Okay, 23 is here and it is comparatively long and it is dedicated to @GrungeFox94 :D

****

“God, grant me strength to accept those things I cannot change.” 
― Dan Brown, Angels & Demons

TEMPLAR P.O.V

When I came out holding a tray with coffee, I found out that neither Rett nor his business partner and son were in the living room. Sighing, I placed the tray on the coffee table and went to look for them.

Closing my eyes, I inhaled deeply and followed after Rett’s scent only to realize that he was out of the house. Thinking that he had gone with Mr. Zachir, I went back inside the house.

It was only ten in the morning and it was too early to prepare lunch and so, I decided to start writing the plot of my next novel. I had no title for the book yet, but the characters were already rolling in my head. Sitting in a dark room for days, helped me to at least write another novel. I had already completed three chapters.

The story was of a woman, with a rich, abusive and unfaithful husband, who finally finds love with her husband’s driver, a guy who is nine years younger than her. The main part of the story is how she deals with the psycho husband before and after he finds out about the affair.

But there was another plot going on in my head and now, I wanted to write that one too.

An hour later, Rett was still not home. Sighing, I shut my laptop close and went downstairs to prepare lunch. I called Rett through the link and frowned when I couldn’t get him in the link. At first I thought he had blocked me but then I realized that the problem wasn’t with him. It was with me. I couldn’t connect with him through the link.

My mind was blank.

As I felt my knees shaking and my heart pounding in my chest, I slumped on the couch and tried connecting with others. Another frown appeared on my face, when I realized that I couldn’t even connect with anyone because there was no link for me.

My mind was just like a human mind.

I tried again and again but I couldn’t mind link with anyone. There wasn’t any link in my mind in the first place.

What the hell is happening to me?

The only relief, which wasn’t that great of a relief, was that I could still sense my wolf’s presence. But she was just like she had been, ever since the miscarriage- static. She didn’t respond to me.

I tried bringing my claws out and yes, they did come out but the thought that I couldn’t mind link with anyone was like a huge blow to me.

What’s wrong with me? Why isn’t my wolf talking to me? Is this all connected with the miscarriage?

I honestly thought that the reason my wolf wasn’t responding was because she was weak and sad after losing the baby. However, this looks like it is something else.

The doctor- Jonathan, he had told me that I would be able to get my wolf back fifteen days later. Tomorrow is the fifteenth day and I definitely don’t think I will be getting my wolf back tomorrow. Instead I am feeling like I am losing my powers day by day.

Standing up, I rushed towards the kitchen and turned on the tap, as the water poured through the tap, I focused all my attention on it. My mind was focused on the water and with my mind, I tried to stop the flow however, that wasn’t possible.

Nervously, licking my lower lip, I used my hand and tried to change the direction of water.

No matter how many times, I swayed my hand, nothing happened.

Stopping the flow of water, I slumped on the floor, in a heap, as I finally realized that I had lost my ability to control the water. For minutes, I just sat there, staring at the space and wondering what happened to me. Why couldn’t I control water anymore? Why couldn’t I mind link with my own pack members?

When I didn’t have any answer, I stood up and walked out. There, I sat on the couch and held my head in my hands.

This is something more and I was sure of that. This is not just about losing the baby. If I had lost the baby, my wolf would have been upset but she would not have stopped responding to me. At least, not this long.

I realized that the only way I could find answer to this is if I get my memory back. I tried thinking about that one week, but once again, I couldn’t recall anything.

All I remember was watching a rogue, who had smirked at me and then I remember waking up in that small clinic. Nothing other than that.

Whatever is wrong with me, surely happened in that one week.

Everett found me, half-an-hour later, in the living room. As soon as he saw me, he rushed towards me and kneeled down in front of me.

“Templar” he called cupping my face with his large hands. “Look at me” he whispered when I kept staring at the space. “Baby please” he said and I gulped.

