SHADOW
The vast field was filled with colorful wildflowers in spring. Butterflies and bees flew freely and got on the black-eyed Susan and daisies. The sun was rising above. The fresh air wafted with scents of sweet blooms,
“Mommy!” I ran over the field with my arms wide. My face kissed the freeze. The white train of my pretty white little dress flew in the air as if I was wearing a cape.
My mom stopped picking flowers for her favorite tea and concoctions she did in her small room behind the house as she saw me.
“Easy there, my love.” She smiled, opened her arms to catch me, and pulled me in her arms. “You’re sweaty and stink a little.”
“Just a little?” I grinned as I raised my arm.
“Just a little.” She picked up a purple flower and slipped it into my braid. “Now you’re the prettiest girl.”
“Thank you, Mommy.” I pressed a kiss on her cheek. “I’m going to show it to Daddy.”
“Okay, darling. I will be there in a few.”
“Bye, Mommy!” I ran back out of the field.
There was a big tall tree. Under it was a small red bird that looked like it had broken its wing. The other was flapping, but it couldn’t fly.
“Hey, little birdy. What happened to you?” I tried to pick it up, holding its tiny body. “Are you hurt?”
The bird tried to get out of my palm, but it fell back. I was right, and it had a broken wing. I saw a woman’s reflection in those dark eyes that had me gasping and wondering who it was. The woman was older than me, but I had the same eyes as hers. I almost dropped the little helpless bird.
“I’m sorry. I wish I could help, little birdie.” I ran my finger on the broken wing until it sparkled and it magically healed. “Wow. What just happened?” My eyes widened.
I put the bird on the ground, but it just stood there and flapped the now perfect wings.
“Go. Fly away and go back to where you came from and see your mommy and daddy.”
“Honey, Raven? Are you coming?”
I turned my head to my left. “Daddy, I found a bird. It broke its wing, but it’s healed now. It’s going to fly back.”
Dad walked in my direction and stopped by my side. “Just like you, honey. Nothing’s going to stop you when you grow up. You will spread your wings and follow your dreams. When you broke a wing, you still have another, and when they both broke, you still have your feet, and when your ankles have sprains, you use your arms and knees and crawl towards your goal until you do it. Do you understand me?”
I nodded delightedly. “Yes, Daddy.”
“Come back when the bird flies. Your cookies are waiting.”
“I will, Daddy.” I took the bird and let it fly. It finally flew away until I couldn’t see it anymore. “Bye, little bird.”
“Shadow.” The voice of a woman stopped me.
I turned around. She was older than me but younger than my mommy, and her skin was darker. “Mommy said I should not talk to strangers.”
“I know.”
“Who’s Shadow?” I asked out of curiosity.
“You, honey. It might sound strange, but you have to wake up.”
My brows furrowed. “What do you mean? I’m awake. Mommy just put a flower on my braid.” I held my hair, but it wasn’t braided anymore. It was long, wavy hair. And I was the same as the woman in the bird’s eyes. “What’s going on?”
My chest was heaving. My heart was beating hard as I stepped back away from the woman.
“You know me, Shadow. We’ve met. You came to my house, and I gave you a necklace.”
I tapped my neck, but I didn’t feel a necklace. “You’re lying. Who the hell are you? My name is… Shadow. Why did I say that?”
“Because that’s your name. You have to wake up right now, or you won’t make it. Everyone is worried about you. Please, take my hand.”
“No, no, no. I don’t know you. Get away from me.” I stepped back and ran away. “Mommy, Daddy! There’s a stranger who wants me! Please help!”
“Shadow, your parents have been dead for thirteen years.”
“You’re lying. I don’t know who you are. Stop following me!” I ran fast, but I wasn’t fast enough to get away from that woman.
“You know me, Shadow! Let go of the pain. Let go of your past. Keep those beautiful memories, but you have to move on. Take my hand, Shadow!”
“Stay away from me. Daddy! Mommy!” Where were they? I wasn’t in the field anymore. I was in the forest, a beautiful forest with wolves.
I was surrounded by wolves that seemed harmless, looking at me in the eye as they backed away one by one and then bowed their heads.
“Where am I?” I caught my breath. “Where the hell am I?”
“Remember Kent?”
Why did I feel like I knew that name? It made me smile when I heard that name. The woman was closer to me now, almost at arm’s length.
