Wolfsbane: The Wolf Within

by Bethany Shay Porteous

  “Oh,” I mumbled.

  “She and her mom go out and uh… communicate with him,” Grace said with a shiver.

  “Communicate?” I asked tensely. “Can they see him?”

  Did that mean he’d gone to Hell?

  “No idea,” Grace shrugged. “I don’t like talking about that kind of stuff. Gives me the shivers down my spine. I say let sleeping wolves lie.”

  I laughed a little too loudly at her lame joke and Lucy quirked a brow as I cleared my throat, praising Morgana when the bell shrilled loudly.

  “Hey listen,” Grace said quickly. “Girls night tonight, my room!”

  Reluctance was the first thing I felt, followed by disappointment. Aiden had a patrol tonight and I had planned on locking myself in the room and starting my first attempt at removal.

  Too bad if all your fancy little magical layers fell away and revealed what you were up to behind that closed door, The Shadow taunted.

  A brightly colored flyer was thrust into my hand and I glanced down at it in surprise.

  Senior Prom

  31st May 2016 -7pm till Midnight

  Ticket Purchase from Front Office!!!

  The rest of the invitation held an elaborate design of a candelabra and brightly popped colors. I noted that it was really only four weeks away and my mouth dried when I realized that meant graduation wasn’t that far off either. Our robe orders would be arriving soon that meant… acceptance or rejection letters would start pouring in.

  “Where has the year gone?” I gasped aloud.

  “You tell me,” Lucy scoffed. “I can’t believe we’re getting ready to graduate already.”

  Sadness shot through me and my eyes stung. I was missing so much of my senior year, a year where I should be making the best memories and living carefree. Yet here I was, lying to the people I loved, making them feel bad—all because of this evil inside of my mind.

  Determination soon replaced the sadness as I squared my shoulders. I was going to get rid of this thing, if it was the last thing I did.

  ∞

  Aiden and I sat on the floor of his bedroom as we worked together on our homework. The work load seemed to be decreasing as our time at school drew to an end and I remembered the hours we had spent together pouring over our books during the SAT’s. Aiden had found a way to procrastinate every time we had sat down yet he still cleared strong results.

  I stared at Aiden in interest, taking in his strong arms and broad shoulders and the way his brow furrowed over his Chemistry homework. Things still felt off between us and I knew that was my fault. I couldn’t go and get mad or upset about it. I was still lying to him and he didn’t even know it. Or maybe he did and he didn’t trust me anymore.

  My eyes stung at the idea and I dropped my gaze back to my work. The only thing that made me keep my mouth shut was that awful vision I’d had on the plane. My stomach growled loudly into the room and I picked up a slice of apple from our fruit bowl and ate it slowly. The symptoms had been increasing more now, but my wolf hardly came through to me and when she did, I only got a few words through to her before The Shadow shut her down.

  The Alpha’s words still hung heavily in my mind. Just because I had the symptoms and could hear bits and pieces, that didn’t mean I would get my wolf, and, if The Shadow lived up to its threat and I was unsuccessful in removing it, then I wouldn’t be getting my wolf.

  “The girls told me what Sam told you about Karla,” Aiden said.

  My eyes widened in surprise as I swallowed the remaining apple. “Really?”

  “I don’t want to get into why you’re walking alone with a rogue in the woods,” he started tersely. “But, the way Karla is being treated isn’t good enough. I’m going to make that right.”

  “That’s good,” I murmured tentatively. “Aiden… Sam and I just talk and walk. That’s all it is.”

  “You probably talk to him more than you talk to me,” he grumbled.

  “No!” I spluttered. “Aiden that’s not true. He talks mostly—I just listen.”

  Aiden went quiet and he stared intently at his notes, but I knew he wasn’t seeing what was in front of him. He was trapped within his own mind, fretting about me. I quickly pushed the fruit bowl aside and took his notebook from him, before I moved to sit beside him.

  Taking his head in my hands I moved my lips to his, kissing him softly for the briefest of moments before I pulled away slightly, watching as his eyes flickered with faint amber.