Hesitantly, I clashed my eyes with his bright blue ones. “What’s wrong?” Rett asked tenderly.

“Try connecting with me through the link” I told him, my vision getting cloudy as I spoke in a wobbly voice.

Rett nodded and did as I asked. His hands dropped from my face and he fell back, when he realized that I wasn’t in the link anymore.

“I don’t know how it happened” I stated honestly as Rett blinked. “My wolf is not responding to me. I have lost my ability to control water” I added and then burst out into a flood of tears.

“Templar” Rett called but I just shook my head and started crying loudly. I couldn’t bear what was happening to me.

My wolf was everything to me and now, without her… I felt useless. I felt unworthy.

Rett sat on the floor and wrapping his arms around me, he helped me sit on his lap. Resting my cheek against his chest, I continued sobbing. My whole body shook as loud gut wrenching sobs escaped from my throat.

I don’t know for how long, I stayed in his arms, crying. Rett didn’t utter a single word, but he would just press me closer to his body. I could hear his heart beating wildly in chest. He too was anxious and it did nothing to calm me down.

As I looked up, I found Rett staring at me, his eyes, glassy. Looking at him, made more tears rain soundlessly down my cheeks.

Rett kept whispering sweet nothings to me during the entire time. Somewhere in the middle, when I was drained out of all tears, I felt sleepy and so I slept in Rett’s arms.

When I woke up, I was in our room. Rett was sitting on the couch and working in his laptop. As he saw me sitting up, he closed his laptop shut, kept it on the couch and strode towards me.

“I am fine” I mumbled even before he could ask. I was tired of crying too.

“Let’s go out for lunch” he said and I shook my head. “We are going” he stated with a growl and I groaned.

He held my arms and forcefully got me off the bed and then he dragged me to the washroom. “Wash your face” he said and I did as told.

Thirty minutes later, we were sitting in a private booth of a local restaurant. Since it was three in the afternoon, the restaurant was empty.

Rett, who was wearing a dark jeans and plain white t-shirt, looked totally hot, while I looked like I would faint any moment at his feet. He didn’t give me any time to change and so I was in the restaurant in my plain white skirt and dark blue tank top. My hair was tied up and my eyes… they felt puffy.

Only when our order of chicken salad was placed on the table, I realized how hungry I really was.

“What arrangement did you make for Mr. Zachir’s lunch?” I queried.

“Salad” he answered.

“Are they vegetarians?”

“Adio is” he said and I blinked. “Mr. Adio Zachir” he cleared and I nodded. “Tarik said he eats only chicken meat.”

“Where are they from and how did you meet them?”

“They are from Rómvos”

“I heard about that place. It’s an island right?” I asked and Rett replied with a yes. “Adio owns the island” he said and I whistled. Rett cocked an eyebrow and I blushed.

With a grin, I continued eating my late lunch.

“I am not taking you home” Rett said and I whirled my head to look at him. We were in his car, driving home was what I thought until now.

“Where are we going then?”

“Not we. Only you” Rett stated and I shot him a puzzled look. “I want you to show Adio around. Take him to the pack temple and all… just show him the territory” he said.

“But why?”

“He is an important person Templar and I need his help. Please do this for me” Rett requested and I nodded. I didn’t want to go and be cooped up inside my room for the rest of the day. It was suffocating to me.

I wanted to go out and forget about today morning. This was the perfect opportunity.  

“Sure” I beamed. I just didn’t want to think about my wolf right now. I would end up with tears again.

Rett dropped me in front of the guest house, where Adio and his son were staying. When I stepped inside the living room, I only found Tarik, who was sleeping on the sofa and watching T.V.

“Tarik” I called and he sat up all of a sudden. “Hi” I said with a grin. “Where’s you dad?”

“Baba has gone to the beach” he answered walking towards me. “You wanted to talk to him?”

“Um… yes, no. I wanted to show him around” I said with a shrug.

