Chapter 4 Dreaming of Wolves

It took her a few seconds to realize she was in her bed; it was the first time she'd woken up with a dry throat and a pounding pulse in her temples. It was 3 a.m.

Drowsy, she closed her eyes, and the image immediately returned: the forest. The trees were tall and leafy, damp, and raindrops hung on their leaves. Between the shadows cast by their branches, three pale figures moved silently. They weren't human, they were white wolves. One with golden eyes; another with silvery-gray eyes; and the third with icy-blue eyes.

They were trying to smell Selena, but a cold wind blew at that moment, chilling her neck as she heard the word "Mate," very close to her ear, too close.

She opened her eyes again, and the room was silent. Daniela was breathing deeply, asleep. Selena put her hands to her chest, noticing that her heart was still racing. She stood up and went to the fridge to drink water, but couldn't; she spat out the first sip: it tasted different.

Standing in front of the mirror, she remembered Adrian's words. "You're not a mistake," she told herself in the dark reflection and went back to bed.

The second dream of that night woke her around six, as dawn broke. In her dream, she was barefoot, the mud cooling between her toes; the sticky sensation wasn't pleasant. But something more striking caught her attention: a howl, calling her. She kept hearing more howls, to the point where her sternum began to vibrate.

Selena took a step in the direction of the howls, feeling the forest as a part of her. The shadows gradually dissipated until she saw a white wolf crossing between the trees. The wolf was very large and fast, with glossy white fur and golden eyes. It stopped to look at her.

"Hello, I'm not from here, I don't belong in the forest," Selena murmured to the wolf.

The wolf lowered its head as if it understood, and the other two wolves appeared at its side.

"A human voice interrupted their encounter," it came from the trees. "Come back."

When Selena woke up, she saw Daniela in the bathroom; the light reflected on the floor could be seen beneath the door. She sat up carefully, remembering what she had just experienced in the dream, trying not to forget it. She opened the window, and the morning air caressed her face, and she felt a chill.

"Did you sleep well?" Daniela asked.

"So-so, I dreamed a lot and woke up tired," Selena replied. "I dreamed about wolves."

"Wolves? That's weird. Do you want some coffee?"

"Yes, I need it, please."

As the water boiled, Selena took out her notebook and wrote down what she remembered from the dream.

By mid-morning, the campus was a madhouse, the usual noise, people buzzing, some practicing their musical instruments, others speeding on their bikes. She walked briskly across to the library, where she settled at a table near the window overlooking the garden. She put on her headphones to isolate herself and began researching her dream on the computer. She tried to interpret the reason for this recurring dream: forest, wolves, howls.

None of the results seemed reliable, just one that indicated the brain was trying to process a conflict or a desire.

When she looked up, Elías was on the other side, returning a philosophy textbook. He saw her and discreetly waved. Selena waved back. For a moment, the calm Elías reflected made her think of the blue-eyed wolf.

"Do you want coffee?" he asked as he passed by her, an obvious question in the morning.

"Yes, I need another coffee," she replied, closing her laptop. "Thank you."

They walked to the vending machine in the hallway. They did so in silence, but under tension. Elías poured both cups, without asking how much sugar he added; however, he got the correct amount.

"It seems you didn't sleep well; you look tired," he observed without judging her.

"The truth is, I woke up twice with the same dream. I was in the woods and it was nighttime," he admitted. "I saw wolves." Elías didn't comment on Selena's confession. He barely took a sip of coffee and said,

"The brain can anticipate our path."

"Is that your phrase, or did you read it somewhere?" she asked, grateful that they were delving deeper into the subject.

"It just occurred to me, and I think it's true. I also tend to dream things that are different from my daily life."

They returned to the table. Elías said his goodbyes and left. Selena followed him with her eyes; spending a few minutes with him made her feel calmer.

Several things happened that day. She received her graded exams, she had classes in all her subjects, and she was quite busy. She grabbed her backpack and left, mentally dazed, thinking about going to rest for a while. She walked down the hallway toward the exit and at the end, she saw Adrián leaning against a column, alone and confident.

Selena lowered her head so she wouldn't have to greet him. She wasn't going to stop. She walked faster.

When she was barely two meters away, the air became familiar, a scent of skin, and she knew it was coming from him. She was surprised by how their bodies understood each other and distinguished themselves among so many people on campus. The realization made her angry, and she felt a tinge of hatred toward him.

"Don't go near the forest," Adrian advised without even greeting her.

Selena stopped to look at him because his comment seemed ridiculous.

"Sorry, what did you say? Say it again."

"Don't go near it," he repeated. "Stop looking for answers, just don't give credence to your dreams."

Selena preferred to pretend she didn't understand rather than tell him she had dreamed about the forest. She didn't want to let him know that he had been right about his comment.

"Dreams are meant to be enjoyed, not ignored."

Adrian clenched his jaw and gave her a deep look.

"It's obvious you don't know what you're talking about," he murmured.

"I really don't know, but don't worry about my well-being. I haven't asked you to."

Selena was curt, but courteous, as she walked past him without brushing against him, even though she felt like it.

"Selena," he called.

She continued as if she hadn't heard.

"Don't get involved, remember," she insisted.

"Let me live, I'm not getting involved. I don't know why you say that," I replied, giving her the sword as she walked away.

She continued on her way without turning to see Adrián's reaction. She didn't care, or at least that's what she tried to show. He didn't want to know.

That night she dreamed again. This time she barely slept; she began to dream, as if they had been waiting for her to start the experience. She was in the middle of the silent forest. This time she could see the moon behind the clouds; everything looked softer, as if the lines were blurring at the edges of the silhouettes. The wolves were there. They looked at each other, but no one moved forward.

"I'm not a mistake," she told them. The wolves were watching her; they had understood her message. The golden-eyed wolf accepted without rebuttal. The playful one moved his paws as if he wanted to run and stayed put. The blue-eyed one, on the other hand, turned back, as if he had sensed some danger the others hadn't heard.

The sensation of something breaking near or inside her confused her; she didn't know if the sound was coming from her sleep.

"Come back," a voice said.

She didn't obey, but took a step forward. The earth yielded under her weight. A scent of rain and vanilla penetrated her nostrils and made her very hungry.

She woke up slowly, her heart steady. She looked at the ceiling, recognizing that she was home. She didn't notice anything different outside, but she knew she had somehow mingled with the wolves.

In the bed next to her, Daniela slept, oblivious to what was happening with Selena.

"Maybe every time I sleep, they're waiting for me: the night, the forest, the moon, and the wolves."