or you never make it to Asteria. Your call.”
“Damn!” I exclaimed. Ashford seemed serious, and the only way for this trip to happen was to bring him along. Realizing that, I turned to Alicia. Once again, I couldn’t read what was on her mind, but she provided a solution to the problem that had been stalling our trip.
“Fine, he can come with us if he wants,” Alicia declared, her tone decisive. Ashford visibly relaxed, a sense of relief washing over him. But Alicia wasn’t done yet, “But we cannot afford to waste more time. We need to go, NOW!” Her urgency added a new layer of tension to the air, making it clear that further delays were not an option.
This time, Alexei stepped forward to share a piece of his mind.
“You should all go now before somebody else from the pack notices your disappearance. And don’t worry about Damon. I will tell him Ashford went with you as your protector. Meanwhile, I think it is time to go back to Wolf Valley. There is nothing left for me here.”
My heart ached hearing his words, the finality in them sinking in. Ashford and I bid him a tearful goodbye. “Take care of yourself, Alexei. Send my regards to everyone, especially to your sister, Lia,” I choked out, the weight of parting evident in my voice.
“I will. You and Ashford take care of yourselves.”
After that, we slowly walked away from Alexei. The road ahead was unclear, and Damon's thoughts echoed in my mind. However, I prepared myself for the journey, ready to face whatever difficulties lay ahead. I clung to the belief that, eventually, Damon and I would reunite, rewriting our happy ending that was briefly postponed with tragedy and profound losses.
But for now, this journey was all about me and my healing.
As the night unfolded, we decided to stop and set up camp to spend the night. The fatigue from the journey guided us to our makeshift beds, and sleep came easily due to our exhaustion.
I awoke in the middle of the night, finding my surroundings eerily quiet. Alicia's absence from her bed caught my attention.
I stealthily wandered through the campsite, eager to find out where she was. Behind a tree, I overheard Alicia's conversation with a mysterious man.
"Tell them to be ready. I already found her," she said, her voice determined.
Perplexed, I retreated to my bed. What did Alicia mean? Why was she searching for someone, and who had she found?