The Silver Spirit

11: Unsettling

I wake up to the sudden harsh noise of my alarm. I slowly get up from under the plush covers, the moonlight drowning the room in a subtle glow. I get dressed in a pair of leggings layered beneath track pants and a slightly form-fitting long sleeve. Though wolves have a naturally high body temperature, I am slightly colder due to my vampire genes. So the winter air is still a little brisk for my liking. I decide to steal one of Lucas's hoodies from his closet as well before throwing on my shoes and heading to the balcony. Opening the doors I was hit with a slight chill down my spine, but soon comforted by the soothing smell of the fresh air. I check the time to be 11:50 and quickly hop over the railing. Landing swiftly on my feet from the second story, I began my jog towards Enette's cottage.

When I arrive, I can feel the magic pulsating off of the house. Almost like a dome of energy was built around the structure, and sure enough, as I approached I could spot lit candles forming a pattern on the porch. Signaling that there was indeed a barrier in place. As I reached the invisible wall, It parted around me, letting me enter without a fight. Enette was very skilled at her craft, that much was apparent. I raised my fist to knock on the door, but it opened before I could come in contact with the smooth wood.

"Welcome Kaila, you're just in time." She greets me warmly as she gestures for me to enter her home.

I enter only to be met by a singular candle lit on the floor, surrounded by a mixture of herbs set out on a circular pattern. Not quite a summoning, but something fairly close. A sort of doorway. An entry for both us here and in the spirit realm. I quickly say with my feet tucked under me on the far side of the circle, Enette took her place across from me.

"Have you done this before?" She asked as she reaches out for my hands, which I place in her palms.

"I have with an oracle once, and I have been visited on my own before. But not in this type of ritual." I explain to her.

"I see, that oracle must have been quite rehearsed in speaking to the spirit realm, for they must have used a more intricate spell." She says with a look of curiosity but to my relief, she doesn't push the subject any further. "Alright, the time has come. It is a very simple task for me, but you have to be willing and open in order to receive the message in its entirety." She looks to be with knowing eyes, she does not question my ability to do so.

I nod my head as she grasps my hands firmly, placing my palms on top of hers, I feel a subtle warmth radiating in between us as a soft light begins to glow around us. She closes her eyes and tilts her chin up, her face risen towards the moonlit skylight. I do the same as I feel the energy grow between us, the warmth on my palms getting slightly stronger as I start to feel lighter.

"May the Moon goddess herself bless us tonight with her presence. May she grant me the permission and the power to relay her own spoken words to the newly found soul before me. May she gift the strength of the moon to us once more tonight." She spoke in a sure, yet hushed tone as the power radiated around us.

I feel a light breeze whisp across my face as the energy continues to grow. I open my eyes when the oracles grip tightens suddenly around my hands. I am met with not only a brightly glowing aura around us but her eyes glowing as well, looking straight into my soul. I am not frighted by this. In fact, I am comforted. I look into her glowing orbs and feel my mind go blank. I am soon met with an angelic voice I have been blessed to hear only once before, though her lips stay still, the moon goddess is using Enette to communicate to me. Coming out as almost a whisper, her voice shortly grows to a full-fledged tone as she speaks my name.

"Kaila Lylin Aletta, you have been blessed with my gift and have now been given a purpose. But you still have a choice to make. You have lived a long life already, and though you still have many tasks ahead of you, they may be cut short by fate. Your power has grown far beyond even what I thought was possible, but power may only bring anguish to those who do not choose wisely. So when the time comes, you will have to make a choice that can both cause life and destruction. Which it causes is of your own demise. Just remember that power isn't always everything." As she finished her last words to me her voice slowly began to fade.

The glow in Enette's eyes dulled down until her sapphire blue iris's returned to stare into my gray ones. She released my hands and extinguished the lit flame with a subtle thanks. Then looked at me again with a sudden worry when she met my eyes, no doubly showing my confusion and worry.

