Echo Under My Skin

Sable's POV 

I woke up gasping in the dark of my tiny cabin, sheets tangled around my legs like they were trying to hold me down. For a second I thought someone was in the room with me. Then I realized the sound was not outside. It was inside my head. Laughter. Bright and wild, the kind that makes you want to run and jump just because you can. It felt like cold lake water rushing over my skin, the shock of it waking every nerve.

Knox.

I sat up fast. The bond. It had stuck around after last night like an uninvited guest who refused to leave. I rubbed my eyes and looked at the window. The sky was still that deep blue before sunrise. I had barely slept, my mind too busy replaying every touch from the festival.

Another feeling slid in right after the laughter. This one was quieter. Focused. Like someone sitting at a table with maps spread out, marking routes with slow, careful lines. Vex. Checking patrol schedules or something. For the first time in years I was not already reaching for my bag or planning the next town to disappear into. I just sat there, breathing through the strange new weight under my skin.

I swung my legs out of bed and pulled on a hoodie over my tank top. My bare feet hit the cold wooden floor, the chill biting up through my soles. The silver mark on my wrist glowed faintly in the dim light. I traced it with one finger. The glow pulsed once like it was answering back, stubborn as I was.

"Get it together, Sable," I muttered to myself. Talking out loud had kept me sane in too many empty motel rooms over the years. I made a quick cup of coffee on the small stove, the bitter smell grounding me a little, and stepped outside. The forest air was crisp and sharp with pine. Birds were just starting to wake up, their calls cutting through the quiet.

The walk to the lodge took ten minutes. By the time I got there the sun was peeking over the trees, turning everything gold. I slipped in through the side door like always and started my morning tasks. Wipe down tables. Set out fresh coffee. Refill the sugar bowls. Normal stuff. But today nothing felt normal.

People kept looking at me. Pack members having early breakfast. A few guests from out of town. No one said anything rude. They just... watched. The silence felt heavier than yelling would have. I dropped a spoon and it clattered loud against the floor. An older woman at the corner table gave me a small nod, but her eyes stayed careful, like she was measuring me for trouble.

I knew what they were doing. Waiting to see what Vex and Knox would do about last night. About me. My hands shook a little as I wiped the same spot on the counter three times. The bond hummed under my skin again. Knox's laughter had faded but left a restless energy that made my foot tap without me meaning to. Vex's focus felt like a steady hand on my shoulder. It kept me from bolting, even though every old habit screamed at me to run.

"Sable."

I jumped. Knox stood in the doorway, hair still damp. He wore a simple black shirt and jeans, but he looked like he had already been running for hours. His grin came quick when he saw me.

"Morning," he said. His voice stayed low so the few guests would not hear. "You felt that swim, huh?"

I nodded and suddenly found the floor very interesting, fingers tightening around the edge of the counter. "It woke me up. Nearly made me spill coffee all over the floor."

Vex appeared right behind him. He carried two travel mugs of coffee and handed one to me without asking. His fingers brushed mine. "We need to talk somewhere private," he said. "Come with us?"

I glanced at the clock. My shift had another hour, but the lodge owner waved me off like he already knew. Everyone seemed to know more than I did.

We left through the back and walked up a narrow trail behind the lodge. The path climbed steadily. Trees thinned out until we reached an old watchtower overlooking the lake. It looked worn but solid, the wood weathered by years of rain and wind. Wooden steps creaked under our feet as we climbed. At the top, the view opened up wide. Morning light sparkled on the water below, bright enough to make me squint.

"This was our spot when we were kids," Knox said, dropping onto a bench built into the wall. "We used to hide up here for hours. Vex would bring books about pack history," Vex finished, leaning against the railing. "And Knox would bring snacks and talk me into skipping lessons."

Knox laughed. "And you usually went along with it. Mother was never happy."

I sat across from Knox. The wood felt smooth from years of use. Someone had carved things into the railing over time. Initials. Dates. Little drawings of wolves that looked half-finished. It felt lived in. Real. I traced one with my finger and caught myself smiling. Then I looked away fast and crossed my arms tight over my chest, the familiar itch to leave creeping up my spine.

Knox pointed to a spot on the bench. "See that? That's where I tried to carve a wolf when I was nine. Looks more like a potato."

I let out a short laugh. It slipped out before I could hold it back. For a moment it felt good, light in a way I had not felt in years. I pressed my lips together and stared at the floor, fingers digging into my arms.

Vex shook his head. "He spent three days on it. Kept complaining his hands were too big for the knife."

They went back and forth, voices overlapping. Knox told the story about sneaking out to the lake at midnight. Vex jumped in to correct the part where Knox twisted his ankle, calling him an idiot with a half-smile. I listened, the tension in my body easing as their easy rhythm pulled me in despite myself. At one point I realized I had stopped scanning the stairs for the quickest escape route.

After a while I stood up and walked to the railing. My fingers traced the old carvings. So many initials. So many memories that were not mine. I noticed something odd first. A faint shape under layers of old varnish near Vex and Knox's initials. I rubbed at it with my thumb.

The silver mark on my wrist flared hot. I gasped. The shape grew clearer. An S. Deep and clean like it had always been there, but only visible now because the bond made me look closer. It flickered once, like the wood itself was not quite sure it wanted to be seen.

"What the..." Knox stood up fast.

Vex moved beside me. He ran his thumb over the carving. "It looks like it’s been waiting for you all this time."

We stared at the three letters together. VA. KA. S. Another flash came. Not theirs this time. A quick image of me standing in this same tower years ago, small and laughing with two boys whose faces I could not quite see. It flickered and faded before I could hold onto it.

None of us spoke for a long moment.

Then a voice came from behind us, soft but clear.

"You finally came back, little moon girl. Still got that same stubborn tilt to your chin when you're scared."

We spun around. An older man stood at the top of the stairs. Gray hair, simple clothes, face lined with age. He had a small scar across one eyebrow I had never seen before. I had never seen him at all. Vex and Knox looked just as confused.

"Who are you?" Vex asked, stepping slightly in front of me.