CATRINA

"Come on, Cat. Name her," orders Alcina who's literally breathing down my neck to steal the kid out of my arms. I turn around playfully, not letting the baby have a look at Alcina.

"Have some patience, Al," I whisper which earns a huff from her. I came to learn about this fact that Alcina is very formal with Fenris and Sierra but with all others she's like the naughtiest kid of the house, always playing pranks. Her new preys are unfortunately, my brother and Dominic.

My brother gets ruffled easily by her but Dominic just gives her a look, scaring her which makes her move ahead and play the prank on Calum instead, who reads her mind and effectively dodges all her tricks.

That's the reason why the witch's games have descended on me and the baby in my hands.

"Okay, I think I have finally made up my mind about the name for my goddaughter," I whisper to the crowd who immediately calms down and turn to me, giving me their full attention.

Fenris and Sierra are standing on my left and my mom is standing to my right with Cayden. Dominic is on the far side of the living room with a tumbler of red wine/ blood, I don't know and prefer not to ask. The witches are all seated on the couch where now my mother joins them while Cayden stands back when Alcina waves a finger at him. I chuckle at them and shake my head when the baby pulls at my hair.

"You are going to get a name, kotyonok," I coo to her and as if she understands me, the baby chortles in glee.

"Don't make us wait. Come on," mutters Calum and I shake my head. I know what he's trying to do. I am confusing him with the 5 names in my mind, not giving him the chance of knowing the name before anyone else.

Sierra gave me three names yesterday but I wasn't sure about them. Those were wolf names and I suggested that since the baby is witch-wolf hybrid, why not name her in that way.

After lots of research, we came to 2 conclusions and Sierra told me to choose one of them so finally I have decided to name my goddaughter.

"So... My dear family, let's welcome my goddaughter Selene Vlček," I whisper, hoisting the baby girl up so that she's facing her family. She giggles so loudly that it makes all of us females to coo at her.

"Wow, that's absolutely beautiful. Selene is a witch name and it also means the Moon Goddess. Nice choice, Cat," gushes Alcina while coming forward and grabbing the said baby from my arms. I chuckle and hand over the baby to her and turn look at the proud parents. Sierra is crying as she comes to hug me, thanking me in my ears whereas Fenris smiles at me, his eyes holding the pride of a father and the love for his family.

"Thank you for naming our daughter with such a powerful name. It'll definitely help her in her life," he whispers.

"The pleasure is all mine. I hope the name gives her the strength to hold all her powers and use them positively," I whisper, knowing that he'll understand. I came to know yesterday that Selene can go invisible like her father because of which they have postponed the plan of their date.

I can't imagine the stress Sierra's going through now especially when she can't see Selene when she goes invisible. Only Fenris and all other witches can, probably but still it's going to be difficult.

"You chose a good name for her," whispers my mother, startling me out of my thoughts. I smile allowing her to pull me on the couch. Alcina and Cayden are now fighting to hold the baby but Nora moves in and swipes of the baby out of their hands, I laugh along with the baby who likes being transported from one pair of arms to the other.

"Are you okay?" my mother asks, once again capturing my attention.

"Yes, mom. I am fine. I can't forget my babies but I have accepted it," I whisper.

"Will you let me check you? Like we'll do a sonography. Human doctors might misinterpret somethings. You are a dormant but your body is made to carry a full-wolf baby," she whispers and my heart starts thudding in my chest. I shake my head, not allowing false hopes to start building in my mind.

"No, mom. It's done. I have checked it myself with the help of my doctor. And it's of no use now. I rejected Connor and the prospect of some other guy is still not so clear to me. I want to live with you and Cayden and Selene. Let's not talk about the past, please," I whisper, holding her hands and hoping that she'll understand me.

