SWNOVELS Chapter Waiting For Death
AYSU
A week passed and Aysu managed to become a shadow in her father’s house. She refused to step out of her room despite the numerous times her father, Gideon, and her nanny called out for her in concern. While she sometimes slept deeply in her mess of bread wrappers, wine stains, and a grand display of empty bottles, she sometimes struggled to stop herself from screaming out loud whenever her soul started to rip away from her wolf’s.
She became a burden to herself, as well as a torture.
But could one blame her? She was fated to die in a matter of weeks all thanks to some stupid, unexplainable curse.
But despite that truth, she wished to keep her family away from the truth of her situation. She didn’t want them to know that a burly, annoying Alpha Ximun of the rival pack robbed her of her final chance to live a normal life. And she was going to keep things that way till her soul finally leaves her body.
At that moment, the TV in her room was blaring dialogues from the latest movie in the city, but she was barely paying attention to the characters who were about to tear each other apart. All Aysu was focused on was the things she was feeling within her. She listened to her wolf’s lethargic breathing and feared the impending moment when she would feel the worst pain all over again.
Aysu just hoped that her TV was loud enough to blend with her voice if she happened to let a scream or two slip.
So, she waited. In the depths of her misery, she waited for the pain to come.
But it never came because her father finally gained access to her room. With a deep grunt, he swung his body off the highly positioned window he used as an entrance, and the thud that came from him landing on the floor distracted and startled Aysu.
“Dad,” she said, her feet rushing to stand. “Wh-what are you doing here?”
“What do you think?” His brownish hair swung to the side as his firm stance led his body to an upright position. Then, he evaluated her room and the mess it had become and said, “You have been locked here for days. Doesn’t it make me a bad father if I don’t check up on you?”
Aysu sniffled. “I am fine.”
“Yes. And I am Spiderman.” Her father wasn’t trying to crack a joke with his response.
Aysu noted his seriousness and since she knew his crazy intuition could dig out what she was experiencing, she exhaled hard and said, “Dad, listen, I am fine.”
“Don’t lie to me.”
“I-“
“Mark rejected you, didn’t he?”
That question weighed her heart and she became tempted to cry. “Dad, I-“ His hug ended her words before she could complete them. “Dad.”
“Aysu.” His head pats relaxed her tensed soul. “I am so sorry. I am sorry you have to go through this.”
“Dad, I-“
“I can’t begin to imagine how much pain you are in right now.” His voice began to strain. “I wish I could take your pain away. I wish day in and out that I could erase this damned curse. But we can only wait for the last rejection.”
“Dad-“
“I know it will be tough, but let’s wait, okay? I found-“
“Dad, I have had my fifteenth.”
Their hug dissolved immediately.
“What?” He searched her eyes as though checking if she was trying to pull his leg. But, how could she joke about something that already messed up her entire soul? “How? Who? How do you have a fifteenth rejection?”
“Dad, it just happened. And, now, everything is a mess. I d-don’t even know what to do, Dad. I am scared.” This time, she could not stop her tears. Her voice became heavy and her face bloated with great sorrow. “I don’t want to die. I am so scared.”
“Oh my goodness,” he whispered, his great worry written all over his face. And he didn’t waste time in hugging her again. “I am so sorry, Aysu. Oh my goodness.”
“I am scared,” she repeated, her sobs becoming heavier, her tears staining the redness of her father’s turtle neck. “What do I do? I really don’t want to die.”
“You won’t. We can’t let the curse win. Do you remember when we discussed whether you are the only one that suffers from the curse?”
Aysu wondered whether to mention Alpha Ximun. But she chose to nod and relax into the embrace of her father. Alora seemed to find peace in the contact as well, so she enjoyed that bliss.
Beta Richard continued, “The Alpha King sent a delegate two days ago to inform me that they’ve found someone that shares the same fate as you.”
Aysu’s chin rested on her father’s chest and she looked up at him. “You found someone in The Tarmish Pack?”