  “I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I’m sorry that ever since I’ve come into your life it hasn’t been easy.”

  “I just want you to be honest with me Evelyn,” Aiden said. “Stop acting like a lone-wolf when you aren’t one.” I dropped my eyes and stared down at my hands as regret washed through me. If Aiden found out I was still lying…. maybe I could just tell him. It would take five seconds for the words to spill out and for the lies to stop.

  And then it would take five seconds for that evil to take over and harm all those I loved.

  Aiden thumbed the promise ring on my finger before he tilted up my chin and smiled softly at me. “I love you,” he told me. “I’ll never be sorry for the day you fell into my life.”

  My cheeks flushed. “I didn’t fall the moment I saw you.”

  “Are you sure?’ he grinned. “That’s how I remember it.”

  “My memory of how we met and yours is very much different,” I laughed. “You make it sound like I swooned upon setting eyes on you.”

  “I think that’s exactly what happened,” he flirted. Taking my hand, he brought it to his mouth and kissed the promise ring. My limbs instantly turned to jelly. “One day this is going to be a real ring.”

  My words caught in my throat and instead I giggled nervously, feeling myself warm all over.

  “Hey!” Grace shouted as she pounded on the door, causing me to jump in fright and the wonderful bubble Aiden and I were in popped. “Girl time Evelyn, get your ass into my room!”

  “Oh no!” I whined as I fell into Aiden’s neck. “Do you know what they do during girl time?”

  “I don’t think I want to know,” he snorted as he ran his hand down my back. “I have to get to my patrol.”

  I shut my eyes tightly and breathed in his scent. “I miss you.”

  “I know,” he mumbled. “Me too.”

  ∞

  “Hey Hannah,” I smiled softly and she gave me a small grin. “How are you?”

  “I’m good,” she said easily. “It gets easier every time. How are you feeling?”

  “Mortified,” I mumbled as I thought back to my verbal assault.

  “Let’s not dwell on it,” Lucy announced as she shut the door. “Evelyn, if you would please soundproof this room.”

  Raising my brows, I did as I was told, although this was a new request. The only time I soundproofed a room was when Aiden and I… Clearing my throat I envisioned the room cloaked in a secretive, protective layer interlocked with each other and impenetrable from the outside world. The rush that tumbled over me felt freeing as my magic coursed within my veins and I sighed in content, allowing my eyes to reopen.

  “Okay test time,” Grace said before she darted outside of the room.

  “Grace has tiny tits,” Lucy sniggered and we all waited for Grace to come crashing through in anger.

  Nothing.

  “Definitely worked,” Hannah chuckled as Grace opened the door and came back in.

  “I didn’t hear a thing,” she announced. “We’re all set.”

  “Why are we soundproofing?” I asked nervously as Lucy dumped her giant bag on the floor beside the bed.

  “Because of this!” Lucy announced proudly. She held up some sort of rice cooker looking contraption and I frowned as she began to pull out what looked like wide brimmed popsicle sticks and some fancy looking container. I squinted at the label but noticed it wasn’t in English and I looked at Hannah who wore the same look of confusion on her face.

  “What is it?” Hannah ask
ed.

  Grace rolled her eyes with a giggle and Lucy grinned evilly.

  “Waxing kit!” Lucy said proudly and I winced.

  “No thanks!” Hannah said quickly. “You are not coming anywhere near me and too bad for you, I’ve already shaved my legs!”

  “It’s not for your legs,” Grace said as she wriggled her eyebrows.

  “It’s for your secret garden,” Lucy spluttered into hysterics and Grace followed suit. I clamped my legs shut immediately and looked at Hannah in horror.

  “Come on Evelyn!” Grace sighed. “We’re all going to do it.”

  “How?” I demanded in panic.

  “Well I’ll wax Lucy,” Grace started and I blanched. “Lucy will wax me. Hannah, you can wax Evelyn and Evelyn, you can wax Hannah.”

  “I love you girls,” I started. “But I’m sorry, I’m not putting my hands near your vag—”

  “Secret garden!” Lucy cut in with a loud laugh.

