I have been here before, but only ever in my dreams.
My feet are being urged on though I have no idea where I am going, as if drawn to a particular place.
I have not felt this way many times before, but when I do, there's nothing to be done but follow.
Normally I just like to wander here on my own accord, the dark forest at night that holds so many wonders and mysteries. Each tree holds a secret story, each leaf whispers my name as I brush past. The twigs snap underfoot in harmony to the chirps of the night creatures.
But now it is different. Now, not only do the trees embrace me, but even the subtle breeze is calling to my heart, urging me on and further in still.
The wind speaks to me like a good friend. He is whispering through the leaves, stirring the trees with its gossip of far away lands and heroic adventures. I watch it dance around the shafts of moonlight, dappling the forest floor with an ever changing pattern of swirls and designs.
There is a compulsion I can't ignore as I follow a different path to other nights. But I've seen it in my dream. These trees, this silvery moonlight, the chirps of cicadas and rustlings of field mice—it is all familiar.
My heart quickens as I wonder what is going to happen. Because even in my dream, though I've been here, I never seem to know what happens next. It becomes blurry and hazy, as a cold blanket washes over me.
So I keep going, brushing my fingers over the ferns and through the soft bookleaf pines, hoping for the best. My wolf is sensing it too, her ears tingling with excitement.
As the gentle breeze shifts it carries a sound that makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck.
I hear a snarl, a deep growl that bounces off the trees and echoes in my ears. It sets my heart racing, and my feet running away from its source. I don't turn around to see it, knowing it is following, stalking amongst the trees, watching me. I feel tears prick my eyes. I should never have come here. I shouldn't have risen from my warm bed and followed the sense to explore. It was stupid of me, and now my life will pay for it.
But was I really that foolish? Haven't I always been led by this sixth sense, this whispering that shows me new layers of the world that no one else sees? I have never been wrong of my impressions before.
So why is tonight different?
The wolf behind me suddenly emerges from the trees in front of me, and I scream in shock. His black eyes are glistening, his hackles raised in a threat. He is not a very savage looking beast, though I get the impression he wants to be.
Still, I am frightened by him. I have never been a very brave girl, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. Ever since I watched my parents get slaughtered by rogues, I have run from all conflict. I choose to be safe at all times, and hide from danger. I usually never wander far from home, yet something about tonight felt safe.
But right now, this wolf doesn't want me here, that much is perfectly clear. Did I cross my territory border and am now trespassing? I didn't notice, but this wolf knows. He's telling me with bared teeth and razor sharp claws.
Without a moment to think, I dive off the path and scramble through the bushes, jumping over fallen logs and weaving between trees. I don't want to shift, as that will make me more traceable. Every smart wolf knows it is more sensible to hide this way. Every sensible wolf is also in bed at this ungodly hour.
Everything about this night is ungodly, and I whisper prayers for forgiveness as I run and stumble. Sharp tree branches scratch at my hair and clothes, and my arms try pushing them back as silent tears leak from my eyes. With each ragged breath, I'm promising I will never sneak out again if only I would be spared now.
My saviour greets me up ahead.
Or rather, I greet the weightless air as I fall headlong over a cliff, the water of a river rushing up to meet me. With a scream strangled from my throat, I plummet down fast and squeeze my eyes shut against certain death. Then I am engulfed by the frigid waters, and everything goes black.
So this is the cold blanket I have woken up to.
______
The slate grey wolf heard the scream, followed by a splash, and winced only slightly at the evident death he'd just caused. He wasn't sorry. The little shewolf had been walking on ground that was prohibited to her, so he'd done as every warrior should do. What every Beta of a pack would do.
Protecting his borders was a job he took very seriously, even against a wolf that seemed rather innocent.
As he padded his way up the slope and towards the centre of his territory, he met up with his Alpha who stood on the rise near their northern border.
"Did you deal with it?"