“Well…” The pause was long, and that made Aysu suspicious of whether the person they found was the one she already found. “Yes.”
Aysu took a step back and observed her Father’s silver orbs. His eyes always failed to lie, so after a few seconds of scrutiny, she deduced that he was telling the truth and her soul brightened for the first time in a week. And she anticipated what her father was about to tell her.
“Does he have the same number of…?” Her eyes completed the question.
“Yes, he does. Now that you have gotten the fifteenth rejection, this plan can work. Aysu,” her father held her by the shoulders, “this is a chance you cannot afford to miss. It was really hard to find this person and we have to make this work. So, are you in?”
“Are you telling that to me? I have been in the worst pain since I came back and I will give my liver if it would stop the pain.”
“How is your wolf faring? Is Alora fine?” Beta Richard’s eyes changed into a blue shade for a second and Aysu appreciated the concern of her father’s wolf, Xeros.
“She is not. This is harder for her than it is for me.”
“Don’t worry, in a matter of two days, all of this will be over.”
Aysu returned to hugging her father and as she spread the side of her hair against his chest, she whispered, “I can’t wait.”
Aysu knew she was meant to ask for further details, especially about the man who supposedly had the same fate as her and that wretched Alpha Ximun, but she became too focused on making sure that the force that tries to rip her from her wolf didn’t return.
Two days later, Aysu was packed per her father’s instructions and she was ready to meet the person who would become her final mate and end her pain.
But the moment she stepped out of her room and handed Gideon one of her bags, her heart tightened and her world came crashing once again.
But this time, she could not find the strength to remain firm and fight. Perhaps, all the hours she spent waiting for that terrible pain exhausted all of her strength. And soon, her breath became raspy, her feet became shaky and the feeling of being ripped from her wolf became more than real.
Gideon and her father tried to get her up, they tried to keep her conscious. But the moment she slipped into what felt like her father’s arms, Aysu welcomed the warmth of the unknown world and all she could do as her wolf screamed in her head was to let out silent tears.
She didn’t die.
Aysu thought that the world unknown was a fine-looking plane but after seconds of getting used to being awake, she realized that she and her father were en route on a private plane.
Aysu was relieved. Yes, she wished for death so many times but the moment it seemed as though her wish would come to pass, it occurred to her that more than anything, she wished to live.
‘You should think more before you say things, you fucking dumbass,’ Alora insulted. And Aysu gave a weak laugh in response. But above all, she was truly relieved that she was alive.
“Aysu,” her father’s excited whisper dragged her out of her thoughts. “You are awake.”
“Hmm,” she grunted and sat up with his help. “Where are we?”
“We are almost at our destination, Aysu. Your pain will be over soon.”
Her lips drew up into a smile and she relaxed and asked nothing more. And her father continued, “I got you a dress.”
“You did?”
“You are about to break free of your terrible fate. You need to be dressed beautifully to mark a new beginning.”
Her lips scrunched in mock disappointment. “I thought I was already pretty. You always say my beauty could blind if not for the curse.”
Beta Richard reached for her cheek and caressed it. “Of course, my daughter. Your beauty is enough to blind, so wear this dress,” he tapped the paper bag in his hand, “and go blind that man that’s about to become your mate.”
Aysu laughed. “If you put it that way, fine.”
She took the bag from him and headed for the next room to change. By the time she was done wearing the gown that indeed made her look prettier, the plane had landed close to a place that displayed many lantern lights.
Drawn by the shiny lights, Aysu alighted from the plane and walked as though the lights were guiding her to that new fate she was craving.
Well, the lights did lead her somewhere. It led her to a party where a few guests were seated without moving much. As she walked down that aisle, her focus no longer on the lantern lights, she looked ahead and saw that a robed man was standing on the podium, and in front of that man was a grey-haired person.
The back view of that person was too similar, the sight made her heart skip strongly. So, when he turned and locked eyes with her, her heart became a mess.
And her soul became a bigger mess when someone said, “The bride has arrived, we can start the ceremony.”