I sigh in relief when she does. She kisses both of my cheeks and then walks away, leaving me alone but making me feel alert. I realise that someone's watching me. I freeze when I see Calum standing near the bar, drinking something. He just lifts his glass up and drinks it all. I smile knowing that he heard everything and that he can hear me now so I just project a small thank you for not being judgemental, especially when I don't have a goal for myself at this moment.

~~~~~

"Printsessa Catrina."

Someone calls for me and I turn to look around in this dense part of the forest. Lately I have started liking to walk through this forest. No matter the thick snow or the lack of light in this part, I feel this need to walk around here and sit here in the calm peace that this place offers me. It calms me on the inside especially now when Selene's presence is helping me heal and be accepting of my life, as it is.

"Printsessa Catrina."

Again, the voice startles me for it's so soft I think I am hallucinating but it calls again and this time it sounds a bit closer so I turn towards the sound, relying only on my ears as I walk in the direction of that voice.

"Who's there?"

"Printsessa, can you hear me?"

"Yes, who's there? Please show yourself," I whisper in the darkness unable to see anything in this side of the dense forest. The sound of footsteps is so soft that I don't believe it until I feel someone's body heat standing behind me.

It scares me because I can't see who it is but I turn around in the hopes of at least be able to see the outline of his body.

"Who are you?" I ask, unable to make out the body outline. But from the looks of it, the person appears to be wearing a very thick cloak. There's no body outline just a sack-like figure which I think is because of the cloak.

"I am Henry. King Fenris sent me to get you. Sorry, I've got a cold that's why my voice has changed a bit. They are near the side of river Lena," he says and I frown. I didn't know that there's a river here. I know Henry, recognising his voice now and also that he's Tamara's brother so I believe him. Also, Sierra wanted to show me her wolf form so thinking that this might be the reason, I make my decision.

"Okay, show me the way, please," I request and start walking when he takes a step ahead.

Following Henry towards the riverside, it soon comes into my view and what I see is utterly breath-taking. The river is frozen at this time of the year but I can clearly make out the solid ground and the frozen river from the look of it. Henry walks over the frozen river and urges me to follow, I still can't make out his face since now he's farther away and because of the ever-present darkness.

I follow him, tentatively, not sure of how much weight the river can take and soon we cross the river. As soon as I step on the ground, my legs dip into the snow and I nearly buckle forward. Catching myself on my hands I straighten up to look at Henry but feel a sliver of fear when I see a clear glimpse of his face.

"What happened to you Henry," I gasp, shocked now, pointing towards his swollen cheek and black eyes. I look around myself to search for Fenris and Sierra. I can't spot anyone and then it dawns on me that something is wrong.

I look at Henry and signal him to walk towards me, hoping that I'll take him back to home, when someone walks out of the trees. I narrow my eyes to get a better look, feeling the ever-present fear, turn up a notch. It's a man, his eyes are yellow and his upper lip curled up in a snarl. I immediately turn to make my way back towards the other side of the river but his growl like voice stops me.

"Job well done, Henry," he whispers and I turn to look at Henry as he looks down in shame.

Oh my, he tricked me!

"Why?" I ask him the question but Henry just shakes his head, I watch him as he falls to his knees, his body trembling as if he's controlling the urge to cry.

He's just a kid, a 10-year old boy rescued by Fenris.

"What did you do to him?" I ask this question to him, trying not to let my fear seep into my voice.

He smiles at me then, a very sinister teeth/ fang baring smile and then raises his hand to wave at me. The wave brings back a memory.

Oh, no! The man who trespassed into my home, he also waved at me like this before disappearing. That means I wasn't hallucinating. Oh my god, this person really tracked me from that town to this place.

Now, I am shit scared not really knowing what's his intention. I don't even know this guy.

"I'm going back home, come on Henry," I whisper, feeling stupid but somehow grab hold of Henry's hand and start making my way on the frozen river.

"Not so fast," is what I hear and at the next moment a blur of black whirls past me making me take a step back and stumble over the solid snow-covered ground. I lose contact of Henry and yelp in pain as I hit the ground but the next thing, I feel is someone hovering above me and sticking a needle into my neck.

The lack of gentle in injecting the syringe makes me scream and I try to jerk off the person from above me but soon I feel my limbs turning to jelly and my brain turns fuzzy. My eyes close on their own when I hear someone shout and I feel myself losing consciousness.

~~~~~

My head feels heavy as I open my eyes and try to look around myself. I can't see a thing around me. The moment I try to get-up, a wave of nausea sweeps through me and I lay back a bit.

Fuck! I feel like shit.

I slowly sit up on the cot like thing and look around myself, well, try to focus on one thing to make out where I am.

Was I kidnapped? By whom? That man, the trespasser. Where's Henry? How does he know about Henry? But why kidnap me?

All these questions pour into my mind at full speed and I feel myself taking deep breaths to calm myself. I don't want to panic. It won't help me at all.

Think, Catrina!!

