Legend of the Shadow Wolf

Chapter Eight

Layla

Blackness, that’s all there is. A never ending black abyss surrounds me as I’m floating unmoving. Tendrils of black smoke slither around, lapping at my skin and wrapping around my body softly, almost caressing me. I wanted to feel frightened but I felt safe and calm for some strange reason, as if I knew the wisps of smoke weren’t going to hurt me. The wisps then started to take the form of some sort of shadow, forming together until it looked like a giant wolf with glowing red eyes.

I gasped and stared at it with a sense of familiarity, like I know this wolf somehow but don’t at the same time.

That is because your soul recognizes me the shadow like wolf said, apparently reading my mind.

“Who are you? What does that mean?” I asked feeling confused and curious at the same time.

All of your questions will have answers soon, little one It replies back as it starts to turn around.

“Wait! Why can’t you tell me? Where am I?” I plead, feeling even more confused.

This is a journey you must embark on your own, little one. Others have been where you are but head the warnings. There are two paths which one of them you will take. It is up to you to decide which path you will go down for whatever you choose, there is no turning back It said cryptically, disappearing into the darkness leaving me alone.

All of sudden, there is a bright light above me or at least I think it’s above me. I flail around a bit, trying to figure out how to push myself towards the light as the darkness around me feels sticky and thick as if it’s trying to hold me here. I push through the black restraints and with all the strength I have, I throw myself as hard as I can until I reach the light. It looks like some sort of hole, I put my hands through and start to hoist myself up until something latches on to my leg, dragging me back down. I scream and grunt as I kick my foot and push harder than I ever have before, lift myself through the hole and fall to the floor and watch as the hole disappears with a sizzle.

I slowly stand up and try to get my balance but before I could, I’m instantly thrown forward until my eyes fling open and I panic. I breathe frantically as I look around at my surroundings, confused about where I am and what’s going on. A man bursts through the door with a worried look on his face as he rushes towards me, hands outreached. I back up on the bed, terrified about what’s happening and disoriented about what’s going on. Who is this man? Where am I? Who am I?

“Easy, easy Layla. You’re ok, everything is going to be ok. My name is Doctor Ivan, so you know where you are?” He says to me calmly. I shake my head no, looking around then back at the doctor, confused. “You’re at the hospital at the Blood Moon Pack. Do you know who you are?” He explains and asks again softly, scribbling something down on a pad of paper he is holding. I stop and think for a moment, racking my brain for anything that I might remember. Frustrated with tears forming in my eyes, I shake my head slowly. “Ok, that’s ok it might just take a little bit of time before your memory comes back. Can you feel your wolf at all?” He said reassuringly, not taking his eyes off of me.

My wolf? As I thought about it, I feel something stir in the back of my mind and it’s familiar. “I-I think s-so.” I stammered softly, my voice sounding strange to my ears. “Ok, that’s good. She might be suppressed due to what happened and is asleep for now. She will wake up when she is ready, don’t fret.” He said, giving me a reassuring smile. “Now I will be right back, I’m sure you’re hungry and thirsty after be out for almost two days. Just try to relax and I will return shortly.” I nod, sitting back against the back of the bed as he leaves the room.

I sit there, trying to remember what happened and reach out to my wolf, I can’t remember her name for some reason. What was my name? The doctor called me Layla, is that my name? I mulled over it as my door suddenly burst open, startling me as I jumped from the bed and moved to the closest corner. A man and the doctor came in, stopping once they saw I wasn’t in the bed anymore. The man, who looked about a little over 6’ with sapphire blue eyes and tousled black hair with hints of silver streaks in it. He was handsome and had a muscular build but not too muscular to look jacked but he had to be strong.

He looked at me with worry in his eyes and it shot a pant of pain into my heart. He took one step towards me with an outreached hand and I backed as close to the wall as I could, scared of what he intended on doing. “It’s ok, I’m not going to hurt you,” he says softly, stopping in his tracks. “Do you remember who I am?” I slowly inch away from the wall and take a couple slow steps forward, looking into his eyes for any kind of recognition. It takes a few minutes before I get a flash of, I believe, memory in my mind that causes me to put my hands on my head.

