One Bite

Chapter 3-8

All sights, sounds, and smells outside the library blurred past me. I wasn't sure if wolves cried, but my vision clouded over as I ran out the Eastern packhouse. Desperate to put as much distance between me and the library of depressing reality bombs, without any thought, I gave up and let Lumi take over. A mental sigh of relief washed over me as I slid out of control and into the back of our mind.

While our pain intertwined, at this moment, she was more rational in her reactions.

Licking my egotistical wounds, I understood why she often sat in the back of my mind and hid in the darkness. Mentally, this recessed location comforted my consciousness like a thick black quilt wrapped around me.

My thoughts distracted, I paid no attention to the surroundings in front of us. I vaguely felt her paws as they pushed into the ground, the air that filled her lungs and pumped blood into her veins, and the sharpness of her mind as she ran with a free, wild spirit.

Away from the truth.

Enough of the truth for today.

Hugging my knees into my chest, I sighed and curled up into the blackest corner of our mind. I paid no attention to, let alone cared about, where Lumi was headed.

'Zara...'

Leave me alone, Lumi.

After a few minutes of peaceful silence, I noticed she stopped and laid down in a shady spot under some trees at the lake. A few birds chirped from the branches overhead and she had a terrible interest in a flock of ducks at the water's edge.

Don't even think about it.

Footsteps flicked one of her ears back.

'Zara, company.'

Abruptly, she stood up onto all fours. Tension ran down her spine as if the sensation were my own, the tightening as her hackles raised. Her lip curled upward and her jaw set as her teeth barred. A warm vibration rumbled the back of her throat as a growl rose from her chest.

I was content to let her deal with whoever was bothering us, until I heard a familiar female voice.

"Zara? Oh, not Zara... Lumi."

Lumi didn't change her stance, locking her muscles in place. The vibrations of her growl rumbled around me as she released it.

"Lumi, calm down." Raina stepped into view. "You know I'm not going to hurt you, big fluffy snowball."

Lumi snuffed, but laid back down and looked away. Raina approached, sat down, and crossed her elbows over her knees. We must've been an odd sight and her human form next to Lumi drew a few curious eyes.

We sat silently for a few minutes before she spoke again. "Lumi," her voice muffled. She reached and stroked her fingers down one of Lumi's front paws, which earned her a lick. "I need to speak to Zara, please. I know she's in there."

Another round of growls rumbled around me like thunder. My lips twitched at Lumi protecting my need for space.

Thank you.

"You know..." Raina leaned closer, her eyes peering at one of Lumi's. "It's hard to see from your eyes which one of you is in control. But if you keep growling at me then I'll come back later."

It's okay, Lumi.

I regained control, almost to the point where I shifted back. Blinking, I remembered my destroyed clothes and rested our head on Lumi's paws.

Naked walk of shame back from the lake is the last thing I wanted to do.

"Don't worry, Flower. I brought you some." Raina tossed a T-shirt, sweatpants, and sandals at my side.