130 Day of cleansing.
Lyla
The sun hung low on the White Mountains when we arrived at White Lake Pack.
The evening light cast long shadows across the landscape creating an almost ethereal atmosphere. If I thought that Ramsey’s pack was beautiful, I had no words to describe the beauty I saw at White Lake..
I sat quietly as we drove into the Pack, staring out of the window as the fading sunlight bathed the landscape in hues of gold and orange. I was nervous. I had no idea what the outcome of the cleansing would be and I still didn’t understand what Nanny was doing here.
Earlier, when I wanted to talk to her, the high priestess told me she would not be able to hold conversations until the cleansing ceremony was over and that she needed to maintain her aura. I had no idea what that meant but I decided all my questions would wait until after the ceremony.
Beside me, the Priestess maintained an equally serene demeanour, occasionally murmuring words under her breath. Ramsey and Lenny had come with us because the Priestess demanded it too. I didn’t know what roles they were supposed to play.
As our vehicle pulled up in front of the pack house, the Priestess stepped out first, followed by Miriam who moved with a grace that I didn’t know she possessed, her ceremonial robes flowed around her like liquid silver. Ramsey and Lenny followed before I finally mustered the courage to
step out too.
“Welcome to our Pack, Elder Thorne and a woman who had a striking resemblance to Cassidy murmured with bright smiles on their face as they bowed curtly to Ramsey before they turned to greet the priestess.
“Thank you, Elder Thorne,” the priestess nodded. “We’ll take it from here. Then she turned to me. “We’ll perform the cleansing during the evening devotion. It’s the best time and you should change into this too.”
She reached into her bag and pulled out a plain white ceremonial gown. “I asked them to prepare a room for you in advance. Bathe, change into these clothes and meet us by the lake. Alpha Ramsey, can you wait for her? I assume you’re more familiar with the pack and Beta Lenny come with us”
I nodded as the Priestess, Miriam and Lenny started off a path by the side of the pack house. I turned to Elder Thorne who smiled at me. “The room prepared for you is down the hall.?
I nodded and started going toward the direction of the room when Ramsey suddenly rushed ahead of me in quick strides. Surprise, I was about to protest when he pushed open the door
first.
Trying not to scream out his name, I sprinted to the room.
“Ramsey, what…” I began but my words died in my throat when I saw his brows knitted in intense concentration.
C
130 Day of cleansing
He was examining the room, his hands carefully moving over each item there.
“What are you doing?” I asked, startled.
He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he picked up a small vial from the bedside table and held it up to the light. His jaw tightened as he pocketed it, then turned to me.
“Cassidy,” he muttered grimly.
“Cassidy?” I rolled my eyes giving him a questioning glance. “What happened to her?”
He gestured to a faintly glowing crystal hanging near the window and a decorative bowl on the dresser filled with small, harmless–looking herbs. “This is all her doing, I’m sure. The vial, the crystal, the herbs they can harm you.”
I scoffed, I knew our last meeting didn’t end well but this? “What do you mean, harm me? Why
would she…”
“She’s not herself these days, Lyla,” Ramsey interrupted me in a low voice. “Let me apologize on her behalf. She’s unusually paranoid and has been making wild threats. I’m just making sure she doesn’t try to harm you for real”
“Harm me? If she’s having issues with her mental health, why is she allowed to exist among normal people? This is ridiculous. I hissed. “I don’t have time for…”
“You don’t,” he interrupted me and gestured toward the door. “Go to my room and change. It’s safer there, come let me take you.”
I hesitated scanning the room wondering what else was hidden. Since I had to meet the priestess soon, I decided this wasn’t time to argue, grabbing my things, I turned and followed after Ramsey to his room.
Inside his room, I bathed and quickly changed into the ceremonial gown. It was simple, nothing elegant, the soft white fabric felt like flowing water around me. When I came out, I saw Ramsey waiting at the door.
“Thank you,” I said woodenly, avoiding his gaze.
He nodded, his expression unreadable. “I’m sorry,” he said after a moment. “For Cassidy’s actions. She’ll feel more at ease when we finally get married, I’m sure and she’ll stop seeing you as a threat. I apologize on her behalf again.”
“She must have caused a lot of ruckus when she learnt I was coming here?”
He nodded, “But it’s fine now, I promise. I had her parents put her away, she won’t disturb you in any way,”
I shrugged. “It’s fine.”
We stood there in silence for a moment, before Ramsey finally broke it. “How’s your training going? I’m sorry I haven’t come so far, it’s just that, there’s been a lot going on. With the multiple Feral attacks we’ve been having recently…” he trailed off “I didn’t think that far ahead.
All the times I’ve met, Ramsey… it was either he was breathing down my neck with instructions or demanding my attention but not this… acting meek and cute. It was very suspicious.
130 Day of cleansing
him. “I knew you weren’t going to come. Not only do we live far apart, but your fiancée would not allow it.
“I was making sure you and Nathan had enough time to explore your relationship. I didn’t want to be a third wheel,” he retorted, glaring at me.
I chuckled. “Are you jealous of Nathan now? And you’re correct, our training always has the perfect endings…”
