Chapter 29

Lucy’s heart pounded in her chest as she stood amidst the dense forest, the shadows of tall trees casting long shapes across the ground. The darkness enveloped her like a shroud, the moonlight barely penetrating through the thick canopy of leaves above. She glanced down at herself and turned around on a spot to notice her surroundings but at the same moment, she gazed back at her hands as they seemed to be trembling. She soon realized she didn’t recognize her surroundings. Panic surged through her veins, thoughts racing through her mind. *Where am I? How did I get here?*

The silence was almost suffocating, broken only by the rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze. She strained her ears, trying to catch any sound, any clue that might explain where she was. She got nothing nor heard anything but then, the silence was shattered by a low, menacing growl. It echoed through the trees, sending a shiver down her spine. She turned around and could sense that the sound was unmistakably close, and it was coming from behind her.

Fear gripped her, and without thinking, she bolted, her feet pounding against the forest floor. The growl grew louder, more threatening, as if whatever was making it was gaining on her. Her breath came in ragged gasps, her legs burning with the effort of running, but she didn’t dare look back. The only thing on her mind was escape.

She ran for a while but as she fled, her foot caught on something—a root that was stretched out from a tree. She stumbled forward, crashing to the ground. Pain shot through her leg, and she winced, clutching at her ankle. But as she looked down, expecting to see blood or bruising, she was met with something even more shocking. The pain vanished almost instantly, the injury healing before her eyes.

Her heart skipped a beat. *How… How is this possible?* She knew she was wolfless; she had never had a wolf, never felt the power of one coursing through her. And yet, she had just healed as if her body possessed the strength of a wolf. Confusion clouded her mind, mixing with the fear that had already taken hold.

Before she could make sense of it, the growl came again, louder and sounded closer to her. Her head snapped up, and immediately, terror seized her. She scrambled to her feet, pushing aside the shock that threatened to paralyze her. There was no time to think. She had to keep moving.

She ran, her pace even faster than before. The trees seemed to close in around her, the darkness growing thicker with every step. Her breaths were shallow, her throat dry, but she knew she couldn't stop not if she didn't want to be caught by what was after her, coming from behind her. She didn’t stop and ran with every strength she had got but then halted all of a sudden as found herself at the edge of a cliff, the ground dropping away into nothingness.

Her heart sank. She was trapped.

She spun around, her head tilting back and forth, her eyes darting through the shadows, searching for an escape. But there was none. She was about to take the same route she took before but then, a fog began to roll in. It was thick and impenetrable, creeping up from below and swallowing the forest in its cold embrace. The path she had come from was gone, hidden behind the dense, swirling fog.

She was scared as the fog kept closing in on her. She looked down from the cliff but seeing how far it was to the ground, she imagined what would happen after the fall. There was nowhere left to run , so she faced the thick fog. 

Then she heard it again—the growl. But this time, it was different. It wasn’t just close; it was right in front of her. Her eyes widened as she realized the sound was coming from the fog itself, the darkness within it shifting, taking form. She couldn’t see what it was, but she could feel it—a presence, powerful, lurking just beyond the veil of mist.

Lucy’s body trembled, her legs threatening to give out beneath her. She wanted to run, to escape, but there was nowhere to go. She was trapped, cornered by something she couldn’t even see. Her mind raced, trying to make sense of the impossible situation she found herself in.

*What is this place? What’s happening to me?*

But no answers came. Only the deep, guttural growl that reverberated through the air, sending waves of fear crashing over her. She pressed back but couldn't go any further, her breathing shallow and quick, her eyes fixed on the fog. Whatever was in there, it was coming for her, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

She swallowed hard, her body shaking uncontrollably. *Please… someone… anyone… Help me…* But the words never left her lips. She was too terrified to speak, too paralyzed to move.

And then, as if the fog itself was alive, it began to shift, swirling faster and faster, until it formed a shape—vague, indistinct. Lucy’s eyes widened in horror as the shape solidified but then shifted back into a thick fog wall.

“What is this? How is this possible?” As Lucy stood on the edge of the cliff, her heart thudding wildly in her chest, the fog swirled ominously before her, and fear gripped her tighter than ever. She had no idea what was lurking within the mist, only that it felt powerful, and overwhelmingly dangerous. 

In no time , the unexpected happened. Amidst the growl, a voice emerged from the fog. It was thick, guttural, and unmistakably that of a wolf. The voice echoed through the darkness, each word dripping with an ominous weight that made Lucy’s skin prickle with unease.

“You kept me at bay for far too long,” the voice accused, its tone laced with anger and frustration. “And now that I’ve woken up, there’s no way I can rest again.”

The words hung in the air, and Lucy’s breath caught in her throat. The voice felt strangely familiar, as if it had been with her all along, just beyond her reach. A connection sparked deep within her, a bond that she couldn’t explain but instinctively understood. It was as though the voice was a part of her, something integral and intertwined with her very being.

“Who… who are you?” Lucy stammered, her voice trembling with both fear and curiosity. “Why do I feel like… like I know you? Like you’re a part of me?”

The fog swirled more aggressively, as if responding to her words, and the voice grew louder, more intense. “You’re right, Lucy,” it growled, the words vibrating through the air. “I am a part of you. I’ve been with you since the day you were born, hidden away, suppressed, never allowed to emerge. Because you imprisoned me.”

Lucy’s mind reeled, confusion and disbelief clashing within her. *Imprisoned? How could that be?* She had no memory of ever doing such a thing, no recollection of suppressing anything within her. Her hands shook as she pressed them against the cold rock, trying to steady herself. “I… I don’t understand,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “How did I imprison you? I don’t even know who you are.”

The voice let out a low, rumbling growl, a sound that seemed to resound through the very core of her being. “You know who I am, Lucy,” it said, the tone now tinged with a kind of sad resignation. “You’ve always known. I am your wolf.”

The revelation hit Lucy like a tidal wave, and for a moment, the world around her seemed to tilt on its axis. *My wolf?* Her mind struggled to comprehend it. She had always believed herself to be wolfless, an anomaly in a world where everyone else had a wolf, a bondmate. But now, this voice—this presence—was telling her otherwise. Could it be true? Had she somehow, unknowingly, kept her own wolf imprisoned all these years?

“But… but how?” Lucy’s voice cracked with desperation as she grappled with the truth. “How could I have done that? I never even knew…”

The voice, her wolf, let out a sigh, a sound that was heavy with years of longing and pain. “You were afraid, Lucy. Afraid of what I might be, of the power I hold. So you buried me deep within you, kept me locked away. But now… now I’m awake, and I can’t be held back any longer.”

Lucy’s thoughts spiraled, her mind a chaotic stream of emotions—fear, guilt, confusion, and a deep, inexplicable sadness. The bond she felt with the voice, with her wolf, was undeniable, and it tugged at her heart with a force that left her breathless. How had she lived all these years without knowing, without understanding this vital part of herself?

“I’m sorry…” she whispered, her voice barely more than a breath. “I didn’t mean to… I didn’t know…”

Before she could say anything more, before she could even begin to make sense of it all, a strange sensation washed over her. It was as though her very essence was being pulled away, like she was being tugged from the world she stood in. The edges of her vision blurred, the darkness around her deepening, and she felt herself beginning to fade.

“No!” The voice of her wolf roared, the sound filled with desperation and fear. “Don’t leave! Don’t fade away!”

But it was too late. Lucy could feel herself slipping, the connection to her wolf, to this strange, dark world, growing weaker with every passing second. Panic seized her, but she was powerless to stop it. The last thing she heard was the anguished cry of her wolf, echoing in the void as she was pulled away, fading into nothingness.

And then, there was silence.