The Curse Of Rejection
Strange Dreams

AYSU

The moment Aysu reached the room and lay down, sleep captured her and dragged her into a peaceful world of slumber. And Aysu enjoyed being in that world. Well, that was until something strange happened.

She suddenly began to dream about her father. And in that dream, he was at the very entrance of The Moon Guardian pack, a lot of guards standing behind him while their hands yielded deadly weapons. Her father stood with smugness, as though he had just won a battle and after a few seconds of standing that way, a familiar figure approached him and shook his hand to signify their alliance.

Now, Aysu was unable to tell who exactly the familiar person was, but she knew it was someone she just met in the new pack. So, as she watched that unbelievable scene in the dream world, she struggled to piece things together so that she could figure out the person’s identity.

But she never got to replace an answer.

It was Ximun’s gentle taps that woke her up and as she opened her eyes, an expression similar to horror lodged in her eyes and that caused Ximun to worry.

“What is it, Aysu?” his calm, soothing voice asked while he leaned closer to her.

“Ximun,” Aysu could barely hear herself, it was almost as though she was still in that dream, “I just had a dream.”

“What was it?”

“My father.” She swallowed hard. “I saw my father and he was in this pack with troops behind him.”

Ximun’s figure seemed to become more serious. “He was?”

“But I think he was working with someone we have met in this pack. Ximun,” her eyes remained glued to his, “I think we have to be careful in our plans. Someone might really betray us at this rate. Or, am I being dramatic about this dream? It is just a dream after all.”

“No.” Ximun carried a slight frown on his forehead. “It is not just a dream. I believe this is a warning. Your dream is trying to tell us something and we have to listen well.”

“Hmm.” Aysu adjusted the way she laid against the softness of the bed, she drew the blanket around her closer. Then, she asked, “ You must have been very busy with your strategising. How did you know to come?”

Ximun reached to caress the top of her head and Aysu relaxed some more because of that touch.

“I felt that you were in distress. It would have been very foolish of me to ignore you.”

“Thank you, Ximun.”

“Stop thanking me for doing the things I am meant to do,” Ximun said. After, he leaned closer to plant a kiss on her forehead. “You can go back to sleep now. Do you want me to stay back?”

Aysu, with a small smile on her lips and a soaring feeling in her heart, shook her head and replied, “There is no need. You can go back to what you were doing.”

“Alright. I will stay here till you fall asleep.”

“I just said-”

“Shh, my Queen,” Ximun cutely hushed her while he reached for something on his right. “Just go to sleep.”

Aysu watched as he placed a lengthy book on his lap and began to write something. She captured that moment and proceeded to close her eyes while she hoped that the victory her father seemed to have achieved in the dream world would not come to pass in reality.

Many hours later, Aysu woke up after a satisfactory sleep and with renewed energy, she sat up and wondered what next to do with her life. Surely, she can not be sleeping most of the time. Sleeping too much could make her lazier than normal.

So that begged a very important question in Aysu’s mind.

What could she do in that new pack that would make her happy?

“You are up,” Ximun’s voice dragged her out of that thought. “We should go for a walk.”

“Now?”

Ximun stopped walking towards their wardrobe which was now filled with their new clothes. Ximun took the time to specially arrange that space while she was asleep.

“Is that a problem?” Ximun asked, one of his brows arched. “I was hoping we would branch the High Priestess’s side during the walk. I have been curious about what she has to say about the curse.”

“I don’t mind walking.” It would help her clear her mind. “I guess I am just a little surprised. You hardly strike me as someone who would want to take a walk for the sake of just walking.”

“Well, that’s true.” He approached her with a thin strapped gown. “Back in the Night Crimson Pack, I never took walks for the sake of doing that. There were always issues attached to it. So, I look forward to our walk this evening. I have a feeling it will be blissful. Is the gown okay?”

Aysu accepted the cloth from him. “Yes, it is. Thank you.”

“I will wait for you outside. Join me soon, okay?” Aysu nodded in response and he gently held both sides of her head as he planted a kiss on the top of her head.

Soon, it was just Aysu left in the room and she revisited her earlier thoughts about replaceing something useful to do.

‘Oh, come on,’ Alora complained suddenly. ‘Just enjoy your time here, okay?’

“But, Alora-”

‘Human, you spent a great deal of your life in pain. You have experienced the worst fate because you almost died, so I think you should take it easy on yourself. There is more than enough time to figure things out, okay?’

“Okay.” Aysu’s response wasn’t convincing. But she sighed and assured herself that things would be fine just as her wolf just said. “I will do just that.”

Alora then went quiet and after a quick shower, Aysu wore her clothes, and found a good pair of slippers in the old stack Jindo was able to replace in Nirel’s layout. As Aysu put on the shoe, she wondered if there was somewhere in the pack where she would be able to get some good, new shoes. It really felt weird to be wearing someone else’s shoes.

“Well, at least I am not putting on someone else’s clothes,” Aysu said to herself.

‘Really?’ Alora sprang out again. ‘Are you sure about that?’

“Yes, I am. Jindo showed us the receipt while we were eating. I am not sure how money works here, but yeah, Jindo was able to buy us so many clothes.”

‘Alright then,’ Alora said and it was sure sh e wasn’t convinced.

But then, nothing more was said and Aysu stepped out before she could delay Ximun even more.

“Are you ready?” Ximun asked while he secured the thick jacket in his hands around her. “Jindo said it might get chilly later on, so we have to be prepared.”

“Alright.” Aysu wrapped her hand into the warmness of his own. “Let’s go!”

“Let’s go!” Ximun shared her excitement and after they shared a good chuckle and began to walk.

After a few seconds of walking past houses that were each unique in their structures, Aysu asked, “Do we know where this High Priestess lives?”

“Jindo gave me a pretty comprehensive description. I am sure we won’t miss our way.”

“Alright then,” said Aysu. “Should we talk about my dream again?”

“Do you want to? You seemed pretty shaken up about it earlier.”

“Oh, yeah. I just found it a little disturbing to be seeing my father’s face. Anyway,” Aysu quickly derailed that discussion before it could weigh her emotions down, “I am very curious about the familiar person that might rat us out to my father.”

“Based on what you saw,” they were now walking past a field of flowers that were so colourful, their sight melted Aysu’s heart, “who do you think it might be.”

“I think it might be Jindo or Nirel.”

“Not Gideon?”

“The body frame wasn’t his.”

“But Jindo is more built than Nirel,” Ximun pointed out.

“Yeah, but Nirel in Lycan form is quite something.”

Ximun nodded in agreement “That is true to some extent. Besides, since Nirel didn’t particularly die, there is a chance he is very much alive and would come back for revenge.”

“We sure do manage to attract enemies everywhere we go, don’t we?”

“We must be doing something right in that case.” Ximun looked ahead. “If everybody we know likes us, I would like to think there is an issue somewhere because there’s always an enemy lurking, waiting to strike.”

Aysu saw that the expression in his eyes hardened. “Okay, easy there, warrior.”

“Sorry, the thought of crushing enemies excites me.”

Aysu chuckled. “Oh, I just love you so much.”

Ximun did nothing but smile.

And minutes after walking past nothing but field after field of colourful, unfamiliar flowers, they reached the end of the path. And in front of them was a small house which was built using blackened stones.

Aysu kept studying the structure. “Is this where the High Priestess stays?”

“Yes. Shall we go in and get this over with?”

Aysu bowed her head a little. “We shall, my handsome mate.”

So, they approached the entrance of the building and the moment they stepped into the building, the most unexpected sight greeted them.