Chapter 13 — The Wolf That Knew My Name
1047 Words
The forest had never felt this quiet.
Hailey stood beneath the silver light of the moon, staring at the place where the strange shadow had disappeared.
Her heart was pounding.
Not because she was afraid.
At least, that was what she kept telling herself.
Something had called her name.
Not with a human voice.
Not even with a voice she could hear with her ears.
It had spoken directly inside her mind.
Hailey.
She wrapped her arms around herself.
“Did you hear that?” Luna whispered.
Hailey turned.
Luna was standing several feet away, her face pale.
“You heard it too?”
Luna nodded slowly.
Kael stepped between them and the darkness.
“Both of you, stay behind me.”
Hailey frowned.
“You don’t even know what’s out there.”
“I know enough.”
Kael’s voice was unusually serious.
Luna looked at him.
“Kael, what was that?”
He didn’t answer.
“Kael.”
“I said we need to leave.”
Hailey stared at him.
“No.”
Kael turned.
“What?”
“I’m not leaving.”
His eyes narrowed.
“Hailey, whatever you think you heard—”
“It knew my name.”
The words silenced him.
Luna’s expression changed.
Kael stared at Hailey for several seconds.
Then he asked quietly, “Exactly what did it say?”
Hailey swallowed.
“It said my name.”
“Anything else?”
“No.”
Kael looked toward the trees.
Something about his reaction made Hailey suspicious.
“You know something.”
“I don’t.”
“Don’t lie to me.”
Kael stepped closer.
“Hailey, this isn’t something you need to involve yourself in.”
Her anger immediately rose.
“It’s my life!”
“And that’s exactly why I’m telling you to stay away from it.”
“You don’t get to decide what happens to me.”
Kael’s jaw tightened.
Luna stepped between them.
“Both of you, stop.”
Hailey looked away.
She hated how everyone treated her like she was fragile.
For sixteen years, she had been the girl without a wolf.
The disappointment.
The strange one.
The girl whose mismatched eyes made people whisper.
Now something was finally happening to her, and everyone wanted to hide it.
“I’m going back,” Hailey said.
Kael grabbed her wrist.
“No.”
She immediately pulled away.
“Don’t touch me.”
His expression softened.
“Hailey—”
“I’m tired of everyone keeping secrets from me.”
Luna looked down.
Hailey noticed.
“You too?”
Luna’s eyes lifted.
“What?”
“You know something.”
Luna hesitated.
That hesitation hurt more than any answer could have.
Hailey stepped backward.
“Everyone knows something except me.”
“Hailey, that’s not fair,” Luna said.
“Then tell me the truth.”
Luna looked at Kael.
He shook his head.
Hailey’s heart sank.
“You’re both doing it again.”
She turned and ran.
“Hailey!”
She ignored them.
Branches scratched her arms as she pushed through the forest.
She didn’t know where she was going.
She only knew she needed to get away.
Away from Kael.
Away from Luna.
Away from the pack.
Then she heard it again.
Hailey.
She stopped.
Her breath caught.
The voice sounded closer.
She slowly turned.
Nothing.
Only trees.
Only darkness.
Then something moved behind her.
Hailey spun around.
A wolf stood between the trees.
It was enormous.
Its fur was almost completely black, but silver streaks ran along its back like moonlight.
Hailey froze.
The wolf didn’t attack.
It simply stared at her.
Something about its eyes felt familiar.
Then it stepped forward.
Hailey stepped backward.
“Stay away.”
The wolf stopped.
Its head tilted.
Hailey’s breathing became uneven.
“Who are you?”
The wolf’s eyes glowed.
And suddenly pain exploded inside her chest.
Hailey screamed.
She fell to her knees.
Images flooded her mind.
A woman running through the forest.
A baby crying.
A full moon.
Blood.
Fire.
A wolf standing over a small child.
And then—
A voice.
She must never awaken.
Hailey gasped.
The vision disappeared.
She collapsed against the ground.
The wolf was gone.
“Hailey!”
Kael’s voice.
Footsteps approached.
Luna dropped beside her.
“Are you okay?”
Hailey stared at them.
Her hands were shaking.
“I saw something.”
Kael’s face changed.
“What did you see?”
She looked directly at him.
“A woman.”
Kael went completely still.
Hailey noticed.
“Who was she?”
He didn’t answer.
“Kael.”
“Hailey, we need to get you home.”
“No!”
She pushed herself upright.
“You know who she is.”
His silence confirmed everything.
Luna’s eyes filled with tears.
Hailey looked between them.
“Tell me.”
Kael crouched in front of her.
“There are things about your past that your family never told you.”
“Why?”
“Because they were trying to protect you.”
“From what?”
Kael hesitated.
“From the truth.”
Hailey laughed bitterly.
“Everyone keeps saying that.”
She stood.
“I’m done being protected.”
Kael looked at her.
“You don’t understand what you’re asking for.”
“Then help me understand.”
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Finally, Kael whispered, “The wolf you saw wasn’t hunting you.”
Hailey frowned.
“Then what was it doing?”
“It was watching you.”
“Why?”
Kael’s eyes darkened.
“Because it knows what you are.”
Hailey’s heart stopped.
“What I am?”
Luna grabbed her hand.
“Hailey…”
She pulled away.
“No. I want the truth.”
Kael stood.
“Your wolf isn’t missing.”
Hailey stared at him.
“What?”
“She’s been there all along.”
Her mouth went dry.
“Then why haven’t I shifted?”
Kael’s voice dropped.
“Because she isn’t sleeping.”
Hailey’s heart began racing.
“Then what is she doing?”
Kael looked directly into her mismatched eyes.
“She’s waiting.”
“For what?”
A distant howl echoed through the forest.
Kael’s expression became grim.
“For you to remember who you really are.”
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD