Healing Hearts

C H A P T E R | 1

The wind seemed to be colder than most days. Layla was shivering as she walked away from the Pack House, rubbing her hands on her arms as her wolf started to shut down from the betrayal. Unknowingly as Layla was growing up, her wolf bonded strongly with her best friend, and the rejection had similar damages compare to the ones from a true mate bond.

Layla felt like an icicle. Her teeth started to click together, even in the nice, warm summer heat. She felt like her lungs were collapsing inside her chest by the pain of heart break; her breathing getting shallower and shallower.

"Doctor Layla," a guard nodded his head towards her, and Layla gave him a quick nod back, finally passing the security gates that surrounded the house and majority of homes just in case of an attack. The guard watched as she walked away, shaking his head as he glanced back towards the Pack House. "Is there a reason why you keep bothering them about their mating?" He asked, making Layla freeze.

She bit her lip as she refused to sob or throw up about it again.

"It's personal," she snapped, looking over her shoulder. The guard must had been around thirty years old, a lucky one who actually found his true mate when he was eighteen.

He rolled his eyes. He muttered, "Yeah, I bet."

Layla snarled, her nose flaring, "Drop it. I don't feel like talking about it." She squeezed her eyes shut, harsh memories of the past filling her mind as she tried to go into her happy spot. The more she seemed to remember the more disconnected she felt with her other half, her wolf.

The guard chuckled, not realizing the painfully burning sensation Layla was started to feel. It started to overshadow the coldness she was feeling moments before. "Luna Denice and Alpha Joey deserve your support— weren't you Denice's best friend?"

Layla felt her claws prick her palms as her hands went into fists. Her eyes started to watery as she attempted to keep her emotions in check. In the end, it didn't matter who she was because everyone supported the chosen bond between the Alpha and Luna. No one truly understood the pain in her heart, mind, and back.

She was completely alone.

Layla couldn't help but cry, "What about me? Wasn't Denice my best friend?" The guard took a step back, nearly falling over from the outburst of the Head Pack Doctor. Honestly, he was only making this conversation happened because he wanted to help out his pack mate, not to push her nerves. She wiped her tears away with the back of her hand. "Why am I always wrong?"

"Doctor Layla," the guard coughed, clearly his throat. He noticed how pale the she-wolf's skin was coming, and the scent of death started to reach his nose. "Are... are you alright?" He asked, reaching to grab her, but Layla's wolf snarled at his action.

Layla's body was in the process of accepting the rejection to the one sided bond she accidentally created. Her wolf started to take more control, wanting to release her pain and anger inside of keeping it bottle up— where it was slowly killing the both of them. The world to her seemed black and white, with a terrible hint of red. The sounds started to mush together as she lost feeling for the world, under the wrath of her own wolf.

She blinked slowly, watching the guard's mouth move to to comfort her with words. Layla couldn't understand anything he was saying, but the very sound of his voice caused Layla's wolf's anger to sky rocket.

Layla felt her body prepare itself for the kill, and she couldn't do anything to stop it. Being inside her own body started to become too painful, and with a fluent motion, she landed all four paws. Her skin felt like it was being ripped open as chunks of fur started to sprout. She felt like her blood was boiling as her body started to transform. Her bones snapped like toothpicks made her feel weak, but her wolf bared her teeth, snarling dangerously close to the guard.

A force shift was always painful, no matter the reason. To a point where one's wolf couldn't process the feeling in their human body, needed to get into the own fur out of rage and pain, was tragically lethal to them and around else around them. Werewolves were taught at a young age to control their emotions because they needed too. They could seriously hurt themselves or others.

The breeze cave towards her again. Her wolf snapped her gaze over towards the darkness of the woods. For a split second, a calming sense washed over the both of them before the scent of iron caused Layla's wolf to howl.

The pleasant scent of flowers in a meadow smelt wonderful for the human and the wolf, but scent of the true mate's blood caused them both to completely loose control. Without even glancing at the guard, Layla sprinted away, her eyes narrowing in determination as she raced closer and closer towards the border.

As the distances loosen with each second and step, Layla started to feel the stings of the deep wounds inflected on her poor mate. Her whole body felt numb as she whimpered softly to herself, pushing herself to go faster and faster.

A scream silence the night, and the new, growing bond stopped growing.

Layla roared, and when she came in range of the scene before her, she attacked before process anything around her. Her body flew into the side of a male's wolf flank, surprising him as they both rolled over the roots of the trees.

Neither of them wasted any second of getting up and facing one another. Layla forced her way between the male wolf and her mate, her haunches raised as she prepared herself to defend. She may had taken a medical approach, but her pack made sure everyone knew common defense to protect themselves.

The sounds of howls echoed into the night sky, and the male wolf took a sniff in the air and he fled. Layla didn't even think about following him as she quickly came to her mate's side.

She shifted, her human and wolf finally stronger together again. Tears were streaming down her face again, but she didn't bother to wipe them away as she quickly did her best to help me mate.

In the distance, she could hear paws hitting the ground as wolves neared her.

———— A U T H O R   N O T E | 1 ————

Another chapter done for the newer version. It's a little different than the old one, but I kinda like it better because it gives you a sense of the pain Layla felt.

If you have any suggestion or points in the old version you wanted me to highlight more or change, you can comment it. I'm not promising that I will do anything, but I will take it into account.

Vote if you think my chapter deserves it, and share if you feel like you know someone who would enjoy it. Once again, if you see any errors or grammar mistakes, inform me.

Quick Question (QQ) #1: Which version have you enjoyed more?