“Let’s go to beach” he told me and I nodded.

“So… how old are you?” I asked Tarik interestedly.

“I am sixty” I paused and turned to face him with wide eyes. “Sixteen plus four” he teased and I shook my head.

“You are still a student?”

“No. I didn’t want to go to college” he said.

“Me too” I said with a grin. “You work with your father now?”

“Yes”

“Do you have a brother or sister?” I queried.

“I have seven younger brothers and four younger sisters” he said casually.

Holy Moly!

A dozen children?

I tried my best to hide my stunned look from him but judging by the way he was grinning at me, I realized he was aware of what I was thinking.

“Sorry” I muttered sheepishly but Tarik just shook his head with a smile.

The rest of the way, Tarik kept talking about his siblings. I laughed when he mentioned about some silly things his siblings did. It was clear in the way he was talking that he loved his siblings a lot.

“Baba” he said and I followed his gaze. His father, Mr. Zachir, was standing on the shore and staring at the wide ocean. “Come on” Tarik said and I followed after him.

“Mrs. Green” Mr. Zachir said when he saw me.

“You can call me Templar” I said with a shy smile, looking up at his golden eyes. Gosh he is so tall. He was taller than Everett. I felt like a dwarf.

“Then you can call me Adio” he said smiling softly and I nodded.

“Adio” I said the name softly. “Um… Rett.. Everett asked me to show you around the place” I said and Adio nodded.

“Lead the way” he said.

I showed him around. First, I took him to a market in town. When I realized he wasn’t interested there, I took him around the woods to show him all our property. On the way, Adio saw the pack temple and he insisted to see it.

Happily, I agreed to take him there.

“It’s the pac… I mean the local deity’s temple” I corrected. For a moment, I almost forgot that Adio was a human.

“Moon Goddess” Adio said and I nodded.

“What happened to the lawn?” Tarik asked cocking an eyebrow.

“It got burnt… accidently” I said grinding my even teeth. I didn’t know who that rogue who did this was. Once I come to know, I will not spare that person.

My eyes drifted towards the door and I let out a breath when I realized that it was already repainted. The message left by the attacker was no longer visible.

 I was more than surprised when I saw him removing his sandals and keeping it outside the temple. After doing the same, I stepped inside the temple with them following me.

“Beautiful” Adio said looking at the statue.

“Thank-you” I said with a pleased smile.

As I stared at the statue I gulped. I had not visited the temple ever since the miscarriage and I deeply regretted it now. I just shut out everything around me and now I was feeling terrible.

Genuflecting in front of the statue, I closed my eyes, placed my right hand above my heart and prayed to the Goddess. ‘Please forgive me for all my sins. Please bless me and give me strength to endure this misery, mother.’ I kept repeating in my mind.

“Templar” Adio called and I opened my eyes to look at him.

He stood towering beside me and I had to crane my head to look at him. My vision was blurry due to unshed tears and I blinked, letting the tears flow.

“Think that your prayers have been heard” Adio said with a genuine smile and I blinked.

“What?” I asked perplexed.

“I know you asked for something with the goddess” he began and I nodded. “You will receive it” he said confidently.

“You think so?”

“I know so” he replied and I nodded.

While we were walking out of the temple, around five forty-five in the afternoon, Adio stopped in his tracks and turned to face me. “I have heard about a certain statue that was built in front of this temple. Where is it now?” Adio asked and I blinked in confusion.

“I am sorry… what statue?” I questioned in bewilderment. There was no statue built in front of our pack temple.

“The statue of a certain warrior, a woman, who was considered to be greatest devotee of the moon Goddess” Adio said and I sucked in a breath.

How does he know about Patricia’s statue?

“Yes. There is” I said staring at Adio’s golden eyes and trying to figure out if he knows anything about our kind. However, the man was difficult to read because he had an impassive look in his face.

“There is?” Adio demanded with wide eyes.

