✓ | PRIMAL, jacob black ²

chapter eleven

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Telling her story about Juliet seemed to open a floodgate for Aniya, and before she realized it, she found herself sharing other personal details—things she had never told just anyone. These were moments and memories that, until now, had been reserved exclusively for Juliet. Yet here she was, letting the group in little by little, breaking down the walls she had built so carefully over the years.

In turn, she began learning more about the others as well. Through casual conversation and their shared laughter, she felt the tension ease, the room growing warmer with camaraderie. It was this newfound comfort that eventually gave her the confidence to show them something she had been reluctant about: her drawings.

Aniya wasn't sure why Emily had been so insistent about it earlier. They were just sketches—random images pulled from her dreams, almost all of them featuring wolves. It didn't seem like anything special to her. Still, she figured that if anyone might appreciate them, it would probably be this group of boys. Wolves, after all, were clearly their thing.

With a small smile, she grabbed her sketchbook and took a deep breath. "Alright," she said, glancing around the room. "Emily said you'd find these interesting, so... here goes."

She flipped open the cover, her heart pounding a little as she prepared to show a side of herself she didn't often share.

There Aniya was, sitting on the now-cleared dining table, surrounded by a scattered collection of her sketchbooks. She sat quietly, her nerves bubbling beneath the surface as she watched everyone leaf through her drawings. The room was unusually quiet, each person wearing a serious expression as they studied her work. Aniya's gaze kept darting to Emily, who sat nearby, offering encouraging smiles whenever their eyes met.

"You said these came from dreams?" Sam asked, his tone measured as he looked up from the sketchbook in his hands.

"Yeah, all of them," Aniya replied, her voice steady despite the tension she felt. Sam gave a thoughtful nod before returning his attention to the pages, flipping through them with careful hands.

Her eyes shifted to the others, her stomach twisting with anticipation. It wasn't often that she let anyone see her work, and now here she was, sharing it with a group of near-strangers. She glanced toward Seth, and her heart nearly stopped when she saw the sketchbook in his hands.

It wasn't just any sketchbook—it was the one she thought she'd left at home.

"Wait! No, Seth! Not that one—" she started, her voice rising in panic. But it was too late. Seth had already opened it, and Aniya slumped in defeat, covering her face with her hands.

Seth grinned, oblivious to her embarrassment. "Hey, this is Maya! It's amazing," he said enthusiastically, flipping to the next page. But as he turned it, his expression suddenly shifted. His grin faded, and he froze, staring at the page in silence.

Aniya peeked at him through her fingers, her heart pounding as she noticed the change in his demeanour. His face, usually so expressive, was now unreadable, his eyes fixed on the drawing as if it had struck a nerve.

The silence stretched, and Aniya swallowed hard, unsure of what to say—or what Seth had just uncovered.

Quil, who had been sitting next to Seth, leaned over curiously to see what had made him freeze. As his eyes landed on the sketch, his expression shifted from curiosity to shock. Without hesitation, he snatched the book from Seth's hands. "What the—?" he muttered, his voice laced with disbelief.

His reaction drew everyone's attention. All eyes turned toward Quil, their curiosity piqued.

"What's wrong, Quil?" Embry asked, frowning as Quil flipped through the pages with a growing sense of urgency.

Quil's voice was quieter this time, almost stunned as he said, "These are... Zahra, Rachel, and Serena?" With each name he spoke, he glanced at the sketches, his mind reeling.

The others leaned in, their eyes darting to the portraits Aniya had drawn. Recognition flashed across their faces, one by one.

Embry was the first to break the silence. "Do you know them?" he asked carefully, his tone cautious but demanding an answer.

Aniya felt her breathing grow shallow under the weight of their stares. Her hands instinctively clasped together under the table as she tried to steady herself. Shaking her head, she finally managed to speak. "No—I didn't even know they were real people," she admitted, her voice trembling. "I told you, they're all from dreams. It was the same with Emily and Maya... and even Juliet, who I hadn't seen for years until recently."

"You saw them," Sam said slowly, his voice calm but heavy with meaning. "Along with the wolves?"

Aniya nodded hesitantly. "Yes," she whispered. "Each of them that I drew... they were always with a wolf. It was like they were connected. At first, it all felt simple, but then..." She trailed off, her hands beginning to shake. "The dreams would take a turn."

A chill ran down her spine as she recalled those darker moments. Her voice faltered, but before she could say more, Emily reached over and gently took her hands in her own.

"You don't have to say any more," Emily said softly, her tone soothing.

Aniya looked at her gratefully, her eyes welling up with relief. "Thank you," she whispered, nodding as she tried to calm herself.

Meanwhile, Leah, who had been uncharacteristically quiet throughout the conversation, was staring at one of the sketches in front of her. It depicted a wolf—her wolf. Aniya had unknowingly captured her shifted form with stunning accuracy. Leah hated phasing and despised the constant reminder of what she had become. Yet, something about the way Aniya had drawn her wolf stirred a warmth she couldn't ignore. A small, almost imperceptible smile threatened to creep onto her face, but she fought it back, keeping her expression neutral.

The room remained silent, heavy with unspoken thoughts and questions. For once, it felt like everyone was on the same wavelength, sharing a mix of awe, confusion, and unease.

Aniya coughed awkwardly, trying to break the tension. "I'm sorry, things got so... uh... weird," she mumbled, rubbing the back of her neck.

Leah, surprisingly, was the one to speak up first. "I think it's nice," she said, her voice softer than usual. She looked up and offered Aniya a small smile. "All of them, actually. Although..." Her gaze shifted to a particular page, and her smile turned sly. "I see that one of them seems to be the highlight of them all." She pointed to the sketch of Jacob's wolf.

Aniya chuckled at Leah's observation, brushing her fingers lightly over the drawing. "Yeah, that one is weirdly always standing next to me," she admitted. There was a fondness in her voice, her expression softening as she gazed at the image. "Almost like... like it's where the wolf belongs or something."

Her tone caught the attention of everyone else in the room. The group shared discreet, knowing looks, the silence between them heavy with unspoken truths.

Her words hung in the air, and each of them found themselves thinking the exact same thing.

If only you knew who that wolf really was.