RAIN'S POV
To be honest, I can barely remember what happened after King Ramus gave that damn order to take me away. Everything turned into this weird, muffled blur — like my brain just dipped itself into a fog and refused to process a damn thing.
I remember being dragged through the dirt, rough hands on my arms, people staring but no one doing shit to help. Then… a tent. Soft foam under me. Warmth. Then nothing.
Voices came next. Distant, blurry. A man cursing about something burning. Someone laughing. Then a pair of hands forcing something down my throat — this thick, bitter liquid that tasted like straight-up garbage. I don't know what the hell it was, but it tasted like a mixture of wet ash and ass, if I'm being honest.
I tried to fight it, spit it out, curse them to hell — but my body had other plans. The moment that sludge hit my stomach, everything started to fade again. The last thing I remember was this scratchy, old voice telling me, "Easy, child… just drink. You'll feel better soon."
Liar.
When I came to, it was dark.
Somewhere, a fire cracked. The air smelled like herbs and wood smoke and something kinda metallic — blood, maybe. An old woman sat beside me, humming some old tune I'd never heard before. She was rubbing some weird, minty-smelling stuff onto my skin, her fingers rough but gentle in this strange way.
I tried to ask "What the hell are you doing?" but all that came out was a garbled mess of syllables that sounded like a dying cat.
She snorted.
"Don't strain yourself, child. You're safe… for now."
She leaned over, puffed on this skinny little cigarette thing, then held it to my nose. The smoke was sharp and sweet and whatever was in it hit me like a brick wall. I was out before I could even complain.
Next morning.
I woke up to the sound of birds and the distant hum of voices outside. My whole body felt like it'd been run over by a truck — twice — but the fever was gone, and the ache that had turned my bones into mush was, surprisingly, fading.
I managed to sit up, groaning like an old man in a hospital bed. Every muscle protested, but I was alive. Small win.
That same old woman came in, a crooked smile lighting up her wrinkled face the second she saw me.
"Well, look who finally woke up."
She shuffled over and placed a hand on my forehead, her touch warm and calloused.
"How you feelin', child?"
"Fine…" I croaked, though I sounded like I'd swallowed a box of sandpaper.
She nodded, satisfied. "Good, good. You need your medicine."
Before I could even think of a response, she turned her head toward the tent entrance and hollered like we were in a damn football stadium.
"Lela! Bring the medicine!"
A girl about my age poked her head in. She had these big brown eyes and wild curls, a smudge of dirt on her cheek like she'd been wrestling with the earth itself.
"Yes, Grandma Lolo."
So now I had names. Lela. And Grandma Lolo.
I watched in silent horror as Lela came back with a steaming cup of that same sludge they'd forced on me before. The smell alone made my stomach roll.
I tried to shake my head, but my body was too damn weak. All I could manage was a weak, slurred "No… no… no…"
Grandma Lolo just gave me this pitying look, like I was some stubborn toddler refusing to take cough syrup.
"Hush now. You need this to get better."
Then she dropped the damn bomb.
"King Ramus already planned the mate bond ceremony between you and him."
I froze. My blood went cold.
Wait, what?
Was that crusty old bastard serious? My mind screamed hell no, but my mouth barely formed a grunt.
I needed out of this nightmare. Fast.
I thought of Eric — my maybe-savior, wherever the hell he was. Wondered if he was alive. If he even knew what happened. If he gave a damn.
By the time Lela brought the cup over, both she and Grandma Lolo were ready for my fight. I tried to push it away, but damn, for a little old lady, Grandma Lolo was freakishly strong. She held my head while Lela tipped the cup to my lips.
I gagged, cursed them in my head, but swallowed it down. Again.
"That's my brave girl," Lolo said with a toothy grin.
I wanted to tell her she was full of shit, but my throat didn't cooperate.
After that torture, they brought me something to eat — thin broth, nothing solid. "Your stomach ain't ready for real food yet," Grandma Lolo insisted.
Whatever. I ate it because I had no choice. And yeah, I hated to admit it, but I did feel a little stronger after.
Later, they left, the flap of the tent closing behind them.
And it was just me. Alone.
The fire crackled.
My heart pounded.
I knew I didn't have long before someone came for me.
And I wasn't planning on sticking around for it.
