"The reason you can't access either of us, your wolf or your witch side, is because of this cage. If you unlock it, you'll not only be able to connect with us but also with... them."
Reluctantly, I turned my attention to the beasts that the woman had pointed out. They stood silently now, their eyes never leaving me as they seemed to wait for something, a command, perhaps? I shuddered at the thought of being connected to these terrifying creatures.
"Are you sure?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know if I can trust them." The woman chuckled softly.
"Of course you can, Erica. They are your power, your pack. You simply need to learn how to harness it." Her words did little to quell the fear clawing at my chest, but I knew deep down that she was right. I needed to face this, to embrace whatever lay hidden within me.
With a shaky breath, I moved closer to the cage, the cold metal pressing against my back as I examined the lock. It was an intricate thing, both beautiful and daunting in its complexity. The central lock was surrounded by twelve smaller ones, each seemingly connected yet independent from one another. As I studied it, I couldn't help but wonder what it all meant and how I could possibly unlock it.
"Any idea how to open this?" I asked the woman, frustration seeping into my voice.
"Patience, my dear," she replied, her tone soothing. "You'll find the key when you're ready."
"Ready?" I scoffed, my heart racing with every passing moment. "I've been waiting my whole life to understand who I am. How much more 'ready' do I need to be?"
"Sometimes the answers we seek are not found in the places, or time, we expect," she said cryptically. "Trust your instincts, Erica. You will know when the time is right." As much as I wanted to argue, I sensed that there was truth in her words. Perhaps the solution to unlocking the cage wasn't something I could force, but rather something that would reveal itself when I was finally open to embracing all aspects of myself, even the parts that terrified me.
My eyes scanned the cliffside, searching for any sign of a key that could unlock the cage. As if by some divine intervention, I spotted a glint of gold on the other side of the cages. A beautiful, ornate key lay just beyond my grasp.
"Hey," I called out to the woman. "Can you see that key over there?" Her gaze followed my pointing finger, and she nodded with a knowing smile. "Yes, but it's too far away," she said, her voice lilting with a hint of amusement.
"Help me reach it," I urged, desperation creeping into my voice as I stretched my arm toward the key, fingertips straining to close the distance. The woman sighed, her ethereal form gliding towards me. She extended her hand towards the key, but like me, it remained just out of her reach. Frustration bubbled up within me, threatening to boil over.
"Damn it!" I spat out, dropping my arm in defeat. "It's no use. What are we supposed to do now?"
"Patience, Erica," the woman said, her face shifting into a thoughtful expression. "You need to find access to the key, but it might not be as easy as you'd want. The path you choose may not be what you expect." I clenched my fists, trying to quell the storm of emotions that raged inside me. Fear, uncertainty, and frustration fought for dominance, leaving me feeling overwhelmed and helpless. "Trust that the puzzle pieces, however strange they may appear, will form a complete picture," she continued, her words wrapping around me like a comforting hug.
“Wait!" I cried out, desperately trying to make sense of the woman’s words. "How do I find access to the key? What do you mean?" But even as I spoke, the dream began to slip away like sand through my fingers. The world around me wavered and blurred, the snarling beasts fading into shadows, and the ethereal woman's expression turning sympathetic.
"Trust yourself," she urged, her voice echoing in the distance. "You will find the way."
"Help me!" I pleaded, my heart pounding with fear and frustration. But it was too late; the dream had already vanished, leaving me cold and disoriented.
"Erica! Wake up!" Gen's urgent voice jolted me back to reality as I gasped for air, sweat-drenched sheets tangled around my legs.
"Wh-what happened?" I stammered, trying to steady my racing heart.
"You were thrashing around and talking in your sleep. It sounded like you were having a nightmare," Gen explained, her eyes filled with concern.
"Nightmare" didn't even begin to cover it. The vivid images of the cage, the beasts, and the mysterious woman still haunted me, their intensity lingering like a heavy fog.
"Are you okay?" Gen asked gently, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder.
"Y-yeah," I lied, swallowing hard. "Just a bad dream, that's all." Gen nodded, but I could tell she wasn't entirely convinced. Her intuition was always unnervingly accurate, and I knew she sensed my unease. I wanted to confide in her, to share the overwhelming emotions that threatened to consume me, but the thought of voicing them aloud terrified me.
"Try to get some more sleep," she encouraged softly, squeezing my shoulder before retreating to her own bed. I lay awake for hours, staring at the ceiling and replaying the dream over and over in my mind. The woman's words echoed through my thoughts, her cryptic message a puzzle I felt compelled to solve. My fear mingled with uncertainty, leaving me feeling overwhelmed and powerless.
Chapter 33
Erica
Ilaidawakeonthe sofa, my heart pounding in my chest as I tried to make sense of the dream that had shaken me to my core. The sound of my own breathing filled the room, and it seemed like the weight of the world lay heavy on my shoulders. As the red numbers on the clock blinked 5:00 A.M., I realised sleep wasn't going to come back to me. Frustration and exhaustion seeped into every fibre of my being, and with a groan, I sat up. The apartment was eerily quiet, its occupants lost in peaceful slumber. Gen and Verity were asleep in their own rooms, while Frankie and Kaitlyn shared Frankie's bed. Their soft snores barely registered as I paced the living area, my mind racing with questions that demanded answers.
"Enough," I whispered to myself, clenching my fists. I needed to talk to Liam. Maybe he would have answers, or at least some semblance of understanding. My bare feet quietly padded across the cold floor as I slipped on my shoes and reached for the door handle, taking a deep breath before stepping out into the dark hallway.
The dew-laden grass beneath my feet sent a shiver up my spine as I hurried across the park, the cold seeping through the soles of my shoes. The sky was painted in shades of deep indigo and ebony, adorned with shimmering stars that seemed to mock my turmoil. Anxiety coiled in my gut like a serpent, ready to strike at any moment. Upon reaching the pack house entrance, I gave a slight nod to the guards standing watch. They acknowledged me without question, their eyes betraying both concern and curiosity, but I had no time for pleasantries or explanations. I slipped inside, my heart pounding like war drums in my chest. The interior of the pack house was eerily silent, the shadows cast by flickering candles dancing along the walls. My footsteps echoed through the empty halls, each step feeling heavier than the last. As I climbed the stairs to the fourth floor, uncertainty gnawed at me, but my determination pushed me forward.
When I finally reached the Alpha apartment, I hesitated for just a second, taking a deep breath to steady myself. It was then that I heard them, voices, hushed yet tense, drifting from the living room. I frowned, not expecting anyone to be awake at this hour, let alone discussing something so intently. Curiosity piqued, I tiptoed closer, straining to make out the words.
