Chapter 71
Lost
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Content Warning: This chapter might contain violence, abuse, crime, or triggering factors that may be harmful, disturbing, or traumatizing to some. Reader’s discretion is advised. Thank you.
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“Leila!”
Someone was calling her name.
She looked around hoping to see who it was.
Even though Leila had already a hunch about who it was.
“Leila…”
There it was again. And it was getting louder and louder. This time, she was sure.
She could hear her father calling her name.
“D-Dad…” She wanted to say out loud but she couldn’t.
Her lips seemed to be glued together as if she couldn’t say anything even if she wanted to.
“Leila!”
There was it… again. For the nth time she closed her eyes firmly.
Then, she heard a loud and eerie growling sound echoing in the depths of the forest.
Leila shivered down her spine. Her legs started to tremble as she felt palms turning cold. Bullet of sweat started to gather in her forehead as she tried looking around for her father.
She opened her mouth but still… nothing came.
‘Why is this happening again?’ Leila closed her eyes firmly.
She wanted it to stop. She wanted not to hear a thing anymore. She didn’t want this anymore.
Leila tried covering her ears with her both hands. She was trying so hard to stop herself from listening to it. It was making her head throb in so much pain.
Then, she groaned loudly as she tried to scream, but still nothing came out from her mouth.
***
It was the same scene playing over and over again inside her head like a broken stereo. She couldn’t stop it from flashing inside her mind. It was as if there was more to it but she couldn’t see through it.
Or was it because deep inside her she was still hoping that it wasn’t Hunter’s parents who did it.
Maybe.
Maybe not.
But her subconscious was hoping that it wasn’t the truth.
Leila groaned as she was trying to open her eyes from her deep slumber. But it was just too heavy.
Her heart was also just so heavy and in pain. It was as if it was being hammered and crushed into millions of pieces. She simply wanted everything to stop.
‘Silver…’ She tried calling her inner wolf but there was no voice from her.
She was trying to ask for help but there was none.
Then…
***
“Where am I?” Leila inquired about the place where she had suddenly changed.
This time, she was with someone.
She could see her cold, deep purple eyes looking intently at her. It was as if she was trying to concentrate on something.
But…
‘Who is she?’
It was what Leila was thinking as a blinding light covered the woman’s face.
Everything was becoming so blurry in her mind.
***
“You have to be strong…”
She could hear someone say.
It was a woman’s voice. It was as cold as ice. It gave her chills, actually.
However, Leila didn’t know who owned it.
“I have done everything I could. This time, it is your resolve to go back that could save you.”
There was that voice again.
And Leila knew that it wasn’t her voice nor Silver’s either.
‘Then who?’
It was the very same question that kept on hurling inside her mind.
“I know that you can hear me. Even your wolf. You have to fight. Only you can save yourself now…”
That’s the same voice again echoing inside her mind.
As the same scene where her father died still popping in her mind.
Leila felt her head getting heavy and in pain slowly. She wanted to scream as she tried to raise her hands and hold her throbbing temples but to no avail.
She couldn’t move. She couldn’t say a word. Her lips were dried and so was her throat. She didn’t know what to do.
Then, a blinding light slowly crept into her slightly opening eyes trying to fight everything that was trying to block her way from coming out.
‘Leila…’ She could feel Silver calling her name as if she was trying to support her and give her strength in doing so.
She suddenly took a deep breath as she opened her eyes widely.
Her mouth was slightly agape as she was gasping for air. She felt her entire body aching. She blinked her eyes a few times as she was trying to decipher what had happened to her.
Then, she saw her already bandaged wound still aching, but not it was already bearable.
Leila tried to get up from the bed. She felt suddenly so cautious as she heard it creak causing her eyes to slowly widen and looked around.
She stayed still and immediately built walls around her. She tried to observe and feel around her some presence or something but there was none. She didn’t know whether it was better or not.
But Leila looked around with her forehead creased.
Even with her still throbbing head she tried to familiarize herself with the place around her. So, whatever that might happen…
Then, the door creaked all of a sudden causing her to stay alert. She even tried standing up but she almost fell causing whoever entered ran towards her.
“Hey… Are you okay? You shouldn’t be moving that way yet…” She said coldly causing her forehead to crease and her eyes widened in shock.
She couldn’t believe that she was talking to someone so peculiar like her.
Then, her face turned void of emotions especially while she was looking at her.
Who wouldn’t be?
She is just so strange.
The woman had jet black straight hair that almost reached her butt. She had this weird purple tinted lips and deep purple eyes. Her paperwhite skin that looked like snow emphasized it all. Her slender body was emphasized because of her very loose white dress that reached her feet.
However, even though amidst her peculiarity she still couldn’t find it in her heart to trust her… or anyone else for that matter. Most probably, she had finally lost to do that. To trust. Anyone.
“Who are you?” Those were the words that escaped her mouth as she stared at her seriously.