I remembered the path towards my Grandmother’s castle—our castle—is not as rough as this.
Small mountains of snow covered the road, twigs and rocks everywhere. And icicles lined the area like some strayed spears protecting someone.
As we set off towards the grandmother's castle, a mix of emotions churned within me. Fear, determination, and hope are all warring inside me as if I’m one hell of a giant blender.
I love my grandmother so much. I missed her too. I know that she hates me now that I left her for a man—for an Alpha—at the age of eighteen. But I have a feeling that she'll set aside some personal dilemmas once she sees them. She’s not safe right now, neither me and Bridgette, but we’re going to push through this shitshow.
Night came but still we ventured forth. The moon cast eerie shadows across the forest floor, haunting our path subtly. I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched, especially since it was only the two of us.
But with Bridgette by my side and Zarion's protective presence through the mind-link, I felt a glimmer of protection.
My heart pounded in my chest as Beta Bridgette and I approached the familiar sight of my grandmother's castle. The grand structure, once standing tall and majestic against the horizon, now loomed before us. Engulfed in flames that painted the night sky in hues of orange and red. Bright in my eyes but sorrowful in my heart. The air was thick with the acrid scent of smoke, and my mind struggled to comprehend the devastation that lay before my eyes.
I am fucking fucked up.
“No, no, no!” I screamed, the words escaping my lips in a shaky whisper even when I wanted to shout at the top of my lungs. My legs trembled beneath me, but I pushed forward. My eyes fixated on the roaring inferno that seemed to consume everything in its path.
I couldn't believe this was happening. Everything around me seemed to blur as I frantically searched for my grandmother despite the hungry flames. My heart pounded in my chest, tears streamed down my cheeks, my vision becoming more misty. Smoke stings my eyes, tendrils of embers even wanting to scar my legs. This feeling of hurt is overwhelming. I couldn't understand why this was happening. I cannot even fathom what my grandmother has done to deserve this.
I’m the one deserved to burn. Not her.
“Grandma! Mamita!" I called out, my voice quivering with fear and desperation. But there was no response. Only the crackling of flames. It was as if hell ascended to earth and swallowed her up, leaving me all alone in this chaotic mess.
The castle, once a symbol of warmth, love, and cherished memories, was now a place of chaos and destruction. The walls that had once held countless secrets were now crumbling and collapsing under the relentless assault of the flames. The turrets that stood tall against the sky were mere silhouettes dancing in the blaze. It felt as though my very soul was being devoured along with the castle—
Turning into nothing but ashes in the wind.
I stumbled forward, trying to get closer even when I barged into the flaming door. Some glimmer of hope that my grandmother might have survived this cataclysmic event might be a little possibility. But at least, there’s a possibility.
Tears welled up in my eyes even more as I thought about how much I loved her. My grandmother had been my rock, my source of wisdom, and comfort. My life. Yet…
“I left her for some stupid teenage dream.” Bridgette now has her mouth left wide open with my sudden reminiscing.
“Do you regret leaving her for Alpha Zarion?”
I shook my head. “No. I regret leaving her in times like this. I should have visited her at least once, back when Zarion defeated your tyrannical Alpha Enzo. Just once, once is all it needs. But I didn’t. Pride took hold of me. And now look what pride has done to my home. To her.”
Losing my Mamita felt like losing a part of myself, leaving an emptiness that nothing could fill. Not even the thousand stars in the night sky.
“I might be the best Luna you ever had, but I’ve been the most worthless and stupid granddaughter she ever had.”
Pushing through the pain and sorrow and fear, I continued my frantic search. “Grandma! Mamita! Please. Where are you?!” My voice echoed through the woods. We headed back here instead since we know the flames can only offer us but cinders and cough as we inhale the toxic smoke. “Where the hell are you, Mamita?” My whisper made me wince instead, then I shrieked. I screamed and shrieked and shouted as loud as I could. Until my voice didn’t falter, I didn’t stop shrieking, the sound of it reverberating off the trees like a haunting cry of a banshee.
Every step I took, I felt more lost and alone even with Bridgette with me. I know she shared my pain and sadness, but I still felt alone. I can no longer mind-link Zarion. I don’t need it either. What happened to my grandmother is my fault and my fault alone, blaming it on him—sharing this regret with him—won’t bring her back to life.
Rustling sounds reverberated in the area. Panic gripped my chest, and my breaths became shallow and uneven. I tried to keep my composure, but the weight of fear was too much to bear.
Then a distant memory surfaced in my mind: the last time we had been in the woods together. It was a warm summer day, and we had been picking wildflowers. I had asked her what she loved most about nature, and she had said, “In the woods, I feel connected to something greater than myself, something mysterious and eternal. Not just these wildflowers and the woods.”
Beta Bridgette placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. She was the one who pulled me back to the present. Past is past, and somehow, I cannot let go of it. Past is the only present I have ever been with my Grandmother.
“Luna Cassidy, we should stay back. It's not safe,” she warned, her voice steady despite the chaos surrounding us. Her usually stoic expression is actually a rare hint of concern.
“I can't just stand here and do nothing,” I replied, my voice thick with emotion. “My grandmother... she's in there!”
“Have you seen her there?”
“No.”
“Then maybe she’s not in there!”
Before I could argue further with Beta Bridgette, a series of loud crashes echoed through the night. It’s near where we are standing. I looked behind, only to see the large chunks of debris from the collapsing castle walls tumbled to the ground, sending up plumes of dust and embers that stung my eyes. I took a step back, my heart torn between wanting to find my Mamita and realizing the danger I was putting myself in.
Volatile Hounds Pack still need their Luna. Zarion still needs me. The fight with Hestia still needs my breathing presence.
“Cassidy, I know this is hard, but we must prioritize your safety. That’s what Alpha Zarion told me before we left.” Beta Bridgette’s urging tone is softening as she speaks. “We'll find a way to get through this. But right now, we need to retreat and come up with a plan.”
I knew she was right, but my mind couldn't let go of the thought that my grandmother might still be alive inside that burning castle. With reluctance, I nodded even if my eyes were still locked on the fiery chaos behind us.
As Beta Bridgette and I moved away from the blazing castle, my heart was ever-heavy with a mix of grief and despair. I couldn't help but wonder how they could do such a thing.
If Madfur Claws Pack are going to attack the Volatile Hounds Pack in the middle of the night, I’m gonna understand that.
But attacking an innocent old lady in the dead of night? Destroying the place that held so many precious memories for me is barbaric. And predictable.
Surely Hestia and Brandon didn’t think that I can also do that to them. And Moon Goddess…I surely fucking will.