Chapter 6
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While Layla was getting a special remedy from the healer I stayed outside and played around with a bunch of the golden, red and yellow leaves which lay scattered around the base of only some of the trees; most trees here were ever-green. Well I was until Jesse came and knocked down the small pile I was making from whatever leaves were left after winter, with his big feet. Before we knew it we were having a leave fight shoving them down the back of each other’s shirts and trying to get the other to eat them.
“Ah! It’s in my eye! Dirt in my eye!” I shouted holding both hands over my left eye and pacing around a bit. Releasing my eye I started to blink furiously in attempt to get rid of the annoyance I my eye. When I could see well enough I walked over to Jesse and slapped his arm, “Jerk!”
“Hey you’re the one that shoved leaves in my mouth,” he paused to hack-up any remaining pieces of foliage before spitting it out onto the ground and continuing, “besides, it was an accident.” He pleaded his case with me.
“Whatever!” was all I said in response before turning my back to him. “Uhg, oh long does it take to get a wound checked?”
“I don’t know but I’m bored.” Jesse grunted. I turned to see what was the cause of it to find that he was hanging upside-down from a thick branch doing sit-ups. I simply rolled my eyes at him, guys…
A sudden howl in the still air made me jump and my brother fall from the tree.
“Are you ok?” I asked helping him up off the ground.
“Yeah, all good. What or who was that?” as he looked at me with thanks realisation dawned upon him and we answered in union, “Layla!”
We raced inside our wolf instincts kicking in ‘protect the Alpha’. We were halted at the door she was behind by Marge, we tried to monomer a way around her but she blocked every movement.
Jesse growled behind me, but Marge simply put a palm up seizing the noise rumbling though my brother. “She’s shifting and is in a lot of pain. Please wait in the living room with everyone else.”
We did as she asked with reluctance evident. So we sat there on one of the wide blue couches. I sat there staring out the window for god knows how long listening to the whimpers and howls of my best friend, Alpha and someone I would call my sister. Finally the door down the hall opened and out came padding a pure white fuzz ball who jumped onto the bigger of the two couches and laid her head on her two front paws.
I looked at her leg in curiosity only to have my eyes widen when they saw only a thin cut surrounded by pink skin. She leapt of the couch and stood up in human form before throwing herself at Marge who was only just walking in at that moment.
“Anything for the Alpha.” Marge smiled and hugged her back. Giving a thumbs-up to the folks telling them she was going to be fine. I could see the tension that had been trapped in Will and Hillary’s body release in a soft sigh: thankful for their daughters well being.
“We’ll we’d better get home we have a busy week ahead of us with the full moon and all." Layla said, breaking the comfortable silence that had nestled around us after she pulled away from her embrace.
Her Dad, Will drew a breath as if to start talking but closed it with a mysterious look in his eye mixed with slivers of worry.
“What?” Jesse asked purely out of curiosity.
“Oh, nothing.” I didn’t like the way he said that…
“Ok, well let’s go.” Layla said cautiously as she began to head for the door eyeing off her Dad as if he were a scared deer who was about to run off at any moment.
"Oh don't forget this!" Marge yelled running out after us, "It's super concentrated wolfs-bane take it before or after you shift." She handed the bottle to Layla and she said her thanks for all her help.
Then we all said our goodbyes and left for the car. I still insisted on driving due to Layla's leg still being in a bad shape.
"Home we go." I announced to the car as I turned the ignition.
"Yeah I just want to rest now." Layla yawned in the back seat.
"Here, I'll sit in the back so you can lie down." Jesse said reaching to unbuckle his seatbelt.
"No, no it's alright." she yawned once more attempting to hide it behind her hand.
Before they could start an argument I pulled out of the driveway causing Jesse to re-buckle his seatbelt reluctantly. We drove down the quiet streets before we ended up out in the barren countryside. After about 20 or so minutes of driving a loud chiming sound interrupted my thought bubble as I drove down the fairly deserted length of road.
Jesse stretched his legs out so he could access his jeans pocket and struggled to pull out his small Nokia phone. Yes the crappy kind but we usually end up breaking them all the time and these phones are tougher than bricks.
"Y'llow." was Jesse's greeting to the person on the other end of the line.
