The Monster's Rose

"A new evil will raise"

The woman watched as the sky turned into its dark colour. The leaves left their branches and fell on the ground lifelessly. She gulped down the lump that formed in her throat. She felt the fear spreading throughout her body.

Her heart is beating wildly against her rib cage. Her grey eyes searching... Searching for something that would let her know what's happening. She didn't find anything that would make her understand, the sky is now filled with vultures as they are waiting for the skin and bone of the dead.

Her hands started trembling as she lost her stones which she would carry every time. She blinked her eyes and waited for a clue... A sign that would tell her a story.

She just needs a scent in the air which would help her know what's the reason behind the sudden change in nature. She didn't smell anything. Her senses are on alert as she looked at the barren land before her.

As if her questions are heard she smelt the dead and blood. Her throat tightened, eyes widen as she saw the future.

The barren land seconds ago is now found with thousands of dead bodies, everywhere she sees blood, a river of red blood is flowing. Agony... Pain... Mercy... Cruelness... Power... Revenge... Helplessness... Prayers... Filled the whole place making her hard to breathe.

She isn't a normal woman, she is the great witch who lived on this earth for centuries now. At the very moment, she knew what the future holds. She knew what is going to happen here, she knew who is coming back.

"They are back. Nothing is going to stop them."

She whispered into the thick air. She closed her eyes chanting a mantra. She opened them again to see the whole place is back to its normal scenario but she know the days are out of her hands now. She can't do anything to stop.

Roseanna POV

"One month to go, Rose!" I heard Kyra yell in excitement.

"To go for what?" Caspian questioned while sitting beside me with his food.

"Her eighteenth birthday Cas!" I looked at his plate, I need to go and refill my plate.

"Oh." I shook my head as I ate my pancakes.

"Didn't you see my Whatsapp status? Even on Instagram, I kept a story," she says as I see Amory entering the dining hall with dad.

"You post for every single minute, I ignore all the status and stories you put," he said to her. I laughed looking at her frowning face. Out of all my siblings, Kyra is the social butterfly who loves to update. Whatever she updates are mostly related to her dance videos nothing stupid.

"Didn't you guys have school today?" dad asked as he made Amory sit on his lap.

"They woke up late and to escape today's test Cas acted as if he is having stomach pain," mumma told dad.

"I will ask the teacher to conduct a special test for Caspian."

"Ugh! Dad no!" Cas groaned as we all laughed.

"Are there any pancakes?" I ask mum. She shakes her head and I slouch down my shoulder in disappointment.

"There are waffles which your dad left, or else there is pancake batter in the fridge."

"I will have the waffles," I say standing up from my chair.

"If you want you can have the bacon which I kept on the counter."

"Nope, I'm good."

"Rose, bring me the bacon please." I nod my head going over to the attached kitchen. The maids are cleaning the counter and washing the dishes.

"Did you two had your breakfast?" I ask them politely, removing the cover to see the leftover pancake batch.

"Yes Ms Ravenswood," they say in unison.

"As I said before, please call me Rose," I tell them. I walk back to the dining area with my pancakes and Kyra's bacon. Passing the bacon to her I sit beside Caspian aka Cas.

"Where is Hayes and Ayren?" dad asked. I pour the delicious chocolate syrup on the pancakes before cutting the into small pieces.

"Ayren is at the training grounds and Hayes went to school as he has assignments to submit," mumma said serving his plate.

"Who eats pancakes for lunch?" Cas jokes but takes a bite of my delicious pancakes.

"Rose," I say pointing my fork at him.

"Can I have ice cream?" my ten-year-old sister Amory asked mumma.

"No sweets before lunch. If you finish your food then you will get the extra scoop." Once mumma went back to bring something Amory leaned closer to dad to whisper something in dad's ear.

"Papa help me finish the plate, please. I want the extra scoop."

"Okay, but what will I get if I finish your food?" dad asked her. She thought for a few seconds before saying: "I won't disturb you and mumma at nights."

Caspian started choking while Kyra started laughing while I helped Caspian. I handed him the water glass, rubbed his back.

"Papa our Amory is learning things from someone," Kyra said while dad has a shocked expression on his face.

"Why are you having a shocked expression? And why are you laughing Kyra?" mumma asked bringing back a water jar.

"Nothing love," dad said once she settled down on her chair dad whispered you better keep your promise to Amory.

I love my family, nothing in this world matters to me as much as my family matters to me. Caspian is the close one among all my siblings. We are very much close to each other.

My dad the great Alpha king loves my mother so much that we all pray to God to have a partner like my mom or my dad. They literally goals. They don't hide the love they have for each other, they both are great gurus to us. They taught us many things and made us walk on a good path.

