Legend of the Shadow Wolf

Chapter Eighteen

Layla

I don't know how long I was lost in the darkness, seemed like an eternity. Shackled to an invisible wall, the sting from the silver cuffs was enough to keep my consciousness grounded and I knew I was locked in the dungeon. Kali was nowhere to be seen, cut off from me due to the silver. My mind was so fuzzy, I couldn't make out what was what. Flashes of wolves, trees buzzing by me as I leaped from branch to branch in a swift, fluid motion. Howls rang through my ears, piercing through me.

Nothing made sense. I don't remember leaving my room, I don't know how I ended up down here. Something wasn't right. I couldn't move, my body felt so heavy as It felt if I had been drugged. I could faintly hear the slight echo of voices whirling around my mind, but I could not open my eyes. No Hushed, muffled voices; some calm, some more tense, one stern and slightly cold it sent a chill down my spine.

Then all of a sudden, my body felt weightless, and my arms fell in front of me like deadweight. I felt the sharp sting of what could only be silver shackles fastening to my wrists, keeping the connection to Kali blocked so that I could not shift. I try to open my eyes and look around, though they still felt heavy. Blurred figures come into view but the sedation I was given before made it nearly impossible for my vision to focus. All the voices I vaguely heard before all stopped suddenly. One of the blurred figures stepped closer to me, trying to talk to me but his voice sounds blocked as if my head were underwater.

"Layla, can you hear me...."

Another blurred shape approaches.

"Layla, can you understand m...."

My head falls back, heavy from the sedation, as the darkness returns; I return to the dark abyss I once was in. Sticky black tendrils wrapped around my body once again. I try to fight them away, but each time they return stronger. Maybe I should stop fighting it, perhaps the strange shadow wolf was right. Maybe this was my destiny, and the only way out is to accept it.

Do not give in child, this is not your fate.

A soft whisper encircles me sweetly. The feeling of soft rain and crisp fall wind fills me, along with a strength I did not have before. I lurch one hand out and rip at the tendrils that latch to my body; breaking each one until I am free at last. I kick my legs as I push my arms up and out, attempting to swim out of the black abyss.

You think it's that easy child? You cannot escape me; you forget that I have taken over once before. I will do it again...

The voice of the mysterious wolf rings loud in my head as the tendrils slink towards me, inching their way to me. My feet hit something solid somehow and I use all my strength to push up as hard as I can, shooting up until I am back to my conscious state. My eyes shoot open, and I lurch forward, startling whoever was standing in front of me. I looked up slowly, my eyesight now laser focused on the four people standing around the cell I was in. There was a doctor I do not recognize, Alpha Ransley with a shocked look on his face, a man dressed in royal armor that I do not know, and then finally, my mate. He is the only one that does not only have a look of shock, but his eyes are hard, cold and curious. I do not know why they are all looking at me like this, what did I do? I try to speak but what comes out is a low growl. "Layla? Is that you?" Alpha Ransley asked, his voice laced with concern and a tinge of fear. "That's not Layla, not as of right now." The man in the armor responded, quietly.

I told you, child, this is your destiny. Since you want to continue to fight me, you get to see and feel everything that will happen until you submit. I am curious to find out how long it will take to break you, pet.

I gasped, understanding now. The realization hit; I did not make it out completely, one of the tendrils latched onto my foot as I broke through the wall. No... no, no, no this cannot be happening. I thought to myself, horrified. They will get hurt because of me. I need to take back control. I need to warn them somehow! I am now a prisoner in my own head as the intruder has a hold of my body. What am I going to do?

You need to fight, my child. Fight with all that you are.

That soft voice echoed through my head, once more. I closed my eyes and tried to gather all the strength from deep inside, feeling it build as if I was about to burst. I let The out a painful cry as I rip the intruder's presence away, regaining control for the moment. With the strength I mustered up, I break the silver shackles attached to my wrists and burst thru those standing in front of me, knocking them all out of the way.

"Layla?!" Alpha exclaimed as he fell to the ground along with the doctor. My mate flung against the bars of the other cell behind him as the other man flew right into the back wall of the cell. I turn and look at Alpha with sorrow filled eyes. "I'm sorry, Alpha. It's not safe, I am not safe... Please don't look for me. I can't control it..." Pain rips through me as I struggle to keep hold. Alpha gets up and starts to walk towards me. "No! You have to stay back! I don't know how long I will have control; you have to stay away from me. Please..." I begged as he stopped in his tracks; his eyes filled with sorrow as he shook his head, "we can help you. Please, let us help, Lay. I can't lose you." I felt a tear escape my eyes and slide down my cheeks as I looked to my mate, his eyes hard on mine as he regained his composure. Emotions I cannot place swirled in those perfectly blue eyes, as well as the noticeable shift in color as he is struggling to fight off his wolf. "It is better for all of you to forget about me; safer to let me go. I don't have much time..." I was cut off by another rippling pain as I am brought to my knees, my hands shoot to my head. "I have to go; I'm not going to last. Do not follow me, tell Damien not to look for me. Please, forget me or kill me." I said once more as I bolted to the door and ripped it off its hinges, running as fast I could to the trees.

I run deeper and deeper until my legs give out, the pain becoming more and more overwhelming as everything starts to become dark, but also, I am welcomed by a new pain. I succumb to the darkness once again, the pain fades as I delve deep within myself. Did I lose control? Or did my mate decide to kill me after all? Questions swirl around me until nothing exists, only darkness.