“Yes. But it is in other town” I replied and Adio furrowed his brows.

“Other town?” he asked and I nodded in puzzlement. “Where exactly?”

“The place is called as Firelight”

“Not here. The neighboring town” Adio mumbled to himself. Blinking in confusion, I looked at Tarik, who too had a frown etched in his face.

“I can take you there if you want to” I said hopefully. I am sure Myron will let me bring some human visitors to his pack.

“Whose statue is it?” Tarik queried peculiarly.

“The she… I mean, the warriors name was Patricia” I answered. I better learn how to control my tongue when I am talking to humans. If I keep going like this, then I will surely tell them something I shouldn’t.

“Which family does the temple belong to?” Adio questioned and I furrowed my brows.

How does he know? How does he know that the moon temples belong to certain families… like the packs.

“Lassiter” Myron’s family.

“Oh” Adio said and I frowned. Where is he going with this? “Alright” he said with a smile and I blinked.

Woah! Such a quick change in mood? What is happening?

“I shall go to that temple some other day” Adio said with a grin and I nodded.

“Yes. It’s a little far from here” I agreed.

“Oh! It’s already six in the evening” Adio said and then looked at me. I took a step back, when I found his golden eyes looking at me with an intense look.

Seriously? Just who is this man?

Why do I feel he is not a human? Why do I feel he is powerful? Who is he?

“Let’s go back to our place, shall we?” Tarik asked and I nodded.

After dropping Adio and Tarik in the guest house, I went back to our house. As soon as I stepped in, my head started pounding.

It was the same terrible feeling, which I am having since the last few days. What is happening to me? Why does my head hurt at this particular time? Why do I fall asleep every day at this time?

“Rett” I called out loudly sitting on the couch. My head hurt all the more when I shouted his name.

“Templar” Rett came rushing towards me when he saw me. “Baby look at me” he pleaded and slowly, painfully, I opened my eyes to look at him.

I could see two of him because my vision wasn’t clear. All I wanted to do was sleep. Sleep and wake up only when the pain in my head is gone.

“Mr. Green” I heard Tarik calling and slowly, I turned my head to look at him. What is he doing here? I just dropped him in his place five minutes ago. What is he doing here now?

“It’s time” Everett muttered standing up.

Before Rett could walk away, I held his hand. “Time for what?” I queried meekly.

“Time for you to take rest” Rett replied softly and then placed a gentle kiss on my forehead.

I was surprised when Tarik came and sat next to me in the couch.Why is he sitting here? I want to sleep on this couch, right now, because my head is pounding that badly.

Tarik leaned back in his seat and then took my hand in his. I was about to pull away, but was surprised when he tightened the hold he had in my hand.

Whining softly, I turned to look at Everett, only to realize that Keith, Cam and Adio were standing beside him. When did they come?

“Rett” I called in confusion. However, my vision was getting blurry once again and all I could see was their figures. I looked at Tarik beside me, who closed his eyes and started muttering, something that sounded like a prayer in a foreign language.

What is he doing?

However, I didn’t have much time to ponder over it because soon, the pain in my head lessened. Just when I thought everything is going to be fine, and that the pain was vanishing, I felt sleep welcoming me.

After that, I couldn’t open my eyes a minute longer and so, I let it close and then drifted to a dreamless sleep.

DREW P.O.V (TEMPLAR AS DREW)

I woke up with a jolt. I was in the living room of their house. Sitting up straight, I looked around and frowned when I found the white wolf’s mate, Everett Green sitting in a single couch and watching a movie. He wasn’t alone. He had company- the beta, Keith Killain and another boy.

Who is this boy? He definitely doesn’t look like he belongs to the pack. He is a human? Why is a human in the house at this hour?

I checked the time and frowned when it read eight twenty. My eyes were as wide as saucers when I saw the date in the cellphone. It’s 21st today.

Even though I was totally spooked, I pretended everything is normal. I pretended I knew the human.