But sometimes we forget and get lost like mumma doesn't like the idea of Caspian dating human girls or sleeping with them.

She is against it because we are lycanthropes, we have mates living somewhere in this world. Having a mate and dating someone isn't the right thing but he hasn't met her so he is dating for now. Dating isn't my cup of tea...

Ayren completed his degree while Caspian is doing his degree. Caspian and I go to a human college while Hayes, Kyra and Amory go to the school in our territory.

To the human eye, they can't see our territory. They can't cross the borders of the village. Humans live on the border of the thick forest. Only a few human's residences near the town.

According to my mumma and dad, they allowed humans for tourism. As the years passed dad felt like hiding everything from the human eye as the technology increased.

He knew humans will be getting questions as of why the people of Ravenswood territory doesn't age. With the help of a witch, he erased everything from humans knowledge and the world. They don't even know about our territory.

Humans cannot enter the village. Even if they enter the forest, they cannot see our territory. The whole place is surrounded by a magic spell.

"Earth to Rose!"

"What?" I glared at Caspian, he just poked his fork on my hand.

"Mumma and dad are saying that they will be leaving tomorrow," Kyra answered.

"When you both will be returning?" I asked them.

"We don't know Rose, the matters are very serious now. Aldrick and I need to be there until everything settles down," mumma said with a sad smile. This is the first time that they are travelling far to the western states leaving us. I don't want them to travel but I can't say anything as its very important for them to travel.

"And don't do anything when we aren't here. Amory will be coming with us, as your mumma doesn't want Amory staying here. I know you five can take care of yourself when we aren't here. The guards will be there and I will tell Knox and Allen to keep an eye on you five," dad said.

"We aren't stupid to do things when you both aren't here," Caspian said while mumma raised her brow.

"Haha... We aren't idiots darling to listen to your words. You and I know clearly know what you gonna do when we leave," mumma said and he gave her a sheepish smile.

"I don't want to hear about wild parties in this castle," dad announced.

"Yes dad." we three agreed but everyone knew that there will be parties happening in the northern wing.

*

The whole place is bustling with humans, so many voices are filling the place. They speak so much, even though it's snowing the street is filled with people.

I wrapped my cashmere shawl around my shoulders as I felt the goosebumps on my skin stand because of the cold. My eyes searched for Kyra as I looked everywhere to see if I can find the girl. Huffing to myself I entered the shop.

Mumma and papa left for the western states yesterday morning. Kyra wanted to buy a few things for her school project. I needed new paints and brushes for the artwork. I smiled as I smelt the paint. I walked to the row where I saw all the paints I needed. I took new art books and white paper sheets, brushes.

"Hey, need any help?" I turn around to see a cute looking guy, He is wearing the shop's logo tee. He must be the helper here.

"Thank you but no, I will manage on my own," I tell him softly with a small smile. He blinked his eyes, surprised for what I don't know. He doesn't take a step away.

"Excuse me?" I say which snaps him.

"Oh sorry," he apologises stepping away. I go through the other aisles to see if they have any new stuff and art books.

I paid the lady for my belongings before stepping out of the shop. Something about the place and road didn't feel right. Caspian and Ayren aren't here with us. I want to leave the place as soon as possible. Something in the air has changed, some other supernatural things are here.

I called Kyra but she always puts her phone in silent mode. I groaned in annoyance before walking towards the starting shop where Kyra left me. She may return there. I waited for her under the shelter observing everything.

The atmosphere of the place changed and I know we should leave the place before something bad happens. My senses are on alert, from the past month I felt a change, I knew something is meant to happen.

I quickly turned around before Kyra can scare me. I glared at her. "You can't leave like that. How many times did I tell you to keep your phone in normal mode."

"I'm sorry rose! I got excited seeing my middle school friends."

"I don't feel like staying here anymore, let's go home." I said turning towards where our car is."You wanna drive?" she asked me.

"No, you can drive." We get into the car, I buckle the seatbelt and look around.

Surely I can see witches going down the dark alley. I think they must've felt my gaze as one of them turned around. I looked away not wanting to make eye contact with them.

They must be going on a mission and the mission can be anything. "Why are you so nervous?" Kyra asked starting the car.

"I saw witches and something is going on in here. I felt the change in the air," I tell her.

"Oh shit, even you felt that? I thought I'm the only one who felt that. y body shook when I crossed this alley."

"We need to tell Ayren about this," I say.

"Yeah." We reached home safely but I still can't control my beating heart. I suddenly got nervous about something which I don't have any idea about.

