11

"Alyssa." The word came floating in the wind a third time.

Alyssa was lost in thought when she suddenly heard her mother's voice calling out to her. She felt a sudden jolt of hope and tried to stand up from the bed, amazed to find that she could do so with ease. She looked down at her body, noticing that the injuries she had sustained in the fatal accident a few hours ago had completely healed.

Confused and scared, Alyssa tried to make sense of what was happening. She remembered the accident, the sound of metal crushing metal, and the pain of her body being thrown from the car. And now, she was here, whole and healthy, with no explanation.

"Alyssa, can you hear me?" her mother's voice called out again.

Alyssa spun around, trying to locate the source of the voice. And then, she remembered. Her mother was dead. She had passed away several years ago.

Fear seized Alyssa as she realized that she was hearing the voice of someone who was no longer among the living. She stumbled back, suddenly feeling very small and vulnerable.

"Mom?" she whispered, her voice barely above a whisper. "Is that really you?"

There was no response, but Alyssa could still hear her mother's voice, distant but clear. She realized that this must be some kind of afterlife, where the dead could communicate with the living.

Terrified but also filled with a strange sense of comfort, Alyssa listened as her mother's voice filled the room.

Alyssa's heart was racing as she waited for her mother's voice to come back. She had never believed in the afterlife, but now she was starting to feel as if it was a real possibility. And then, suddenly, she heard her mother's voice once again, stronger and clearer than before.

"Alyssa, I'm here," her mother said, and Alyssa spun around, her eyes wide with hope and fear.

She watched as the door to the hospital room slowly creaked open, and her mother appeared in the doorway. She was just as Alyssa remembered her, with her warm smile and kind eyes. But there was also a sadness in her expression, a weight that seemed to be bearing down on her.

Alyssa felt a wave of emotion as she looked at her mother. She wanted to run to her, to feel her embrace and hear her voice. But at the same time, she was scared. She wasn't sure what was happening, or what this meant for her future.

Her mother took a step forward, and Alyssa felt her heart leap in her chest. She could feel the love radiating from her mother, and she knew that she was here for a reason.

"Mom," Alyssa whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "Is it really you?"

Her mother nodded, tears glistening in her eyes. "Yes, my love," she said. "I'm here, and I'm never going to leave you."

Alyssa took a step forward, and then another, until she was standing right in front of her mother. She could feel her warmth, her love, and she finally felt at peace.

"I've missed you so much," Alyssa said, tears streaming down her face. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again."

Her mother smiled, reaching out to wipe away Alyssa's tears. "I know, my love," she said. "But you're not alone.

Alyssa felt her mother's love enveloping her, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was not right. She took a deep breath and mustered the courage to ask the question that had been plaguing her.

"Mom, why can I see you?" she asked, her voice trembling. "What's happening to me?"

Her mother's expression changed, and she looked at Alyssa with a mix of sadness and love. "My dear, you are dead," she said gently.

Alyssa felt as though the ground had disappeared beneath her. She shook her head in disbelief, unable to accept what her mother was saying.

"No, this can't be real," Alyssa said, her voice rising. "I'm here, I'm alive. I feel like I'm alive."

Her mother reached out to her, but Alyssa took a step back, suddenly feeling like she was suffocating. She turned around, looking for a way out, and that's when she saw it.

Her body was lying on the bed, still and lifeless. And as she looked down, she saw that her leg was passing through the bed frame, with no pain or resistance.

Alyssa screamed in shock, her voice echoing through the room. She stumbled back, her mind struggling to process what was happening. She was dead. She was really dead.

Panic set in as Alyssa tried to make sense of what was happening. She pinched herself, hoping to wake up from this terrible nightmare, but the pain was all too real. She closed her eyes and counted to three, hoping that when she opened them again, she would be back in her bed. But when she opened her eyes, she was still standing there on the street, invisible to everyone around her.

Desperate for answers, Alyssa started talking to herself, trying to piece together what was happening.

"This can't be real," she muttered. "I must be dreaming. But it feels so real... I can feel the sun on my skin, and the ground beneath my feet."

She tried to touch objects around her, but her hand went straight through them. She started to weep, the reality of the situation hitting her like a freight train. She was dead.

"But how can this be?" she whispered. "I was just alive yesterday. How can I be dead now?"

As she walked through by the window, she noticed that she could still hear the sounds of life going on around her. She could hear snippets of conversation, the honking of car horns, and the chatter of children playing. But she was completely detached from it all, unable to interact with anything or anyone.

Alyssa felt like she was in some sort of purgatory, trapped in between life and death. She wandered aimlessly, lost in thought and grappling with the reality of her situation.

"Why did this happen to me?" she cried. "Why am I dead? What did I do to deserve this?"

