Ayn's Healing

Chapter 43 - Ayn

Author's warning: triggering scenes in this chapter (violence)

***

Since the day Lars came, making his way gently out of my body, the whole family was overjoyed and smothered us with love and attention. Today is the first day when we managed to escape, just the three of us and have a quiet walk in the woods.

It's actually the four of us, because since our son was born, Zero turned into the clingiest big cat ever and he has become my shadow. When we stopped in a clearing Kari shifted into Storm, claiming he is doing it so that the baby can also get used to his wolf form. I knew however that he was trying to control his new-dad anxiety, but I didn't challenge him.

***

Laying down under a tree, enjoying the sun that filters itself in warm droplets on my face, I see with the corner of my eye how my four weeks old son is sleeping peacefully on his blanket, guarded by a wolf and a lynx.

Out of nothing I feel a sudden wave of queasiness overtaking me. I am thinking I am probably still weak from birth and that maybe it would have been good to have listened to Teresa and stay inside the forty days the Shifter's tradition asks for. Storm and Zero jump to their feet and smell the air, and I take the baby in my arms. The three of us look at each other with despair. Our minds are silent.

The earth shifts suddenly under my feet, when I realise why I feel all vomity and why I cannot establish a link with either of them. We are surrounded by a dark magic shield. From one second to the next, Storm and I have lost our strengths. There is no packmind, no shifting, no healing, no mind power and no wings. He's a regular wolf and I am a regular human.

And then quietly, very quietly, countless wolf silhouettes appear at the edge of the clearing. Storm bows to allow me to mount him, and I signal Zero to run and get help.

We run through their ever tightening ranks, my wolf is trying to dodge their bites and I am trying to hide Lars in my arms as best I can. Our path is almost blocked. Storm is biting into a rogue that attacked him from the right, when a skinny but tall ugly grey wolf jumps on our left and pulls me to the ground. I try to protect Lars with my body, so I turn slightly and, as I fall, I hit the back of my head on a tree root.

I first hear behind me Storm's desperate howl, then the crack of bones snapping under his Alpha bite and finally, before my mind is overtaken by darkness, the broken glass sound of my soul shattering.

I open my eyes in the dark. My hurting head is leaning against a cold stone and I seem to be chained to a wall. I feel sand under my bare feet. I also painfully realize that Lars is not with me, as I cannot smell him. It only smells like piss and blood in this windowless room. The dark magic shield is so strong in here that I am gagging.

"Why the fuck did you bring her here, Beta, you ass! The Alpha will kill you. You said you just needed the pup." I hear a voice outside and I realise there must be a door on my left.

"Gamma, don't be disrespectful. I also have the right to have fun after a long day and also, if the pup is not the one, maybe we can mate the witch with one of our warriors and have her make another. Maybe we can mate her with you. The Alpha will be grateful." the one referred to as Beta snickers.

"You are a pervert and you will get us in so much trouble. " the Gamma replies bitterly and by the sound of his steps he seems to be walking away.

The door opens and I am trying to get a glimpse of this Beta, but I only see the shadow of his large body before he closes the door behind him. Against my best efforts, I vomit on myself because he seems to be carrying the very source of the dark magic that flows all around us.