"Ayren and Caspian are going somewhere. They messaged me saying something important came up." I frowned as I didn't know about this.

"Why they didn't inform me?"

"Because you wouldn't allow them to go," she answered.

"Okay, are you going to stay in your room?" I ask her.

"Yup, Hayes is working on his assignments and I need to finish mine."

"Okay, call me if you need something."

"Yoah." I took my belongings and walked towards my art room where no one is allowed. Papa specially made this room for me for my artwork. The room has great ventilation and a glass wall where I can gaze out to see the beautiful forest. The forest is my muse...

Everyone has their rooms. Ayren got his personal den. Caspian has the underground cabin and swimming pool within. Hayes asked if he could have his training ground and horse stable.

Papa gave a huge training ground and horse stable with twenty-four horses. Every year on our parent's marriage anniversary, a horse is added to the stable.

I don't know why Hayes has a liking towards the horses and loves to ride a horse when he is a lycan. We all know how to ride a horse, we do that as a part of our time pass together. Kyra has her dance studio and Amory didn't ask anything yet.

I smiled remembering how Kyra made a fuse about the sound system in her dance studio. Or the time when an intruder stumbled into her dance room while she was dancing. She almost killed the boy because she doesn't like when someone enters her studio without her permission.

"I better go and start writing my assignment. Sleep well rose! her room is opposite mine. I smiled at her stepping inside my studio. Lights lit up automatically as I entered the room, I removed the shawl as I don't feel cold any more. The whole place has a central heater which warms all the rooms.

I love our castle, I don't think there is a beauty which would beat our castle. It is one of the rare beauties you ever see. I have painted every corner of this castle and its beauty.

I painted all my siblings, papa's office is filled with the portraits I made. Now I need something to paint, something which would wake my inner eagerness to draw, to feel, to see and to keep it forever.

Roseanna POV

I look at my reflection before tieing my hair into a half-bun. My white sweatshirt looked good with my black jeans. Making sure I looked good I stepped out in search of Kyra or someone. Ayren already left for training in the morning and Caspian is still sleeping in his room.

"Have you seen Kyra, Milla?" I asked Milla the cook girl of the castle who helps mumma.

"Yeah, she was with Ayren a few minutes ago." My brows frowned as I thought Ayren felt.

"Okay Milla, please do me a favour by waking Caspian. He is going to miss his classes if he doesn't wake up."

"I'm not sure about him waking up. I'm not going to enter his room. I will send Jay to wake him up," she said while I chuckled.

"Okay." She left the hallway leaving me. I went to the kitchen to have my breakfast, I can't miss my breakfast for anything. As I entered the kitchen I saw Ayren, Kyra and Hayes.

"Good morning guys!" I said.

"Good morning rose!"

"Good morning sis."

"Morning." I raised my brow at Hayes as he seemed to be grumpy today.

"Looks like someone woke with a grumpy mood," I said sitting beside him. I keep my bag beside my chair and start filling my plate.

"Nothing rose."

"Caspian and Ayren went out but they tag him along. That's why he is grumpy," Kyra said.

"Ohh." I eat the waffles looking at Hayes and Kyra.

"Shut up Kyra. Don't make me throw this sauce at your face," he grumbled at her while she made a funny face at him.

"Rose how you are going to college?" Ayren questioned passing me the bread.

"I will be going in my car. Caspian is still sleeping, I have an early class."

"Be careful and keep your phone by your side. If you are going somewhere inform me."

"Okay." I didn't ask him further about that. Being the elder sibling he have to take care of us even though we can take care of ourselves.

"Ayren did mumma messaged you?" I asked him.

"No, they are busy in a meeting."

"Oh, they didn't lift my calls this morning."

"Hollis informed me that they were busy meeting everyone and the meetings are prolonged." I nodded my head understanding.

"You girls have training in the evening, Kyra no excuses you aren't attending training for the past three weeks." Ayren scolded.

"Geez, I was really not feeling well."

"Yeah, you aren't feeling well that's why you were dancing all these nights right?" Hayes said.

"Why you are butting your ass in my conversations?!"

"I'm not butting, I'm just stating the facts." I finish my waffle quickly and fill the glass with orange juice.

"No one needs your facts." I rolled my eyes before getting up from my chair, lifting the bag beside my chair.

"See you guys later," I say after keeping the plate in the sink. I smiled at Ayren before walking out.

It took an hour to reach the human college where I'm doing my arts. The only reason I joined a human college is because I always felt like a human.

