The Hidden Maiden

Chapter 20 - The Outsider

Lewis's POV

*One month later*
I sat in front of the desk, looking through the pile of paperwork for our pack. It was already July, another month and a half would be my graduation. But that wasn't the most important thing in my mind.

Sawyer knocked on the door and came in.
"How was it?" I asked. "Nothing of use." I tapped my fingers on the table impatiently and sneered at him. "It's been a fucking month. And you're still telling me this..?" I sent Sawyer with a group of my best trackers to find her, and they come back with nothing?

"You know very well we can't do an elaborate search for that girl. If the alpha ki-"
"I know that. But I want her found." I stood up and paced the room. "What about Adams?" Speaking of that friend of Victoria's, he took his own guys out to find her too. Hmph a pack warrior doing things behind his alpha.

"I heard from Kelvin, there isn't any good news on their side either." I squinted my eyes and tried to think of a solution.
"Stop looking for her," Sawyer persuaded. "There's a reason why they left that way. They clearly didn't wanted to found, Lewis.." I don't need to be told twice, but the whole disappearance was just so bizarre and sudden. I thought of a million reasons why she left without saying goodbye.. Why?

I walked over to my nightstand and took out the photo of Victoria I kept with me. I didn't knew I would miss her smile that much.

"Lewis. Now's not the time to do this." He came over to me, "We'll have guests soon." He said seriously. I turned to him and crossed my arms, waiting for his next line.

"Chace and Lucas.." I looked at him in shock and frowned deeply. "What are they doing here? Shouldn't they be in Germany??"

Sawyer looked as if he expected my reaction and replied coolly. "Your brothers are back for their summer break. A year long vacation." I growled out frustratedly. Why are they back?? Is it because of that witch??

"The alpha king has made arrangements for them to stay in the mansion. Plus, a celebration would be held for Prince Chace, for finding his mate."

"Hmh. Even cunts like him found his mate." Sawyer ignored the cussing and continued. "They will also be attending your graduation."

"I don't give a shit 'bout them." I kept Victoria's photo and laid down lazily on my bed. As I closed my eyes, certain memories flashed in my mind. I was just a boy back then. Chace always wanted everything I had, even though he was the one with everything. He took all that was, until there was nothing left. He snatched, and clawed, and pushed me. Then blamed me when I fought back, like his mother does....

"Remember what I told you. About the girl." Sawyer said. "Forget her. She's not worth it." He looked disappointedly at me, then left.

Forget her..?

Never.

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Victoria's POV

"What did I told you about conjuring? You have to channel your energy to the palm of your hands and imagine what you want. Again!" Albus hit my hands with the stick and I pouted grumpily. I heaved out a large breath and tried again. Lifting up the palm of my hand, facing towards the sky, I concentrated using my willpower and thought of fire.

Seconds later, my palm was ignited with flames that slowly grew larger and larger. I focused solely on the flames, willing it to not extinguish, or I'll get another whoop from him. Luckily for my healing abilities, if not I seriously doubt my arms and legs would be free of scars.

"Now direct them at that pile of dry straws."
I adjusted the direction of my hands towards the straws and the ball of flames flew to the pile and set it on fire. Then this continues for other elements I was able to control - water, air, lightning and earth. Except for earth, I could only control, and not conjure. Albus said I was stronger with the element of fire, so it would be my forte for now.

"You are the first elemental wolf in history to be able to control all 5 elements. Normally they should only be able to affect 1, at most 2. So you must put in the extra effort to master them all, or put yourself at risk." Sweat beads covered my forehead as I listened to him.

Finally came nightfall, I climbed the rope up easily from the cave to the flatland above. Mom and dad had this rope attached for convenience sake to get down to the bottom to enter the cave. I walked towards our tent, large enough for the three of us to sleep in, quite cosy actually, and dad's car at the side. Mom and dad was currently by the bonfire, cooking our dinner.

"Please don't tell me we're having fish for dinner again?" I shouted from afar. The smoky smell told me what I didn't wanted to believe. "Honestly, I feel like a grizzly bear." Dad usually go out hunting for food in his wolf form since we are far from civilization down here. Basically it's only fish that we can find here.

"Fine then. Your mom and I will enjoy this dinner by ourselves." Dad took all the fishes from the fire and opened his big mouth. In a flash, they were gone and in my hands. I took a huge juicy bite and chewed loudly. "I didn't say being a bear was bad." I stuck out my tongue and joined them. Mom covered her mouth and giggled and Dad rolled his eyes at me.

"Soon we'll be out of here. Just bear with this for now." I nodded and thought of this past month. We were here with Albus while he taught me how to control my abilities. I have been getting better and better each day. Now my emotions no longer trigger the release of my energy, so I wouldn't show my powers accidentally in front of other people. And it's all thanks to Albus.. I couldn't have done it without him.

That night we slept early. The next morning I woke up at dawn and yawned loudly.
"Alright let's go do some shooting!" I changed into my workout clothes and grabbed my bow and arrows and left for the woods.

"Victoria be careful please..?"
"Relax Dia.. I do this every morning." I took an arrow from behind me and aimed at the makeshift woodblock I hung up on the first tree. I carved it myself and it's already full of ugly holes from all the shoots I made.

I started running on the trail and continuously shoot on the targets in the woods. Bullseye. With my new eyesight and agility, it seemed like nothing is impossible. I was faster, sharper, stronger. The last arrow landed in the center of the target and I smiled widely at myself. Perfect score again.

I placed my bow at the side, and saw the carvings on them too. This bow was given to me by my parents for my birthday present. They knew I loved archery and this way I could shoot wherever and whenever I wanted to.

The next thing was to run. But not as me, but as Dia. I stripped and hung my clothes on the trees and shifted into my golden wolf form.

"Now let's see what we can do. Ready?"
"As I'll ever be."

With that, I sprinted off on four paws and pushed my limits and ran as fast as I can. I was no longer the weak one, I can feel it. With Dia by my side, I was me. The real me. And nothing feels better than this, wind in my face, furs swaying with the breeze. Panting for air, heart's pumping loudly. Nothing screamed alive more than this.

After dashing through the woods, I returned and shifted, putting my clothes back on. Then the usual routine with Albus starts. Two hours of meditation, followed by learning how to control and conjure elements by my own will. I learnt how to bend air and create water currents, for self-defense purposes.

At the end of the night, Albus sat me down with him. "You've done well. Now there's nothing more I can teach you, you'll be on your own. Never forget that your energy is everything. Use your abilities wisely."