Spirit Of The Wolf Collection

Chapter 7-2

She was surrounded by an inky blackness which draped over her like a heavy cloak. Sensations washed over her, but she couldn’t see a thing.

She was surrounded by an inky blackness which draped over her like a heavy cloak. Sensations washed over her, but she couldn’t see a thing.She felt weightless one second and heavy the next. It seemed to be a terrifying roller coaster, one she couldn’t get off. Stray bursts of light appeared, providing brief moments of illumination where she could see her surrounding slightly. She was in a seat, with identical seats to her left side and in front of her. Thunder shook the walls and vibrated through her body. A jagged bolt of lightning cut through thick storm clouds, outside the window to her right.

She felt weightless one second and heavy the next. It seemed to be a terrifying roller coaster, one she couldn’t get off. Stray bursts of light appeared, providing brief moments of illumination where she could see her surrounding slightly. She was in a seat, with identical seats to her left side and in front of her. Thunder shook the walls and vibrated through her body. A jagged bolt of lightning cut through thick storm clouds, outside the window to her right.The sound and the light abruptly came together, drowning out everything else. A steady drumming sound, which made her think of some heavy object hitting metal, surrounded her and she crouched down on the floor between the seats, covering her ears and squeezing her eyes shut to avoid the crescendo.

The sound and the light abruptly came together, drowning out everything else. A steady drumming sound, which made her think of some heavy object hitting metal, surrounded her and she crouched down on the floor between the seats, covering her ears and squeezing her eyes shut to avoid the crescendo.There were people there, in the darkness. She could hear one of them, a woman, offering soothing words of comfort between deafening blasts of thunder. The woman’s voice was close. She was on the floor, too. In the distance, she could hear people arguing, but it was t too loud to make out what they were saying.

There were people there, in the darkness. She could hear one of them, a woman, offering soothing words of comfort between deafening blasts of thunder. The woman’s voice was close. She was on the floor, too. In the distance, she could hear people arguing, but it was t too loud to make out what they were saying.A sensation of weightlessness overwhelmed her again. The floor dropped away from under her. She clung to the arm of her chair and pulled herself back into her original seat. Then, the world shifted again, and her body slammed into the metal frame around the cushion. Her body jerked once more, nearly slipping back to the floor, before the shifting stopped, and she was able to relax. There was another flash of light, brighter than before, followed by a large booming sound. Her body tumbled forward, her head hitting the back of the seat in front of her, before she landed on the floor. She gripped the metal base of a chair as everything shook and screeched around her. Her body continued to shake long after everything else was still.

A sensation of weightlessness overwhelmed her again. The floor dropped away from under her. She clung to the arm of her chair and pulled herself back into her original seat. Then, the world shifted again, and her body slammed into the metal frame around the cushion. Her body jerked once more, nearly slipping back to the floor, before the shifting stopped, and she was able to relax. There was another flash of light, brighter than before, followed by a large booming sound. Her body tumbled forward, her head hitting the back of the seat in front of her, before she landed on the floor. She gripped the metal base of a chair as everything shook and screeched around her. Her body continued to shake long after everything else was still.Determining her orientation in relation to her surroundings was nearly impossible. She’d lost her grip on the chair during the chaos. There was no lightning from the window. The thunder was far away. The voices were quiet. With dizziness overwhelming her senses, she closed her eyes and gave in to the darkness.

Determining her orientation in relation to her surroundings was nearly impossible. She’d lost her grip on the chair during the chaos. There was no lightning from the window. The thunder was far away. The voices were quiet. With dizziness overwhelming her senses, she closed her eyes and gave in to the darkness.

Nicole grabbed the arm of the couch with one hand and the back of the couch with the other. The book she’d fallen asleep reading fell from her lap to the floor. She picked it up, trying without much success to straighten the bent pages, and placed it on the end table. She noticed her hands were shaking, and she was covered in a cold sweat. Her breathing was erratic, her thoughts still jumbled.

She took a couple of deep breaths and checked the clock. It was almost the same time she’d woken up last night, give or take a half hour. It never failed, once the dreams started coming, they began almost like clockwork. They always seemed to come in the darkest hour of the night, too. She always woke up, cold, sweaty, frightened, and alone in the darkness.

Last night had been different though; she’d had the wolf to keep her company and help her get back to sleep. For once, she hadn’t been alone.

His presence had been a comfort, and having him there helped distract her. She hadn’t felt so alone, which was a welcome change. Even if he was just a wolf, he’d made her feel better.

