Chapter 6

Ayla stepped in front of them “Run now” she shouted but it didn’t sound like her,she sounded like she had used a kind of power to command them,her sibling and Mara sprinted away instantly…Kael stumbled like as if she was trying to take control himself from the influence of her voice.

“Ayla,I can't leave you here with that thing”Kael said touching her shoulder 

“That thing” the witch said laughing,as she laughed the trees shook as if they were scared too “Listen to her and leave,she is fine on her own”the witch said but  Kael stood his ground.

Ayla gasped as she heard the witch voice in her head but it was not sharp like Thorne’s voice, it was low and sensual.

“You defend the wolf, you don’t belong with them no matter how much you run,you are still an outcast. You don’t even know the difference between real or  dream,you saw witches by the border but you didn’t report to the right authorities because of a man you know nothing about, it is all your fault that the pack is under attack.” tears began to run down Ayla’s face

“Get out of my head”Ayla screamed and her voice echoed loudly throwing the witch backwards before she could even react,Kael grabbed her and took off with her.

After running for some Minutes,they caught up with the others,Elena hugged Ayla tightly 

“I thought you already died” Elena  said sobbing softly

“Why did you protect us that way,we are the ones meant to protect you not the other way round”Elliot said trying to sound strong but Ayla was too shaken to reply.

“We head east first. There’s a river, it should be able to cover our tracks. Then we head back to the pack house”

Kael looked at her, eyes wary. “You did well,” he said. “I don’t know how you did it and you don’t need to explain.”

Ayla didn’t answer. She had other thoughts. The flicker inside her was stronger now, undeniable and whatever it is that is changing or awakening it had begun tonight.

Ayla clenched her fists, staring at the river. The water reflected the first light of dawn, she looked so angry at her reflection. She was not just the girl who had been struggling to shift and whatever had awakened in her  didn’t feel wolf-made, and she  felt the witches would have recognized it as theirs either.

And if the Ring Coven thought tonight would break their pack,they were wrong.

Ayla stood at the riverbank with her wet hands and her body was starting to feel strange,she felt like she was tingling from within. For the first time, she felt like she had a purpose,she didn’t feel powerless.

Kael led the small group through the thick forest. The branches scratched their skin and clothes. Her pulse was steady now, her breathing was better and her senses had sharpened better. The  thing she felt coursing through her veins wasn’t just adrenaline it seemed a little like awareness.

“We need to keep moving,” Kael muttered, his eyes scanning the shadows. “Witches rarely come alone. There may be more ahead.”

Mara fell into step beside him, with an alert posture. “And we risk returning to camp. The pack will hold together, but only until the next strike. They will want to move to Lunar sanctum,so we have to move fast and get there before they start to move”

Elliot and Elena were exhausted but trusting and following closely behind with Elliot holding on to little sister to make sure she was catching up. Ayla glanced at them, and for a brief moment, she felt her chest tighten “Do you think the twins are safe?” she asked quietly.

Kael frowned. “Peter and Priscila?”

Ayla nodded, her voice was barely audible. “I hope so. I hope nothing… happened to them. They were beside the Alpha... what didn’t get away in time?”

Mara exhaled sharply. “We shouldn't think about that now, we need to make sure we are safe first, then later we worry about the rest.”

Ayla paused a little "I know,” she said, though her thoughts drifted to her siblings. She imagined them held down in camp,trying to fend off any chaos, unbroken and unafraid. That thought made her  feel longing and guilt for leaving them behind,although she doesn’t think they would care about her that much but still.

The forest grew darker as they pressed on. Ayla started working with purpose, her instincts were guiding her and then she suddenly felt a broken dizzy sensation, her vision began to blur, the trees seemed to move unnaturally and her hands were trembling. For a few minutes, she just froze, unable to move, her mind completely blanked out.

“Ayla? Are you okay?” Kael’s voice, sounding concerning, pulled her back.

Ayla shook her head, blinking rapidly. “I’m fine,” she said,forcing her voice to be steady. She said she was fine, but she knew she wasn’t. The thing inside her felt like a heartbeat of its own,and the way it took over her entirely, leaving her to be a vessel for something she didn’t understand.

Kael exhaled and he opened the bush to the pack clearing,some of the pack members had already gotten there.

Ayla looked around and exhaled when she caught sight of her parents standing beside her siblings–the twins,Elliot and Elena left their group and ran to meet them.

She walked forward too,turning back to look at Kael who nodded in acknowledgment.