Rise of the Luna (completed)

4-Conflicted

- Leyton’s POV -

The day finally came to an end. I returned to the pack house and decided to go to Kayla’s room but she was nowhere to be found. Perhaps she was still outside with the rest of the younger wolves, enjoying the music and the warm summer night. The older pack members have mostly left after the feast celebrating the rebirth of the dead into the spiritual world.

Anger rose in me as I thought of how Kayla is having fun outside right now. How could she? This is a day of celebration but it’s also a day to remember those who have left us and doesn’t she remember that not only has Mum left us, but her birth parents have also left her? Has she forgotten everything so quickly?

As these thoughts bombarded my head, I couldn’t resist the urge to find Kayla and confront her. I went back to the yard where the feast was held but couldn’t find her. Concentrating on the memory of her scent, I followed a faint scent to the pack house’s garage. That’s when I heard it, Kayla was whimpering as other kids were taunting her for being a curse to those around her. In that moment, I forgot all the angry thoughts and ran towards the whimpering sounds.

“Leave her alone, all of you! Now!” I screamed at the kids and went over to Kayla, curled up in a corner. As I stretched my arms out to hug her, she flinched and hugged her torso, shaking her head and whimpering louder. Confused, I said as gently as I could, “Kayla, it’s ok, it’s me, it’s Leyton. No one is going to hurt you now.”

Slowly, she lifted her head to look at me, her cries subsiding. Fear, sadness turned into confusion and disbelief in her eyes. Realizing that she might not recognize me anymore stirred up more emotions in me. Unable to stop myself but still feeling conflicted, I hugged her and nuzzled her nose like when we were kids, trying my best to soothe her. I saw her winced as if she were in pain and then gradually calming down and hugging me back. For the first time in ten years, I did not feel like I was alone in this world.

- Kayla’s POV -

The taunting wouldn’t stop. They never did regardless of how many times I tried to ignore them or run away. But suddenly, the bad voices were gone and someone was trying to touch me. I flinched, afraid that they were going to hurt me again.

Then I heard that gentle voice. It was so strange but also familiar and oddly comforting. The voice said no one would hurt me. I looked at the owner of the voice, afraid this was a trap but something about the owner was so familiar. And then it dawned on me, it’s Leyton! It has to be! He sounds different and looks different, much taller and his voice deeper but it has to be him!

I allowed him to hug me and as the warmth engulfed me, I felt my fears fade away for the first time in ten years. I hugged him back, trying my very best to hang on to my last hope of not being alone and cursed.