Bronze

Chapter 7

Leah

"Are you saying that this is that book?" I yelped in surprise.

Wendy eyed it with caution. "I don't know. It looks old enough," she said. 

I couldn't believe my ears. The story she told me was a legend; a story Pack mothers told their children. 

The first half of Wendy's story was one that I've heard many times before. It was our origin story, our beginning. Ever young pup must learn it before they shift. It was the law.

"That's crazy," I muttered. 

"What's crazy is that you have it!" She shrieked. Panicking, I slammed my hand against her mouth to try and keep her quiet. The last thing I needed was Alpha Kane finding out I had this.

Wendy's eyes glazed over for a split second and then she shook her head. 

"Miss Summit needs me," she said, prying my hand away. "You should hide that thing before someone finds it."

The scent of magic was back. 

The sickly sweet stench hit my nose first, then drifted to Wendy. We both held our breaths as we stared at the leather cover. 

I wanted to say something to her, but all I could focus on was the book. It was like the book wanted both Wendy and I's attention. It fed off of it. 

Then, a blue spark, the color of the hottest fire, jumped out from the spine. It was small but not unnoticeable. The flame brushed the edge of my hand and sent a searing pain throughout my arm up to my shoulder.

Wendy ran to my side, holding me still as the book began to shake. I clenched my teeth as the flame in my arm spread to my neck and down my chest. 

What the hell was happening to me?

I turned my head away and stared up into Wendy's. She was crying. Her face contorted as she held back sobs.

The leather-bound book stung into the air, the blue flame growing with it. It was jumping now like my bed was a trampoline. It was mocking. Laughing.

The power of this item was so great it seemed to have a mind of its own. 

Wendy held my arm still when the pain turned into unbearable burning. There was a fire in my veins; lava coursed through every muscle in my body. 

"Leah," The hopping book called. "Leah." It was singing to me. Singing my name and taunting me. 

I couldn't think. I couldn't breathe. By now the fire had reached my legs, and it took every ounce of strength to keep myself from flying back and screaming. If it wasn't for Wendy, I don't know what I would have done.

The imp book flew open as if a roaring wind had blown against it. 

The writing was back. The red ink almost dripping from the pages as we stared. How was that even possible? I asked myself. 

I couldn't hear my wolf. 

She was trapped or missing. I couldn't even feel her presence. As far as I knew, I was human. I was vulnerable.

Alarmed, I scrambled to try and find her. Gone was the fire and lava inside me. Gone was the burning sensation in my toes. Without Alla's spirit, I was nothing but a mere mortal. That thought alone terrified me more than the magical book that flew around my room. 

It danced around every corner and then it stilled near the door. Darkness took over, and my vision focused on the window, tunneling at the ruffling curtains.