Back in Arvendale, the guards returned with bad news to the king. The throne room thundered with rage.
"Gone again?!" King Varkas roared as he slammed his fist against the table.
"He vanished before the guards arrived," a soldier reported, kneeling. "We searched every room. He's gone."
Queen Selene rubbed her temples, looking older than she did yesterday. "We were so close."
"He will come back," Varkas growled. "He must come back! Did you get anything new"
"He was close to a girl, even rumours spread that they were in a relationship" The guard reported
"Rumours! So is it true or not?!" King Varkas roared
"I don't think it is true, he would have never left her if it was true" Queen Selene suggested
"I want that rebellious boy found, bring him back along with his friend Kevin. Drag them back if you must!." Varkas commanded
"Yes your majesty"
Later that night Alison stood by the stream, alone. The stars above blinked softly, like they knew a secret. She was filled with sadness and memories of the time they had,
She looked down at her wrist. The crescent moon tattoo shimmered faintly under the moonlight. She looked at the moon and teg stars, she wanted to scream but she can't.
"Why do I feel like you left with a piece of me?" she whispered as she touched the tattoo gently
The water rippled back no answer.
Just silence.
Just starlight.
Just memory. And the echo of his words " I will find you, always" sounded louder in the head. She went back to her cabin and tried to sleep, but another weird dream arrived.
Alison was in a dark hall of a castle, she was surrounded by eyes, glowing eyes of different colours. She was scared, she wanted to run because she didn't know what lied behind those eyes or whose eyes they belonged to. Among the eyes, she saw the green eyes and remembered them. The same eyes from the last dream of a brown wolf that attacked her.
The brown wolf came forward and walked towards her, Alison got courage and run towards the door. Behind she heard the wolf say
"Run, run as much as you can but I will get you and destroy you. I am the only one who can be beside him" Snarled the brown wolf with green eyes
Alison run fast and she stopped when she heard the name "Althea", it's been long since she had the dream where she could hear a woman say this name. She looked around and saw a woman but her face wasn't visible, the woman was sobbing and constantly calling "Althea". Alison tried reaching her but she was pulled back by the brown wolf, it turned her and started strangling her.
"He is mine, mine, mine" The brown wolf screamed while it attacked her
Alison screamed and gasped for air, and she woke up screaming and panting. Her friends worried about her,
"Hey what happened? Are the weird dreams back?" Sara asked worried
"I guess, maybe I'm stressed" Alison explained
"Okah, get ready. Today's teg day, camp's ending." Sara reminded her
"Okay, I will be out soon" Alison replied and Sara left her to get ready
Deep in a mountain cabin cloaked by ancient magic between Cold valley and Springfield town, Damian sat by the window, his eyes lost in thought.
"She was smiling," he whispered. "I kissed her, and she smiled. And then I left like a coward."
Kevin leaned on the wall nearby. "You didn't leave because you wanted to. You left because you had to. Your father's guards were coming. You saved her by going."
Damian's hands clenched. "But I still left. I can't imagine how sad and hurt she is, I have hurt her and it's all because of my father!"
Kevin sighed. "Then make a decision, are you going to look for her now that you age discovered she is your mate or what are you going to do?."
"I already did make a decision. I am going to look for her,.I promised her that, I will always find her"
"So now I need to make plans for us to relocate to Cold valley, I only do this because you are my best friend and you would have died by now without me" Kevin teased
"I know,.. You are the best friend a person could have"
Back at the camp, Alison was ready like every other camper. Camp Ravenpine closed with hugs, photos, and teary goodbyes. Alison didn't smile for any picture. She didn't smile for anyone, her friends tried cheering her up but nothing worked.
"Mr Fisher is coming to pick you up, didn't you miss him?" Sara asked with an elbow nudge
Alison nodded non challantly, she didn't have the energy to speak, react or express anything at the moment. Her sadness has completely swallowed her,not forgetting the weird dreams were back. She wanted shout
Mr. Fisher arrived to pick her up, smiling warmly. But the moment he saw her face, he frowned.
"You okay, dear?"
"I'm fine," she muttered, forcing a smile as she got in the car after saying goodbyes to her friends.
She didn't speak much on the ride back. Mr Fisher tried finding out but she completely shut him out, she didn't want to talk about it, she didn't know how to talk about it.
"What happened Ally? Talk to me" Mr Fisher asked her with a voice filled with love and concern
"Nothing happened Dad, I'm just tired and sleepy. Wake me up when we arrive home"
"Okay sweetie, rest"
The drive was quiet with Alison pretending to sleep and Mr Fisher giving her the space she needed. The moment she entered the house, she went straight to her room, curled up on the bed, and cried.
She remembered his laugh, his teasing voice, his arms in the water, the way he said moonlight. And the kiss. The promise. "I'll find you. Always."
"Liar!" Her heart ached as she said that
Alison cried herself to sleep. Later that evening a soft knock on her bedroom door.
"Ally dear?" Mr. Fisher called gently.
She wiped her face. "Yeah?"
He entered with a plate of her favorite meal.
"I thought maybe you were hungry."
Alison sat up, and her lips quivered into a smile. "I missed you, Dad."
He smiled back and sat beside her. "I missed you too."
They embraced, Alison feeling safe and warm in his hug. She wanted to tell him everything but she didn't know how to start
"Come on eat first,.."
Alison ate her favourite meal, how much she missed his cookings.
"So what happened?" He asked again after seeing that she's relaxed
"Dad, I liked someone and he left before I could say anything " Alison explained
"Oh!. Now now, don't be sad. Is there no way to reach him and tell him?" He asked
"I don't know, few days he was at camp with us and one day he's not. I know nothing about him except that I liked him" Alison sadly explained to her father
"Did he say that he liked you?"
"Yes dad and I said I was not ready, but when I was ready he was gone" Alison hugged her father and cried in his arms. Alison went to sleep after crying and letting it all out, Mr Fisher just listened to her and comforted her.
The next day Alison woke up late, eyes still a little swollen from crying hard last night. She woke up feeling good, she needed that cry last night and Mr Fisher handled it well. He didn't bug her with many questions and let her cry until she fell asleep.
She got ready slowly, had a shower, brushed her hair, put on a comfy hoodie, and headed downstairs to help with the diner.
She was halfway to the kitchen when she stopped. Something, a familiar feeling rushed towards her, the feeling she got when Damian came near her.
Someone was there.
Talking to Mr. Fisher.
And that voice… it was familiar.
Too familiar. The voice she recently liked hearing,
She peeked in slowly, her heart praying to be him and her mind scared that it may not be him.
There he was.
Damian, though she knew him by the fake name Damon. He was as handsome as she remembered.
In her home. At her father's diner, talking to her dad like he belonged there. He was calm and collected, he was handsome and looked good in his clothes. Alison peeked, wanting to know what they were talking about, did he really come to fulfill his promise that he will always find her like the prince he told her about. He himself looked like a prince,
She was taken back when she was called suddenly. "Ally dear, you're up. Come"