Chapter 5 Realm

Ava woke to the sound of what seemed like a large crowd cheering loudly. She felt a pounding headache and pain all over her body. She tried to move her arms and legs, but they felt heavy. She couldn't figure out where she was, or even who she was. Struggling to remember, her mind was foggy, and she felt extremely thirsty and hungry. With one more attempt, she gently raised her legs and then placed them back down. That's when the memories of everything she had done came flooding back.

She glanced around, trying to make sense of her surroundings. She was in a small hut, dimly lit by a single candle flickering at the far end. She lay on a tattered mat, so old it could almost be mistaken for the cold ground beneath it. She couldn't recall how she had gotten there. Her last memory was of collapsing in exhaustion.

Lost in thought, Ava didn't notice the old woman who had entered and was now watching her with curious eyes. Startled when she finally saw her, Ava didn't panic. She remembered her training and sat up so abruptly it made her wince. Immediately, the old woman rushed to her side.

"Young girl, your body is still in pain. Don't rush-take it easy," the woman said gently, easing Ava back down. Her voice was kind, which surprised Ava. After laying her down, the old woman left the hut without another word, returning soon with a jug of water and a cup. She poured some water into the cup and brought it to Ava's lips. It was only then that Ava realized she hadn't spoken since waking up. Grateful for the help, she drank it all, reasoning that if they had wanted to harm her, they would have done so while she was unconscious. As she drank, the relief was immediate as the burning in her throat eased.

Ava finally took a proper look at the woman. Her dark skin shone like caramel, and her hair, neatly locked into a bun, framed her face, which was etched with lines and wrinkles, revealing her age and the life she had lived. Summoning her voice, Ava spoke.

"Could you please tell me where I am?" she asked.

The old woman smiled, revealing pearl-white teeth. "You just woke up, and you're already full of questions. What is your name?"

Ava hesitated before deciding on a name. "Claire," she said.

The woman smiled again. "Well, Claire, my son found you between realms during one of his runs. You're very fortunate to be here. Looking at you, I can see why Kaden would save you. You have long, beautiful blonde hair and the greenest eyes I've ever seen."

Ava was used to compliments, having grown up hearing them often, but the woman's bluntness still caught her off guard. Her face and voice didn't match the brazenness of her words. And what did she mean by "seeing why her son saved her"?

While Ava debated whether to thank her or not, the old woman spoke again. "Pardon my manners. My name is Rose, but you can call me Auntie Rose. Time will tell if you change that title to mother. Don't be so surprised at my words; I've seen much of the world."

Ava decided she would call her Rose, nothing more. "Thank you, Rose, for your hospitality, but can you please tell me where we are?"

Rose chuckled. "I see you've settled on calling me by my name. We're in a small place called the In-Between. It's named so because it lies between realms-the dragon realm, the werewolf realm, the witches' realm, the realm of vampires, and many more. There are still realms to be discovered."

As Rose spoke, Ava began to understand where she was. During her training for the Alpha position, she had learned about the various realms and how they seldom interacted, except for trade or resolving rare conflicts like trespassing. When Ava left her home through the left border, she had expected to find herself in a faraway pack, not in a different realm. Now that she thought about it, leaving through the left side had been reckless. The Moon Goddess must truly love her for her to have landed in one of the In-Between realms and not another realm entirely, so it turned out the rumours in her pack were true.

From her studies, Ava knew the In-Between was a place where creatures banished from their realms or tired of strict laws came together to live in a fragile harmony. There were many such places located near the borders of different realms, and this must be the one closest to her own. But why wasn't it documented? They had only heard stories, none of which had ever been confirmed. She recalled asking her father once, and he had dismissed the tales as myths meant to discourage people from leaving their packs. It seemed that wasn't the case at all.

Staring at Rose, Ava sensed she wasn't a wolf. What creature was she? Before Ava could ask, Rose spoke again.

"If you're wondering, I'm a witch."

Once again, Ava was shocked. How had Rose read her mind? Rose chuckled. "Don't look so surprised. You asked, and I answered. I can hear when people's thoughts involve me, and right now, your wolf is still asleep, so it's easier to read your thoughts, young werewolf."

It was then that Ava realized she hadn't heard her wolf, Vera, in her mind for a while.

She was about to panic but held it in. She tried reaching Vera again, but still nothing was heard or felt, her wolf was nowhere in sight, she could still feel their bond, but it was thin and weaker than it was supposed to be. Her wolf was her better half and a part of her. She wasn't yet sure if she could give up on it. A werewolf without their wolf was an empty vessel, her senses would be gone, only the thought alone felt like an abomination to Ava. Stilling her wild thoughts, she decided to give it time before trying again.