Chapter 7 New Beginnings

Nivilia Carson

After reading through the contract, Nivilia stared at the document, wondering if she was about to make a mistake.

It just made no sense that Alpha Zay, who could get the finest elite she-wolf in his arms just by blinking, wanted her to be his fake girlfriend. 

That day in the locker room was their first time meeting. As of this moment, he knew nothing about her. Judging by the constant scowls on his face, he hadn’t been particularly pleased about her request.

So, what exactly was his deal? 

And why did she have to trust whatever this was?

Initially, she had decided to trust the bet. But now that he was following through on his promise, her relief was giving way to worry. 

Then the bodyguard said, ‘Remember, Miss, this could be a chance for a new beginning.’

Yes, it could be.

Far away from the Carson family, from the terrors she had endured, from the place that had never truly been a home, she would be starting a new life. 

So, after reading past the set of rules Alpha Zay had highlighted in the contract, she signed the document.

Soon, the bodyguard led her out of the room and into a fancy car. 

Just the car alone was a new experience. She marvelled at how smoothly the car glided along.

Her amazement turned into breathless excitement when the bodyguard mentioned that they were about to cross the border. 

That excitement deflated into mild anxiety when the border guards signalled for their car to stop.

When one of the guards made eye contact with her, fear seized her. What if he could tell she was from Lower Moongladea and decide she wasn't good enough to belong in Upper Moongladea? 

But the border guard only commented on her jersey, assuming that she was a hardcore fan like almost every other wolf in the country. 

Shakily, Niv sat back into the seat and stared ahead as the car drove past the mighty border gates. The moment she heard the gates close, her trembling eased, and tears slipped down her cheeks—very silent tears of relief that assured her that this was really happening.

The rest of the ride remained quiet, save for when her silent crying broke into an occasional sob 

The bodyguard didn’t utter a word, nor did he make her feel conscious of her tears by looking back in concern. 

Niv was truly thankful for that.

~~~

When their car reached the main city, Nivilia was transported into a bigger realm of excitement. She had only seen glimpses of Upper Moongladea on TV at home—when she still had the strength to sit around for leisure. 

The TV shows had certainly done little justice to Upper Moongladea's beauty.

Every building was colourful, with designs that blended seamlessly with the surroundings. The skies were bright and blue, and she could imagine that the Upper Moongladea sky would look even more beautiful during rainfall. Even the air smelled different, carrying the sweet, exotic scent of nectar.

The few people walking along the road wore outfits so luxurious that the richest person in Lower Moongladea would be lucky to own them. 

Compared to this place, Lower Moongladea was gloomy, including the sky.

Niv had often wondered why the two regions were different. Why a person’s rank had to define the kind of life they’d live.

Weren’t they all living beings created by the Moon Goddess?

“We’re headed to the hospital first,” the bodyguard broke the long silence.

Nivilia pulled her head back from the window. She had been watching one of those high-tech 3D billboards. 

“The hospital?” she asked in a low voice. “Wh-why?”

The car stopped, and he glanced back  “Alpha Zay requested it.”

“But…” She frowned, thinking that the doctors would see her bruises and ask to see her parents. “Th-The…”

“You have nothing to be worried about. This is a private hospital, and they’re sworn to secrecy.”

She nodded. 

Then, with a frown, she met his eyes. “I have a question.”

He gave a curt nod. 

“Alpha Zay could have,” she gulped, “asked me to do the tests before signing the contract.”

“I thought the same.” He sighed and faced ahead, his burly figure making the seat squeak. “Who knows what goes through his head?”

Niv scratched the back of her head, wondering and hoping again that this wasn’t a mistake.

“I’m not sure how long the tests will go on for,” he continued, meeting her eyes in the centre mirror, “but afterwards, we have to go shopping. Alpha Zay needs you made over from head to toe.”

“Okay,” she quietly accepted, looking to the side. 

“Shall we?”

The pristine white building ahead was enormous, and Niv became curious about what was inside. 

Before she could open the door, the guard had done it for her. 

“You’re not cold, are you?” he asked as she stepped out with his assistance. “Winter is slowly descending.”

She shook her head. “I’m good.”

Though she could feel a chilly breeze against her bare legs, she didn’t mention it. Because she wanted to experience every bit of this world which she had only watched from afar.

~~~

"Miss Nivilia?’ Her attending doctor called out, drawing her attention away from the chart illustrating a she-wolf's reproductive anatomy.” 

The woman before her was enviably put together. Her short hair, her square glasses, the little gloss on her lips, the blue scrubs she was wearing and the stethoscope around her neck…they all reminded Nivilia that she used to have ambitions.

What were they, again? 

“Your physical test results look reassuring. There's no sign of internal bleeding.” The doctor interrupted Niv’s thoughts before she could recall any. “The remaining test results will be sent to the email address you provided on the form. If there’s a need for an additional check-up, you’ll be informed about that too. However…”

Niv clasped her hands tightly.

This was it. This doctor was definitely about to ask her about the bruises. 

“Miss Nivilia, how are you doing?”

“Huh? Huh?” That startled her. Truly.

With a mild, soft smile, the doctor said further, “Miss Nivilia, I can't simply ignore what I’ve seen. Your psychological assessment suggests that you're struggling, and I can tell you're keeping your guard up. Whatever you've been through, it seems to have hurt you deeply.”

Niv glanced anxiously around the room. 

“Miss Nivilia, you don’t have to say a lot. I would just like to know how you are doing.”

With her heart pounding, Niv straightened in her seat and swallowed hard. “I… Um…”

A little recollection of being tied up by her brother while her father laughed and poured lube on her flashed through her mind.

“I’m fine,” she exhaled. 

“You’re not.” The doctor’s smile turned into a worried one. “I believe you should see a therapist, Miss Nivilia.”

“I don’t need one. I don’t even have money for one. I–”

“Your sponsor can handle it, can’t they?”

That question stopped Niv from getting up from her seat. 

If Alpha Zay heard or knew anything about her past, he could reconsider their contract. Now that she was in Upper Moongladea, she had seen the possibilities of a new beginning; she had become expectant of what could happen soon.

“Doctor.” She leaned forward. “You cannot say a word about it to anyone. Please.”

“I understand, Miss Nivilia. I'll respect your privacy, but I still want you to understand that you deserve help.”

Nivilia looked away.

“However, Miss Nivilia, you are twenty years old. That’s too young to have bruises and rope marks all over your body. And those burns don’t look like—”

“Stop!’ Niv exclaimed, jolting to her feet as her breath caught in her throat. “N-nothing’s wrong with me.” Weakly, she lifted her eyes to the Doctor’s. “It’s all in the past.”

The doctor pressed a finger to her lips before asking, “Do you really want me to keep this hidden?”

“Yes.” This was the time to convince the doctor she wasn’t lying. “It’s all in the past. I’ll get over it soon.”

Even Niv could tell her own words were lies. 

But she needed to believe them. She really needed to. 

“Doctor, am I free to go?” she asked after a deep breath. 

“Just one more thing.” The doctor opened a small box beside her computer and took out a card. “A friend of mine runs a hospital here in the city, and she has a good therapist on her team.” 

“Thank you.” Nivilia accepted it, feeling the smoothness, but barely paying attention to the words written on it. 

“Don’t forget your prescriptions, Miss Nivilia. You're likely to experience more headaches in the future, and those scars also need proper care to help them heal.”

“Thank you,” Niv whispered again as she left the room, her heart heavy with the unsettling thought that running away might not be enough.