The last I remember, the date was 18th, when I had gone with Everett to the Firelight pack. I then recalled that all these days, the white wolf would fall asleep at sunset and hence, I couldn’t wake up either. Her body refused to move and I was forced to live in it.

What happened to her body?

Randall said that she will be losing her power day after day but is she losing her energy too? Is she sick? If she is, then it will affect our plan.

“Hi baby” Everett called and I resisted the urge to grimace. He was calling his mate and I was definitely not his mate. I am a spirit residing in his mate’s body. However, he doesn’t know that truth and so I should pretend as if I am his mate- the white wolf.

Faking a smile, I looked at him, “Hi” I said.

My eyes widened when Everett came and sat next to me on the couch. “How are you feeling?” he asked looking me in the eye. Slowly, so that he wouldn’t notice, I moved back to create distance between us. I definitely didn’t like it when this man came closer to me.

He is coming closer, thinking I am his mate but I am definitely not. I am a man residing in a woman’s body.

Why couldn’t the white wolf be a man? It would have been very easier for me then.

“Fine” I said with a low growl. I resisted the urge to puke when he took my hands. Well… her hands in his own.

“I was so worried” he whispered rubbing his thumb on my cheek. “You were ill from the past three days and I didn’t know what to do. I thought a change will help you and so I brought you downstairs” he went on and on and on.

Crap! What should I do?

Oh right! Woman blush when their mate touches them like that. However, I couldn’t blush because I am not at all attracted to this man. However, I can fake being shy and so, I lowered my head so that he could think I am feeling shy.

When Randall proposed his plan to us, a year ago, he had wolves following the White Wolf- Templar’s every move. For seven months, wolves followed her. They investigated everything about her so that I would be able to act just like her.

The way she walks, the way she talks, the way she smiles, her friends, her relationship with her pack, how she behaves when she is with her mate… every single thing! And after that, I had to learn it so that I would be comfortable doing it while I am inside her body.

When I took over her body, the first thing I did was practice to behave just like her but unfortunately for me, Myron found out where she is right at the same time and so I had to pretend to be asleep for almost six hours while Randall lied to them about white wolf getting slipped into coma.

There was no chance of that happening at all. It was all an act. I was pretending to be asleep while they mourned for the lost pup.

“I am fine” I said hoping my voice sounded shy.

I was more than surprised when Everett Green growled. I raised my head and looked at him questioningly, only to find him smiling at me. “I am so happy you are fine” he said grinning widely and I nodded.

“I will go upstairs” I mumbled and stood up but Everett caught my hand and forced me back on the seat.

“Where are you going?” he asked and once again I resisted the urge to growl and punch him in the face.

The white wolf never behaves rudely with her mate. She is all lovey-dovey with him and you should be the same. It is important that we convince him nothing has changed in his mate’s behavior- that was what Randall had said repeatedly.

“I need to take a shower” I lied.

“You just took a shower, two hours ago” he said and I blinked.

Crap!

“Um… I need to get refreshed though” I added and tried to pull my hand from his, but his hold was tight. It was like he was hurting me. Why would he hurt his mate though? I pushed that thought out of my head.

“But what about your Hugh Jackman movie?” Keith, the beta, asked me.

Fuck! Hugh Jackman is Templar’s favorite actor and she is always goes for the first day first show of his newly released movies. She is crazy about him and has two copies of all his movies. One pirated and the other is original.

“Oh wow” I faked enthusiasm and sat back in my seat. I grimaced when I noticed that the movie had just begun. I have to sit and watch this for the next two hours?

How the fuck do I get out of here? I need to go upstairs. Pick my cellphone from the drawer and call Randall, to know what his next plan is. I already missed three days and I am sure he is going to be furious. However, it is not my fault though. I didn’t expect she would fall sick.