She felt her mother's arms wrap around her, pulling her close. "It's okay, my love," her mother whispered. "It's going to be okay. I'm here, and I'll always be here for you."

Alyssa clung to her mother, tears streaming down her face, as she tried to come to terms with her new reality.

As Alyssa held onto her mother, she gradually became aware of a strange, ethereal quality to her surroundings. The colors in the room were more vivid, and the air seemed to shimmer and sparkle.

She pulled away from her mother and looked at her more closely, and that's when she noticed something even more strange. Her mother's body was transparent, and the outlines of objects could be seen through her form.

A realization slowly dawned on Alyssa. She was no longer a human being, but a spirit, floating between this world and the next.

"Mom, what's happening to me?" Alyssa asked, her voice trembling.

Alyssa looked around the room, suddenly on high alert. She was right the whole time. She saw one of the maids walking towards her, a sad look on her face.

"Rose!" Alyssa called out, trying to get her attention. But to her surprise, Rose simply passed through her as if she weren't there.

Alyssa felt a wave of frustration wash over her. She had never felt so helpless in her life. She watched as Rose continued on her way, that dad look still on her face.

Her mother smiled at her, her eyes twinkling. "We're spirits, my love," she said. "We've left our physical bodies behind, but our essence remains. We're free to explore the world in a different way now."

Alyssa looked around, taking in the ghostly appearance of the hospital room. Everything was shrouded in a soft, white light, and the objects in the room seemed to be infused with an otherworldly glow.

"It's beautiful," Alyssa said, awestruck.

"Yes, it is," her mother agreed. "But it can also be a little confusing at first. There's so much to learn and discover, but I'm here to help you every step of the way."

Alyssa smiled, feeling grateful for her mother's support. "Thank you, Mom," she said. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Her mother hugged her tightly, and Alyssa felt a sense of peace settle over her. They stood there for a moment, simply basking in each other's love and support.

"I'm so proud of you, Alyssa," her mother said, pulling away and wiping her tears. "You've come so far, and you've made me so happy. I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you in the physical world, but I'm here now, and I'll always be here for you."

As they continued to speak, Alyssa's mother urged her not to lose hope. "I know it can be hard, but you have to remember that I'll always be here for you, even if I'm not there physically," she said, her voice filled with love and compassion.

"And there's something else you need to know," she continued, looking at Alyssa with a serious expression. "You have powers, my dear. Powers that are unique to spirits like us."

Alyssa felt a mix of emotions. On one hand, she was intrigued by the idea of having special abilities. On the other hand, she was scared of what she might be capable of.

"I don't want them," she said, shaking her head. "I just want to be normal again."

Her mother smiled at her and took her hand. "I understand, but these powers are a gift, Alyssa. They're a part of who you are now. And it's important for you to learn how to harness them, so that you can use them for good."

Alyssa was still wary, and her mother could sense this. "I know you're angry," she said, "because you feel like Trevor used you because of your powers. But the truth is, he was always drawn to you. Your powers just made him see how strong and special you really are."

Alyssa was taken aback. She had never thought of it that way before.

"And there's something else," her mother said, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Something that Trevor never told you."

Alyssa leaned in, intrigued. "What is it?" she asked.

Her mother looked around, as if making sure no one was listening, and then whispered.

"This is the secret," her mother said, "Trevor was scared for you, Alyssa. If he had accepted you as his mate, he would not have been able to protect you from getting whipped 100 times, and the possibility of death would have been higher. But he couldn't resist falling in love with you, so he didn't reject you."

Alyssa was stunned. She had never suspected that Trevor felt that way about her. She looked at her mother, trying to process this new information.

"I know it's a lot to take in," her mother said, sensing her confusion. "But I want you to at least keep an open mind and let Trevor make it up to you. Then you can decide whether you want to accept his apology and love him in return."

Alyssa nodded, still feeling overwhelmed.

"But there's something else you need to know," her mother said, her expression becoming serious. "There is someone evil who wants to disrupt your home and take away your Alpha. You need to wake up and stop them."

Alyssa felt a shiver run down her spine. She had never felt so important and so scared at the same time.

"I will," she said, determination in her voice. "I'll do whatever it takes to protect my home and my Alpha."

Her mother smiled at her and gave her a hug. "I'm so proud of you, my daughter," she said.

Alyssa walked through the bustling streets, the sounds of chatter and laughter ringing in her ears. She felt a sense of unease, a nagging feeling that something was off. Suddenly, it dawned on her that no one seemed to notice her presence. She walked up to her worst enemy Nadia, but she simply walked through her as if she wasn't there.

"It's time, Alyssa." Her mother's kind voice sounded from behind. She turned sharply.

"Time? Time for what?"