Chapter 9

*Aiden’s POV*
God, I have the worst headache. Whatever that witch did, gave me a terrible migraine. Since Dad died, I don’t want to add more stress to everyone’s plate. I go to my room to take a nap after the meeting. I lay down and close my eyes and all I can hear is the pounding in my head. I can’t believe Dad is gone. I don’t know what I’m going to do without him. He was always the man I go to with anything no matter the situation. He was the most loving, supportive, and strongest person I’ve known. Now I had to be the man and take care of my family.
Then finally sleep overtakes me. I’m taken back to the past. When Athena, Celeste, Atlas, and I were kids. I’m watching over them as a bystander. We were running through the woods racing to the river. Laughing and giggling like toddlers. Then I tripped. I remember receiving huge scraps on my knees from falling on some rocks. I cried and called for help for my sister and friends, but they just kept running. Like they didn’t hear me. They just kept running and running like I didn’t exist. This is not how I remember this though. They did stop and they helped me back to the pack house where Mom cleaned the scraps. This dream is jumbled up, they never left me behind.
“Yes, they did Aiden. They don’t care. They don’t care about you. They only care for themselves.” A Loud voice booms over me. “Who’s there? Show yourself!” I yell into the depths of the imaginary forest, but there’s no one here.
“Your sister is selfish. She wants the title for herself. She doesn’t want you to become Alpha. Atlas is only your friend for status. He not your friend. He is only friends with you because you’re the future leader of the pack. Celeste is only your sister’s friend. She doesn’t care about you. She wants to be your sisters Beta, not yours.” The Voice continues. That’s not true, it can’t be true. They are my friends, and my sister is my twin, my other half. She is the least selfish person I know, and we made a promise a few years ago and we also made that promise to Dad.
Then the dream starts to shift. The forest blurs and a new memory is laid before me. The dream takes me to the night when Athena and I made the promise to each other that we would not let the ritual come between us. We were sitting on her bed taking about school, Selene, then she brought up the ritual. She was nervous that the ritual would come between our relationship, and I would shut her out with either outcome. We made an oath to each other that would never happen. However, the dream became warped again. Athena’s face becomes distorted, and a wicked smile appears on her lips.
“I will become Alpha, and you will live in my shadow of greatness. Everyone will know the difference between us. Your weak. A weak little boy who will never be up for the title.” Dream Athena laughs as I stare at her helplessly. This is all wrong. She would never say something like that. This spell Is messing with my head and memories.
“Stop it! This is not how it was! My sister is loyal and compassionate. She would never say something like that!” I yell into the dream and hold my head.
“Don’t you see Aiden. She will abandon you. She doesn’t care one bit about you. The only person you should care about is yourself.” The same disembodied voice says. “Stop caring Aiden. These people are not your friends. Take the title for yourself and become the most powerful Alpha there is. Live in no one’s shadow and become your best self.” The voice chuckles and the memory start to dissolve again. Then the dream shatters and I am plunged into a deep darkness. A darkness I can’t climb out of, and it starts to suffocate me.
*Athenas POV*
I head upstairs to Aiden’s room and knock on his door. At first there isn’t an answer. I try to turn the knob, but it is locked. He was definitely in there. I knock again and I hear movement in the room. Then the knob clicks, and the door slowly opened. Revealing a zombie that appears to be Aiden.
“Hey, you ok?” I ask with sincere worry.
“Yea I’m alright. I just took a nap. How are funeral preparations going?” He asks with squinting eyes. He turns around and goes to sit back on his bed and I follow him in.
“Mom and the Gamma are handling it. Mom told me since we are both in the line to become Alpha, we will both light fathers’ pyre.” Then Aiden eyes turn dark, very dark. Almost black.
“Both of us huh?” He asks with a strained voice, and he shakes his head and his eyes flicker back to normal.
“Are you sure you’re alright. Did you get hurt during the attack?” I ask and walk closer.
“Yea, I’m fine. So, we are both lighting the pyre. Will all the other fallen pack warriors be celebrated with him?” He asks shaking off my concern.
