Chapter 31: THIRTY-ONE


    Hydrophobic


    ***FIVE YEARS AGO***


    13-year-old Ava’s had just returned from the healers’ quarters, she was back from changing the


    bandages that were tied on her injured leg. She’d sprained her ankle and sustained a knee injury


    during horseback riding yesterday, and now even though she still felt pain, the pain wasn’t as severe as


    the one of yesterday. She was looking for her betrothed, Ray, so he could continue to tell her soothing


    stories that wouldfort her and make her forget the pain, at least for a little while. She searched


    around the moonlight packhouse for a while until one of the groomers told her he was at the pool.


    Ray at the pool? Since when? Ray had a phobia for water, she’d always known this because she


    was so close to him. Apart from his rtives, only she and Ethan knew in the whole packhouse, they’d


    discovered this during their young wolf training sessions and decided to keep it a secret between the


    trio; it probably would not be best to let anyone else in the packhouse know that their future alpha


    feared something so much simple as water.


    She limped over to go and meet 22-year-old Ray standing in front of the pool area, no one else


    was there, only him.


    “What are you doing here?” She asked him.


    “Just gazing at the pool, wondering if I’ll ever be able to ovee this fear of mine.”


    “Don’t be so silly Ray, its not a bad thing to fear. In fact’s it’s part of your human nature, we are half


    human after all.”


    “Fear is a weakness for an Alpha Ava, and an Alpha should never have any weaknesses.”


    Ava limped a bit forward so she could be much closer to him, taking her hand in his.


    “It’s ok to be scared,” was all she said in an assuring voice. She leaned her head on his shoulder,


    but he wasn’t in the mood for that, he wanted to push her head away, but he’d applied so much force


    by mistake, the push from his shoulder made her loose bnce and she fell into the water with a


    ssh.


    Oh no! Why did shee here? Why did she have toe here? Why didn’t she just leave him


    alone? And now look at what she’s done. She’s injured, she can’t save herself, and he can’t swim,


    none of them can, and he can’t do anything to save her, the life guard isn’t around here either… What


    to do? Oh… What to do? He can’t think of anything to do… Run… Run away? Yes, that’s what he’ll


    do… maybe he’ll find someone to save herter, but for now he needs to clear his head, he needs to


    think. Run away, yes, that’s what he’ll do. But he shouldn’t leave her like this? It’s not his fault she fell


    into the water, she shouldn’t havee here in the first ce. Run away, that’s what he’ll do.


    He ran away.


    Ava was still in the water, she’d seen her betrothed looking at her from above the surface, she’d


    seen the fear confusion written clearly in his eyes, she knew he hated water, but she hoped that he


    woulde through for her, she hoped that he would ovee his phobia for the water with what just


    happened, but he didn’t, he couldn’t save her. She tried to swim up and tell him that it was okay, he


    didn’t have to, but she couldn’t, it was like her legs were pinned to the base. Normally, she was a


    strong swimmer, but her injury deprived her of the chance to save herself at this point, all she could do


    now was hold onto her breath for as long as she could.


    She waited and waited, what was taking him so long? She couldn’t hold on for much longer, and


    then, she watched him run away. Maybe he’d gone to call for help, she still kept waiting, unable to


    move a muscle, the water surrounding her even prated and damaged the newly sewn bandage on


    her leg, and she still kept waiting, but yet, no one hade.


    **********


    Ethan was conversing in his room with Nicole when he’d heard a ssh in the water. Nicole heard


    it too, she’de for a swim today, and was perplexed upon hearing that someone had already beat


    them to it.


    “Let’s go now, before the pool gets crowded, I’d hate to swim with those packhouse rascals that


    love to pollute the water.”


    “Ok,” Ethan responded. All Nicole needed to do was take off her gown which revealed her


    swimsuit she’d worn underneath, Ethan changed into his in front of her and they both went downstairs,


    and into the pool area. Nicole looked around, but no one was here yet, she shrugged, maybe the


    person had probably left. She was about dive in when she spotted the unconscious body beneath the


    water. She screamed.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Ava had been waiting since, she was tremendously good at holding her breath beneath water,


    that’s why she’s been able to hold on for so long, but even her skills were not enough to sustain her till


    this moment, maybe it would be much better if she let go and just close her eyes, maybe then the pain


    searing her leg would go away, maybe then she wouldn’t have to hold her breath anymore. She’d


    closed her eyes for a while, and then, in her partial state of unconsciousness, she heard the sound of


    sshing water and someone swimming towards her. Ray hade back, she knew he would, and


    now he wasing to save her, help hade! Help had finallye!!! She tried to open her eyes


    just a little bit so she could see her savior, and when she did, she didn’t see Ray’s form, but of course


    Ethan’s. She closed her eyes again and drifted back into unconsciousness. So, Ray hadn’te, but it


    didn’t matter, help hade anyways.