Around nine, a parcel from restaurant came home and I sighed. I was famished! Keith went home to have his dinner and I was relieved because I didn’t have to deal with two wolves.

I ate quietly and after dinner, I planned on going up but Everett didn’t let me. He was sticking to me like glue and it was difficult to get out of his sight.

How should I fool him? What should I do? And when will this fucking movie end?

An idea popped in my head and I decided to go ahead with it, “Rett” I called him because that is how the White wolf addresses her mate. “I am feeling sleepy” I said and faked a yawn.

He cocked his eyebrow and I smiled once again. I didn’t know what else to do!

Everett growled and then narrowed his eyes. I blinked as I saw him because he looked furious. His jaws were firm and his hands were clenched to form a fist.

“I just cocked my eyebrow… Templar” he sneered and I frowned not knowing where he was going with this. What the fuck should I do if he tilts his eyebrow?

“What?” I queired confused.

“Never mind” he shrugged and looked away.

Finally!

“Okay… I will go sleep” I said standing up but once again, Everett held my hand and forced me to sit. “What now?” I asked through gritted teeth. I couldn’t even hide my frustration.

All I wanted to do was go upstairs, call Randall and know about his plan. But this wretched Alpha isn’t letting me go upstairs. How the fuck do I get away from him?

Most importantly, why is he stopping me every time I plan to go up? Does he have any doubts about my behavior? Did he find out that after sunset I take over his mate’s body?

I looked at him curiously trying to see if he knows but I couldn’t exactly figure it out because he was smirking at me.

I shook my head at that unpleasant thought. How can he know? Randall’s plan was foolproof. No moon goddess worshipper could have guessed it. That’s just impossible! I am fretting over nothing. Even if they do guess, then they wouldn’t know what to do to get rid of me from Templar.

Killing me is impossible because I am already dead. It is my own ash that I use to wipe all over Templar’s body so that the pack wolves cannot trace her scent.

The human, who was still there in the house, just finished his dinner and came over to stand in front of me. He looked at me once… that is he looked at my present appearance. A twenty two year old brunette, with brown eyes and creamy skin. All the human boy saw was Templar’s body. He wouldn’t be able to guess that a man’s spirit has taken over her body.

“Are you ready?” he asked Everett and I frowned. Ready for what?

“Do it” Everett replied calmly and then turned to look at me. I gulped when I saw the way he was glaring at me.

He was an Alpha and he was quite intimidating but I should be intimidating too. That is how the white wolf is. Even though, I felt my knees shaking, from his glare, I didn’t look away.

Before I could ask anything, the human boy, held my hand in his and I scowled at him.

“What are you doing?” I growled out but winced when he tightened the hold. “Everett” I called looking at him.

“He is going to cure you… Templar” Everett said and then growled once again, his eyes dark as night.

“Let go of my hand” I screamed at the boy, because his hold was extremely tight.

I was about to fight him, however, I couldn’t especially after the boy sat beside me and closed his eyes. He was muttering something and I couldn’t even understand what language he was talking.

Who is this boy? What is he doing? Did Everett figure out about me? Crap! Is that why Templar is always asleep at night.

“What is he doing?” I launched furiously. However my voice didn’t have any power in it. I sounded like a weak kitten because I felt sleepy all of a sudden.

“I want you asleep at night Templar. I don’t want you sleep walking” were the last words I heard Everett saying, before Templar’s body got exhausted and was forced to close her eyes.

I was in her body but I couldn’t do anything because her body wasn’t moving. She was asleep… until morning.

I am sure Everett knows I possess his mate’s body.

****

Hope you liked it :D

In case you were confused… the second half part of this chapter was in Drew’s P.O.V. Drew is the spirit who possesses Templar’s body after sunset!

FOUR MORE CHAPTERS TO GO BEFORE TEMPLAR RECALLS WHAT HAPPENED IN THAT ONE WEEK :D

Next update will be on 23rd

Please vote, comment and follow.

Thanks :)