I must've been out for hours. The foam mat beneath me was still warm when my eyes cracked open. The whole tent smelled like herbs, smoke, and whatever foul concoction Grandma Lolo made me drink earlier. My throat felt dry, my body heavy… but something felt off. Like eyes were on me.
I turned my head, and there they were.
Two bright, unnaturally green eyes staring right at me.
"Jesus!" I yelped, jerking up so fast my vision blurred.
"I'm sorry," a soft voice murmured. "Did I scare you?"
"Uh—yeah," I croaked out weakly, my heart pounding against my ribs like it wanted to jump ship.
Grandma Lolo leaned closer, her gaze sharp and focused, like she was trying to figure me out. That face — weathered with deep lines, eyes too knowing — like she'd seen centuries pass. Something about her felt… eerie, but not in a threatening way.
"What's your name, child?"
"Rain," I answered, watching her carefully. She squinted a little, like my name struck a nerve.
"Could it be… her?" she muttered under her breath.
"Excuse me?" I frowned.
She inhaled deeply, then her voice dropped to a whisper. "Rain… has anyone ever told you about your destiny?"
I froze.
Eric.
He mentioned something about destiny once, but I hadn't taken him seriously. Still, no way in hell was I spilling that to Grandma Lolo. Not yet.
"No," I lied, as smooth as my cracked voice could manage.
She sighed, heavy and worn. "You can't marry King Ramus. That man… that thing… you don't belong to him. You were never meant to. You are the child of the Star."
I stared at her like she'd grown a second head. Great. Another lunatic in this damned circus. Dementia, check.
"I know what you're thinking," she added, a sad smile tugging her lips. "That I'm crazy. But soon you'll understand. You need to meet her."
"Who?"
"Your wolf, of course."
I snorted a half-laugh. "Yeah, about that? I'm wolfless. I don't think I have one."
Her lips curled into a knowing grin. "Oh, my dear… you do. And she is far greater than you can imagine. You will meet her. But to do so, you have to die first."
I blinked. "Wait, hold up—what now? If I die, what the hell is my wolf supposed to be to me then? A funeral buddy?"
She chuckled softly. "It's only when you die that you can be reborn. You'll see. For now… rest."
"Wait," I called out as she started for the tent flap. "How do I get out of this marriage? I can't marry that walking corpse."
She turned, her face almost… tender. "If you are who I think you are, the marriage won't happen. And when the time comes, my granddaughter and I will dedicate our lives to serving you."
And with that cryptic nonsense, she vanished into the night.
I laid back, my mind racing. Was she really crazy? Or was there something to this? Either way, I needed to survive the night. Dinner came and went—another disgusting liquid meal.
I don't know if it was because of what Grandma Lolo said earlier — those strange words that lingered in my head like the tail end of a forgotten lullaby — or if it was just my restless mind spiraling out of control, but that night…I had the most incredible dream.
The dream.
I found myself standing in the middle of an endless field under a midnight sky. Stars stretched so wide and endless it felt like I could fall into them. The air hummed with energy, cold and electric, making the hairs on my arms stand.
And then… I saw her.
A wolf.
But not just any wolf.
She was massive—easily the size of a damn horse, her fur a shimmering white-silver that looked like it was woven from the Milky Way itself. Every hair seemed to glow with celestial energy. Her eyes were cosmic flames, swirling with galaxies and ancient power.
I couldn't breathe.
"You're… beautiful," I whispered, awe-struck.
The wolf stepped closer, her voice entering my mind like a soothing song and a battle cry all at once. "I am Starfire."
I swallowed hard. "Starfire…"
She bowed her massive head. "You are my other half, Rain. And you have no idea how long I've waited for you."
I stepped forward, every part of me aching to touch her. "When can I meet you? I mean—really meet you. In person."
"When you die… and are reborn."
The words sent a chill racing down my spine.
"I don't… I don't understand."
But before she could answer, the dream shifted. Her glowing form began to fade. I tried to reach for her, but my fingers passed through mist.
"Soon," she whispered, and everything went dark.
I shot up in bed, gasping. The tent was silent, but the air felt heavy, like something unseen was watching. The oil lamp in the corner barely flickered, casting long, creepy shadows.
And then… I felt it.
A presence.
I wasn't alone.