Chapter Twenty-Nine

“Connect with nature, pup.” Loki pushed me with his snout into the clearing. “You are running out of time.”

“I know.” I headed to the center and sank to the ground. Today I was determined to succeed, and I wasn’t leaving until I at least figured out how to feel my magic. I closed my eyes and started down into the center of myself. My mind flowed down, circling my inner self, until I burst through a barrier, stumbling into a clearing in my dark woods.

I stalked deeper into the forest, moving in between the trees as I went. Nix joined me on my right, and Megan on my left. Comparing the two wolves was hard. Megan, while beautiful and majestic, was a small-sized wolf for a werewolf. “Megan?”

“Yes, Amy?” Her voice was soft and gentle.

“What rank are you?” I looked down at her and she chortled.

“I’m a small gamma. Still ranked, but nowhere near what Nix is.”

“You are still a ranked member, little one. And together, alpha and gamma, we will better serve Amy together. You see things in ways I cannot, and vice versa.” Nix looked over at both of us. “I do not see you as a different rank. We are all alphas.” Nix nudged my shoulder with her moon-kissed forehead and I bumped her back. “I hope you both know how much I love and cherish you.” I stopped and knelt down next to Megan. “I’m sorry it took me so long to find you.” I wrapped my fingers in her soft coat and leaned my forehead against hers.

“I know. I had Nix to keep me company.” Her toothy grin made me laugh. “Now come, you need to figure out your power.”

I stood and wrapped my finger in Nix’s thick dark coat. “I know, little one,” she turned to me and kissed my face. "I have always known.”

I nodded and we started walking again. The deeper we went, the quieter we all were. The dark forest gave way to a clearing, not unlike the one I was currently sitting in, and I knew that this was where I would find my answers.

“What is this place?”

“We don’t know.” Nix’s voice was smoky, and she looked around. “You never push us this deep.”

“I’ve never been here before.” Megan sat at the edge and nudged me in. “I think you have to do this alone.” I turned to Nix, and she nodded. So I took a cleansing breath and stepped into the clearing. It burst to life, color flooding the once dark woods, and the wind sent my hair billowing around me.

I sat down and faced my wolves. I pushed my hands deep into the grass that grew there and waited. What exactly I was waiting for, I had no idea, but I felt like this was right. I pushed my fingers deeper into the dirt, feeling the way the dark soil cooled my skin. The wind blew my hair into my face, tickling the skin at the base of my neck. The sun heated my upturned face, and I heard it.

A call.

It started off as a bird, calling out for a mate. But it became louder, stronger. And with it, my heart started to race. Faster and faster until it was pounding in my ears like drums. And the call that started off as a gentle sound became a pounding rhythm that my heart matched up with.

Nix threw her head back and howled, matching her song to the racing song that had become my very essence. Megan soon joined. And then I was on my feet, head thrown back, howling my piercing song to a darkened sky and a full moon that watched over us all.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

And then everything froze.

The world became silent, and it was like everything crystallized in this very moment. The pounding call of the wild, the thing that I was driven by, the call that danced along my skin not two seconds ago, leaving me breathless and panting, was my heartbeat.

I turned in a circle, searching for something. I was missing something. What exactly? I had no idea, but I was missing something. I dropped back down to my knees and was about to scream my frustration. I pounded into the ground and dirt flew into the air.

“Fighting it won’t help.” Someone knelt in front of me, and I looked up to find a radiant woman sitting on her knees before me. Her white hair cascaded down her body and her white dress shimmered in the moonlight.

“I don’t know what I’m searching for.”

“I know, sweet girl. But I can help you.” She reached for my hand and I froze.

“Who are you?” I sat back on my heels and reached for her.

“Now, my dear girl. Who could I be…”