  “Don’t we have to be trained in this?” Hannah asked. “I mean, what if we clamp someone’s secret garden shut?”

  “That’s their problem and their mates,” Lucy snorted as she flicked her beautiful blonde hair over her shoulder. “Look, I’ve been watching this tutorial video for the last two days, I know how to do it. I’ll do all of you girls and then Grace can do mine, you watched the video, didn’t you?”

  Grace nodded and her eyes twinkled. “Yep, I was born ready for this.”

  “Oh Goddess,” Hannah whined.

  “Don’t look so scared girls,” Lucy said with an eyeroll. “You’re forgetting one important detail here.”

  “What could we possibly be forgetting?” Hannah demanded.

  Grace and Lucy shared a look before staring directly at me.

  “Evelyn,” Grace started, “is going to make sure none of us feel any pain.”

  “I don’t even know if I can do that!” I spluttered.

  “You can do anything,” Grace said dismissively. “We’re going to test it out first. Evie, you’re going to make sure I don’t feel any pain when Lucy punches me in the stomach.”

  “Grace!” Hannah squeaked.

  The idea was appealing to me—to try use my magic in different ways. After all I had just worked out I could turn practically invisible to those I didn’t want to see me… to be able to shield people from pain? I smiled with anticipation and shut my eyes as Grace cheered loudly.

  “Let’s do this!” Lucy yelled.

  ∞

  “She’s impenetrable when she’s happy!” The hooded figure snarled viciously. “What’s the point of Salem being in her mind if he can’t get to her?”

  “She’s not the girl she was before,” the other replied calmly. “She’s changed. She knows of the power she has. Salem needs to keep making her afraid of it. If she finds out the power she’s been gifted with… you and I may meet our end for good.”

  “I’m not scared of that weak little girl,” the harsh voice hissed.

  “You should be,” the other one sighed. “For too long you have underestimated the power of those around you. This one… she’s different. She’s one of us. Look at how she simply plucked Salem from the mind of that shewolf!”

  “She wasn’t smart enough or powerful enough to dispel him!” The angry one countered. “Salem will crush that wolf in her mind and once he’s done that he will crush her. She will not live. She will not fulfill our mother’s prophecy.”

  Our mother’s prophecy, thought Danyeela bitterly. Even from beyond the grave the pair were still being punished. For one can’t live without the other and if one dies as to will the sister. From the blood of your blood will come your end. Danyeela trembled and stared at the nervous looking girl, who perched on the end of the bed, wincing as her friends tore at each other’s skin.

  This frail little nothing of a girl would end them? Danyeela scoffed. Not if Tatiana had anything to do about it.

  Chapter Thirteen

  I stomped through the forest furiously as sweat slid its way down my body. Anger rippled in layers as I tried my very hardest not to destroy anything. This mood swing was sudden and I had made everyone leave me alone the moment I felt this awful temper rising. They’d persisted, annoyingly so at first, that they could handle it—until I knocked down a tree.

  They were happy to let me go then.

  It annoyed me that I was behaving this way but the annoyance of still not being able to finish that stupid course was overpowering. Here I was, gaining more wolf and I still couldn’t get past that final hurdle. It didn’t help either, that it had been the first time on the course since that awful vision of me killing my friends. When I had first seen Trey, I’d been so startled and terrified The Shadow would hurt him that I ran in other direction screaming.

  Try explaining that to everyone!

  You don’t need to explain yourself, The Shadow soothed cruelly. You’re too powerful—

  Shut up! I snapped and another tree went falling. The floor shook as it landed, and birds scattered, squawking in indignation.

  Gritting my teeth, I kept marching, trying in earnest to vent out this newly acquired anger on the forest and not on my mate and my friends. I was only just starting to get on nicer ground with them and I didn’t want my awful mood swings to damage the effort I had been making. I couldn’t believe I was unable to finish that course! How much longer could I bear humiliating myself before I used my magic? Why couldn’t I use my magic? It was right there for crying out loud, where the heck was it going to go?

  Unfair! my wolf snarled petulantly. I swallowed the rising venom in my throat as she warred with my mind.

