CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
ALEX DAVALO
Another pack of wolves!
The moon hung high in the night sky, casting a silver glow over the quiet town. I could feel the emotions swirling inside me, a tempest brewing that threatened to spill over. My mother’s sickness was making me sick. I felt helpless, like a tethered wolf trapped in a cage, powerless to protect what mattered most to me. As I stood in my room that night, I knew I needed to escape-to let the wildness inside me take over, even if just for a while.
With a deep breath, I focused all my energy inward. It started with a tingling sensation in my limbs, a warmth that spread through my body. It was a transforming time. I let my instincts take over, bones shifting and stretching while fur began to sprout all over. I could feel every muscle morphing, reshaping into something powerful and fierce. Moments later, I was standing on all fours, my new wolf form taking in the world with sharper senses, heightened instincts, and a fierce need to run.
Without another thought, I dashed out the door and into the woods behind our house. It was getting dark, and the forest was already wrapping itself in shadows. I walked past the trees and into the clearing I often visited. I stood there for a moment, taking in the crisp, cool air. I closed my eyes and let the sadness wash over me.
The earthy scent of pine trees and damp earth filled my nostrils, invigorating me. I ran hard, pushing off the ground as my powerful legs carried me deeper into the forest. Every stride felt freeing as if I were shedding my worries with each footfall.
But the anger and sadness inside me were still there, simmering beneath the surface. I let out a deep growl, a primal sound that echoed through the trees, releasing some of the pent-up frustration I felt. Why couldn’t I do anything to help my mother? It felt like the weight of the world was crashing down on me, and I needed an outlet. The night was still, light only breaking through the dense foliage above me, and I wanted to scream.
As I moved deeper into the woods, I suddenly heard my brother Sandro’s growl echoing through the trees. It wasn’t far away, and I could tell he was searching for me. “Alex!” he called, his voice shifting from a growl to words. There was a hint of urgency in his tone, mixed with that familiar protective instinct.
I stopped running, realizing that I wasn’t alone in this madness. Sandro always had a way of finding me when I needed space the most. I turned, prepared to give him a piece of my mind for interrupting my solace, but there was no denying that I appreciated his presence. He was my blood, my brother. I knew he cared…and it was okay if we let our vulnerability overwhelm us tonight.
After a few moments, I spotted him emerging from the thicket, his dark fur blending into the shadows. “There you are!” he said, his eyes narrowing as if sizing me up. “What are you doing out here alone?”
I sighed, shaking my fur out, unable to respond directly. Instead, I stared back at him, baring my teeth in a way that was meant to be playful, but also a bit defensive. “Just… running. Nothing to worry about,” I replied, my thoughts still tangled.
“I know you’re upset about Mom,” he said softly, his voice dropping low, the seriousness cutting through the night air. “But you can’t push everyone away. We need to stick together right now. This is what Mom would say if she was talking to us right now.”
Sandro was right. I could feel the bond of our pack pulsing between us, urging me to talk, but I wasn’t ready. Besides, it felt easier to express my pain through raw emotions rather than polite words.
“We should go back before Father discovers we are out in the woods,” he said.
As the night deepened, we made our way back home together. We trotted side by side through the woods, a comforting silence enveloping us, though I could sense the worry lingering just beneath Sandro’s tough exterior. When we finally reached our house, the weight of my emotions felt heavier than ever. I didn’t want to admit it, but I felt terrified about losing my mother, and the feelings were turning into haunting visions in my dreams.
That night, sleep found me too easily. But then came the nightmare. In my dream, I stood among my pack, a feeling of dread washing over us like a dark cloud. Out of nowhere, another pack emerged, led by fierce-looking women, their eyes like ice. They attacked us relentlessly, and we couldn’t fight back. Each member of my pack fell one by one-like shadows swallowed by darkness. I felt utterly powerless to save anyone, and that feeling of helplessness woke me up in a panic.
I gasped for air, my heart racing as I sat upright in bed. My body was slick with sweat, and as reality settled in, the nightmare lingered like an iron chain dragging behind me. Acting on instinct, I sprang out of bed and transformed once again into my wolf form.
I bolted out the front door in a frenzy, the cool night air stinging against my fur. I raced into the woods, my paws pounding against the ground as I growled into the stillness. The trees swayed gently around me, whispering secrets I didn’t want to hear.
As I slowed down, I caught a glimpse of something in the distance-a lone wolf standing near the edge of a clearing. Its gaze was fixed on me, unblinking and fierce, and immediately I felt the anger bubbling inside me again. Perhaps it was the aftereffects of my nightmare, or perhaps I just needed to release this pent-up frustration. I charged at the wolf, a growl rumbling deep within me.
I leaped forward, fangs bared, ready to assert my strength. The other wolf stood its ground, and as I struck, it caught my paw with its powerful jaws, sending waves of pain through me. I was stronger than most, but this wolf was a force I hadn’t anticipated. We twisted and turned, growling and snapping, but with every moment, it became clear that I was no match for this wolf.
After what felt like an eternity of struggling, the other wolf finally broke free and bolted away, leaving me panting and injured. I had lost. The pain throbbed in my paw, and I limped back toward the house, my heart heavy with defeat.
Once I reached the front of the house, I transformed back into my human self, the brutal reality of my situation crashing down. I stood there on the porch, cradling my injured paw, heart sinking further with every heartbeat, knowing I would have to deal with this the next morning.
The sunlight filtered through the curtains the next day, and I could feel it softly nudging me awake. I opened my eyes slowly, groaning as I sat up. The pain in my paw was a stark reminder of the night’s events, and I felt a twinge of embarrassment at how things had played out.
Just then, the door creaked open, and Sandro stepped inside my room. He took one look at me and froze, his eyes landing on my injured paw. “What the hell happened?” he asked, with surprise and concern in his voice.
“It’s nothing serious,” I replied quickly, not wanting him to worry. I put on my best casual smile, but the tension in the air was thick.
“Let me see it,” Sandro said, moving closer.
I recoiled slightly. “No, really, I’m fine.”
But he wasn’t letting me off that easily. He looked at me carefully, and I sensed he was already piecing things together. “I know you went into the woods again last night,” he said calmly. “I heard your growl, Alex. This wound is from another wolf, isn’t it?”
Reluctantly, I sighed. “Yeah, it is. I didn’t mean for it to happen. It was just… a fight,” I admitted, looking away. I didn’t want to tell him about the nightmare. I didn’t want him to worry.
“Tell me what happened,” he urged, his demeanor shifting to something more serious. So I recounted the events-about the nightmare, the feeling of dread overwhelming me, and how, in my rage, I lost control and charged at the strange wolf. When I finished, Sandro’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
“I told you before, no one would dare attack our pack,” he said firmly. “It’s just a dream, Alex. Don’t read too much into it.”
“But it felt so real,” I countered quietly, frustration rising again. “I can’t shake the feeling that something is coming. I just… I can feel it.”
Sandro walked over and put a hand on my shoulder, grounding me just a bit. “You worry too much, brother. We should focus on helping Mom get better. Maybe, just maybe, she might still live. We’ll figure everything else out together.”
“I hope so,” I whispered under my breath.
Unlike Sandro, I was not going to consider that nightmare as nothing. Whoever those wolves that attacked my pack were, I’m going to find them…
And kill them…
All of them!