“Yea, the head of each family will be light their pyres and we will all go scatter the ashes in the river of Artemis.” I inform.
“Great. We’ll be setting up in the morning then?” He asks. “Yes. It’s going to be weird not having Dad around anymore.” I say sadly.
“Yea, I’m going to miss him.” He says and his eyes become glassy.
“You know, now that Dad is gone, we are going to have to go through with the Gemini ritual much earlier now. The pack cannot be left without an Alpha.” I say. His eyes once again flicker and turn into a really dark shade of brown or black.
“As if there will be any doubt who will become Alpha.” He says while snarling. “I’ll beat you in the ritual and ill become Alpha. I’ll live in no one’s shadow.”
“Aiden what’s wrong with you? What about our promise to each other? What about our promise to Dad? I would never treat you like you are insignificant.” I say angrily. Why is he acting this way? He’s has never said anything like this before.
“Whatever, it’s not like you would keep your promise anyway. I’m going to take another nap. Please leave.” He points to the door and lays back down on his pillows. I walk out of his room and gently close the door. What in the world happened to him? I never thought he had it in him to be cruel. Something happened to him. Something bad, and I’m going to find out what.

*Later that day*
I head downstairs to get my funeral assignment from mom and find Aiden setting up chairs outside. I gaze at him. Right now, he seems like himself but when he is with me, he becomes a completely different person. Then as if can sense my gaze he looks up and finds my eyes looking at him. Then something changes in his eyes. He gives me a look of disgust, but it doesn’t last long. After a moment he goes back to setting up chairs.
“Blanche, do you have any idea what’s going on with him? He’s not acting like himself.” I ask my wolf and I can feel her pondering on my question.
“I have no idea what happened to him but darkness clings to him and is warping his mind. I’m guessing a witch’s spell or a vampires influence.” She informs me. The world has many supernatural species. Werewolves, vampires, witches, Lycans, dragon tamers, and elves. Many years ago, there was a Great War with all the species. There were large numbers of casualties on all sides and when they all had enough, the werewolves made a treaty and put all the fighting to rest.
“How in the world did he get into a situation with witches or vampires? There are no vampire or witch covens in this area unless they were taken in by a pack.” That seems to be the only logical explanation. “We need to find out what happened. I’m going to tell my mother. Thanks Blanche.” I tell her and go to mom for my assignment. I’ll wait till after the funeral to tell Mom about Aiden. It’s the last thing she needs now. If I tell her now, it will be too much for her to handle.
“Hey Mom, what do you need me to do?” I ask as she is going through her checklist.
“Hey Honey, how about you go and help Celeste with getting flowers?” She says. “Sure thing.” I smile and go to find Celeste.
Celeste and I make our way out of the pack house and to the flower shop in our small town at the base of the mountain. We head to the pack garage and take my Cherry Red EQG, and we head down through the forest and down the mountain. The she-wolf who owns the flower shop is a real sweet old lady. Her husband is a retired commander of the pack and also the grandmother of Isabella. The car ride is pure silence. Neither of us know what to say.
“Hey, does Aiden seem to be acting weird to you?” I ask her.
“I haven’t really seen him at all. I only saw him during the meeting yesterday and he hasn’t said a word.” She answers. “Well Blanche and I have reason to believe he is under a witch’s spell or vampires influence. He has been withdrawn, moody, and said some pretty nasty things to me. I thought he may be under an immense amount of grief cause Dad died but Blanche senses he is surrounded by some kind of darkness.” I ponder and Celeste gives me a look of shock.
“Maybe the rogues had a witch or vampire among them, but I haven’t sensed that kind of darkness in the area.” Celeste rubs here head. “Then again, we are not trained to sense dark creatures. They are becoming more and more rare its almost not necessary.”
“Maybe when we get back, we can get Persephone’s opinion on the matter.” I suggest and start to speak to Blanche. “It’s not that I don’t trust you, Blanche. I just want to be absolutely sure.” She sighs and scoffs in my head. This day just keeps getting better and better.