After shifting back to his human form, the Beta nodded his head and matched his Alpha's stance; feet spread apart, arms crossed firmly over his chest, and eyebrow raised. "It was a girl."
"Out here? At this time of night?" the Alpha dropped his arms and frowned. "What was she doing?"
"Just walking, but heading towards our pack home grounds."
The Alpha growled. "You know how much I hate border crossers. They are a sign of weakness in our ranks, of leniency in the command."
"I'm sure she is dead, and it won't happen again," the Beta hurried to explain.
"Even so, she must have had a very important reason to be crossing at this time of night." The moonlight accentuated the Alpha's cold blue eyes, and his hair as black as midnight shadows shone with an almost navy hue. As his eyes scanned the forest below, they took on a deadly gleam. "If she survived, and you see her again, don't kill her, alright Beta Hamilton?"
"Sure, Alpha Malachi. But why?"
The Alpha clenched his fists, "I want you to bring her to me. I have a strange feeling about this wolf."
"In what way?"
An almost sinister expression crossed the young Alpha's face as he replied, "I want to question her about the recent killings on our territory."
"Do you want to tell me about last night?" Ariella shook her head, then winced from the pain that still wrapped around her body. She'd taken a pretty nasty fall into the river, and if her dad hadn't been there to rescue her, she'd surely be dead.The vestiges of the cold memory still wrapped around her in icy fingers, clutching and dragging her down to their dark depths, but if she stared out the window at the golden sunlight and vivid green tree, she could keep the fear at bay."I know your father was angry with you earlier, Ari, but he has good reason to be. You can't keep sneaking out like that."Having expected this lecture, Ariella sighed and squeezed her eyes shut. They would never understand why she'd been so foolish. But then, did she really? With her face buried in her pillow, Ariella still heard every word her mom was saying from where she sat on the edge of her bed. She felt her hands gently stroking her hair, and it calmed her."If Charles hadn't heard the back door open
"I know you're awake, Beautiful." "No you don't." The voice came out muffled from under a pillow. "Because I'm not." "I think you are."The Alpha felt a kiss on her shoulder, before warm lips moved to her neck. Groaning, Chesca tried batting his face away. "Five more minutes." But her mate was persistent, and wouldn't be deterred. "Do you know what time it is?" Kaiden asked while tugging the pillow from her grip."Yep. It's time for Baby to begin his morning kicking routine," she replied while finally opening her bleary eyes, looking at her mate with envy. How come he always managed to look so good in the morning, while she stumbled from bed more often than not looking like a zombie? And everyone said she'd glow during pregnancy."Really? Let me feel it," Kaiden exclaimed, much too excitedly, and placed his hands gently on Chesca's stomach. His warm touch never ceased to send tingles across her skin, and as Chesca watched the awed expression on his face, she thanked God once
"Lexi!""Chesca! How are you, Sis?" The women embraced and began talking a thousand words a minute while Ariella trailed in behind."Hey, Aunt Ches. Where's Isaiah?" The teenager instantly looked for the baby, and Chesca loved how good she was with children. Emerald ran up to give her a hug, and even little Isaiah reached up his arms for her.They settled down in the living room, and Lexi began asking questions about the pregnancy and carefully feeling her abdomen. Ever since losing her own baby, Lexi had made it her mission to ensure no other shewolf went through the same thing she had. Even though they had a couple pack doctors, Lexi developed the special touch and empathy of a midwife that calmed the expectant mothers. Chesca especially enjoyed having her friend alongside her for each step of her pregnancies. Lexi had never grown bitter or despondent in grief over her loss, but had somehow healed with the help of her mate and adopted daughter Ariella.It wasn't long before it was l
