Moonfire Bride: The One they all betrayed...till she awakened

Della didn’t move at first.

She just kept staring toward the wolf that had disappeared off to.

It was probably the adrenaline coursing through her body, or maybe it was just some hallucination, but that black wolf...had possessed blue eyes.

Just like rogues do.

How could a person be riding atop a rogue? It made absolutely no sense. The rogue would have torn her to pieces because she got close to it.

Her breathing finally slowed, and she heaved out a heavy breath. Her knees hit the floor, and her chest was still hurting badly from impact.

She could hear someone calling her name all of a sudden, but she wasn’t sure if it was just her imagination or if it was really happening.

”Della!”

Her distant hearing finally cleared, allowing Annelise’s voice to cut through the ringing in her ears.

The healer stumbled to her knees in front of her, both hands immediately cupping Della’s face, ”Are you alright?!” she asked, her voice shaking. ”You’re hurt.”

”I’m...” Della swallowed, still struggling to breathe properly. ”I’m okay.”

”No, you’re not.”

Annelise’s eyes quickly scanned her from head to toe, searching for bites or claw marks. Her hands trembled as she checked Della’s shoulders, arms and neck.

Then her gaze drifted beyond Della, and she froze.

A few feet away lay the rogue’s corpse, the thick wooden stake still protruding from its chest. For several long seconds, Annelise simply stared, then she asked, ”You killed it?”

Della followed her gaze till she was staring at the rogue again, ”I... think so.”

”You think so?” Annelise echoed weakly, then she slowly stood, approaching the creature cautiously.

It wasn’t moving.

There was no heartbeat either.

Dead.

She crouched beside it, studying the wound. The stake had pierced directly through the heart. Then, she looked back at Della, ”You actually killed it, damn, girl!”

”I just...” Della looked down at her own shaking hands. ”...I couldn’t let it touch my baby.”

Annelise’s eyes softened.

Of course.

Fear hadn’t made Della weak; it had made her dangerous.

She hurried back to Della and carefully helped her to her feet. The moment Della stood, pain gripped her ribs hard, and she winced.

”You’ve probably bruised something.” Annelise noticed.

”I’m alright.”

”You keep saying that, now shut up and let me take care of you,”

Annelise slipped one arm around Della’s waist and slowly guided her toward the cottage. Before entering, however, Annelise glanced over her shoulder one final time and her eyes narrowed.

Rogues never wandered this close to the human town.

Never.

Something wasn’t right.

The rest of the night disappeared beneath poultices, herbal teas, endless worrying and a few minutes of Annelise leaving the cottage to properly dispose of the rogue’s body before a human stumbled upon it.

She also insisted on checking Della every few minutes.

”No broken ribs,” She murmured after gently pressing along Della’s side.

Della hissed again.

”But they’ll ache for days.” Annelise added.

”I’ve had worse.” Della murmured. This pain was nothing compared to all that had happened to her before.

Annelise quietly wrapped another herbal compress around her ribs before replacing the bandages around her palms.

Once she was done, Della told her what she saw. The silhouette of a woman riding a rogue.

”I have a feeling she was the one who sent that rogue after me,” Della finished.

Annelise had begun staring at her like Della was running out of her mind, ”Huh...,”

”I’m serious!” Della exclaimed, ”I know what I saw,”

”No wolf can control a rogue. Rogues are mindless. They would attack anything and anyone in sight,”

”I know,” Della sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. Had she imagined it?!

”How about we get some sleep?” Annelise suggested softly, patting Della’s shoulders twice.

Della nodded absentmindedly, then she stared out the window.

No, she hadn’t imagined it. She’d definitely seen a woman riding the biggest rogue wolf she’d ever seen.

.

.

Morning arrived peacefully with birdsongs drifting through the open window. Golden sunlight spilled across the wooden floor, and both women were already awake.

Or rather, Annelise had slept off, and Della hadn’t gotten a wink of sleep.

Annelise was already dressed, tying the strings of her apron while stuffing bundles of herbs into her satchel. Normally she would’ve smiled and reminded Della not to overthink while she was gone.

Today, she hesitated. As she was getting dressed, she kept looking at the door, then she would turn toward Della, then she would look at the door again.

Finally, she sighed, ”I don’t think I can leave you here alone.”

”I’ll be fine.” Della said.

”No.”

”I’m feeling much better.”

”That’s not the point.”

”What is?”

”A rogue almost killed you last night.”

Della opened her mouth to say something, then she closed it again, ”You’ve made your point.”

A knowing small smile tugged at Annelise’s lips, ”You’re coming with me.”

”Where?”

”The clinic.”

”I’ll only get in the way.”

”You most certainly will not.” Annelise walked up to her and extended a hand, ”Moreover, you know a lot about wounds and healing. Come be my assistant for the time being. I promise to share my weekly pay with you!”

As tempting as it was, Della wasn’t going to share anything with her. She already owed her enough for everything she’s done! ”Let me get dressed,”

The little clinic sat near the centre of town. Unlike the peaceful cottage, this place buzzed with life.

Villagers came and went carrying children, baskets or rolled-up sleeves exposing cuts earned from farm work and other heavy activity. The moment Annelise stepped inside, everyone greeted her warmly.

”Morning, Anne!”

”Good to see you!”

”You’ve got an assistant today?”

”Something like that.” Anne replied with a small laugh.

Della immediately lowered her head, but she wasn’t allowed that for too long. A few other healers walked up to her and introduced themselves. They were all so nice and seemed so easy to get along with.

As hours passed, Della slowly relaxed.

She helped sort dried herbs, measured leaves and ground roots into fine powders. She also helped change bandages and clean up fresh wounds.

An elderly woman chuckled, also wearing the same apron as Annelise, ”She’s got good eyes.”

”She does.” Annelise smiled proudly.

As she got even more relaxed, she started to interact with the patients even more.

Annelise silently watched Della from where she stood as she whispered something into a little girl’s ears, and the girl started to grin from ear to ear. They both laughed at something else, and Annelise didn’t even realise she was tearing up till it was too late to stop.

Della was such a warm, kind-hearted, beautiful soul.

How could someone like this be hated so much just because of what she is? The world was truly unfair!

By late afternoon, Annelise’s shift was finally over, and they left the clinic.

The village streets glowed orange beneath the lowering sun. Merchants were beginning to pack away stalls, and Della watched some children chasing a few chickens down the road.

It should have felt peaceful as always, instead, she felt her stomach and chest tightening again.

The bad feeling that told her something terrible was about to unfold itself was back.

She stopped walking, halting so abruptly that Annelise noticed immediately.

”Della?” She called.

”Anne.” There was a warning in her voice.

”What is it?”

”I don’t know.” She replied, her eyes slowly scanning the busy street.

Nothing seemed unusual at first, then she saw them.

Two figures were standing at the far end of the marketplace, and they were putting on travelling cloaks coated in road dust.

A lot of travellers in cloaks usually followed the village. It was an ordinary occurrence in this town, except that this time...it didn’t feel ordinary.

”Anne...” She repeated, her breathing hitching slightly.

Annelise followed her gaze, and it fell on the two cloaked figures.

Colour drained out of her face as she instantly recognised them. Without hesitation, she grabbed Della’s wrist and whispered sharply, ”Don’t look at them.”

”What?”

”Come.”

Before Della could protest, Annelise pulled her into the narrow alley between two stone houses, and both women flattened themselves against the wall.

”Who are they?” Della whispered.

The healer slowly peeked around the corner before ducking back again. Her face had gone pale, ”They found us.”

”Who?” Della pressed.

Annelise met her eyes, ”Werewolf trackers.”

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Have lovely month ahead!