"Are you alright? I'm not sure what the goddess told you for she used me for the seance. She had told me the message before, but it seems like she had changed her mind about me relaying it and told you herself." She lightly laughed, trying to lift the spirits in the room.

I quickly masked my emotions with a small smile. "Yes I'm fine, thank you. I just need some time to myself." With that, I stood from my previous position. "Thank you Enette, you are very powerful and skilled at what you do." I turn to her again.

"No need to thank me, I'm just fulfilling my duties. Let me know if you ever need guidance, I am always here." She lifted her hand and the barrier fell around the house.

I smiled as I left the oracle to herself. As soon as I stepped foot outside, my mind began to swirl again. I hadn't noticed I started running into the woods until I heard my wolf whimper, asking to be let out. This time, I didn't fight her, I let her take over. My mind was racing I couldn't keep myself straight, I just needed it to stop. I pushed her forward and shifted into my gray wolf. Her gladly stretching and shaking out her ruffled fur, glowing in the moonlight. She was a bit more carefree than me at the moment, but she too felt the weight of what the goddess said. Voicing her frustration about our swirling thoughts with a gruff sort of bark, she began running through the woods at full speed. Practically racing around the trees and hurdling over fallen branches.

I ran for what felt like hours, not stopping a single time until I came to the very river I crossed over the other night. Then I heard a branch suddenly snap behind me. I froze, spinning around, barring my teeth at the unknown being. I let out a low rumble from my chest when I couldn't see anything around. As I was about to let out another warning, I quickly stopped myself when I was met with a familiar set of aqua orbs. Lucas' wolf slowly trotted towards me, his head slightly lowered in respect, and his eyes showing worry and sympathy. Though we were not fully mated, our wolves had already imprinted on each other. So though they might not feel as strong, we still share emotions when shifted. He must have felt my frustration and worry while I was running, his wolf bringing him to me. He nudged his snout under my own and inhaled my scent from the crook of my neck as I did the same to him.

Calmed down enough, I shifted into my skin, still fully clothed thanks to magic. Though when Lucas shifted, he was bare. It took all of my might to look away from his perfectly chiseled front. My cheeks collecting a slightly pale tint. Meeting his eyes again, I could tell he wanted to say something, but I moved before he could. Thanking myself for wearing layers, I quickly shed the extra track pants and sweatshirt and handed them to him. He took them hesitantly, most likely wondering why I happened to be so prepared but didn't question it. He muttered thanks as he put on the clothes, then turned to me.

"Are you Alright? You had me worried, my wolf felt overwhelmed so I went to look for you. When I got to Enette's house I smelled your tracks and followed you here." He reached up and put a soft hand on my cheek. I put my hand over his and pulled it down to our sides, still holding it tightly.

"I'm okay, just a little anxious right now. I just left Ennete's cottage before I ran out here, I couldn't think straight so I had to let my wolf out for a little." I sighed out.

 I wrapped my arms around his muscular torso and put my head on his warm chest. He returned the favor with his arms and placed a delicate kiss on my forehead. We sat there for a moment, just enjoying each other's company until Lucas broke the silence with a hushed tone.

"Do you want to talk about it? I know you're stressed right now just with the new pack and everything, let alone all the moon goddess business." He placed a comforting hand on my lower back as we begin to walk back to the house.

"Maybe in the morning, I just want to sleep right now." he nodded and we made our way through the rows of small homes.

when we got back to the pack house, there were a few wolves here and there. Watching movies, talking in the kitchen, and some lounging around looking ready for bed. People being up this late is no surprise, but most are asleep by now. We got a few nods of respect or a hello as we passed through the main hall, making our way upstairs. finally getting to our now shared bedroom, I quickly change out of my sweaty track wear and into some sweatpants and a tee. Lucas losing his sweatshirt and climbing into bed next to me, wrapping his arm around my torso. We sat in a comforting silence for a while until we both drifted to sleep.