"Luci! What are you doing?" I scramble off my bed and hurry to the window, grabbing onto my friend's leg as she clambers through. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!"She falls to the carpet with a soft thud. "I'm a psycho killer here to kidnap you, what do you think?" She raises a black eyebrow."Not funny," I glare at her."Sure it's not," she gets up and flops into my bed."What did I miss?" A softer voice comes from the window. I roll my eyes. Of course Gabby is here too. Wherever Luci goes, Gabby follows, especially if it's to come visit me.At midnight.But I don't mind. Honestly, I could do with the company.Gabriella and Lucia are like my triplets from another life. We met in middle school, and I'll never forget the boring school dance for which we had to dress up in costumes. I spent weeks making my princess dress, but Gabby looked infinitely more elegant and graceful in an angelic gown complete with wings, her golden hair and fair skin suiting the outfit perfectly. Luci went
Ariella was grounded for a month.She didn't feel upset or resentful towards her parents for the decision, because she knew she deserved it. Understanding it was for the best, Ariella put the extra time at home to use. She poured more energy into practicing her violin, planting an entire new section of herbs in the vegetable garden, helping her dad build a new fence for the chicken pen, and of course drawing and writing in her diaries.Sitting on the swing that hung from the large and spreading oak tree in their backyard was one of her favourite ways to spend the afternoon, the last rays of sunlight splashing on the leaves above her before creeping up the trunk and disappearing as the sun fell below the horizon.As she lazily pushed back and forth, daydreaming about everything and nothing in particular, her imagination would envision a handsome wolf coming to claim her as mate. His eyes a blue colour and inky hair to match the starry night sky, he'd sweep her off her feet and carry he
I can't explain why, but I run.I turn and run like a pathetically frightened girl who can't stand up under the gaze of such an intimidating wolf. For he as he watched me, I felt the power radiate from him and it nearly made my lungs burst for breath. His scent of toasted chestnuts was captivating, but I am cowardly and weak. I never expected this time to be any different, but perhaps I had hoped it would be. Perhaps his scent spoke to me in different ways than the icy fear that wrapped around me last time. I am unsure whether I should've felt safe with him, or scared in the way I fear dark shadows.It is too late now to find out, as I reach my home and find my mom making lunch in the kitchen. She looks at me as I stumble inside, and immediately orders me to sit down and drink a glass of water. Maybe she can see me the way I feel, with blood drained from my face and my lips barely sucking in enough air to sustain me."Honey, are you okay?" she asks while brushing my hair out of my eye
"I made your favourite muffins, Ari. Choc chip," Lexi said with a smile as she pushed the plate toward Ariella, a silent look of concern and pleading in her bright eyes."Thank you." Making no move to take one, Ariella just kept staring out the window, her chin in her palm as she spent the third morning in a row not eating breakfast. How could she feel like food when her stomach was in a knot and her heart was filled with emptiness?With a heavy sigh Ariella got up and left the kitchen, unaware of Lexi's frown lovingly trained on her as she pushed out the front door.Sitting in the swing under the oak tree, Ariella tried to think positively but it was impossible to forget the feeling of her mate.Of his hands on her shoulders, pushing her away.He had pushed her away into the cold stream with an even colder expression in those icy blue eyes of his, where before he had stood so closely. She had felt his warm breath on her face, had seen the light dusting of freckles across his nose and
Looking out the window, Ariella was surprised to find him climbing the tree."No, wait. I'm coming down," she whispered as she scrambled over the ledge and onto the branches. They dropped to the ground at the same time."My parents..." Ariella began and Mal nodded in understanding, his dark fringe falling over his brow and concealing his eyes.Without saying a word, he held out his hand for Ariella to take, and she hesitated a moment.Did she really want this? Did she really want to take this risk of going with her mate whom she knew nothing about? Remembering that she was giving him a chance to apologise, and wanting to know more about him, she slipped her fingers in his.The sparks that jumped between their skin made her smile and a warmth filled her heart. As she followed him down the forest trail, not knowing where he was taking her, she couldn't seem to shake the conflict inside. It felt so wrong to be sneaking about with him. He was dark and dangerous, he'd shown her that much a