Part D: Chapter 76

***Jemila’s POV***

I was still tired but something was feeling different now as if something in my mind had been opened yet I couldn’t place my fingers on what exactly it was. The voice would always come every time I was alone, comforting me and letting me know that I was not alone. That I was more than I thought myself to be which at times pissed me off because I wanted nothing more than to know what I was going through and understand my past.

The door to the cell opened and in walked the woman and man who always seemed to initiate my torture. However, there was something different about her today. There was a glowing smile on her face as she walked with purpose. “Kill me already,” I shouted as she walked and then stopped in front of me.

But she just smiled at me as she looked up at me. “Now, now my dearest niece, that isn’t a way to talk to your aunt and Alpha,” she said, smiling so hard that I could see her fangs. “I’m just here to tell you some good news about your dearest mate.”

My mind froze. Aunt? Mate? What was she talking about?

“What are you talking about? You are my aunt? How is that even possible considering how you have been treating me?” I asked, still feeling shell-shocked and confused. “Is this some kind of joke? And what did you do to Aidan?” I was panicking, even though I was supposed to be worried about myself, I was more worried about what she had done to him. Even though we had our differences, I still cared for him and wished the best for him and his life.

She laughed maniacally as she turned back to look at the man and then a girl with the reddest of hair entered, her head bowed as she walked over and stood next to the woman. I had seen her a few times with the woman and from how it looked, she was either her daughter or someone very close to her.

“Carla dear,” she said. “Your cousin over here still doesn’t seem to remember me or anything from her past. This is no longer fun for me.” She sighed and turned to face Carla. “From what I have taught you so far, what do you think we should do with her now? My initial plan was to have her killed since she is no longer of use to me or my plans but Julius here thinks we should still keep her alive because she is blood. What do you take on this?”

I lolled my head to look at the girl. Just what kind of sick twisted human-being was she to make such a girl have to make such a decision. “Just kill me, I have no more fight left in me now,” I said, feeling tired and sorry for her. I didn’t want her to have to make such a huge decision about my life. There was nothing special about it. “I don’t want you to have this on your conscience. If you truly are my cousin, then please let me have this. Let me do this for you.”

Carla looked over to the woman who was still looking at her, her arms crossed over her chest in expectation. I glanced over at the man and there was a worried look on his face but then it changed when his eyes found mine. I could see that he felt guilty about something because he quickly looked away before I could even read what he was feeling.

“Please Carla,” I begged, pushing it even more. “But before you kill me, tell me what happened to Aidan.”

Then the woman groaned and pulled a knife from her pocket and pointed it at me then at the last minute handed it over to Carla. “I’m going to leave you to make your decision,” she said and then turned to the man. “Julius, let’s go. I have other important matters to attend to and I have faith in Carla.” She turned and linked her arm in the man’s then left me and Carla alone.

The door banged closed behind them and the room was suddenly filled with silence. Carla was looking at the knife in her hands, analysing it.

“Carla?”

She looked up at me, her face not giving up anything. “What?”

“Why are you following her around like this?” I asked, “you can do so much with your life.”

Carla sighed as she flipped the knife in her hands. “Because I have to get you out of here,” she said.”

I looked at her in shock, trying to understand what she was talking about. “What do you mean? You want to risk everything for someone who doesn’t even remember you or her past? Why would you do that?”

“Because you are our future and you will remember soon,” was all she said before she turned and walked out of the cell as well.

Something about the way she spoke reminded me of what the voice always said and that made me more uneasy than anything.

****

I was in a field with a woman and a man, holding onto their hands as we all laughed. We all looked so happy.

They both let go of my hands and I ran through the field, letting the air push my hair back. “Jemila, don’t go too far, I don’t want to lose you,” the woman called out to me.
I turned back and smiled hugely at her. “I won’t mummy,” I called back and then ran after the butterfly I had initially been chasing. I kept running until I finally caught the butterfly and let it go. After that, I ran back to them and found them sitting down on a blanket that they had spread out with a picnic basket next to Dad. “I caught it, I caught it.”

Dad laughed as he pulled me down beside him and handed me a water bottle. “That’s lovely honey,” he said. “You really are active for someone who claimed they didn’t want to show up.”

I bit my lips and smiled. “Because you didn’t tell me we were going for a picnic,” I replied and opened my water bottle. “Besides, it’s not my fault you suck at surprises Dad.”
Mum burst out into laughter while Dad placed a hand on his chest. “How could you?”

“Come on honey, she isn’t wrong about that,” Mum said which made a playful smile appear on Dad’s face.

“Both of you will regret saying that about me,” he said and pulled Mum and I and started tickling us which made us laugh even more.

****

My eyes snapped open and everything started rushing back to me. All the memories of my parents and everything we had done. I remembered the day they died and how they had died and my heart hurt from remembering who I truly was.

I was the only daughter of Karl and Leonie Bartel.

*Now everything can begin*, the voice said by my ear. *Your destiny awaits you now my child.*

I knew what I had to do but first I had to get out of here and go back.