How is that possible?

Leah's POV

Octavier was far behind me, running towards me on a horse.

I had forgotten to use the horse I had rode to the mating ceremony. I would not blame myself. My head was full, and all my mind was telling me was “run!”, to the extent I did not remember I had rode a horse to the hall, and instead, running with my legs.

“Octavier!” I called out.

I was too weak to continue running, and my legs had failed me.

She got to the spot that I was barely able to stand, and stretched out her hand like an angel to save me. Finally, I had a little help.

“What happened?” She rode slowly to ensure I was balanced.

She knew I could not hold myself.

I was breathing hard on her back. “I told you he has red eyes,” I said between pants.

“And what do you mean by red eyes?”

Could she have forgotten?

“You should remember my dream!” I said with some forceful effort.

She could not have understood me. I was sure she didn't.

We stayed quiet throughout the ride, and if not for the movement of the horse, I would have slept off.

It was a wonder to me that I had kissed the same man my dream had warned me about. But why did he come as my mate?

It was completely unreasonable.

On second thought, true mates could not be decided by anyone. Only the moon goddess had a say in it. Or maybe the moon goddess had made a deal to bring me to an end. Was that even possible?

“Mother!” I pushed the door of our sitting room, falling to the ground.

Octavier rushed from behind to hold me the same way she did in the hall. Maggie and Aaron came out of their room afterwards.

“She found a mate!” Octavier made the announcement.

Her announcement wasn't of any value. Aaron carried me to my room, laying me down on the bed the same way he had done at the time the dream played with my mind during my morning training.

My bad state had stopped the cheers that were supposed to follow with Octavier’s announcement.

Aaron and Maggie wanted to flood me with questions all at once, but my condition had made them a bit patient, waiting for me to feel better before asking.

“Is this the result of the mating ceremony?” Maggie asked.

Their eyes were focused on Octavier, she was the witness of what happened. But she was confused, all she had heard me say was “red eyes”.

She had not been able to relate it to the dream she had heard me narrate to them.

“Is it?” Aaron asked.

It was obvious they felt she was hesitant to tell them.

“I really do not know.” Octavier gave a novice's form of answer.

Their faces turned gloomy, how could she not know? They would have thought.

“It was after she found a mate.” She said.

I was not actually sleeping, and was more in an entranced state. I was able to hear the words they were saying. If I had some strength in me, I would have rushed to start explaining to them, instead of keeping quiet, especially when I was the topic.

Aaron held Maggie's hand. “Don't you think we are being too fast?”

Fear mixed with concern was inscribed on their face, and it spoke out loud.

“Maybe it would have been better if she got back to her usual self before going for the ceremony.”

Maggie shook her head, slowly. “It wouldn't have made any difference.”

She walked to the head side of my bed, caressing my jaw. “A mate is supposed to be helpful to her.”

Yet again, they looked at Octavier, their eyes almost going into her head to read her thoughts.

“That should be true,” Maggie said, but her words had got a different meaning with the look in her eyes.

Octavier understood them.

“It was also absurd to me,” she said, “Leah should know better.”

The look in their face had not gone off. They had not relented. I wasn't in the right state to answer their questions, and so, they needed her to tell them all she knew.

“Could you give us a hint?” Maggie asked.

She could not wait for me to wake up, in order for them to get the full detail. A hint would go a long way.

“She ran from the hall.” Octavier used her hand to demonstrate. “That was it.”

“She ran?

“Yes.”

Too absurd to believe, and it was normal for them for it to sound as such. Was there a relationship between finding a mate in the hall of a mating ceremony, and running from the hall? Definitely not.

I would tell them at the first instant I feel the surge of strength in me, I said to myself.

“We should leave her to rest.” Aaron said.

They walked out of my room, and the sleep I had tried to avoid had caught up with me. Stress and weakness had overcome the fear that would have stopped me from sleeping.

After an hour or two, Logan, one of the physicians in our pack came into my room, and Maggie, Aaron and Octavier had followed him.

Octavier had not gone back to her home.

“Leah.” Logan called.

I raised my back, taking a sitting position on my bed.

He touched my face and my neck. “How do you feel?” 

“I can't… feel… my… head.” My voice came out weak, I was barely able to pronounce each word.

He opened the bag he had carried with him, brought out a can out of it. It was a syrup.

“You will feel better.” He rubbed a small amount of it on my forehead.

He turned to Octavier. “Get me a cup of water.”

“Okay.” She went out of the room.

“Her heart is beating too fast, I would give her a sedative.”

Aaron nodded.

Logan massaged my forehead as he rubbed the syrup all over my head.

Shortly after, Octavier returned with a full cup of water.

Logan brought out a drug from his bag to give to me. “It would help you calm down a bit.”

I poured the water into my mouth, swallowing the drug.

“You will be okay.” He left my side.

He bowed his head to Maggie and Aaron before leaving.

Maggie came closer to me, sat on my bed, and placed her hand around my shoulders.

“Octavier said you found a mate,” she said.

“The mate I found was the same man in my dream.”

She frowned. “How is that possible?”