"Oh, ok... Yes that sounds like Layla..." he chuckled as the crackling voice came through the speaker. I strained my ears to listen to the voice and recognised it as the former Alpha, Layla's dad. I stopped listening in and just focused on driving as we pulled onto the busier highway.
There was silence from Jesse for a long while even after the voice stopped talking, "Oh yes I'm still here, just a little shocked, I guess." my brothers voice began to waver and I began to worry waking me out of my sheepishly focused state.
"Ok yes, Alpha, I'll make sure she is notified. Goodbye." Jesse hung up the phone and put it on his lap not bothering with the struggle to put it back in his jeans pocket.
"That I'm notified for what?" came a weak voice from the back of the car.
He turned to look at her and I continuously took glances at the rear-view mirror to see her sleepy figure slumped against the door.
"Well, your Dad called me because it turns out you left your phone somewhere and they told me, thattheyaren'tgoingtobethereforthefullmoon!" he blurted out all in one go.
Layla's eyes widened in recognition to his words along with my own "Run that by me again, but slower this time."
"Ok but as long as you remember the saying don't shoot the messenger," he paused waiting for a response before he continued, "Your Dad called telling me, him and most of the other Adults aren't going to be there for the full moon next weekend."
"What!" she said, her posture straightening and her face morphing into a mixture of anger and horror. Thought of the full moon approaching sent unpleasant shivers down my spine. To werewolves it was a time to dread rather than seek out. The shifting that occurred was beyond describable in words with the amount of agony and torture we go through. Everything happens whether you like it or not.
"He knew I would rip his head off if he told me in person." Layla sighed slumping back into her previous position, "I would say turn around so I can change their mind but... I'll find a way to make things work." her hand went to her forehead and her fingers gripped her hair and she let out another frustrated sigh with her eyes closed.
I could tell this bombshell didn't help her already tired and fatigued body but I didn't want to press on the matter of the situation and the car fell silent as I continued to drive home. After the long silent drive home full of thoughts and worries of the upcoming full moon next weekend I pulled into the greened area in which held most of the Packs vehicles.
"Thank god we're finally home!" I was suddenly shushed by my brother whom I turned to question but stopped mid breath at the sight of him picking up a sleeping Layla by putting one arm under the back of her knees and the other around her middle.
We walked her inside quietly and almost got trampled by the rest of the Pack who were eagerly awaiting any news on their Alpha's recovery. I walked them all back to the lounge room while Jesse took Layla to our room to rest.
"Is she any better?" Ronda asked with concern saying what the others were thinking.
I nodded, "Yes she is but she is really tired because they made her shift and she will have to do so twice more before the full moon this weekend.
"Thank goodness for that!" Josh said relieved as the others added in agreence.
"She's sleeping now so make sure to keep it down guys." Jesse told us all while he walked in the doorway to join us in the lounge room.
"That's good sounds like she needs the rest." Lexi said with a warm smile.
"Talking about the full moon this week end..." I trailed off looking over to my brother asking with my eyes if we should tell them or leave it till later his look told me to go on and tell them, "we're going to have to extra hard for the next six days because much to our disagreement..." I just didn't want to admit it to myself let alone the Pack that we would have to get through the two days with out the usual help of our parents.
"The usual guidance of our parents and extended-Tribe will not be there to help us. They will be going away to visit another Tribe." I finished putting on a brave face and tone.
"What?" everyone questioned in horror all at once.
"So we are all going to have to train extra hard to make sure we can handle it without the extra help. Also be careful with your diet and make sure to add no extra's ok." I ordered them all using a slight amount of the authority I process.
"Yes, Beta, Tasha." They answered in respect and defeat.
"Alright then, you can all go back to doing whatever you were up to before hand." Jesse said.
Everyone left the room in all kinds of directions, "Dinner will be ready in 10 minutes." Vince yelled out to us all as he walked back to the kitchen to finish helping out.
"Can I go see Layla's leg maybe change the dressing? Ok, well I'm actually quite interested to see how much and how well it has healed."
"Uh, I guess but don't wake her. She needs rest."
Ronda walked out of the room leaving my brother and I alone to wonder if we really could all get through this full moon without any mishaps.