Chasing the rejected Luna novel Chapter 30

His laugh was dry which was followed by a long dry whooping cough. He wheezed and I feared he might be one of the people infected with the disease. 

After a while of coughing, he stopped and there was dead silence in the room. My breath was slow and shallow as different thoughts crossed through my head. He couldn't be dead. Since he was part of the pack, surely, he would know what was going on. 

Must have heard the whispers of people around; guards and maids. He was another person I thought could get me information. From the sound of his voice, I could tell he was in his fifties. 

I clutched the bars of the gate in my feeble fingers while my head was pressed to the gate, trying to see anything. 

"Hello? Are you alright?" I asked him and was met with silence. The tempo of my heart rate increased as the possibility of his death rammed through me. 

"I'm fine," he said in a calm voice. It was a complete contrast to what he went through just minutes ago. And my heart came down a bit as I slouched on the gate. My back was against it, my knees up with my jaw resting in it. My arms wound around my legs to keep myself in a comfortable position. 

I contemplated for some time if I should ask him the questions bothering me. After weighing the pros and cons, I decided to ask. It would take nothing from me.

I licked my lips, shoving stray hair away from my face. "How long have you been here?" I asked him and he laughed again. 

"You have questions. These are not the questions bothering you. Just ask what's on your mind," he said and stopped. He continued, "If it doesn't clash with my principles, I would answer you without a hitch."

Principles? I mused. What does someone who stays in the cell have to do with principles? I didn't say that out loud though. I just wanted answers and it seemed the man was placed on my plate of curiosity free of charge. 

I inhaled and squeezed my legs, burying my face further on my legs. "What do you know about the river by the…" I stopped trying to remember the position of the river. West or East. 

"East side?" The man's voice came through. He laughed again but this time, there was no mirth in it. "It was the land Alpha Ryven's mother sacrificed her life for. "

I sat up straighter, "I don't understand."

"Well, you see, Alpha Ryven's mother was not just any werewolf. She was a witch. And she had so much power. She was like a blessing to our cursed pack. Before she came, we were being helped by a woman named Arielle. She was a direct descendant of the moon goddess. Her powers were unparalleled." He stopped and sighed.  

I stood up, and walked closer to the wall, to make sure I got every sentence he spoke. His voice was getting faint. I had to strain my ears. I didn't want to interrupt him for fear of distracting him. He seemed to be in the past, recalling the events. 

After some time of waiting for him to continue, he was silent. "And then, what happened?" I dared to ask him as my heartbeat in trepidation. 

The name 'Arielle' struck a chord in my heart but I didn't know why I felt apprehensive and angry for something I knew nothing about. 

"And then, she suddenly died. No one knew how she died. But her death meant there was no one to keep the river pure anymore. Ryven's father was mad and kept to himself. It was rumored he had a thing for the woman," he chuckled. "I mean, who wouldn't? She was the epitome of beauty. Big brown doe eyes, hair as light as a feather, her walk…" 

"How did Ryven's mother die?" I asked him. He was more concerned about the beauty of the woman than the story he was telling me. 

"Oh," he caught himself. "Like I said, she was a witch and she had the powers to control the river. I mean, to give life to the river to get it pure. "

"Why was the river cursed?" I asked as the clogs in my brain worked overdrive to put the pieces together. But nothing was still making sense. I had a fear. I couldn't bring myself to think about it because it sounded absurd to me. I shook the thought away. 

The hunger was getting to me. Hence, the thoughts. The man coughed long and hard. He wheezed, breathing hard. 

"This old man would go and meet his ancestors," he chuckled, which made him cough one more time. "I have no idea why it was cursed. I was still a little boy. I can't remember. And anytime it was asked, I always got hushed," he said with something akin to a shrug. 

I stayed silent while I let his words sink into me. "Did you hear Alpha Ryven exchange the land for someone?" I asked him and there was another round of silence. I opened my mouth to repeat the question, thinking he might have missed the words because of the low tone of my voice. 

"This is a joke right?" He asked with disbelief in his voice. I chuckled at that. 

"Why would I joke in this kind of situation?" I asked him back and he glared. 

"This is insane! Without the river, our pack is dead. We would be overthrown! I've always known Ryven was a weakling but this? This is unbelievable. His sister would have been better as the Alpha."