The Forgotten Shifter

Chapter 20

Hi! About time, isn't it. (Feel free to yell at me, I deserve it :/ )

WARNING: Slightly mature topics going on in this chapter.

.20

| Layla |

Silence. I would have figured that when we were done with the battle, there would be cheers heard from another state. But now I was here, hours later, and all I could hear was the soft sound of the wolves' pads thumping against the ground, like a heartbeat against skin. David walked with long strides, the stride of an Alpha, while I trailed behind, leaving my mind to ponder my thoughts. I had a family, and while I would never cease to stop the search for other Shifters, I knew I had someone I could trust.

David turned his head towards me as we stepped onto the ridge that was no more than a ten minute walking distance from the territory. He waved Luke and Morgan forward, and they directed the pack to follow them. David made circles around me, sniffing me, and looking with worry. A twinge of sadness hit me immediately; he looked concerned, and I wanted to comfort him. I approached my mate, and nuzzled his shoulder with my nose.

'You're loved, Layla, loved by me, by Morgan, by everyone in this pack.' David spoke through the link, and I was about to speak against him about Brooke, but he puffed out a breath. His big wolf eyes stared into mine, and he playfully tackled me to the ground without warning. I let out a low yelp in surprise, but stayed in my position as I stared up at the stars, and David's eyes. High on the ridge, with the trees surrounding us, I relaxed under David's weight.

Instead of speaking again, David stepped off of me, and began to walk towards the edge of the ridge. I padded over, and stood beside him in his wolf form. The moon was a crescent, a beautiful shape, and David looked toward me with hope. 'Have you ever howled at the moon? Have you ever really, really focused and closed your eyes and just feel yourself change somehow?' He asked, and I looked at him while tilting my head, as a puppy does. He was confusing me, as I had never seen an actual werewolf do this.

'I thought that was a myth, werewolves howling at a moon.' David shook his big wolf head, and poked a paw at me.

'...It partly is. It's always said that we do it at a full moon, but it's anytime we feel calm, or special, or overall just happy,' He said through the link, and glanced back towards the moon. Tilting his head backwards, he closed his eyes until they were mere slits in the moonlight that bathed us, and let out a loud, strong howl. He didn't stop, and with a skeptical look, I followed his movements. I howled as loud as I could, and I could immediately feel the power from my vocal chords.

The darkness seemed to disappear, but somehow I knew my eyes were still closed. I could look down, and see myself in wolf form. The breeze that floated by was light, and I felt even lighter. As I stole a glance at myself, I saw that I was in human form, and was floating above my wolf form.

An out-of-body-experience.

The feeling was beautiful, and I felt myself slipping away from all troubles. I was no longer howling at the moon, I was flying.

But the moment was over as quickly as it began, and I felt David prodding me with one paw. I opened one eye slowly, and he waved his big head to where the rest of the pack had gone, already ahead of us as we had sat here, sitting in the light of the moon. "Come on," I whispered, "Let's go home." This would be the first of many battles, and yet all I could help feeling was pride for the Pack I was now a part of.

| David |

Nervously I looked at my mate. I worried for her for many reasons, and as I looked at her wolf form bathed in the pale moonlight, I let a sigh press from my muzzle. Something was coming, and as much as I wanted to push it away and leave my future self to deal with it, I wasn't stupid. This had been one small battle of many to come, and there was a feeling at the top of my spine that made me twitch. Ever since she had came into my life, she had been put into danger, and I knew that there would be much more to come. And I was more than ready to protect her, even at the cost of my life.