He rushes towards me and puts his hand on my back softly. “Layla! Are you ok? What’s going on?” He asks frantically, looking up at the doctor. Doctor Ivan walks over to us and looks at me with worry filled eyes. “Layla, what hurts? Can you sit on the bed?” He asked me and I slowly nodded my head yes, worked my way towards the bed and sat down. “Take deep breaths and tell me what happened.” The doctor said softly. I did what he said and looked at the other man standing next to me. “I saw you, I remember you… Damien.” I said slowly, looking up to meet his eyes. “You remember, thank goddess! Do you remember who you are? Or anything else?” He asked excitedly, smiling at me. “Slow your roll, young alpha. One question at a time. Keep in mind that your memory will slowly come back so don’t force it if you can’t remember ok?” The doctor instructed before starting to check my vitals after I calmed down.

“I remember my name, I remember you and I remember my wolf. It hurt like hell when the memory popped into my head.” I said, recalling the flashback. “That’s great, hopefully the rest of your memories won’t come back like a smack to the brain, “ Damien said chuckling a little, earning a smile from me. “Do you remember anything from a couple nights ago?” I looked at him confused. I started to remember my birthday. I remembered the party, my friends, my adopted parents, I remember going out for a run with Damien but when I try to remember more I hit an invisible boundary that causes my head to scream in pain.

I lurch forward, clutching my head and screaming into my lap while Damien holds me close. He’s saying something but I can’t hear him, can’t understand anything except the loud ringing in my ears. My body suddenly jerked back as my body was thrown into a frenzy and pain racked my body from my head to my toes. I tried to bite back the scream that was pushing forward out of my mouth but it became too intense. I screamed everything out as the images of my past and present flipped through my mind like an old movie film on fast forward time 10. Finally it stopped, the pain subsided and I laid limply on the bed, eyes closed and my breathing rapid and shallow.

“What the hell was that?” Damien asked the doctor frantically, worried and confused at what just happened. “If I am correct, she pushed too much and broke the mental barrier that was holding her memories in and they all came out all together, thus throwing her mind and body into overload.” Doctor Ivan explain, worry evident in his voice. “Will she be ok?” Damien asked softly, another pant of pain hit my heart at the sound of worry in his voice. “She should be fine, she just needs to rest now. You may stay with her if you’d like but let her sleep. Call me if anything changes.” The doctor said before leaving Damien and I alone.

“It’s going to be ok Lay, rest now and I will be here when you wake up.” Damien said, planting a soft kiss on my forehead before going to the couch in the corner, laying down. My breathing started to slow down and I succumbed to the darkness once again. In my unconscious mind, I’m in a dark room, looking around confused. There were no doors, windows, no furnishings or anything, just a giant room with a couple oil lamps on the walls for light. I have a sudden feeling that I’m being watched and I know I’m not alone.

Out of the shadows, walks a massive black wolf with Amber eyes with hints of red and gold flakes in them. They are familiar, I know those eyes. My souls feels the recognition and familiarity as I open my mouth to speak, reaching my hand out slowly. “Kali?” I asked softly, the wolf makes no move towards me and just growls softly. “Kali it’s me, it’s Layla.” I said to her, hoping it will trigger her memory. I slowly inch closer to her, my eyes never leaving hers. Kali growls a little louder and lowers her body a little, getting into a defensive stance waiting to pounce. “You know me, Kali. Your soul knows me, for we are one. Remember?” I try to coax her into standing down, stopped when I’m a few inches away from her.

I slowly close the gap, putting my hand on her head and feel her start to relax. She stops growling and a sudden flash of light erupts from my hand and the part of her head where I am touching. Everything gets bright and the room suddenly disappears and we are now standing in the forest.

Layla? Kali asks softly.

Kali! Yes it’s me, you remember me! I replied back happily, putting my forehead to hers.

Something happened Lay, I don’t know what it was but we are changed, I can feel it. Can you feel the power change? She asks softly, confused but confident at the same time.

Yes, I can feel it. I have a lot to explain to you while you were dormant I said to her and start to explain what happened after I passed out and what the wolf I saw said to me.

Paths? Could it be anymore cryptic? Couldn’t give us a better clue as to what is going on? Kali huffed, just as confused about all of this as I am.

Ya it doesn’t make any sense to me either but I know, no matter what, we will find out and we will figure it out together I said strongly and confidently.