The Reawakening

Jenine's eyes fluttered open as the sun seeped through the curtains and onto her face. 

“What the hell happened to me?” she muttered as her eyes adjusted to the lighting in the room. 

It was a small cozy room with a simple design that had a soothing effect on the eyes; not too harsh, not too plain. 

A sweet scent hung about the room as the flowers arranged near the windows filled it with its gentle fragrance.

“Where am I?” she mumbled as she tried to sit up. Her teeth as the banging from her head filled up every space in her skull. Her neck ached badly as she swung her head around to have a good look at the room.

“Hello,” she called softly, slowly getting out of the bed, her eyes darting around the room. 

She put her feet down and made to stand but winced as the pain from her injury passed up from her feet and up to her body in one electrifying wave. 

“You shouldn't be on your feet just yet,” a soft, feminine voice spoke as the door creaked open. 

Jenine looked up to see a girl walking in through the door, a basket in her arms. She was about her age but carried herself with a grace that seemed almost ethereal. 

Her eyes were grey and sparklingly beautiful. They were darkened underneath with eye liners. The white coloured hair darkened at the edges complemented her features to give her the ultimate ‘Wednesday’ look. Her cheeks dipped into dimples as she smiled at Jenine. A reassuring smile.

“Are those my clothes?” Jenine's eyes squinted as the girl brought some clothes out of the basket and started folding them. It was then she noticed she was wearing a blue hospital gown. 

“Wait… for how long have I been passed out?”

“Three days now.”

“Fucking hell,” Jenine muttered her voice a very low whisper. 

Her memories came back in scattered pieces.

“Dew!” she gasped quietly. 

Dew was supposed to be with her. They had set out together and she could swear they had both stepped into the portal together. 

She looked up to see the girl staring at her quizzically, her eyebrows furrowed. She folded the last piece of clothing.

“Who's Dew?” 

“How do you know about Dew?” Jenine asked, her brows raised with suspicion.

“You must not be from around here,” the girl replied, dropping the basket on the floor. Her grey eyes peered at Jenine through thick long lashes. 

“Werewolves have a very strong sense of hearing.” 

She noticed Jenine shift uncomfortably. 

“And smell. I can scent the sweat on your palm and face. There's really no need to be suspicious of me. I literally saved your life.” 

Her eyes surveyed Jenine again. 

“I'm Laura by the way.”

“Jen… Jenine.”

“And for Goddess sake, Jenine, calm yourself. Your heart's gonna burst out of your chest if you keep going like that. I mean I don't bite. Mostly,” she rolled her eyes. 

“Oh…” Jenine shuddered as her mind went back to the night she had first arrived at Lupestone. 

Her face creased as the sweat beads formed on her forehead.

“Yo I'm just kidding,” Laura chirped as her mouth parted, a little laugh escaping her lips. 

She walked to the edge of the bed where Jenine had huddled herself.

“Mind telling me how you got here?” The bed creaked gently as she sat. “And why doesn't your wolf heal you?”

“It's kind of a long story. A very long one.” Jenine took a long look at her face.

“Well luckily for the both of us, I got all the time in the world,” Laura cooed, her eyes fixed on Jenine's face. 

She noticed for the umpteenth time the thin, rose coloured lips that sat gracefully on her mouth and the sprinkle of freckles underneath her deep brown eyes. She had first noticed them when Noah had brought her in that night, passed out and her leg battered. 

“Go on.”

“Well… I…” Jenine stammered as she wrung her fingers together. She took a deep breath. 

“Dew and I crossed here through a portal she opened but now I can't find her.”

“Crossed over? Portal?” Laura's eyes widened. “I mean I've heard a lot of crazy stuff but time and space travel is really… just wow.”

“And werewolves are not… wow?” Jenine's lips pursed.

“Well depending on how you put it,” Laura replied, her hands folded over her chest, a faraway look in her eyes. 

“So you set out with someone…” her eyes caught Jenine's, “...Dew… and somehow only you made it through the portal?”

Jenine nodded.

“I'd say someone shut her out.”

“What?!” Jenine's voice rose as her face turned pale. 

“I've heard of transit blocking spells that stop people from crossing through portals. The work of powerful sorcerers. I just didn't think they were real. You must be a special one if a sorcerer went through all the stress to stop your partner from crossing over with you.”

“Who would know I was coming here? I mean I've never been here before my whole life. I didn't even know this place existed until four days ago. Why would a sorcerer be after me?!”

“I feel you're not telling me everything, Jenine,” Laura replied in a low steady voice, staring into her eyes, her face expressionless.

“I… I am.”

“Then why did your heart skip a beat when I asked? Goddess, I don't even need to listen to your heartbeat to know when you lie. You're literally jumpy and stuttering every sentence you make.” 

The room was perfectly quiet as only the breathing of the two girls could be heard. 

Laura sighed deeply. 

“Look…” she placed a hand on Jenine's, “I can't help you if you don't tell me everything. You can tell I mean well. Listen to my heartbeat…”

“That's the thing. I can't!” Jenine cut her off, her voice shaky with nervousness. 

“I don't… I… I can't listen to your heartbeat. I don't have a… a wolf or… or heal or do ANYTHING you wolves do,” her voice rose. 

“I'm… I'm completely useless. Dew said my mum was Luna here before she left and came to Texas and she was all strong and mighty and powerful and… and all of that. Everything I'm not,” she paused to catch her breath, her chest heaving. “I guess the gene didn't get passed down to me,” she shrugged, her voice a low whisper.

Laura's face gave off no emotions as her eyes stared blankly at Jenine. “Her name?”

“What?”

“Your mum. What was her name?”

“Becca,” Jenine's lower lip quivered.

“I'm not good with history but I don't think we've had any Luna with that name. Ever. What pack?” Laura's nose twitched as Jenine started to speak.

“The mighty foot… uhmm… I can't really remember. The full moon pack or…”

“The Nightmoon pack?” Laura chipped in cutting off her desperate attempts at remembering.

“Yeah, yeah, that. That's the one. It was definitely the Nightmoon pack,” Jenine replied snapping her fingers relieved Laura had come to her rescue.

“Well the Nightmoon pack has never had a ‘Becca’ for a Luna. The last Luna was Cora but she disappeared many years ago so… Wait…” Laura sat up. “Who was the Alpha mated to your mother?”

“Dew didn't mention?” Jenine shrugged, her arms extending to her sides.

“Good goddess,” Laura heaved, slapping her palm across her face gently. “This is going to be harder than I thought. By the way, your leg… how did it end up in such a sorry state?”

Jenine narrated how the wolf had attacked her and how she had been saved all her.

“He looked like something out of a romance novel with his dark hair and broad chest and biceps and strong jawline and… and…” her mouth twisted as she pressed her lips together.

“Woah, easy there girl. The blush on your cheeks could paint an entire room,” Laura winked as the corners of her mouth curled up into a smile.

A flustered Jenine bit her lips to keep the smile from escaping her lips but she failed woefully as the corners of her mouth quivered revealing her flawless dentition.

“You should smile more,” Laura complimented her. “It's a good look on you,” she said, getting up on her feet. “I'll get you something to eat and then show you around. Sounds good?”

Jenine nodded as Laura started walking away. 

The smile waned from her lips as the door creaked shut. 

“I wonder what happened to Dew.”