Aria's pov
Ten years ago
"Elena." I called out to my giggling sister.
"Don't go too close to the water." I told her as I played with some ducks.
"I know how to swim, I'm a big girl." The seven year old retorted, crossing her hands over her chest.
"Just be careful, we have a few more minutes before dad sends some guards to come looking for us." I reminded her before I returned my attention to the ducks.
I heard the water splay and Elena squeal and I turned, frantically searching for her in the unsettled water.
"Elena?" I slowly rose and approached the water when I couldn't see her admist the waves.
"Aria, over here. I'm swimming." Elena squealed in delight and I let out a sigh of relief.
"Don't wander off too far Elena, be careful." I called out to her but she ignored me and swam deeper into the water. My eyes searched the water for her little blonde hair but I couldn't make out her features over the waves.
The wind picked up and I brushed my dark brown hair out of my face as worry surged through me.
"Elena? Come back onto the shore, the waves are picking up." I called out to her but got no response in return.
"Elena?" I shouted as my feet slowly carried me into the water. The waves were strong and pulling me in and I didn't resist as my eyes frantically scanned the water for my sister.
Elena's faint scream, just barely audible over the crashing waves, called out my name, "Aria," and instantly, I spun around in alarm. My eyes locked onto her small, flailing figure as she thrashed against the relentless current, struggling to stay afloat while the turbulent water violently tossed her about
"Help." She screamed, her words muffled by the water.
I swam as fast as I could towards her, trying my best to keep her in my line of sight.
"Elena." I called out to her when her head disappeared under the water and I couldn't find her.
I ignored the freezing cold water and the waves tossing me in the water as I swam as fast as I could when I saw a splash and then Elena's pink dress.
I finally made it to her and I struggled to keep my grasp on her hand as I swam back towards the shore.
"Elena." I called out to her when I felt her tugging me backwards, deeper into the water.
"Aria, I can't feel my toes." Her voice was barely audible over the crashing waves.
"Just hold on a little bit longer, we're almost there." I encouraged, as I adjusted my grip around her waist and fought against the waves.
I could feel Elena becoming colder and heavier as she slipped out of my grip and my hands clutched around her desperately.
"Elena? Aria." I heard distant voices calling out to us.
"Here, over here." I shouted at the top of my lungs, ignoring the water that managed to find it's way into my mouth.
"Help, please help us." I sobbed out as the waves swayed us in different directions.
Elena was still beside me and I could feel myself slowly losing consciousness as my eyes dropped and my movements became lethargic. I was too tired to carry us both, I didn't have it within me to carry on...I was too weak.
Was this the end? Was this how Elena and I would die?
Different thoughts raced in my mind and I willed my body to keep moving, I urged my body to keep kicking under the water but I was numb, I couldn't feel anything anymore.
"Elena, Aria." Several voices called out to us and I wanted to scream, I wanted to shout and tell them we were right there, sinking deeper into the ocean.
Just as my eyes were about to give in, a strong arm grasped my waist and pulled me up. I sucked in a healthy amount of air right before I started coughing.
"Elena... Elena." I tried to tell them my sister was still down there but I could hardly pull two words together let alone a sentence.
"We've got her, calm down. You are safe." The man said as he cradled me in his arms and covered me with a towel.
"Go ahead of us and inform Alpha Marcus we found them." The man told another before he began his trip back to the pack house. I was too tired and knowing Elena was alright and safe, I allowed my eyes to finally drop and I embraced the darkness.
The next time I woke up it was to screaming voices.
"No, it can't be." I heard my mother scream and I bolted up from my bed.
What was going on?
I slowly made my way out of my room, ignoring the pain that seared through me and the bout of dizziness I felt with each step I took.
The voices were coming from Elena's room. Was she alright?
I quietly pulled open the door to her room. Elena laid on her bed looking pale and uncommonly white while my mother and father hovered around her. My heart dropped as I realized she was still and unmoving on the bed.
"Is she alright?" I asked fearfully and my mother turned to me with rage in her eyes.
"You, you did this." She looked at me with fire in her eyes and what I could only surmount to...hatred.
"Calm down." My father held onto my mother as she struggled out of his grip.
"You had one job, all you had to do was protect your sister. Was that too much to ask of you Aria?" My mother spat at me and I recoiled.
"You stand there acting innocent, inquiring about your sister like you aren't the reason she's dead now." She screamed at me and everything around me stopped.
"What?" My voice was barely above a whisper as stared at Elena's unmoving body.
"You killed your sister Aria, you failed to protect her." My mother announced as she broke down into sobs.