Accaila - The Story of a She Wolf

23. The bird that weeped

The morning after, I woke up to the sound of a strange bird. It's screeching hoots echoed throughout the house. I tried to cover my ears with pillows to block it out, but the screams rang inside my head like a song on repeat. The noise was haunting. It casted a shadow over my mind and made my skin prickle like a cold winter morning. Nothing about the wild hoots were comforting or sweet. It hung like a warning in the bitter air.

Frustrated that the bird interrupted my sleep, I threw the bedsheets aside and dragged myself out of my bed. As I opened my bedroom door, I heard the downstairs door shut.

"I'll be back soon," Hunter shouted as he hurried outside, his voice growing distant as each moment passed.

As I washed up in the bathroom, the hoots remained in my thoughts. Staring into the wide mirror in front of me, a stranger reflected back. When I was taken, I didn't see myself for a whole year. And after my recent shift, I seemed to change even more. I didn't match my old vision of myself. The chubbiness in my cheeks was replaced by sharper cheekbones and a stronger jaw. My eyebrows and lashes grew into a thicker, darker shade. My nose seemed straighter and my lips weren't chapped. I also felt a lot taller as I bent over the sink to inspect my pore-less skin.

It felt strange to be looking at myself like this. I wasn't used to the habit and seeing my unrecognisable face made me feel like I was living in a strangers body.

Instead, I thought about what I could do with my time here at Hunter's hidden mansion. The Luna seemed busy most of the time and Hunter was barely home, always leaving to handle some business or to attend whatever an Alpha did on a daily. I missed my job, but I was grateful for the safety.

I walk downstairs, the strange bird's song still playing my head. It made me scared and sad all at the same time. The song echoed even more through the empty walls of the house. So, I decided to go for a walk, to clear my head and get rid of the strange feeling.

Outside, everything was quiet. A cool breeze blew past me and I pick up a strange smell. A smell that reminded me of iron and dirt. I sniffed again and the scent was stronger from my right. So, I followed it, inhaling every now and then to track the scent. Soon the scent mixed with a much more familiar and intriguing sensation... sandalwood. I quicken my steps and soon find myself in the scene of the crime, where a handful of people were gathered in a small circle.

A gasp escaped my lips when I saw the sight in front of me. A man was dead on the ground, blood and flesh spilling out of the fresh cut on his neck. The iron smell belonged to the pool of blood gathered on the black dirt.

I feel a presence beside me and I don't need to look to know who it is. An invisible current pulls me to him and my body warms up.

''Amber, you don't need to see this,'' says my mate from beside me. A protective hand wraps around my waist and pulls me in close. I don't resist because it feels too good, and for a moment I forget about the dead body in front of me.

''What happened?'' I ask, leaning my head back to rest on him. Now I definitely think I've gotten taller.

''Let's go for a walk,'' he replies. I'm about to ask him why but then I see all the eyes looking at me. The small group of people gathered is looking at me up and down. Even the one girl who was trying hard to hold back her tears was looking at Hunter and me. Some of them smiled, some of them bowed their head and some of them just stood still.

''Okay,'' I whisper. He lets go of my waist and takes a hold of my hand, leading us away from the scene. He leads me through a different path from where we came from. As we walk, the strong scent of iron fades and the familiar scent of Hunter clouds my head.