Willow Finds Her Mate

chapter 6

I didn't sleep.

Not really.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw silver.

Snow.

A dark forest.

And a voice calling a name I didn't recognize.

Or maybe I did.

I just couldn't remember.

By morning, I was exhausted.

Nyra was unusually quiet.

"Are you going to talk to me?"

*I'm thinking.*

"About what?"

*The memory.*

I sat up in bed.

"You remembered something."

*Maybe.*

"That's not an answer."

*It's the only one I have.*

I sighed.

"You're frustrating."

*You are too.*

I smiled despite myself.

At least she was starting to sound like me.

I climbed out of bed and headed toward the bathroom.

The moment I looked in the mirror, I stopped.

My eyes were different.

Not completely.

But the hazel I'd always known seemed brighter.

Almost golden around the edges.

"Nyra?"

*I see it.*

"What happened?"

*I don't know.*

I leaned closer to the mirror.

The color slowly returned to normal.

I blinked.

"What was that?"

*Your Lycan side.*

I swallowed.

There were apparently going to be a lot of things I didn't understand.

---

At breakfast, Dad was already waiting.

He looked up when I entered.

"Morning."

"Morning."

His eyes immediately went to mine.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Dad."

He sighed.

"Your eyes changed again."

I froze.

"They did?"

"For a few seconds."

Mom came into the kitchen carrying coffee.

"What changed?"

"Her eyes."

Mom looked at me.

"Let me see."

I waited.

Nothing happened.

Mom frowned.

"They look normal."

"Exactly."

Dad sat back.

"That's what worries me."

I didn't like the sound of that.

"Why?"

"Because we don't know what you're capable of yet."

I crossed my arms.

"Neither does anyone else."

Dad smiled faintly.

"That's true."

There was a knock at the door.

Dad's expression changed.

He stood.

"Stay here."

"Who is it?"

He didn't answer.

He opened the door.

Alpha Jackson stood outside.

Beside him was Commander Rowan.

My stomach tightened.

"Willow," Alpha Jackson said. "We need you at the pack house."

"Why?"

"Something came in from the northern patrol."

"What?"

Rowan answered.

"A message."

"From Black Water?"

He nodded.

I felt Nyra tense.

"What does it say?"

"That's what we need you to see."

---

The pack house was packed.

Warriors stood along the walls.

The moment I walked inside, conversations stopped.

I hated that.

Everyone knew something was happening.

Nobody was telling me.

Again.

Alpha Jackson led us into his office.

A piece of parchment lay on his desk.

Old.

Yellowed.

The edges were torn.

"What is that?"

Rowan looked at me.

"It was found near the northern boundary."

He picked it up.

"There is no writing."

I frowned.

"Then why does it matter?"

"Because of this."

He turned it over.

There was a symbol burned into the back.

A circle.

Three curved lines.

And something resembling a crescent moon.

I stared at it.

Nyra suddenly growled.

I grabbed my chest.

"What's wrong?"

*I know it.*

My heart stopped.

"You've seen it?"

*Yes.*

"Where?"

The answer didn't come.

"Nyra."

*I don't remember.*

I looked at Rowan.

"Where did this come from?"

He studied me carefully.

"That's the problem."

"What problem?"

"That symbol hasn't been used in decades."

"By whom?"

He didn't answer immediately.

Then Alpha Jackson said,

"Black Water."

The room went cold.

I stared at the symbol.

Something about it made my skin crawl.

"I've never seen it before."

Rowan nodded.

"I believe you."

"Then why does Nyra recognize it?"

Nobody answered.

And that silence told me more than words could have.

Someone knew.

Maybe several people knew.

But whatever they knew...

They weren't ready to tell me.

---

That afternoon, I went into the forest alone.

I needed air.

The pack house had become suffocating.

Everyone watched me.

Everyone whispered.

I just wanted to be normal again.

I found the creek and sat on a fallen log.

For the first time since my shift, there were no wolves around.

No emotions.

No whispers.

No questions.

Just the sound of water.

I closed my eyes.

*You shouldn't be alone.*

I smiled.

"I knew you'd say that."

*You don't know what's in these woods.*

"Neither do you."

A pause.

*That's not funny.*

I laughed.

"Sorry."

I dipped my fingers into the cold water.

Then I heard something.

A branch breaking.

I opened my eyes.

"Who's there?"

Nothing.

I stood.

"Come out."

A small wolf stepped from behind a tree.

It was young.

Very young.

Maybe only a year old.

Its front leg was bleeding.

"Oh."

I immediately dropped to my knees.

"Hey."

The wolf growled.

"It's okay."

I could feel its fear.

Pain.

Panic.

I slowly reached out.

"It's okay."

The wolf's growl weakened.

I moved closer.

"Let me help you."

The wolf lowered its head.

I touched its fur.

The fear disappeared.

Not completely.

But enough.

The wolf relaxed against me.

I stared at my hand.

"I did it again."

*Yes.*

"How?"

*You feel them.*

"I know."

*No.*

Nyra's voice became serious.

"You don't just feel them."

I waited.

*You understand them.*

The wolf whined.

I immediately understood.

*It hurts.*

I looked at its leg.

"I know."

The wolf stared at me.

I could feel its trust.

Its gratitude.

And underneath it...

Something else.

Recognition.

The wolf looked at me as if it knew me.

I frowned.

"Have we met?"

It shook its head.

At least, that's what I thought.

Then it leaned forward and sniffed my neck.

The moment it did, it froze.

Its ears went up.

Then it backed away.

"What?"

The wolf stared at me.

Suddenly, it turned and ran.

"Wait!"

I stood.

The wolf disappeared between the trees.

I heard its paws fading into the distance.

Nyra was silent.

"Why did it do that?"

*I don't know.*

I frowned.

"You're lying."

*I'm not.*

"You're hiding something."

*Maybe.*

I sighed.

"You're going to drive me crazy."

*Probably.*

---

That evening, the pack gathered for dinner.

I sat beside Parker.

He leaned toward me.

"You look tired."

"I am."

"Anything happen?"

I hesitated.

"I found an injured wolf."

"Where?"

"The creek."

"Was it Nero?"

"I don't know."

Parker frowned.

"You don't know?"

"It ran away."

He stared at me.

"Okay."

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You're thinking something."

"No."

"Parker."

He sighed.

"I've never seen you like this."

"Like what?"

"Powerful."

I looked down.

"I don't feel powerful."

"You should."

I glanced at him.

"Why?"

"Because everyone else does."

Before I could respond, the doors opened.

The entire room went silent.

A messenger entered.

He walked directly toward Alpha Jackson.

He whispered something.

The Alpha's face hardened.

Then he stood.

"Everyone remain calm."

That sentence never meant anything good.

"We have received word from the eastern patrol."

A warrior stepped forward.

"What happened?"

Jackson looked around the room.

"They found a Black Water scout."

"Alive?"

"No."

The room erupted in whispers.

The Alpha raised his hand.

"There's more."

Silence returned.

"The scout had something with him."

My stomach dropped.

Alpha Jackson looked directly at me.

"A drawing."

He paused.

"Of a silver wolf."

I couldn't breathe.

Everyone stared at me.

Parker whispered my name.

Nyra went completely still.

Then, for the first time since I'd met her, she said something that made my blood run cold.

*They are looking for us.*