Chapter 3 Awakening The Sliver Wolf

I felt my body jolt with shock as the lightning struck, right at the center of my chest.

It felt like being hit by a massive electric force.

I gasped and trembled overwhelmed by the shock and the pain... God, the pain.

The pain tore through me like a jogged bolt, sharp and searing, as if every nerve in my body was set on fire.

My muscles clenched so hard it felt like my bones might snap under the pressure.

Heat-unbearable, burning heat-surged through my skin, hotter than anything I had ever felt before.

I could smell it too, the sharp, acrid scent of something burning.

My skin? My clothes?

It doesn't matter. I just wanted it to end.

Breathing was a challenge. Every breath was a struggle, each one clawing at my throat as if my lungs had forgotten how to function.

My chest felt tight, like I was suffocating, even though I could hear myself gasping, my mouth opening and closing, but there was no air.

My heart hammered so violently in my chest that I thought it might tear itself apart.

"Make it stop," I pleaded to anyone up there who cared to listen, my throat burning and aching. "Please..."

The river. I had to get to the river.

It would stop then, the pain would stop.

I managed to get on all fours, my every muscle protesting, but I didn't listen.

I had to get to the river. It would end then.

I crawled, the agony too much, my vision blurry.

Why is the river so far away?!

My flesh felt like they were going to fall off my bones, but I still kept crawling, my fingers digging into the earth.

I finally made it to the river and crawled right in.

The second I hit the water, everything just went away.

My body wasn't burning anymore, my muscles weren't screaming.

My heart calmed down, my chest felt open, allowing my lungs to function freely once more.

I tried to breathe in precious air but it wasn't air that filled my lungs; It was water.

Oh. I was in the river.

Panic tried to claw its way through my spine, but I passed it aside.

Why should I panic? I was finally at peace. My agony has finally ended.

And I just wanted to sleep.

I was so tired.

As I sank deeper, the moon, sitting high and proud in the sky, caught my eye.

Has the Lunar Eclipse started or ended?

As I sank deeper, the moon seemed to embrace me, its light washing over me. My lungs filled with water, my head growing heavy and foggy.

But I still didn't panic.

Why wasn't I panicking? Shouldn't I be panicking, standing on the brink of death?

Instead, I felt a peace, a calmness I'd never known before.

This is how I die, at peace, gazing at the moon.

Darkness slowly enveloped me, but my eyes remained fixed on the moon.

So beautiful.

As my consciousness faded, a face appeared.

"Mother?" I whispered, bubbles escaping my lips.

I let the darkness pull me under, embracing death as it claimed me.

***

"Silly girl, it's too early to sleep."

"But I'm tired, mum. Please let me sleep."

"Just a while longer, my dear. A little while longer, then you can sleep as long as you want."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

I gasped, consciousness flooding back.

I coughed, spitting out water, my lungs burning, my head pounding.

I coughed and vomited, expelling the excess water. Tears and snot streamed down my face.

I heard voices but I couldn't make out anything from the tearing pain in my head, my chest, my lungs, everywhere.

It hurts everywhere.

I felt hands rubbing circles in my lower back and I felt a little better.

When I finally finished coughing and vomiting-amazed I hadn't expelled any organs-I sat up and closed my eyes.

The hand was still on my lower back, still soothing.

I could pay attention to the voices and what they were saying.

"... would want to know about this," a female voice says.

"And he would, just not now," came the reply, this one a male.

I finally opened my eyes and took in my surroundings.

Standing in front of me were two people, staring at me intensely.

The man's eyes were soft and understanding, while the woman's eyes were hard.

The man's seems to be around my age, while the woman's was older, late twenties maybe.

"Hello," the man said with a small smile.

"He-" I couldn't complete the words because my throat hurts like hell.

"It's okay. Don't stress your lungs," came a third voice.

And I remembered that someone was still rubbing my back. I turned, and my gaze met big green eyes.

She seems younger than me, her big innocent eyes giving her away.

She smiled and I tried to smile back but failed.

I was in so much pain.

"Where am I?" I managed to let out.

"You're in-"

"Shut up, Joseph," the older woman interrupted the man.

She peered down at me, her harsh gaze making me want to hide.

"What's your name?" she asked cooly.

"Ra–Ravenna." Something about this woman makes me nervous.

She nodded. "I'm Sofia," she said. "Now, Ravenna, how did you get into our territory?"

"I–I don't know." I shook my head weakly. "The last thing I remembered was the river. Me drowning, and I lost consciousness."

Sofia nodded again, her eyes still harsh. "Where are you from?"

Before I could open my mouth, the girl beside me spoke up. "Sofia, she can barely think straight. Give her time to breathe and organize her thoughts."

Sofia clenched her gaze but said nothing else.

"Help me lift her, Jo," the girl said and Joseph rushed to help me stand.

I stumbled to my feet, swaying. Black spots danced in my vision, and bile rose in my throat. Again.

I shoved Joseph aside, barely in time to retch again, expelling the remaining water.

The girl was back, rubbing my back, and I felt myself calming down.

When I finished, I straightened, feeling a little better but still weak and aching.

"Come," the girl said as she and Joseph helped me walk.

Sofia followed us behind. I could feel her eyes burning holes at the back of my head.

She didn't want me here. I was sure if it was up to her she would leave me to die here, but it seems the girl had more power than she did.

We walked in silence, they half-carrying me. I was still weak.

The silence was killing me so I had to say something. "Where am I?"

"You're in Stonehowl pack territory," the girl answered and I froze.

Shit.