Even though my father is a lycan king I didn't get all the lycan traits. I got my mom's soft human side. I don't involve myself in any violence. I don't like the idea of killing any creature or even hurt anyone.

Kyra and Amory they both are the female versions of dad. They are rough and hard, they love to fight and tackle the opponent whereas I just train myself for self-defence.

Amory is ten-year-old but you have to see her holding a sword. She has an obsession with arrows and swords. I cringe if I have to hold a sword. That's the reason I choose a human college where there is no violence.

Everyone back home respects me and treats everyone equally but the thing is they all like to fight and use weapons. I want to have a peaceful environment around me.

Because of me Caspian joined the same college and started dating those girls. It's not that he is back of them, they are back of him and he is taking advantage of that.

I explained lots of time that it isn't the right thing knowing he has a mate somewhere. He knows he is going to find a mate in future but still continue his playboy ways.

I don't have many friends here except three who were my project partners. I'm not intending to make friends. It would be a difficult situation for me if I make friends, it would mean them wanting to know about my family and home.

I gathered my bag and sheets before walking towards the art class. I keep my head not wanting to make eye contact with anyone. Most of the students know me as the mute or deaf girl. They believe that I'm mute and deaf.

I have a self art class, basically, in this class, we are allowed to draw or paint whatever we want to on the canvas. It can be any scenario, any person, any portrait. Anything of your choice but it should attract the viewers.

I settle down in my seat, keeping my bag down I wait for the instructor or lecturer to speak. The students are getting settled and we got five minutes before the class starts. I play with my ring which was gifted by Caspian on my birthday.

"Everyone... you will be given three hours. You can use your thoughts on canvas and attract people. This will be your assignment for this semester, clear your mind and think before you draw or paint anything."

I looked around for a minute to see the students discussing ideas with their friends. I look at the canvas for a good minute.

I took out my sharp pencils and paints out. I arrange them the way I like. I don't know what I'm going to paint, I haven't thought about it yet. I always paint with the flow, whatever comes to my mind that moment I will be painting that on the white canvas.

I licked my lips before taking a deep breath. I closed my eyes and thought about the things I saw all these days. I searched through my memories to see if I can come across something mysterious and beautiful.

Ice... Fog... Pine trees...rock path...stream... Darkness... Tips that look like they are touching the sky... Clouds...

I opened my eyes and looked at my collection of pencils. I took one and started outlining the drawing that I'm going to draw.

I blinked my eyes trying to remember every detail of what I have seen. I took another sharp pencil and tried to concentrate on the little things which would matter so much in a drawing. When I'm done with the outline, I started mixing the colours.

Those little things in a portrait or painting bring greater meaning and attraction. Every little thing matters, I used brown, blue, grey, white, green, coal grey, lite red, many colours. The frown between my brows deepens as I gave the final touch-up to the portrait art.

I stepped back to look at the portrait painting, it's something I saw in my dream. It's a beautiful castle with so much darkness to it. It looked Gothic at the same time it's like a castle from the fairytale.

I blinked my eyes as my breath became heavy. I gulped down the lump and brought my bottom lip between my teeth, slightly bitting I observed the portrait.

Last night I dreamed about this castle. I wanted to draw something but my thoughts were all about that castle. As my hands followed my brain filled with thoughts.

"It's very beautiful but why so much dark meaning darling? Why does your portrait mean like it needs a warm light to push all those cold from the bricks of the castle, " the art teacher said. I don't even know the castle needed sunlight to remove the cold.

I got an 'A' for my portrait. I asked her if I can take the portrait with me. She happily agreed to take our work with us. I thanked her before leaving the class. The rest of the classes went by quick. I don't have many classes. I hardly have three classes a day.

*

The cold water hit my face as I tried to recall what I saw in my dreams. The truth is I'm seeing visions in my dreams as if they trying to convey a message to me.

The ringtone brought me back and I looked at the screen to see Caspian's name.

"Hello?"

"Hey, rose, when you will be reaching home?"

"An hour or so."

"Okay, Kyra is out with her friends. Hayes is with her, they are probably having a high school party. Ayren went out and I'm going to a party, wanna join me?"

"Nope."

"But you will be alone. The guards will be there," he said.

"It's okay Cas... I will read a book or probably sleep because I didn't sleep last night."

"Sure then take care, Ayren will be back by dinner."

"Okay be careful," I said ending the call. I washed my face before walking out of the restroom. I needed a nice coffee and a muffin. I know this local coffee house where they serve my favourite muffins and cupcakes.

I will never be her... Started playing on the radio. I hummed the song softly. Caspian used to listen to the song on repeat mode. He loves I hate you I love you song by gnash.