Alison’s Point of View
The air around Simone felt lighter than ever as she stood before me, her face radiant with a joy I hadn’t seen in a long time. Her newfound ability to see had transformed her demeanor entirely, her smile wider, her laughter unrestrained. For the first time, she didn’t need her cane or anyone else to guide her steps. As I hugged her, grateful beyond words, my eyes caught something peculiar.
There it was, just below the collar of her dress on her left shoulder, a faint but intricate marking. It looked almost like a swirling pattern, delicate yet commanding, as if it had been etched there with purpose.
In all my days with her, I had never seen anything like this on her skin, so it got me wondering.
“Simone,” I began, pulling back slightly, my fingers lightly brushing her shoulder. “When did you get this?”
She blinked, confused. “Get what?”
“This.” I pointed to the mark, tilting my head to get a better look. “It kind of looks like a tattoo. Did you have this done recently? Cause I have never seen this one you”
Simone frowned and shook her head. “I’ve never had a tattoo, Alison. I couldn’t even see before, remember? How would I have known to get one?” Her voice carried a hint of amusement, but her brows furrowed in genuine confusion.
Xander leaned closer, his sharp gaze narrowing as he examined the mark. “That’s not a tattoo, it doesn’t even look like one” he said, his voice low and thoughtful. “It looks… Like a marking, there’s something ancient about it. Almost like a sigil.”
Simone turned her head as much as she could, trying to glimpse it. “I’ve never seen it before. I mean, I wouldn’t have, but… it doesn’t feel new. Could it have always been there but some how invisible?”
“Let me check something,” I said, my curiosity burning brighter than ever. Without waiting for her permission, I reached out and pressed my fingertips gently against the marking hoping to probably clean it off with my fingers.
The moment my finger touched it, everything shifted.
I felt a sharp, blinding light consumed my vision, and suddenly I was moving in a spread of light then one minute I paused and looking around I wasn’t in Simone’s hut anymore. I was standing under the vast night sky, illuminated by the ethereal glow of a full moon. The air buzzed with energy, and I could feel the presence of others around me, though their faces were blurred. My heart pounded as my senses sharpened to the surreal scene unfolding before me.
Simone stood at the center of a wide clearing, her arms raised toward the heavens. The marking on her shoulder blazed with light, casting an unearthly glow across the clearing. She was chanting words. I couldn’t really make sense of, her voice strong and melodic, resonating with power.
Around her, the pack knelt in reverence, their heads bowed, their breaths synchronized as though bound by some invisible force. The wind swirled, carrying whispers I couldn’t quite understand but that sent shivers down my spine.
The earth beneath Simone’s feet began to pulse, cracks of light spreading outward like veins of fire. The energy she radiated was unlike anything I had ever felt, it was so ancient, powerful, and deeply connected to the land itself, just like the power that radiated from the Vault we had retrieved
In her hands was a staff with different symbols engraved on the body, the staff glowed faintly in her hands then, as suddenly as it began, the entire place began to move faster than I could comprehend until the light I had seen turned to subtle darkness
The a gasp left my mouth as my body jolted as though I had been yanked back into the present. My knee gave up on me but luckily Xander caught me before I hit the ground.
“My Love!” His voice was sharp with concern, his hands gripping my arms tightly as he lead me to a seat close by. “What happened?”
Simone sat beside me, her eyes wide with worry. “Alison, are you okay? You looked like you saw a ghost and your face is so pale!”
My heart was still racing, my breaths shallow and rapid. I struggled to find my voice, my mind spinning from what I had just witnessed.
“I… I saw something,” I finally managed, my voice trembling. “It was a vision. Simone, you were there. You were standing in a clearing, performing some kind of ritual. The entire pack was with you, watching. And your marking.. it was glowing.”
Simone stared at me, her face pale. “A ritual? What does that mean? I’ve never done any ritual of sort in my entire life!”
Xander’s expression darkened, his protective instincts kicking in. “My love, are you sure it wasn’t just your imagination? Maybe touching the mark triggered some kind of… ”
“No, I know what I saw” I interrupted, shaking my head vehemently. “This wasn’t some random hallucination. It felt real, Xander. Like I was actually there.”
Simone clasped her hands together, her voice barely above a whisper. “Do you think it has something to do with my sight coming back? Or… this mark?”
Xander sighed, running a hand through his hair. “It’s possible. But we need more information. Alison, does your pack have any history with… sorcerers or rituals? Because most werewolf packs have history with witches hence they usually have pack sorcerers whom they consult in matters like this”
I hesitated, trying to recall anything I’d learned so far about our pack’s past. “No, not that I know of. The Crimson Pack has always been more focused on strength and leadership. Legends and magic weren’t really part of our traditions. Unless I haven’t read that part of our history”
Simone let out a shaky breath. “Then why would this happen to me? I’m just an Ordinary witch with no coven and no mighty background. I’ve spent most of my life blind and relying on others. How could I possibly be part of something.. So powerful?”
Her words tugged at my heart. I reached out, taking her hand in mine. “Simone, you’re far from ‘nobody.’ You’ve been through so much and come out stronger every time, you are one of the reasons I succeeded in saving the pack. Maybe this mark… this vision… maybe it’s connected to something bigger than we can understand right now. But whatever it is, we’ll figure it out together, I got you.”
Xander nodded, his expression softening slightly as he looked at Simone. “Alison’s right. If this mark and the vision mean something, then it’s not a coincidence. We just need to find the right answers.”
Simone looked between us, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “Thank you. Both of you. I just… I don’t know what to think. It’s overwhelming.”
I squeezed her hand reassuringly. “We’ll take it one step at a time. But i think we should consult my father. If anyone knows about this kind of thing, it’s him.”
Xander stood, his towering figure radiating authority. “I agree too. Whatever this is, it’s too important to ignore. Let’s not waste any time.”
Simone nodded, and for the first time since her sight was restored, I saw a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes. She had always been strong, even when life had been cruel to her. But now, faced with something inexplicable, she seemed fragile, almost lost.
As we prepared to leave, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. The vision had been too vivid, too powerful to be a random occurrence. Whatever was happening to Simone was tied to something ancient, something far beyond our understanding.
And deep down, I knew it would change everything.