“He raised you, Shadow. He’s been with you since you became an orphan. And someone is waiting for you at the cliff where you can watch the moon together.”
“A cliff? Why would I watch the moon?”
“Follow the beat of your heart.”
I swallowed hard.
“Califf is waiting for you there. The moon is almost at your arm’s length right now. Don’t be late, or you miss your only chance.” The name Califf sounded familiar, as if I knew him before, making my heart skip.
Follow your heart. I ran as fast as I could. I followed my heartbeat until I stopped before the cliff. And there it was, a big black wolf.
“Califf.” I gasped. My eyelids fluttered open. With my blurry vision, the first thing I saw was a white ceiling, but I caught a scent- an addicting, delicious scent. “Alphasshole?”
“Shadow?” One moment, his voice was far at the corner of the room. The next second, he was cupping my face, and his gorgeous, mesmerizing eyes met mine. “Oh, baby.” He pressed his lips against mine and laughed softly, showering me with kisses. “Thank Goddess. You made me fucking worried.”
“Where are we?”
His eyes narrowed. “That’s the first thing you ask after making me crazy?”
“If my memory serves, I asked Alphasshole?”
He beamed, then tears shed in his eyes. “I thought I was going to lose you, baby. I can’t feel you and reach out your thoughts.”
“And now?” I cupped his face.
“Better. Don’t ever do that again.”
“Do what?”
“You don’t remember?” A deep frown formed between his brows.
My eyes widened. “Oh, my. Your dad. How’s your dad?”
“Better than you.”
“Really?” I beamed.
“Yeah.” He helped me get up and carried me out of bed as he sat on the chair.
I wrapped my arms around him. I felt like I needed him for eternity, and I didn’t want to let go of him. “I saw your wolf before I woke up.”
“You’ve been sleeping for two days, Shadow.” He pressed his cheek against my chest, listening to my heartbeat. “You were fading. Your heartbeat was so low, and your breathing was shallow. I thought I was dying too, baby.”
“I’m so sorry.” I kissed the top of his head.
“I can’t go through that again. It breaks my heart. Everything hurts my bone, skin, flesh, and every cell in my body. My wolf mourns. Deep inside, I mourn too.”
I hugged him tight, leaned his head to the side, and kissed my mark on him, licking it. “Do you feel me? Do you feel my heart beating for you?”
“Yes.” He moaned. “Yes.”
I licked the mark again before I cupped his head and kissed him hard, biting his bottom lip, seeking entrance. He opened his mouth for me, allowing my dominance to take over. His hands went to my ass, gripping my asscheeks hard, strong enough that his fingers would leave marks.
My wolf was delighted that she got a chance to dominate our mate. I plunged my tongue into his mouth, swirling, tasting him, but I wanted more. Until he broke the kiss, making me all throbbing with unsated need.
“Baby, are you hungry?”
I got up from his lap. “I need to pee.”
“Let me help you.”
“I’m fine.”
“You were sleeping for two days. You don’t feel weak or dizzy or hungry?”
I shot a dagger at him. “No.”
He still held my hand, taking me to the room to the right. “We’ve been here for two days.”
“Who changed me to these cute pajamas?” I looked down. I was wearing pink pajamas.
“Me.”
“Is that why you looked exhausted?”
“I couldn’t do anything. I barely slept for the last two days. I felt useless and helpless for an Alpha. I’m so glad you’re okay.” I felt his hesitation.
“What is it?”
“Do you feel any different?”
“They’re waiting for us behind the door. They know I’m awake. Let me pee and brush my teeth because I have a feeling I have tons of questions to answer. And no. I feel the same. Why?”
“I couldn’t feel our bond anymore while you were asleep.”
“And now?” I suddenly got worried as I pulled the pajama bottom down and sat on the toilet.
“Stronger than ever.”
I sighed in relief. “Oh, for a moment, you made me worry because I feel the same. I feel you. And I smell a witch.”
“Now you can also smell a witch, too?”
“Yeah, since before. How did Zarah end up here?”
“It’s a long story.”
Once I was done cleaning up, I took the toothbrush with toothpaste he offered and brushed my teeth.
“I’ll be in the room.” He kissed the side of my head before he walked out of the bathroom.
After I brushed my teeth, I washed my face and was shocked to see myself in the mirror. I had white hair strands, like a highlight I didn’t remember getting.
What’s going on with me?