"Hello?" I croak out to see if I am alone or not. Thankfully no one answers, means I need to be stealthy and try to at least get to a fucking light source here.

Slowly getting down from the cot, I feel the cold ground on my bare feet and shudder. He removed my shoes. Even my coat's missing. Only my pants and the top that I wore inside are present.

I stand fully on the ground, feeling only a little dizzy but it passes away when I take a few deep breaths. I feel my throat scraping inside but push that thought to the back of my mind as I start taking slow steps forward.

A few steps ahead and I lift my arms to gauge if there's anything in my way. I find nothing so I walk a little bit further and soon my fingers stumble across a door like thing. I lower my hands to find the knob and...

Voila!

I fiddle with the door knob and it opens. Opening it slowly, very slowly because I don't want to alert my werewolf kidnapper, I pull the door and sigh in happiness when a sliver of light slips in to the room. I open it just to peep out and see if anyone's there but thankfully no one's outside. I hear a few voices, now. They are coming from the neighbouring room it seems so I slowly slip out of the room, mindful that the door doesn't squeak.

After coming out of the room, I look around for a few seconds and try to gauge where I am. This place looks very old and shabby. It would have been a castle in its prime but now it only looks like a skeleton of its liveliness.

I am in a corridor which has very small intricate design on the walls and window-like openings to allow the light to seep in. It's very ancient-looking but adds into the majestic aloofness. Out of the window, I can see barren land covered with snow and trees. Behind me is a dead-end but before me is a huge corridor which is not visible from here since there are no corridor lights. The sun-light from the window only helps to see the room beside the one where I was put in.

It's the room where I am hearing those voices so I just walk towards it, making sure that I don't make even a single noise. Even my breaths are shallow and quiet.

The noises are no longer garbled but a clear conversation between 2 people, one of whom I recognise as my step-brother, who apparently isn't who I thought he was. Damn me for believing him!

"We fooled the Blue Moon Alpha? That's what you think, you shit? He is not fooled. He cremated those female bodies because he didn't want anyone else to question him. He destroyed one of our hiding spots. Now he has patrollers in the human part of the town as well because of your stupidity," roars Xan, making a chill go down my spine.

Oh, my God!

"...I agree I fucked up but that female didn't obey me and my wolf went feral at that. It was her mistake why she ended up in a bloody pulp," says the other man.

"Yes, it was your fault. I had her with me, she was finally going to agree to give me her blood but you had to fuck up. I took her blood after injecting the drug in her but it doesn't work. It's not working for the ritual," again Xan growls loudly seeming careless about who might hear him.

"Well, yes. I know I fucked up so I want to make it up to you."

"How? I don't want any more human girls to bite and fuck into," roars Xan. His words make me want to puke but I somehow control the urge.

"I brought your half-sister here," says the other man. So, he's the trespasser.

"What? Did you bring her here? Was she that gullible?" says Xan and after hearing the words I feel ashamed of myself. How gullible I really am.

"No, I found Henry."

"That scared little bastard son of yours," snaps Xanthos and I cover my mouth to avoid the gasp form escaping. I knew that Henry's mother was raped by the person who killed her mate. I also knew that Henry was born out of non-consensual sex but this news is too much to hear.

"You know how my son is. Wanting to be accepted by his papa. He brought her across the river and then she put up a fight but I drugged her."

"You idiot. You could've knocked her out. I can't use her blood which is coated with drugs. We'll have to keep her here till her blood detoxifies then we can take it for the ritual. Helena is becoming impatient now." Xanthos is growling now.

"I always hated that witch. She's too bloodthirsty."

"I don't care as long as I can use Catrina's blood to restore my dad's evil energy. I don't give two fucks about my father but she does. I will manipulate her again, take the blood. Consume it with the witch's potion and then acquire my dad's powers. With that I'll become stronger and then I'll get my dear little cousin." Xan's laughter booms inside the room.

"What's your plan with Catrina?" asks the other man.

With a hand covering my mouth, I take a deep breath and wait for Xanthos's reply.  

~~~

Thank you for reading!! I hope you liked this chapter.

Congratulations to @reader852013 for giving the correct answer. 

Again there's a hint to a new character in this chapter. Can anyone guess? 

Let me know your views about this chapter. What do you think is the plan for Catrina? And what do you think about Lance? What will happen to Henry? 

Please do comment your views and vote for my story. Keep voting people. 

Take care, Stay Safe.