If only he was with her now, she could hold him, listen to his breathing. She wouldn’t have to be alone with the nightmare. Maybe he would be there again, asleep on the balcony, waiting for her to let him in. She tried to dismiss the thought but found herself going to the balcony doors anyway.

She pulled open the doors and was greeted with an empty balcony and a dark night. He wasn’t there. She leaned against the railing and released an exhausted sigh. She’d just have to deal with the nightmares on her own.

She turned to go inside but stopped when she heard a sound coming from the fire escape. It sounded like claws clicking against the metal steps and her heart skipped a beat. She turned to the fire escape and saw the wolf climbing the last couple of steps onto her balcony. Forgetting her resolution to deal with the nightmares on her own, she ran over to the wolf and threw her arms around him. “You came back!”

He nuzzled her neck and it almost seemed as if he hugged her back.

“Would you mind coming inside with me for a little while? I could really use the company.” Her voice sounded unsteady to her own ears.

To her relief, he padded inside as quickly as he had the night before. She closed the balcony doors and turned back to the wolf to find him sitting at her feet, looking up at her. She sat down on the floor beside him and hugged him close, threading her fingers through his fur. The wolf quickly warmed her after the cold outside. She rested her cheek on his side and finally relaxed.

How long they stayed like that, she didn’t know. She could feel the wolf’s even breathing and his heartbeat pulsed through her, until she wasn’t sure which beat was hers and which belonged to him. His fur was soft against her skin. There was something about holding another living creature close that made the world seem better, not so overwhelming and her fears dissipated and somehow, she could accept the comfort easier from this wolf than from anyone else. He wouldn’t think any less of her for her weaknesses. He offered comfort without asking her to divulge her fears and problems. He was just what she needed right now. “Oh, Wolf, I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

She stiffened the second the words left her lips. Even if she’d been thinking it, she wished she hadn’t put it into words. Thinking about him as a comfort, and thinking she needed him were two different matters. He was nice to have around, but she didn’t need the wolf, and she would manage just fine even if he never showed up again.

She ignored the momentary ache in her chest and shook her head. “I need some sleep.” She got to her feet and walked into the bedroom, determined to face her fears. She couldn’t let them control her.

Fear tightened its grip as she entered the darkened room and she stopped. What if she immediately started having the nightmare again? As long as she was awake, she didn’t have to worry about it, but the second she closed her eyes and slept, her control over the situation was over. She would be completely at the mercy of her nightmares.

Rubbing her tired eyes, she realized she didn’t really have a choice in the matter. She needed to sleep. Even now, the desire to close her eyes and rest was pulling at her. Her fear was great, but the need for sleep was stronger.

Accepting that she couldn’t control what would happen, , she took a deep breath and slipped under the covers, closing her eyes. She almost shrieked when a warm weight settled against her feet and a range of irrational fears related to the nightmare raced through her head before she could stop them. Gathering the reins of her imagination and shoring up her courage, she snuck a peek at the bottom of the bed.

The wolf lifted his head, looking completely innocent and suddenly opened his jaws in a big yawn, before he lay his head down on his front paws and shut his eyes.

Nicole released a nervous laugh. It was only the wolf, not some manifestation of her fears come to haunt her while she was awake. More convinced than ever that her fears had no grounds in reality, she spent a minute trying to decide whether she should let the wolf stay on the bed. The decision came swiftly. He was so adorable all curled up at her feet and there was no harm in letting him stay there. Besides, she didn’t have the heart to disturb him She yawned and closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep.

* * *

David threw another rock at the lake. It skipped three times before sinking beneath the water. “I don’t know what I’m going to do. I can’t stop thinking about her.”

Mark had never seen David like this before. It had been years since David let anything get under his skin. Mark sighed, he didn’t want to see his friend get hurt, but he didn’t know what he could do for him. “Before you do anything, maybe you should tell her the truth.” Mark flicked a rock over the water, and it skipped five times before sinking.

“I know I probably should, but she hardly knows me. If I tell her the black wolf and I are one in the same, she’s liable to call the guys in white coats to take me away.” Two skips.

“Maybe not. You said she’s reacted well to the wolf.” Four skips.

“You know as well as I do, a human friendly with our wolf form doesn’t always translate to easily accepting we’re shape changing werewolves.” Mark nodded his acceptance of that truth. Eric sighed. “Even if she can accept that without freaking out, I’ve been in her apartment, at night, while she’s sleeping. When she finds out that was me, she could feel betrayed and lied to.”