  So pathetic, The Shadow sneered at my wolf and I gripped my skull in fury. Mutt-like creature.

  I bit my lip so hard I must have drawn blood and I knew that was it. I found myself screaming so loud that the wind around me picked up furiously. The sky darkened considerably and the air chilled to the point where I shivered and goosebumps broke out on my arms. My throat felt hot, like I had swallowed fire and my gums began to ache.

  Something hit me hard in the stomach and I gasped painfully as the air knocked out of me and I landed hard on my back. Instantly the sun came back out, the wind died down and the rage disappeared from my body.

  “Goddess Hannah!” Grace scolded. “You didn’t have to hit her with it that hard.”

  “She’ll live!” Hannah snapped.

  “Evelyn?” Aiden was by my side, his big hand cupping my cheek as his eyes searched mine with worry. “Are you okay?”

  “She’s fine,” Lucy said flippantly. “She was having a little tantrum and we fixed it.”

  “Mom used to do it to me all the time,” Hannah stated. “It’s better we knock her on her ass than she totally messes with the weather patterns. Do we want that?”

  I shook my head with a pained expression. “What was that?”

  “It was awesome!” Trey started excitedly. “It was like a giant white ball of light and she threw it at you!”

  “It was the equivalent of getting a basketball thrown at you,” Hannah explained as she crouched next to me. “How’s the rage feeling?”

  “Gone,” I wheezed.

  “Your wolf got angry fast,” Josh commented. “That was a real snap of anger.”

  “How she’s reacting is different to us because she’s starting so much later,” Aiden explained.

  “If Hannah is around to throw giant balls of light at her we’ll be fine,” Lucy said with a shrug. “Okay, we all need to go and freshen up. We need to get to the school to set up for the fair.”

  Irritation appeared quickly and I masked it as fast as I could. “I’m going to take a walk first, I need to calm down. Get back in my own psyche.”

  “Do you want me to come?” Aiden asked.

  “Aiden,” Josh cut in. “We have literally got five minutes to meet your dad at the border or both of us are toast.”

  “It’s fine,” I assured Aiden quickly. “I’ll head to the school in about an hour.”
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  “Okay,” he agreed reluctantly. “Do you have your phone? Good. And we’ve got a few patrollers out today so if anything happens—”

  “Aiden come on,” Josh growled. “I’m not getting ripped into by your dad again!”

  Aiden quickly pressed his lips to mine before Josh pulled him away. All of them shifted in unison, running in different directions and I was finally left alone with peace and quiet.

  I hardly had any time to spare and I closed my eyes quickly as I made myself blend into the forest around me. No one would see me and no one would hear me. If anyone came past they would get an awful feeling to avoid the area, to leave and not think twice and not ask questions. I was nothing but air, invisible to the eye.

  Opening my eyes again, the world felt duller and the colors appeared muted. The way the air sounded muffled in my ears had me deciding that I had in fact blended into my surroundings and no one would see me. It was as if my desperation for someone to test it out on was heard, because at that moment two patrollers ran through the area, yelping as they ran a wide arc around my foreboding bubble.

  Aiden would have sent them to check on me.

  Triumph soared through me as I realized it had worked.

  What now then? The Shadow mocked. Are you going to get rid of me?

  My lip curled in agitation at the challenge in its voice and I sealed my hands to my head as I applied fierce pressure. At first it felt like my skull was being squeezed into a motorbike helmet—until that pressure intensified and it felt like I was crushing my skull from inside out. I cried out in pain as my head throbbed violently, but the cruel laughs of The Shadow seemed to become louder and louder to the point it was almost deafening.

  I tore my hands from my head and doubled over, breathing hard as I supported my hands on my knees. It hadn’t even felt like it gave way a little. When I had removed that awful thing from Charlotte’s mind in Alaska, it almost felt as if it slid and slipped out of place, like I was simply removing a stone from a shoe—

  I gasped aloud and my hands went to my throat as my eyes widened in desperation as that thought appeared in my mind.

  Ah, Salem said softly. Are we finally using our head?