I woke up as the sun just began to set. The earth had gotten much closer in my time asleep, and I knew we would be landing soon. I jumped when I looked up, noticing Atlas’s eyes on my face. He sat with an ankle on top of his thigh. His fist rested under his chin as he stared at me with unwavering strength. His lips twitched and just as I thought something snide would come out, he smirked.
“You talk in your sleep.” Atlas remarked, turning his head as one of the attendants came into the cabin.
The middle aged she-wolf announced that we’d be landing in just a few minutes. She turned and left the way she came, the navy curtain fluttering behind her. I grimaced at Atlas’s smirk, shoving the poetry book into my duffel bag.
“I do not.” I snapped, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks.
I pulled my bag onto my lap and turned my head away from Atlas. I grabbed some of the winter gear Atlas had laid out on the seats and walked
"Here's some extra blankets for the two of you." The human woman smiled, setting the bundle of old quilts down on the bed. "One of you can come down and grab some dinner. The shower works, but you gotta give the hot water heater a few minutes to wake up.""Thank you, Ma'am. It'll be perfect for the night." Atlas nodded at the woman, giving her one of his frigid yet polite smiles.I held in my snort at the politeness of Atlas's tone. It only further proved how little I knew the man. I had gone to school with him for years, but made it my mission to ignore him and his indifferent attitude. The only time I actively noticed Atlas was when his friends were bullying me. Even then, I knew little about the man and even less about his family. I had seen the Alpha and Luna of his pack a few times, but had never spoken to either. From what I gathered, Atlas's Father was a strict man and an even stricter Alpha. I shook off my budding curiosity and looked around the small bedroom I
Guilt, sadness, exhaustion, hope.I missed the Atlas who exuded confident indifference to the world around him. I missed the Atlas that never let anything show, that stuck to his little friend group above anyone else. It was easier to hate that Atlas, easier to dehumanize him into the cold-blooded enemy that rejected me. This Atlas was different, was that much harder to hate. While his alabaster skin and platinum hair made him look cold, the emotion in his eyes was anything but—emotion reserved for me and me alone.“What’s the point in giving in?” I found myself replying, fighting to keep the hurt and anger from my words.
The memory crept up on me without my notice. There were no telltale signs that I would soon be sucked into the past. My head felt pain-free, better than it ever had. As I slipped into unconsciousness, an explosion of color appeared behind my eyelids. The colors churned and swirled until I felt my very essence being pulled far, far away.I drifted even further, into the colors that now surrounded me. My sight sharpened, as did the colors and shapes lingering on the outskirts of my vision. The large splotches of green and brown became thick tree's, a million emerald leaves dangling from thick branches. The spattering of black became the main road in Atlas's pack. The road sat through the middle of town. Thick, healthy grass grew underneath my feet and the scent of something sweet lingered in the air. The sun was bright and warm, but I couldn't shake the lingering sadness that held me in its grip."Mommy, how long are we going to stay here?" A familiar voice whined. "I wa
Even as awareness crept into my subconscious, I kept my eyes tightly shut. Warmth and a thick husky scent enveloped me, nearly coaxing me back to sleep. I couldn't remember the last time I slept so soundly. Not a single nightmare had worked its way into my head. I lingered in that blissful nothingness, content on forgetting the memories that danced along the cusp of my mind. A beam of sunlight danced through the sheer curtains on the window, explosions of orange and yellow light danced behind my eyelids.Something soft yet firm rested against my face, and I burrowed deeper into the source of warmth. My eyes snapped open as my pillow shifted, and a rough hand gripped my thigh. The hand belonged to Atlas, as did the delectable scent. He pulled my leg up and over his waist, resting his palm on my lower back. My long sleeve t-shirt had risen up in the night, and I nearly flung myself from the bed when his hand grazed my bare skin. The sparks seemed to vary in purpose, but never i
I wasn't sure what to expect once Finn opened the front door. A knot of tension had unraveled in my gut at the sight of his familiar face. I couldn't lie, part of me worried Finn no longer lived here. It was a worry that gnawed at me the entire walk here. Now that I stood in the foyer of Finn's cabin, his unnerving eyes never once leaving my face, I found myself slightly underwhelmed.The cabin was much more--ordinary than I would've expected. There were no hints of magic, at least none I could pinpoint by sight. The inside of the cabin was cloaked in shades of gold, maroon and rich brown. The furniture wasn't new, but was worn to the point of comfort. A large kitchen sat towards the back of the house, and I couldn't help but eye up the large pot of stew boiling on the stove. My stomach howled in response, demanding something heavier than chilled soup. I was immediately drawn to the source of heat in the living room, edging closer to the blistering warmth. The crackling fire
"Are you sure about this, kitten?" Atlas murmured, worry and something eerily similar to fear flickered in his eyes. He smothered the emotion as it formed, but I had already noticed its presence."I--I don't know, Atlas." I admitted, letting out a shaky breath. "If I don't do this, death will follow. If I do, the Fae will come after me and endanger everyone in your pack. If I go back to Liam's pack, they'll still come looking for me. No matter what I do, innocent people are put in danger."Once a heavy silence consumed the three of us, and our conversation came to an end, we were given some privacy to talk over how we'd want to proceed. I could live with putting myself in danger, as I knew the risks--but I couldn't risk harming innocent people. No matter which choice I made, someone would be hurt. The only difference was that with my memories, I might stand a chance at protecting myself. How? I hadn't a single clue, but Finn was able to tell me enough. My remaining mem
That missing piece of myself snapped into place, tearing the world out from under my feet and sending me plummeting into darkness. Searing light burned from behind my eyelids, and I couldn't stop myself from opening my eyes. The blinding light dimmed, leaving me wondering where the hell I was.This wasn't a memory of mine; I was sure of it. I stood in the middle of what was once a great forest. I could see the huge tree's that were now little more than lifeless husks. Branches and what looked eerily similar to bleached bones sat scattered throughout the barren wasteland. The scent of stale, putrid air wafted in my nose and I barely managed to suppress my gag before it wracked through me.Before I could linger any further, I was ripped away from the wasteland by claws like cold steel.I was lifted into the air, yanked across the sky with speed that brought tears rushing to my eyes. As I blinked back my tears, I managed to make out the world before me. Kingdom's,
As I opened my eyes and struggled to sit up from the hard table, I knew everything had changed. Everything looked sharper, brighter--and I swore I could now see the light flicker of scarlet threads draped over random parts of the house. Through the large window in the living room, I could see that the sun was beginning to rise. It had taken hours--hours to unlock my lost memories. My back should've been sore, but I felt oddly loose and limber. The gaping hole that existed in my mind--in my soul, it had vanished. Where I had once been blindly stumbling through life, I was now running. While I couldn't make much sense of the memories I saw, I knew their presence had unlocked something within me. I was no longer Raelynn, the weak girl who had lost both her Dad and Mom. I wasn't sure who I was now, but I was determined to figure it out."Give her a minute to process everything." I could hear Finn murmuring to a slightly irate Atlas."What did you do to her?" His voice was