The Wolf In Me novel Chapter 34

Part 1 Dancing Flames

Luka's POV

This was not the first time that we had threats with forest fires. It happens once in a while but something or someone must have started it.

I remember the first time I saw the dancing flames getting higher than the trees, moving from one branch to the next, turning everything into black ebony. As the wind picked up, the fire moved more quickly, killing everything that comes its way. I have just turned ten a week before it happened and my body just went numb, watching it with my mouth wide open.

"Quickly darling, move away," I heard a soft voice from behind me say.

I turned to see Elsa, the beta's oldest daughter who was around eighteen years of age. I took one last glance at the forest, then rushed to the dungeons with the other kids where everyone knew it was the safest place to be in.

The next thing I remember was that after hours of waiting someone came in telling us that it was safe for us to come back up. Reaching the exit I scented the fumes that were still clearing up, making everything look black and blurry. Coughing, I ran in search of my parents that were also trying to find where I went. With relief, we found each other, getting into a warm hug.

Most of the forest was taken from us by the fire and I can still recall the sad feeling that filled my chest, knowing that it was going to take a long time for the trees and nature to grow again. I strolled around the dark paths of the wilderness, or what was left of it, weeping as I spotted all the animals that were killed by the fumes or burnt to death.

Recollecting that memory, my body went numb as my heart started to race, imagining the worst that could happen.

"I want the children and mothers to go down the dungeons for safety. The rest I want them to get ready. Melody, I will leave you responsible to take care of that. Make sure that you are also safe inside."

At that moment the enchantress opened the double door to see us all standing in front of her.

"Luka! I was searching for you," she said looking pale whilst eyeing me and the forest.

Mei's POV

Luka rushed into our room as I was out from a warm shower, scrunching my hair with the towel to dry it up. My eyes grew wide as I received the news about our precious forest.

I scooted to Mason and picked him up, waking him from his sleep, looking at me with blank tired eyes. I cradled him like a newborn baby in my arms with a blanket over him for comfort as we all ran downstairs towards the dungeons. On our way, the fumes were already starting to fill our nostrils making it more difficult for us to breathe and the more we ran, the more we inhaled the toxic fumes.

"I have to sound the alarm to everyone else," Luka said as we reached the dungeons.

I nodded and rushed in where the lights exposed the sadness of the place and the scent of dampness that filled the air. I walked further in, noticing Dr Write, quietly observing all the wolves that were passing by his cell.

"You there. What do you have to do with this? Huh?" I asked with a straight face at him.

He stared at me for a moment, then chuckled deeply. Moving closer to the gate, he wrapped his arms around the metal and grinned. His eyes were moving from me to my son for a moment, before answering.

"Maybe yes, and maybe no. I haven't been outside to know what is happening."

His scent was sickening and I couldn't express the disgust towards him with my face. Grinning he marched himself back further in where it was darker as he sat down on his uncomfortable bed opening a book as he started to read.

I spat on the floor, still looking at him frowning, then as I broke my glare I continued to walk further in. A moment later I found the other two scientists that were here for a few days now. They were both in a different cell next to each other. One was looking at us in a confused manner and the other one whom I recognised well from when he stole my son, Dr Biorn.

"You are lucky you still breathe!" I exclaimed, looking furiously at him, covering my son's sleeping face.

Moments later I hear a snarl coming from a cell that was a little bit further in and as I walked towards it I see a wolf growling and hissing at everyone that walked past it. Stopping right in front of it I growled back at her, exposing my yellow eyes, waking up Mason from his nap. My son moved around in my arms, removing the blanket off his face and suddenly the wolf stops snarling and instead she glared at him with the most gentle expression. This must be subject 40, the one Luka told me about. She looked miserable and lonely and suddenly I took pity on her.

"Who would be this cruel to make one suffer?" I mumbled staring at her sadly.

This was the first time my eyes gazed at her and I could immediately tell that she needed a lot of help.

"We will take good care of you. It is not your fault for being in here," I continued to say with a soft tone to let her know I was being friendly.

Whining, she turned her body around and walked to the centre of the cell, shifting into her human form and to my surprise, she looked just like the enchantress. I was stunned by how much she resembled her and it didn't take long for me to get angrier at the scientists that were all involved in making her and all the other subjects suffer just for their experimental works.

"Mei, this way," Melody said, releasing me from my daze.

Luka's POV

The rest of the pack that remained with me to help in turning off the fire were all running behind me with buckets of water, throwing it on the fresh flames that were around us. The enchantress, Nelly and Lylah were refilling the empty buckets with a spell, trying to run as fast as us wolves as we rushed through the woods.

"How long before you can cast that other spell you mentioned?" I asked, slowing myself down for the witches to reach me.

"The fire is still way too big for us to handle, but for now Nelly is managing the fumes which help us run through," the enchantress clarified.

Showing her my two empty buckets, she cast the refilling spell and the buckets got full of water one again.

"You always stun me with magic. I wonder how it works," I smirked, before throwing it in a large pit of fire, offering them the buckets again.

We were getting closer to the science lab. I started to wonder if the scientists were the ones responsible for this, but I couldn't yet confirm it. All I could do was fight with the beastly fire that surrounded us. It took us hours of throwing water and everyone was getting a little tired.

"We must keep at it, everyone! It is either the fire or us! We have our some and daughters to protect! Come on, let's do this!"

Finally, as the sun started to set, the witches decided that the flames were small enough for them to handle the rest of it. My pack started to follow me back to the packhouse which was now hours away. We have skipped lunch and most of us were getting dizzy, especially with the fumes of the fire. Although Nelly tried hard to rid us of it, there was way too much for just herself to handle.

"Help her, she needs help," I mumbled to the closest wolf as I watched one of us fall on the burnt soil.

"Yes alpha," he said, rushing to her side.

I turned around to take one last glimpse of the witches before they became too small for me to spot.

"I should have stayed with them. What if something happens to them?" I thought to myself, now realising that they were still in a danger zone.

"Jake, keep them going, I am going to stay with the witches until I am sure they are ok."

"Alpha, you cannot inhale any more of this. You must come back with us, or it will kill you. Can't you see, most of us are struggling to breathe already."

By the time he ended his last sentence, I was already gone from his site, running back in wolf form towards Nelly and the enchantress.